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New branch Max’s Forbestown in Fort Bonifacio opens its doors with a bang! After its grand launch to the media yesterday. It officially starts it operations today. And to make it more exciting for its loyal customers, they are bringing back the Chicken All You Can fever!

Max's Chicken All You Can

The Chicken All You Can promo is for one day only. So if you are nearby, around the area, or even far away, you can join the Grand Opening of Max’s Forbestown in Bonifacio Global City today – Friday, January 28, 2011.

Chicken All You Can

On a first-come-first-serve basis, enjoy the Chicken All You Can for only P199, inclusive of 1 rice and softdrink from 12nn-2pm, 6pm-10pm (dine-in only).

Chicken-All-You-Can Details:

• 

  After Chicken All You Can

  Chicken all you can fever only at Max’s Forbestown Center.

• Promotion is only valid on January 28, 2011 from 12:00 NN to 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
• All you can eat chicken is inclusive of 1 rice and a softdrink for only P199.
• First come first served basis.
• Valid for Dine-in customers only.

Max’s Restaurant – Forbestown

Situated in Taguig’s bustling commercial district, the two-storey branch caters to young urban professionals of Fort Bonifacio and executives of Forbestown community. of course, it still has its ‘sarap-to-the-bones‘ fried chicken, pancit canton, kare-kare and lumpia. You would also notice their own-branded catchup in contrast to the previous Jufran.

Max's Forbestown

Jim Fuentebella - Max's VP Corporate Marketing

Although there are parking spaces nearby, they can easily get filled during rush hours or meal time. So for your convenience, Max’s Forbestown also offers valet services.

Max's Baker's Corner

“People come together because of something they all share – the love for good food.”

“We bring this experience to a higher level by offering something new, yet distinctly homegrown to pique our customers’ appetites.  This year, Max’s has ventured into another feat by targeting the young and upscale market of Bonifacio Global City,” says Bobby Simborio, Corporate Communications Officer for Max’s Group of Companies.

Max's Forbestown Center Interiors

Max's Restaurant - the 'House the Fired Chicken Built'

Max's Forbestown 2nd Floor

The modern yet traditional architecture of “the house that chicken built” is inspired by the store design of Budji Layug and Royal Pineda while the Max’s service crews uniforms are by internationally-acclaimed designer Rajo Laurel. A visit to the second floor reveals a wider space that can be converted into four function rooms separated by glass panels for business meetings, weddings, christenings, debuts and kiddie parties.

Max's Forbestown Map

Max's Restaurant Chicken-All-You-Can

Check them out at http://www.maxschicken.com and http://www.facebook.com/maxsrestaurant.

Remember, the Chicken All You Can fever is only for today, so hurry up! Max’s Forbestown is located at 26th St. corner Forbestown Road,  Forbestown Center, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Max’s Restaurant invited NomNom Club for their Blogger’s Night a few days ago. Max’s introduced their new Crispy Pata Feast Meal.

What is it?

The Max’s Crispy Pata Feast is a a complete meal suitable for a group or family of four. The set consists of a serving of Max’s large-sized Crispy Pata, a serving of Sinigang na Tiyan ng Bangus, 4 servings of Rice, 4 softdrinks, and 4 Buko Pandan single-serve cups. All for P865.

Max's Crispy Pata Feast Meal

NomNom Says

Crispy Pata Bone

Just a few months after their previous promo of “Chicken All You Can P165,” here’s the next one.

Although our table group hoped that the crispy pata meat was more fork-tender, we were able to finish it up nonetheless. 🙂

Undeniably, crispy pata would always be a hit in any Filipino dining table. It was amusing as well that the served crispy pata indeed looked similar to the one in their promotional photos. 🙂

Tiyan ng Bangus

The sauce mix of Max’s was also good and very Filipino with all the common spices. It was also crunchy-crispy, standing true to it’s name.

Ironically, we enjoyed the Sinigang na Tiyan ng Bangus more.

The four chunks of Tiyan ng Bangus meat was immersed in a mildly sour sinigang soup and vegetables.

It was our champion of the night.

Sinigang na Tiyan ng Bangus

It was capped by four servings of solo Buko Pandan served by waiter Kim. Buko Pandan is one of my favorite so I asked for the cup of Buko Pandan they didn’t touch from the other table (sayang naman, di ba?). 🙂

4 Servings of Buko Pandan Solo

Max's New Delivery Uniform and Bike

Max’s also presented the new uniform set for delivery including the new bike design incorporating the electric and luminescent labels for Max’s delivery.

Savings

If you compute all the items individually off the menu, your total bill would have been P1206; which means savings of P341 if you’ll be having the Crispy Pata Feast meal instead.

Max’s Crispy Pata Feast is currently available (since January 20) until February 20, 2011 in all Philippine Max’s Restaurant branches nationwide for dine-in or take out.

Marriott Café comes up with another deliciously themed buffet – the Ocean’s Surf! It’s a seafood buffet with a wide spread of ocean treasures that’s sure to fill your Friday and Saturday nights at Marriott Hotel Manila.

Drunken Shrimp

At a conservative estimate, I think I had about 8 different shrimp dishes in that single night last weekend.

This seafood buffet included the classic drunken shrimp, fried drunken shrimp, grilled shrimp, shrimp skewers, Thai-style Shrimp kebab, shrimp salad, ‘Suahe‘, Shrimp & Oyster, and Seafood Risotto – whew! (I think I missed one) 🙂

They also had a drink called ‘Ocean Deep‘ which is a combination of blue lemonade with soda.

Crabs

Ocean's Surf Shrimp

Salmon & Shrimp Salad

The Drunken Shrimp was courtesy of Chef Brammer who hand-picked the live shrimps direct from the aquarium into the cooking pan, added the liquor, shook the mongkok, and added the spices.

Chef Brammer of Marriott Cafe

Of course there were other seafood dishes including a gigantic Fried Lapu-lapu, Rock Lobsters, Tempura, Salmon, and other fish dishes.

Sinigang na Salmon

Recommendations

Aside from the fresh and delectable shrimps, the Sinigang na Salmon caught my palate’s fancy.

I suggest you grill the lobster against eating it as it is. This could remove possible unlikely aftertaste.

The Shrimp & Seafood Risotto is also highly recommended that night. The sticky risotto mixes well with the creatures of the sea. 🙂

Rock Lobsters

Thai-style Shrimp Skewers

Salmon & Crabs

Seafood Risotto

You could also have a seafood-break once in a while with other preparations such as Roast Beef, pasta, pizza (which had seafood flavors as well), fruits, and desserts among others.

Roast Beef & Fruits Buffet

My 4-servings of plates excluding dessert

More Seafood...Giant Fried Lapu-Lapu & Tempura

finally... desserts 🙂

Lastly, buffet dining is always better as a group activity. 🙂 It’s always better to indulge with your relatives, friends, or loved ones. It’s something you don’t do alone or just in a pair.

Enjoying Marriott's Seafood Buffet - Ocean's Surf!

Marriott Cafe in Marriott Hotel Manila is open everyday from 6:30am to 11:00 pm. The Ocean’s Surf Seafood Buffet is available Fridays and Saturdays at P1,750 nett (adults) and Php875 (children). Children 12 years and below get in half the price, 6 years old and below get in for free.

For inquiries and reservations on Marriott‘s Ocean’s Surf Seafood Buffet, check out their website at http://mariott.com/mnlap or call (632) 988-999.

With a number of ready-to-drink juices around, from tea-based concoctions to natural fruit juices, consumers are faced with a lot of choices like C2 Green Tea, Yin Yang Cooling Tea, Minute Maid Pulpy, and the new Smart C+.

This could be confusing sometimes, but it could also be good since there are more options.

But Smart C+ health drink, a newcomer, focuses on providing one particular aspect – Vitamin C. A box of Smart C+ was sent to our house a few days ago and so I tried it.

Smart C+ Juice Drink

Vitamin C

Mind-breaking school work, stressful jobs, intense sports, late night parties, and the toxins such activities produce is what SmartC wanted to address with its high content of Vitamin C. Just like me who wear multiple hats as a college instructor, online PR consultant, and professional blogger, 24 hours a day is lacking. With a few hours of sleep amidst all that, I certainly need a good dose of Vitamin C. Add to that Smart C+ as well. 🙂

Read the Label

But I’m not the type of person who easily submits to advertisements and gives the nod. Read the label. A quick read reveals its “Vitamin C 320%“. It means that each 500ml bottle contains 500mg of Vitamin C or more than three times the recommended daily allowance (RDA)- I believe that’s more than enough. 🙂

SmartC+: Reading the Label

The Science Behind

We all know that Vitamin C can protect the body and help the immune system recover with the provision of anti-oxidants. But going a little deeper into the biological and chemistry side of things, a low vitamin C in the body means weaker collagen. Collagen provides our cells with strength, flexibility, and resilience to bind tissues, skin, muscles, and other areas. Vitamin C then helps the body to produce and maintain the needed collagen to assist cells recover from it’s daily and usual functions.

Smart C+ Flavors: Lemon Squeeze, Orange Crush, & Pomelo Grapefruit

Other nutrition facts include 110kilo energy calories. Those on a wight-monitoring frenzy would be happy about the zero fat (both saturated and trans fat) content as well. Oishi’s Smart C+ has natural fruit juice and no preservatives added, no artificial coloring, and no artificial sweeteners.

3 Flavors

Smart C+ natural juice drink comes in three flavors: Lemon Squeeze, Orange Crush, and Pomelo Grapefruit. The Lemon Squeeze flavor is indeed on the citrus side. But if you prefer something fruity, choose  the Pomelo Grapefruit flavor. This is also my favorite among the three.

The Orange Crush flavor is somewhere between the two. 🙂 Best when served chilled, the 500ml bottles in the photos are good for two glass servings each. Check out www.keepupwithsmartc.com for more details about Smart C+. They’re also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/oishi.smartc.

Check out this Smart C+ TVC video in YouTube:

So don’t just take in the overly-sweet juices just because it tastes delicious. Ask your self if it’s actually beneficial or will it just overload you with sugar. Be ‘smart‘ with what you put in your body, consider and try Smart C+, I did. 🙂

The Ayala Triangle Gardens was then just a garden behind the business-heavy Makati Stock Exchange within the Makati Central Business District. But in the recent months, Ayala Land developed it further and now morphed into a leisure park complemented with a line of restaurants and dining places to enjoy – chat with a friend, nourish oneself after a healthy jog, or simply binge to your heart’s content. 🙂

Ayala Triangle Gardens

And indeed, I got the chance to somewhat ‘binge‘ a few weeks ago with friends. This was actually my second time at the Ayala Triangle Gardens. My first was a dinner of authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice at the famous Wee Nam Kee from Singapore. And after that night, I swore to be back and try the other restaurants.

And so it was. This time, I made sure I came earlier, which was in the afternoon.

Banapple

Similar to a famous food blog, dessert comes first. We took it the other way around and first indulged in Banapple. Aside from the usual Banapple Pie, we also had their in-season cake – Banana Starry-berry Custard Cheesecake.

Banapple

BonChon Original Chicken

Next stop was Bon Chon. We got a small order each of the Korean chicken wings in soy garlic (non-spicy) and of course, the ‘Hot & Spicy one. They took care of the latter while I feasted on the former.

BonChon Chicken

A small order of 6pcs. cost P185 while a medium order (12pcs) is P365. They also have drumsticks, chicken combo and chicken chops. In any variant, you’ll love the different crunch of the interestingly-breaded chicken skin.

Pho 24

It’s Vietnamese food, and I am most delighted with the traditional Vietnamese Pho Noodle Soup served to us. Complete with condiments served on the side, it included beansprout (taw-ge) and lemon slices, among others. The soup was both filling and internally refreshing as common in most oriental soup.

PHO 24

If you want to make it more exciting to taste, you can also add some Sriracha Hot Chili sauce by the table side.

* Expect a dedicated blog post on what else we had on each of my Banapple, BonChon, and Pho24 experiences. 🙂

Almost all the restaurants offered an open al fresco dining experience facing the greens of Ayala Triangle Gardens.

MOMO Cafe & CBTL Soon!

Chef Laudico's BFast

Other restaurants include Amici, Cara Mia, Omakase, and Chef Laudico’s Bfast for an all-day breakfast menu. There were some shops which are stilll under construction though. But it won’t be long before we can try Momo Café, my darling Kanin Club, C.B.D., and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL).

Golden Spoon

Next on my restaurant list when I come back at the Ayala Triangle Gardens is Golden Spoon for their frozen yogurt delights. I’ll be bringing a ‘golden fork‘ to complete the pair. 🙂

I say it’s a pizza week! A few days after featuring Pizza Hut’s Lechon Pizza, we’ll see another innovative pizza creation; or should I say pasta? or pizza? Angel’s Pizza Pasta introduces a new addition to their heavenly line of treats – Pasta in a Dough.

It looks like a pizza, yes. It’s because of the dough. And the topping is not actually a topping, it’s pasta.

Classic Spaghetti Pasta in a Dough

Pasta in a Dough is, as its name suggests, pasta on a dough. 🙂 It comes in three variants – the Classic Spaghetti, Creamy Bacon, Tuna Pesto.

Spaghetti fans can go for the Classic Spaghetti Pasta in a Dough with its meat and tomato sauce. It’s also on the sweet side just like how the Filipinos like it.

Pesto lovers on the other hand have the Tuna Pesto Pasta in a Dough which is filled with chunks of tuna in pesto sauce. It’s made a little spicy and with some pepper.

Tuna Pesto Pasta in a Dough

Creamy Bacon Pasta in a Dough

The photo above is the Creamy Bacon Pasta in a Dough, which is my favorite. It is indeed creamy and has a generous topping of bacon bits. I love the combination with the cheesy sauce.

Another highlight of Angel’s Pizza’s Pasta Dough is the dough itself. It’s soft, fluffy, and chewy. Make sure to consume it immediately upon serving for the best bite. You can eat it like pasta in a bowl or you can slice it just like a pizza. 🙂

Angel's Pizza

Price starts at P189 for classic spaghetti while Tuna Pesto and Creamy Bacon is at P199. Hopefully they could lower the price a bit to the range of P150-P160. Nonetheless, even if you have a big appetite, you will surely be filled with the big dough and the generous pasta serving atop Angel’s Pizza Pasta‘s newest creation – Pasta in a Dough.

“Pwede na akong mamatay” is a local euphemism which literally  means “I can die now.” Indeed, after you have tasted Pizza Hut’s Lechon Pizza, you could say that without hesitation, especially if you know you are going to Heaven. And well, because your cholesterol shoots up double time. 🙂

Pizza consumption by itself is one  the West’s strongest influence in modern Filipino food culture. The number of competing brands alone speaks for its itself.

The varieties also testify the market’s complex taste and preference of their own pizza. You have the thick, the thin, the stuffed, the pop-ups, and the top thats.

On the other hand, the “Lechon” (roasted suckling pig) is a major food centerpiece for big gatherings, fiestas and celebrations here in the Philippines.

I never thought the day that the lechon and the pizza would meet can actually happen. But Pizza Hut did it. Pizza Hut dared and successfully combined the goodness and crispiness of lechon and the quality of their pizza.

Lechon Pizza Slice

Think of Pizza Hut layered with generous cheese with chunks of lechon meat and slices of the sought-after crispy lechon skin and you have your deadly but delicious Pizza Hut’s Lechon Pizza.

The skin is not the traditional shiny lechon skin but more of the fried and crunchy. Good thing I liked it more this way. Pizza Hut intentionally air dried the skin separately and adds it as topping on top of the pizza only as it is served. This allows the lechon skin to maintain its crispiness.

Your initial temptation is to pick the crispy lechon skin atop the pizza slice and eat it by itself. But that might  leave your pizza lacking as a whole. I prefer to hold my guns and consume it altogether and experience the crispy lechon skin as I take one bite at a time of the lechon pizza. 🙂

You could also request for the sauce to be held and not immediately spread on top of the pizza as served. Although the lechon pizza sauce is still on the sweet side, it is not as much as your retail favorite Mang Tomas lechon sauce. This can either be good or bad on a person-to-person basis. 🙂

Hold that saliva from dropping. The Pizza Hut’s Lechon Pizza comes in two sizes – medium and large.  The Lechon Pizza price starts at Php 329 for the former with 10 inches and Php 499 for the latter of 14 inches.

You can also have it as part of a special package under the Manila Signature Dishes where it is paired with  other servings and wine for the price of P799.

“Inspired by the popular local favorite, this new flavor celebrates the Filipino creativity and ingenuity.“

Manila Sugnature Dishes 2010:
Pizza Hut Bistro New Lechon Pizza Set P799 (Price still subject to service charge and local tax)

• Medium Lechon Pizza
• Seafood Supremo
• Olive Garden Salad
• 2 Glasses Casillero del Diablo Merlot

It has the rustic burnt lechon aroma you can smell from afar as it comes nearer your table. It is an ultimate dream come true for pizza and lechon lovers. Have the best of both in a single serve. You should not let this ultimate foodie comfort food pass this Christmas holiday season as it is only available until about the end of January next year.

Pizza Hut Lechon Pizza

I recommend the Pizza Hut Lechon Pizza with a thumbs up for those who love pizza and lechon. Be sure to bring family and friends to share it with as  I myself was only able to consume 3 slices. Try one before you die, it’s Pizza Hut Lechon Pizza or forever hold your peace. 🙂

Goodles Noodles & Mercato Centrale

Goodles Anniversary Promo

Goodles is celebrating its 1st anniversary on November 24, 2010 and they are sharing an anniversary promotion. From 11am to 9pm, three (3) of Goodles’ best selling pasta tubs will be sold for P100 only during various times. (see photo below for details).

Goodles Anniversary Promo - P100 Noodles

Check their online pages as well at facebook.com/ilovegoodles and ilovegoodles.com .

Mercato Centrale

We have the market-style foodie destinations Salcedo Market (Saturdays) and Legaspi Market (Sundays) both in Makati City. While on the other prime business district of Ortigas in Pasig, is Banchetto.

And then there will be Mercato Centrale – Bonifacio Global City’s answer to the weekend’s demand for great meals and food adventures. nomnomnom…

“Inspired by the outdoor markets of Mercato Centrale in Florence and the Boroughs Market in London, Mercato Centrale at Bonifacio Global City is an innovative weekend lifestyle market with unique, great tasting food finds that you won’t find anywhere around the metro! Mercato also has an extensive selection of healthy and organic fruits, vegetables and livestock, all located in a clean, comfortable, well-ventilated and organized setting.” – http://www.mercatocentrale.ph/

Mercato Centrale BGC

They start tomorrow – November 21 – at the corner of 30th st. and 9th avenue in Bonifacio Global City from 6am to 12nn. See you at Mercato Centrale at about 9am! 🙂