March 18th, 2014 — Affairs, Beverage, Cravings, New Brews, Promos / Events
Starbucks Philippines recently organized an online poll asking espresso lovers which of their two macchiato creations they like best – is it Hazelnut Macchiato or Caramel Macchiato?
Caramel Macchiato vs Hazelnut Macchiato
Starbucks Caramel Macchiato
Team Hazelnut vs Team Caramel
Starbucks’ Hazelnut Macchiato is the new kid in town made with freshly steamed milk, marked with espresso, and of course, hazelnut syrup. It is then finished with hazelnut drizzle. A short order costs P135 while the tall, grande, and venti costs P145, P160, and P170, respectively.
Team Hazelnut Macchiato from the newly opened Fairview Terraces Mall branch in Novaliches
On the other hand, all-time favorite Starbucks Caramel Macchiato is similarly made with freshly steamed milk, but this time with a sweet vanilla-flavored syrup. The rich flavors of roasted espresso is finished with caramel sauce. (Short – P135, Tall – P145, Grande- P160, Venti – P170)
The Results
And the people have decided! Over the online poll through Starbucks Facebook Page which lasted until March 13, Team Caramel won with 9,772 votes garnering about 59% of the votes. Team Hazelnut got 6,898 votes or about 41% of the votes.
Team Caramel Macchiato Wins! (Photo from Starbucks Philippines Facebook Page); Photo on top of this article is from Starbucks Trinoma branch 2F
Hurray! My vote was for Caramel Macchiato as well! 😛
Cold Hazelnut Macchiato from Starbucks Shangri-La Mall branch
As a result, Team Caramel Macchiato celebrated its victory with a Buy One, Get One Caramel Macchiato promo yesterday – #MacchiatoMonday, March 17.
Sans the results, on which Starbucks Team are on? Hazelnut Macchiato or Caramel Macchiato?
March 13th, 2014 — Appetizer, Cravings, Cuisine, Fusion, New Brews, Western
Cheesy Cheese
Me and my wife are a little picky when it comes to chips. There’s just so many brands in the market that sometimes it can overwhelm you.
Just go to the supermarket and check out the snacks section and you’ve got lines of shelves stacked with bags of chips.
We’re picky in a way that we check what we eat. SImilar to other foods, we check the back of the snack bag for information on its contents. Although, we’re no where near the skills of a nutritionist, knowing what’s inside what you eat helps.
Back Labels
And we’re glad there’s Chacho’s. In contrast to usual corn-based chips, Chacho’s tortilla chips is actually flour-based, which is better. It’s also  new to us since we haven’t tried them before. I’m just not too sure if it’s new in the Philippines as well. Anyhow, so we decided to give it a try.
Chacho’s Variants
Chacho’s come in three flavors — the Cheesy Cheese, BBQ Bonanza, and Spicy Curry. Wifey and I couldn’t settle which one to try first so we considered all three variants.
Chacho’s Flavors
They also come in 80g and 185g packs. The smaller one is about P35-40+, not bad for an imported chips such as Chacho’s.
At home, we first tried my top choice – BBQ Bonanza and it did not disappoint. It’s thin, light, and crunchy-crisp, just like how tortilla chips should be.
My cheese-lover wife got her Cheesy Cheese next. Both of us are not a fan of anything spicy, so the Spicy Curry was the last to get opened. 🙂
I’m actually torn between the BBQ Bonanaza and Cheesy Cheese. I like them both. Wifey obviously went for the latter. :p
Enjoy More with Dips
Consider however, getting some dips to enhance the flavors like salsa and even more cheese. At that time, we didn’t have them at home so we settled for the good ‘ol mayonnaise.
The dips can make snack time more fun and flavorful specially if you have kids.
Chacho’s with Dips
Chacho’s Chips!
You can try strawberry jams and peanut butter too!
I was then reminded of the memory of my Chili’s  Nachos / Tostada Chips experience in SM Megamall a few months ago. 🙂
So if you’re looking for a new snack or chips to feast on, try the new Chacho’s from your favorite supermarkets in Metro Manila. Hopefully they are available in SM Supermarkets too, if not yet.
March 8th, 2014 — Beverage, Cravings
It’s the start of the weekend once again! Aside from the proverbial cheers of getting a time-off from work, this is also the time we dine out with friends or simply spend time with the family at home for a hearty meal. Continue reading →
March 5th, 2014 — Cravings, Cuisine, Dessert, Filipino, Fusion, Japanese, New Brews
Tokyo Tokyo’s “Halo-Halo”
Can you feel the afternoon heat rising as the days go by? Although the Philippine weather bureau says it’s not yet officially summer in the Philippines, Pinoy foodies are certainly already looking for summer heat quenchers such as the famous Halo-Halo….and Tokyo Tokyo might just have what you are looking for! Continue reading →
March 3rd, 2014 — Affairs, Promos / Events
There are over 1,700+ Metrobank ATM machines (11,000 w/ affiliated ATMS nationwide & 1.6 million worldwide)
I’ve had my first bank account at the age of nine (9), and it was with Metrobank along Del Monte Avenue in San Francisco Del Monte, Quezon City. My parents and relatives wanted to teach me the value of money early on. With most of my relatives managing their own businesses, this was not much of a surprise.
As a kid, it was no big deal, not realizing just yet the value of money management. They provided the initial amount but they made it clear that it was I who should make it grow, eventually.
Metrobank Prepaid Card
Fast forward 26 years and a number of savings accounts in different banks and investments in bond funds, UITFs, mutual funds, insurance, and the stock market, I could say I’ve explored the world of finance more than the average Joe.
With different money management instruments in the market today, I’m glad Metrobank has introduced the new Metrobank Prepaid Card which can be used with no regrets at all.
NomNom Club stood witness to the card launch a few weeks ago at Vyne Restaurant (beside Hyve) in W Global Building, Fort Bonifacio. We were joined by other notable online foodie and fashion personalities including Gretchen Ho, David Guison, Patricia Prieto, Camille Co, and more.
Live Without Regrets
Have you charged your expenses through a credit card and see your bill at the end of the month only to regret your purchase? Have you lost a debit card or accidentally shared it online compromising your account security?
Shopping with the MPC
Now, you can live without regrets as the Metrobank Prepaid Card gives you a worry-free lifestyle. It has all the convenience of a payment card like credit cards, but without the worry of overspending or sharing your main account details online.
This alone, sold me to the idea of having my own Metrobank Prepaid Card!
Load & Swipe
Simply use it just like a regular credit card which you can swipe in POS machines among any of the 30.2 million MasterCard affiliated establishments worldwide.
Other features include:
- Withdrawing at any local and international ATM
- Reloading made easy*
- Lifestyle discounts, promotions, and freebies
* You can load the card online at Metrobank Direct, through your phone, or through any of the 1,700+ Metrobank ATM machines (11k with affiliated ATMs nationwide & 1.6 million worldwide).
Furthermore, the prepaid card need not connect to a bank account so it’s safe. No maintaining balance nor initial deposit required either! Simply put, it’s a convenient budgeting tool that can substitute for cash but without the worries.
NomNom Club Experiences
I myself have tried using the card in a number of establishments in the past few weeks. These included M Cafe in Makati, Yabu in SM MOA with my wife, and Chocolat.
No-Regrets-Date with the wifey at Yabu
Using the new Metrobank Prepaid Card at Yabu!
Smoked Salmon from M Cafe without regrets!
Chocolat @ SM Mall of Asia without overspending
I even used it in the recent 3-day Sale in SM Sta. Mesa. Our purchase were not in credit, hence I’m living without regrets! 🙂
Metrobank Prepaid Card with other discount cards from SM Advantage and Resorts World Manila
No more worrying about credit card bills and you are sure to spend within your means. Moreover, this is a handy allowance allocation tool for parents who want to give children their allowance through the prepaid card. No worries about the card security or overspending. Parents can actually allocate the monthly/weekly allowance and they can monitor the spending as well.
Interested enough? Get your Metrobank Prepaid Card in four easy steps:
- Visit any Metrobank branch
- Fill out the prepaid application form
- Present 1 valid ID, preferably a government ID
- Pay the P100 fee for the card valid for 3 years
#LiveWithoutRegrets !
Know more about the Metrobank Prepaid Card and how to apply for the card at their website http://www.metrobank.com.ph. Click on Personal Banking => Metrobank Prepaid Card. Check out their Facebook Page as well. And finally, Live Without Regrets!
February 24th, 2014 — Casual, Cravings, Cuisine, Fusion, Pizza / Pasta, Restaurants, Western
Greenwich Carbonara Pasta
Have you experienced craving for something but not really too sure what you want yet at the same time? It’s the craving we had over last Saturday, and a pleasant surprise came over courtesy of the Greenwich Barkada! Continue reading →
February 18th, 2014 — Affairs, Promos / Events, Recipes
Are you a Del Monte Kitchenomics baby? Or maybe your mom collected those old Kitchenomics recipe booklets that gets delivered by snailmail?
Continue reading →
February 16th, 2014 — Affairs, Cravings, Dessert, Promos / Events
Magnum Gold
“It’s coming…”, says the teaser of an ice cream brand with a golden shadow on its side. Came Sunday – 02.09.14, Selecta ice cream announced the coming of the newest Magnum variant in the Philippines – Magnum Gold?!
After the luxurious Belgian chocolate ice cream bar came to the Philippines since two years ago, the premium ice cream on a stick has already made mark in the local market .
Not resting on its laurels, Magnum ice cream kicked off 2014 with its big news for loyal pleasure seekers with the new Magnum Gold. This new level of indulgence mixes a swirl of sea salt caramel with the silky vanilla ice cream. Moreover, it is the first double dipped Magnum bar wherein the ice cream bar is first coated with a layer of Belgian milk chocolate and dipped again in a layer of golden-colored white chocolate!
In a campaign prior to launch, Magnum hinted the public with the hashtag #GrabTheGold while SM Supermarket complemented it with #GRABtheGOLDatSM to highlight its convenient availability in SM Mall’s SM Supermarket areas.
Furthermore, Magnum has tied up with Hollywood acclaimed director Bryan Singer (XMen 2014), Oscar winner Benicio del Torro (The Collector – The Guardians of the Galaxy, Â Avengers), and Brazilian supermodel and actress Caroline Correa to create a golden cinematic trailer to launch the newest flavor that is Magnum Gold.
Magnum Gold Philippine Launch
Magnum Gold Price
Here in the Philippines, celebrity Raymond Gutierrez led the pre-launch teaser at SM Aura‘s Director’s Club theater for the media three days prior to the grand reveal.
On the field, motorists around Metro Manila, particularly Makati, have caught a glimpse of a massive golden vault, marked only by the letter ‘M,’ being escorted through traffic. The 7×7 foot-large vault of shining gold was hauled from the RCBC Tower on Ayala Avenue to the Fort Bonifacio Activity Center, guarded by an entourage of BMWs ensuring its safe arrival. At the Fort, the golden vault was held under security until its unveiling last February 9.
Online, Magnum lovers were also teased with ‘unlocking the gold‘ through mysterious activities at www.magnum.com.ph.
Magnum Gold revealed
Magnum Gold Bite
NomNom Club w/ Raymond Gutierrez
NomNom Club & Magnum Gold
And so it came. NomNom Club was among the first to try the new Magnum Gold 3 days prior to the reveal.
The vanilla ice cream we love maintained its silky smooth quality and is now even more enhanced with the sea salt caramel swirls. The double coating made the experience more interesting with its thinker coating and stronger-pitched crackling sound. :)Â The golden white chocolate was also a welcome twist.
Grab the Gold at SM
The golden day came and mini gold vaults popped up in cinema lobbies and SM Supermarkets of malls around Metro Manila. These malls included: SM Megamall, SM MOA SM Hypermarket, SM North Edsa, SM Southmall, SM Aura, and SM Makati, among others.
At exactly 3pm, the first 100 consumers to line up at the cinema lobbies at the malls got the chance to experience the Magnum Gold standard.
In SM Supermarket groceries, shoppers got instant rewards to claim their free Magnum Gold at the “Unlock the Gold” booths where they also got the chance to win one of five iPhone shuffles that day among the 200 lucky SM Supermarket customers. #GrabtheGoldatSM
2 for P100 at SM Supermarkets
Magnum Gold in SM Supermarket
One Magnum Gold is regularly priced at P55 each but from February 10 to 28, you can get 2 Magnum Gold for only P100 in all SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket, and Savemore Market.
Know more about the new Magnum Gold in the Philippines at www.magnum.com.ph, So spread the word and let everyone know, it’s now time to #GrabtheGold, or better yet, #GrabtheGoldatSM !
