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J.CO Philippines Twitter

If you frequent Greenbelt in Makati, specially the one near the the Cinemas in Greenbelt 3, then you surely have seen the markers “J.CO Greenbelt Opening Soon!” It came true yesterday as J.Co Donuts and Coffee Philippines–Greenbelt  opened with more than 500 free donuts for its customers ‘shared the JCO way.’

J.Co Greenbelt Grand Opening

The grand opening started with a blessing of the branch followed by the traditional throwing of coins. Four members of the improv group ‘SPIT‘ (Silly People’s Improv Theater) were also there to jumpstart the crowd. Celebrities Karylle and Anton Del Rosario of the Azkals were some of the celebrities who dropped by to get some J.Co dounts and coffee.

Celebrities Karylle and Anton Del Rosario of Azkals Dropped by J.CO

Did you know that Karylle’s favorite is the J.Co Green Tease?

Karyll’s Favorite J.Co Donut is the Green Tease

Located just beside Figaro Greenbelt, enroute the entrance of Greenbelt 3 Cinemas, the 3rd branch of J.Co Donuts and Coffee in the Philippines is now giving you another foodie option to take with in the cinemas or simply something to munch on while hanging-out with your friends in the posh gimmick spot.

J.CO Orange Yogurt Frappe

They are specifically located at

J.Co Donuts and Coffee
3/F Greenbelt 3, Makati City

J.Coffee

When you do visit, NomNom recommends his favorite J.Coffee Cappuccino Avocado at Php 120/135 (12oz/16oz). I tried their new citrus-y Orange Yogurt Frappe and Mix Berries Frappe (Php 130/150 [12oz/16oz]) yesterday and it was a refreshing treat. I recommend you get the Mix Berries Frappe.

J.CO Mix Berries Frappe (foreground) Orange Yogurt (background), Tiramisu (donut)

J.Cool

You may also try their J.Cool fat-free frozen yogurt. I got the ‘single’ serve (Php 95) but the best worth-for-money to order is either the ‘couple‘ (Php 140) or the ‘sharing‘ (Php 190) which comes with 3 and 4 toppings, respectively.  I’m not much into the J.Cool Twist, however.

J.Cool Yogurt

J.Co Donuts Recommendations

For the filling doughnuts, get J.Co Philippines‘ signature J.Club Cheezy Rich at Php 45/piece. Pair it up with coffee of the day for Php 110, a cappuccion for Php 135, or an iced chocolate for Php 140.

And of course my favorites almond-topped ‘Alcapone‘ and Avocado Dicaprio (pair this with my favorite J.Coffee Favorite Cappuccino Avocado) should be in your list too.

J.CO Alcapone (left); Tiramisu Donut (right)

J.Co Greenbelt 3

But since yesterday, I got 2 new variants which I just added in my list of favorites- the Tiramisu and Choconuttzy. The latter is ultra yummy!

J.CO Choconuttzy

More J.CO Donuts

J.CO is a popular lifestyle café chain in Indonesia and some parts of Southeast Asia. It first opened in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2005 with the thrust to fuse the popular donuts of the West with … touches of the East. Other countries in the Asian region soon got into the J.CO craze, including Malaysia, Singapore and, more recently, Shanghai in China.

JCO Donuts & SPIT

J.CO Greenbelt 3 Grand Opening

J.CO Donuts & Coffee

For J.Co Donuts Philippines, they also have branches in SM Megamall and SM Mall of Asia. See you more often at J.Co Donuts Greenbelt! 🙂

Jamba Juice Philippines‘ first branch opened at Bonifacio High Street November of last year.  Four months after, it was followed by Jamba Juice Alabang Town Center. And over the weekend, it just opened its third store at SM Mall of Asia.

Jamba Juice SM MOA

It is not a surprise that Jamba Juice have chosen SM Mall of Asia to be it’s third branch since it is considered the country’s largest integrated leisure destination and has high foot traffic.

“Choosing strategic locations, that are convenient to consumers, has always been one of the integral facets that we consider, when choosing the best locations for expansion,” says Sharon T. Fuentabella, Managing Director of Jamba Juice Philippines Master Franchisee.

I also saw two new mango-based Jamba Juice beverages namely the ‘Mango-a-go-go‘ and ‘Mega Mango‘. I tried the former and was expectedly satisfied. I hope to try the latter in my next visit possibly including ‘Peach Perfection’ and ‘Five Fruit Frenzy’.

New Jamba Juice Mango-a-go-go Beverage

Gimme 5! For Guimaras Promo

Moreover, they have this Gimme 5! For Guimaras promo for a limited time where for every cup sold, Php 5 will be donated to the Provincial Government of Guimaras for the research and development of Philippine mangoes.

Jamba Juice Blender Bike

Gimme’ Me Five Exercise

Jamba Juice also recently launched the Gimme’ Me Five Campaign where customers are encouraged to ride an in-store Blender Bike for five minutes. Upon doing so, they get to donate one mango seedling to be planted at no less than the province where the best mangoes in the world come from – Guimaras province’ Guimaras Mango Park. This is also done  in partnership with the Bureau of Plant Industry-Guimaras National Mango Research and Development Center (BPI-GNMRDC).

That’s free exercise and a good deed in one! 🙂

Jamba Juice ‘Gimme 5’

Jamba Juice Gift Certificate / Voucher Giveaway!

Want more Jamba Juice? Get a chance to try their new Mango-a-go-go, Mega Mango, Peach Perfection, and Five Fruit Frenzy beverages for FREE!, Watch out next week for NomNom’s Jamba Juice Voucher Giveaway contest starting July 1! Subscribe through email (on the side bar) so you’ll not miss it! 🙂

Jamba Juice Gift Certificate Giveaway!

Check out Jamba Juice in SM Mall of Asia and choose a healthy beverage for a healthier lifestyle.

Black Canyon Coffee Philippines

Black Canyon Coffee opened its first branch in the Philippines just this morning at the Food Street wing of SM Southmall in Las Pinas. The grand launch was graced by no less than the honorable Las Pinas Congressman Mark Villar. He was joined by Mr. Pravit Chitnarapong (CEO, Black Canyon Thailand), Mr. James Dy (Chairman, Royal Thai Food Philippines Inc.), and Mrs. Wilma Dy (President, Royal Thai Food Philippines Inc).

A big brand in Thailand that started in 1993 and now has 220 stores and 40 more internationally, Black Canyon Coffee is known for their unique concept of a coffee shop that ‘is’ also a full restaurant. While they offer a wide range of coffee drinks and beverages from espresso to cappuccino (and ‘Blackpuccino‘), they also serve Thai cuisines such as Tom Yum soup and Som Tam salads. On the other hand, their brand ‘Black Canyon Coffee‘ can be easily misconstrued as a western brand whereas their specialties are Thai food.

Black Canyon Coffee Manila

Black Canyon Coffee SM Southmall

Black Canyon Coffee South Entrance

Iced Drinks

I personally tried the BC Thai Iced Tea w/ milk, BC Iced Coffee, and BC Iced Lemon Tea, in that order of preference. I loved the authentic mix of the Thai Iced Tea just like in Thailand and the Black Canyon Iced Coffee which is a blend of arabica coffee with two kinds of milk and plenty of ice.  However, I found the iced lemon tea just ordinary.

Black Canyon Coffee: BCC Iced Coffee, Thai Iced Tea w/ milk, Iced Lemon Tea (left to right cups then back)

Black Canyon Coffee Menu Board

I then ordered one of their signature beverages – the Black Canyon Frappe. It was a refreshing drink in a visually appealing presentation with a fat glass, similar to the Black Canyon Iced Coffee. For a cost of Php 120, it was well worth the price given that they source the coffee beans from Columbia. The other raw coffee beans are from Northern Thailand while the Matcha Green Tea are from Japan.

Black Canyon Coffee Frappe

Thai Restaurant

More than just a coffee shop, Black Canyon  is actually a 160 sqm. full-restaurant that can accommodate upto 90 customers and offers Thai cuisine ala carte from soups, sandwiches, to pasta, and steaks.

Four of which I have tried are the Pad Thai, Tom Yum Goong, Tuna Green Curry Fried Rice Wrapped in Egg Sheet, and the Spicy Glass Noodles and Grilled Salmon Salad.

The Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Prawn Soup  – Php 192) had the right level of spiciness for an authentic Tom Yum Goong. Although the Tuna Green Curry Fried Rice is not really my type of food, curry lovers may want to try this one out at a good price of Php 156.

Tuna Green Curry Fried Rice Wrapped in Egg Sheet Php 156

The Spicy Glass Noodles with Grilled Salmon was something new to my taste bud, and it turned out well. The spicy and lightly grilled salmon complemented the glass noodles. They could have oiled the noodles a little-bit more, however. Called Yum Wun Sen Salmon in Thailand, this Thai delicacy is priced at Php 188.

Spicy Glass Noodles and Grilled Salmon Salad (Yum Wun Sen Salmon) Php 188

And finally, you should not miss Black Canyon Coffee Philippines‘ authentic and award-winning Pad Thai which is at par with other Thai restaurants I have dined-in here in the Philippines. The shrimps were fresh and larger than I expected for a Pad Thai complemented with bean sprouts, garlic chives, and eggs.

Black Canyon Executive Chef Rasri Athaboh

They also have desserts and bakery products. I was able to try the Fruit Salad Sundae (Php 68) and a slice of Oreo Chessecake (Php 95). The former was just ok and nothing special but the cakes were good. Priced at less than a hundred, this is a very good deal.

Chef Rasri Athaboh

It was also great to have met with Black Canyon Executive Chef Rasri Athaboh who came from Thailand. He will be staying in the Philippine for a while to oversea the kitchen and knowledge transfer. Black Canyon cooks and crew were also initially sent to Thailand for over a month of training.

Very Competitive Pricing

If you browse through their menu, you would notice that the drinks are almost always below Php 100. The Thai dishes also range only from Php 150 to Php 200; with some a little above Php 200. I hope they do maintain, more or less, these affordable introductory prices within the year.

Black Canyon Coffee Branches

Black Canyon Coffee Philippine Team

Black Canyon Coffee (BlackCanyonCoffee.com) also has presence in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, UAE, Cambodia, and Laos. In the Philippines, they are looking at 2 more new Black Canyon Coffee branches within 2012; watch out for BCC in SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall.

Have you tried the two new Starbucks Philippines‘ new featured beverages? Starting today, June 12, 2012, Hojicha Tea Jelly Frappuccino and Red Bean Green Tea Frappuccino are now available in all Starbucks branches in the Philippines.

Hojicha Tea Jelly Frappuccino

Hojicha Tea Jelly Frappuccino

I have tried them both recently and the Hojicha Tea Jelly Frappuccino easily became my favorite.  I love the refreshing taste of the roasted Japanese tea, also called Hojicha, combined with the herbal aftertaste of the Earl Grey Tea Jelly. The texture of Starbucks’ own Tazo Earl Grey tea-infused jelly is something Starbucks aficionados might find refreshing.

Among the tea variants of Starbucks, I’m fond of both the Green Tea and Chai Tea Latte and I’m glad with the coming of the Hojicha Tea Jelly Frappuccino. Although it will be staying until the end of July only, I hope it would eventually stay longer with the market’s demand. The tall cup is priced at Php 155, Grande – Php 165, and Venti – Php 175.

Red Bean Green Tea Frappuccino

The second featured beverage is the Red Bean Green Tea Frappuccino. It’s basically your usual Green Tea Frappuccino with added whole kernels of Red Azuki Beans on top.

It is quite an interesting twist if you wanted to perk up your usual Green Tea ‘matcha‘ frapp but the Hojicha Tea Jelly Frappuccino still made more impact with me. The price range is also the same with Hojicha frapp.

Asian Frappuccino Blended Beverages

They also classify the two beverages as Asian Frappuccino blended beverages since they were only released in Asia. The ingredients themselves were sourced from Asia as well.

New Starbucks Food Items

Together with the two new beverages are new Starbucks food items which were offered starting today as well. They are:

Beef And Mushroom Pie

Chicken Parmigiana Wrap

Beef And Mushroom Pie

Baked to golden brown, this flaky pastry consists of beef strips, sliced mushrooms, carrots and mashed potatoes. At Php 95, it can be one filling meal.

Chicken Parmigiana Wrap

It’s a chicken breast fillet in a pita bread wrap with sliced eggplant, Italian tomato sauce, and grated cheese. At Php 150, you can have it sliced and is good for two.

Bacon And Cheese On Italian Country Bread

Crusty on the outside, soft and luscious on the inside – this one’s my favorite new Starbucks food item!

Bacon And Cheese On Italian Country Bread

This grilled cheese sandwich is coupled with six types of cheeses (Gruyere, Emmenthal, Provolone, Mozzarella, Feta and Cheddar). The flavor is further enhanced by the crispy bacon strips, pesto sauce, and Italian herbed butter on bread. Can you already smell and taste it based from the description? 🙂 . Best served warm, it costs Php 150.

Want to win some free Starbucks Beverage gift certificates or free Starbucks Tumblers from NomNom Club? Leave a comment below and stay tuned as we’ll announce this soon! LIKE us as well on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NomNomClub!

New Starbucks Food Items

Try the new Starbucks food items specially the Bacon And Cheese Bread and don’t forget to pair it with my favorite Hojicha Tea Jelly Frappuccino. 🙂

Chow Pao Mantao buns

My girlfriend and I had lunch at Chowking Megamall yesterday and a big advertisement at the entrance greeted us with the new ChowKing Chow Pao. At a an affordable price of Php25, I was curious how it tasted.

She ordered the Chinese-style one piece chicken while I had the Fish Tausi bowl with rice. And of course, each of us had the Chowking Chow Pao as well.

Marj had the Chinese Sausage Chow Pao (P25) while I had the Chinese Sausage Special (P35).

Chowking Megamall

Chowking Menu Board with the New Chao Pao

My Chinese Sausage Special Chow Pao (P35) is basically a Mantao bun stuffed with four strips of Chinese Sausages and sautéed vegetables. The sausage itself tasted good enhanced by the sweet soy-based sauce.

Its only difference with the Chinese Sausage Chow Pao (P25) are the vegetables. This made me think that the Chinese Sausage Special Chow Pao should have been priced at Php 30, not Php 35. Anyhow, it’s still ok since it tasted good.

CHow Pao Chinese Sausage Special

Chow Pao Chinese Sausage Special

You can also just add Php 10 and you get a glass of soda together with the Chowking Chow Pao

Braised Chicken and Oriental Beef

As of this writing, I have actually tried the Braised Chicken Chao Pao and Chunky Beef Chao Pao variants which are both priced at Php 49. And I can say that if you liked the Sausage Special Chow Pao, you will love these two more!

The complete four Chow Pao variants are the Chinese Sausage, Chinese Sausage Special, Braised Chicken and Chunky Beef.

Chowking Chow Pao Braised Chicken & Oriental Beef

Verdict

NomNom Club on Chowking Chow Pao

I think the Chowking Chow Pao will be successful moving forward because of the value-for-money the Php 25 chinese sausage offers. It’s actually like a version of a fastfood hamburger in some sense; having the better Mantao bun instead of the regular bread buns and a chinese sausage filling instead of the regular burger.

It also offered a healthier alternative with the vegetables of the special Chinese sausage Chow Pao.

On the other hand, I think that the braised chicken and oriental beef would have been more acceptable at Php 39-44 price range, not Php49. The good news is that Chowking Chow Pao did not scrimp on the fillings and the taste made up for the P49 price tag. Merienda time!

May 31, 2012 – It was a rainy afternoon when I went to Romulo Cafe in Makati City to meet the Knorr Chef Ambassadors. A cooking demo was conducted by the Filipino top-chefs who spilled out their expertise in making traditional Filipino dishes more innovative and modern.

The chefs, with the help of Knorr products help Filipinos to create special dishes that will go extra mile for their families. It was nice to know that all the recipes in the cooking demo can be easily cooked at home, making our usual “ulam” very special and more exciting.

Products used by the Chef Ambassadors

Knorr Chef Ambassadors

Knorr became very mindful in choosing their partners in product and recipe development. And they just had found these individuals who have passion for good and healthy food, coupled with an uncompromising commitment to excellence in what they do.

The roster of Knorr’s chef ambassadors were Chefs Marvin Agustin, Tristan Encarnacion, Martin Jackain and Dianne dela Cruz, with the newest addition to Knorr’s list of chef-ambassadors – Joseph Patrick Anglo. He was one of the judges in the recent Junior Master Chef Philippines. Together, they are able to create unforgettable recipes that highlight what Knorr products can do for every dish.

Knorr Sinigang MixKnorr Sinigang Mix

Knorr Recipes

Knorr Chef Ambassadors

The chefs prepared their signature recipes with the help of Knorr productsto bring out the best on each dish.

Chef Marvin shared his expertise in cooking with his Pinakbet ni Marvin. Chef Marvin made the traditional pinakbet special by topping it with lechon kawali/liempo, making a balanced combination of meat and vegetables.  The flavors of vegetables accentuated with shrimp paste became more brilliant after adding with Knorr Shrimp Cube. Most of the recipes are easily accessible making it really easy to do.

Another celebrity chef made his way on making a remix of the Sinigang and Bulalo recipe. Chef Tristan combined these two Filipino dishes in Sinigang na Bulalo. Sinigang and Bulalo are two of my favorite Filipino soups and I never thought I can have them in a single dish. The sour flavors of tamarind using the Knorr 2-in1 Sinigang sa Sampalok Mix neutralized the fatty taste of the broth.

Knorr Cubes

Chef Dianne also made fish recipes delicious by teaching us on how to make a mouth-watering Escabeche recipe, a Filipino style of sweet and sour combining vinegar and sugar and blends the taste of ginger that makes it one of the favorite dishes of the Filipino families. Chef Dianne added Knorr Fish Broth Cube to enhance the flavor of Lapu-lapu and make it tastier that usual.

Chef Martin also showcased his mastery in cooking by preparing Organic Sagada Rice Paella With Seafoods, a rice dish full with exciting flavors of different seasonings and topped with the mixed flavors or the ocean. Aside from the different seafoods, this dish tasted perfect because Chef Martin used organic Sagada rice. His secret ingredients are the Knorr Chicken Cube and the Knorr Shrimp Cube.

Knorr Recipe Website

Chef Jayps prepared his own version of ginataang kalabasa and made it more special with the help of Knorr Ginatang Mix, Knorr Chicken Cubes and Knorr Sinigang Mix. He upgraded it into Lechon Kawali with Rosted Pumpkin Gata. Everyone is familiar with this recipe but who would have thought of putting lechon kawali on it and making it a memorable recipe? Oh well, I just love the combination of the crispiness of lechon kawali and the creaminess of the coconut milk.

* Story and Photo by Noks Sosa of SiningFactory.com

Every recipe made by the Knorr Chef Ambassadors were awesome and Knorr products enhanced it further. It’s actually a good idea to have an easier way of preparing good food that our family can enjoy any time. Check more Knorr Recipes at knorrrecipes.com.ph

Spicy Tuna Salad

Now a Celebrity-Chef, Marvin Agustin opens yet another branch of his Sumo Sam Japanese restaurant; this time at the Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City

Ebi Tempura

Continuing to share his passion for creative Japanese food, Marvin Agustin led the grand launch and opening of his 11th Sumo Sam branch in Gateway Mall last week.

Covered by traditional media and bloggers, Marvin Agustin also exhibited his skills preparing tuna sushi.

He also cut across a loooong roll and had the crowd taste what Sumosam had to offer.

Sumo Sam Gateway Mall Staff

Classy and Funky Interiros

Sumosam Fusion Japanese Cuisine

Sumo Sam Menu

Sumo Sam Japanese Restaurant

Sumo Sam Gateway Mall boasts of a 100-seating capacity dining area and a modern-classy interiors. For the menu, you should not miss the grilled seafood and steaks, rolls, sushi, tonkatsu, with its top 3 best sellers ebi tempura, beef teppan, and chicken teriyaki.

I can still remember Sumosam’s Samurai’s Choice Bento Meal I got to try a few months ago at the Greenhills Town Center branch. Back to the Gateway branch, I also got to try the Hot Prawn Salad,  Spicy Tuna Salad, and Tuna and Pink Salmon Sashimi. They were all good although I was used to the Hot Prawn Salad Chinese style which is hot and with cream. Sumosam’s is more on the traditional-natural salad type.

Sumo Sam Hot Prawn Salad

Chicken Terriayki

Tuna and Pink Salmon Sashimi

Brief History

Celebrity Chef Marvin Agustin

Sumo Sam is on a roll this year with a target of no less than 20 branches in total by the end of 2012. A brief look at the past reveals Sumo Sam as having been conceived by 3 young entrepreneurs: in the persons of Raymund Magdaluyo; Ricky Laudico and Marvin Agustin. They accomplished this together with renowned chefs: The Chef of the stars – Chef Florabel Co-Yatco; Chef Nikki Nicolas, pioneer batch of , and Chef Benjamin Gonzalez.

I’m surely coming back to Sumo Sam Gateway Mall soon. Visit them at the 2nd floor of The Gateway Mall, in Cubao, Quezon City

Robotosan

It’s almost 12 noon, my girlfriend and I were discussing which place to try next with the number of new restaurants in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) and we ended at the quirkily-named Japanese Grill Buffet restaurant – Robotosan.

The big Robotosan logo is not new to me as I frequently pass by it’s brightly lit name-sign at night when I go to Starbucks BGC at the 32nd street.

The name alone is enough to pique your interest and try dining here at least once. It turned out that Robotosan was brought to life by the same people behind Sumosam, John and Yoko, Marciano’s, and Mr.Kurosawa. That explains the Japanese theme and the strikingly similar chairs from the other restaurants. 🙂

Aside from the children’s robot prints at the back of the chairs, the visual impact it would make on its customers would be its jagged interiors dominated by a web of intersecting columns solemnized by thick purple posts while tamed by the elegant grey cushion seats. A refreshing and interesting interior, I should say.

Robotosan Japanese Grill Buffet

Dimsum & Chicken Feet

The Grill & Plate #1

Ready Buffet

Now, it’s a Japanese grill buffet and not an anime convention hall, so we have to try the food. Marge and I decided to try the ready buffet first and do the grilling a bit later.

I got a decent serving of a hot miso soup bowl and some dimsum for appetizers. They have a good salad bar but I decided to go straight for my tummy-fillers.

This was followed by the in-demand ebi tempura and some pizza (see plate #1).

My second plate was defined by some California maki and its relatives, plus some of the main dishes.

Hot Dishes

Short Ribs / Korean BBQ

Fresh Buffet

Grilling

Their grills are of course, electronic. The socket under the table also served as my Wi-Fi charger before we actually used it for the electric grill. 🙂

About half of the long buffet table was comprised of different raw meat including Short Ribs for Korean BBQ and the likes.

For dessert, we had sweet mini cakes and sans rival. There was an option to create your own halo-halo and a selection of ice cream flavors plus some fruits.

Robotosan Plate #2

Verdict

If you are looking at a quick Japanese buffet with the option to grill in Bonifacio Global City, Robotosan is worth visiting.

But as a new buffet place, I believe their selection size still has room for additional variants. I actually enjoyed their desserts, albeit limited.

As much as I love their sans rival slices, maybe some Japanese inspired desserts would be a good complement since they are a Japanese buffet restaurant.

The buffet price of P529 to P669 would have been alright considering the location, but as mentioned above, they need to beef up their line some more. Or maybe they intentionally made it like that – simple and not too complicated. On the other hand, the grill table, ambiance, and service are all ok.

Robotosan Desserts

BigScoop Ice Cream

NomNom Tip:

I eventually got to try Robotosan during dinner time and it turns out that more variants are available at night which explains the nocturnal pricier rates. I was also able to catch some very good sylvanas at night which were missing during lunch. 🙂

It was generally a good experience and the crew/staff were friendly and accommodating from the ground floor until you are done and exit their door.

Robotosan

Japanese Grill Buffet

2F 32nd St., Crossroads, Bonifacio Global City

Tel number: (632)823-6988

Schedule:

Lunch: 11am-2:30pm

Dinner: 5:30pm-10:30pm

Price:

Monday-Thursday

Lunch – P529; Dinner – P629

Friday-Sunday

Lunch – P669; Dinner – P669

Children Below 4ft – P379

Left Over Price per head P789

Robotosan Crew / Satff

Robotosan @ Crossroads, Bonifacio Global City

Robotosan in BGC also offers ‘drink all you can‘ with soda/iced tea/lemonade at P79.