OUR AWESOME PLANET

NEW ZEALAND NATURAL ICE CREAM's Hokey Pokey and Macadamia Supreme

(Read first: Ultimate Taste Test X @ Rockwell: Foodie's Cheat Sheet)

UTT X: Rockwell Winner #1: 
NEW ZEALAND ICE CREAM

^4.26

  182 foodies rated 5- Awesome! I would recommend it!
  100 foodies rated 4- I love it!
    46 foodies rated 3- We had a good time.
    19 foodies rated 2- It is OK.
      2 foodies rated 1- Thanks, but it could be better.

They say that the secret to the best ice cream is the quality of milk used. New Zealand is known to produce the best milk from the stress-free, well-fed, happy cows there.

No wonder New Zealand Natural Premium Ice Cream won the overall Top 1 spot in the 2nd Rockwell Ultimate Taste Test! What a coincidence -- last year's overall winner in Rockwell's Ultimate Taste Test was also a premium artisan ice cream -- Paco Magsaysay's Carmen's Best.

New Zealand Natural offers unique flavors, and the signature one is the Hokey Pokey, which is a honey-flavored ice cream with crunchy butterscotch balls. For the macadamia lovers, you've got to try the Macadamia Supreme (ice cream with roasted Australian macadamia nuts). If you are going for the healthy treat, try the Superfruit Sorbet with the antioxidant power of pomegranate, blackcurrant, goji berry and passionfruit.

You can find its stalls in SM Fairview, SM Megamall and Robinsons Place Manila. I do hope it opens in more high-end places for better accessibility for foodies. :)

Congratulations, New Zealand Natural for winning the top #1 spot in UTT X!  (The overall winner also wins a free booth in one of Rockwell’s bazaars :)

BAYANI BREW's Purple Leaf Tea! (A Product of Gawad Kalinga's Enchanted Farm)

(Read first: Ultimate Taste Test X @ Rockwell: Foodie's Cheat Sheet)

UTT X: Rockwell Winner #2: 
BAYANI BREW

^4.22

  167 foodies rated 5- Awesome! I would recommend it!
  118 foodies rated 4- I love it!
   92 foodies rated 3- We had a good time.
   41 foodies rated 2- It is OK.
     5 foodies rated 1- Thanks, but it could be better.

Bayani Brew (P35 - 400 ml). 

I'm impressed with the products that come out of Gawad Kalinga's Enchanted Farm. The social entrepreneurs from the farm know that you have to sell really good quality products first, and that the social cause is not an excuse to be mediocre.

You have to try their Bayani Brew's Purple Leaf Tea! Yes, it is made from the purple leaf of kamoteng kahoy. :) It is very Filipino and produced by the community of Gawad Kalinga's Enchanted Farm.

Gourmet Keso's Chevre Goat Cheese from GK Enchanted Farm was the first to win the UTT series (Rockwell UTT 6.0 rating 3.88). Now, it's the turn of GK Farm's Ice Tea Brand called Bayani Brew to win big -- the top 2 spot -- in the Rockwell UTT X series. Wow! Congratulations! :)

Check out all the GK Enchanted Farm Products in the Morning Mercato every weekend in BGC!

VILLA DEL CONTE's Milk Chocolate with Hazelnut Chips & Dark Chocolate with Coffee Cream Filling

(Read first: Ultimate Taste Test X @ Rockwell: Foodie's Cheat Sheet)

UTT X: Rockwell Winner #3: 
VILLA DEL CONTE

^4.15

  152 foodies rated 5- Awesome! I would recommend it!
  105 foodies rated 4- I love it!
    54 foodies rated 3- We had a good time.
    24 foodies rated 2- It is OK.
      0 foodies rated 1- Thanks, but it could be better.

Villa Del Conte is a Filipino Brand of artisan chocolate made from a rural town in Padova, Italy. Check out the complete story of VILLA DEL CONTE Chocolates.

Our favorite flavors are:

• Praline Balls in Dark Chocolate with Coffee Cream Filling (Black Wrapper), 
• Praline Balls in Dark Chocolate with Hazelnut Cream Filling  (Silver Wrapper),
• Salted Toffee,
• Tartufone (Chocolate with Hazelnuts), and
• Chocolate-coated Castañas

No doubt, this is the best chocolate in Manila this holiday season. :)

Congratulations, Villa Del Conte, for winning the #3 spot in the Ultimate Taste Test series!

SkewU's USDA Angus Tapa - A Must Try!

(Read first: Ultimate Taste Test X @ Rockwell: Foodie's Cheat Sheet)

UTT X: Rockwell Winner #4: 
SkewU

^4.05

  193 foodies rated 5- Awesome! I would recommend it!
  117 foodies rated 4- I love it!
    83 foodies rated 3- We had a good time.
    19 foodies rated 2- It is OK.
    17 foodies rated 1- Thanks, but it could be better.

Here's an interesting kind of tapa from SkewU -- a salty-sweet variation that is perfect with really sour vinegar. The meat is soft, and they only use USDA Angus meat for their tapa.

This is a legitimate contender for the Best Tapa in Manila! (They also have it in Salpicao version.)

Congratulations, SkewU, for a great debut in the Ultimate Taste Test series! :)

BLUE TOQUE's Nutella Mousse Cake!

(Read first: Ultimate Taste Test X @ Rockwell: Foodie's Cheat Sheet)

UTT X: Rockwell Winner #5: 
BLUE TOQUE

^4.03

  104 foodies rated 5- Awesome! I would recommend it!
  131 foodies rated 4- I love it!
    56 foodies rated 3- We had a good time.
    20 foodies rated 2- It is OK.
      0 foodies rated 1- Thanks, but it could be better.

If you are looking for a new dessert this Christmas Season, we've got something for you, especially if you're a certified Nutella lover! Think of the combination of Moist Chocolate Cake + Nutella Mousse + Nutella Cream... What's not to love, right? :)

If you liked BLUE TOQUE's The Ultimate Mousse Cake, then you'll surely love the Nutella Mousse Cake version -- not too sweet and offers that satisfying Nutella flavor.

Congratulations, Blue Toque, for being a two-time winner of the Ultimate Taste Test Series!

• Ultimate Taste Test 8.0 Rating 4.1 | BLUE TOQUE's The Ultimate Mousse Cake! 
• Rockwell UTT X Rating 4.03 | BLUE TOQUE's Nutella Mousse Cake!

CARLO'S KITCHEN - It's Crunchy Belly Time!

(Read first: Ultimate Taste Test X @ Rockwell: Foodie's Cheat Sheet)

UTT X: Rockwell Winner #6: 
CARLO'S KITCHEN

^3.95

 167 foodies rated 5- Awesome! I would recommend it!
  118 foodies rated 4- I love it!
   92 foodies rated 3- We had a good time.
   41 foodies rated 2- It is OK.
5 foodies rated 1- Thanks, but it could be better.

Crunchy Belly is a crispy treat that's like liempo-bagnet-chicharon-in-one. It is cool to enjoy as pica pica or paired with rice. It is crunchy, very convenient to eat, and can be addicting.  One bite and you'll easily get hooked on its awesome flavor and texture.

I'm happy that this Mercato favorite finally won in the Ultimate Taste Test series

Congratulations, Carlo's Kitchen, for coming up with this Crunchy Belly creation! :)

EVERYDAY MOM. Healthy and Yummy. Naturally!

(Read first: Ultimate Taste Test X @ Rockwell: Foodie's Cheat Sheet)

UTT X: Rockwell Winner #7: 
EVERYDAY MOM

^3.94

  114 foodies rated 5- Awesome! I would recommend it!
  106 foodies rated 4- I love it!
    78 foodies rated 3- We had a good time.
    26 foodies rated 2- It is OK.
       1 foodies rated 1- Thanks, but it could be better.

Don't you get annoyed sometimes when your friends give you unhealthy desserts during the Christmas season? Finally, we found a healthier solution in Ultimate Taste Test X in Rockwell -- Everyday Mom!

Our favorites are the banana bread and carrot cake. They are yummy, and people can't believe that they don't have butter. 

Healthy desserts and cake are the way to go this Christmas Season! Show your friends and family that you care for their health. Congratulations, Everyday Mom!

CHOW FUN's Chicken Fry & Dark Chocolate Buchi

(Read first: Ultimate Taste Test X @ Rockwell: Foodie's Cheat Sheet)

UTT X: Rockwell Winner #8: 
CHOW FUN

^3.93

  144 foodies rated 5- Awesome! I would recommend it!
  108 foodies rated 4- I love it!
    91 foodies rated 3- We had a good time.
    33 foodies rated 2- It is OK.
      4 foodies rated 1- Thanks, but it could be better.

CHOW FUN, Chef Francis Lim's new resto, attempts to introduce the new generation of Filipinos to a Modern "Playful" Chinese Food concept. This is his second restaurant after his successful Modern Thai resto called NAV in the Brgy. Kapitolyo Food Street.

He is the first cousin of my wife, and their family certainly knows what yummy Chinese cuisine is all about. :)

In UTT X, many foodies raved about his oozing chocolate buchi creation and the unique sweet-salty twist to fried chicken. Try the complete menu in his Little Baguio resto soon!

Congratulations, CHOW FUN, for winning in Rockwell's Ultimate Taste Test X!

Related Blog Post:  NAV Modern Thai Cuisine Reunion