Traditional Goes Non-Trad: Mooncakes with a Twist at Vikings

Vikings celebrates the Mid-Autumn festival with a cool non-traditional tradition...

Every weekend for the month of September, Vikings offers a line of innovative and unique mooncake creations, along with traditional mooncakes, to celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival. Savory, sweet, and definitely different, adding to your list of must-try dishes at Vikings.

Savouring the Ippudo Experience in Every Sip

The ramen wars go into high gear, with the entry of another iconic name to the local food scene...

Ippudo, Japan's legendary ramen chain, officially opens today, September 10, 2014, at the SM Mega Fashion Hall, serving its signature Hakata-style pork-based tonkotsu ramen.

Slammin' It at Slammin' Mini-Burgers + Fries + Dips

It's true. Big flavors do come in small packages. At Slammin' Mini-Burgers + Fries + Dips, "Mini" doesn't mean just bite-sized...prepare yourself for a feast of epic "mini" proportions.

The mini-burgers may appear deceptively small, but two of these babies at Slammin' Mini-Burgers + Fries + Dips add up to a little more than the average quarter-pound burger, and three mini-burgers comes out larger than the usual 1/3 burger. And there's nothing "mini" when it comes to flavors...

Ceviche, Kinilaw, and Chicharrones at Patricio's Cevicheria

The sweet and briny notes of the freshest seafood with the sharp and refreshing layers of tartness and acidity, familiar flavors celebrated around the world with the iconic ceviche dishes of South America, the traditional Poke from Hawaii, and the numerous regional versions of Kinilaw, all in one place. Welcome to Patricio's Cevicheria...

Owned and managed by Pat and Pia Roa, Patricio's Cevicheria is one of those off-the-grid, hole-in-the-wall restaurants to add to your must-try list. Specializing in the freshest ceviche and kinilaw dishes, Patricio's Cevicheria is definitely worth the drive off the beaten path, far away from the familiar hub of restaurants.

LULU Restaurant: Elegant Dining Comes to Salcedo Village

Somethin's cookin' at Salcedo Village...LULU Restaurant, one of the iconic dining establishments in Rockwell, recently relocated to a new spot in Salcedo Village, making it one of the must-try dining destinations in the area's culinary revival.  

After a few rounds of cocktails at Hooch (see my previous post on Hooch by LULU Restaurant here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2014/09/blood-and-sand-and-old-fashioned-at.html), we passed through the sliding glass door, and entered the elegant and spacious area of LULU Restaurant's new location. The warm amber glow of LULU Restaurant's interior is welcoming and comforting, with a formal grace and elegance in contrast with the hip and cool vibe of Hooch. The unique set-up is perfect, where you can enjoy a few drinks in a proper bar before dinner at LULU Restaurant.

Blood and Sand and an Old-Fashioned at Hooch

Something old and something new. An Old-Fashioned at the newest bar in Salcedo Village...make that another round, please. 

Named after and inspired by the common slang for alcohol during the Prohibition-era, Hooch by LULU Restaurant is one of the newest bars at Salcedo Village, and a perfect place for a drink or two to end the day. Or start the night.

The Southern Favorites Platter at Racks

Pork or chicken? Why not have both...

The Southern Favorites Platter (P 1,295 good for four) from Racks, with a half rack of classic Pork Ribs, half Southern Fried Chicken, with your choice of any two large sides, a platter of rice (a really hefty sized platter good for four or more), and a pitcher of Coke. Classic Southwestern flavors, pork ribs and chicken, all in one platter.

At Home at Marmalade Kitchen

Learn. Cook. Indulge. Welcome to the Marmalade Kitchen...

The Marmalade Kitchen is Chef Aileen Anastacio's newest concept, adding to her long list of successful ventures including Goodies n' Sweets (the Cappuccino Mousse still rocks!), publishing and others. At Marmalade Kitchen, Chef Aileen Anastacio serves a selection of personal favorites, uncomplicated and unpretentious, just classic comforting dishes. Just make yourself at home at Marmalade Kitchen, and let Chef Aileen and her staff do the rest...

Turning Japanese with a Spin at Nomama Artisanal Ramen Capitol Commons

Japanese cuisine with a cool and inventive spin, and you can definitely expect the unexpected. Blending traditional and authentic Japanese flavors with a bit of creative fun, the dishes at Nomama are not your mama's usual Japanese dishes, not at all. Refreshingly new and different, yet there is a comforting familiarity that keeps you coming back... 

At Nomama Artisanal Ramen, one finds a harmonious and flavorful balance in each of the unique dishes, with just the right amount of play, and that distinct global spin that can only come from Chef Him Uy de Baron (for more on Nomama Artisanal Ramen's creative take on Japanese cuisine, see my previous post here at  http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2013/10/nomama-artisanal-ramen-turns-two.html). Traditional it isn't, nor is it way too off the left field of fusion. But right there in the center, with balanced flavors.

A Mid-Autumn Festival Feast at Crystal Jade Dining IN

The arrival of the autumnal equinox and the full moon signals the start of traditional festivities, and a good time to take stock, and thank the countless blessings of the year with family and friends. It's time to harmonize unions and say thanks. It's time for good times and mooncakes. And it's time to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with special dishes created by Chinese master chefs at Crystal Jade Dining IN... 

A traditional Chinese harvest festival, the Mid-Autumn celebration brings families and friends together in thanksgiving for the many blessings of the year. And there's no better way to celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival than with a traditional and flavorful six-course feast at Crystal Jade Dining IN at The Fort.