Entries Tagged 'Makati' ↓

Partnering with global cosmetics and beauty brand Body Shop, Max’s Restaurant is making Mother’s Day more special for Filipino moms this coming weekend!

Family members who will be celebrating Mother’s Day at Max’s Restaurant with a minimum spend of PhP 1,300 will be receiving a luxurious bottle of Body Shop’s Shower Gel – soap-free, lather-rich and fruit-infused as a gift to pamper MOM on her special day.

Max's Fried Chicken

Think of the iconic dishes sinigang, kare-kare, and crispy pata, and you’ll definitely think of Max’s “sarap to the bones” fried chicken, Add to that the bottle of Body Shop Shower Gel special treat and that complete’s you family celebration this Mother’s Day!

“In the Philippines where mothers are respected for being the “light of the household,” people take the time to dine together as a family on Mother’s Day. One of the most nostalgic places to re-unite and celebrate with family has always been Max’s Restaurant,” said Edgar Allan Caper, Marketing Director for Max’s Restaurant.

Catch Max’s lush treat starting today – May 7, until May 13 at any Max’s branch nationwide. Treat Mom at Max’s Restaurant this Mother’s Day!

Jollibee Coffe and Chocolate Floats

With the scorching summer hitting as high as 35.9°C in the Metro and a staggering 38.4°C nationwide, Jollibee – one of the largest fast food chains in the country, fights the heat off with the newly-launched Jollibee Chocolate Float and Jollibee Coffee Float which are sure to give people their needed lift.

Jollibee Amang Rodriguez Branch

Held about a week ago at Jollibee Amang Rodriguez branch, media people and bloggers graced the unveiling of 2 latest additions – Chocolate and Coffee Floats, to join the roster of Jollibee’s Coke Float and University Floats.

Being a coffee lover, I felt excited when we were first served with Jollibee’s Coffee Float. Made with a delightfully smooth blend of iced coffee, this gloriously refreshing drink is topped with a rich vanilla soft serve and a beautiful swirl of chocolate syrup.

Enchong Dee

From a coffee lover’s point of view, Jollibee’s Coffee Float can easily compete with any cafe’s ice blended coffee or even coffee-infused frappuccino. With a slight hint of bitterness balanced by Jollibee’s sweet concoction of vanilla ice cream, this Coffee Float can definitely give you your needed dose of caffeine while leaving you revitalized and lifted.

Jollibee on a Hot Summer Day

With the majestic sun shining very brightly upon us, it was a relief to be served with Jollibee’s Chocolate Float next. Made with deliciously rich iced chocolate, this sweet treat is even topped with Jollibee’s signature creamy vanilla soft serve, and a dollop of chocolate syrup.

Jollibee Chocolate Float

Although I am most certainly partial to coffee-based drinks, it was surprising that I preferred Jollibee’s Chocolate Float more. The iced chocolate drink was far from being overly sweet and made a perfect base for the creamy vanilla ice cream. Most of my companions also preferred this over the Coffee Float, so it definitely earned our stamp of approval.

Endorsed by the equally yummy and refreshing Enchong Dee, Jollibee’s Chocolate and Coffee Floats retail at only P45 per cup. Should you wish to have these refreshing floats with your favourite Jollibee Value Meals, you can opt to just add P25 to get your needed lift.

Jollibee Coffee Float

*Story and Photos by Blogger Apprentice Stephanie Go

Jollibee’s Chocolate and Coffee Floats are available in all Jollibee stores nationwide. So if you want a delicious drink to fight off the scorching heat of the summer, head to your nearest Jollibee branch and get a lift!

Today is the day – April 24, 2012 – when a gamut of new beverages, food items, and promos start at Starbucks Philippines. Coffee and frappuccino addicts as you are, you ought not be behind the news. Worry not as NomNom Club is here to make sure you are.

Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino

1) Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino Blended Beverage (Coffee Based)

The Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino blended beverage is your favorite Starbucks Frappunccino roast coffee with chocolate cookie bits made richer with mocha sauce, and vanilla syrup. And as if that’s not enough, it is topped with chocolate drizzle on cookie crumble blended topping.

If I’m not mistaken, this is the first time Starbucks PH is offering  chocolate whip cream.

It’s like a java chip frap with vanilla syrup. It can remind you of Wendy’s frostee as well.

A yummy treat for the chocolate-loving coffee drinker!

* Tall P165, Grande P175, Venti P175

2) Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino Blended Beverage (Cream Based – Zero Coffee)

The same as number 1 above but is cream-based instead of coffee.

Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino

Something for the chocolate lover who wants a coffee alternative; maybe even for kids too. It’s just like your all-time favorite Magnolia Chocolaitwith cookie bits.

Did you know that you also have the option to ‘blend‘ your cream into the beverage (instead of ‘just on top’)?

* Tall P165, Grande P175, Venti P175

3) Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino Blended Beverage

Not really new, it’s more of a focus featured beverage highlighting the However-You-Want-It Frappuccino beverages.

It’s your favorite Strawberries and Cream frappuccino with the option for soy, non-fat milk, or your defualt whole milk.

* Tall P155, Grande P165, Venti P175

4) Sausage Pizza Roll (P95)

Replacing the current sausage roll, this flaky pastry is filled with a smoked frankfurter and cheese pizza sauce. A true comfort food that can easily satisfy that impulsive craving for a quick soft bite.

Don’t forget to have it warmed.

Sausage Pizza Roll

5) Fish and Chips Wrap (P150)

A filling wrap of fish fillet, herbed potato wedges, and dill mustard egg sauce. It’s big and enough to substitute for a full meal. If you’re wondering, the chips is inside.

Fish and Chips Wrap

6) Chicken Grape Almond Salad on Classic Ciabatta Bread (P150)

Available in a Starbucks Philippines stores nationwide, this is a tangy sandwich of chicken, celery, roasted chopped almonds, sliced sundried tomatoes, and interestingly grapes, with lemon-mayo sauce and hints of tarragon and Emmenthal cheese sandwiched by crunchy Ciabatta bread.

My favorite made better with the twist of adding grape slices! It’s the anti-thesis of a boring food, there’s so much in every bite!

Chicken Grape Almond Salad Sandwich

7) Cookie Crumble Cheesecake with Chips Ahoy (P130)

This is for the cheesecake and Chip Ahoy cookie lovers combined. The baked cheesecake is topped with chunky-chewy Chips Ahoy cookies + chocolate chips with a base / crust made of assorted crushed Chips Ahoy cookies.

However, it’s not type of cheesecake. I’m for the sinfully sweet, smooth, and soft ones.

Cookie Crumble Cheesecake

8) Whoopie Pie (P75)

Whoops, it’s big! And the two bulging eyes seem to beg you not to eat them.

This redesigned returning favorite from last year is a sandwich of two fudgy dark chocolate cookie cakes filled with white roasted marshmallow cream icing and chocolate chips. At first, it looked like a really sweet treat that’s painful to the tooth but turned out just ok.

Whoopie Pie

Although it’s a bit pricey at P75, the fun factor, specially for the kids and kids-at-heart, makes up for it; somehow. lol

It’s cuteness would also have been multiplied by ten if it was just a quarter of its current size. Who knows, Starbucks Philippines might just come across this blog and have the mini Whoopie Pies next season.

Cuteness Overflowing: Starbucks Whoopie Pies (Sampler Size)

9) Customizable Starbucks Tumblers: 16 oz. Cold Cup Tumbler (P550)

Twist and turn (step 1). Write (step 2). Erase (step 3). Those are the steps into ‘customizing‘ your ‘customizable‘ (woah!) new Starbucks Tumblers!

After the twist-and-turn, you could remove the outer cup and ‘write‘ your favorite Starbucks beverage label on the surface of inner cup. Common sense also suggests to use a non-permanent white board marker. If you think your favorite Starbucks beverage will not change, like forever, then feel free to use a permanent marker.

Customizable Starbucks Tumblers (How To)

So lets say that you’re as brilliant as I so you use a non-permanent marker, then you could easily erase it (step 3; pardon the watermark which blocked the ‘erasing’ action) with any tissue paper or cloth.

After which, you simply twist-back the outer cup and viola – give your labelled and customized Starbucks tumbler to your barista!

The Cold Cup tumbler is the one on Step 1 and Step 2A photos.

10) Customizable Starbucks Tumblers: 16 oz. Stainless Steel Tumbler (P1095)

Please see number 9, but you can have hot beverages in these! I want to have this one!

The Stainless steel tumbler is the one on Step 2B and Step 3 photos.

11) Scratch Card Promo (Buy 1 Take 1)

For the first time in Starbucks Philippines history, they’re having a scratch-card based promotion, just like in the lottery.

From April 24 to April 29 (or until supplies last), buy one Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino Blended Beverage and get one scratch card to win an exciting treat that you can use for your next Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino Blended Beverage purchase!

Scratch card redemption is until June 11, 2012.

Starbucks Scratch Card

Prizes in the scratch cards can be

• one free add-on
• double free add-ons
• buy-one-free-one beverage!

12) Starbucks Happy Hour / Frappuccino Happy Hour (50% Off)

The Starbucks Happy Hour is back! Your favorite Starbucks However-You-Want-It Frappuccino Blended Beverage will be at half-price EVERY MONDAY from 2PM to 6PM from April 30 to May 28, 2012!

Starbucks Happy Hour

Starbuck's Love Fernandez

The long lines will surely be back, but this time, instead of the previous 2 hrs, you’ve got more time allotment of 4 hrs!

That’s a DOZEN of new things to remember at Starbucks Philippines starting today – April 24, 2012 (except for the Starbucks Happy Hour which starts April 30)! Hmmm…which one to try first?

After the introduction of Chicken Rice and Tofu Steak almost three months ago, Figaro has added anew two dinner meal variants – Crusty Dory Fillet in Creamy Pesto Sauce & Rice Pilaf and Pan-Seared Chicken Barbecue with Java Rice.

Figaro Crusty Dory Fillet

The Crusty Dory Fillet was just ok. I liked the Pan-Seared Chicken Barbecue more which had flavorful chicken strips. Add to that the special sauce, java rice, and string beans.

The sauce is more on the sweet side which may be loved by some, and disliked by those who want their barbecue sauce with more pepper. Nonetheless the Filipino taste would prefer the former.

Dinner meals are only available 6pm onwards.

Figaro Dinner Meal: Pan-Seared Chicken Barbecue

More of Figaro Milk Teas (plus Popping Boba)

Wintermelon Frost: Figaro Milk Tea

From five milk tea flavors namely the Strawberry Lemon Iced Tea, Raspberry Milk Tea, Taro Pudding Milk Tea, Strawberry Milk Tea and Taro Pudding Chiller Feast comes two new interesting flavors. I got to try the Wintermelon Frost with classic tea and Honeydew Frost with Figaro tea.

Honeydew Frost: Figaro Milk Tea

The Wintermelon Frost with classic tea (P100) reminds me of the sago’t gulaman. I love it but I find the sweetness overpowering the tea flavor. In addition, the toppings called popping boba and pearls adds enjoyment with every sip as the popping boba somewhat ‘explodes‘ in your mouth. You have to experience it yourself!

For the Honeydew Frost (P100), it had a strong tea flavor which is what I usually look for in milk teas.

* Story and photos by Marjorie Pineda

Now, it will be very easy for me to choose which flavor of milk tea to order. So, what’s your favorite milk tea flavor and Figaro Dinner Meal? These two new milk tea variants are available starting today at all Figaro stores – April 11, 2012!

Yoshinoya is one of my favorite quick service Japanese restaurants. Although they often adjust their menu prices upward (specially in the previous year), their service is commendable and food quality is maintained.

Yoshinoya Pihilippines

So it’s always a good news to know when they have something new in their menu. In particular, I was invited to their launch last month wherein they introduced a number of new Yoshinoya dishes and highlighted some existing favorites such as the Shrimp Tempura, but now also served in a bowl .

Here are the new dishes from Yoshinoya Philippines:

Yoshinoya Tokyo Chicken – golden brown pieces of grilled chicken marinated in ginger-infused sauce served with mixed vegetables and steamed white rice.

Tokyo Chicken

Shrimp Tempura – crispy golden brown white prawn and deep fried garnished with a special tendon sauce.

Shrimp Tempura

Tokyo Beef – tender slices of beef with fresh onions sauteed and garnished with seasme seeds and capsicum slices over steaming white rice.

Tokyo Beef

Pork Tempura – breaded pork fillet with sweet potato and eggplant on the side over steaming white rice plus drizzled with special tendon sauce.

Pork Tempura

Veggie Beef – tender slices of beef simmered with onions in a broth of herbs and spices served with mixed vegetables and steaming white rice.

Veggie Beef

Chicken Tempura – breaded chicken chunks with sweet potato and eggplant fan on top of steaming white rice with special tendon sauce

Chicken Tempura

Pork Tongkatsu – deep-fried breaded pork fillet topped with special tonkatsu sauce with cabbage siding over steaming white rice

Pork Tongkatsu

Yoshi Chicken – deep fried and double coated marinated chicken dipped in a special sauce served with steaming rice.

Yoshi Chicken

Among the new offerings, I found the new Yoshinoya Yoshi Chicken most tempting.

Although obviously, it was concocted in response to the new fad of flavored chicken such as Bon Chon, Chicken Charlie, and Chicken Delish, Yoshinoya’s Yoshi Chicken is almost at par with the crunch and the flavor of the sauce.

I enjoyed the taste test and will surely be back to try all those new dishes from Yoshinoya in full servings.

It’s the season of Lent once again. For Catholics like myself, it is the time of prayer and fasting. And by fasting, this means we should not indulge on meat. Max’s Restaurant, the House that Fried Chicken Built, recently brought its classic Filipino flavors into new and lighter dishes for the Lenten Season. Launched last February 29, I was lucky to be part of the first group to try these sumptuous healthy meals.

Bobby Simborio, Corporate Communications Officer for Max’s Group of Companies

“At Max’s we understand that Lent is a special time for Filipinos. This has inspired us to create our lightest and the most scrumptious fare for lent. These dishes are bursting with flavors, married with the homegrown classic taste that Filipinos love – its a certified gustatory experience for everyone,” says Mr. Bobby Simborio, Max’s Corporate Communications Officer for Max’s Group of Companies as he introduced their latest offering for the lenten season.

As we were the “certified” to first try out these dishes, I was already excited just seeing their posters. My taste buds were ready to check them out. I was intrigued and they didn’t fail me.

Adobong Kangkong Stuffed Tofu

Max’s Adobong Kangkong Stuffed Tofu

They served the Max’s Adobong Kangkong Stuffed Tofu (Php150) first. As a tofu lover, it is given that I would love this dish but its fresh Kangkong leaves did all the trick in making it a lot better. The shiitake and button mushrooms completed the fare while drizzled in sweet adobo sauce. This would be appreciated by both vegetable or non-vegetable eaters. It’s also a sweet alternative to the sizzling tofu in Max’s menu.

Max’s Cauliflower Puffs

The next one is quite deceiving for the picky young eaters and meat lovers. Max’s Cauliflower Puffs (Php160) may look like a simple puff with crispy stuff inside, but there is a cauliflower dipped in special batter. The vegetable is not immediately visible because it is deep fried and comes up with a special sauce.

The kids who were present during the event didn’t even notice the taste of the cauliflower. I enjoyed this dish because I absolutely love eating veggies. It’s crunchiness was also enjoyable.

Cauliflower Puffs

Max’s Sizzling Seafood in Honey Bagoong Sauce

The last dish was so intriguing that it already got me thinking about its taste before they served it. Max’s Sizzling Seafood in Honey Bagoong Sauce (Php265) is so delicious, I stuffed my plate just as much I could consume. It’s made of breaded cream dory, shrimp and deep fried squid rings served with a special sweet sauce, honey and piquant bagoong. It’s a must try for seafood aficionados. I was actually looking for the bagoong taste, but the honey overpowers its saltiness.

Sizzling Seafood in Honey Bagoong Sauce

Max's Fried Chicken

And of course, we were served with the famous Max’s Chicken.

* Story and photos by Contributor Ria Hazel C. Lumandog of http://sugarsmile.blogspot.com

Try out these heartwarming dishes for lent that are truly divine. You may also check out www.maxschicken.com. The Lenten Dishes are now available in all Max’s Restaurants nationwide since yesterday, March 1, 2012.

No food blog needs to tell you that the milk tea craze has hit the Philippine’s capital and metropolis while slowly moving into the suburbs as you are reading this article. And Seattle’s Best Coffee is not turning a blind eye to this ongoing, and even phenomenal, trend.

SBC Milk Tea (Cold)

They’ve always had it, but it’s now being given a spotlight. Available for almost a month now, I was only able to try Seattle’s Best Milk Tea a week or two ago in their Greenhills Town Center branch.

Having recently come from the milk tea capital of the world that is Taiwan, my interest in milk teas has certainly grown. And sometimes, I can’t help but compare them to what we have here.

But I don’t even have to go far. Seattle’s Best Milk Tea is already unique by itself on how they positioned themselves in the market. Here are my observations:

• They only offer one variant/flavor of milk tea
• They offer their milk tea with a hot option (something not so common)
• They use red pearls

One and Only Milk Tea Variant

In contrast to the usual milk tea shops, Seattle’s Best is offering only one kind of milk tea – the SBC Milk Tea.

It’s a blend of black and green tea infused with caramel flavor to take care of the sweetness.

I told a friend that they are actually taking a big risk here. It’s a hit or miss thing. With only one option, you either get the customer’s nod or nay. It’s a bold move, I should say (or maybe they are still testing the market).

Hot Milk Tea

Although a hot milk tea is not a regular thing either in Taiwan, more so is the case in the Philippines. It’s good thing SBC offers this option for those who want it not chilled.

Red pearls

They want to be different, and it comes in style. As trivial as it is, having red pearls (or sago) in your milk tea adds that SBC touch, specially to someone like me who almost always have it with extra pearls. It’s not unique though as I recently saw one in particular, the new ‘Drink Tea‘ shop having the same (there’s one in The Podium).

It’s only red tapioca/pearls and no other. You won’t find a nata or jelly option as add-ons.

Greenhills Town Center in San Juan area

The Verdict

Cold

After all has been said, what now? To shoot it straight to the point, the SBC Milk Tea was good, although I’ve had better. I’m not sure if my cup had much ice, but it was at the verge of being bland.

Hot

The hot SBC Milk Tea was also good but most of my friends dismissed it as too sweet. I think it deserves a second chance. I like it better than the cold one I had. It gets my thumbs up!

It’s also perfect with an order of the SBC Clubhouse.

SBC Clubhouse

Tip

With my experience with the cold one, I suggest you tell the counter to reduce the amount of ice by half. I’d try that myself the next time I go back.

Price

The cold SBC Milk Tea is available in sizes medium (PhP110) and large (PhP120), while the hot one is slightly cheaper at P100  and P110, respectively. The price is fair enough considering the ambiance of a known coffee shop.

With Seattle’s Best Coffee is giving in to the milk tea craze, I suggest you give-in as well and find your cup of tea – hot or cold. The SBC Milk Tea is available only here in the Philippines and until March 31, 2012.

Max's Fried Chicken P299

Max’s Restaurant, the brand that has given you the ‘sarap-to-the-bones‘ fried chicken, is offering their biggest chicken takeout promo so far!

Starting today, February 20, 2012, customers can bring home their favorite regular Max’s Fried Chicken for a good take-out deal of PhP299, down from the original P375 price.

“Filipinos have an endearing habit of ‘taking out’ food after they dine at their favorite restaurant. It’s part of our generous and inherent family-oriented nature,” says Bobby Simborio, Corporate Communications Officer for Max’s Group of Companies. “With Max’s Chicken Take-out Promo, we want our customers to bring home the most scrumptious surprise to their families – Max’s “sarap-to-the-bones” Fried Chicken,” Simborio added.

Max's Chicken Take Out Promo

Max’s Restaurant “Chicken Take Out Treat P299” will be available in all 123 branches nationwide from February 20 up to March 31, 2012 only.