Ba-Be-Q Korean Charcoal Grill at Makati Ave.

I used to be very apprehensive in trying Korean dishes way back when I started this food blog. But as my food writing experiences progress, I have learned to embrace and love the distinct flavor that Korean dishes has to offer. Korean restaurants sprouting here in Manila helped a lot as it opened my palate to new and exciting flavors of their culture. I admit that I am still starting my journey in exploring Korean dishes, and I am definitely enjoying the ride.

Recently, I was introduced to Ba-Be-Q Korean Charcoal Grill located at Makati Ave. I am quite familiar with their location at Makati A.Venue Mall since I always frequent to The Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf just right beside it.  I know for a fact that within the area, there are a lot of Korean restaurants in every corner.  Thus, I was surprised by the spunk and the courage of this new player in the field for holding itself with pride amidst the amateurs.  And I can perfectly understand the guts, because despite being a newbie, Ba-Be-Q Korean Charcola Grill restaurant has its own charm that will surely make its diners fall in love with it.

As compare to other Korean restaurants I usually frequent to, Ba-Be-Q Korean Charcoal Grill restaurant aims to make its diner experience a street-style Korean gastronomical experience. This goal is very apparent in its funky ambiance reminiscent of streets and alley ways in Korea.  

Chops Chicago Steakhouse in Greenbelt 5 Makati City: Executive Lunch and More!

Ever since Chops Chicago Steakhouse opened its door and dive to Philippines' restaurant scene friends who share the same passion for meat had been prodding me to give it a try and write recommendations here on my blog.  The past few months was crazy busy for me so it was only recently that I get to visit Chops located at Greenbelt 5 in Makati City when they introduced their Executive Lunch Set Menu to some Manila bloggers.

I was told by some foodies who have tried it before that indeed they do serve great tasting steaks that will surely satisfy one's inner carnivore. I only got to try the power lunch promo they are currently offering alongside some items which they deem as some of their bestsellers. It's too early to decide but with my short stay and judging from the dishes I have tasted particularly the Wisconsin Beef Tenderloin included on the set menu, I could say that they are one of the best restaurants that serves great steaks here in Manila. 

Then again, I have not tried some of the cuts they are offering so I am looking forward to a more extensive food review hopefully soon. Meanwhile, let me share with you my take on their Executive Lunch Set Menu and some of the dishes we feasted on.

Holdak : Go Crazy Over Crunchy Boneless Korean Fried Chicken!

Truth be told, Korean fried chicken craze is not over yet. And I am still crazy about them. While there have been number of places offering this delectable way of frying our good ol' chicken, sadly there are only few which hit the right button for me. I think it's pretty obvious since there are only few which I wrote about here at YedyLicious.  (No room for bad and lukewarm reviews here unless it's really called for. I only celebrate all things beautiful and delicious in life thank you very much.)

So, when a friend introduced me to this new restaurant named Holdak which specializes in Korean fried chicken, I moved mountains just so I can fit the meet up in my crazy schedule.  I am glad I did because honestly, for me, Holdak dishes out the best Korean fried chicken in Manila I have ever tasted in such a long time! And I am not exaggerating here, mind you, I have my reasons. Stay with me and you would know.

Located at the ground level of Mezza Residences in Aurora Blvd. Quezon City right across Central Colleges of The Philippines near SM Centerpoint, Holdak occupies what used to be a Californiaberry spot in the area.  They are the master franchise of Holdak which hails from Busan South Korea. While the place exudes an inviting vibes, it was the food that really got me head over heels with them.

Early Bird Breakfast Club at The Fort: Beautiful Breakfast. Morning, Noon, and Night

Rarely do I encounter restaurants which serve all day breakfast fare.  While I am not a morning person, I am big when it comes to breakfast. So, even if I woke up at three o'clock in the afternoon, breakfast meal is still the first thing that comes to mind.  I know some places that dishes out breakfast goodies anytime of the day, but I deem that they do it just for the sake of it (read: profit). And I am talking about big fat satisfying breakfast here.  There are few which serves decent enough brekky and well, that's just about it. Seriously, breakfast is sacred, I cannot accept 'decent enough' so to speak. Eat like a king for breakfast, remember?.

Then recently I was introduced to this new restaurant located at The Fort that specializes in breakfast meals served morning, noon, and night. Aptly named "Early Bird Breakfast Club", it serves downright satisfying brekky dishes in an ambiance that screams "good morning sunshine" in your face.  If all clubs are like this, I wouldn't mind being a lifetime member!

With a promise of serving beautiful breakfast all day everyday, Early Bird Breakfast Club is open every Sunday to Thursday from 7am to 10pm, and 24 hours every Friday and Saturday.  Party goers from nearby URBN Bar and early morning joggers at The Fort serve as its target market but everyone is very much welcome to visit and take their fair share of the beautiful breakfast that they offer.

Long Bar at Raffles Hotel in Makati

When you have an alcohol tolerance of an infant and were invited to have a pre-dinner cocktail at the first ever famed Long Bar outside Singapore, you should not have any other option but to say yes and man up. Yes, life is short. So, even if you are headed to an expectedly wonderful buffet at Spectrum in Fairmont, you should suck the morrow out of life and dig in.

You see, the world famous Long Bar originated at Raffles Hotel in Singapore. The opening of this luxury hotel here in the Philippines opened a door for us to enjoy their famous Singapore Sling and other drinks without the need to stamp our passports. Great, right? It’s almost a sin to pass up.

While gone are the days when I could easily drown on alcoholic drinks like it’s nobody’s business ( I can only tolerate wines and nothing else these days, I know I am weird that way), the time spent at Long Bar was well worth it.  I was able to sample their iconic Singapore Sling alongside other drinks that instantly became one of the reasons why I would want to go back at Raffles.

Exciting New Drinks at Serenitea

During the time when milk tea craze was just starting to hit our country by storm, there's only one brand that I would always go to when milk tea craving hits me, Serenitea.  I am not sure about the history but I would like to believe that it was Serenitea that started such craze that people heed to up to this day.  After all, it was Serenitea that started MY addiction to milk teas.

Recently, I was invited ( shout out to my foodie friend frannywanny!) to try exciting new drinks which will be launched by Serenitea come the end of February 2013.  Although they are known to dish out impressive lines of milk tea variants, Serenitea still keeps on coming up with new flavors to satisfy their customers. No wonder that they are still on top of their game up to this day!

The night of what I deemed as a taste test at Serenitea San Juan Branch turned out to be a milk tea party, much to my heart's delight.  We were served with six variants of new drinks to try and some delicious Serenitea snacks to much on while we're at it.