Entries Tagged 'Makati' ↓

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

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.

From years of hiatus in the Philippines as a brand, Domino’s Pizza is back!

Domino's Store

Now with Goldilocks as one of its business partners, Domino’s intend to leverage on the partnership’s strength.

President and CEO of Domino’s Pizza Philippines, Mr. Tong Hong shared that with Goldilocks’ expertise in the fast food and franchised business, he believes the alliance will work.

Domino's Pizza

In fact, some of the ingredients/raw materials are sourced from Goldilocks’ commissary as well. Moreover, expect tie-ups and promotions with the two brands in the near future.

Domino’s Branches

Currently with 2 branches, Domino’s targets to open six to eight more stores in Metro Manila within the year.

The two branches as of press time are in:

• Marvin Plaza Building, Pasong Tamo (Chino Roces) , Makati City and

Domino's Makati

• Silver City, [along Frontera Drive (Tiendesitas)] Pasig City

Domino's Silver City, Pasig

The Pizzas

There are currently nine flavors which are a mix from different sides of the world. While the Pepperoni Pizza is the best-seller in the United States, Korea craves for the Potato Pizza. Extravaganza is an all-time favoritte.

Other flavors include Domino’s Deluxe, Shrimpus, and Hola Spain. They also have Buffalo Chicken Wings and pasta offerings. My favorite for the night was the Domino’s Shrimpus. I highly recommend it.

Domino's Shrimpus

Delivery

Having pioneered the 30-minute guarantee delivery in the pizza industry, Domino’s Pizza brings it back as well serving nearby areas. To check on your area, call the following:

Domino’s Pizza Delivery
Makati 745-3030
Pasig – 576-3030

Check Domino’s Pizza online at www.dominospizza.ph.

End Note

Potato Pizza

The Potato Pizza really got me curious. Considering that the bread dough is already heavy on the stomach, having potato slices for toppings makes it doubly filling. It should really taste good to justify its slot in the menu board. I hope to try that one when I go back at Domino’s Pizza. 🙂

Being a predominantly Catholic country, one would immediately observe if the lent season is approaching in the Philippines. One of the give-away signs is that restaurants offer their non-meat alternative to their customers. One of the early movers this year is Max’s restaurant which has started offering their Max’s Seafood Fest since yesterday.

Fish Fillet for the Lent

Fish & Seafood Fest

Max’s has started its Seafood Selections Promo and offers non-meat dishes familiar to the Filipino taste.

The seafood spread include Filipino cuisines like Camaron Rebosado and one of my favorites Sinigang na Hipon.

A wide selection of fish dishes are also part of the option such as Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet, Spicy Laing Tilapia, Fish Fillet in Black Bean Sauce, Sinigang na Tiyan ng Bangus, and Steamed Fish Fillet in light soy.

Max's Seafood Fest Promo

“…the timeless flavors of Filipino cuisine and warm memories of sharing these meals with their friends and family. ..this is what Max’s brings to the table with its Seafood Selections Promo… a taste of home with every hefty serving of these traditional recipes,” says Bobby Simborio, Corporate Communications Officer for Max’s Group of Companies.

Seafood Fest Frequency Card

Seafood Selections Frequency Card Promo + Chicken-All-You-Can GCs

Max’s also launched a special seafood fest frequency card where each purchase of a qualified seafood selection dish with a glass of Pepsi gets a sticker for a card slot.

From March 8 to April 30, 2011, diners who can complete the six sticker slots will get a free Max’s Chicken-All-You-Can gift certificate.

Frequency Card Promotion Mechanics

Max's Offering for the Lenten Season

Have a non-pork meat diet with Max’s Seafood Fest and enjoy a meatless Lenten season. 🙂

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.

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. 🙂