Category: Food and Beverages

My visual tour of Gardenia’s plant

Posted on by jane

Gardenia‘s meteoric rise in the bread industry to No. 1 is nothing short of spectacular. I remember my Mom telling me about a decade ago to buy Gardenia for my family (I was still buying another brand which I was familiar with growing up) and my reaction then was “What is Gardenia?” Today, ask anyone on the street what brand comes to mind when you say ‘bread’ and probably 9 out of 10 will say Gardenia.

I had been hearing about Gardenia’s plant tours and was secretly hoping I would have a chance to go some day. First, I wanted to know how all Gardenia breads were made since it was a permanent item on my shopping list. Secondly, I wanted to assure myself that the production process observed strict quality control. And third, just plain curiosity as to why Gardenia came from behind and overran all existing bread manufacturers.

My opportunity came last week when some of us bloggers were taken on a special tour of Gardenia’s plant inside the Laguna International Industrial Park in Binan, Laguna. Here’s what we saw and learned….

A nice surprise – a special banner welcomed us at the main lobby

In a special audiovisual room, we got to watch a video of the entire production process, after which the marketing manager also talked about how the finished breads are distributed throughout the country. Some trivia we picked up:

* Gardenia runs a machine that can produce 6,000 loaves of bread AN HOUR! In the same plant, they have a machine that can do 4,000 loaves/hour as well as a machine that can do 2,000 loaves/hour. In their recently opened Cebu plant, they use a machine that does 2,000 loaves/hour.

* From P137-M in total sales in 1995, Gardenia’s total sales in 2010 grew to P2.5-B. And based on a Nielsen audit in 2010, they command 67% of the bread market.

* Feeder trucks go out every day to different locations where smaller trucks meet them to further deliver the bread to the retail outlets so that consumers get them fresh every day.

* Every day also (esp for big retail outlets), unsold bread is taken back by Gardenia and brought to a holding area in the plant. There, contractors buy all the unsold bread. These are processed and broken down as fish meal. No returned bread is resold for human consumption. The holding area is thoroughly cleaned after all the bread is taken so that no chances of bacteria or molds can get into the production area.

Of course, nothing could beat actually seeing the entire production line from start to finish from a glass-enclosed viewing area high above the production floor so here we go…

Sponge and Dough Mixing Stages

50% of the bread’s ingredients are mixed and fermented in a cold room to develop the bread’s aroma. Once fermented, the other 50% of the ingredients are added in and mixed with the fermented dough.


Dividing, Rounding, Intermediate Proofing, Moulding Stages

At this stage, the dough is cut to size, rounded, and passed through a check weigher so that every loaf weighs the same. Cut dough that are over- or underweight drop from the conveyor belt into a pan. No hands touch the dough throughout this process. Those that pass the weight test are moulded into loaves.

Dough is divided and rounded
Rounded dough are weighed as they move on conveyor belts

Loaves about to have lids placed on them before baking

Spiral Cooling

Baked loaves are placed on a spiral cooler that has several open and turning circles, allowing air to freely go around the hot bread to cool it down prior to being packed and sealed. I watched like a child at the two giant mountains of bread slowly turning and turning. It was a fascinating sight.

Slicing, Bagging, Packing
The cooled loaves travel through an automatic slicer, then move on to an automatic bagger that stuffs the sliced bread into its familiar packaging. The G-lock is also attached at this point to seal the loaf. The bagged bread then moves to the final stage where these are placed on trays and sent to a distribution center where it is held prior to being loaded into feeder trucks.
Automatic slicing
Automatic bagging and sealing with G-lock system
Almost ready to ship out!
Distribution Center

The G-Lock Seal
When I used to buy bread before, my only concern was the expiration date. I thought the colors used for the plastic seals were just random to add some color to the entire packaging. It was only later that I found out that there was one color for every day of the week and signified the day the bread was delivered to the retail outlet.

Gardenia staffers remember the codes this way — TOY-BGRW

I did get to test this. I was at the grocery last Wednesday and the G-lock was supposed to be yellow. I checked the bread on the shelves. Yup – yellow G-locks! Now we know how to check for freshness.

As a mother, I was very happy to have seen the innards of Gardenia. I am comforted, seeing how they made the bread, that I would always have fresh bread for my family. For those of us who do not have luxuries like time to bake our own breads (or mothers who bake), Gardenia is the sure alternative.

I’d like to thank the entire team of Gardenia, most especially its President, Mr. Jun Umali, who took the time to be with us and patiently answer all our questions.

Bloggers with the Gardenia officers (the President, Mr. Umali, is the one with a tie)

Coming soon from Starbucks: Hot lunch sandwiches, new beverages

Posted on by jane

Beginning August 9, 2011, Starbucks patrons will be treated to a whole slew of new, hot lunch sandwiches. At a recent blogger event I was invited to, we were served seven (7) new sandwiches and got to taste two (2) new beverages coming up.

Celine Clemente, Starbucks’ Senior Category Specialist, is the woman behind these new sandwiches. I found out from her that they normally change menus once a year. (Hint: if you have a favorite lunch sandwich now, better eat it before August 9, hahaha).

We were also told that not all these sandwiches are heated up inside and out. Some of these sandwiches are served with the bread hot but the filling cold. That was a surprise for me as I always thought that everything was served hot. Apparently, some sandwiches’ tastes come out better when the filling is cold. This kind of heating, where only the bread is warmed, uses a convection oven. Note — each Starbucks branch has this kind of oven.

Another note. Only 4 out of the 7 sandwiches will be available nationwide. Another 2 will be available in all Starbucks branches except in Baguio, Boracay, Bacolod, Cebu, CDO, Davao, Iloilo and Naga. And to make up for this loss, the seventh variant will be available to those places that don’t serve the two sandwiches.

It was a good thing I skipped merienda that day because we got a taste of all 7 sandwiches. Here they are:

ALL BRANCHES

The Ultimate Grilled Cheese is a grilled cheese sandwich that has six different types of cheeses – Gruyere, Emmenthal, Feta, Provolone, Mozzarella and cheddar with slices of Hungarian sausage. Biting into it, you can taste a hint of roasted garlic and Italian herbed butter on the bread slices as well. I think this will be a favorite of cheese lovers.

A healthy option is the Roasted Chicken Pesto and Shiitake Mushroom on Flat Bread. It’s got roasted chicken breast fillet tossed with aromatic pesto mayo sauce and Shiitake mushroom and topped with melted Emmenthal and cheddar cheese on grilled flat bread.

Carnivores can opt for The Beef Brisket — slices of beef brisket covered with caramelized onions and Emmenthal cheese melted on chewy and crustyead. As I chewed on my share of this sandwich, I could distinctly taste the Dijon mustard spread which gave this sandwich a nice kick.

Vegetarians around the country can now celebrate a sandwich with them in mind. The Roasted Vegetables on Flat Bread sandwich is made of Mediterranean vegetables marinated in Italian spices and drizzled with mild chili dressing, served with grilled flat bread.

IN ALL BRANCHES (Except Baguio, Boracay, Bacolod, Cebu, CDO, Davao, Iloilo and Naga)

The Clubhouse is your traditional club sandwich stuffed with chicken breast. It is generously slathered with a pickle relish mixed in mayo mustard dressing with sliced tomato, honey ham, cheese and greens on toasted flat cranberry bread.

I love raisin bread. I love Waldorf salad. I love tuna. This sandwich puts them all together into a delicious hot sandwich. The Tuna Waldorf on Raisin Walnut Bread is a tuna salad tossed with red and green apples, roasted chopped walnuts, crunchy celery in yogurt mayo dressing and topped with hard‐boiled eggs, served in a raisin walnut bread.

ONLY IN BAGUIO, BORACAY, BACOLOD, CEBU, CDO, DAVAO, ILOILO, NAGA

Tuna Melt is tuna salad and creamy, melted cheese on toasted rye bread. It is topped with melted mozzarella cheese and sprinkled lightly with Spanish paprika.

TWO NEW BLENDED BEVERAGES

Coming to you too on August 9 in ALL BRANCHES are 2 blended beverages whipped up from other popular Starbucks beverages already: Hazelnut Mocha Frappuccino and Mint Java Chip Frappuccino.

Some of my blogger friends loved the Hazelnut Mocha variant but me? I went for the Mint Java Chip frappe because I just love mint chocolates and this one reminded me of it.
PLUS: A SINFUL CHEESECAKE
Our tummies were filled (almost) to the brim with the sandwiches and beverages but when there’s dessert, you always make space, right?
The name alone – Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownie Cheesecake – is enough to warn people of its gustatory nature. It’s a rich, creamy and velvety chocolate cheesecake loaded with chewy-chunky fudgy walnut brownies and chocolate chips baked on a dark chocolate cookie crust. Yum!
On August 9, go to your favorite Starbucks branch and choose from any of the hot sandwiches and new blended beverages. Don’t forget the cheesecake! 

Thanks to the Starbucks team behind the event for having us.

Banapple Greenhills is now open!

Posted on by jane

I’ve been waiting for this for a long time now. And here it is. Banapple is now in Greenhills! Located at Northeast Square along Connecticut St., Banapple is one of several new restos near Northeast and East Greenhills.

Like its siblings in the Katipunan area, Banapple retains its bright, sunshine-y, orange-y look in its Greenhills branch. The orange ceiling lamps, the candy-striped wallpaper, and the homey ambience of children’s books in recessed walls give diners that warm feeling. Kids would love to linger here as they can while away time reading through the books on tables with a surface made of colorful pebbles in different designs.

The Greenhills branch also has the usual fare of breads and dessert.
When we were invited to try out their food fare, they did not have their new menu yet but just a heads-up for you all to ask for their new food items next time you visit.

This is what we tried the day we visited.

I began with a cup of their Cafe Latte. Normally I would go for a stronger cup but this was already my second coffee serving for the day so I opted for the lighter coffee variant.

Cafe Latte (PhP 85)


Noemi and I, being health-conscious, then ordered salads next.

Insalata Rustico (PhP 135)

We started with a healthy salad, Insalata Rustico — fresh mixed greens with piquant black olives, sliced tomatoes, grated parmesan cheese, and toasted almond slivers. The salad is drizzled with a garlic dressing.

Asian Sunshine Salad (PhP 140)
And yet another salad, Asian Sunshine salad — greens, cucumber sticks and crabsticks, topped with sweet mandarin oranges and crisp wonton skins. A honey-sesame oil dressing completes the salad.

Next came the meats and fish. All Banapple entrees come with seasoned garlic rice.

Lasagna Roll-ups (PhP 180)
Banapple’s Lasagna Roll-ups are presented differently from most lasagna dishes. The roll-ups make it easier to cut up and share. Generous slatherings of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese can be found on top and on the sides of each roll-up. An added touch — toasted bread.
Pan-Fried Porkloin w/ Herbed Mushroom Gravy (PhP 180)

I took a picture of this but since I was not in the mood for meats that day, I opted to just take a photo of the Pan-Fried Porkloin. Pan-fried in olive oil (healthy!) and seasoned with herbs, it is slathered with a thick mushroom and herb gravy and served up with carrots and corn.

Breaded Fillet of Cream Dory with Honey Thyme Mustard Sauce (PhP 185)

Oh, I am such a Dory person so I left space in my tummy for the Breaded Fillet of Cream Dory. And true enough, I was not disappointed. The fillet was very soft and tasty and the honey thyme mustard sauce was a great complement for it. 

Banapple won’t be Banapple if we did not try their desserts. These were the ones I sampled. Both were yummy but personally, Banoffee Pie won me over. No wonder it’s what Banapple is known for.
Banoffee Pie

Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake

And to give you a flavor of their other desserts, here is a quick tour:

No need to travel all the way to Katipunan for a Banapple fix. For many who have found the 2 Banapples in Katipunan always full and hard to find seats, at least there’s an alternative now nearer us.

Banapple Greenhills
2nd level, Northeast Square
47 Connecticut St., Northeast Greenhills
Open daily from 7:30 am – 11:30 pm

My Yellow Cab epic fail dinner

Posted on by jane

(UPDATE: Yellow Cab responded proactively to my complaint and the store manager herself invited me and my family to another meal at their branch so that we would end up with a positive experience. And we did! Thank you, Yellow Cab. We still love you!)

There are nights when luck isn’t on your side and tonight I struck out on dinner. Rather, Yellow Cab struck out on us.
Since I only had 3 kids at home, we decided to treat ourselves to Yellow Cab pizza and baked potato wedges. To be fair, we love Yellow Cab and have not had any bad experience with them in the past.

But tonight went down as a true Murphy’s Law dinner.

I placed my order at 789-9999 and spoke with an Eric, who took my orders down: one 18″ pepperoni and mushroom pizza (I specified crisscut and Eric specifically told me it would be 32 crisscut slices) and an order of baked potato wedges. Total bill: P987.

When one of my boys called me to the dinner table, we excitedly opened up the pizza box and this was what we saw.

Pepperoni and mushroom – Yes
18″ pizza – No

At first I thought they just forgot to cut the pizza into crisscut but when I opened the box that was supposed to contain the baked potato wedges, this was what was inside:

They call it Charlie Chan Chicken Pasta

So I call the Yellow Cab hotline again to complain (the same Eric answered the phone). A while after he put down the phone, someone named Hatch called me apologizing about the misdelivery. But he insisted that the pizza was really ours, it was just not cut. He suggested that a rider would bring over our baked potato wedges and bring a pizza cutter to cut the sliced pizza into crisscuts. WHAAAAT?

Look, sliced or crisscut, it’s just a shape. I don’t like the idea of strangers coming into my home at night to what, cut a pizza up?

So I told Hatch no thanks, we’d eat the pizza the way it was. Hatch also said they’d be refunding me money representing a discount they are giving me for the inconvenience. My bill was to be P888 instead of P987.

We were a bit hungry already by then and I knew the pizza had gone cold so I agreed to just get the money back and get a fresh batch of the baked potato wedges in exchange for the pasta. But by the time I went down to tell our househelp that, their rider had already come by and got BOTH the pizza and pasta. He said both orders belonged to a condo nearby and his plan was to retrieve our orders from the condo and deliver what he retrieves to us.

Did he expect us to eat the pizza and potato wedges that some other people probably already opened up in their condo unit?

For a third time, I called the hotline and spoke with Hatch. Yes, he understood why I didn’t want to eat food that is no longer fresh. And yes, he’d send over an entirely fresh batch of both pizza and baked potato wedges.

Wait. wait, wait. Finally another rider came along (nope, he wasn’t the one who misdelivered. That guy went off-duty already, said this rider). We checked our orders at the gate. This time, they got it right. And I got P94 back as my discount for the inconvenience.

We finally sat down to dinner with our true order at around 9 pm already. And guess what. Good thing we did not settle by eating that first pizza because, as it turns out, our true order was a lot bigger than the first one delivered! Sus hindi pala 18″ yung unang pizza! It was not true after all that our pizza was not just cut crisscut style. It was really the WRONG pizza! Because here’s the right one:

Our real order: 18″ Crisscut pepperoni and mushrooms
Finally, THE baked potato wedges!

To be fair to Yellow Cab, your people on the phone were quite apologetic and understanding. But if you are to improve your service, allow me some suggestions in light of this incident:

1. Improve the dispatching procedure so mix-ups are reduced or better still, totally eliminated.
2. Before you tell us that the pizza was just not cut up crisscut style, make sure it is the same size as the pizza we ordered. What would have happened had we eaten the 1st pizza on your say-so, only to find out what was due us was a bigger pizza?
3. Never, ever let your riders take back misdelivered orders and expect us just to accept them. Once food is opened up by someone else, elsewhere, it should not be re-delivered to the right people. It behooves a true food company to order up a fresh batch for sanitation purposes.

I was assured that this incident would be elevated to the higher-ups of Yellow Cab. I really hope it gets to them so that this incident will never happen again. As for me, what was supposed to be my comfort food tonight unfortunately turned out to be a very stressful dinner.

Buon Giorno has a new home at Rockwell Business Center!

Posted on by jane
Nestled in the newest business enclave in the Ortigas, the Rockwell Business Center (RBC), is this Italian restaurant which we were recently invited to. This was my first time to visit RBC and was actually pleasantly surprised at its mixed-use ambience. Many restaurants dotted the surroundings of the business center which seemed vibrant and teeming with office people way into the evening.
This is where Buon Giorno found its second home (the first one being in Tagaytay). Host of the bloggers for the evening was Buon Giorno’s proprietor, Mark Floro, who regaled us with stories about the beginnings of Buon Giorno and how its many dishes were concocted by his wife, Linda.

Mark Floro

Before it found its place in RBC, Buon Giorno was located at Liberty Center along Shaw Boulevard (so if any of you are wondering where they have relocated, read on).

Buon Giorno’s decor is typically European and very warm.Tiffany lamps lend a very romantic mood while lighting up the place, with strategically located pin lights adding brightness to the place.

In typical Italian fashion, the walls were artistically painted depicting country scenes and open fields to give that homey feel to all diners.

I also took a peek at the kitchen which was in full view of the diners. To me this was testament to the owners’ full confidence that they were preparing meals that were fresh and hot out of their ovens and the surroundings were sanitary.

Food was flowing that evening and I am afraid I did not get to try everything but let me give you an idea of the ones I did.

Zuppa di Zucca Arrosto, Php 140
(Pumpkin soup)
Quattro Formaggi, Php 356
(A mixture of four cheeses: mozzarella, fontina, parmesan and gorgonola)

Beef Wagyu with Shitake Mushroom Gravy

Buon Giorno’s Special, P218 per serving
(The very best salad ingredients with a special house dressing)

We had our choice of dressing that night. Try the MarLinJo dressing. It’s good.
Pollo E Funghi, Php 302
(A risotto dish with chicken strips and mushrooms)

Pescatore Alla Puttanesca, Php 308
(An assortment of seafood on spicy and peppery tomato sauce)

Canneloni Spinaci,  Php 294
(Chicken & mortadella ham rolled in sheets of spinach pasta smothered with tomato sauce and cheese)
San Prieto Con Basilico John Dory, Php 470
(Dory fillet with creamy sauce and spinach)

Creamy dory with the sauce on it (from Buon Giorno stock photo)

Molten Chocolate Cake, Php 168
(Moist cake with molten chocolate and served with vanilla ice cream)

Dalandan Shake, Php 120
There was nothing I ate that I did NOT like. Everything I tried that evening was really deliziosa but I have my favorites for the night — the Buon Giorno Special, the Canneloni Spinaci, and the Creamy Dory. 
And what was Mark’s recommendation next time we return? He says to try the Bruschetta. Me? I missed out on their gelato (ice cream) which was not available that night, so I am going back to try it.
Buon Giorno! Caffe & Bistro
G/F West Tower
Rockwell Business Center, Ortigas Ave.
Pasig City
Tel. No. 710-3515

Magnolia’s holiday flavors are here!

Posted on by jane

The Magnolia ice cream plant-cum-soda-fountain along Aurora Boulevard was a favorite haunt of the family. I remember as kids we’d celebrate quite a few birthdays and other events there. Who wouldn’t love the soda fountain, a dream come true for kids where you could have a wide choice of sundaes, splits and parfaits, among others.

The ice cream plant was a favorite field trip destination for schools too. I vividly remember my batch going to the ice cream plant for a tour. We were fascinated by the thought that we were inside Ice Cream Kingdom. Entering the warehouse-sized freezer where the finished ice cream products were sold was quite an experience as we donned heavy woolen coats. Watching ice cream artists put the finishing touches on an ice cream cake was a treat as well. And of course, a field trip was not complete without that one last touch – free Magnolia Delights from a cart greeted you as you finished the tour.

When the ice cream recipe and its plant were sold to Nestle, I remember wondering WHY. After all, Magnolia was the #1 ice cream then. Well, whatever their reason then was, what’s important now is that they’re back and ready to provide the same, loved Magnolia ice cream to the public.

The new ice cream plant is located in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. And while the old flavors are slowly coming back, Magnolia has introduced three (3) new holiday flavors that will be available till February 2011 in supermarkets and groceries, Monterey outlets nationwide and selected Petron Treats and Shops.

At a recent blogger event, we were introduced to all 3 flavors.

CARAMEL CHEESECAKE – Cheesecake bits with streaks of caramel ripple in a caramel ice cream base

Caramel Cheesecake

APPLE STRUDEL – Apple cinnamon bits with crushed chocolate pretzels swirled with a combination of green and red apple ripple and enhanced with creamy vanilla flavor

Apple Strudel

VANILLA PRALINE – Cashew praline with streaks of caramel ripple in a vanilla ice cream base

Vanilla Praline

These holiday flavors come in 1.5L in-mould labeling with tub wrap. The labels are not stuck onto the cover as with other brands. For these flavors, all around the tub are the creative works of Filipino artists.

The kids’ and my personal favorites are actually the Vanilla Praline and Caramel Cheesecake, though I was told that some company employees who tried the Apple Strudel liked it. I think the European flavor of Apple Strudel is initially foreign to the Pinoy tongue but eventually, people acquire a taste for it.

Burritos & Tacos – A Mexican Delight

Posted on by jane

Guess what! A Mexican restaurant opened very close to home! How close? Let’s say it’s just about a brisk 10 minute walk from my house.

Burritos & Tacos (called B&T for short) just opened at the Sekai Building along Ortigas Ave., right at the entrance to North Greenhills. It’s a short walk from Xavier School and ICA.

Thanks to a blogger friend, Karen, I was able to attend their grand launch.

The restaurant is pretty spacious — quite unlike my experience at another Mexican place in our area which is a pretty tight squeeze, with overflowing customers having to eat al fresco. The interiors were designed with Mexico’s flag colors as inspiration. Modern orange chairs against black tables provided an eye candy contrast and the orange and green walls added to the aesthetic beauty of the place.

View from the outside
Front view
Indoor view

The ordering process was similar to the other Mexican place as well (the owner’s little sister who was talking to us sort of gave a hint that her brother had previously come from there. I did not bother to ask details though). Huge blackboards above walked you through Steps One through Five. 

Step One: Choose your meal
Step Two: Choose your meat
Step Three: Choose your sides
Step Four: Choose your drink
Step Five: Choose your dessert
Now on to the food….
The first thing we were served was Horchata, a rice drink that was pleasantly chilled and was a good complement to the spicy, garlicky food that would follow.
Horchata (P50)
First food item that came to us was the quesadilla with 3 types of dips: salsa, hot sauce and sour cream. This became one of my favorites that day since I really love tortillas and anything wrapped in it.
Quesadilla (P290 to P350)
Next, we tried their soft tacos, accompanied also by salsa, hot sauce and sour cream.
Soft Tacos (P290 to P350)
The 9-Layer Dip Nachos were the most colorful of the entire lot served us, with nachos in neon green, yellow and magenta just like the Mexican flag colors. The dip, which comes in a round plastic container, has (as its name suggests) 9 layers: cheese, 2 kinds of beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, pico de gallo and guacamole.
If I were a kid, this one would catch my eye as it explodes in all these 3 fascinating colors. As a Mom though, I wonder how much food coloring went into this production.
9-Layer Dip Nachos (P220)
The Mexican Burger with Potato Fries was brought next and at this point in time, my stomach was saying “FULL”. So much as I wanted to dig into it, we had to ask that it be wrapped.
Mexican Burger with Potato Fries (P310)
I took home the Barbacoa and had it for lunch and dinner the next day. Despite the reheating, the Barbacoa still retained its texture and I could still taste the corn, beans, salsa, guacamole, cheese and other spices mixed in with the white rice. I think B&T can also experiment with brown rice, which I have began eating at home, to see if it will go well with their Barbacoa. It’s more healthy.
Barbacoa (P320)
In terms of comfort, space and ambience, I now prefer B&T over the other Mexican restaurant. The other one is actually farther from us than B&T which I can even walk to if I wanted that exercise to whet my appetite before eating. But aside from just the ambience, I find that the quality of the food at B&T is not far from the more popular “other one” and the prices are actually lower. For me, that’s value for money.
I’m heading to B&T again with my kids in the near future.
B&T (Burritos & Tacos) Mexican Kitchen can be found at the ground floor of Sekai Bldg, Ortigas Ave. (near entrance to North Greenhills), San Juan City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

Mang Inasal Delivers! Dial 733-1111

Posted on by jane

I come from the land of inasal — Iloilo. And there, we eat it the yummy way. Grab the chicken with both hands, take a huge bite, then follow with hot rice eaten kamayan (bare hands) style. Nothing could be more enjoyable than eating chicken inasal with one’s hands. Well that was before everyone became civilized and started eating inasal with spoon and fork, hahahaha.

So it is no wonder that I always find a chance to eat chicken inasal. It reminds me very much of my childhood. My kids love inasal too because on vacations to Dumaguete, we also get our fill of the chicken inasal there. So we were all excited when I got an email offering me a chance to try out Mang Inasal’s new delivery service.

My kids and I were raring to try them. I made the call around 7:15 pm last week and in exactly 30 minutes (7:45 pm on the dot), our doorbell was ringing. Dinner had arrived — PROMPTLY!

Mang Inasal sent two items from their menu. One was supposed to be PM1 (Leg or thigh with rice) and PM2 (breast or wing with rice). Frankly, when it arrived and we opened them, I could not tell which was PM1 because both looked similar.

Nevertheless, that did not stop us from enjoying our prompt chicken inasal dinner. My son even went as far as pouring the juices from the wrappings onto his rice. The delivery came with calamansi, vinegar and soy sauce. And oh yes, red chili pepper. Sawsawan galore!

There’s more to chicken inasal in their delivery service. They include sisig (pork & bangus), sinigang, boneless bangus, and even burgers and spaghetti.

Lately, Mang Inasal has been in the news, with 70% of their shares being bought by Jollibee. How that will impact them remains to be seen but at the rate Jollibee has been acquiring others and improving on their offerings, like Chowking, Red Ribbon and Delifrance, all I can say is that Mang Inasal seems to be in good hands.

Visit Mang Inasal’s website for a complete offering of their menu. Mang Inasal is also on Facebook.

Just one telephone number to remember for delivery service. 731-1111

One last thank you to the people from Yehey who made this possible. YEHEY!!!

A New Comfort Food from Red Ribbon

Posted on by jane

When we are under stress, lonely, or just need to be reminded of good memories, we reach out for our comfort food. Usually these are food that reminds us of our Mom’s cooking, something that triggers a good memory, basically anything that gives you the same effect as a warm embrace or lifts your spirit.

What is your comfort food?

My top choice is ice cream. Any flavor. Oh, maybe except Tutti Frutti because I don’t like those candy-like fruit squares in my ice cream. But I’ll take any flavor, and most especially…..chocolate!

Recently, Red Ribbon launched its version of comfort food. And it’s one that will truly comfort you without burning a hole in your pocket.

Introducing Red Ribbon’s CHOCO FUDGE CAKE!

The Choco Fudge Cake is a version of the classic chocolate cake but with more oooomph: a pound cake smothered with premium chocolate heaped generously on top and layered with chocolate fudge filling. You take one bite into it and your teeth just keep going down into chocolate and more chocolate.

My personal preference is still Red Ribbon’s Chocolate Walnut Fudge cake which they introduced last year but as an immediate comfort food that is so affordable, Choco Fudge Cake is a great alternative.

Chocolate Fudge Cake is now available in regular size (P460) and junior size (P275) at all Red Ribbon outlets.

There’s More to Fish & Co. Than Fish

Posted on by jane
Carnivores, celebrate! If you think Fish & Co. is all about fish, think again. After all “& Co.” in their name means it ain’t all about fish. They have now expanded their food offerings to include *drumroll*….MEAT!

My kids are primarily carnivores and while I can get them to try seafood dishes, they usually go for the meat dishes first. Their favorite dish at Fish & Co. is the fish & chips, what else? But at this dinner hosted by Fish & Co., upon the invite of Carlo, my girl and I, along with other blogger friends, were able to take a peek at the varied meat items they had concocted. 
Shrimp and Chicken Breast Al Pesto

Being a health-conscious Mom and yogini, I have recently been tapering my meat intake and increasing fish, vegetables and fruits in my diet. But who can resist this dish when chicken breast is combined with shrimp, pasta (my favorite dish!) and broccoli? Still healthy! Of all the dishes served up that night, this was my clear choice.
Breaded Chicken Piggyback

Surprisingly, piggybacking shrimp on top of breaded chicken went well. I liked the combination of the chicken’s crunch with the softness of the shrimp. A thoughtful addition is the noodles at the bottom. It serves as the carbs high of the dish.
Grilled Lamb Chops
Yum yum lamb chops! I’m glad it was prepared with veggies as part of the serving. I normally stay away from pure meat dishes.
My girl (beside me) gave the dinner a two thumbs up so that means my carnivore girl was pleased with the menu. Thanks for the wonderful, gastronomic dinner, Fish & Co. I’m hauling my carnivore family here on our next family celebration.