OTKB: Olive Tree Kitchen and Bar at Bonifacio High Street

I was under the impression that we were royally screwed. If it was the proverbial first date, Olive Tree Kitchen and Bar (OTKB) stood us up. Or so I thought. 

We were sure that we made a reservation under my friend’s name couple of hours before closing time. Yet, when we arrived at OTKB in Bonifacio High Street, no signs of life greeted us. Instead, we found a restaurant with windows covered with what looked like to me as Manila papers. It looked like it is not operational yet. No signage whatsoever aside from a piece of paper plastered on the door that reads “Closed for Training.”

We were dumbfounded at first and when my friend tried calling the number he called hours before to secure the elusive reservation at Olive Tree Kitchen and Bar, no one’s answering the phone. So, we did the unthinkable. We knocked on the door. 

A Revisit to Solace Wine and Dine at Makati City

It was late last year when I was first introduced to Solace Wine and Dine located in Makati City. Memories are still vivid how grateful I was and still am upon discovering this restaurant at Greenbelt area that could provide a peaceful and blissful dining experience away from the usual mall crowd. I admit that I was smitten by the great food that they do serve at Solace Wine and Dine that I even included them on my food article in one of the previous issues of Gala Magazine way back.

Recently, along with some foodie friends, we visited Solace Wine and Dine to sample some of the new items on their menu. Apparently, Solace is now under the wings of chef Philip Golding and they recently had a revamped on their menu that resulted to a more concise and focused line of dishes in contrast to the extensive one they used to have.

Slight revamped on the place also happened. It does posses the same chic vibe to it, only this time, the ambiance is more intimate. Bottles of different wines that reflects their extensive wine list still peppered the place just like it used to, and art works by local artists are now giving aesthetics to an otherwise bare wall.

Cantina Sicilianita along Shaw Blvd. Mandaluyong City

It was a quick visit, an unplanned one. I could have let go of the idea of trying some dishes at Cantina Sicilianita but since I was already in the area, there was no point of not giving in. I have heard a lot about the goodness of authentic Italian cuisine that Cantina Sicilianita located along Shaw Blvd. in Mandaluyong City serves and I have meant to visit them since.While I wished to visit this quaint Italian cafe in the company of several friends, I deemed the unplanned visit was just testing the water.

Cantina Sicilianita which is located in one spot as Rex Bookstore along Shaw Blvd. holds to promise to serve authentic Italian cuisine particularly that of Sicily.

The location is small but therein lies its charm. Peppered with trinkets and decorations that exudes an Italian cafe vibe to it, Cantina Sicilianita's boasts of blown up photos of Sicily plastered on one side of the wall. These photos held together by a wooden frame give an illusion of windows overlooking views of Sicily. The place is relatively small, but comfortable enough to have a decent meal.

Your Tokyo Tokyo Ramen Personality + Giveaway!

With the number of ramen places sprouting in Manila, it is high time for well-known Japanese restaurant Tokyo Tokyo Philippines to dish out their own take on it. Thankfully, with the addition of Ramen Bar section in some Tokyo Tokyo Branches, people can now enjoy ramen dishes alongside some of their delectable Japanese dishes.

Tokyo Tokyo is currently serving three ramen flavors; Spicy Chicken Ramen, Braised Pork Ramen, and Tempura Miso Ramen. Koshi ramen noodle coupled with either Tonkatsu or Miso broth which are simmered for at least 24 hours, Tokyo Tokyo Ramen is definitely a great treat for ramen-loving people.

With the ramen variants offered by Tokyo Tokyo, some of us may have a hard time on deciding which one suits our palate. While it is reasonable to try all three and spare yourself from the daunting task of deciding, it is still fun to know what Tokyo Tokyo Ramen Flavor suits you based on your personality. Just like what I did.

Shifu Master's Kitchen: Affordable Chinese Restaurant Serving Great Food

I'm going to let you in on a little secret ~ there is this hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant along Granada St. in Quezon City called Shifu Master's Kitchen that blew me away. The combination of affordable prices and downright impressive food made it a winner for me. Trust me on this, I have been to a lot of hole-in-the-wall restaurants here in Manila and rarely do I tag one as a "gem" worthy to be discovered, but Shifu Master's Kitchen deserves such description.

I have been very honest that I am a sucker for restaurants serving great food with an equal respect for the overall look of the place. I love beautifully decorated restaurant interiors because truth be told, ambiance matters to me. Especially when I am eating. However, in my years of food blogging, there are food places here in Manila that made me forget about the ambiance because the food they are serving is enough for me to forget everything else. Shifu Master's Kitchen is one of them - on top of my list even.

I am not saying that Shifu Master's Kitchen's ambiance is dirty and somehow despicable. As a matter of fact, it is quite the opposite. Yes, it is suggestive of the usual eatery you can find elsewhere, but it is definitely clean. Coupled with great price range and even greater food, the charm of Shifu Master's Kitchen lies in its simplicity.

Hand Drip Coffee at The Cake Club by Diamond Hotel

The Cake Club by Diamond Hotel at Bonifacio High Street The Fort has always been known to dish out unprecedented line of desserts that everybody loves. Just recently, creative minds behind The Cake Club opened its door to the wonderful world of Hand Drip Coffee, also known as the Pour Over Drip method in coffee brewing.

Alongside teas and wines, The Cake Club is also known for serving different coffee variants that go perfectly well with their desserts. Yet, it was only recently that they started doing the manual pour over method in the belief that coffee tasted way better when done in a traditional way.

True enough, with the years of drinking coffee, the afternoon I spent at The Cake Club to taste different variants of hand drip coffees, I realized that it does have a difference. The flavors are more pronounced, and the fact that you know that it took extra effort to come up with a cup of Joe also helps.