Frannywanny

Finally I was able to cross out another restaurant from my growing list of restaurants to try for the year!! We have barely 4 months to go before 2013 rolls in and I am barely half way there! *pant pant* So little time, so many restaurants to try! After visiting an expo at the SMX Convention Center , Paul and I agreed to have dinner at Tajimaya Yakiniku Restaurant . I've been hearing about this restaurant from my cousin in law L who loves this restaurant and has been raving about their yummy grilled beef since last year! In fact, I still owe her a Tajimaya pig-out date together with ML . We mentioned our dinner plans to The Food Club and our initial table reservation for two was magically turned into a private room for 8 as they wanted to try it out too! Well, as they say...the more, the merrier! They have an Eat-All-You-Can promo where for only Php. 420 you get unlimited refills of beef, chicken, sausage, fish balls and pork. Add Php. 60 and make it Php. 520 then yo...

I'm BACKKKKK!!! *waves* Hello dear readers, hope you're all enjoying your long weekend! Paul and I had an amazing time in Hong Kong and Macau and I can't wait to share our foodie adventures with YOU! Meanwhile, let me share with you another snack discovery especially for all chocolate lovers out there. My colleague Jayjay bakes these wonderful chocolate cupcakes that are so moist, fluffy and totally awesome! It's 100% homemade thus expect that these cupcakes has just the right sweetness level and the frosting on top was just too irresistible. This is the type of cupcake that I used to enjoy when I was a kid. It's a straight-forward, no-frills type of cupcake. It's the kind that I love to indulge on while enjoying my lazy weekend at home. I like how gooey the chocolate frosting is that I find myself enjoying my cupcake with the frosting intact. Normally, I would remove this before taking a bite but this one was just too yummy to discard. This pretty m...

By the time you read this, I have already landed in the land of Jackie Chan, dimsums and endless shopping opportunities! Today, Paul and I are set to head out to Wan Chai and Central where we will be meeting up with an old friend and to have our much-awaited afternoon tea at a restaurant owned by a renowned French chef which has been highly (or shall I say strongly) recommended to me by my two food-loving friends *ahem* *ahem* ;) . I can't wait to try his macarons, croissants and tea sandwiches! This is really the highlight of our trip so we have extremely high hopes for this. Add to the fact that I love drinking tea. This is also the main reason why I was so excited to receive a pretty pink tin can from Twinings . This is a limited edition and a collector's item tea blend which was created to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth of England. I sniffed the contents of the can the moment it arrived and I immediately noted the strong Assam tea scent. Ohh......

For someone who loves to eat like me, I find enjoyment in trying different cuisines from all over the world. However, there are just days that I want to keep it simple and would go for my comfort dishes. These are the dishes that I grew up with, the kind that would give me that warm, fuzzy feeling inside..the kind that reminds me of HOME. I've mentioned before that growing up, our family dishes predominantly evolve around the Chinese cuisine but if you ask me what are my favorite comfort dishes, I would tell you it's a plate of garlicky, oily pork and chicken adobo that our talented cook would prepare and I would always have this with a cup of rice..or even more. I love how well the meat soaks up the flavor brought by the spices included in this dish. If there's one dish that would quickly remind me of home, it would definitely be this. Given that we have 7,107 islands in the Philippines , expect that we have just as much variety in terms of food and flavor too. I'l...

I love reading OK! Magazine Philippines ! Of course it's really a big plus that I HAVE to read this on a monthly basis for work but hey, I really do enjoy going through every single page from cover to cover. From OK! , I get ideas on what's the latest (and cutest) pair of shoes out there, what type of make-up goes with a particular occasion and of course, I get the most updated news about my favorite Hollywood celebrities and even that of the Royal Couple William and Kate. In fact, I turn to OK! to even get gown ideas for my designer to make for me. Take this month for example, it truly is heart-breaking to find out that Tom and Kate are filing for divorce which made me think of Suri who I think is one of the most fashionable kid out there. OK! hasn't only been my stress reliever but it's my Hollywood fashion guru too! Don't you just love looking at beautiful photos of stylish men and women and the best are those of families who not only eat and pray together bu...

I'll let you in on my mom's secret. :) When my sister and I were still babies, she would make fresh Tomato juice for us to drink. We all know that Tomato has lycopene and it has a very strong anti-oxidant and anti-cancer power. Aside from this, Mommy believes that tomato juice is also very good for the skin. Of course, she wants that for her two daughters and I must say that her daily practice of feeding us with tomato juice has proven its benefits for the two of us. My sister and I have never had a facial treatment done and our only daily beauty routine includes washing our faces at least two times a day and to moisturize, moisturize and to moisturize. Luckily, we were also spared by the terrible facial acne problems that a lot of our peers got during our teenage years. Someday, I wish to do the same for my kids. However, I can hardly imagine myself having the luxury of time to create these fresh juices for them. In fact, I hardly have time to make a glass of juice for mys...

Every time we travel, Paul and I make it a point to mix a little bit of cultural immersion to our regular eating and shopping spree. After all, every trip should serve as a learning opportunity for us to know more about the country, its people and its colorful culture. Be it a visit to the Chiang Kai Shek Monument and witnessing the changing of guards or watching the world renowned Siam Niramit show in Bangkok, we always enjoy being able to come home to Manila with these rich experiences that will definitely stay with us a lifetime. Researching and planning for our trip to Seoul, Korea led us to the Cookin' Nanta website which is said to be Korea's Best Musical Performance since 1997! According to the website, it's a non-verbal, musical performance that has traveled the world even reaching Broadway and approximately 42 countries worldwide. Wow! Reading this has instantly convinced me that we have to watch the show! It was our chance, after all. It's a good...

Who doesn't love rice? Well..I do! Born and raised here in the Philippines, we Filipinos are known to be avid rice lovers. Personally, I enjoy rice in all forms! You name it, I love em all! Paella, risotto, garlic rice (sinangag) , congee, brown rice, Thai Bagoong Rice, sushi and my one and only love -- FRIED RICE . In Korea, we enjoyed more rice options such as the ever-popular Dolsot Bibimbap which is somewhat like Fried Rice only it's not fried, Omurice and my long-time Korean favorite, the Kimbap . After traveling to Yeouido to see a line of pretty Cherry Blossom trees (hooray for Cherry Blossom Festival in April!) , we walked around the area to search for a place to have lunch. We saw a line of small eateries, some of which are filled with locals having their lunch break. It was then that we spotted Gimgane . Uncertain on what it serves, Richard, Rowena and I entered the restaurant to check the menu out. Thank goodness they have photos of their dishes on the wall ma...

It was our first day in Seoul, Korea and quite similar to most of our past trips, it was drizzling the entire day. I really do not know if we're (The Food Club) just bad with timing or one of us have a big balat (birthmark) that attracts rain wherever we go. I wonder who it is... *ahem ahem* Anyway, in some parts of the world, they consider rain as good luck so let's just think that we will all be blessed with lots and lots of good food! *burp* After taking our much needed rest at the hotel to make up for the lack of sleep due to our red eye budget flight, we walked around Myeongdong to check the place out. Some did a little window shopping, some actually did shopped already while some of us went to search for our dinner place! We didn't have to walk far as we quickly spotted the bright signage of Yoogane that's just a few blocks away from our hotel. Creating the group's itinerary, I did a thorough research and remember putting Yoogane down on my list of re...

The Green Siren did it again! Just when you thought they did everything they could to coffee from the basic espresso-based drinks to the cool and refreshing Frappuccino Blended Beverages. Well, they're not yet done! This time, Starbucks Coffee reinvents how we see and taste coffee by introducing two cool drinks called the Starbucks Refreshers Beverages with Green Coffee ! There are two flavors to choose from: Very Berry Hibiscus and Cool Lime . At first glance, you might seriously doubt if these two drinks really do have coffee in it but it does. What is Green Coffee after all? I was reminded of a trip I took to a coffee farm down South that showed me how a coffee goes from the ground to the roasters to our cup. It's amazing to see colorful coffee berries get sorted and roasted to perfection until it looks like the coffee beans that we see everywhere. A green coffee bean is found at the center of a coffee cherry. What makes it different from the regular coffee bea...

"Ey Fran, do you want to watch Saltimbanco ?" I squealed in delight upon reading this message sent by my high school friend V. Of course I DO! After watching Varekai a year ago, Paul and I instantly became fans of Cirque du Soleil ! In fact, we were planning to catch the show in Macau only to find out that it has ceased operation a few months ago. Imagine how excited we were to hear that another Cirque du Soleil show has arrived in Manila and we got complimentary tickets to watch their Gala Performance! Yahoo! ♥ ♥ ♥ Saltimbanco is one of the longest running shows of Cirque du Soleil . While Varekai was more dramatic and imaginary, expect Saltimbanco to be more fun and colorful. As written in the programme: (The show) explores the urban, cosmopolitan experience, from the hustle and bustle of streets to the towering heights of skyscrapers. The show began with a comedy act that got me laughing and from that moment on I knew I'll definitely have a great time! T...

I'm taking a break from my regular food blogging to talk about an urgent matter that's happening right at this moment. Since last Monday (last week even), various parts of Luzon especially Metro Manila has been hit by non-stop rains which eventually led to terrible floods and a series of damages. Hundreds...maybe even thousands have lost their homes, some lost their loved ones and the worst thing of all is that the rain hasn't shown signs of stopping. More and more roads have began to become unpassable to vehicles big or small, a lot of families have evacuated their homes and there is a GREAT need for HELP. As I am thankful to have a roof over my head and a good spread of food for every meal, I would like to do my part in making it easier on the lives of the victims of this nameless rain and thunderstorm. In our own little way, Paul and I will be volunteering our time to a relief goods center near us the same thing we did during the height of nasty Typhoon Ondoy. You ...

Singapore always holds a soft spot in my heart. I loved it ever since I visited this very organized and beautiful country when I was 10 up until present . Luckily, Paul shares the same fascination towards Singapore that it came pretty naturally that we decided to spend a week in Singapore for our Honeymoon two years ago . Everything is always just in proper order and of course, Singapore is truly a foodie's mecca ! A trip to Singapore is not complete without enjoying the many hawker centers scattered around the country. Nothing beats the real thing as you enjoy a plate of Hainanese Chicken Rice , Lamb Briyani and a lot more! I love Singaporean food and the simplicity of it. This is the reason why I happily headed to Dusit Thani Manila's Basix All-Day Dining Restaurant for lunch yesterday. To celebrate Singapore's National Day , they are having a 10-day long buffet special highlighting a number of Singaporean favorites. Spearheading this special promotion is Execu...

Last week crawled by sooooo slowly that I was really ecstatic when Friday finally came! All the more, I was also so excited to have dinner that day. Why? Well, first was because I couldn't wait to see my college best friend L and I was hoping her baby bump would finally show. The next reason was because we agreed to have dinner at Basil , a new Thai restaurant along White Plains and after reading several blogs raving about it , I couldn't wait to try it out myself. Traffic has horrible that we got there an hour after our agreed meeting time. Good thing, we still managed to get a table despite not being able to reserve ahead of time. The restaurant was packed and parking was very limited but thankfully it went smoothly for us. I'm happy that both L and T were just as excited as we were to try Basil out. I just love how my friends share the same love and passion for food. Basil's ambiance is different from any ordinary Thai restaurant out there. I love how ther...

It's a common scenario to hear our family discussing what to have for our afternoon snack (merienda) while having lunch! I guess I took after my Kongkong who just loves to snack and who considers this part of his daily dietary requirement. He's an amazing cook so we always enjoy his homemade bihon soup or together, we will visit one of his favorite restaurants along Banawe to have a tall glass of really good halo-halo on a warm summer day. Let me share with you what we have on our snack stash that got us addicted on for days weeks: Happiness in Cupcakes (a.k.a. HIC) specializes in alcoholic-flavored cupcakes that makes a great dessert choice actually for adult parties. I got to admit I don't drink that often but I do appreciate a glass of mojito or a strawberry margarita to end a stressful day. They sell their cupcakes by the dozen (Php. 650) and requires a short lead time of 3 days. We were able to try the following flavors: Car Bombs, Red Hot Choco Peppers, Mojit...

I really miss Korea . The cool weather, the clean surroundings, the super organized transportation system and the FOOD! I miss the street snacks being sold in Myeongdong , the endless Korean barbecue and fresh unlimited refills of kimchi! Allow me to tell you more about my Seoul adventure next week. Every since Paul and I got back from our trip, we have been stuffing ourselves silly with all things Korean. Frequenting Korean barbecue places, filling our cupboard with Korean snacks and a lot more. This, I guess, was our way to happily reminisce on how fun Korea was. Do expect that we will definitely go back soon! One Sunday as Paul and I double-dated with my parents, we headed to Greenbelt 5 to have lunch at Bulgogi Brothers . It was upon an invite from the cool folks of BB as they wanted us to try their three new lunch sets which are available everyday from Monday to Friday. We went on a Sunday thus we were given a special preview. Thank you! Each set was good for two and sad...

A wise woman once told our group that our sugar level goes down as you do mental work therefore...always... I repeat... ALWAYS keep a stash of sweets in your work station. :) This is really the perfect excuse to have some candies or chocolates within reach! (left, from top to bottom: Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Raspberry Dulce de Leche, Coffee, Praline right, from top to bottom: Peanut Butter and Jelly, Mont Blanc, Yuzu and Matcha Opera, Salted Caramel, Lemon) It's a busy season for us at work that a number of us have been spending long hours in the office, some even working till the wee hours of the morning at home. It's planning season after all and this is the time of the year where we have to take a great deal of time away from our regular work demands and to do some serious thinking (chanelling The Thinker ). With a great amount of thinking brings an equally great need for sweets! It's perfect timing that T had a box of these yummy looking french eclairs from...

Growing up, I remember Papa telling me that what makes the Chinese cuisine different and special is its endless variety of dishes. He told me about this age-old practice that for one to be considered a good Chinese chef, he/she should be able to find 100 ways to cook an egg . This may or may not be true but what it really means is that the Chinese cuisine continues to evolve and innovate itself thus making it a popular cuisine all over the world. I just had such an unforgettable dinner last Monday at Hai Kang Seafood Restaurant along Wilson street . This has been around for 12 years already and I've had fond memories of spending almost everyone's birthdays and a number of Chinese New Years with my family here. Aside from it being really close to our home, we have grown fond and addicted to a number of Hai Kang's specialties too. However, we have been around town trying a number of new restaurants thus it has been a while since we've dined at Hai Kang . This is t...