Rochkirstin | com

Blog

  • Review of Corner Tree Cafe Vegetarian Food (Bel-Air, Makati)

    Review of Corner Tree Cafe Vegetarian Food (Bel-Air, Makati)

    Taking vegetarian fare to amazing heights, Corner Tree Cafe along Jupiter Street in Bel-Air, Makati offers creative dishes with a refreshing change. Tastes set the standard with quality-sourced vegan and vegetarian food delivered in an intimate and relaxed setting. If you want to try all-natural, earthy digs and flee from meaty havens, this is the place to go. Tasting is believing. 😉

    Review of Corner Tree Cafe Vegetarian Food (Bel-Air, Makati)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    Corner Tree Cafe’s ambiance felt homely and inviting. Despite the plain and sparsely furnished interior design, the atmosphere was calm, clean, and proper. It’s an absolutely ideal place for those who want to unwind or have an engaging chat, one where bookworms can also hang out and read books on a quiet corner.

    Service: ★★★☆☆

    The service attendant was quick and helpful when recommending dishes on the menu, but she wasn’t gracious and friendly as we could have hoped. Perhaps that’s understandable since all other staffs were too busy on their feet attending to requests of customers as well.  They were efficient however were so focused on efficiency that we felt hurried and not totally valued as individual customers. There was little eye contact.

    Food: ★★★★☆

    For our appetizer, the Corner Tree Starter Plate (PhP 295) came out as an interesting combination of dukka and dummus. Dukka is an Egyptian fragrant dry blend of seeds, pulses, and spices with warm chunks of whole wheat bread and extra virgin olive oil. The hummus was made of chickpeas, tahini, and black olives served with vegetable sticks. The fresh, distinct, and interesting array of mixed flavors and textures in one bite make it a good option but not a must-order.

    The Spinach Feta Croquettes (PhP 210, 3 pieces) had a nice comforting flavor and were light and crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle. These tasty croquettes were made with spinach, feta, cheese and red rice served with a mint organic yogurt sauce and Corner Tree Cafe’s very own harissa on the side (great for chili lovers). We definitely recommend.

    Made with spinach, roasted bell pepper, mushroom, and three different cheeses, the Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna (PhP 450) was very aromatic and it was an absolute hit. This vegetarian lasagna was about as fresh and summery as it’s ever going to get, creamy and packed with deliciousness altogether.

    A nirvana for a vegetarian’s taste buds, the Arroz a la Cubana (PhP 255) was cooked with flavorful minced tofu, tomatoes, green olives, raisins, and fried bananas with red rice. It was topped with fried egg but that’s optional for vegans. I loved that the plating was artfully prepared, and the combination of ingredients in this dish was both hearty and comforting.

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    Corner Tree Cafe in Makati showcases delectable vegan and vegetarian dishes, so guests can expect satisfaction when opting for their cuisine, especially for the most recommended dishes on the menu. It has received so many high praises and awards in recent years. Being named as the “Best Specialty Cuisine” restaurant by “Manila’s Best Kept Restaurant Secrets” (MBKRS) Awards says a lot about this cafe. Prices are on the higher end of the spectrum but dishes in general have good value.

    [schema type=”review” url=”http://cornertreecafe.com/” name=”Corner Tree Cafe Vegetarian Food” description=”150 Jupiter Corner Saturn Street, Bel-Air, Makati City” rev_name=”For inquiries, call (02) 2469069 ext:147, +63 906 558-6177 or e-mail cornertreecafe@gmail.com” author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2016-02-12″ user_review=”14″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

    Operating hours: Daily 11am to 10pm

  • Review of Tien Ma’s Taiwanese Cuisine (Libis, Quezon City)

    Review of Tien Ma’s Taiwanese Cuisine (Libis, Quezon City)

    Ever since having my first taste of xiao long bao at Din Tai Fung in Singapore, I have yearned to taste them at restaurants that really specialize in making the soup dumplings. My colleagues apparently have the same love for these juicy steamed buns. One day after work, we came to Tien Ma’s Taiwanese Cuisine in Libis, Quezon City with the main goal of trying out their XLB. Fortunately, this restaurant is just a couple of blocks away from our office.

    Review of Tien Ma’s Taiwanese Cuisine (Libis, Quezon City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    Class, pattern, color—Tien Ma has it all. The interior design is quite focused on the modern Asian look, offering a funkier alternative to more traditional Chinese restaurants in the metro. Minimalist decor and bright spaces are most appreciated. Chairs are cozy and the arrangement of tables on the side create an essential volume of area at the center and the perfect ambiance of elegant celebration. Nothing was oddly out of proportion.

    Service: ★★★☆☆

    Service was efficient but not friendly.

    We have been eyeing on the steamed xiao long bao (R1) on the menu, but for some reason, I mistakenly ordered the fried xiao long bao (R2). Whoops! We couldn’t just have it exchanged since it was already served, and it would be bad to push the blame on the service attendant. Fault acknowledged. The thing that was not so pleasant was the way the order-taker motioned to our table confronting us on the issue in an “in-your-face” manner without subtlety. No regretful face, no smile. I felt somewhat attacked. 🙁

    Food: ★★★☆☆

    So it was Fried Xiao Long Bao (PhP 200) then. We were excited anyway since it was our first time to taste the fried version of XLB. Made with stretchy wheat dough, the bun had a juicy and tasty meat filling. The best part was the crispy, crunchy, fried bottom of each dumpling. We were surprised to find that it still had soup inside we could slurp. Despite that it was fried, it did not end up saturating the dumpling walls. Yummy!

    Hot Prawn Salad (PhP 200) is one of my favorite dishes of all time. Fried with a thin batter, the prawns were sweet, crunchy, and moist all at once. The creamy sauce accompanied with fruit cocktail was quite refreshing. The rainbow sprinkles on top were somewhat inappropriate though, as they reminded me of candies and desserts.

    Taiwan Style Fried Rice (PhP 200) was okay but not any better than the classic Yang Chow Fried Rice. If you absolutely prefer flavored rice than plain white rice, get this. If not, feel free to skip.

    Served on a hot pot, the Seafood Tofu Pot (PhP 199) was a nice bite but not the most memorable part of the meal. There was nothing fancy here; no schtick, no bells, no whistles, and no exotic sauces but just textbook execution. The squid was so chewy and rubbery that is was hard to eat. Palates that await superior seafood tofu pot won’t revel.

    Supposedly a Taiwanese home-style favorite, Tien Ma’s Three Cup Squid (PhP 200) was disappointing. Cooked with salty and sweet soy sauce, the squid was largely rubbery and uninteresting. Its awful texture surely was a telling sign that it was overcooked. While the distinctive flavor of squid failed to shine through, the leaves managed to ratchet up the savory quotient.

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    With this experience, I thought dining at Tien Ma’s Taiwanese Cuisine can be a hit or a miss depending on what you order. I recommend getting the xiao long bao for sure. Prices of food on the menu average at PhP 200-PhP 250 and are pretty reasonable based on the serving portions.

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/tienmastaiwanesecuisine/” name=”Tien Ma’s Taiwanese Cuisine” description=”184 D. E Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Barangay Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City” rev_name=”For inquiries, call (02) 3723955″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2016-02-10″ user_review=”14″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

  • IHOP Philippines’ Third Year Anniversary Celebration and Valentine’s Season Special

    IHOP Philippines’ Third Year Anniversary Celebration and Valentine’s Season Special

    IHOP Philippines Spreads Happiness on Their 3rd Year

    Time really runs fast. I still remember the first few weeks of IHOP’s launch here in the Philippines. The first branch was in BGC in Taguig. Everyone went gaga over their world-famous American-style pancakes, hearty omelets, sandwiches and appetizers. This 2016, IHOP Philippines celebrates its third year anniversary with a bang. IHOP Philippines will be running their third anniversary promotion as their way of thanking the Filipinos for their loyal patronage.

    Enjoy their iconic, signature Buttermilk Pancakes at only PhP 25 per piece (PhP 50 for the Two-stack and PhP 100 for the Four-stack) for dine-in only at all IHOP Philippines branches from February 8 to 12, 2016. Multiple orders of their Buttermilk Pancakes during your visit are more than welcome! (Terms and conditions apply.)

    IHOP Philippines’ PhP 25 Pancake Promotion will kick-off a month long series of anniversary activities which will culminate in the 2nd National Pancake Day to be held on March 8, 2016. Just like last year, all net proceeds from their National Pancake Day Pancake Buffet will benefit the local Kythe Foundation, specifically their child beneficiaries.

    IHOP Philippines’ Valentine’s Season Special – NEW Red Velvet Pancake Combo

    The Valentine Season is always a big deal at the International House of Pancakes, better known as IHOP. That is why this year, all IHOP branches worldwide including IHOP Philippines will be offering their new Red Velvet Pancake Combo: 2 pieces of red velvet buttermilk pancakes, two eggs made to order, hash browns, and two strips of bacon or two sausage links all for the lovable price of only PhP 299!

    IHOP Philippines’ Red Velvet Pancake Promo will be available for a limited time in all their branches from February 12 to 19, 2016 only, so hurry and feel the love in the air with this breakfast-meets-dessert can’t-miss combination! 🙂

    About IHOP

    First established in Toluca Lake California in 1958, IHOP serves a wide variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner items loved by people of all ages. Although their world-famous buttermilk pancakes made them a global icon, their wide range of deliciously fresh and made-to-order food coupled with their warm, friendly, and intuitive service all work together towards fulfilling their promise of spreading happines to each and every one of their guests.

    IHOP Philippines currently has seven branches in the Metro Manila area: SM Mall of Asia, Filinvest Alabang, Century City Mall, Bonifacio Global City, Araneta Center, UP Town Center Mall, and the Fairview Terraces Mall.

  • Review of VIKINGS VENUE (SM Mall of Asia By the Bay, Pasay)

    Review of VIKINGS VENUE (SM Mall of Asia By the Bay, Pasay)

    Organizing big parties, weddings, and corporate events can be a daunting task. In these occasions, a large and attractive venue that can accommodate over a hundred guests is usually required. Hotels’ ballroom and banquet halls often come to mind, however booking for the space alone (without the food) already entails paying out a huge sum of money.

    For groups that are between 50 and 500 people, you may want to consider Vikings Venue in SM By the Bay, Pasay City. When dining at Vikings Venue, you only have to pay for the food (see buffet rates per head below). Usage of the venue is FREE! 🙂

    Vikings Venue is located just beside Vikings SM Mall of Asia By the Bay. We visited this newest branch of Vikings last Sunday at lunch time.

    Review of Vikings Venue (SM Mall of Asia By the Bay, Pasay)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    Fitted with spacious seating, Vikings Venue goes bold with glamour. Overall ambiance looks as decadent and elegant as can be, with stunning chandeliers formed with layers of fabulous crystal balls adding some royal-like class to each room.

    Color motif is mostly muted and not too vibrant, and this simple directness sits comfortably with the ingenious, modern and minimalist bespoke practical elements. Walls between rooms can be “removed” or opened for greater capacity.

    The buffet tables are all on one side (except for the appetizers and bread sections), and the functions rooms are on the other side. This arrangement eases the flow of traffic of people getting food and those returning to their tables.

    Vikings Venue features five function rooms that can be combined into one big function hall depending on the headcount requirement:

    Function Room 1 120-150
    Function Room 2 50-70
    Function Room 3 50-70
    Function Room 4 50-70
    Function Room 5 120-150

    Reservations come on a first-come-first-served basis and must be made two weeks in advance with 50% down payment. To reserve an entire function room, a minimum number of 50 people is required. This is inclusive of the sound system and projector. Stage and platforms may be requested and this will be arranged with a third-party supplier. Tarps and other party decorations for the event will be shouldered by the customer.

    Service: ★★★★★

    Every service offering turned out as an opportunity to have a very personal dining experience. Confirmation of reservation in the reception area was efficient. Service attendants act proactively and friendly. A waiter handed us a crab cracker as soon as he saw my mom cracking a crab by hand. Requests are quickly and professionally accommodated as well. At Vikings Venue, luxury is hinged on providing great service and convenience in addition to serving opulent and decadent food.

    Food: ★★★★★

    The buffet stations looked very presentable. Good times meet giant portions at Vikings’ spectacular feast of scrumptious comfort food, fresh seafood, and tasty meat. Here you get to enjoy a delicious variety of satisfying dishes with extensive Asian and Western cuisines that provide plenty of territory for satisfaction.

    Trying to please a number of different tastes? You can’t go wrong with Vikings Venue. Per an insider, chefs make it possible to cook up certain dishes to guests according to preferences. For instance, if a large group of people who only eat halal food is reserved for the day, the kitchen will prepare a section of halal food to cater to the guests’ palate as part of the buffet setting.

    If you’re looking for the biggest possible selection of food in a large venue, don’t miss this popular luxury buffet restaurant. While you’re there, be sure to load up not only a plate or two. Go for a third round and more, and always save room for desserts. Too full? The gamble is whether to go back for another and risk being wheeled out of the dining room after slipping into a food coma. 😛

    In no particular order, my best bets were: Chinese dim sum (everything!), chuck eye, beef kimchi, roasted duck, roasted porkloin stuffed with fruit cauli mustard grain sauce, tanigue steak with coco cream and crab fat sauce, Malay lamb curry, chicken pastel royale with sausage and mushroom, and assorted seafood with cream and salted egg. 🙂 The Japanese station is my perennial favorite, of course. I loved the dynamite blend of flavors and textures.

    Appetizers

    Salad

    Bread

    Japanese

    Chinese

    Carving

    Western

    Italian

    Grill

    Desserts

    Drinks

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    At Vikings Venue, the tab is well worth if you’re looking for 5-star food and lovely ambiance for a big group. Expect a great dining experience matched with the elegance of an upscale restaurant coupled with the gluttony of an all-you-can eat buffet. 😉

    Reservation is a must even if you’re only a small group of two or less than 50 as it’s frequently crowded and you might have to stand in line for an hour to get in.

    Prices Weekday lunch Weekday dinner Weekend lunch and dinner
    Kids below 3 ft or 3 years old Free Free Free
    Kids (3ft. to 4ft. or 3 years to 7 years old) PhP 188 PhP 388 PhP 388
    Kids (4ft. to 4 ft 6” or 8 to 10 years old) PhP 388 PhP 588 PhP 688
    Adults PhP 688 PhP 688 PhP 1088
    75 years old and above 50% special discount 50% special discount 50% special discount

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/vikingsvenue/” name=”Vikings Venue” description=”By the Bay, Mall of Asia Complex, Seaside Boulevard, Pasay City” rev_name=”For inquiries / reservations, please call 824-3888, 824-4888, 0917-548-4888 or 0998-988-4888 or email reservations.vikingsvenue@gmail.com” author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2016-02-04″ user_review=”19″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

  • 5 Cool Things About Gifted.PH You Should Know

    5 Cool Things About Gifted.PH You Should Know

    My boyfriend claims with confidence that he’s an expert when it comes to gift-giving. Whether it is Valentine’s Day, birthday, Christmas, anniversary, or other celebration, he always has a huge variety of ideas for gifts that are sure to impress. I’m quite the opposite and I know I’m not alone. 🙂

    Many people have difficulties in choosing the best present for their families and/or special someone. Now that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, the panic of creating the most romantic day has set in. For sure, malls get crowded especially during weekends since many of us are already rushing to shop for our loved ones.

    Enter Gifted.PH—a simple and easy way of giving gift cards online. Its concept was made out of the desire to help people to be more thoughtful despite the chaos of preparing for V-Day or for any other occasion or reason.

    Here are five cool things about Gifted.PH that you should know:

    1. Gifted.PH is the first of its kind in the Philippine market.

    Online commerce is booming. Gifted.PH rides on the bandwagon and keeps up with the trends by establishing its presence online as a gift certificate website. This is where you can send personalized gift ceritificates to anyone in a matter of minutes.

    2. Gifted.PH allows personalization.

    Each gift ceritificate is sent with a greeting card and a recommended gift item. This eliminates the perception of gift ceritificates being an impersonal gift, thus making it more fun and acceptable to receive.

    3. Buying gift certificates from Gifted.PH is pretty easy.

    To buy a gift certificate, simply choose a brand and personalize the gift by selecting a greeting card, typing in your message, and choosing a recommended gift item. Pay using Paypal, credit card or bank transfer. Done!

    To redeem a gift certificate voucher, print out the voucher and present it to the merchant’s customer service. Read the terms and conditions before redeeming. Start shopping while the merchant validates the gift certificate.

    4. The gift certificates can be used as payment at different retail stores and brands and also at a number of prestigious restaurants in the Philippines.

    Gifted.PH is pleased to launch with over 80 of the country’s well-loved brands, namely: Bench, Fully Booked, and Shangri-La Makati Circles Events Cafe. For dining choices, try Saboten, Museum Cafe, Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza, and Alba Restaurante Espanñol.

    At Gifted.PH, you can now give gifts from a designer dress by Rosanna Ocampo, Maureen Disini, Charina Sarte, and Tan-Gan, jewelry by Cura V, a travel adventure experience from Unchartered Philippines, and even a short cooking course from Enderun Colleges. For those who are into fitness, GCs can also be used at Benel Archery or Bliss Yoga.

    5. You can send gift cards for money.

    With Gifted.PH, sending gifts becomes flexible. It’s not only limited to gift certificates; depositing money to bank account is also made possible. If you have a friend or special someone who’s overseas and you want to stay in touch, instead of wiring money or missing important milestones together, you can send send a gift card and send money directly.

    The amount is deposited into your recipient’s bank account for them to buy any gift of their choice. Whether it’s a new smart phone of any brand for your spouse, the latest Playstation game for your son, a cocktail dress for your sister, tuition allowance for your sibling, or just simply pocket money for your best friend’s upcoming vacation, you can be 100% sure that they will love you for the practical gift. Click here to learn more.

    Wrap Up: Gift Giving Made Easy

    We enter into the digital age where we can buy stuff online and have the things delivered to our doorsteps in days. With Gifted.PH, the gift-giving experience is elevated once again. Note though that it’s not a discount website. It just displays all the available gift certificates you can get and makes people’s lives easier by changing the way Filipinos give gifts. Welcome to the future of gift giving! 🙂

  • Review of Café Travel (Taft Avenue, Manila)

    Review of Café Travel (Taft Avenue, Manila)

    Across DLSU and adjacent CSB along Taft Avenue, Manila, Café Travel is a Korean-inspired coffee shop which attracts many customers, particularly students of nearby schools, as if serving truffle-stuffed unicorn trotters. Its competitive advantage has to be its unique atmosphere and cute appeal. It’s ideal for those seeking a good and quiet place to hang out for hours without the rush. We visited this “pop” venue after having lunch at Café Laya.

    Review of Café Travel (Taft Avenue, Manila)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    At Café Travel, white walls and tables are “decorated” with names, anecdotes, quotes, notes and random messages written by previous customers, making them seem like DIY art. I think the freedom for guests to write anything on the surfaces (even on the ceiling and air conditioner above) is a plus point for the café. The end result, as rowdy as it seems at a glance, brings both style and creativity to the room. Very cool! 😉

    Soon though, there may be a lack of space to write on. I suggest that they put up a corkboard or hang a magnetic chalkboard, blackboard or whiteboard to ground the design instead. In this way, keeping old messages and replacing them with new ones will be easier.

    Overall, the atmosphere has a great homey touch. The bright lighting looks adorable. With plenty of seating, Café Travel is a good place to study and chat with friends. Everyone has to take off his/her shoes and others have to go to the “second floor” using the stairs. Privacy is assured by walls that strategically segregate dining areas to sections per group of customers. Wi-Fi is accessible for free!

    The only saddening thing was that air conditioning was poor and barely kept the room at a reasonable temperature. It was hot especially since we were seated right beside the window on a sunny day. We were sweating as if we were inside a sauna bath.

    (Note: This spot in Archer s Nook was once where Zark’s Burgers stood. Now the branch of Zark’s Burgers in Taft Avenue has expanded and moved to a more accessible and visible location.)

    Service: ★★★★★

    Service was kind and thoughtful. The staff handed out the menu to us upon entrance. We took a moment to finalize our order and proceeded to the counter to pay. Waiting time was acceptable and our drinks and cake were served politely to our table.

    Food: ★★★☆☆

    Café Travel has a simple one-page menu, but there’s plenty of coffee-based drinks and cakes to choose from, making it almost impossible to decide which to get in a minute.

    All drinks were super sweet. I bet that those with a sweet tooth will love every single sip and be instantly hooked! As for myself, I could not even finish one whole glass of the Travel Mocha alone. Fortunately, I have my sister to share it (the calories) with. 😛 We also tried a slice of cake which was moist and soft. The frosting was light but tasted rich and creamy as well as the strawberry that was struck in the middle.

    Travel Chocolate Cookie (PhP 180)

    Fresh Cream Strawberry (PhP 140)

    Travel Green Tea (PhP 180)

    Travel Mocha (PhP 180)

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    Buzzed about for its ambiance and friendly vibe, Café Travel is a must-visit cafe where you can get your coffee fix without taking it too seriously. Never mind if there’s a long wait or there’s no seating available at Starbucks nearby. Prices are just about the same. Coffee purists may sniff but sugar hounds have to try their line-up of coffee-based drinks and a handful of pastries as well.

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/ph.cafe.travel/” name=”Café Travel” description=”Archer’s Nook Dormitory, Taft Avenue, Manila” rev_name=”For inquiries, call 09052248003 ” author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2016-01-26″ user_review=”15″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

  • Review of Café Laya (EGI Taft Tower, Taft Avenue, Manila)

    Review of Café Laya (EGI Taft Tower, Taft Avenue, Manila)

    Two weeks ago, my sister and I met with her college friends for lunch at Café Laya near DLSU. Soaking in the glorious sunshine, we walked from South Gate to EGI Taft Tower where the café is at. Seeing Velasco Gate (Gate 3) reminded me of the day I took the entrance exam at our alma mater a decade ago. Seriously, where do the years go? Indeed, it’s at landmark moments in life when the mind throws up a whole host of soul searching questions. That’s another story for another time. 🙂 Back to Café Laya…

    The shop and restaurants at the ground floor of EGI Taft Tower are new to my eyes except for SpeedBytes which even had an expansion. Café Laya at the farthest end looked like a great hangout place for students to appreciate art, become inspired to travel, focus on their reading materials between sips of coffee, and perhaps kill time. Laya means freedom and this place is where you can express freedom through art.

    Review of Café Laya (EGI Taft Tower, Taft Avenue, Manila)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    Café Laya’s ambiance struck me as a laid-back and cool, moodily-lit affair where photos of different wonderful places in the Philippines are posted on walls and short profiles of featured Filipino artists are on the tables. Clearly, this place strives to promote art and manages to incorporate it as part of the overall interior design concept. Visually speaking, there’s a lot to love about this chic cafe—or “art gallery,” if you will.

    Its unique factor lies in the fact that food, beverages, and furniture here are local. This is how the owner envisions to give back to the community and show support to fellow Filipino businesses. Across the order station, for instance, we found artisan products and food made with local ingredients from social enterprises.

    Upstairs, dining was quite an experience since we sat on floor cushions and had our meal at low tables (my kind of tables for creating flat-lay postings on IG). The space was a bit cramped though, and if not seated in a proper position, limbs are expected to be numbed and stiff after a while.

    Service: ★★★★☆

    Overall, service could be a hit or miss here, depending on where you’re seated. Since we were on the second floor, it was hard to bet on the possibility of staffs checking on us in case we need something. Luckily in our visit, we had almost always chanced upon one waitstaff either serving food or clearing tables of other customers.

    Note: Food and drinks had to be ordered and paid at the counter, and staffs serve them on the table once ready.

    Food: ★★★☆☆

    Tuyo Pesto (PhP 200) was creamy and delicious. The saltiness of the fish stood out as the flavor highlight that mostly enlightened our palate. Texture of the pasta was soft, tender, and almost delicate. I just found garlic and some crunch and nutty undertones from pine nuts lacking in the pesto dish. Eating bread in between forkfuls of pasta is necessary to appreciate the interplay of tastes.

    Served with egg and brown rice, Café Laya’s Smoked Bangus (PhP 125) was comforting and nice as it was able to deliver a nice hint of smoke. Sadly though, the fish was not as crisp and warm as expected. Adding more plump and juicy tomatoes could potentially be a good booster as well to complement the salty nature of cured fish.

    * Our Friends’ Picks *

    Flaky Adobo Rice Meal (PhP 125)

    Fried Liempo Rice Meal (PhP 125)

    Coffee

    Menu

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    Café Laya in EGI Taft Tower looks like a charming place that plays regular host to students around the area. With the cute and relaxing setting, it must be a survival of the fittest to score a seat at this cafe in regular school days. While food aren’t perfectly exceptional, prices are moderate and reasonable especially for longer stays.

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.instagram.com/cafelaya/” name=”Café Laya” description=”Unit 113, Ground Floor, EGI Taft Tower, Taft Avenue, Manila” rev_name=”For inquiries, call (02) 5545534″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2016-01-26″ user_review=”15″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

    Operating hours: Mon-Sat 10AM-11PM

  • Boon Tong Kee Dimsum All You Can Promo and Events to Watch Out For in 2016

    Boon Tong Kee Dimsum All You Can Promo and Events to Watch Out For in 2016

    Unlimited Goodness for Your Taste Buds

    Boon Tong Kee brings wonderful treats to all fans of Singapore food lovers this 2016! In celebration of their third anniversary, Boon Tong Kee (BTK) is bringing back their DIMSUM ALL YOU CAN promotion in partnership with Pusong Pinoy. For every dimsum customers eat, PhP 3 will be donated to the charity organization to support effective programs designed to help disadvantaged children to learn to read and spread literacy among Filipino children.

    For the whole month of February 2016, you can get unlimited dim sum for only PhP 299 (net price per person) on Mondays to Thursdays at 2PM-6PM at all Boon Tong Kee branches. Drop by at UP Town Center, Rockwell Powerplant Mall, and SM Mall of Asia branches and eat all the siomai, fried dumplings, pork buns, chicken feet, crispy bean curd you want and much more. 🙂

    Top 5 Boon Tong Kee Events in 2016

    To heighten our sense of excitement, Boon Tong Kee has prepared different events following a unique concept for all the months this year.

    March: Month of Courage
    Experimental food showcase

    What to expect: an array of limited edition products as well as an internationally renowned Chef to showcase new Singaporean flavors and to provide a venue for our customers to create new experiences for themselves while dining at the restaurant

    July: Month of Loyalty
    Launch of Loyalty Cards and International Food Showcase

    What to expect: great rewards to all customers as this will be the first time that Boon Tong Kee will be releasing its very own loyalty cards

    August: Month of Fun and Happiness
    Trivia nights for more fun at BTK

    What to expect: a series of intra-table competitive trivia nights with various games and contests throughout the month, specifically the Golden Ticket contest wherein customers will have a chance to win big prizes every time they dine at BTK

    September: Month of Individuality
    Days of the week promo

    What to expect: a different product every single day (various products featured by showcasing how special they are)

    December: Culminating Food Fair
    BTK Celebration Fair

    What to expect: celebration of the events and happenings in 2016 with a final culminating food fair open to the public 🙂