Category: Food and Beverages

J.Co opens its 12th Philippine branch in Glorietta 2

Posted on by jane

Aside from being a very popular donut shop, J.Co is marked by another feature readily observed in the Philippines in practically all its branches – long queues!!! That is the mark of the popularity of this Indonesian-based donut and coffee chain operating throughout Southeast Asia with 125 branches in Indonesia, 12 in Malaysia, 4 in Singapore, and 2 in China.

Just recently, J.Co inaugurated its 12th branch in the Philippines – located at Glorietta 2 (for those old enough to remember, it is in the old location of National Book Store, right across SM Makati).

Occupying a spacious 236 square meter corner location, J.Co Glorietta is conveniently located in the heart of Ayala Center. All around its two store sides are ceiling-to-floor see-through glass walls since there are al fresco dining areas. This allows diners in the al fresco area to enjoy laid-back dining while enjoying the brightly lit, colorful and modern interiors of the store.

View of the ordering station

Stage area during the launch

The taste of J.Co donuts appeals to me because they are not as sweet as other brands. My sweet tooth, over the years, has mellowed down and I avoid too much sugar intake so J.Co is really a compromise for me – allowing me to indulge my sweet tooth without the hard-core sugary taste.

To introduce some of the popular flavors of J.Co, the bloggers got a chance to be selected to play a trivia game. Together with emcee Sam YG of Boys Night Out and celebrities Gretchen Ho and Robi Domingo, bloggers whose names were drawn had a chance to pair up with Gretchen or Robi in playing several rounds of tic-tac-toe. As each team uncovered a square, they had to first correctly answer a trivia question before they could put either their X or O on the square. Even those of us in the audience who were not picked to join had fun trying to guess the donut variants.

(L-R): Gretchen Ho, Sam YG, Robi Domingo

The J.Co donuts have very interesting flavors but more than that, they are matched with quirky names as well. Just take a look at this sampling of their more popular variants: Alcapone, Oreology, Tiramisu, Avocado Di Caprio, Mr. Green Tea, Why Nut, Blue Berrymore, Don Mochino, Choco Caviar Chocolate, Crunchy Crunchy, and Crème La Fame. It’s actually fun trying to figure out from which celebrity or what object/place each name is derived from.

My all-time favorite and probably the company’s bestseller is the Alcapone donut. A bite reveals the generous spread of Belgian white chocolate on the inside with the donut topping filled with toasted almonds. Very creamy and almond milky.

The Alcapone donut with Strawberry Frappe

Different variants of J.Co donuts

Aside from this newly opened Glorietta 2 branch, J.Co donuts can be found in these other places: SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, Greenbelt 3, TriNoma, SM City Fairview, Alabang Town Center, Eastwood City, The District-Cavite, Centrio Mall in Cagayan de Oro City, SM City North EDSA, and SM City Pampanga.

Watch out for more branches to come in Araneta Center, UPIS Katipunan Ave., UN Ave., SM Southmall, Greenhills, and General Santos City.

2013 Midyear Offerings at Starbucks — Beverages, Sandwiches, Desserts and Contests!

Posted on by jane

It’s the middle of 2013 already and it’s time once again for some things new from Starbucks.

This time, its more exciting because not only are they offering a new concoction of beverages and food items but there are exciting digital contests for Starbucks fans to join.

First, the yummy beverages.

Something’s different with these two frappuccinos you’ll get to try from July 16 to September 9, 2013. Starbucks has introduced a white chocolate pudding as a twist to the usual frappes. I tried both of them and the pudding has the texture of the pudding in the milk teas I’ve tried. But….this one’s white chocolate-y!!!

Dark Mocha (Tall- PhP 190; Grande – PhP 200; Venti – PhP 210)
Green Tea (Tall – PhP 180; Grande – PhP 190; Venti – PhP 200)

The Dark Mocha Chocolate Pudding Frappuccino combines the deep flavor of dark chocolate with the velvety smooth white chocolate pudding, the signature Frappuccino Roast coffee of Starbucks, chocolate chips, milk blended with ice topped with whipped cream and chocolate powder.

The Green Tea White Chocolate Pudding Frappuccino, on the other hand, combines premium green tea with white chocolate pudding for a soft creamy texture, and tops it with whipped cream.

They’re both yummy, trust me. But if I had to recommend which one to try first, it would be the Green Tea variant!


Next come the new Sandwiches and Desserts.

Now that your appetite has been whet by the new beverages, it’s time to check out the food items.

The Spinach Artichoke and Mushroom on Herbed Multi-Grain Bread (PhP 160) is something vegetarians will go for. A warm artisam multi-grain rye bread is stuffed with a blend of cheese, spinach, artichoke, mushrooms, garlic and onions.

A super cheesy grilled sandwich with 6 different kinds of cheeses is in the Bacon and Cheese on Herbed Ciabatta Bread (PhP 165) . A combination of Gruyere, Emmenthal, Provolone, Mozzarella, Feta and Cheddar are mixed in with crispy bacon strips. This is finished off with a seasoning of creamy pesto sauce on herbed ciabatta bread.

A tuna lover? The Tuna and Cheese on Dark Ciabatta Bread (PhP 175) is for you. Inside is a hearty healthy classic tuna dill salad, slices of hardboiled egg and creamy melted cheese.

The Salami and Cheese on Marbled Rye Bread (PhP 165) is a soft and chewy bread, filled with slices of salami, provolone and cheddar cheese.

Available only in Metro Manila outlets is The Clubhouse (PhP 175). This popular sandwich is stuffed with roasted moist chicken breast and pickle relish mixed in mayo mustard dressing, tomatoes, slices of honey ham, bacon and cheese slices on country bread.

A returning favorite is the Roasted Chicken Pesto and Shiitake Mushroom on Flat Bread (PhP 165). You can’t have enough of chicken breast fillet tossed with pesto mayo sauce and Shiitake mushrooms. Melted Emmenthal and cheddar cheese serves as the topping and placed in between grilled flat bread.

The very colorful Outrageous Cheesecake (PhP 130/slice; PhP 1,450 whole) is actually a rich, creamy cheesecake filled with bits of mangoes, blueberries and strawberries. These fruits are also generously used to decorate the top of the cheesecake together with white chocolate snowflakes. It looks like an early Christmas dessert!

You know cookies. What about a cookie SANDWICH? Starbucks took two soft and chewy cookies and made them the sandwich ends with Belgian chocolate chunks and roasted marshmallow cream icing in between. That is what the Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich (PhP 80) is made of. Great with any Starbucks drink!

The Beef and Mushroom Pie (PhP 95) on the outside is a golden brown, flaky and buttery pastry crust (almost like a croissant). But on the inside there are tender beef strips, sliced mushrooms, carrots and creamy mashed potatoes. Biting into this is more like a surprise because you can’t seem to tell from the outside what it is you’ll discover upon eating it.

I’m a fan of warm, soft pita bread so the Greek Chicken Wrap (PhP 170) is something that appeals to me – filled with tender chicken breast fillet and flavored with roasted fresh zucchini, tomatoes, bell pepper, sliced black olives and drizzled with sour cream.

And there’s more! Here are 3 digital activities that can win you Starbucks items and merchandise! Read on…

#1: Facebook App: Snap of the Week

This runs from July 16 to August 8, 2013. Remember Starbucks’ Snap of the Week activity before? This time they’ll run it including the new beverages. Starbucks fans need to upload photos based on a weekly theme using the Facebook application. Chosen photos will be winners of various Starbucks items and merchandise.

#2: Instagram #StarbucksCoffeeJourney Photo Contest

From August 15-31, 2013, Instagram followers (Philippine residents only) can upload a photo of themselves with Starbucks’ featured beverages anywhere in the Philippines using the hashtag #StarbucksCoffeeJourney. Chosen photos will be awarded a Starbucks item.

#3: Blog Contest

All bloggers can join this one. All they need to do is write a blog post on the featured beverages. The chosen blogger will be featured in the Starbucks Facebook page and will be given Starbucks prizes he/she can use for his/her own contest. This contest will run from July 16-31, 2013. Four (4) winners will be chosen and featured each week. For more detailed mechanics, visit their Facebook page.

Starbucks brings back the favorites

Posted on by jane

From May 15 to July 14, 2013, Starbucks is bringing back two (2) of its favorite beverages for everyone to enjoy this summer.

Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino Blended Beverage

(Tall-PhP 170; Grande-PhP 180; Venti-PhP 190)
Start with Starbucks’ Frappuccino Roasted Coffee, add in chocolate cookie bits, and you get a twist on the classic Mocha Frappuccino Blended Coffee. Rich mocha sauce, vanilla syrup, milk and ice make up the basic recipe and the whole beverage is topped off with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle and a cookie crumble topping.
Red Bean Green Tea Frappuccino Blended Beverage
(Tall-PhP 160; Grande-PhP 170; Venti-PhP 180)
The combination of red beans and green tea bring an Asian flavor to blended beverage. This one combines whole kernels of red azuki beans and matcha, a finely milled green tea variant which is the most superior form of all green teas in Japan.

Catch them both this summer at your favorite Starbucks branch.

A new gustatory experience – Starbucks international coffee and food pairing

Posted on by jane

White wine with fish. Red wine with meats. That’s the standard way of pairing wine with food, right?

But recently, some of us sat down to a food tasting lunch paired with — Starbucks coffee blends!

The Starbucks team, combined with the Spanish restaurant Tapella put up a gastronomic menu interspersed with 4 different coffee blends.

Choosing the right coffee blend to go with a particular dish is very important, we learned. Most of us in the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia, according to Starbucks, are in the developing stage. Not everyone is well educated in coffee. We probably go to Starbucks, order our favorite beverage, then walk out without really paying that much attention to the blend or how it is prepared.  But that is a good thing, they say, because it leaves so many possibilities for us to be educated about coffee. And yet in emerging countries, like Europe, people know their coffee. They order a double shot of espresso, want their coffee black, and specify other add-ons to go with their favorite drink.

Let me digress first and tell you about the latest Starbucks coffee blend.

Creating the New Asian Blend

For the longest time, while some blends could be identified with certain regions (e.g., espresso is identified with Europe), there was no blend identified with Asia. This time, Starbucks launches the Asian Dolce Latte, strong and smooth, with an Asian twist. Double shots of the premium dark-roasted Starbucks Espresso Roast give the latte its distinct flavor complemented by a dolce sauce created just for this blend.

Tip when drinking Asian Dolce Latte: DO NOT STIR! Drink it as served and you will get a better coffee experience as you savor the flavor and texture of each of the layers of the latte.

Here’s something you should also know. If you are not happy with how your beverage is prepared, Starbucks will gladly prepare a new batch for you to get it right.

Making double shot espresso

Espresso in 3 layers

Did you know that there is actually a bad espresso shot? Yes!

A good espresso shot is poured by the espresso machine into glasses within a desired range of time and has 3 distinctive layers. The espresso must be poured into the beverage before these 3 layers dissolve and combine. If the layers are allowed to combine, drinking it leaves a bitter aftertaste in the mouth – a sign of a bad espresso shot. The people at Starbucks said that they always want a perfect espresso shot and will be willing to replace any beverage to ensure the espresso shot is perfect each time.

Both Asian Dolce Lattes are similarly made although the iced version comes with a generous heaping of espresso whipped cream and a dash of espresso dusting. The two variants will be available until May 14, 2013.

Now back to our gastronomic lunch paired with Starbucks coffee blends…..

Starbucks decided to do something different this time around by letting us try what a 5-course Spanish cuisine would taste like when paired with different Starbucks coffee blends. The Starbucks team actually sat down in the initial stages of planning for this event and tried different coffee blends with the Spanish dishes to find the perfect combination. They were looking at matching blends that would complement and not overpower the dishes being served. The result was this outstanding Spanish lunch…

Appetizers (or Tapas) paired with Tribute Blend

Starbucks’ Tribute blend is a spicy and full-bodied blend with berry and dark cherry notes. It is a returning blend and is a combination of beans from Sumatra, Papua New Guinea, Africa and Colombia.

Left: Bruchetta on Tomato Salad on Slice of Baguette topped with Goat Cheese and Herb
Right: Chorizo Spread on Slice of Baguette, topped with Manchego Cheese

Tomatoes found on the bruchetta went well with the berry and cherry flavors of the Tribute blend. In addition, the strong spicy taste of the chorizo spread was complemented by the full-bodied blend.


Soup and Salad paired with Asian Dolce Latte

Cold Tomato Soup topped with Vegetables (left) and
Grilled Mixed Peppers Tower of Salad (right)

The strong and sweetish Asian Dolce Latte complemented very well the soup and salad combo.


Main Course with Colombia Blend
The Colombia blend is a smooth, balanced coffee with a nutty flavor — just the right touch to go with either the fish or chicken dish which served as our main course. I naturally chose the fish dish which turned out to be a great choice because it came served with Paella!
Cod Fish cooked the Viscaina Way

Paella for Cod Fish with the other main course in background
(Moorish Chicken drizzled with Almond Sauce on Bed of Couscous)

Dessert and Espresso Shot
What better way to pair this yummy dessert duo but with a strong espresso shot made perfectly. The sweetness of the Creme Brulee and the Mille Crepe is mellowed by the strength of the espresso.

Europeans can have wine with their dishes. As for us Asians who drink coffee more than wine, we can stick with our coffee preferences knowing the right blends can go hand in hand with fine dining.

The 2012 Starbucks Christmas Food Items

Posted on by jane

Want to know what Christmas goodies are available at Starbucks already? We got a sampling of them recently. Here they are!

New Items

Chocolate Cake made with Splenda (slice-PhP 150, whole-PhP 1,650)

A diabetic chocolate lover’s dream come true, the Chocolate Cake made with Splenda is going to be a popular, sugar-free dessert item for sure. Several layers of sugar-free chocolate sponge cake is filled with sugar-free chocolate cream filling, iced with chocolate ganache and topped off with a dark chocolate garnish.

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake with Nestle Crunch (slice-PhP 140, whole-PhP 1,450)

Cheesecake lovers, this is a must try for you. The Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake with Nestle Crunch melts in your mouth just like chocolate truffle is the base filling, topped with lots of chopped Nestle Crunch chocolate (one of my favorite kinds of chocolate!!!).
Dark Cherry Silvana (PhP 95)

Much like a regular butter silvana, the Dark Cherry Silvana is made of creamy chocolate butter cream icing but with a twist. It is topped with bits of chopped maraschino cherries in between crunchy meringue layers, glazed with Belgian chocolate and topped with grated chocolate shavings. A maraschio cherry finishes off the top for accent.
Chicken Fajita Roll (PhP 95)

Chicken Fajita Roll is like a stuffed loaf of bread done up in Mexican style. The stuffing is made of Mexican flavored chicken breast and cream cheese. On the top of the bread are toppings of cheddar cheese, red and green peppers to give it a Christmas-y look.
Garlic Roasted Chicken Wrap (PhP 150)

One of my favorite wraps, pita bread, is filled with garlic roasted chicken rolling in Italian spices and sauteed fresh assorted veggies, then drizzled with a special garlic sauce. This is the Garlic Roasted Chicken Wrap.

Holiday Apple Glazed Porkloin Roast on Jalapeno Cheese Bread (PhP 160)
We were supposed to have the Holiday Apple Glazed Porkloin Roast on Jalapeno Cheese Bread but during our event, the bread was unavailable so we had the porkloin roast on ordinary bread. Not as great, I suppose, but maybe it means I need to go and order the real thing another time. Best when served warm!
Christmas Turkey & Chicken with Pear Chutney on Cranberry and Walnut Bread (PhP 160)
Turkey slices and chicken breast fillet combine in a cranberry and walnut bread spread over with pear chutney. The Christmas Turkey & Chicken with Pear Chutney is best served warm!

Returning Favorites
Starbucks brings back five (5) popular food items.
Chocolate Toffee Nut Loaf (slice – PhP 60; whole – PhP 550)
The Chocolate Toffee Nut Loaf (whole) looks like a moist, chocolate loaf. Sliced through, you find that it is frosted with smooth chocolate icing and topped with crunchy toffee for that nutty texture. It’s not too sweet also so just right for my taste.
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie (PhP 60)
Cookie lovers, you’ll love how big and chewy the White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie is. Bite into it and you taste the chunky white chocolate mixed in with freshly roasted walnuts and great antioxidants – chopped dried cranberries. 
Peppermint Brownie (PhP 80)
I love mint chocolates so it’s natural that I’d take to the Peppermint Brownie right away.  This is made of fudgy, chewy chocolate brownie with peppermint cream cheese filling. Its topped with chocolate ganache and decorated like a Christmas tree with white, red and green chocolate drizzle, accented by small golden edible beads.
Gingerbread Cookie (PhP 55)
The Gingerbread Cookie is baaaack!!! Of course this year’s designs are different from last year’s but inside, it’s the same, loved ginger, allspice and cinnamon combination that gives the cookie its fragrance and flavoring as well.

Vanilla Pecan Butterscotch Twirl (PhP 90)
The Vanilla Pecan Butterscotch Twirl is a wonderfully light and flaky spiral roll. Biting into it, you taste the cinnamon and vanilla pastry cream filling together with its topping of roasted pecans drizzled with butterscotch sauce and slivers of white chocolate stripes across it. 
And….
the Christmas seasonal favorites (Toffee Nut Latte, Dark Cherry Mocha and Peppermint Mocha) are here too. Tall – PhP 155, Grande – PhP 165, Venti – PhP 180.

Figaro’s Avalanche of Flavors

Posted on by jane

Figaro, the first Filipino coffee company, recently introduced us to an avalanche (yes, that many) flavors of iced coffee and cakes. These yummy beverages are available already in any of Figaro’s outlets.

Each of these iced coffee variants costs PhP 130 for the 16 oz. and PhP 150 for the 20 oz.

White Chocolate Mocha Frost

White chocolate mocha topped with whipped cream makes up this beverage. Creamy but not too sweet. Of the four variants I tried, this is the least sweet and actually a bit bland for my taste. Those watching their sugar intake may want to go for this one.

Choco Chip Java Frost

This was my preferred variant because I’m such a chocolate-y person and the chocolate flavoring plus the choco chips just got me. I like the experience of sipping the chocolate while crunching down on those choco chips.

Figaroccino Cookie Crumble

Here’s another fave of mine. Oreo cookies crumbled into bits and used as topping over the iced coffee.
Well, okay, maybe I like the Choco Chip variant more but I think my Oreo-loving kids will go for this one.

Figaroccino Caramel Chip Frost

Because of its caramel chips, this one is more on the sweet side for those with a really strong sweet tooth. Somehow, this tasted like the sweeter version of the White Chocolate Frost with the added caramel sprinkles on top.

Of course, it could not be complete without the dessert combinations.

Carrot Cake (PhP 105/slice)

The Carrot Cake is moist sponge cake with shredded carrots and almond bits mixed into it. Carrot cakes are always a favorite with me.

Orange Coffee Cake (PhP 105/slice)

The Orange Coffee Cake is a soft, sponge cake that has an orangey flavor to it. To add texture to it, Figaro added bittersweet, coffee-flavored crumbs. It’s quite a combination to taste that sweet/sour orange flavor followed by the coffee flavor alongside it. And yes, this one goes very well with a piping mug of hot coffee.

Lastly, we had a choice of chicken or fish for dinner. I went for the Crusted Dory Fillet in Creamy Pesto Sauce with Rice Pilaf and absolutely had no regrets! Not only was the dory fillet tasteful with that crunchy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside texture but the pesto sauce and rice pilaf spelled H-E-A-L-T-H-Y. I loved the touch of mango and cucumber cubes on the side.

Crusted Dory Fillet in Creamy Pesto Sauce with Rice Pilaf (PhP 150)

Barista for a Night with Starbucks Refreshers…and more

Posted on by jane

What happens when a blogger is turned into a barista for one night?

She is given a Starbucks cap, an apron and her very own barista badge, that’s what!

And that’s exactly what I got one Starbucks-y night when we were introduced to the latest Starbucks Refreshers as well as to eight (8) new food offerings.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s begin with the beverages.

Starbucks Refreshers

Starbucks is bringing in a new form of beverages. One is called Very Berry Hibiscus Starbucks Refreshers while the other is Cool Lime Starbucks Refreshers.

Very Berry Hibiscus Starbucks Refreshers Beverage
(Tall-PhP115, Grande-PhP125, Venti-PhP135)

Cool Lime Starbucks Refreshers Beverage
(Tall-PhP115, Grande-PhP125, Venti-PhP135)

At first, I thought: Oh they’re introducing juices now in the coffeeshop? But as it turns out, the Starbucks Refreshers are different from the juices in other cafes because this one is still made of COFFEE! You read that right.

Here’s how it’s done.

Green coffee beans

All coffee starts as a coffee cherry with a green coffee bean in the center. These beans are normally roasted to bring out the bold and distinctive coffee flavors. But in the case of Starbucks Refreshers, the caffeine natural found in 100% UNROASTED arabica coffee beans is extracted and made into a flavored beverage base that becomes the foundation of the Starbucks Refreshers

Flavored Beverage Base


And for the first time in Starbucks beverages, REAL FRUIT is combined. In the case of the Very Berry Hibiscus Refreshers Beverage, whole blackberries are added while in Cool Lime Refreshers it is, of course, lime!

Instead of serving the beverages directly to us, the Starbucks team decided to make us baristas for a night and actually taught us how to prepare the Refreshers. Armed with my own Starbucks cap, pink apron (my favorite color!), and my very own barista badge, I was ready to make my own Cool Lime!

Take a measured portion of the lime flavored beverage base
Add a slice of fresh lime and some ice. Cover the tumbler. Then shake, shake, shake…

And voila! I made my own Cool Lime Refresher!

Refreshment Tumbler Promo

Here’s a way to get a complimentary Tall Starbucks Refreshers Beverage. Just purchase one of the 16-oz customizable Cold Cup Tumblers (with a flat lid and dome lid) and you get the beverage free. This promo is good till September 10, 2012 only.

New Starbucks Hot Lunch Sandwiches
Starbucks regularly puts out new food items. In fact, they just had a new batch of items a few months back. Sorry folks, those items are gone but there are now new ones that could become your favorites too. Here they are:

Starbucks Deli on French Bread (PhP 160)

A returning favorite, Starbucks Deli on French Bread consists of square ham, florentiner, mortadella, chicken ham, lyoner, meatloaf, beef pastrami, beef salami and emmenthal garnished with mustard, mayo, pickles and chopped onions all inside a soft French bread.

Falafel on Pita Bread (PhP 150)

Falafel on Pita Bread is a Middle Eastern staple street food. Inside the soft, chewy pita bread are crispy falafel patties, grilled sliced eggplant with hummus and yogurt sauce drizzled over it. Vegetarians, this is for you!

Creamy Egg Salad on Whole Wheat Granny Loaf (PhP 150)

I love creamy egg salad in itself or as a sandwich. In this version of Creamy Egg Salad on Whole Wheat Granny Loaf, bits of cheddar cheese, lettuce, dill and a bit of creamy cheese sauce are mixed together to produce this egg salad. Packed between whole-wheat bread, it makes for a very filling (and healthy) meal.

Classic Tuna Dill on Ciabatta Bread (PhP 160)
(Available in limited areas only)

The Classic Tuna Dill on Ciabatta Bread is only available in certain places: Baguio, Boracay, Bacolod, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Iloilo and Naga. Inside the crusty Ciabatta Bread are tuna chunks mixed with chopped celery and carrots with tangy and sweet honey mustard dressing with a slight hint of dill. These are topped with hard-boiled eggs, slices of cheddar and emmenthal cheese. Too bad this is not available in Metro Manila!

Classic Tuna Dill Melt (PhP 160)
(NOT AVAILABLE in certain areas)

This is the alternative to those in areas where the classic Tuna Dill on Ciabatta Bread is not available. The Classic Tuna Dill Melt is the classic tuna dill salad with slices of hardboiled egg and creamy melted cheese on rye bread, topped with melted mozzarella cheese with a dash of Spanish paprika.

It’s Just Cheese! (PhP 155)
There are people who love cheese so much so here it is. It’s Just Cheese! is just that. All cheese. But it’s not just plain cheddar cheese. This grilled cheese sandwich is a mix of 9 kinds of cheeses: Gruyere, Emmenthal, Feta, Provolone, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Edam, Gouda and Monterey Jack. How much cheesier can a grilled cheese sandwich get?
Roasted Chicken Pesto and Shiitake Mushroom on Flat Bread (PhP 155)

The grilled flat bread looked like huge pieces of thick crackers (not good for me because I cannot bite down on hard crackers with my front teeth). So I am not sure if I prefer to eat it this way as it seems very crumbly to eat. I actually prefer soft bread or tortillas. But taste-wise, the combination of chicken breast fillet tossed with pesto mayo sauce plus the Shiitake mushroom topped with melted Emmenthal and cheddar cheese was just yummy. When you order this, have them serve it up warm.

Zesty Chicken with Bacon Caesar Dressing on Focaccia Bread (PhP 160)

Softly crisped focacia bread becomes the sandwich ends of the Zesty Chicken with Bacon Caesar Dressing on Focaccia Bread. Chicken breast fillet drizzled with a bacon caesar salad dressing and topped with parmesan cheese that has been shaved is what this is all about.

All these lunch sandwiches have been available since July 31.
Starbucks Food Items (Limited Period)
Also available since July 31 but only for a limited period of time are the following:
Rocky Road Cake (PhP 140/slice; PhP 1,495 whole)
It’s not an ice cream. It’s a cake! Rocky Road Cake still maintains that decadent chocolate flavor but this time, the chocolate pudding studded with roasted walnuts, soft marshmallows and chocolate chunks covered in dark chocolate ganache are found in between layers of sponge cakes. The final touch is marshmallows and walnuts on top, drizzled with chocolate. Personally, I prefer this cake version over the ice cream version.

Mocha Silvana (PhP 95)

If you’re a Silvana lover, Mocha Silvana delivers. I always had smaller portioned silvanas so seeing how huge this one was really blew me away. It’s got a mocha buttercream icing sandwiched between two crunchy and chewy meringue cookies. There’s a generous sprinkling of crushed roasted almonds and dark chocolate bits on top to completely cover the silvana. This yummy dessert is so large that for some like me, it’s “to-share”!

Wild Mushroom and Emmenthal Cheese on French Butter Croissant (PhP 120)

Vegetarians, heads-up once more because this is for you. And for anyone looking for something healthy. Wild Mushroom and Emmenthal Cheese on French Butter Croissant combines the meaty, flavorful texture of button, shiitake and portabello mushrooms on a layer of melted emmenthal cheese inside a soft, flaky butter croissant. This is going to be my croissant of choice when I go to Starbucks!

Seafood Po’ Boy Wrap (PhP 160)

Taken from a New Orleans favorite, Seafood Po’ Boy Wrap is fried fish and shrimps and sauteed vegetables drizzled with Cajun sauce and sprinkled with mozzarella cheese, then wrapped in a tortilla. Tortilla wraps have come a long way from just Mexican innards, I think, with this one.

Asian Frappuccino Blended Beverages and more at Starbucks

Posted on by jane

In my last Starbucks event we were asked to guess what the upcoming Asian Frappuccino blended beverages would be. Many guesses later, it’s finally here — the Starbucks’ versions of the now popular milk teas in the country – Hojicha Tea Jelly Frappuccino and the Red Bean Green Tea Frappuccino.

Hojicha Tea Jelly Frappuccino

Hojicha, a kind of Japanese roasted tea, is combined with Starbucks’ Tazo Earl Grey tea-infused jelly in the Hojicha Tea Jelly Frappuccino. You get to taste the nutty and toasty hojicha i addition to the earl grey jelly bits.

Red Bean Green Tea Frappuccino

The Red Bean Green Tea Frappuccino is a blend of whole kernels of red azuki beans and matcha. Matcha is one of the best green tea forms in Japan and is finely milled so that you get that matcha flavor together with the sweetness of the azuki beans.

Both frappuccinos go for PhP 155 (tall), PhP 165 (Grande) and PhP 175 (Venti).

And that’s not all. Starbucks introduces a line of new food items – their second new batch for 2012.

Green Tea and Berry Cheesecake (PhP 140)

Green Tea and Berry Cheesecake has blueberries sitting on a crispy walnut crust. It’s topped with white chocolate ganache curls. My cheesecake girl is sure to go for this first.

Purple Yam Cake with Macapuno and Red Bean (PhP 110)

The Purple Yam Cake with Macapuno and Red Bean sounds like a combination of Filipino desserts. You’ve got 3 layers of purple yam chiffon cake with macapuno strips and red bean mixed into it. Between the layers are purple yam buttercream icing with sprinkles as an added touch on top.

Beef and Mushroom Pie (PhP 95)

Pie lovers will go for the Beef and Mushroom Pie – beef strips, sliced mushrooms, carrots and fresh mashed potatoes inside a flaky, buttery pastry crust baked to a golden brown.

Bacon and Cheese on Italian Country Bread (PhP 150)

Bacon and Cheese on Italian Country Bread is for the open-faced sandwich lovers. It’s a cheesy mix of 6 cheeses: Gruyere, Emmenthal, Provolone, Mozzarella, Feta and Cheddar) mixed in with crispy bacon strips.

Chicken Parmigiana Wrap (PhP 150)

Chewy pita bread filled with chicken breast fillet, sliced eggplant and drizzled with Italian tomato sauce and grated cheese is what Chicken Parmigiana Wrap is all about.

Lastly, there’s a new roast blend out. The Three Region Blend combines beans from three coffee-growing regions: Latin America, Africa/Arabia and Asia Pacific. It’s herbal, lemon and current notes all in one.

Starbucks: New Food and Beverage Items for 2012

Posted on by jane

Starbucks is known for constantly innovating on old favorites and coming up with new food and beverage items and here they are again with their 2012 lineup:

Cookie Crumble Cheesecake with Chips Ahoy (PhP 130)

This Cookie Crumble Cheesecake with Chips Ahoy comes loaded with chunky, moist and chewy Chips Ahoy cookies and chocolate chips baked on Chips Ahoy cookie crumbs.

Sausage Pizza Roll (PhP 95)

How the Sausage Pizza Roll looks on the inside

The Sausage Pizza Roll is a nice twist to the hotdog sandwich. The smoked frankfurter is enclosed in a golden brown, flaky and buttery pastry crust instead of the hotdog bun. That alone was a winner for me. Biting into it, you also taste the creamy cheese pizza sauce drizzled over the frankfurter. This one is best when served warm.

Fish and Chips Wrap (PhP 150)

My favorite of the lot – the Fish and Chips Wrap. I guess it’s because I loved the idea of a tortilla wrap. The surprise though was when I bit into it. Not only did I encounter a moist and juicy fish fillet but with it came herbed potato wedges. That is something you should try. Fish and Chips normally have you eating the chips separately while here, you eat the fish and chips TOGETHER! It’s quite a gustatory experience. This is best eaten warm too.

Chicken Grape Almond Salad on Classic Ciabatta Bread (PhP 150)

The Chicken Grape Almond Salad on Classic Ciabatta Bread is a lot of things – crunchy, tart, sweet and tangy. Chicken, grapes, celery, roasted chopped almonds, and sliced sundried tomatoes are held together with lemon mayo sauce. You can taste hints of tarragon and sliced Emmenthal cheese on crusty Ciabatta bread.

Whoopie Pie (PhP 75)

Giving a new twist to an old favorite – the Whoopie Pie now has two googly eyes! This dessert is made of two soft, large, fudgy dark chocolate cookie cakes filled with fluffy, roasted marshmallow cream icing with chocolate chips.

And now for the beverages!

Starbucks’ featured new beverage is the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino Blended Beverage – a combination of chocolate cookie bits with their signature Frappuccino Roast coffee – a twist on the classic Mocha Frappuccino Blended Coffee. It’s made with mocha sauce, vanilla syrup, milk and ice, and finished off with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle and a cookie crumble topping.

Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino
Tall – PhP 165; Grande – PhP 175; Venti – PhP 185
Another favorite blended beverage is the Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino. This one, made with strawberry sauce, milk, blended with ice and topped with whipped cream can actually be ordered without whipped cream and can be made with a choice of whole milk, non-fat milk or soy milk.
Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino
Tall – PhP 155; Grande – PhP 165; Venti – PhP 175

Starbucks Happy Hour and Customizable Tumblers

Posted on by jane

The sign says it all HALF-PRICE FRAPPUCCINO BLENDED BEVERAGES. Yay! 
I was told that in some Starbucks branches last year when they had Happy Hour from 12noon to 2pm, lines would be snaking around way past the 2pm cutoff and people would sometimes get served past 3pm.  So this time, Starbucks decided to make Happy Hour from 2-6 pm every Monday from April 30 to May 28, 2012. (Tip: Get in line before 2pm’s cutoff and you will be able to avail of the promo even beyond the cutoff time)
Make your own However-You-Want-It-Frappuccino blended beverages. Decaf or not. Extra shot or two or three of coffee. Want your whipped cream regular, light or none at all? What about your milk – full cream, nonfat? Do you want your syrup flavored with vanilla, hazelnut, mocha or any of the others? And so many more options. I was told that it could go up to about 87,000 different beverage blends if you count the number of combinations you can make with all the available options. Whew!
Times like these, I’m glad the Starbucks branch near me is not near any large office buildings but rather near schools. And school’s out!!! Hopefully, no long lines!
Customizable Tumblers Too!
If you really want to enjoy your blended beverages plus have your order processed quickly, get any of their two new customizable 16-oz. tumblers. The tumblers come with an extra barrel body that you twist off. Mark the inner barrel’s boxes with your beverage preferences using a marker, reassemble, hand the tumbler to your barista, and watch him/her process your order without having to say a word!
Customizable tumblers
Left: Stainless Steel Tumbler (PhP 1,095)
Right – Cold Cup Tumbler (PhP 550)

The Cold Cup Tumbler taken apart
(see the boxes on left where you can write your choices for blended beverage)
Love Fernandez writes his favorite blended beverage options
on the Cold Cup Tumbler
The Stainless Steel Tumblers taken apart
(it comes with a free dry erase marker)
Love draws Whoppie Pie on tumbler
Starting Monday, April 30, enjoy your customized blended frappuccino beverage at half price between 2-6pm and drink it from your very own customizable tumbler. You’re protecting Mother Earth as well by using the tumbler again and again and again (just be sure to use erasable markers instead of the permanent ones).