Nomnomnom, Eat, Nomnomnom, Eat, Nomnomnom

If you fell in love with the old ‘Smokin’ Hot BarBQ‘ restaurant in Greenbelt 3, then you would too with the new ‘Siklab‘. Bistro Group led ‘Siklab‘ Pinoy Favorites basically just had a name change to better reflect the Filipino cuisine they serve. The menu and location of the new restaurant remains the same.

Basil Lemondae

Upon Siklab’s invitation, we got to try some Filipino favorites off their menu last week, including familiar desserts with a twist. 😛

Starters

For starters, we had the Crispy Bacon Belly (P255) and the Kuhol sa Gata (P225). The former is a sumptuous set of bacon-cut pork belly fried to a crisp with atsara on the side. Although it’s a bit pricey, it was a sumptuous crispy treat true to its name.

The latter was even better with golden snails simmered in coconut milk with green curry, chopped chillies, and lemongrass.

Crispy Bacon Belly (P255)

Kuhol sa Gata (P225)

Main Dishes

With starters setting the bar high, the main menu was at par.

Surprisingly, one of my favorites that night was the usual 2pc. BarBQ Chicken (P235) leg and thigh parts which were 6-hours marinated in their BarBQ sauce fhouse blend producing a sweet-tangy taste. Other sets of 4pcs costs P 455 ; 6pcs – P680; 8pcs – P895.

Another top favorite that night was the Pork BarBQ skeweres (top photo). These are pork bbq skewers marinated in their house BarBBQ sauce and grilled (about P120+ per skewer).

This was followed by the Binagoongang Liempo (P325) which was a chunkier version of the Crispy Bacon Belly above. The Binagoongang Liempo (crispy pork belly) rests on a bed of eggplant sauteed in homemade shrimp paste.

2pc. BarBQ Chicken (P235)

Binagoongang Liempo (P325)

Although I’m cutting down on rice-intake recently, who can resist the Sisig Rice (P245) which came albeit belatedly. It’s a  stir-fry of pork sisig and rice topped with scrambled egg and pork cracklings.

For the veggie-lovers, the Pinakbet (P175) is a must try combining squash, eggplant, string beans, and bittermelon sauteed in shrimp paste with some  pork skin crackling.

Pinakbet (P175)

Veggie Fruit Blast (P110)

Siklab Beverage

It’s worth noting how much I loved the Veggie Fruit Blast (P110) beverage I had. It’s a combination of celery, watermelon, apple, and orange. Classified under the ‘healthy drinks‘ category in the menu, this comes highly recommended by NomNom.

The Cucumber Breeze is also good which is a combination of  pineapple, cucumber and orange. The Basil Lemonade was ordinary though.

Filipino Desserts

Filipinos are known for their delightfully sweet desserts, almost deadly for the diabetic actually. Anyhow, we had the Biko and Turon 2.0; no it’s not Android’s latest OS.

The ‘Biko‘ (P155) is a chunk of visually appealing sticky rice served with chocolate soil and white latik on the side. it is meant to be poured on top and spread.

Biko (P155)

Turon 2.0 (P 235)

The Turon 2.0 looks like pinoy sorbetes on cone. Actually, underneath the ube ice cream is a surprise of Filipino flavors from the combination of banana, langka, and macapuno held together by caramelized cones. A serving consists of 5 cones. It’s a bit expensive at P 235 but worth a try before it becomes Turon 3.0 in the next incarnation.

I’ll surely be back in Siklab wanting to try more Filipino dishes such as Aligue Rice tossed with crab fat, Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw, Pinaputok na Tilapia, Pork Belly Adobo, Stuffed Laing with taro leaves stuffed with ground pork and dried alamang. For dessert, the Buco Lychee Sherbet shall not escape.

It was a great Filipino dinner at Siklab in Greenbelt. If you’re craving for some Filipino dishes in Makati, Siklab Pinoy Favorties will not disappoint you.

Figaro Yuletide Frost

Harping on the Filipino’s penchant of starting the Christmas season within the -ber months, Figaro Coffee made sure they’re first to meet that demand in the local cafe scene. Continue reading →

Jollibee Trinoma

It’s was a ChickenJoy lunch that wifey and I had over the weekend in Jollibee Trinoma. In tune with the current craze of the Thor movie and a few days after trying the new Jollibee Bacon Mushroom Champ with the Thor Hammer USB, we ordered the Thor Jollibee Bucket Treats.

The good news is that by simply buying a Thor Jollibee Bucket Treat, you can join in the Best Jollibee Bonding Moments.

Best Jollibee Bonding Moments

Jollibee Bucket Treats Promo: Best Jollibee Bonding Moments

After purchasing a Jollibee Bucket Treats w/ ChickenJoy, make sure to join in the Best Jollibee Bonding Moments by simply uploading your photos showing you and your family eating a bucket of Jollibee Chickenjoy. With that, you get a chance to win 1 of 35 bucket treats every week until October 27, 2013!

Check out this video:

The THOR Jollibee Bucket Treat is also available as a 6-pc Chickenjoy Bucket Solo (P335) , 8-pc Chickenjoy Bucket Solo, 6-pc Chickenjoy Bucket w/ 3 Rice, 3 Regular drinks, and 3 Regular Criscut Fries (P469), and 8-pc Chickenjoy Bucket w/ 4 Rice, 4 Regular drinks, and 4 Regular Criscut Fries (P599). Since there were only two of us, we got the 6-pc Bucket with rice, fries, and drinks. Wifey had one serving, while I had two. 🙂

Although we’re not a family yet, wifey and I got out own photo with the Jollibee Bucket Treat. 🙂

NomNom Club, Wifey, and the THOR Jollibee Bucket Treats

Check the full mechanics at www.jollibee.com.ph/promo. Find out more about the Best Jollibee Bonding Moments here!

Hurry Jollibee Bucket Treats and ChickenJoy lovers, you still have a few days to go to dine at any Jollibee branch and submit that family-bonding picture!

Are you in the mood to create wonder and share the new found joy with Starbucks? Then it’s that season of the year when we know that the new Starbucks Planner is about to be released.

“Nov.1 UPDATE: The Starbucks Planner 2014 has been unveiled.”

Starbucks Planner 2014 Philippine Teaser

No, we cannot wait for Halloween to pass to reveal this year’s Starbucks Planners for 2014! Join NomNom Club here, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as we reveal it online on the evening of October 30, 2013 to the theme of “Create Wonder and Share Joy!“

Check out last year’s planners here: Starbucks Planner 2013.

What can you say about Starbucks Philippines‘ Starbucks Planners 2014 teaser?

Something red, something pink? or something wonderful perhaps? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and perhaps win a small surprise from NomNom Club soon! 🙂

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for sharing your joys and wonders this Christmas season with Starbucks Philippines’ Starbucks Planner 2014!

What an extraordinary combination. I just found out that the new Jollibee Bacon Mushroom Champ being offered in all Jollibee branches around the country comes with Thor’s Hammer – Mjolnir – USB flashdrive!

Jollibee Thor Hammer USB (also known as “Mjolnir”)

Mjolnir: Thor’s Hammer

With Thor – The Dark World movie  coming up in theaters next week on October 30, this collaboration by Jollibee and Marvel’s Thor (and his hammer) comes just at the right time. Thor fans will surely buy this package even just for the hammer USB alone. 😛

New Jollibee Bacon Mushroom Champ

The new Jollibee Bacon Mushroom Champ Solo Meal (P129) with the Thor Hammer USB (P95)

On other hand, foodies will love this new offering by Jollibee, with or without the freebie toy. The Champ just got a level-up with a lot of bacon strips, a generous dose of cheese sauce, and a dash of mushroom that complements the 1/3 pounder 100% pure beef hamburger patty. I suddenly had a flashback of the Jollibee Ultimate Burger Steak Meal. 😛

Cross-section: Jollibee Bacon Mushroom Champ

With every purchase of the solo Jollibee Bacon Mushroom Champ ( P 129 ) or the combo meal ( P165 ), you can buy the extraordinary 1G Thor Hammer USB for P95; This is already a good catch since an ordinary 1G USB already retails at about he same price in the market.

Catch this Jollibee Thor Hammer USB promotion now as it starts today and end on November 16, 2013. Of course, I will surely catch the Thor movie  ‘The Dark World’ as well! 🙂

Not more than 2 months ago, wifey and I went to Bacolod in Negros Occidental for a farm tour around the province upon the invitation of the Department of Agriculture‘s Agricultural Training Institute (ATI).

Mango-topped Salad for appetizers

We stayed at May’s Organic Garden in Bacolod where we spent four days and three nights. It was the bloggers’ official accommodation this part of town. It is a mini organic farm in itself with some vegetation and a number of organic pigs. It is also like a mini resort complete with amenities for small functions and accommodations. It is in fact known for being one of the best wedding reception venue in Bacolod.

Whenever, we are not out in the filed for a farm tour, May’s Organic Garden was our home. Here is a series of  photos from one of our meals:

The healthy Red Rice!

Molo Soup for a hot start

Kilawin Salad

Kalabasa (Pumpkin) Soup alternative

Kaldereta for the main dish!

This! (whose name I forgot) 😛

Traditional Pansit with lots of veggies on top!

Mango and Biko for Dessert (panghimagas) 

It’s my healthy plate! 😛

They know that we are going to be in a lot of organic farm tours so they melowed-down the “organic” theme from the dishes they served us. It was more of a homey-type of Filipino provincial dishes with a hint of organic food, just so to stay in theme. 😛

Although I was not able to try its famous nilasing na hipon and sweet “kamote” (sweet potato) dessert,  it was all good food and comfortable stay at May’s Organic Garden in Bacolod!

SM Foodcourt

Do you love to eat? How about the idea of eating and having the opportunity to win one of 6 Suzuki APV vans at the same time? – That’s possible with SM Foodcourt‘s “Let’s Eat & Win” promo!

Enjoy food festivities this Christmas season with SM Foodcourt’s biggest promotion for 2013! Starting October 18 until January 15, 2014, SM Foodcourt customers who purchase a minimum of P250 single receipt with any Coca-Cola product of participating SM Foodcourt tenants is entitled to a peel-apart card with a raffle coupon which they can get from the nearby redemption booth of the same SM Foodcourt branch.

How to Join SM Foodcourt ‘Let’s Eat & Win’

Each peel- apart card from the Let’s Eat & Win promo gives the customer a chance to win instant prizes and one of the 6 Suzuki APV vans in the raffle draws, tax free!

Imagine that, driving a brand new car just becuase you enjoyed some food and dining at SM Foodcourt? 🙂

Instant Prizes & Coca-Cola Products

Moreover, customers can win instant prizes including snap watches, yard cups, placemats, eco bags, free upsize on any Coca – Cola product and free Coke in cans.

Instant Christmas gifts and Coc-Cola products, don’t you think?

Excited enough? Check the complete promo mechanics and guidelines here.

SM Foodcourt ‘Let’s Eat & Win’

Remember, it starts on October 18 and will last until January 15 of the next year! This promotion will surely make your Christmas a very merry one until the new year! the first raffle draw will be on November while the second one will be on January.

The Let’s Eat & Win promo covers all 38 SM Foodcourt branches including SM Aura Food on Four! Say “NomNom” and let’s eat and win!

Don’t be surprised when you visit the newly reopened Yoshinoya branch in SM Megamall. It opened a little more than a week ago as the 4th branch in the Philippines to have its interiors remodeled seemingly catering to the younger market segment.

Yoshinoya SM Megamall Reopens

Best known for its Japanese Gyudon Beef Bowl, Yoshinoya went away from the traditional Japanese feel of wood and classic bowls into a more hip orange-themed look.

The upgraded design highlighted the “bull horn” logo shaped as “Y” and invented by Yoshinoya’s Mizuho Matsuda way back since 1899. Did you know that the surrounding rope around the horn represents “Yokozuna” referring to the ranking winner in a Japanese wrestling match? Moreover, the rope is made with 27 rice grains while the whole logo means “best beef bowls.”

Launches and openings, specially for a restaurant, is of course not complete with out served food. So here are some of the Yoshinoya specialties we got to try on their opening day:

Beef Gyudon Rice with Vegetables + Red Iced Tea

Guest Celebrity Ricardo Zepeda graces the Yoshinoya Megamall Opening

Yoshinoya Orange Wall of Bowls

Yoshinoya Maki-Siomai-dessert sampler platter 

As good as the food we had, on the other hand, I missed the more conservative premium Japanese ambiance, but that may be just me.

Freshly-cooked Tempura with sauce

Yoshinoya Megamall had its look since way back in 2003 when it first opened. I guess it was time for a change. And with it, the evolution to adapt to the new market must be what the people behind Yoshinoya have in mind.

As long as the food quality does not change, I know we will continue to love the delicious recipe of  beef and rice Gyudon we have grown up with in Yoshinoya SM Megamall. By October, Yoshinoya Delivery will have the number 288-2888! They have branches in Robinsons Galleria, SM Mall of Asia, SM North Edsa, SM Manila, and Glorietta 1.