Picole' Healthy Ice Pops

Healthy Ice Pops!

Craving for healthy dessert? There are a lot of options nowadays - from yogurt stores and stalls to sugar free delights. I discovered a new healthy dessert and they already have a small stall in Robinson's Galleria.

I got to try it first when my sister in law had a box of different Picolé healthy ice pops delivered to the house. They have the Juicy Pops (Php 25 each), Milky Pops (Php 30 each), Yogu Pops (Php 35 each) and the Dip Pops (Php 35 each).

The juicy pops had real fruit bits and the sweetness was just right. I personally love anything with texture so my favorite would be the Dip Pops. They have four flavors under this category and all were delicious: Cookie Oveload, Nutty Blast, Choco Banana and Banana Split.

For kiddie parties or even just while watching downloads at home, this would be a healthy option for snacks. They accept bulk orders and you can contact them in the given contact details below.

Contact details:

Mobile number: +63917-5221888

Telephone number: 215-2813

Email Address: uy_michelle@yahoo.com

pAMAsko Bazaar '09

You know Christmas is just around the corner when bazaars start popping up everywhere! This one brought to us by the Ateneo Management Association.

Where: Tiendesitas
When: Nov 21-22, 2009

What to look for: Some Facebook-inspired shirts would surely be great gifts for your FB addict friends.

Enjoy!

Romulo Cafe: Filipino Comfort Food in a Great Setting

I think I found a good reason to come back to Tomas Morato's restaurant row. My husband and I have only gone to Tomas Morato to eat at Katre, which means sharing a plate of Angus Bacon and their Caesar's salad. However, there's a new kid on the block and we're happily welcoming it as a go-to place for QC foodies.

Romulo Cafe is tucked at the corner of Scout Tuason and Dr. Lazcano streets in Quezon City. A rented house converted into a restaurant by President Romulo's family, the restaurant serves great unpretentious Filipino food that's devoid of any concept of fusion that has become so popular in recent years. I was actually pleasantly surprised it wasn't fusion given the look and feel of the place.

Upon entering Romulo's Cafe, you're greeted with fresh and clean black and white interiors. The food is straight forward Pinoy.

For starters we ordered the Pomelo Salad (Php 240). It was served with slices of salted egg and a raspberry vinaigrette which provided a nice contrast to the bitter pomelo but complemented the fresh greens very well.

I ordered Coolas Cucumber (Php 90), a mocktail made of cucumber, lime and spritzer. It's really very refreshing and the serving was just enough so that the drink lasted the whole meal.

We also ordered Tito Greg's Kare Kare (Php 350) which is a great dish that doesn't need the bagoong anymore. It just had the right amount of consistency and nuttiness. My husband and I couldn't get enough of it.

Bangus Belly in Banana Leaf (Php 260). It was just ok, you really can't go wrong with fried Bangus that's seasoned well. The dish came with a sauce that didn't really do much for the fish. The Bangus was fine as is.

The Bagnet (Php 340) was also good but not special. It was cooked well and it wasn't tough. It also came in really large chunks that loomed over the plate. In my opinion, this one along with the Bangus Belly are dishes you can afford to skip.

The highlight of our stay there was the Honey Garlic Pork Spare Ribs (Php 235). The honey caramelized perfectly and created a sweet crust over the pork spare ribs. The sweetness however was not overwhelming and the pork was tender so that you can tear the meat off the bones with just your spoon. It was singularly the dish that would bring my husband and I back to Romulo Cafe (well for me it's this dish and the Coolas Cucumber Mocktail).

The restaurant also has function rooms which you can reserve for a fee and the fees are consummable. Check Romulo Cafe out!

Romulo Cafe

33 SCOUT TUAZON CORNER DR. LAZCANO STREETS
Quezon City
Phone: +63(2)3327275

Directions: Go straight on Timog and turn left when you get to the Boy Scouts Rotonda to Tomas Morato. Turn right upon seeing Alfredo's steak house, that street is Dr. Lazcano.

Chow King DUETS

Lunch has been one of our (okay -- MY) biggest spendings every month. Spending each weekday at work and buying from restos really takes its toll on my wallet. This got me looking for a good alternative and I found one -- Chow King's Duets.

It's basically 2 viands and a cup of rice for P79.00. Not bad!



I ordered Lumpiang Shanghai and Mandarin Chicken. I've always been a fan of Lumpiang Shanghai and this one didn't disappoint. It was a bit soggy already but still pretty good. The Mandarin Chicken really did taste like Mandarin Chicken -- they even include a little slice of mandarin orange. Pretty good considering that this is fast food.



We've also tried the Sweet n' Sour Fish, the Crispy Fish, and the ChopSuey. They were all pretty good -- definitely better than the normal cafeteria meals.





Easy on the wallet, delicious, and fast -- perfect for an office lunch. Go try out the Duets now!

EchoStore - Now in Podium!

EchoStore has a new store now at the Podium. It's on the ground floor, near the escalator.

Just went to their shop at Serendra this morning. Bought some lovely gifts for this Christmas. EJ and I will give mostly gifts that would have dual purpose - showing our appreciation to our loved ones and trying to help some non-profitable organizations or helping the environment by buying these things that are eco-friendly.



They have some great stuff here...


These are rosaries that are made out of magazines. Magazines! - can you believe it? Very resourceful - galing ng pinoy!



This figurine of the Blessed Mary and the Baby Jesus is actually a candle that you can light. It is made out of wax. You will see the great craftsmanship involved in making these things.



If you buy things that you plan to give out as presents, they will gladly wrap them for you. You can wait while sipping a cup of coffee! ;)



To learn more about Echo Store, check out our previous post HERE.

Lorenzo's Way

Celebrating with the Filipino Family

For this month, this is the restaurant that my family most frequented. All the birthdays for the month were celebrated here. Our 'welcome back' family gathering was also in Lorenzo's way.

Lorenzo's Way in Greenbelt 5 is part of the LGC group of restaurants which include Abe, Abe's Farm, Bistro Remedios, Bollywood, Fely J's, Bistro Burgos, Larry's Cafe and Bar, In the Mood Ballroom Dancing, Cafe Adriatico, Ang Hang, Cafe Havana and Solana Restaurant.

The ambiance is very Filipino and traditional. I loved the chandelier and the wine rack. The waiters are very attentive, as well. The restrooms are also very clean and also carries that 'Filipino home' design.



For appetizer, we suggest that you order the Baked Cheesy Spinach and Banana Blossom Dip (Php 225), even if they already have a glass of bread sticks on the table. If you like Cibo's spinach dip, you will like this. This dip is made out of spinach, banana blossom, mushroom, and cheese topped with roasted garlic and parmesan cheese. They serve a bowl full but the bread is not enough if you want to finish the dip. You can order bread or just ask for additional bread sticks.

We also ordered the Beef Tenderloin Salpicao, not as an appetizer though, but already one of our main dishes. This dish is a favorite at Cafe Havana, one of the sister restaurants. Personally, it wasn't a favorite of ours though. It was too flavorful for us. It tasted like Worcestershire sauce and garlic. It was probably made that way to serve as a 'pulutan' or a dish that would go well with alcoholic beverages.


Beef Tenderloin Salpicao (Php 360)

My favorite though was the Binukadkad na Pla-Pla. I love the presentation and the taste of the fish. It was fresh even if it was fried - the outside was crispy but the inside was still juicy. It was served with Pampanga fermented rice (balo-balo) and fresh mustard leaves. It was a good combination since it gave the fish added taste.


Binukadkad na Pla-pla (Php 385)

During our recent visit, we ordered Pigeon Adobo con Ajo. I think I have a new favorite! This is a dish with two pigeons. It's stewed adobo-styled then fried. I normally, do not eat rice that much, but with this dish you will love to partner this with a whole lot of rice.


Pigeon Adobo con Ajo (Php 695)

Of course, we have our healthy suggestion. For this restaurant, try the Teriyaki Mushroom and Tofu Kebab. One order comes in three sticks. The tofu is cooked just right, not to soggy and not too firm as well. The mushrooms are delish! If you are a vegan, this is a good dish to try and enjoy!


Teriyaki Mushroom and Tofu Kebab (Php 195)

Of course with the meals we ordered rice, but we got the Bamboo rice and Dilis-cious rice. The Bamboo rice is fried rice mixed with bamboo shoots, shrimp, chicken and wood ear mushrooms. This is served on top of bamboo - love the presentation! This is a favorite in our family. The Dilis-cious rices is plain jasmin rice topped with fried dilis. If you want an alternative to plain rice (since fried rice may have too much flavor), you will like this!


Bamboo Rice (Php 240) / Dilis-cious Rice (Php 195)

For dessert, try the Mango and Almond Panna Cotta (Php 195). It's just what you want after a heavy meal. The dessert is not too sweet, as well. I ordered the Teapuccino. It's earl grey tea latte. For those, who love tea lattes, you should try this.

Contact Details:
Lorenzo's Way
G/F, Greenbelt 5 Ayala Center,
Makati City, Philippines
Telephone: +632.729.0047 | +632.729.0013

Here's a clickable, draggable, zoomable map to Greenbelt 5 (note that Greenbelt 5 is not yet in Google Maps -- it's the area across Greenbelt Park from Greenbelt 3):

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Global Pinoy Bazaar @ Rockwell Tent

Filipinos unite! Let's support our local products. For this season, why not spend it on products made in the Philippines. You will helping a lot of people and helping our nation!

There is a bazaar tomorrow at the Rockwell tent. It's called the Global Pinoy Bazaar. It will run for two days - November 14 and 15 (Saturday and Sunday).

The bazaar is participated on by entrepreneurs who have the burning desire to prove to their fellow Filipinos, and also the world, that quality-made Filipino products are already at par, if not better, than pricey foreign brands (quoted Yabang Pinoy).

I am posting this, since I believe that we should start patronizing our own products. I believe in the causes of these groups.

For more information, check out this site:
http://www.yabangpinoy.com/globalpinoy/about.htm

Here's a map to the Rockwell Powerplant Mall (it's zoomable, draggable, clickable, etc-able):

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Greenhills Tiangge and Baker's Fair Diced Mongo

Just a reminder, people! Greenhills Tiangge will be open by tomorrow, November 13, 2009. So if you are planning to do your Christmas shopping and if you frequent the place during this season, you may already do so!

We were there yesterday, since we tried to check out if the 'tiangge' was already open. Since it was still closed, we passed by Baker's fair and we bought our favorite - Monggo Hopia. If you haven't tried their Hopia, you are missing a lot!



A whole pack or tray of diced monggo hopia is at Php 70.00. They do sell them individually also at Php 3.50 a piece. They also have the circular hopia in monggo and ube. One tray of that variant is at Php 75.oo.

So go dash to Greenhills for Christmas shopping and christmas shopping snack to go with it! :)

Johnny Rockets

The Original Hamburger



That is the diner's tagline. I think each of us would have our own concept of what the original hamburger would be. Probably, for most of us, it would still be either Jollibee or McDonalds. But to help you understand the origins of the "hamburger", I will quote some facts from a page from Johnny Rocket's site:

- The hamburger originated with the Mongolian and Turkish tribes (known as Tartars) who began shredding beef to enhance the flavor.
- May is National Hamburger Month.
- The hamburger's original name was "Hamburg Steak."
- Johnny Rockets served its first hamburger on June 6, 1986. All Johnny Rockets' hamburgers are made with fresh, 100% beef patties and are hand-pressed and grilled to perfection.
- The Guinness Record for most hamburgers eaten within ten minutes was 21 burgers including the buns, each weighing 98 grams.

Check out more facts at http://www.johnnyrockets.com/themenu/hamburgerfacts.php

Johnny Rockets just opened its first outlet here in Manila, Philippines this third quarter 2009. It was built in the new Eastwood mall, ground level. The ambiance would give you the typical 'diner' atmosphere with the jukebox where people can play music.

For the menu, they of course serve hamburgers, which have 1/3 pound 100% pure ground beef, seasoned and grilled. Prices range from Php 285 for the Original to Php 595 for Smoke House Double. They also have starters, other types of sandwiches, like the Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich at Php 385. They also have mini trios (sliders, hotdogs and chili cheese dogs), salads and beverages (shakes, etc.).



I had the Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich. I liked the unique taste it had. It was a bit "pepper-y". The juice of the chicken would get squeezed out with every bite. I like how the chicken breast was grilled. It was not over cooked or under grilled. I had it with salad instead of fries (you are given the choice to match it with bottomless salad or fries).



The salad was not that exceptional. I had it with Honey Mustard sauce. The Fries were really 'potato like' and not very oily, although feedback from our family was that it was a bit bland. The onion rings were mostly flour -- almost just 1 onion layer thin within the batter -- but enjoyable crunchy and tasty. Ketchup was served differently. They would give you small containers with a happy face drawn using ketchup. This is the container that you would use to fill with ketchup from the pump container placed at your table already.



I would say that this is a good diner to go to when you are not on a tight budget since the burgers are pretty pricey. Also, the relaxed atmosphere and the non pretentious food makes this a good place to for a nice weekend dinner with the family.

details:
Ground Floor, Eastwood Mall
Across Il Pirata

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EchoStore

Sustainable Lifestyle



We should all be thinking about how we can help save the environment already. The past storms (I can hardly keep track already) have already been a wake up call for us to try and do good things already that would help save our country, our earth and each other.

I admire the makers of this one store in Serendra. The store is called EchoStore, which has the philisophy embracing a holistic philosophy of harmony with one's Self, the greater Community and the Environment. All the products that they sell are natural, organic, recyclable and earth friendly. ECHO is short for Environment and Community Hope Organization.



In the shelves are seen the three owners of this store and what their favorite products are. These three are Reena Francisco (Operations, Finance, Product Development), Jeannie E. Javelosa (Communications, Product Sourcing and Events) and Chit Juan (Marketing and Organizational Interface).

When you enter their store, you would notice that they have various products. Their store actually got me curious that's why we entered. I noticed that their products were local products, that made me and EJ love their store more. Upon reading their site when we got home, these products are environment friendly, sustain marginalized, indigenous and creative communities, support poverty alleviation programs, are created with fair labor practices, are animal-friendly, express Filipino design excellence.

It was a good feeling that we bought from that store. The first thing we bought was Coco Naturale. It's sugar extracted from coconut. We first saw this product when we had dinner at Via Mare with Bishop Bacani. He noticed the sugar substitute and he wanted to buy the product. We remembered him so we bought a box for him at the EchoStore. Obviously, this is a great place to get gifts for the person who has everything or doesn't want anything. :)

The other product we bought was Uncle Robert's Charcoal Char-Sorber. This is for taking out the odor from stuffy closets, refrigerators, shoes, cars, etc. EJ tried it in his shoe closet and it was pretty effective.



They also have GC's available that you can give as gifts. They also have packs that they suggest for gifts.



Even the bags that they use for the stuff that you buy are recycled.



They also have a cafe inside the store. They call it EchoCafe. They sell cold and hot drinks, juices, malunggay pan de sal sandwiches, sampler sets, snack sets, pizza crisps, melts and pastries.



I highly recommend this store when you buy your Christmas gifts. You will be helping a lot of people, plus you will be helping the environment.

Contact details:

EchoStore shares space with Kape Isla, Home of Philippine Coffee
G/F Serendra Piazza, McKinley Parkway
Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Tel.: 901-3485
E-mail feedback on EchoStore to Jeannie Javelosa at jej.echolifestyle.store@gmail.com
E-mail inquiries about products to echolifestyle.store@gmail.com
Website: http://www.echostore.ph

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The Healthy Kitchen

"eat well, feel good"



We're back! During our trip, we actually thought of you, our readers. And yes, it was our honeymoon. That's how much we care for you!

Since we care for you, we will be reviewing a lot of healthy alternatives in each of the restaurants in the metropolis.

It's good to be back, but what I miss most about Italy is their pizza. Their pizza is baked in loads and loads of wood and they only use olive oil, and not butter. The cheese that they use for the really good pizza is buffalo cheese and their best seller is their Margherita Pizza, whose toppings are only basil leaves and fresh tomatoes. Their tomatoes are so juicy, that when you prick it with a fork, the juice spurts out.

I longed for it that why when we went to Serendra, we tried the Margarita Pizza in The Healthy Kitchen. Their version used tomato sauce, pesto sauce, fresh tomatoes and organic fresh mozzarella. It was also baked (in an oven though). I have to say, that it was pretty good, too! I loved that they places pesto sauce. The flavors blended well. The only thing that I noticed is that they serve the pizza sliced and when you remove a piece, the end part is a bit soggy so it droops. This is probably because the pizza is thin crust. They should thicken the crust (but just a little bit).


Pizza Margarita (Php 220.00)

We also ordered the Father oops Monsignor James Salad. By the way, cute name! The story, according to what was written on the menu, is that the friend priest of the owners combined two of the priest's favorite on the menu at Brown Bag in Guam, pesto chicken and the mango salad. The priest is now a monsignor, that's why they had to change the name. This dish is served with a house made berry vinaigrette. EJ loved the sauce.


Father oops Monsignor James Salad (Php 295.00)
Make it vegan with Pesto Tofu (Php 250.00)

I didn't actually read this story until now in my camera but in the restaurant, when I first tried to analyze the dish, I wondered how such different tasting ingredients could not compete in taste. When I had my first mouthful, I was surprised that the different tastes did not clash. You should definitely try this dish. I saw why it was Father oops Monsignor James favorite salad.



Contact details:
The Healthy Kitchen
C 141 Serendra Place, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City
Tel. Nos.: 9006514 / 9006780

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Congratulations EJ + Ginger!

Manilareviews has been awfully quiet lately mainly because the family was super busy having a grand time at the Carnival-themed wedding of Manilareviews' own, EJ and Ginger!

Congratulations, best wishes and all the best to you two!

more pics of the two here from the amazing Dino Lara

ej & ginger - same day edit from phoeben teocson on Vimeo.