Welcome Back

Hello there! Annyeong, 2016! Feeling so ecstatic to be back after being on a unplanned hiatus since the second half of November last year. That’s why I opt to renovate the blog and made sure I get to go back when 2016 waves hello. Although I must say the blog is not yet fully innovated. THE WORD!

Anyway, to catch up upon disappearing after I had my birthday last November which as what I avowed on my preceding post that we will eat at Sambo Kojin which we did two days after my actual birthday. Here’s some of the grubs I devoured:

Overall, the ones that stood out was their carbonara, chasu ramen, menchi katsu, the ones we grilled and such. We would definitely go back, for sure!

#MagnumNowOrNever

I scream ice cream! I’m pretty sure all of you would scream with me, right? Everyone loves ice cream and I’m one of those – being a sweet tooth since birth – whom you’ll frequently see on a random ice cream parlor along with those cray cray kiddos waiting for their much anticipated turn of sweet fix of the day. Whether you want to have unli twirl green tea or blueberry cheesecake-flavored ice cream at Family Mart near you, heading to Coldstone to have your fix of Cheesecake Fantasy or Oreo Overload flavor or opt to have your favorite Midnight Cookies & Cream or Choco Hazelnut Brittle at Haagen-Dazs. It was not until Magnum have its heyday in Manila and almost all kinds of sweet tooth around the metro went wacko – until now. My heart fluttered like zany when I found out that Magnum will have its pop store here in Manila April 8 of last year. At first, I shrugged off the fact that it would only run for like one year especially whenever we go there and we would like for like 20 minutes or so to go in due to the looooong line of people waiting outside with us. Who would have thought that Magnum Manila pop-store bid its farewell – for real today? *wipes tears* Many hearts got broken with the avowed (very, very, very, very..) very sad news for sure. Some said Magnum is too overrated and expensive. But for me, definitely not! It would not catch many people’s attention if not many hearts flutter once they get to taste of it, isn’t it? It’s like one of my guilty pleasure that I would never get over with. Which is why I decided to dole out some of my top picks among their stellar creations. I’m not like one of those food guru around the metro but I just want to share to you guys some of my favorite and for you to shed light as to why I love Magnum.

Bacon Fried Fries

What I love about it: The love child of bacon and fries! I can eat this like 3 times a day without getting sick of it. Srsly. I’m not kidding. For real. What they can improve on: Whenever we order this, I always feel like the serving is too /few/. It could have been better if they would make it like an appetizer for 3-4 persons. I’m telling you, I can eat all of it – all by myself!

Magnum Bolognese

  What I love about it: Very meaty! It’s not too overpowering. What they can improve on: It doesn’t look good and captivating in the eyes. At first look, I bluntly didn’t felt the excitement to get a taste of it. They could have presented it better.

Carbonara with Cocoa Dusted Bacon and Sous Vide Egg

What I love about it: Love at first sight, I must say! It looks good and tastes good. What they can improve on: They should have incorporated the bacon better with the pasta. It would further make the dish more appealing to the eyes and of course – to our tastebuds.

Seared Chicken with Arugula and Sundried Tomato Pasta

What I love about it: Aside from its enticing physical presentation and hefty serving, I love how the lightness of its taste go well with the chicken topped to it. Salty+ Sweet (Parmesan Popcorn Roasted Almond Queso De Bola shavings) What I love about it: I’m fond of Caramel Popcorn & Kettle Corn which is why, even if it sometimes get stuck on my braces, I DON’T CARE, I LOVE IT! *music playing in the background* What they can improve on: Maybe it would taste heavenly even more if they will add choco balls or white chocolate chips. So much for being such a sweet tooth, sorry not sorry. Jardin (Pistachio Gold Nuggets Freeze Dried Raspberry/Choco Balls) What I love about it: It was actually altered. Dried raspberries were not available the last time we ordered it since it was (I believe) one of the bestseller. It was replaced by choco balls which candidly made it better than the usual since I’m not that fond of raspberries, to be honest. What they can improve on: Honestly, I don’t get why it became one of the bestseller. I believe if they find a better replacement for the dried raspberries, it could have been stellar. (Disclaimer: I don’t entirely hate raspberries. It’s just that I’m not fond of it, being placed on a popsicle. #Trendcast (Sea Salt Flakes, Speculoos Cookies Roasted Almonds) What I love about it: In lieu of my fixation for graham crackers, I love how it complimented with the roasted almonds. (that’s why I love Campfire Smores very much, although I didn’t able to take a photo of it when we ordered it. *sniffs*) What they can improve on: Nothing much. Just add more graham crackers to it. Or cinnamon… maybe. Red Velvet What I love about it: Lalalalalalala, happiness!~ *music playing* Oops, sorry my Kpop fangirl self came out. Magnum popsicles + red velvet cake= AM I IN HEAVEN NOW? What they can improve on: Well, if they incorporated something like a red velvet topping on the popsicles, it would surely be better-er! Triple Cookie Dough Skillet What I love about it: I must admit this is one of my favorite Magnum Cafe’s creations.(Alongside, Campfire Smores & Death By Chocolate) Physically and literally PERFECT!

Food Rage: The Iscreamist

Howdy foodies! It’s been a while, a long time bluntly, that I have the time to post a food blog post. Sorry! 😦 To make it up to you, a couple of weeks ago, I together with my two aunties, cousin & brother surpisingly had the time spazzingly went to Maginhawa, QC to have our merienda. Since we’re not that predominantly starving, we decided to head to The Iscreamist.

The Iscreamist was a pastry/sweets place that offers diverse flavors of ice cream and uncovential snacks with different flavors. What makes it unconventional? It’s when you order a set of it, you will be given five cups in the middle of the tray of the set you ordered with the nibbles around those cups.

And inside those cups is an amount of Liquid Nitrogen wherein you will get one piece of the set you ordered and you will dip it on the cup within 7 seconds, take it off and eat it right away. As you eat it, close your mouth and let the smoke come out on your nose. After 4-6 seconds of munching it, open your mouth and let the smoke come into your mouth, as well.

As for us, we opted to order French Macaron and Smores. And ordered a Red Velvet flavored ice cream afterwards.

I strongly forebode that you get to experience it yourself! 🙂

xx

Milk tea Tidbits #03

What: Battle of the Taro

Who: Cobo’s Taro Limited VS. Dakasi’s Superior Taro Milktea

When: Now!

Alright alright! Enough with the birthday card format thingy. 🙂 It’s been a while since I’ve able to post a subsequent addition to my Milktea Tidbits.

In case you haven’t read the preceding ones, here and here.

Redeploying further, let’s proceed with our Milktea Tidbits for today! For starters, let me refresh your mind with the basic figures of Taro. (According to Wikipedia)

Taro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the Araceae family. Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated and the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the “dasheen” form of taro; another variety of taro is known as eddoe.

Taro is native to South India and Southeast Asia. It is a perennial, tropical plant primarily grown as a root vegetable for its edible starchy corm, and as a leaf vegetable. It is a food staple in African, Oceanic and South Indian cultures and is believed to have been one of the earliest cultivated plants. Colocasia is thought to have originated in the Indo-Malayan region, perhaps in eastern India and Bangladesh, and spread eastward into Southeast Asia, eastern Asia, and the Pacific islands; westward to Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean; and then southward and westward from there into East Africa and West Africa, whence it spread to the Caribbean and Americas. It is known by many local names and often referred to as “elephant ears” when grown as an ornamental plant.

And now, progressing with our MT tidbits, shall we start?

Cobo’s Superior Taro Milk Tea

*VERSUS*

Dakasi’s Taro Limited

Round 1 | Physical Appearance

~ Well, at this point in time, bluntly speaking, after all my obsession with milk teas, as I go through my comparing-the-version-of-different-brands-of-diverse-flavors thingy, physical appearance is crudely a plus factor. Though it still matters for almost everyone has its own share of it-looks-yummy-but-I-found-out that-it-doesn’t-taste-good-after-all experience, right? As for the two contending milk teas’ case, it’s nearly a tie, therefore:

Dakasi: 85

Cobo: 85

For this round, IT’S A TIE!

Round 2 | Original Price

~ As for this matter, well, as for some, price really matters to them before purchasing an item, considering it precisely their deciding factor before anything else. For this round, in contempt of the fact that Cobo’s is P20.00 off less than Dakasi’s (Cobo- P85, Dakasi-P115), obviously…

Dakasi: 84

Cobo:89

The winner for this round is Cobo’s Superior Taro Milk Tea

Round 3 | Taste

~ Last but the most significant round of all, how about the taste? Well, to be frank with all of you, Cobo’s Superior Taro MT is my #2 favorite milk tea of all time! (With bursting yoghurt as sinkers, specifically!)
Oops! *SPOILER ALERT* Find out more on my Milktea Tidbits #04 coming this month. Stay tuned! Furthermore,

Dakasi: 86

Cobo: 92

The winner for this round, again, is Cobo’s Superior Taro Milk Tea

 

Furthermore,

*drum roll* The winner overall is…

**Cobo’s Superior Taro Milk Tea!**

Stay tuned for more Milk tea Tidbits, alright?

xx

Food Rage: Gavino’s Japanese Donuts

Happy New Year, stellar people! After having my last look post of 2013, it’s about time for me to have my last food post of the year 2013, as well! As diverse kinds of pastries, drinks and such arises, as what they appraised, people will never be satistified with what they have. Most of us would look and ask for more than what we don’t have.

At present, there are various sorts of food/drinks I unsurpassingly adorn. Milk tea, mochi/mochido and many many more. As for donuts’ heyday,  Jco & Krispy Kreme have been very notable in the hearts of food lovers, isn’t it? And now, I’ve been excessively head over heels in love with Gavino’s!

Gavino’s Japanese donuts is a gourmet donut shop specializing in chewy mochi donuts. On their frequent trips to Taiwan, Japan and other Asian countries, the owners experience this kind of donut and immediately fell in love with them.

The owners then developed the Japanese mochi donuts and joined the Mercato Centrale weekend market in December 2011. While the products were being introduced, the owners saw the potential for these chewy Japanese mochi donuts and decided to expand the brand. The owners then decided to open their flagship store in Greenhills Town Center, Brgy. Valencia in Quezon City. All the donuts are made fresh here daily. When they saw that people were coming from far flung places to buy their mochi donuts, the owners then decided it was time to expand and let more people try these delightful chewy donuts.

“We believe in selling only the best quality products at reasonable prices,” Mr. Que, the owner says. In developing different flavors for their donuts, Gavino’s does not skimp on the ingredients they use. There are real almonds, pistachios and cheese just to name a few premium ingredients. And with continuous product development, flavors like red velvet and sour cream can now be found in mochi donuts. “Gavino’s Japanese donuts is in the business of providing the best customer satisfaction through our high quality products and customer service,” says Mr. Que. (c) http://www.gavinosdonuts.com/

Here’s some of the flavors I strongly forebode that you guys has to shed light and witness its undubitably greatness:

Choco Almond- Crunchy + Chewy + Sweet= I DON’T CARE, I LOVE IT!

Strawberry Gummy- Since gummy bears is one of my stress reliever/go-to snack, my kiddo-self takes over whenever I eat this enthralling flavor!

Hazelnut- I must say, its sweetness is not that overpowering but not lacking, as well. Hazelnut goodness!

M&Ms- My fellow chocolate lovers would surely give a nod on this particular variant. My kiddo-self and sweet-tooth-self merged in full force, indeed. Hihi! :3

Cookies & Cream- This is the first ever mochido I’ve ever tasted. In view of the fact that cookies and cream is my classic favorite flavor of ice cream, spell L-O-V-E!

Cinnamon Sugar- Not like other food that has cinnamon on it that has its tendency of being nakakaumay, this one is an exception, indeed!

Note: Sorry, I don’t have so much time to take individual photos of the said flavors! I definitely suggest you personally go to your nearest Gavino’s to get to taste mochido perfection!

** Mochi donuts- P29/piece, P150/6pcs, P300/dozen

For Gavino’s full menu, check it here.

xx

Milk Tea Tidbits #02

Rainy afternoon indeed! And as always, as a milk tea fresco, I’m in the mood for another milk tea tidbits! Can I hear my fellow milk tea sillies say present? Hihi! 🙂 How I wish I can factually hear y’all. Btw, have you seen & read my first ever milk tea tidbits? If not, here.

Furthermore, for our second addition to it, I’m radically sure that all of you is pretty much accustomed to wintermelon, right? For some, they are familiar with the word, but they don’t fully ascertain what it really is.

The winter melon, also called white gourd, winter gourd, or ash gourd, is a vine grown for its very large fruit, eaten as a vegetable when mature. It is the only member of the genus Benincasa. The fruit is fuzzy when young. The immature melon has thick white flesh that is sweet when eaten. By maturity, the fruit loses its hairs and develops a waxy coating, giving rise to the name wax gourd, and providing a long shelf life. The melon may grow as large as 80 cm in length. Although the fruit is referred to as a “melon,” the fully grown crop is not sweet. Originally cultivated in Southeast Asia, the winter melon is now widely grown in East Asia and South Asia as well.

Another one is Oolong. The two are not afar from each other for it was usually paired together at divergent milk tea brands. Perhaps some of you might not know it yet.

Oolong (simplified Chinese: 乌龙; traditional Chinese: 烏龍; pinyin: wūlóng) is a traditional Chinese tea (Camellia sinensis) produced through a unique process including withering under the strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting. Most oolong teas, especially those of fine quality, involve unique tea plant cultivars that are exclusively used for particular varieties.The degree of oxidation can range from 8 to 85%, depending on the variety and production style. Oolong is especially popular with tea connoisseurs of south China and Chinese expatriates in Southeast Asia, as is the Fujian preparation process known as the Gongfu tea ceremony.

In Chinese tea culture, semi-oxidised oolong teas are collectively grouped as qīngchá (Chinese: 青茶; literally “teal tea”). The taste of oolong ranges hugely amongst various subvarieties. It can be sweet and fruity with honey aromas, or woody and thick with roasted aromas,or green and fresh with bouquet aromas, all depending on the horticulture and style of production. Several subvarieties of oolong, including those produced in the Wuyi Mountains of northern Fujian, such as Da Hong Pao, are among the most famous Chinese teas.
Different varieties of oolong are processed differently, but the leaves are formed into one of two distinct styles. Some are rolled into long curly leaves, while others are ‘wrap-curled’ into small beads, each with a tail. The former style is the more traditional of the two in China.
The name oolong tea came into the English language from the Chinese name (Chinese: 烏龍茶), meaning “black dragon tea”.

Next in line is Assam. Yes, it doesn’t sound that familiar for a few. For you to be acquainted with it, here.

Assam tea is a black tea named after the region of its production, Assam, in India. Assam tea is manufactured specifically from the plant Camellia sinensis var. assamica (Masters).This tea, most of which is grown at or near sea level, is known for its body, briskness, malty flavor, and strong, bright color. Assam teas, or blends containing Assam, are often sold as “breakfast” teas. For instance, Irish breakfast tea, a maltier and stronger breakfast tea, consists of small-sized Assam tea leaves.
The state of Assam is the world’s largest tea-growing region, lying on either side of the Brahmaputra River, and bordering Bangladesh and Burma (Myanmar). This part of India experiences high precipitation; during the monsoon period, as much as 10 to 12 inches (250–300 mm) of rain per day. The daytime temperature rises to about 103F (40 °C), creating greenhouse-like conditions of extreme humidity and heat. This tropical climate contributes to Assam’s unique malty taste, a feature for which this tea is well known.
Though Assam generally denotes the distinctive black teas from Assam, the region produces smaller quantities of green and white teas as well with their own distinctive characteristics. Historically, Assam has been the second commercial tea production region after southern China. Southern China and Assam are the only two regions in the world with native tea plants.

Largely, that’s our lesson for today. Class dismissed! 🙂 For more milk tea nibbles, stay tuned & drop by here at my blog as frequent as you want. You will make me unduly exultant if you do!

xx

Milk Tea Tidbits #01

Fizzy afternoon, fellow milk tea sillies! 🙂 Well, these past few days, I can exceedingly appraise that I’m being hooked on milk teas more and more. I don’t even ascertain why! As what I’ve avowed in my first ever Awakening Board for July-August 2013, had those days when I have 2 or more milk teas per day succeedingly. Frivolous me! Hihi! 🙂 Anyhow, with my first Milk Tea Tidbits, let’s adjudge and compare Gong Cha‘s Earl Grey MT with 3J’s and I-Cup‘s Three Treasures, can we?

First, let’s define Earl Grey Milk Tea. What does it consists? Earl Grey is a tea blend with a distinctive flavour and aroma derived from the addition of oil extracted from the rind of the bergamot orange, a fragrant citrus fruit. Traditionally, the term “Earl Grey” has applied only to black teas that contain oil of bergamot as a flavouring. It is a black tea, so it usually has a bold flavor. Unlike Orange Pekoe (which is a tea grade named for the Dutch royal House of Orange-Nassau), Earl Grey has a citrusy flavor.

Its citrusy taste is due to the addition of natural or synthetic bergamot oil. (Bergamot orange is a type of aromatic citrus fruit that is usually grown in the Mediterranean, and bergamot oil is extracted from the skin of the bergamot fruit.) Although it varies from producer to producer, its taste is often described as bright, refreshing and bold.

Thus, that expounds the more unyielding taste of Gong Cha’s baby in this battle. Let’s concede our criteria for judging.

Physical Appearance- 25%

Price- 15%

Clear cut & One off Taste- 60%

Having said that, let’s shed light into the physical appearance of both parties.

(Gong Cha’s Earl Grey Milk Tea with 3J’s)

 

(I-Cup’s Three Treasures Milk Tea- Sorry I forgot to capture a solo photo of it! Hihi!)

Round 1 winner: I-Cup’s Three Treasures MT- It’s not because of Pork Bibimbob’s cheery presence, alright?

The pudding’s worm-like penchant made me surmised I-Cup as the winner though Gong Cha’s score is not that far from the former.

As for its price, well, I disclose a TIE for Round two! Why? Lez say 5 pesos is not enough to make I-Cup the winner again for this particular round. (Gong Cha- P125; I-Cup-P120)

Moreover, let’s move out with the last but the foremost vital round. As what I’ve affirmed a while ago, Gong Cha’s Earl Grey MT with 3J’s has more comely taste due to its robust citrusy taste. Unlike, I-Cup’s, I plumped for it predominantly of its three toppings in one milk tea thing going on it. But since, Gong Cha’s EGMT has its 3J’s in it, as well, I declare Gong Cha’s Earl Grey MT with 3J’s as the Round 3 winner.

Tabulation of Scores:

Round 1(25%)– Gong Cha (21/25); I-Cup (23/25)*

Round 2 (15%)- Gong Cha  & I-Cup (15/15) – TIE

Round 3 (60%)- Gong Cha (58/60)*; I-Cup (52/60)

Overall Score:

Gong Cha’s Earl Grey MT with 3J’s- 93

I-Cup’s Three Treasures- 90

 

** WINNER- Gong Cha’s Earl Grey MT with 3J’s **

Food Rage: KoCCo Cafe

Hmmm… what are we doing? Where are we? 🙂

We’re at Kitchen of Cakes & Coffee at Tomas Morato, you silly! Hihi. 🙂

Candidly, we went to Banapple at Il Terrazo, Tomas Morato at first. Yes, I know! Banapple is notable for their savory pies & divergent delectable cakes that I assure that is exceedingly infallable!

Orders:

Cakes:

La Vida Mocha | Rate: 6
~ With all honesty, I’m not fond of anything with mocha flavor in it. But what’s shocking is, I’m the one who ordered it among us three. Well, I just apparently took a crack at it. However, let’s just put it this way. Mocha & I don’t go by a wide margin, that’s all!

Toffee Charlotte | Rate: 8
~ Gaaaaaah! I indomitably adorn the palatableness of this one! Though I tend to feel like it’s a bit of nimiety to some extent but since my sweet tooth-self sometimes has its way of subjugating me. Moreover, I unduly love it! 🙂

Giant Whoopie | Rate: 7
~ Le title natters for itself! When it says giant, the cake means it1 It’s too sweet but I love the marshmallow part of it though.

Drinks:

Choco Mochaccino | Rate: 6.5
~ Still educe what I’ve appraised a while ago about Mocha & I? Well, for drinks’ sake, same as the former, I didn’t enjoyed it that much.

Matcha Pudding Pearl Frost | Rate: 8
~ If you thoroughly know me, you wouldn’t be surprise that well, this one is my favorite in the bunch! Simply because I adorn milk teas with pudding, pearl, grass jelly & red bean in it! 🙂

Other branches: SM North (Sky Garden)

** I suggest that you give KoCCo a go!  Stay tuned for a look post in the coming days, alright? 🙂

xx