Category: Food and Beverages

Akira at Robinsons Magnolia and the Art of Teppanyaki

Posted on by jane

My SoMoms friends and I had a chance to dine at the recently opened Akira restaurant at the ground floor of Robinsons Magnolia mall.

Akira’s facade

With my SoMoms mommy friends

Named after a fictional story on the legendary Japanese teppanyaki chef Akira who fought the fire god Kagutsuchi to save his beloved Sayuri, Akira likewise does not just provide great Japanese food but does so with savoir faire and art as its teppanyaki chefs deftly handle the cooking utensils. Teppan means iron plate; yaki means grilled, broiled, or pan-fried (source: Wikipedia).

All 4 branches of Akira have different themes, unlike many restos that look almost the same wherever you go. This Robinsons Magnolia branch was made to look more traditional with authentic Japanese picture frames, curtains and other decor.

Our lunch began with Akira rolls which contain real softshell crab meat, kani, grated cheese, spicy mayo, tobiko, and topped with tempura bits. I so wanted to try this but was afraid since I’m allergic to crab meat.

Akira rolls

Next we were shown the authentic Wagyu beef imported directly from Japan which Akira serves to all its customers.

No scrimping. That’s Wagyu beef direct from Japan.

What followed next was a fascinating demonstration of teppanyaki demonstration. We had one of the more skilled teppanyaki chefs of Akira give us a demonstration. Check this video out.


This was what my share of lunch looked like. Trust me, the Wagyu beef was extraordinarily tender and tasty. That’s why the picture didn’t show much of it left. Hahaha…

For dessert, we also had tempura ice cream (3 scoops of ice cream topped with whipped cream and maraschino cherry, with banana tempura on the sides). My photo did not look so nice so I am grabbing an official photo from Akira’s Facebook page.

Tempura ice cream (photo courtesy of Akira’s Facebook page)

And as a lovely end to a gastronomic feast, we were lucky that a musician trained in the Koto, one of Japan’s traditional musical instruments, was around. He was practicing for the following Sunday’s show at Akira but I felt so lucky hearing it playing while we were having lunch. It made my experience all the more authentically Japanese.




Akira
Ground Floor, Robinsons Magnolia
Aurora Blvd. cor. Dona Hemady St.
Quezon City
Tel (02) 809-1234
Other branches: Shangri-la Plaza (654-3920), Alphaland Makati Place (0917-706-7328), Burgos Circle (550-2164) 
Also visit their Facebook page

Starbucks Food and Beverages beginning July 29, 2014

Posted on by jane

Starting July 29, 2014, Starbucks is introducing a new set of food items, lunch sandwiches and beverages.

For starters, lets check out the lunch sandwiches.

Roasted Chicken Pesto and Shiitake Mushroom on Ciabatta Bread (PhP 165)

This warm sandwich is made of juicy chicken breast fillet tossed with pesto mayo sauce, Shiitake mushroom and melted Emmenthal and cheddar cheese in between Ciabatta bread.

Ratatouille on Cheese Semolina Bread (PhP 160)

Vegetarians, this is for you!

This warm, crusty multigrain bread is stuffed with cheese, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, Shiitake, and portobello mushrooms, garlic and onions.

Tuna Melt on Dark Multi-Grain Bread (PhP 175)

My personal favorite! I would really recommend that you try this one. Inside the toasted dark wheat bread is healthy classic tuna dill salad (tuna is also called “brain food”), slices of hard-boiled egg, and creamy melted cheese.

Sausage and Peppers Caserole on Cornmeal Bread (PhP 170)

Sliced sausages and bell peppers cooked in tomato Italian sauce is topped with cheddar cheese and spread inside cornmeal bread.

Ham and Egg Salad on Challah Bread (PhP 175)

Inside this Challah bread topped with sesame seeds are juicy slices of ham, tomatoes and creamy, tangy egg salad. I love egg salad so next to the Tuna Melt, this is my sandwich of choice.

Grilled Ham and Three Cheese on Whole Wheat Bread (PhP 175)

A returning favorite, those who missed this will welcome back this grilled cheese sandwich containing 3 different kinds of cheeses: Emmenthal, Mozzarella and Cheddar Cheese) and juicy sliced ham. Italian herbed butter subtly seasons the whole wheat bread.

Now, let’s see the new dessert concoctions and food items…

Mango Coconut Sans Rival Cake (Slice – PhP 125; Whole – PhP 1,150)

The combination of sweet and smooth mango butter cream icing is combined with toasted coconut shards and three layers of crunchy and chewy meringue wafer.

Double Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookie (PhP 60)

A must try as far as I’m concerned, this dessert is made of chewy chocolate cookie liberally studded with roasted walnuts, chunks of dark and milk chocolate, gooey caramel squares and finished with a dash of sea salt.  This is a perfect snack any time of the day.

Bacon Parmesan Stromboli (PhP 120)

This is a golden brown, crispy, flaky and buttery pastry crust filled with bacon, tomato, parmesan and mozzarella cheese and topped with chopped parsley.

Chicken Tex-Mex Wrap (PhP 170)

Enjoy a warm, soft tortilla filled with chicken breast fillet, roasted squash, corn, red beans, and finished with pimiento dressing and freshly chopped cilantro.

And of course, there are the new beverages (till September 15, 2014 only!)…

Tiramisu Frappuccino

Tall – PhP 180; Grande – PhP 190; Venti – PhP 200



This frappe features blended coffee flavored with Tiramisu sauce then topped with bits of biscuits, cheesecake-inspired whipped cream, Tiramisu sauce drizzle and a dusting of cocoa powder.


Banana Raspberry Frappuccino

Grande – PhP 170; Venti – PhP 180

This got me at “FRUITS!!!” The Banana Raspberry frappe Raspberry Blackcurrant juice with milk and a freshly peeled banana. Just the right beverage for one like me who chooses healthy.


Krispy Kreme’s New Baked Creations

Posted on by jane

I just got a whole box of Krispy Kreme’s new Baked Creations!

I’ve always loved their Baked Creations because many times when I am running to different places and need to skip breakfast but do not want to be feeling hunger pangs before lunch comes around, it is what sustains me. I remember they had 4 variants before: Cheese, Sausage and Cheese, Bacon and Cheese and Cinnamon.

Now they have 6 new flavors. Let’s meet them.

1. Klassic Brioche – A light, classic French bread with a slightly sweet taste

2. Klassic Brioche with Ham – Klassic Brioche but topped with bellpepper, farmers ham, and cheddar cheese

3. Honey Camembert – Sweet dough bread with camembert cheese and honey, topped with roasted walnuts (the honey is contained in a separate dropper so you can squeeze it into the bread yourself)

4. Cube Bread – A light, slightly sweet bread filled with chocolate ganache

5. Heart Danish – A danish pastry sprinkled with sugar coating

6. Custard Kreme – Sweet dough bread topped with creamy custard

Baked Creations are open at all Krispy Kreme branches until 2pm for a minimum price of PhP 50.
Thank you, Krispy Kreme. My family is enjoying the treat.

Magnum Manila’s Premium Pop-Up Store Opens at SM Aura

Posted on by jane

It’s here! And only for a while – to be specific, ONE YEAR!

Just as they’ve done in premium locations around the world, Magnum, that velvety smooth ice cream with Belgian chocolate in one decadent bar, has put up a pop-up store right in the heart of cosmopolitan Metro Manila — SM Aura.

It opened to the public last April 8 and is expected to be around only till April 2015. Some of us were treated to their soft launch where we got a gastronomic glimpse of what’s in store for the public when you pay them a visit. And mind you, they don’t just call it a pop-up store. They refer to it as a “Pleasure Store”. Read on and find out why.

As soon as you walk in you are greeted by a luxurious restaurant. Yes, this is not your kind of ice cream bar but a full-blown restaurant complete with full meals!

Magnum logo — Can you guess what it’s made of?

You guessed it — their pop sticks!!!

The Make-Your-Own-Magnum bar greets you right at the entrance

Architect Ed Calma is responsible for Magnum Manila’s sleek, modern architecture

At the Make-Your-Own-Magnum-Bar, they’ve got 18 toppings to choose from:

Classic: chopped salted almonds, pistachio, dried mangoes, chocolate chip cookies, oreos, pretzels and mini marshmallows

Special: Honeycomb, gold nuggets, yogurt nibs, premium chocolate crunch balls, Speculoos bits, freeze-dried raspberries

Experimental: Parmesan popcorn, salted potato chips, shaved queso de bola, chili flakes, sea salt flakes

I couldn’t imagine what chili flakes would taste like on my Magnum bar so I skipped that (but some daring bloggers went for it!).

Making my own Magnum bar was really cool.

Step One: Choose your toppings (I chose pistachio, gold nuggets and freeze-dried raspberries)

Step Two: Open up a plain Magnum bar and choose your coating (vanilla, caramel or chocolate).

Tear open plain Magnum bar…

…and dip in your coating of choice. Mine was chocolate!

Step Three: Pour selected toppings over the coated Magnum bar.

Step Four: For the final touch, add a round chocolate button with the Magnum logo

Voila! I had my very own custom-made Magnum bar!

But wait till you try their menu for a sit-down lunch or dinner as well as their dessert concoctions. Chef Him Uy de Baron, owner of Nomama and executive chef of Chef Cuisine, created Magnum Manila’s main dishes while Chef Miko Aspiras, an award-winning pastry chef in global competitions, created all the wonderfully delectable Magnum dessert items. Here are some samples.

Rainbow Dream, PhP 250
White chocolate covered vanilla Magnum bar covered in rainbow cake crumble
on a slice of cream cheese rainbow cake
Cookie Dough Skillet, PhP 250
Warm chocolate chip cookie dough
topped with 2 vanilla Magnum bars, dark chocolate and chopped pecans

Go try Magnum Manila and hurry because they are only here for a limited time. I want to go back and bring the kids so we can all sample the dessert items that I could only ogle after a full meal c/o Chef Him Uy.

Magnum Manila is located at the 5th level of SM Aura’s SkyPark Dining area.

Follow Magnum Manila:
Websites: www.magnum.com.ph and www.makemymagnum.com
Twitter: @magnum_ph
Instagram: @magnum_ph

Chef’s Noodle’s newest endorser is Sam Concepcion

Posted on by jane

I first met him when he was still a teen-ager who, at that age, was already a bright, promising (and cute) boy among the summer cast of Trumpets. My daughter had taken the workshop with the group and usually at the end, they have a show to present what they learned. In one rehearsal, I got to meet him and have photos taken – with Sam Concepcion.

At the recent event of Chef’s Noodle in Robinsons Magnolia, I once again saw Sam Concepcion – this time as Chef’s Noodle’s latest endorser. All grown-up now, with a girlfriend. And still very much…CUTE! 🙂


Sam now joins the roster of celebrity names endorsing Chef’s Noodle, including TV host Grace Lee and celebrity couple Lloyd and Shamcey Supsup-Lee. Being the youngest of the endorsers, Sam’s presence gives out that fresh and youthful vibe that characterizes what Chef’s Noodle is all about.

Chef’s Noodle is the Korean brand’s first international master franchise outside of South Korea. Its menu was created by award-winning Korean celebrity chef Choi In Sun.

My all-time favorite Korean dish is bibimpap and each time I try a new Korean resto, this for me is the dish that will make or break it in terms of my decision to go back for more. So I am happy to see that bibimpap is on Chef’s Noodle’s menu. Unfortunately, at the event, it was not served so I’d have to go back another time to have a go at it.
My bibimpap fave dish — not bad at all for PhP 125 only!
Chef’s Noodle recommends some of their “must-try” dishes when you go to eat at their restaurant: Chef’s Noodles, Starking Fire Sushi, Bibimpap, Japchae, Haemul Seafood Pajun (Korean pancake with shrimp and squid , spring onions and bell pepper), Leek Shrimp Twigim, Chicken Kas (breaded chicken fillet with white creamy sauce), Spicy Dukbokki, and their desserts such as ice cream and gelato.
Prices were surprisingly reasonable considering that a celebrity chef is behind the dishes. Just check out these pages from their menu.

Chef’s Noodle
Branches: University Mall (tel 405-0129), Atlanta Center (tel 576-5054), Robinsons Magnolia (tel 656-7033), SM North Edsa The Block (tel 376-5367), Robinsons Place Malolos (tel 0917-5486187) and coming soon in SM Megamall
Website: www.chefsnoodlephils.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/chefsnoodlephils
Instagram: @chefsnoodlephils

Steveston Pizza: From Canada to the Philippines

Posted on by jane

Who says NO to pizza? Ah, ah, NOT ME! And not when I am invited to try out Steveston Pizza which originated from Canada!

First let me tell you that I had no idea what Steveston Pizza was offering (but the thought of eating pizza appealed a lot to me!). Second, I was eager to check out UP Town Center because I heard of the place from my son but did not know exactly where it was.

Suffice it to say, I was pleasantly surprised upon arriving at the place. Apparently, UP Town Center is now the newest watering hole and the converging place for the students of UP Diliman, Ateneo and Miriam College.

I was early so I did some work at J.Co nearby. Noemi joined me shortly and we got to put in some productive time before moving over to Steveston Pizza close to lunch.

From the outside

Karen Go, who is part-owner of Steveston Pizza, joined us and recounted its history. Nader Hatami is its solo founder. A trained chef, he concocted all the pizza creations you can find at Steveston Pizza, which is located in Richmond, B.C. I actually googled them and found out that Steveston Pizza is known for creating the first commercially available and world’s most expensive pizza. Believe it or not, that pizza (C6) costs $450 and is made of thermidor of lobster and black Alaskan cod, side of Russion osetra caviar, and needs to be ordered a day ahead. Whew! And there’s more. Steveston Pizza singlehandedly won Best Pizza by the Richmond Review from 2008-2011. Straight!

It’s actually amazing that while they are this popular in Canada, they chose the Philippines to open up a presence. Nader Hatami is a part owner in the Philippine branches so you can be sure the quality will stay as good as it is in Canada. Karen also emphasized that they only use the freshest ingredients. She said that for pineapples, they never used the canned ones but always put fresh pineapples on their pizzas.

If you check their menu, you’ll notice something that sets them apart from other pizza places. Their pizzas only come in 1 size – 12 inches! I asked Karen why and she said it was so that they could better control its quality. And look, so many choices — 28 in all!

For some who are used to ordering the 18-inch pizzas available elsewhere, you may think 12 inches is too small for your appetites, right? Wrong! The Steveston pizzas are loaded, piled high and densely packed in those 12 inches. Their pizza pictures are not just for show. You actually get them as they look on those photos!

Here’s what we pigged out on. First, the salads.

Classic Caesar, PhP 175
Flying Caesar, PhP 195
(with paprika and lemon scented chicken)

Both are great but if you’re not into very spicy food, take note that the Flying Caesar’s chicken is very spicy.

Then on to the pizzas!

Classic Cheese, PhP 399 

They have 2 other flavors for the same price as the Classic Cheese: Margarite (tomato sauce, basil chiffonade, cheese) and Pepperoni.

One of 2 very gourmet pizzas — C2, PhP 1,299
I’m not kidding. If you have to break your budget over a gourmet pizza, you must try the C2 (prosociutto ham, brie, semi-dried roma tomatoes, and a dollop of roasted garlic mousse). Each ingredient is its worth in gourmet goodness. Nothing was spared to make this premium pizza. Just see all that prosciutto heaped on top of the pizza, practically one for every slice! That alone is a full meal and more!
Karen wanted us to try as many different flavors as our tummies could hold so she suggested 2 flavors in one pizza – half and half. (Take note ha, doing 2 flavors in one pizza is not a regular thing with them. But if you really want to try, ask them. Maybe on a not-too-busy day, they’ll give in.)
The first one brought out was the Black-Blue pizza combo from the Colours category (so named because as you’ll see, they are all named after the colors. 
Black, PhP 699
(honey-glazed chicken breast, fig gorgonzola and mascarpone mousse, walnuts, arugula julienne)

Blue, PhP 699
(rosemary-smoked bacon, caramelized onions, mushrooms, baby spinach, stilton blue cheese mousse)

I loved the walnuts of Black but my favorite was Blue. Know why? It was liberally coated with blue cheese — my favorite! The combination of everything else just made this my choice. I was tempted to go for a second slice but held off knowing more was coming.

Next was Green-Pink combo.
Green, PhP 699
(herb pesto butter, shrimp, brie, scallions)

Just look at that picture above again. With some other pizzas that say they have shrimp, you often find a few tiny shrimps here and there but not much. But Steveston Pizza’s Green pizza is LOADED! Just check how densely packed the shrimps are on this one. And see, they are huge, fat and juicy looking! No scrimping here!

The PINK pizza is smoked salmon, asparagus, bocconcini, and onion with pesto drizzle. Now WHY don’t I have a picture of that other side? Too busy eating, maybe. But it’s up there — in the menu pics.
So that was our pig-out lunch. But that’s not all. I noted a few more things about Steveston Pizza that I really liked so I’m pointing them out. You’ll observe that when you go check them out.
* Their pizzas are NOT GREASY! No kidding! I held all my pizza slices with my bare hands the whole time and believe it or not, my hands were not dripping with oil, unlike most other pizzas which are quite greasy to the touch.
* Their plates and utensils are biodegradable (that is a +1 in my environment-friendly score card!). And as they are use-once types, I know that it will be a lot more hygienic and healthy than reusable ceramic plates.

Thank you so much to Karen and to Steveston Pizza. I enjoyed that chance to meet up with my SoMoms friends again PLUS be treated to this sumptuous pizza experience like no other I’ve tried. The best pizza of Canada is indeed here in town now.

Thanks to Tin Dychiao — my one and only picture with the SoMoms at this event 🙂

Steveston Pizza

Ground Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Ave.
Brgy. UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City
(02) 955-2273, 0917-9043428
Open 10AM-11PM

Also find them online:

My Christmas Holidays were More Cheerful with Fog City Creamery

Posted on by jane

This was the dreariest Christmas ever. It was the first time none of us at home had the energy to put up a Christmas tree that was 8 feet high. We were on general housecleaning mode especially with one room that we had to clean from top to bottom, inside out. To give ourselves the spirit of some Christmas cheer, I played Christmas carols all day long as we dusted, cleared stuff out, mopped the floors, scrubbed tiles and did spring cleaning of items.

Gifts sent to our home were very much appreciated but one that I really looked forward to trying when it came to the house was 4 pints of Fog City Creamery ice cream in Christmas flavors: Fruit and Nuts Deluxe, Brandied Cherries, Peppermint Brownie and Tablea. Hey, you are looking at one ice cream lover here!!!

I had been wondering about the name Fog City Creamery because the pints had a picture of the San Francisco bridge on the front. Apparently, the creator of the ice cream flavors, Edylyn Gamboa-Liu, known as Edy by her family and friends, used to live in San Francisco. Credit her missing her favorite Salted Caramel flavor to the birth of Fog City Creamery. When she returned to the Philippines, she began experimenting with flavors that reminded her of San Francisco.
What stands out for me, healthwise, is what Fog City Creamery says — that there are no preservatives or artificial stabilizers in their ice cream. They’re chemical-free!!! And the flavors were chosen using ingredients that agree with the Filipino palate.
I’ll give you a list later of other flavors Edy has concocted so far but here’s my two cents on the ones that I got for Christmas.
Peppermint Brownie
I’m starting out with my favorite of the 4 flavors – Peppermint Brownie. I love mint chocolates so fusing peppermint and fudgy chocolates clearly went down with me very well. Well done on this one. My kids and I loved this the best.
PhP 300/pint
Tablea Sugar-Free
Tablea comes in second among the 4 variants we tried. This Pinoy round cocoa tablet which used to be made into hot coco during my time has evolved. The Fog City Creamery Tablea is sugar-free, sweetened by Coco Natura, an organic coco sugar made from coconut sap. I have used Coco Natura in the past instead of sugar to sweeten my morning coffee.
Fog City Creamery suggests that for another taste experience, pair up Tablea with a scoop of Ensaymada ice cream, brown butter ice cream with ensaymada bits, and queso de bola.
PhP 300/pint
It’s not bad actually but to ice cream lovers like me who love to fill our cups to the brim with ice cream, go slow on this one. Tablea can only be taken in small quantities. After several spoonfuls, it can get overwhelming.
Brandied Cherries
Here’s another flavor that uses Emperador Deluxe brandy. Dark, red cherries are soaked in the brandy and mixed in with an ice cream base for the Brandied Cherries variant. I liked the cherry taste but the liquor in ice cream takes some getting used to.
PhP 320/pint
Fruit and Nuts Deluxe
PhP 350/pint
Fruit and Nuts Deluxe is a mix of apricots, pistachio and almonds in an ice cream base flavored with Emperador Deluxe brandy. This variant for me was so-so. The ice cream base was a little too milky rather than creamy. I guess I’m also not a person very fond of fruit bits in my ice cream because while I like all these ingredients in fruit cake, it somehow had a different experience for me as an ice cream. But that’s me. 
Fog City Creamery has several other flavors, with new ones coming up every so often. They have Bourbon Pecan, Ferrero Rocher with Nutella Swirl, Cherry Vanilla, Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Sorrento, Ensaymada (the first in the market), Salted Caramel and many more. Fog City Creamery offers more sugar-free flavors such as Butterscotch Pecan and Espresso Almond. 

Direct pick-ups of Fog City Creamery ice cream are at Valle Verde 5 or Foccacia, A. Venue, Makati City. It’s also available via delivery by calling City Delivery at 87878.

Fog City Creamery
Website: www.fogcitycreamery.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/FogCityCreamery
Twitter and Instagram: @FogCityCreamery
Email: info@fogcitycreamery.com / fogcitycreamery@gmail.com
Mobile: +63 917 8833344

BonChon Delivers!

Posted on by jane

The ever popular global restaurant that originated in Korea now has a new service. BonChon now delivers straight to your doorsteps. Yay!

My family had the chance to try out their delivery service. A day before, I received a reminder email saying that BonChon would be delivering the food by 6pm. On the day of the delivery, I had to go out of the house to attend an event. Good thing I was already home around 5pm because at exactly 6pm, the doorbell rings. And guess who came with the messenger who brought our BonChon dinner…the branch manager of the Promenade branch himself!!! WOW!

BonChon Promenade branch manager, Aurelio Andea (left), with rider Pancho Barroga

Our dinner stash came in a thermal insulated bag!
Here’s what they brought for us:
It was a feast for my kids (and one nephew who was staying with us at that time). Here are some pics I took (I missed photos of the large iced tea glasses because the kids immediately went for them).
Sweet potato fries, PhP 60 each

Medium wings with soy garlic dip, PhP 365

Seafood platter with soy garlic dip, PhP 395

Large fries, PhP 60 each; Onion rings, PhP 60 each 
Oriental Crispy Chicken Salad, PhP 125 each; with extra chicken, add PhP 30

There’s only one delivery number to remember for Metro Manila: 633-1818. And for other delivery areas, here is a screenshot I got from their website. Minimum order is P300 plus 10% delivery charge.
As of this posting, here is what is available in their delivery menu.

It’s not too late to catch this season’s Starbucks beverages and desserts!

Posted on by jane

I just realized that I only have till November 1, 2013 to catch this season’s beverages!

BEVERAGES (till Nov. 1, 2013)

Ristretto Bianco

Ristretto Blanco (Tall-PhP 145; Grande-PhP 160; Venti-PhP 170)
Ristretto Blanco is new in the espresso line-up. It’s a rich, smooth and velvety beverage. Ristretto shots are created by forcing less water through the coffee. This results in a fuller-bodied shot with a deep coffee flavor. Steamed whole milk creates the foam and it is poured in such a way that it ends with that white dot finish you see. 

Salted Caramel Mocha (Tall-PhP 150; Grande-PhP 165; Venti-PhP 175)

From salted caramel ice cream to salted caramel-flavored milk tea and now to Starbucks’ Salted Caramel Mocha, one enjoys this unique blend of sweet and salty. This concoction is made from a creamy mix of espresso with velvety steamed milk, blended with mocha sauce and toffee nut flavored syrup. It’s finished off with a topping of whipped cream, buttery caramel sauce, and a mixture of turbinado sugar as well as smoked sea salt. This description is enough for me to want to go out and get one. I just might do that in the coming days.

DESSERT CHOICES
What are beverages without matching dessert? Take your pick from these 3 returning favorite dessert items.
Blueberry-licious Cheesecake
Blueberry-licious Cheesecake (Slice-PhP 130; Whole-PhP 1,450)
Blueberry cheesecakes are one of my favorites. This Blueberry-licious Cheesecake is topped with sweet and tangy blueberries over a very light cheesecake.
Butterscotch Oat Fudge Bar

Butterscotch Oat Fudge Bar, PhP 60
The chewy Butterscotch Oat Fudge Bar is liberally sprinkled with walnut chunks and creamy chocolate ganache. 
Double Chocolate Fudge Bar

Double Chocolate Fudge Bar, PhP 50
Combine dark chocolate fudge bars coupled with chocolate chunks and you get the Double Chocolate Fudge Bar. For me, anything chocolate-y is always the perfect partner of hot coffee.

Bono Artisanal Gelato comes to the Podium

Posted on by jane

Gelato is Italian ice cream. There are many different brands of gelato in the Metro but one that stands out is Bono Artisanal Gelato which recently put up a branch at the Podium in the Ortigas Center.

Rea Gomez-Harrow, one of the cool people behind Bono Artisanal Gelato

Bono Artisanal Gelato is located on the ground floor of the Podium along ADB Avenue in Ortigas Center. It’s right behind the escalators, fronting the side entrance of Podium leading to SM Megamall.

I got to speak with Rea Gomez-Harrow, the Marketing Director of Bono. She and her other partner studied the art of artisan gelato-making at Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna, Italy (gosh, I thought Hamburger University was something and now they even have a university for teaching gelato-making!).

Everything at Bono is made ON THE SPOT and is not kept beyond 20 hours unlike others that are often kept in freezers. The gelato ingredients, while pre-blended and pre-packed for consistency, are churned by hand right there with a special gelato making machine, the Cattabriga Effe 6, from Italy, which is regarded by those in the industry as possibly the best gelato-making machine to-date.

Churning gelato by hand (photo taken from Bono’s Facebook photos)
Pozzetto gelato cabinets like these keep the gelato clean (not exposed)
like other ice cream or gelato brands and are temperature-controlled
(photo taken from Bono’s Facebook photos)

Even the wafers stuck on top of each scoop of gelato, wafer cones and waffle cookies are made daily  so that it stays fresh and crisp. The whole process is truly artisanal.

Healthy buffs, you will love this bit of news. Rea said that they only used the finest ingredients (fresh strawberries from California, finest Belgian chocolate, and so on) and one of the signs on their wall and counter say it all —

The finest ingredients are sourced from different parts of the world…
…but other locally available ingredients support local farming.
Flavors? Bono has a LOT! And I actually had fun trying them all out with tiny, colorful sample spoons given to me.
Speculoos (Belgian cookie butter) was yummy! I’d go for that again. For that Pinoy touch, Bono was able to concoct a Taho variant. I tried it and it really had a taho flavor. It takes getting used to though because I am always used to taking my taho the traditional way. Another winner was the Matcha & Azuki (Japanese stone-ground green tea & sweet red beans). And if you want to try something so totally unexpected, try Movie Night (chocolate-dipped potato crisps and caramel). No kidding, it tasted like a caramel gelato mixed with tiny, crispy Pringles chips in it.

After trying almost all, I chose my full serving variant – Fragola. I could not resist the California strawberries, hahaha.

A beautiful wall (artfully created by Rea herself) beside the Bono counters says everything you want to know about Bono Artisanal Gelato.

Prices are more expensive than what you’d pay if you bought scoops of ice cream, frozen yogurt or other gelato brands but the taste experience, ingredients and process that Bono Artisanal Gelato goes through makes it worth the price. A small cup is PhP 85. A single scoop (1 flavor in cup or cone) is PhP 130 and a double serving (2 flavors in cup or cone) is PhP 200.

I found out that they also deliver! If you are hosting a party or group of friends, or if you are just craving for gelato from the comfort of your home, they can deliver fresh, all natural and frozen gelato to you on demand. A pint is PhP 450 and a tub is PhP 850. This is a photo taken from their Facebook page showing the delivery area (FREE delivery within 5 km of Podium with a minimum purchase of PhP 1,000). To enumerate, they cover: New Manila, San Juan, Greenhills, Horseshoe, Wack-Wack, Mandaluyong, Kapitolyo, Ortigas Center, Corinthian Gardens, Corinthian Hills, Valle Verde, Pasig (parts), Acropolis, Greenmeadows, Eastwood, White Plains, St. Ignatius, Blue Ridge, Cubao (parts).

(photo taken from Bono’s Facebook photos)

Bono Artisanal Gelato
Ground Floor, The Podium
ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center
Website: www.gelatobono.com
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/BonoGelato
Instagram: www.instagram.com/bonogelato
Twitter: www.twitter.com/BONOgelato
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/bonogelato