Entries Tagged 'Ortigas' ↓

Have You Tasted the New ChowKing Chow Pao?

Chow Pao Mantao buns

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 Megamall

Chowking Menu Board with the New Chao Pao

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

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

Chowking Chow Pao Braised Chicken & Oriental Beef

Verdict

NomNom Club on Chowking Chow Pao

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!

 

This is How I BonChon

BonChon Chicken Wing

BonChon Chicken Wing

It was interesting to have met BonChon Philippines head honcho Scott Tan last week where he shared a technique on how to eat BonChon chicken wings. As trivial as it may sound, I was amazed that one can eat about half of a crispy fried chicken wing in one bite. 🙂

As inspired as I was, I had to go back to BonChon two days after and try it myself. So, together with my gf and another friend, we found ourselves back at the BonChon BGC branch which opened just a month ago.

BonChon BGC

BonChon BGC

Generally, my favorite chicken part is the meaty breasts and thighs, the wings come last. However, with BonChon’s original Korean crispy fried chicken secret recipe, the wings (in soy garlic) are my favorite!

BonChon Chicken came to the Philippines back in November 2010 and has since grown to 19 branches today including Alabang Town Center, Ayala Triangle Garden (ATG), Shangri-la Plaza, SM Mall of Asia, and One Parkade in BGC.  Check out more about the contemporary Korean brand BonChon Chicken at www.bonchon.com.ph.

BonChon Crispy Chicken

BonChon Crispy Chicken

Korean Yogurt

I also found a new item in the BonChon menu board – the Korean Yogurt called BonChon “Ko-Yo“. They are available in Banofee Pie and Blueberry Torte variants for P70. The plain one is P35.

I found the plain one too small and I think the P70 variant is more cost efficient in terms of size (a.k.a. worth it). I also asked what was the difference between a Korean Yogurt and regular yogurt. I learned that Korean yogurts are less sweet and tastes more tangy.

BonChon Korean Yogurt "Ko-Yo"

BonChon Korean Yogurt "Ko-Yo"

How Do You BonChon Video

And of course, I am not ending this article without my personal video of the “How Do I BonChon?”

How about you? How Do You BonChon? 🙂

 

Get a Body Shop Gift at Max’s Restaurant This Mother’s Day

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

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!

Greenwich: Anne Curtis Proves More Is Better by Singing!

Lulu De Castro, Greenwich Marketing Director, gives the welcome remarks

Lulu De Castro, Greenwich Marketing Director, gives the welcome remarks

Anne Curtis has been a long time endorser of Greenwich Pasta, and together with Solenn Heuseff and Kelly Misa, they form the Greenwich Pasta Girls group!

Yesterday, in a media gathering, they proved Greenwich’s newest Spaghetti Supreme‘s catch-phrase “More is Better” by performing more-than-expected dares with the media and male host-DJs Chico Garcia and Gino of RX 93.1.

Solenn Heuseff exhibited her skills in make-up by giving an audience participant a make-over under 3 minutes. She also did a Solenn Heuseff signature catwalk (…and crawl). 🙂

Solenn Heuseff

Solenn Heuseff

Solenn Heuseff Make-Up Skills

Solenn Heuseff Make-Up Skills

Kelly Misa, on the other hand, showed her prowess in yoga in different poses and positions.

Kelly Misa

Kelly Misa

Kelly Misa Doing Yoga

Kelly Misa Doing Yoga

And finally, in Anne Curtis’ turn, almost everyone would have already guessed what was her dare of proving ‘more is better‘ through nothing less than – singing (in a capella at that)!

Anne Curtis Smith

Anne Curtis Smith

Anne Curtis sang “I Will Always Love You,” as shes said, ‘in her own version.’ 🙂

And since ‘more is better,’ one song cannot suffice. The crowd asked for ‘more.’

To which Anne surprisingly sang Adelle‘s “Rolling in the Deep.” Listen to the YouTube upload of our recorded video and roll deeply in your chair at home while listening! 🙂

Not letting her go, the crowd demanded ‘more.’ This time, Anne Curtis Smith proved her acting prowess by delivering the “I Want More” phrase in a multitude of different emotions.

More Anne Curtis

More Anne Curtis...since 'More is Better' 🙂

Cookie Cabrera

Cookie Cabrera, PR & Corporate Affairs Manager, with the Greenwich Pasta Girls

The Greenwich Team led by Marketing Director Mr. Luis Velasco

The Greenwich Team led by Mr. Luis Velasco

Greenwich Spaghetti Supreme

Now if you’re wondering what this “More is Better” is all about, blame it on the new and improved Greenwich Spaghetti Supreme! The event highlighted the Greenwich Spaghetti Supreme with added 25% serving of noodles, more premium beef, and more sweet tomato sauce plus 1 stick of garlic bread. I’ve tried it and it was indeed more meaty and cheesier at only Php 49 and Php 59 with drink!

Brand Manager of Pasta Joanne Ingalia in Hot Seat with the Girls

Brand Manager of Pasta Joanne Ingalia in Hot Seat with the Girls

Greenwich Pasta Girls: Solenn Heuseff, Anne Curtis, and Kelly Misa

Greenwich Pasta Girls: Solenn Heuseff, Anne Curtis, and Kelly Misa

Greenwich Spaghetti Supreme

Greenwich Spaghetti Supreme

Truly, it was one enjoyable afternoon with Anne Curtis, Solenn Heuseff, Kelly Misa, and the rest of Greenwich’s team showcasing why “More is Better” with their kabarkadas and Greenwich Spaghetti Supreme.

New Jollibee Chocolate and Coffee Floats: Get a Lift! *

Jollibee Coffe and Chocolate Floats

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

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

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

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

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

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!

New Figaro Dinner Meals, Milk Tea, & The Popping Bobas

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

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

Figaro Dinner Meal: Pan-Seared Chicken Barbecue

More of Figaro Milk Teas (plus Popping Boba)

Wintermelpn Frost: Figaro Milk Tea

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

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 Yoshi Chicken and New Dishes

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

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.

Yoshinoya Tokyo Chicken

Tokyo Chicken

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

Shrimp Tempura

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

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

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

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

Chicken Tempura

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

Pork Tongkatsu

Pork Tongkatsu

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

Yoshi Chicken

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. 🙂

Max’s Restaurant: Heartwarming Flavors For Lent *

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

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

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

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

Sizzling Seafood in Honey Bagoong Sauce

Max's Fried Chicken

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.