#PoblacionHop: A Food and Art Hop at Makati's Poblacion with Hop Inn Makati Avenue

It was more than just a food crawl. It was a memorable immersion into one of Makati's vibrant communities...

Hop Inn Makati Avenue, in cooperation with Tralulu, recently hosted a walking tour of Poblacion's blossoming food and art scene providing key insights on the community's unique vibe and pulse. The diverse flavors and emerging art movement combine for an immersive experience in a dynamic and constantly evolving neighborhood. Founded with a rich history with one foot firmly maintaining the tradition and legacy of its storied past and another boldly advancing a step forward, Poblacion remains one of the metro's hidden gems. Take a peek and read on, or hop on, to another side of Makati's unique sights and flavors with Hop Inn Makati Avenue's Poblacion Hop... 

King Chef Dim Sum Kitchen: The Ultimate Dim Sum Destination at SM City North Edsa

On a rainy day like this, there's just nothing quite like a soothing cup of tea, a steaming hot bowl of noodles, and a variety of dim sum for a sumptuous feast...

Why stop with just a bowl of noodles when you can go the whole nine yards with a selection of dim sum to complete your meal? And when you're at SM City North Edsa, head on over to the #ultimatediningdestination at King Chef Dim Sum Kitchen...  

Soup's On: Ombu Kusina's Sinabawan Specials

When it pours, a steaming bowl of soup always hits the spot. Rain or shine, the Sinabawan Special at Ombu Kusina is one cool deal...

Ombu Kusina offers its comforting Sinabawan Specials for the whole month of September, 2017, featuring local favorites such as Sinigang na Baboy, Binakol na Manok, and Sinigang na Salmon sa Miso paired with an appetizer, steamed rice, dessert and house brewed iced tea in one sumptuous meal...

A Delightful Feast for the Senses with Crystal Dragon's New Dim Sum Creations

Intricate and tasty bite-sized pieces of steamed or fried pockets of heaven, it's really impossible to resist the wide variety of steamers with freshly prepared dim sum. Tracing its roots from the Silk Road, the iconic Cantonese delicacy which literally translates to "touch the heart," is elevated to a whole new level by Executive Chinese Chef Bong Jun Choi and his team with their new dim sum creations at City of Dreams Manila's Crystal Dragon...  

A refreshing sip of tea followed by the fresh and vibrant notes of delicate dim sum is always a welcome treat, and Crystal Dragon at City of Dreams Manila masterfully recreates authentic dim sum with an innovative flair that first feeds the eyes before the palate for a sensory dining experience like no other. Read on for a few visual bites of Crystal Dragon's new dim sum creations...  

#CIBO20: Cibo Marks Twenty Years of Real Italian Flavors

The United Kingdom returns Hong Kong to Chinese rule, Microsoft becomes the world's most valuable company, Mike Tyson goes for a bite instead of a punch, Titanic becomes a global blockbuster, a royal fairy tale ends with Princess Diana's tragic accident and Steve Jobs returns to Apple. The year 1997 featured both highs and lows, definitely interesting times... 

It was also that same year when Chef Margarita Fores introduced real and authentic Italian flavors with the opening of Cibo, her take on a modern caffe-paninoteca. Countless servings of Cibo's very own antipasti, zuppe, insalate, paste, pizze, secondi platti, dolci, and bevande became a special part of our daily routine, satisfying and nourishing our appetites and warming the heart with each visit. Twenty years later, Cibo remains as popular as ever, with even more good things yet to come. 

A New Menu and More Reasons to Celebrate at Applebee's...

Now there's more reasons to #celebrateeverything at Applebee's. Get ready to savor the next wave of flavorful celebrations with an all-new menu at Applebee's Grill and Bar... 

Applebee's Grill and Bar recently launched its sumptuous new menu including appetizers, salads, pasta, chicken, seafood, burgers, handhelds, and desserts plus their own inventive take on local flavors. Read on and take a flavorful peek at Applebee's new menu...

Yes, More Pizza Please. At Salvatore Cuomo & Bar's Anniversary Special Pizza & Lunch Buffet

It's a deal that's just too good to pass up...

Hearty and authentic pizza fresh from the ovens and comforting pasta dishes in a sumptuous buffet spread, go all-out with Salvatore Cuomo & Bar's impressive Anniversary Special Pizza & Lunch Buffet daily for only P 600 (Monday to Friday) and P 900 per person (Saturday, Sunday, Holidays).

Freshly Baked, at Cafe Maxims...

"Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts."

James Beard, noted American culinary author, mentor, and the "Dean of American cookery," perfectly described the simple pleasures and joys of bread. A visit to Cafe Maxims at Resorts World Manila's Maxim Hotel offered the day's fresh picks from the ovens...

Home Again...at Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen.

Finally, Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen comes to the north...

...and you're home again to classic, comforting and homestyle Italian flavors. Ever since my first time at Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen and Nonna's Pasta & Pizzeria at Nuvali, I've always hoped that they would expand to the north one day. Apparently, that was all in the pipeline, with new branches in UP Town Center, Ayala Malls Vertis North, and Ayala Malls The 30th in Pasig City. Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen is now much closer to home...

One More Bowl: Sweeter This Time Around at Cafe Sweet Inspirations

Back then, it was all the rage. Bowl after bowl, it was a culinary trend that defined an era of consumerism with more bang for the buck. Years later, it's still a deal that's pretty much hard to resist. The popularity of the Mongolian barbecue buffet may have waned these past few years, and few of the restaurants built around the concept remains. But somehow, the concept still works. And it's definitely sweeter this time around with one more bowl...at Cafe Sweet Inspirations.

For over twenty years, Cafe Sweet Inspirations has served bowl after bowl of their signature Mongolian Rice Bowls along Katipunan Avenue, and the long lines for the buffet continue to reflect the enduring popularity of this iconic establishment. And it still tastes as good as my first ever bowl so many years ago...