OUR AWESOME PLANET

COLD STONE CREAMERY PHILIPPINES: Ultimate Ice Cream Experience in Manila? @ColdStonePH

After an experimental market test in Rockwell in 2005, COLD STONE CREAMERY finally opened its first store in Manila at Serendra, Bonifacio Global City.

Its claim to fame is that it offers super premium ice cream made fresh everyday, which is mixed with flair on the spot on a cold stone. There's also a wide array of other ingredients for patrons to customize their ice cream.

But is it really the ultimate ice cream experience in Manila? Check out our Cold Stone experience:

What's New in BGC Restaurants in 2013?

• VASK: Traditional Basque Cuisine and Modern Gastronomy @VaskManila
• EARLY BIRD Breakfast Club: Start of the All-Day Breakfast Era in Manila?
• IHOP Philippines: Manila Goes Crazy Over IHOP? @IHOP_PH
• GYU-KAKU Philippines: World's No.1 Yakiniku Japanese BBQ Brand now in Manila :)
• MAD FOR GARLIC Philippines: Italian Korean Wine Resto (and Garlic Breath)
• MESCLUN BISTRO by Chef Katrina Kuhn-Alcantara in Serendra
• SABOTEN Philippines: The Original Tonkatsu Flavor Now in Manila!
• URBN BAR & KITCHEN: The Secret Yummy Food of URBN
• BRASSERIE GIROLLE by Chef Ian Padilla 
• COLD STONE CREAMERY PHILIPPINES: Ultimate Ice Cream Experience in Manila?

IKKORYU FUKUOKA RAMEN Philippines' Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen! @ikkoryuph

IKKORFYU FUKUOKA RAMEN is a Tonkotsu ramen from Yamagoya Ramen of Japan, which has been around since 1970, specializing in Chikuho noodles. Their original store in Manila is in the East Wing of Shangri-La Mall, and a bigger branch has opened in SM Aura.

Check out our Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen experience: 

The New Edsa Shangri-La Mall Series:

• BROTZEIT Philippines: Starting the German Bar & Resto Craze in Manila?
• IKKORYU FUKUOKA RAMEN Philippines' Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen! 

The BEST RAMEN in Manila Series 2013:

• IKKORYU FUKUOKA RAMEN Philippines' Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen!
• RAMEN SANTOUKA PHILIPPINES: Legendary Hokkaido Ramen now in Manila!
• RAMEN YUSHOKEN: Guide to the Best Ramen House in the South!
• MITSUYADO SEI-MEN's Double Cheese Sauce Tsukemen!
• Nomama (2x) But You
• UCC's Tan Tan Mian Tonkotsu Ramen!
• Genya Tonkotsu Ramen
• Ramen Bar - One of the Best Authentic Japanese Ramen Places in Manila?
• Tamagoya! Ramen
• Ukkokei Ramen Ron - One of the Best Shoyu Ramen in Manila!

ST. ANTHONY DE PADUA: Pilgrimage to Our Beloved Patron Saint in Padova, Italy (A Pilgrim's Photo Essay)

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA (or PADOVA in Italian) is a Miracle Worker, the Hammer of Heretics, and more popularly known as the Patron Saint of Finding Things & Lost People.

He is my patron saint, and my mother always prayed to him for guidance and protection when I was growing up. Also, a lot of businessmen in Manila have St. Anthony as their patron saint because he often intercedes and blesses their businesses to be successful.

I finally had the chance of a lifetime to go on a pilgrimage to St. Anthony Basilica early this year in Padova, Italy. This is where his blessed body lies after his death on June 13, 1231. We celebrate the feast day of St. Anthony on June 13 to commemorate his blessedness.

Here is the photo essay of our Pilgrimage to St. Anthony de Padua Basilica to kick off the Northern Italy series in OAP:

7-Day Culinary, Cultural & Pilgrimage Tour of Northern Italy Series:

• ST. ANTHONY DE PADUA: Pilgrimage to Our Beloved Patron Saint in Padova, Italy

B. WINGS: The Home of the Black Mamba @Mercato Centrale @bwingsresto

Text by Nikka Sarthou and Photos by Michael Angelo Chua

Not long ago, the chicken wings craze hit the metro and many fell for it, as seen in various food stalls and restaurants. This tasty part of the poultry is, in fact, one of the favorite foods of the creators of B.Wings. 

It was one year ago when Marc Castro put up this food business with his partners from the same office where he used to work. He left the corporate world already to pursue his passion for food. He is no stranger to this industry as his family is into catering. At an early age, he learned how to help out in the kitchen by doing simple tasks such as washing rice or mixing pancit. When he reached college-age, he would take up culinary classes during summer. Now, he and his partners serve eight varieties of chicken wings in the different Mercato weekend markets. 

Flavors of Mercato Series 2:

• CHEF BAB’S SISIG: "A lot of restaurants and bars serve sisig but only Chef Bab of @MercatoCentrale can offer eight variants at one time!"
• JUANA BOWL: U.S. Rib-Eye Steak and Norwegian Pink Salmon @MercatoCentrale
• TACLINGS: Bite-Sized Tacos Hit @MercatoCentrale
• B. WINGS: The Home of the Black Mamba @Mercato Centrale

 

TACLINGS: Bite-Sized Tacos Hit @MercatoCentrale

Text by Nikka Sarthou and Photos by Michael Angelo Chua

Tacos are tasty treats but I veer away from eating it because of the likely mess it would make. There’s a high probability that the hard tortilla shell would crumble with each bite. Luckily, Michelle Turabin thought of creating custom-made bite-sized taco shells. Thus, the birth of Taclings.

Her frustration with this messy Mexican street fare and her love for experimentation inspired this tiny treat. She tried to make smaller servings of tacos in her own kitchen and brought them to her office as sort of a taste test, which produced positive feedback. That was three years ago. Now, she and her husband, Frederick, have gone full-time with this food business. 

Flavors of Mercato Series 2:

• CHEF BAB’S SISIG: "A lot of restaurants and bars serve sisig but only Chef Bab of @MercatoCentrale can offer eight variants at one time!"
• JUANA BOWL: U.S. Rib-Eye Steak and Norwegian Pink Salmon @MercatoCentrale
• TACLINGS: Bite-Sized Tacos Hit @MercatoCentrale
• B. WINGS: The Home of the Black Mamba @Mercato Centrale

BRASSERIE GIROLLE by Chef Ian Padilla @Girolle

BRASSERIE GIROLLE is a casual French resto by Chef Ian Padilla of La Girolle fame. Finally, a sequel to his popular resto that is known for its tasting menu.

It's a nice place to hang out and have drinks with your friends, or to hold a pleasant business meeting with your partners.

We recently visited the place, back-to-back, for lunch and then dinner the next day. We love most of the main entrees, but there are dishes that they can improve on. 

Here's our Brasserie Girolle experience...

What's New in BGC Restaurants in 2013?

• VASK: Traditional Basque Cuisine and Modern Gastronomy @VaskManila
• EARLY BIRD Breakfast Club: Start of the All-Day Breakfast Era in Manila?
• IHOP Philippines: Manila Goes Crazy Over IHOP? @IHOP_PH
• GYU-KAKU Philippines: World's No.1 Yakiniku Japanese BBQ Brand now in Manila :)
• MAD FOR GARLIC Philippines: Italian Korean Wine Resto (and Garlic Breath)
• MESCLUN BISTRO by Chef Katrina Kuhn-Alcantara in Serendra
• SABOTEN Philippines: The Original Tonkatsu Flavor Now in Manila!
• URBN BAR & KITCHEN: The Secret Yummy Food of URBN
• BRASSERIE GIROLLE by Chef Ian Padilla 

CAPITOL COMMONS: Greenhills 2.0 and the new 10-hectare Kapitolyo area!

CAPITOL COMMONS is the 10-hectare mixed used development of Ortigas group located at Meralco Avenue corner Shaw Boulevard where the Rizal Provincial Capitol was previously located. 

It incorporates all the learnings from the Greenhills district and envisioned to be the new urban center of the Kapitolyo area.  Capitol Commons was recently launched last May 25 with a month long festival of World-Class Pinoy Talents held every Saturday with an open house and with yummy food in partnership with Mercato.

This is the best time to invest in this area. Check out Capitol Commons!

CUPCAKES BY SONJA: The Secret of Success, and the Future of Cupcakes in Manila!

CUPCAKES BY SONJA is the pioneering Gourmet Cupcakes brand by Sonja Ocampo, which started the Cupcake Craze in Manila back in 2006. Finally, they are building more concept stores around the metro to take the cupcake experience to a different level.

It was great to finally catch up with Sonja to talk about the success of her cupcake brand and the future of cupcakes in Manila.

I would like to share the highlights of our conversation, and our favorites in Cupcakes by Sonja: