Pollo a la Brasa & Barley Risotto of Viajé by Kev

Today, I woke up having in mind one of the best meals I've had this year so far - the Pollo a la Brasa set and the Barley Risotto with mushroom, bacon, and leeks from Viajé by Kev. I had it on a lunch time one Friday and as what a great meal could do, it literally washed away all the stress of the week and made me hanker for endless possibilities of good meals in the coming days. 

I could say it was the kind of meal that do not just nourishes the body, but feed the soul as well. 

There's a lot of things that's already been written on the internet about chef Kevin Uy and his brainchild Viajé. Just a few clicks in the world wide web and you would know that Viajé by Kev is an interpretation of what chef Kevin Uy learned for having been exposed to many cultures from his travels and work experiences - with heavy emphasis on bringing adventure to the plate. 

Madden & Me Kitchen Low Carb Homemade Chocolate Truffle & Toffee Choco Almond Crunch

I was recently introduced to Madden & Me's Low Carb Homemade Chocolate Truffle & Toffee Choco Almond Crunch, and while I am not the type to regret about things, when I took a first bite of the truffle, the only thing that was running in my head was where have this truffle been all my life? It was so good I almost cannot forget myself for trying it out just now. 

According to their Facebook page, Madden & Me Kitchen have been serving goodness since 2017. Why it hasn't crossed my radar all these years was a puzzle to me. Totally underrated, this amazing chocolate. 

Silcafe Freshly Roasted Coffee: Local Coffee You Should Try #LoveLocal

Where I am currently at, the weather is so nice and cold all day - for someone who is never a big fan of Summer, it's simply heaven on earth. What makes each cold morning even perfect for me is a cup of freshly brewed coffee. I have a lot of favorite coffee, and recent addition to the list is Silcafe Freshly Roasted Coffee. 

A proudly Philippine product, Silcafe Freshly Roasted Coffee hails from Silang Cavite. Their coffee blends consists of 100% pure and natural Arabica, Robusta, and our very own Philippine Barako Coffee.

Saigon Corner PH [Quarantine Eats Series | Home Food Delivery]

I think one of the many effects of this on-going community quarantine on me is the constant craving for different cuisines especially those which I rarely cook at home. If you've been a regular here on my blog (thank you!), you know for a fact that I can whip up Filipino and Korean cuisines in no time. Vietnamese cuisine on the other hand has always been an uncharted territory. So, when there is a chance to feast on one, be it in a restaurant, a party, a food delivery, I make it a point to bask on its glorious flavors. 

Recently, Saigon Corner PH sent me some of their Vietnamese food offerings. With the pandemic in place, Saigon Corner PH is one of those restaurants that offers food delivery service in order for us to enjoy delicious Vietnamese food right at the comfort of our home. 

Saigon Corner PH is located at  Sgt. Esguerra in Quezon City. I haven't been to their restaurant but when situation permits, it is one of those restaurants on top of my list that I should visit. They offer variety of Vietnamese cuisine prepared by Chef Trung who is said to be trained and proven in Vietnam and Japan. 

Belly Jaw's Seafoods and More! and Cheatday Frozen Meat & Seafood Supply [ Quarantine Eats Series | Home Food Delivery]

If you have been reading this blog for quite a while now, you would probably have an idea how much I love seafood. I have co-authored a book, a restaurant guide published by Hinge Inquirer way back, and my section of the food was all about seafood. Given a choice between meat and seafood, I always pick seafood in a heartbeat.

Given this, I am excited to write about and share with you a recent discovery, Belly Jaw's Seafood and More and its sister business Cheatday Frozen Meat and Seafood Supply.

This blog post is part of my Quarantine Eats Series - a collection of food I enjoyed via home food delivery services during this time of quarantine. Since like most of you, I am pretty much a hermit these days working from home and not leaving the house unless necessary. As a food blogger, I thrive on home food delivery these days especially when time and energy does not permit me to slave away in my kitchen.

Sugar and Tea Milktea [Quarantine Eats Series | Home Food Delivery]

Nope, we are not yet done sharing milk tea brand discoveries here on the blog despite the bouts of rain we are getting lately, nope. Especially when I haven't shared with you yet a recent milk tea shop which saved the day and made me happy when all other milk tea big names tagged my place as out of coverage for delivery. 

I am talking about Sugar and Tea Milktea. And when in Rizal, specifically Antipolo and upper Angono, this is something you might want to try when trying to curb that milk tea cravings. 

I have mentioned Sugar and Tea Milktea in my previous blog post about the food and drinks which I have tried while we are in the quarantine period. I know most of you my dear readers are crazy about milk tea, so let's go dive deep about this recent discovery. 

Quarantine Eats: Good Food Finds While Supporting Local Food Businesses In Our Community #SupportLocal

So, what have you been eating during this quarantine period? If you have been a longtime reader, you would know for a fact that aside from reviewing good food finds and restaurants in Manila, I also love to cook - I have a YouTube channel for my recipes, to support that claim. Given the quarantine set in the country, one would expect that food bloggers like myself would resort into showcasing our home cooking skills. That will happen, of course, in this blog. But then again, despite the lockdown, there are still good food finds you can have delivered in your home well worth sharing. 

This blog is about that, yes. Most importantly, this blog is about showing support to our local businesses who are fighting their way to thrive in this situation we are in. 

As you may have known, main focus of this blog for the longest time to feature restaurants and hotels in Manila. Since I am currently in my hometown during this lockdown, it is high time to take advantage of the situation and support our local food businesses that we have here by purchasing food from them when kitchen's a bit to hot to deal with. 

FamTea Milk Tea PH: Affordable and Delicious Milk Tea

Pluviophile that I am, I have never loved summer the way I am loving it now. Perhaps because the sun is a constant source of feel-good endorphins that's a big help especially these days when we are in a community quarantine. And you know what's one of the things I love about Summer? Those thirst quenching drinks that's serve as a respite from the heat. Just like milk teas.

I was recently introduced to FamTea Milk Tea and upon knowing their price point of as low as Php50, I was a bit skeptical. But I gave in anyway. And I'm glad I did because FamTea Milk Tea is one of the most delicious yet very very affordable milk teas I have tried. 

While I love variety of milk tea brands, most of which are in my opinion a bit overpriced. Not all people can afford a Php180 serving of milk tea especially in this economic crisis, hence, those affordable but good quality milk teas, I believe should be given highlights. 

Strawberry Shortcake by Cara Mia: Your Perfect Cake this Valentine Season

Looking for a perfect cake this Valentine season? Worry no more, because Cara Mia PH, the authority in the Philippines when it comes to delicious cakes and gelato, has once again brought back their well-loved Strawberry Shortcake. Perfect for the Valentine's day, right? 

Tucked in between layers of light chiffon cake are slices of sweet strawberries married with whipped cream that makes every bite a declaration of love. So simple, yet downright delicious. 

As this Strawberry Shortcake by Cara Mia is a seasonal cake on the menu, I highly encourage you to go grab a box or two - one for you and one for that special one of yours. 

Fuwa Fuwa Bread: Your Delicious Fluffy Snacks On-The-Go

First time I learned about Fuwa Fuwa bread was from my nephews - one is 5 and the other one is 9. Their affinity for bread, I believe they got from me. But kids these days are amazing that most of the time, they beat me into having first dibs on new break products available in the market. Such is the case with Fuwa Fuwa Bread.

You see, I woke up one day and both of them were both making lambing to me to buy them this Fuwa Fuwa loaf bread they had the other day. I don't even what Fuwa Fuwa was until they talked me into bringing them at nearest 711 and there I found what was one of the cutest bread packagings I laid my eyes on. I as sold.

Aside from the packaging, I was drawn into how soft and fluffy the bread was. Fuwa Fuwa by the way means fluffy - how apt. So from then on, we always have Fuwa Fuwa bread at home. The kids love the loaf series which they would smother with their choice of spread and they also love the milk and caramel mini loaf which they would eat with a glass of their favorite chocolate drinks. While I myself is particularly fond of their Whole Wheat Loaf. 

McDonald's Flavors of Japan with Twister Fries

I Love McDonald's Flavors of Japan especially the Ebi Burger. I cannot remember how many Flavors of Japan meal at McDo I have consumed after they launched it. It's a treat almost every other day until most of the stores have slowly ran out of the Ebi Burger. Now the good news is that the McDonald's Flavors of Japan is back for its Autumn edition and along came the return of the well-loved Twister Fries!

I've yet to meet someone who does not love McDonald's Twister Fries, but on the second thought, I probably never will because hey, what's not to love about the Twister Fries? 

Homemade Korean Kimchi and Gourmet Tuyo by L'Shef Food

Yesterday, I received a bottle of Homemade Korean Kimchi and a Bottle of Gourmet Tuyo from Shela of L'Shef Food. L'Shef Food is a manufacturer and national distributor of gourmet food products. I was told that they are about to launch their new products, the bottled Korean Kimchi and Gourmet Tuyo in the market. They prided themselves by offering Korean Kimchi and Gourmet Tuyo that are all natural and free of preservatives. 

I love kimchi and gourmet tuyo isn't a bad food choice in my book either hence, I was glad try out the products.

5 Reasons Why I Love Sarangani Bay Premium Bangus

If you've been around the blog for a while now, you probably know that I love seafood. There are plenty of blog posts here that features seafood from variety of restaurants in Manila and beyond that I have been to. And I even co-authored a book wherein I talk about the best seafood you can eat when in Manila. So yeah, I love seafood.

Recently, I got to try Sarangani Bay Premium Bangus and let me tell you, upon first bite, I wondered why it took me so long to try this brand. It's really good. 

I am lucky because we have some relatives and family friends who we rely on to whenever we want some fresh bangus, hence, we rarely resort to buying package one in the market. However, having trusted brand to have in our arsenal is not a bad thing. I'm glad I was introduced to Sarangani Bay.

  

8 Reasons Why You Should Buy Instant Pot [Instant Pot Philippines]

Prior to the launch of Instant Pot here in the Philippines, I use my mother's old-school hand-me-down  pressure cooker she acquired from my grandmother. I love the novelty of family heirlooms that survived generations, don't get me wrong. But if you know how are the pressure cooker of yesteryears - safety and all, you would understand why this girl needs some moving on.

The first time that I was introduced to Instant Pot was years ago when an aunt from Ontario let me try a delicious fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs she made in less than an hour with her Instant Pot. That time, I knew I fell in love - with both the ribs and the Instant Pot.

Now that Instant Pot is already here in the Philippines, my love continues. And the more I use it, the more I see how effective and impressive this kitchen appliance is. So in this blog post, I am going to share with you 8 Reasons Why You Should Buy An Instant Pot. Because I'm pretty sure you would love it too.

Instant Pot is Now in the Philippines!

Instant Pot is now here in the Philippines and that is one news I am excited to share. Because let me tell you, whether you love to cook or not too fond of it, Instant Pot can be that one sleek and smart helper in the kitchen we all want to have. Who doesn't want one revolutionary kitchen appliance that can function and replace seven other types of appliances in the kitchen? 

Instant Pot, a smart Electric Pressure Cooker is known and designed to be safe, convenient, and dependable. It has proven to be an effective kitchen appliance and a pretty popular one at that judging by the various Instant Pot-related Facebook groups and pages you can see online. And yes, this best-selling product in Amazon has a cult following. 

Now that Instant Pot is already here in the Philippines, we all got good reason to acquire one or two for ourselves. 

Lay's Salted Egg Potato Chips [Blog Review + YouTube Video]

I've been dodging chips these days ever since my sister have been scaring me out of my wits about the effects of too much sodium and all those nasty things you can find in seemingly innocent snack food in the grocery aisles that beckons. Guess that's what you get if you have a medical practitioner for a sister. 

So, my usual potato chips binge fest while watching my favorite TV series was put into a halt, needless to say. Until Lay's Salted Egg Potato Chips landed on my lap one day. Then I thought to myself, "Girl, calm thyself. Today's a cheat day."

Apparently, Lay's Thailand who is famous for putting out there some innovative potato chips flavor dipped into the salted egg flavor craze. And here's my take on it. 

Create Your Own Cheese Board with Danes Cheese Ball: A New and Fun Christmas Family Tradition

It's the time of the year again. A season when much awaited Christmas traditions are celebrated and followed. If you're a long-time reader, you probably know that part of our family's Christmas tradition is trying out different recipes each of the member have come up with - not necessarily original, but with a personal twist. I have written about that story in one of my Danes Cheese Ball blog posts way back. 

Similac Gain School HMO: Check it Out on Lazada 11-11 SALE!

My nephews are in preschool and our main concern always at this stage in their lives are their health and learning development. It used to stressed us a lot because preschool age is the stage wherein kids immune system is still developing therefore making them more susceptible to sickness like cold, coughs, asthma, allergies, and other infections.  Almost every week, one of them is either down with flu or nursing an allergy. If that scenario is not stressful, I don't know what is. 

What more stressful about it is the fact that the kids are missing the opportunity to enjoy and learn new things at school because of their ailments are keeping them at their beds. The sickness was putting a halt into their learning development and it was really concerning. 

Glucerna SR Triple Care

Living with diabetes is no walk in the park. I should know, my mother has been living with it since her late 40s and she is now in her 60s. As a family, we make it a point to be with her in her journey and not to make her feel alone in dealing with it. Diabetes can be really depressing to deal with, as I was told. One minute your blood sugar is as fine as it can be, and the next thing you know it has suddenly skyrocketed to 500 or dug itself to an equally scary low digits. 

Managing blood sugar level into a balance state is not a piece of cake - no pun intended.  A diabetic patient must always be careful with their food consumption otherwise, their blood sugar can create havoc to their system. Uncontrolled blood sugar can lead to long-term problems and complications to the patient's overall health.

Krispy Kreme Bacon and Cheese Doughnut

Bacon and cheese - two of the most popular comfort food in the world and probably one of the most delicious flavor combinations known to mankind. This awesome combination is currently stealing the spotlight at all Krispy Kreme Philippines branches nationwide with the new product "The Krispy Kreme Bacon and Cheese-Filled Ring Doughnut." 

Krispy Kreme is known for its innovative way of creating amazingly delicious doughnuts flavor variants and clearly they are not stopping anytime soon. Thankfully, because for sure there are hundreds of different flavors are still waiting to hit Krispy Kreme menu.