Frannywanny

Our dear friend A is in town and this just gave the group another reason to get together for a nice dinner last Sunday. A's dinner choice was  The Chop House in Vivo City and we just couldn't be happier! After all, who says no to having steak and burgers for dinner? Researching more about The Chop House , I was surprised to know that this is actually part of the Wooloomooloo Group . As you all know, Wooloomooloo is ranked to be one of the best steak houses both in Singapore and in Hong Kong. I've been wanting to try Wooloomooloo since I moved to Singapore last year so consider this my first step to Wooloomooloo. What sets The Chop House apart from the famous steak place is that it has a more casual vibe. They're known for their self-service bar system where diners can avail of tap cards with credits that will allow them to try as much beer as they want. Paul and I started our meal with a bowl of Pumpkin Soup (S$10) which was very good. I tell you, after tryin...

This is the story of a boy named Hassan Kadam (Manish Dayal) who grew up in Mumbai, India. It talked about his love affair with food and how he grew up to appreciate the different flavours and being able to master his craft in the kitchen. Fast forward to the present, Hassan and his family arrived at the South of France and bought a property which they intend to build a restaurant on. The challenge? It's a hundred-feet opposite the famous Michelin starred restaurant owned by Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren). Will they be able to succeed? For one thing, this is a movie that you shouldn't watch with an empty stomach or without any snack on hand. Trust me. On the first 10 minutes of the movie, I felt my mouth water as soon as Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon) came out on screen with a huge board topped with cheese and bread. Luckily, I went prepared with my Egg Mayo with Honey Mustard and Sweet Onion Vinaigrette Wrap to munch on.

"I'm late, I'm late for a very important date!" This line just got to be the most memorable one that has stuck with me throughout all these years after watching Alice in Wonderland. It's the line delivered by the White Rabbit. Here in Singapore, The White Rabbit means much more than the furry white character in the book, it also stands for one of the best fine dining place in the island and as our friends L & T came to visit us last weekend, I figured that it's the best place for us to catch up while enjoying their popular weekend brunch too. What makes dining at The White Rabbit so interesting is the fact that you can enjoy the beautiful interiors inside. It's actually a restaurant and bar that's housed within a restored old chapel so as we walked up the mini hill towards the restaurant, Paul was quite unsure if this was indeed The White Rabbit as it looks like a chapel from the outside. "Are you sure this is it?" , he asked...

I always believe that a restaurant doesn't need to have a long list of menu items in order to be successful. In fact, most of my favorite restaurants, for instance, would just specialize on 3-4 amazing dishes and this would still get people to queue up for hours. Pretty similar on how a person should be -- no one wants a jack of all trades but who's sadly a master of none. Rather, we'd go for one who may have just focused on one to two skills or talent but can truly be considered an expert on those. Let me tell you about my newest discovery here in the Lion City -- Sunday Folks . It all began when I had dinner with fellow bloggers Nicole and Charlene  who were talking about their latest coffee shop and dessert places finds. Then they started raving about Sunday Folks which initially sounds like a regular cafe to me. It was when I started to ask about it that I was told that it was actually an ice cream place but it's no ordinary ice cream shop too. They proceede...

Tomorrow, the Philippines will celebrate National Heroes' Day to commemorate all the brave men and women who fought hard for our country's freedom more than a century ago. However, I believe that this day is also the perfect opportunity to look deeper and to give importance to countless Filipinos who have made their own personal sacrifices to make things better. True, no blood had to be shed but more of sweat and tears just to be able to make their families live a better life and to help our nation in general too. I'm talking about our modern-day heroes -- the Overseas Filipino Workers a.k.a. the OFW . They are based all over the world from Hong Kong to Singapore, as far as the Middle East and even in some part of Europe and the United States too. Living here in Singapore where more than 300,000 Filipinos are present, I've heard countless stories from fellow OFWs, all unique on its own way, on why did they choose to work here. No matter how different one's story ...

"It's so beautiful!" I think I must have uttered this line more than a dozen time last Tuesday night when my colleagues and I decided to have dinner at Potato Head Folk  along Keong Saik Road -- a quick 10 minute walk from our office. I was at awe upon seeing this tall 4-storey white and red shophouse at the corner of the road that somehow reminds me of a ship. I don't know why, blame my hyperactive imagination. :) People who have visited Bali must be familiar with the name and yes, this is from the same group that runs Potato Head Beach Club in Indonesia. I personally haven't been to Bali, but I've been hearing a lot of good things about it. Potato Head Folk in Singapore is divided into three establishments -- Three Buns Kitchen , Studio 1939 and the Rooftop Garden . Each establishment occupying one entire floor and each carries a different vibe unique from each other. That evening, our dinner was set at Three Buns Kitchen so this is where this ...

Here's an interesting quote that I truly agree and believe in: After all, we work 5 days a week so we really owe it to ourselves to relax and recharge for two full days before heading back to the battle work force once again. Paul and I also take these two days to go out on dates, meet up with friends and to just have fun. Sometimes, we would just stay home, go swimming, do some cooking and nap for as long as we want. That, my friends, is what I'd call work-life balance and I strongly believe that it's something really important to attain a happier life.  So, what did we do last weekend? Well, it was a busy, action-packed one for us, if I must say. Saturday was when Paul and I went to watch Rock of Ages with his cousin J and my friend C. It was so much fun! The musical was awesome and we're so happy to be in the company of such happy and amazing people. The show was so good that I'm currently experiencing major Rock of Ages LSS this week. We went home q...

When it comes to work-related / business lunches, I really like going Italian. Perhaps it's due to the quiet ambiance in the restaurant that makes it so conducive to being able to discuss important details yet it doesn't feel so dull and stiff either. Not to mention, it gives me the reason to enjoy a good plate of pasta while discussing work too. Recently, the team visited  Pasta Brava which is located just a few blocks away from our new office. I'm really loving our new neighborhood for the never-ending choices of good food available. It was K who suggested this place and I trust her taste when it comes to knowing where are the delicious, slightly " atas-level " but definitely the must-visit restaurants in Singapore(!). Having said that, Pasta Brava perfectly fits the description that I just mentioned earlier. Located in a two-storey shophouse along quiet Craig Road, the restaurant is dimly-lit and you'll see pretty paintings and decors on the walls. ...

I'm so lucky that the people that Paul and I hang out with here in the Lion City also share the same amount of love and fascination for food. Take our friend O for example, every time we plan to go out , he manages to recommend a good place to eat. A few weeks ago, the initial plan was to have pho for dinner but O suggested that we check out this newly opened burger place called Fat Boy's The Burger Bar that's just a block away from Plaza Singapura . It's a good thing we got there a bit early before the dinner crowd arrived as the place was quite small and can only sit a little more than 50 guests. We definitely wouldn't want to stay outside and to queue up while watching everyone enjoy their burgers. Upon entering the restaurant, the first thing that caught my attention are the somewhat cheeky humour that you can see from their signages, wall statements and posters. Definitely not for the spoilsport! It's a reminder that you're in for a good time ...

For the past weeks, friends and fellow bloggers in Manila have been sharing Instagram photos of Coke bottles. However these are not ordinary Coke bottles, mind you. It has their name on it and that got me really intrigued! What is going on back home?! After asking a few friends, I found out that Coca-Cola Philippines is running this awesome campaign called #ShareACoke and they've been going around the country with their special vendo machine that magically creates these personalized 500ml bottles of Coke! Since I'm miles away from Manila, my dear friend Trixie was so sweet to create these bottles for us! It's our very own Paul & Fran Coke bottles! Yahoo!  Want to have your very own Coke bottle? Here's how:

I always believe that no meal is complete without having dessert! Be it a slice of cake, a scoop of ice cream or a plate of fresh fruits. Dessert cleans your palate and leaves a sweet, delicious after taste. Somehow, it is just the best way to cap of a good meal as ending it with steak or fish makes it feel too abrupt. All over the world, different cuisines have different desserts. Filipinos would have our famous halo-halo or the mouthwatering Leche Flan among others, here in Singapore, we have bowls of Chendol, Bu bu cha cha or some deep-fried Banana Fritters. For the Turkish, they have the deliciously sweet Baklava while the French would have their pretty cakes, patries and macarons. See how important having dessert is? So, after one delicious meal with Paul and his cousin J, we headed over to Honeymoon Dessert for our favorite Hong Kong-style desserts. This originated in Hong Kong and we're so lucky to have this here in the Lion City. J ordered his ultimate favorite -...

Last Sunday, Paul promised me that we will be having a food trip. This got me really excited yet I was simply expecting that he'd only be game to go somewhere new for lunch and that would qualify as a "food trip." Well, guess I was surprised when he was in fact game to go food tripping the entire afternoon which made me very very very happy. Ladies, this is one perfect example of why we shouldn't over-expect and just let our man surprise us trust me, it will be ten times better. Hahaha! So, he knows that I keep a list of places that I want to try here in Singapore and told me to choose where to have lunch. My choice was at Bukit Merah which is just a quick 3 minute ride from home. I've been hearing about Two Wings  from fellow food bloggers and how their fried chicken wings are simply divine. After seeing countless Instagram posts too, I knew this is the place to go.  Spotting Two Wings wasn't difficult as we have been frequenting the Alexandra Fo...

There's something truly fascinating about restaurants with a long and colorful history. You know, the kind that you just love listening to and would love to share with others as well. Last week, I had the privilege to visit Alkaff Mansion Ristorante , one of the oldest fine-dining restaurants here in Singapore and boy, was I so excited! First, let me tell you about my short hike up to the restaurant. The initial plan was to take a cab since I know that it's located in a pretty much secluded place which is not easily accessible by any mode of public transportation. However, I had an hour to spare so I thought of just taking the bus and alighting at the nearest possible bus stop. As soon as I got there, no cabs were in sight! So I began to walk.. well I don't mind walking and the weather was cool and breezy anyway. What I forgot to take into consideration is that the restaurant is located on top of a hill so yes, my cool and breezy quick walk turned into a hike up to the ...

I'm pretty sure all of you can relate to this. Eating out is always fun but let's face it, sometimes as the food fills our tummy, it can also cause a dent on our pockets. This is why Paul and I have purposely set aside a percentage of our monthly expenses to "Eating Out". This way, we know that we won't go beyond our allowable budget and still enjoy trying a new restaurant at least once a week. Fair enough, right? However, if there's a way to be able to eat out or to indulge in one of your favorites for half the price all the time, wouldn't that just be perfect? I got some good news for all my Singapore-based readers! Look what I came across with -- The Entertainer mobile app . You can download it for FREE  regardless of what gadget you're using (iPhone, Samsung, tablets, etc). When you avail either of the Mobile 2014 or the One Month Mobile package, you get more than 700 buy one get one offers which you can avail from their partner merchants. ...

I know that the tonkatsu craze has been present in Manila for a good 2 years already yet it seems like this is one craze that will stay on for a little while longer. Why do I say so? Well, it takes no genius to see the long lines that happens on a daily basis and the continuous entrance of foreign tonkatsu players ready to give the local market more options and perhaps to go up against the tonkatsu giant in the Philippines. Saboten is one of those that recently expanded to the Philippines not so long ago. The first time I tried Saboten was in Seoul, Korea but sadly my experience there was quite blah so I didn't even bother blogging about it. Then, I've been seeing Saboten in Hong Kong and here in Singapore but it has never been a priority for me to try it thinking that I might get the same ho-hum dining experience. However, during one recent trip back to Manila, Paul and I found ourselves in Saboten in the (relatively) new Glorietta 5 with my bestest friends T1, T2...

Tomorrow will be another momentous day in the history of my dear second home, Singapore as it celebrates its 49th birthday! All over the island, one can see buildings adorned with the red and white flags, cars zooming down the road with touches of the same bright red and white hues, kids and adults alike showing their patriotism in the best way they can. As for M&M's, the chocolate candy that promises to melt in your mouth and not in your hands posted a challenge. This is to create the largest Singapore flag made out of M&M's candies . Will they be able to do it? Find out below:

- Sponsored Post - “So how does it feel living abroad?” If only I get a Thousand pesos every single time I get asked this question, I’d probably be a couple of thousand pesos richer now. It’s true, living abroad has its perks – independence, the chance to meet and be assimilated to more cultures and nationalities, discovering a new place…the list go on and on. However, I always say that no matter wherever one may be, you should always keep a solid connection back home. It’s one thing to set your wings and fly but it’s another to know that you have to still fly back home and stay grounded where you belong. We’re lucky that home for us is a quick 4-hour flight away. However, I’ve come to realized that keeping abreast to the latest news regardless if this concerns the nation or my family is not very easy. Well, at least there’s Facetime and Whatsapp for my Family and to be updated with our national and lifestyle news? I rely on The Philippine Star Pagesuite App which I’ve recently ...

This is a story of a cake that has launched a thousand..messages. *bow* Okay, maybe a thousand might be too much but anyway...  It all began when my friend Sten shared her newest sweet discovery of a mouthwatering Ube Leche Flan cake that got all of us here in the Lion City intrigued and craving for our favorite local sweets namely -- ube and leche flan. The perfect combination of something oh-so-creamy and another with the right level of sweetness and yumminess. Luckily, our friend C was in Manila when we discovered this gem so we got his sweet sister C2 to order some cakes and the S'mores bars for us. Hooray for super supportive foodie friends! We found out that these yummy treats are created by Anghelica's Desserts , a home-based business that specializes in Ube Leche Flan Cake (Php. 500) and S'mores Bar (Php. 450/dozen) among others. They also have Dulce Quezo Mamon (Php. 400), Kasuy de Baklava and Polvoron con Queso de Bola too! I have yet to try the...

Given that I always have very limited time available whenever I visit Manila, I make it a point to fill up all meals with family gatherings or friends meet-up. For some of my close friends though, breakfast get-togethers have become a regular habit and we get more creative with it each time. Such was the case with my dear friends S and D. We normally would meet up for breakfast at a restaurant or coffee shop, this time though, S invited us to her lovely home for her to make us try her coffee creations. I loved the idea! Check out her beautiful Cafe Mocha, I hope S would someday open her cafe and I'll surely tell the world about it. Watching her in her kitchen is like watching a younger version of Julia Child working her magic around. I initially wanted to bring some Singaporean baked bread to our breakfast get-together but things just got too hectic before flying home that I wasn't able to find the time to visit my favorite bakery . Boo! Well, it was a good thing that w...

Knowing that I only have 24 hours to spend in Hong Kong, I quickly made a list of the things that I HAVE to eat and do. Actually I only had 3 things on my list: - eat dimsum! - Eat Dimsum!! - EAT DIMSUM!!! Kidding aside, I actually have added in buying hoarding my favorite candy and to check out the Hong Kong Kiehl's shop too. I've successfully done all three and with that I'm giving myself a pat on the back. When you're in Hong Kong, there are just some things that you can't miss out on. One of those is to have dimsum . No matter where you have it, be it at a swanky fine dining restaurant or at some hole in the wall, chinese-speaking-only dimsum shop, you'll definitely enjoy these hand-created masterpieces which have been perfected through time. As soon as we landed in Hong Kong, S and I quickly headed to Tim Ho Wan which is located right at the Airport Express station. Sadly we got there a minute too late as they close at 8:30PM and we were there at 8:31...

Here' some good news for all cheese lovers out there. Check out what I recently discovered during my last visit to Manila -- Chizu Cheese Cupcakes! I remember growing up and enjoying homemade cheese cupcakes which is slightly crunchy on top and super soft and moist inside. I just love nibbling on the toasted grated cheese normally spinkled and baked on top. These sells like hotcakes so we normally would get a freshly baked batch every time. Chizu is the modern-age cheese cupcakes which stays super creamy inside and out. These comes in two sizes: Chizu Regulars (Php. 350/12 pieces) are the same size that of a regular cupcake while the Chizu Bites (Php. 150/12 pieces) are so cute and tiny that you can easily pop into your mouth. Be careful though as these babies can get so addicting that before you know it, you've consumed the entire box already! That almost happened to me had it not been for Paul who told me to save some for him too. I wasn't able to ask how many...

Business trips can be tiring as I'm obviously there for work and not much for play. Still, the positive side of me always finds a reason to be excited for a business trip be it the fact that I'll be visiting a new place or I'll be able to try the local food or I get to check out a hotel. I'm lucky that in most of my business trips abroad, I get to stay in really nice hotels. Remember the one where I stayed at in Beijing, China ? During my recent 24hour visit to Hong Kong , my colleague S and I stayed at the Harbour Grand Hong Kong Hotel in Fortress Hill. S has stayed at this hotel twice already so I just let her be our navigator in searching for the nearest convenience store, Starbucks Coffee outlet and even a Sasa beauty shop. The neighborhood was relatively quiet as automotive and hardware shops surround the hotel so you can take a peaceful walk at night without much noise around. I tell you, it was love at first sight from the moment I stepped into the lobby. T...