Entries Tagged 'Pizza / Pasta' ↓

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

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. 🙂

I haven’t visited Mercato Centrale (the day market) since it started, but I was able to check out Midnight Mercato first with other blogger friends last weekend. This is defiintely for night people like me who can’t wake up early on weekend mornings. 🙂

Chilled/Hot Taho by Tahooo!

It was also the launching night of Midnight Mercato at the Bonifacio Global City last Friday so there was a simple opening ceremony, ribbon-cutting, guests, and the likes.

Briefly to the unaware, Midnight Mercato is a weekend late night food bazaar where foodies and barkadas can hanging out and enjoy great food you can’t easily find otherwise. You can feast on a wide array of food choices from gourmet selections to ‘lutong bahay‘ (home cooked) dishes; even sosyal street food and balut included. Add to that acoustic musical performances by Rock Ed – all in an air-conditioned ‘kubol.’ Yes, that is Tagalog for ‘tent’ (as fellow blogger Alex shared).

Here are some food trip photos I’m sharing from:

Buy 1 take 1 Sausages @ P150 and Chips To Go Booth (similar to Potato Loops)

Monster Burger & the Monster Burger Challenge (finish it in 4 minutes and it's FREE!)

Nutsylicious have different kinds of nuts including walnuts and pistachios!

After all the photos, it’s my tummy’s turn. So I got an authentic shawarma (P75) from a Mediterranean-looking guy whose booth I forgot, three Mochiko mochi ice cream, and  some Takoyaki balls.

Mochiko Mochi Ice Cream @ P70

Mochiko had a very long line and was out of stock before 12midnight. That speaks for itself. 🙂

I also had a set of Armenian Lavosh Chips with Pesto Mozarella Cheese dip (P145) from the stall with a witty name of ‘5 loaves and 2 Fishes.’

Armenian Lavosh Chips (right); Claypot Chicken Rice (left)

Big Bob's Quarter Pounder Burgers

I also got a bottle of Raw Honey and Organic Gourmet Rice from ‘Fresh Start‘. They’re quite pricey actually but I know mom would love the brown rice while I use the honey as sugar substitute in my morning milk (there goes the revelation). 🙂

Fresh Start Organic Gourmet Rice (Brown Rice P200) & Raw Honey (P300)

There were a number of media outfits and got to spot some celebrities including Mara’s Mom in ‘Mara Clara‘ , Ashlee Gosengfiao, Sarah Meier (I think), Mercato Centrale guy RJ Ledesma, and others. I also spotted Anton Diaz and wife Rachel at the Human Nature booth.

Rachel @ Human Nature booth (right); Mexican Kitchen (left)

Balut (Duck Embryo)

I wanted to try so much more but I can only take in so much having come from a full dinner at Rai-Rai Ken a few minutes before going to Mercato Centrale.

There were also other food finds which caught NomNom’s fancy and instantly became a favorite.

Watch out for that post coming out next week including my predictable Mochiko review. 🙂

It was a haven of grilled food, hamburgers, and suasages outside the Midnight Mercato Tent.

Moreover, I got some tips from foodie friends and is looking forward to try the following in my next visits:

Off Beat Burger‘s Krispy Kreme Burger,  Ravioli’s of Natalia,  and the Angus Beef Tapa Rice Toppings, among others.

Krispy Kreme Burger

I also got news from Antin Diaz’s blog that Bale Dutung will start tonight @ Midnight Mercato! I’ll have to wait a little longer though as I will be going to Thunderbird’s Resort in Rizal tonight and I’ll be at the Pyromusical competition in SM Mall of Asia tomorrow.

Check out more about Midnight Mercato and Mercato Centrale here.

Midnight Mercato Tent, Tables, and Interiors

Midnight Mercato happens every Fridays and Saturdays at Bonifacio Global City from 11pm to 3am the next day. They are located at the corner of 31st and 9th streets (vacant lots between Serendra and STI Fort). Mercato Centrale day market continues Saturday and Sunday 7am to 2pm.

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. 🙂

There’s a new Italian spot in town and it’s at the Fort Strip in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City – Focaccia.

They’re no that new actually. Their first branch is at A.Venue in Makati and Focaccia Fort is their second and bigger branch. I got the chance to sample a number of their pasta, crazy rolls pizza called Pazzo Rollio, and of course, well, the Focaccia breads. It’s good to be paired with any of their tomato, squash, or potato soup. If you can’t decide, have a taste of all three with the Soup Trio which are small cup-size servings of the three mentioned soups.

Focaccia

Focaccia Bread with Spinach Artichoke Formaggio

We had a serving of focaccia bread with Spinach Artichoke Formaggio as appetizer. I loved the spinach artichoke cheese dip as I have always enjoyed the same in other Italian restaurants.

Shrimp Scampi

Pasta

Next came the pasta series. We started with Shrimp Scampi (ok, it’s not pasta 🙂 ). It was followed by a series of Penne ala Sicilliana, Frutti de Mare, Prosciutto Tartufo, and Cannelloni con Ragu.

Osso Bocco

Lasagna variants came in next with Lasagna con Ragu and another one which I forgot. Osso Bocco came in last.

I recommend Shrimp Scampi and Osso Bocco.

The Shrimp Scampi was good but I’d like to suggest that they can offer a spiced-up version – it would be a hit, I think. 🙂

The Osso Bocco is flavorful for those who fancy a strong-tasting pasta dish.

Focaccia Pasta: Frutti de Mare, Prosciutto Tartufo, and Cannelloni con Ragu (not in order)

Focaccia Lasagna: Lasagna con Ragu and another (forgot name) 🙂

Pizza

The finale was their Pazzo Rollo crazy roll pizzas. They are known to have first introduced this in Metro Manila, even way before Yellow Cab‘s Dear Darla pizzas. Focaccia was inspired from this practice of rolling pizzas from Pampanga.

First came the Slice of Italy Pizza followed by Scallopine ala Marsala, Sette Formaggio, and Seafoods Pizza.

Slice of Italy Pizza

Focaccia Pazzo Rollo 'Crazy Rolls'

Seafoods Pizza

With thin crispy toasted pizza and fresh veggie inserts including my well-loved arugula, the crazy rolls were good.

They could have wider slices though for a better ‘rolling‘ experience at the expense of more servings.

The first and last (Slice of Italy Pizza and Seafoods Pizza) gets my thumbs-up.

So how do you do it? Stuff, roll away, and enjoy. 🙂

Crazy Rolls: (1) Stuff, (2) Roll, (3) Enjoy. 🙂

And More

Aside from the Italian cuisines, diners would notice its good interiors. Playing with the red, black and white color templates, Focaccia has the premium atmosphere fit for its target market at The Fort Strip. The owners also acknowledge that the Fort branch is bigger and has a more ‘classy‘ feel than their A.Venue branch. It also has a function room to accommodate private lunch/dinner meetings from corporation around the business district of Taguig.

Focaccia Restaurant Interiors

Focaccia Fort Strip

Going back to food, Focaccia also serve panini variants of roastbeef, caprese, smoked salmon, and Italian sausages. In line with the Italian concept, they have wine (Veramonte, Altozano, Valformosa) and gelato as well. My eyes were on the P\pistachio flavor after dinner but my stomach says “I’m so fulll already.” 🙂

Give Focaccia “A Slice of Italy” a visit at their Fort Strip branch just below Fitness First. Their business hours are 10am to 3am (Wed, Fri, Sat) and 10am to 11pm (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sun).

In the Philippines, pizza and pasta would surely compose a foodie’s imagination when we think of Italian restaurants. But for La Piadina, it goes beyond that.

I Crostini

I was able to taste some of their specials during lunch when we visited the newly opened La Piadina in Glorietta 4.

We started our set with La Minestra di Zucca (P160) and I Crostini with liver and tuna pate (P230). The former is a homemade-style pumpkin soup with garlic bread. Good starters for what are yet to come.

It was followed by “I Cappellaci,”(P300) ravioli pasta. Now, it’s no secret that ravioli is my favorite pasta. But the one I blogged about before had meat inside as filling. This one from La Piadina has pumpkin and ricotta cheese.

I Cappellaci - Ravioli Pasta

Ravioli Pasta

Le Piadine

At first, my curiosity was piqued as to how it would taste like. To my surprise, it was a good change. It tasted so fresh. And although it was a complete turnaround from my meat-based ravioli, it was almost as satisfying!

Since you’re in La Piadina, might as well not miss Le Piadine. It’s a variation of Piadina which is a flat, soft, homemade bread usually served warm and originated from the region of Emilia Romagna in Italy.

Next came the main dish Il Trancio di Tonno alle Spezie (P370 – top photo ) . As complicated as it may sound, this is seared tuna fillet seasoned with herbs served with baked potato on foil and mixed green salad on the side. The tuna meat had an admirable fine and soft texture. A good and healthy meal indeed!

La Piadina Linguini - Le Linguine ai Funghi Con Olio di Tartufo

Le Linguine ai Funghi Con Olio di Tartufo (P320) came next. The name is as long as its flat pasta. I find the fresh mix of mushroom, light cream and truffle oil just right for this linguine.

Risotto Scampi - Il Risotto al Pesto con Scampi

And finally, the Il Risotto al Pesto con Scampi (P340) came out. Funny enough, this is only my second time to had risotto as part of my meal. Risotto is an Italian-style rice. In La Piadian’s version, it is cooked in Pesto sauce with fresh shrimps and parmesan cheese.

Chef Giorgio Matera

Chef Giorgio Matera shared that preparing risotto is both hard and tricky. Hard because there’s a lot of processes involved and tricky because it should be made just right – not dry, but not too moist like that of a porridge (lugaw) either.

La Piadina Red Wine

He adds that La Piadina doesn’t have a microwave oven – because dishes are cooked and prepared upon order only. They don’t reheat just to save on cost and focuses more on quality. In a world filled with fast food chains, it’s good to know that we as consumers still have options for freshly made dishes, just like our home cooked meals.

La Piadina (La Cucina Regionale Italiana) is the full service and enlosed counterpart of smaller Piadina Passion Food restaurants. Visit them at the 2nd Floor of Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati, open everyday from 11am to 10pm. You may call 501-3788 for reservations.

La Piadina Italian Restaurant in Glorietta 4, Makati

Chef Matera‘s passion for cooking and preparing Italian dishes is obvious. It was heartwarming of him to prepare it with care, and even mind the minor details. He says that it should be the way Italian cuisine should be cooked – with fresh ingredients and no compromise. I think this is actually the key to La Piadina‘s authentic Italian cuisine taste.

If you are looking into the opportunity of starting a food business, starting with a franchise business is an option specially if it would be your first time to explore the entrepreneurship world.

Filipino Franchise Show 2010

Yesterday, I got to visit the 9th Filipino Franchise Show 2010 at the World Trade Center in Pasay where more than half of the exhibitors are from the food franchise businesses.

Regular entrance ticket costs P100 per person while students can get in for P50 and senior citizen at P80. I got my free ticket care of the organizer – Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. (AFFI). Check their website at http://www.affi.com.ph/ and event website http://www.franchiseshowphilippines.com/

Franchise Finds

Attention grabbing structures are the usual big booths from big brands like Mang Inasal, Julie’s Bakeshop, Binalot, and Eng Bee Tin whose mooncakes would be a hit in the next few days due to the upcoming Chinese Mooncake Festival.

Mang Inasal, Julie's Bakeshop, Binalot, and Eng Bee Tin

However, you would observe new brands as well such as Buko House, Mozarella Stick, Sankalan, Wrap A Lumpia, Sisig in the City, and food carts by JC Franchising. (See first photo).

On Ice Scrambles

Ice Scrambles Food Carts

As expected, the ice scrambles craze proliferated in the franchise show as I found at least four ice scramble franchise offerings including Ice Cramble “The Original Ice Crumble“, Scramboi Ice Scrambles, Scramble King, and Chillax Ice Scramble.

I like the hip sound of Chillax the most. 🙂 However, Scramble King rides on the name recall of the monosyllabic “king.” I think Scramboi could have settled with “Scramboy” instead, investing on the common Filipino street name.

I didn’t find the Manila Scrambles cart I see in most malls, however.

The Ice Scrambles food cart idea is currently taking the low-cost food franchise by storm primarily because of its low cost and comparatively simple operations involved in preparing the product. Time would say if this would only be a fad or if the ice scrambles industry would stay for good.

Innovative Names

RBX (Rice in a Box) and Taxi Cab

Moving on, there are also food businesses with innovative names like RBX or Rice in a Box and Tapsi Cab. The former seem to be moving from the usual cart type to kiosk with their dine-in showcase at the franchise fair. The latter reminds us of a similar sounding pizza chain. 🙂

Potato Loops

AFFI Seminars

Lastly, I found this interesting-looking potato product that looks peculiar from our regular French fries. It’s fried but swirled in a stick and called “Potato Loops.” I wasn’t able to taste one but the aesthetics is enough to possibly pique a passers-by’s interest giving it the ‘curious-purchase’ advantage. I think it’s innovative and have a high-market potential in the near future given that it tastes good enough for a snack.

Philippines Franchisees and Franchisors

You still have today and tomorrow to visit the 9th Filipino Franchise Show 2010 at the World Trade Center in Pasay. Tel:(02) 506-8883, 0917-518-AFFI, 347-0153, 534-1134. Email info@tradenetevents@gmail.com or affi.secretariat_raffy@yahoo.com. A ride away from SM Mall of Asia, it opens 11am and closes 7pm.