Entries Tagged 'Cravings' ↓

In a recent trip to Singapore, we checked out the Lantern atop Fullerton Bay Hotel. The stylish rooftop bar definitely provided an awesome panoramic view of Singapore’s Marina Bay including the majestic structure of the new Marina Bay Sands.

Lantern Bar

Located alongside Marine Bay and having opened only last year, “Lantern derives its name from Clifford Pier’s historical Chinese name – ‘Red Lantern Pier‘…a landing point for Singapore’s first immigrants and red lanterns used to hang from the pier as a guide to seafarers,” its website indicate.

Merlion Cocktail

Lantern houses signature vintage and modern cocktails including concoctions of mojito, vodka, tequila, , and of course – wines. Most are inspired from the Caribbean Islands and Latin America.

Being a light drinker, I just had a glass of the ‘Merlion.’ At S$24, it is one of their signature cocktails and not a surprising choice from a tourist like me. 🙂 The Merlion is a Don Julio tequila with young ginger, honey water, lime and soda. It came out good with the other ingredients making the tequila seem light, which I think fits my drinking level, in that sense. 🙂

Fullerton Bay Hotel's Lantern

Lantern with the panoramic view of Marina Bay Sands

Other options include the Imperial Berry Mojito (S$28), Caipirinha (Cachaca, Lime, Refined Sugar – S$19), and Air Mail (S$22) which is basically a mixture of Pampero dark rum, lime, honey, and champagne.

Lantern's Live Band / DJ

They also offer a short list of tapas and grills for a light dinner or something to nibble on. The live band and acoustic beats further adds to the bar’s chic ambiance.

Lantern Rooftop Bar
Fullerton Bay Hotel
Singapore
12 pm – 2 am
Phone: (65) 6597 5299
Website: www.fullertonbayhotel.com

Lantern's Swimming Pool glass cross-section visible from the bar

As if that’s not enough, a picturesque infinity pool at the center, with a visible cross section, further accentuates Lantern‘s sophistication.

iParty maybe new to your ears but truth is, you’ve been throwing iParties for ages! iParty is a term coined by the Ginebra San Miguel peeps which pertains to the gathering you shared with your friends and relatives – be it a celebration of life, a graduation party or just a Friday night jamming at your favourite tambayan.

A few nights ago, I joined fellow party-ready bloggers in an iParty, celebrating the creation of new Ginebra  Flavors.

Ginebra Apple Flavors

The Ginebra Flavor Mixes are sinfully sweet and surprisingly light. But mind your intake because the gin could jump right at you after a few drinks.  I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t savor the initial taste as I thought it would be similar to many of the less-premium gin brands out there. Boy, was I wrong!

The burn going down was minimal or none at all and there was no need to chase the shot with a lime or a chaser. I caught the hint of green apple and lychee too!

Ginebra Lychee Flavors

There are 2 main flavours- Ginebra Apple Flavor and Ginebra Lychee Flavor.  We have tried the following Ginebra Flavors mixes and went home happy!

Ginebra Lychee Kiss and Applerita

Ginebra San Miguel Flavors

Ginebra Flavors is affordable, a  700mL bottle will only cost you P60! It’s currently available at Puregold, Ministop, 7-11, Andoks , South Supermarket and some areas on Ortigas. However, Ginebra Flavors will not be sold on bars. It’s supposed to be enjoyed on the comforts of your own tambayan with family and friends.

Being an inexpensive drink,  Ginebra Flavor is also one of the most refreshing, vibrant, and enjoyable drink I have ever come across. I bet it goes well with many different pulutans as it helps to clean the palate. I am getting all of my friends ‘hooked‘ on it and you  and your friends could try it too!

*Author: Renz Alcantara

** Drink Moderately

It was my first time at Rai Rai Ken weeks ago. And one doesn’t go there without trying their ramen. 🙂

Rai Rai Ken

It was dinner time and I ordered Rai Rai’s Ramen Chasyu (Roast Pork). it was neatly served (photo above) in a big bowl.

It is a soy sauce based soup with slices of well, roast pork, a hard-boiled egg, and some vegetables. It was a good one. You’d know in the taste that it was an authentically prepared Japanese ramen. I came to know that authentic ramen is not easy to create as the soup alone takes hours to prepare. At P180, it is a filling and satisfactory meal.

Mixed Seafood Ramen

On the other hand, my friends had the Gomoku or the ‘mixed seafood‘ ramen which is composed of mixed seafood and also topped with egg and mixed vegetables.

My friend said it was also good and had generous servings of seafoods like shrimp, kani, and squid. Perhaps I will try that next time.

Rai Rai Ken Gyoza

To complement our meals, we had some sumptuous Gyoza and Jurassic Maki. The Jurassic Maki (P195) is like an inside-out roll with Ebi Tempura, salmon skin, kani stick, and ebikko, molded with mayonaisee and topped with an eel slice.

It tasted as good as it looked. 🙂

Jurassic Maki

Mango Shake

Rai Rai Ken Makati

I also had a cold mango shake to contrast my hot soup at the latter part. It’s highly recommended as well for its smooth-creamy texture.

We dined at their two-floor branch in Makati near our place (SM Hypermarket near  South Super Highway-Buendia corner). Rai Rai Ken is definitely worth going to for authentic Japanese ramen.

They suddenly came and so it was – a package of Oishi snacks and Smart C+ juice drinks that is. 🙂

It came as a surprise and seemingly sent anonymously but obviously from Oishi. 🙂 Perhaps it’s a gesture of gratitude for my write-up on Smart C+ a few months ago.

Baconette Strips from Oishi

I was also glad as the snacks include one of my favorite snacks – Baconette Strips. It’s bacon-flavored but is non-meat. It’s a fitting snack for those observing the Lenten season.

Marty’s Cracklin' Vegetarian Chicharon

Next is the Marty’s Cracklin’ Vegetarian Chicharon. It’s chicharon goodness that is healthy.

And of course, the Smart C+ juice drink which I wrote about before.

Thanks Oishi! It was a delicious surprise!

Buon Giorno is the brainchild of Mark Floro and his wife, Linda Floro, both of them are food enthusiasts. The couple decided to share their passion with their friends through a quaint Italian restaurant, Buon Giorno.

It was first established at Cliffhouse, Tagaytay City where it has been hailed as one of the most romantic destinations in Tagaytay. The Cliffhouse Buon Giorno branch is very famous for its Opium bed because of the countless marriage proposals that has happened there (the Opium bed is the most reserved spot at the Cliffhouse branch- so better call them early if you’re planning special for your lovey dovey).

With the success of the first branch at Tagaytay, the Floros decided it’s  high time to bring Buon Giorno back to the Metro once again (they opened at Shaw Blvd a few years back but it was closed down).  Buon Giorno is currently located at Rockwell Business District in Ortigas.

I had the privilege to join fellow food bloggers as Buon Giorno introduced their palatial menu.

Antipasti/Antipasto (Appetizer) *this is not a complete menu list

Trio of Crostini P218

A thin of lightly-toasted bread served with pesto, chicken liver pate and  mushroom dip

Bruschetta P180

Tomatoes, mozzarella and basil on olive-toasted toast

Antipasto Platter P335

Marinates olives, pearl onions, roasted peppers, cheese cubes and Italian meats

Insalata (Salad)

B’uon Giorno’s Special

B’uon Giorno’s Special P218

Crema de Brocolli

A mixed of Buon Giorno’s best salad greenies and fruits drizzled with their delectable house dressing

Zuppe (Soup)

Crema de Brocolli P140
An awesome blend of cream and broccoli

Pizza

Mare Pesto P265

Mixed seafood brought together with lots of basil, pesto and cheese. The pizza is super thin crust which gives a crunchy feel with each bite.

Buon-Giorno-Pizza

New York Pizza

New York Pizza P295

It’s composed of assorted meat, bell peppers, and cheese topping on crisp, crusty dough.

This is truly a great break from the pizza that we usually order. Though it’s still far from the original Italian pizza, it’s as good. The chef needed to tailor the pizza according to the Filipino taste 

Other pizza flavours are: Vegetarian, Peperroni, Hawaiian, Salsiccia, Prosciutto A Funghi, and Al Margherita.

Pasta

Canneloni Spinaci P294

Tender bits of chicken & mortadella ham rolled in sheets of spinach pasta smothered with tomato sauce and cheese

Pescattore Alla Puttanesca P308 (Top Photo)
Assortment of seafood in spicy and peppery tomato sauce

Canneloni Spinaci

Risotto (Italian Rice Dishes)

Pollo E Funghi P302

It’s basically chicken in rice dish. It’s by itself a complete meal and will immediately fill your hungry tummy.

Piato Principale

San Prieto Con Basilico John Dory P470

Perfectly cooked cream dory fillet with creamy sauce and spinach

Beef Wagyu in Mushroom Gravy Sauce was also served that night and it’s available by request (in case you are dining in the future).

Chocolate-Pistachio Sans Rival

Dolci (dessert)

Chocolate- Pistachio Sans Rival P207

Layers of wafers covered in chocolate icing and drizzled with pistachio.

This may not be my favourite version of sans rival but if you’re a chocolate lover, you’ll dig it.

Buon Giorno Cheesecake

Cheesecake P170

It’s creamy and fairly yummy but I tasted better cheesecakes (but then I’m biased because I am not a cake person, I’d rather have cold desserts than sweets and pastries).

Bevande (beverages)

Fresh Fruit Shakes P120-P144

Watermelon shake, Grape shake, and Mango shake

Buon Giorno Watermelon, Grape, Mango Shake

Few facts on Italian dining:

Olive oil is a staple in any Italian pantry. There are many varieties of Olive oil and usually, different kinds are used for salads, entrees and cooking.

Italian Dining

For those wondering how to use olive oil with food and cooking, these could help you:

•    Use quality olive oil. Never use an olive oil if you can’t eat it as it is.

•    The most widely used olive oil on restaurants are the extra virgin oil and cold pressed olive oil. It’s also the highest in quality though it’s pricey as compared to the other varieties. Extra virgin olive oil is the best variety used over salads or for dipping bread.

•    If you do not want too much aroma from the olive oil, you may opt for virgin olive oil. It contains fairly less flavour and aroma that’s why it’s best used for frying, grilling and oven roasting. But ordinary or pure virgin olive oil contains even less flavour and aroma than virgin olive oil and is best used in recipes that flavour from olive oil is not desired.

•    Italians can easily determine the variety of olive oil. I was told that they can also tell if the olive oil was from Italy or from other parts of the world.

This has been your resident NomNomClub writer, Renz of Pinay Mommy Adreamer, saying Hanno un Grande Giorno!

Buon Giorno
Grnd Flr, Tower 1 Rockwell Business Center
Ortigas Avenue
Pasig City
Tel number- 5719092

We’re exploring Singaporean food…again! Yes, we’re returning to Singapore and will check out new spots!

My gratitude extends to Renz Alcantara, my associate writer, who gamely catched foodie assignments in my absence. I hope she enjoys the dinner at Boun Giorno in Rockwell Land and the upcoming San Miguel party. Wait for her awesome articles on that!

Back to Singaporean food, here’s a teaser:

• Wild Rocket
• Marina Bay Sands’ Ku De Ta (has nothing to do with any mutiny)
• Rasapura Masters
• Baits Restaurant
• Lantern (at Fullerton Bay Hotel)
• Jumbo Seafood Restaurant (at East Coast Seafood Centre)

Add to that the Singapore Food Trail. It’s one of Singapore’s newest major foodie spot right beside the Singapore Flyer which was previously just an empty parking lot. 🙂

Hainanese Chicken Rice @ Singapore Food Month

And with these, I declare April a Singapore Food Month @ NomNomClub.com. 🙂 Watch out for the posts soon!

It’s Summer Time! And Filipinos beat the heat of the hot season with cool fusions like that of Magnolia Frozen Delights!

To highlight this even further and treat Magnolia Ice Cream‘s awesome blogger friends, Magnolia Frozen Delights is hosting an indoor Summer Bloggers’ Party on April 1, 2011 entitled “Cool Summer with Magnolia Frozen Delights!”

To participate, simply post a Facebook photo and message in your Facebook wall tagging @MagnoliaIceCreamOfficial from March 21 to 30.

Magnolia Frozen Delights Summer Bloggers' Party

How to Join:

1. Register in this spreadsheet so we can reference your blog and details to contact you.
2. Post in YOUR Facebook Wall any ONE of the four Magnolia Frozen Delights product photo below (Pinipig Crunch, Popsies, Fun Bar, or Sweetie Bites).
3. Add your creative caption that shall include the terms
   – “Summer”
   – “Magnolia Ice Cream Frozen Delights“, and
   – “<ONE of the four products>“

The ‘Magnolia Ice Cream’ should be the tag of ‘@MagnoliaIceCreamOfficial‘ Facebook page (see example below).

4. Tag four of your friends in the photo.

And you are done!

Example:

Facebook WallPost Example

Format:

Indeed, it’s going to be an awesome cool <SUMMER> for me with <@Magnolia Ice Cream tag> Frozen Delights <one of the four products>! 🙂 My favorite!

Actual:

Indeed, it’s going to be an awesome cool summer for me with Magnolia Ice Cream Frozen Delights Pinipig Crunch! 🙂 My favorite!

Click for actual FB page example HERE.

Magnolia Frozen Delights Products

(click for bigger images):

Pinipig Crunch / Popsies / Fun Bar / Sweeties Bites

Magnolia Ice Cream will then send an email to the participating bloggers on 10am of March 30, 2011 who will then join us at 7pm on April 1, 2011 at the “Cool Summer w/ Magnolia Frozen Delights” Summer Bloggers’ Party! This shall be announced in MagnoliaIceCreamOfficial FB Page.

Parteh Parteh!

Come in your best summer / beach (not swimming) attire and be chosen as one of the three “Summer Dude of the Night” or one of the three “Summer Babe of the Night” to win cool prizes.

Party registration on April 1 start 7pm and closes 9pm. Dinner will be served and you can dance your heart away with the best summer beats. There would be awesome games, prizes, and raffle during the party as well. Magnolia Frozen Delights will be giving away thousands worth of prizes, giveaways, and raffle items!

Venue about the party is on the poster. Don’t forget to bring your ID with photo for verification by the San Miguel security guards at the gate. They will be furnished with the names of the bloggers for verification and security.

Are you ready to party-party for a cool summer with Magnolia Frozen Delights?

I love ice cream cakes since I was a child. And Dairy Queen rekindled it with their newly launched product Mango Cheesecake ice cream cake specially made for the summer season.

Called the Mango Cheesecake Blizzard Cake, it is made with two layers of creamy vanilla ice cream with real mango chunks in between. Although a little pricey at Php749, it is made with 100% ice cream and topped with icing buttons, mango puree spread,  and chewy cube combination of cheese and grahams. For me, more than just a cake, it’s an experience of having an ice cream cake altogether.

Dairy Queen Mango Cheesecake Blizzard Cake

Mango Festival

DQ: Served Upside Down

It’s a festival of everything Mango at DQ as well. In addition to the ice cream cake, Dairy Queen is offering a myriad of other cool mango concoctions such as 2 new mango blizzards, a smoothie, and citrus coolers.

Mango Blizzards

The 2 new DQ Blizzards are Mango Cheesecake Blizzard and Mango-Pineapple Blizzard.

Dairy Queen Blizzard

The Mango Cheesecake Blizzard is the soft-serve ice  cream version of the cake (also with real mango bits and cheesecake chunks) while the Mango-Pineapple Blizzard is for those who want some citrus sting from the pineapple bits which can be a good contrast to the prior double sweetness of mango and cheesecake. It costs P59/6oz, P79/9oz, P99/12oz, P119/16oz.

Mango Smoothie

I wan’t able to try this but DQ also has s new Mango Premium Fruit Smoothie which is a creamy blend of fresh orange, mango and a creamy soft serve vanilla ice cream. At P79/12oz & P99/16oz, I’m trying these next! 🙂

Dairy Queen Smoothies & Citrus Coolers

Mango Citrus Cooler

Much simpler is the Mango Citrus Cooler which is a blend of lemon and mango fit for a cool summer drink. The citrus coolers are also available in Lemon, Strawberry, Pineapple, and Strawberry Pineapple flavors. P49/12oz & P59/16oz.

Check more information about Dairy Queen (DQ) at www.dairyqueen.com.ph or their Facebook. 🙂

Dairy Queen Blizzard

With Filipino’s penchant for anything cold during the summer season, these blizzards and smoothies will surely be a hit. These flavors were available since early March and will stay at all Dairy Queen menuboards until the first week of May.