Burritos & Tacos – A Mexican Delight

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.

McDo is now on your mobile phone

It became such a big convenience when many fastfood outlets and restaurants allowed online ordering and payments. In this age when everyone seems to lead such hectic lives and Metro Manila traffic is horrendous, the advantages of being able to go online in your own home and order lunch, dinner or merienda delivered to your doorstep was obvious.

McDonald’s was one of those fastfood outlets known for online ordering. My kids have ordered online not just from McDo but from other outlets several times already and you know what? It beats having to place your order via phone because sometimes, the one taking down the order can make mistakes.

McDo has moved online ordering up one step. It has partnered with Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) to allow ordering via mobile phone to BPI, BPI Family Savings Bank and BPI Direct clients.

Here’s how to do it.

First, you need to register at www.bpiexpressonline.com. I got these screencaps from My BPI Magazine.

And here’s how to order and pay:

And to register, here are the requirements:

Shhhhhh! Don’t even tell my youngest son about this! He is such a McDo fan!

Krispy Kreme’s Ho-Ho-Holiday Doughnuts Are Here

This was the surprise that arrived today. Krispy Kreme‘s holiday doughnuts are out!!!
Kids really love the way Krispy Kreme celebrates events and special occasions because they come up with the most creative, yummy-looking doughnuts. My own kids love Krispy Kreme a lot.
There are three variants this year. First is Mr. Snowman. He was around last year too with his red and green scarves but they gave him a slightly new look this year. Next is the vanilla-frosted square-shaped doughnuts decked with green and red icing ribbons. They almost look like tiny presents. And third is the round-shaped doughnuts with vanilla frosting and green and red sprinkles.
My Christmas doughnuts came in a very simple but elegant-looking metal Krispy Kreme can in Christmas-y colors. 
If you are still wondering what to give family and friends for Christmas, look no further. Your yummy present will look great packaged in a KK box like this one.
And yes, I had to hurriedly take pictures of the doughnuts before all my kids come home from school and devour them all. 🙂

Visit any of the following Krispy Kreme Branches: Bonifacio High Street, Greenhills Shopping Center Drive-Thru, SM Mall of Asia, Trinoma Cinema Level, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia Drive-Thru, Ayala Avenue, Robinsons Galleria, Gateway Mall, Glorietta 4, SM City Annex (North EDSA), Annex 2 SM Fairvew, Eastwood, Marquee Mall Pampanga, SM San Lazaro, SM Manila, Robinsons Place Manila, Paseo Center (Makati City) and Valero (Makati City) or call 0917-8053000. Also, be sure to log on to www.krispykreme.com.ph and be a Friend of Krispy Kreme to get updates.

One Day Only: Goodles Pasta for P100 Only

Some time back, several of us bloggers were treated to the soft launch of Goodles, a new concept in pasta-to-go. Gourmet pasta, the kind you normally have in sit-down fancy restaurants, are now available in to-go tubs that you can take with you into the moviehouse.

Goodles uses traditional imported Italian pastas and handcrafts its deliciously rich sauces using all natural farm fresh ingredients, pure dairy products, hormone-free meats, extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs and spices.

My favorite of all the items is Grape Carbonara, carbonara with a twist — it had grapes!

On November 24, 2010 (take note, just this day and no other), Goodles will drop their prices on select popular Goodles pasta to only P100 in celebration of its 1st anniversary. Promo is good for dine-in and take-away (delivery not included).

(click to see enlarged photo)


From 11AM to 2PM, Pesto Cream al Funghi, which is a creamy mix of pesto, mushrooms and farfalle noodles, will be sold for only P100 (regularly at P175). Seven Layer Lasagna (regular, P140) will be sold at P100 from 3PM to 6PM and Grape Carbonara (regular, P165) will be sold at P100 from 6PM to 9PM.

Bulk orders for this promotion will be accepted and may be ordered in advance by calling the Goodles hotline at +63922.8737758 beginning November 22.

Those ordering via the Goodles delivery hotline 2121212 will not be able to avail of the P100 promo but instead will get 1 order of Free Iced Tea for a minimum P500 purchase.

Goodles has a website (www.ilovegoodles.com) and is on Facebook. Check them out for details of this promo as well as upcoming ones.

Oh Baby! All Natural Baby Food

All my four kids grew up on imported and locally available baby food. I guess I could say I had no choice then. I was a working Mom and had no time to osterize or blend baby food on demand. I just had to trust that the people behind these baby food lived up to the quality standards appropriate for baby consumption.

Recently, I was invited to an intimate gathering of mommies and bloggers. A locally made line of all-natural baby food was being launched – Oh Baby!

My curiosity was piqued. My kids are all teens and adults so why did I want to go to this launch? Mainly because I am a Mom and I know that many of my younger friends and blog readers are moms or soon-to-be Moms and if this product was any good, I want to put it out for them to have a choice as to what to give their youngsters.

I got to meet the two mommy chefs behind Oh Baby! — Christina Trillana-Lagdameo and Rebecca Disini-Gomez. Tina studied at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. She has an Associate of Occupational Studies in Culinary and is Safe Serve Certified. While there, she worked as a line cook in Tabla Restaurant and Catering Manager at Dean and Deluca. Rebecca pursued her passion for food in Le Cordon Bleu in London and graduated with a Cuisine Diploma. She is Food Safety and Hygiene Certified by the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene. She also got to work for Unilever as Regional Chef for Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Mommy Rebecca (L) and Mommy Tina (R) with their babies

Both mommies were high school classmates who pursued culinary courses abroad. When they got married and had kids, they began wondering what preservatives were inside the jarred baby food and teething biscuits they’d buy in the grocery especially since they knew there had to be some amount of preservatives in it so it could have a longer shelf life.

It wasn’t long before they figured that putting their culinary skills to task to produce tasty and nutritious meals for babies was the next step. And why stop at giving these to their own babies? They could also make these available to other moms who had no time to prepare these food and would end up buying commercially available ones. Thus, Oh Baby! was born.

Their Young Palate line of jarred baby food and teething biscuits for babies who are just starting on solid foods. They offer Stage One (for very young babies) and Stage Two (for older babies) varieties just like those in supermarkets where you have baby foods that come in different stages. Flavors available are apple, carrot and squash, potato and apple, and tomato.

Young Palate line
Their line of Oh Baby! Teething Biscuits were carefully formulated. Not too crumbly, or else it could choke baby. Just the right size for tiny hands to grab and hold firmly. Texture just right to soothe baby gums.
Teething Biscuits
Their Grow n’ Go line consists of healthy, kid-friendly snacks that can be easily put into lunchboxes or taken on trips.
Grow n’ Go snacks
Tina and Rebecca told us that right now, they make baby food in small batches. This ensures that each batch is always fresh and made out of the fruits and vegetables that they pick out themselves. Their baby food has absolutely no preservatives in them so they carefully label each bottle with an expiry date. 
For now, they are not yet in supermarkets so distribution is via pick-up points. 
To order, call mobile 0918 9478462 or email ohbabyph@gmail.com. Orders must be placed 3 days in advance.
Pick up points are as follows:
1. Makati
    a. 2101 Regency at Salcedo Tordesillas corner Sanchez St., Salcedo Village
    b. 2278 Magnolia St., Dasmarinas Village
    c. 1 Arguilla St., San Lorenzo Village
2. Fort – 33D North Pacific Plaza Tower, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
3. Alabang – 221 Balayan St., Ayala Alabang Village
The Oh Baby! website also has an online order form. 

Water Plus Goes Beyond Just Being Water

Have you seen this picture on billboards yet?

That’s Andi Manzano and she is the endorser for a new kind of flavored water that comes in several variants recently released — Water Plus by the Zest-o people. One of Water Plus’ variants is their Waterplus Reduce line which comes in three flavors – grape, lemon & berries, and apple, and is touted as a weight loss water product.

OK, I know what some of you may say. Another water product? It’s touting itself as water but has a lot of sugar? What’s new?

I must say, the thought crossed my mind too. But I was willing to listen to the organizers tell me a bit more about the product before I made any conclusions of my own.

Some water drinks introduced in the past which I tried were heavy on the flavoring. They tasted nice but because the flavorings were quite strong they already bordered closer to being juice than water. That made me wonder about the sugar content in WaterPlus Reduce. 

The WaterPlus Reduce press kit I read also said that it is an aid for those trying to lose weight because it contains 300mg of L-Carnitine and 2 grams of Fibersol (you will read this on the bottle as Resistant Maltodextrin). L-Carnitine is an amino acid that helps increase fat-burning properties in the body while Fibersol is a water soluble fiber that help maintain a healthy digestive track. The L-carnitine in WaterPlus increases the amount of calories burned per minute compared to rehydrating with just plain water. The fibersol on the other hand helps flush out lactic acid produced during exercise. 
The press release also said that WaterPlus Reduce, unlike other weight loss drinks, has zero sugar and zero calories which enables you to burn more fats without adding extra pounds.  Now, this last part I still cannot verify since I have not consumed enough Water Plus to test the claim but if you are already on a water-based drink that claims to help with weight loss, you can probably compare the content of L-Carnitine and Fibersol between the two drinks.
Over dinner, we were made to sample all 3 flavors and the first thing I noticed was that there was only a very slight hint of flavoring in Water Plus, holding true to its claim to being near-water formulation. Of all three, I loved the Apple variant. I think I am really an apple-flavored person because that seems to be the juice I also prefer.
One last check — the list of ingredients! Knowing that ingredients are listed in the order of how much content is in a product, I saw that the first 3 ingredients, in this order, were Purified Water, Resistant Maltodextrin and L-Carnitine. Not sodium. Not sugar. 
Of course, consuming any weight-loss drink has to be coupled with adequate exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Drinking WaterPlus Reduce alone is not the answer. Water Plus suggests that WaterPlus Reduce be taken after every meal so that it aids in burning up the calories and minimizes the unwanted calories that turn into excess fat.

Andi Manzano said that she tries her best to be as fit as she can be and Water Plus helps her maintain her very nice figure. I had a chance to talk to her briefly, exchanging tidbits about my doing yoga and her fitness program. Since I need to rehydrate a lot especially after a round of yoga, I think I will try WaterPlus Reduce. I may not need to drastically lose pounds but if it can help me reduce inches in the right places, I’d be happy, hahaha.

(With Andi Manzano) 
One last thing. Water Plus has two more lines: Protect and Smart (okay for children).

Pumpkin Recipes for Halloween and Any Day

The Dona Elena Cuisinera Club (DECC) recently sponsored a meet-up with its club’s members and mommy bloggers (including me) to show us how to prepare three delicious meals using pumpkin as a basic ingredient.

These 3 dishes were appropriate for Halloween but I think that these will be just as good any day of the year.

What I love about Dona Elena is that I’m able to buy olive oil for cooking or for my salads without spending an arm and a leg. You know how expensive olive oil can be. And yet, I splurge on this every so often, knowing that it is the healthiest oil there is.

Dona Elena olive oil is known to be rich in antioxidants, counteracting the harmful effects of free radicals which place us at risk for heart disease and certain cancers.

For this session, we were introduced to the health benefits of pumpkin, as well (the more common variety is squash or, as we call it in the Philippines — kalabasa). Here’s why you should consider pumpkin as part of your family’s dish ingredients:

– phytonutrients prevent cell mutations
– for men’s health, it helps reduce risk of prostate cancer
– its orange-red carotenoid helps reduce risk of emphysema and has anti-cancer properties
– reduces chances of birth defects, heart attack, and the folate promotes colon health
– the betacarotene is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, protects vs diabetes, regulates blood sugar, and reduces the severity of conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis
– potassium helps lower blood pressure
– it has other nutrients such as Vitamin C, fiber and more

Halloween is just a few days away so if you’re looking for yummy treats to serve up on that day, here are 3 recipes for Pumpkin and Sausage Pasta; Pumpkin, Tomato and Basil Soup; and Pumpkin and Shrimp Fritters (popularly known as Okoy).

PUMPKIN AND SAUSAGE PASTA


Ingredients:

2 tbsp.  olive oil
1 pc white onion, chopped
400 gms  sausage, sliced (Italian/ Hungarian)
4 cloves garlic, minced
500 gms  pumpkin, diced
1 cup  chicken stock
½ cup  heavy cream (or 1 cup all-purpose cream)
¼ tsp nutmeg
To taste salt and pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
400 gms  linguini noodles

Procedure:
1. Heat olive oil and sauté onions and garlic.
2. Add the sausages and cook until well done.
3. In a separate pan, boil the stock and add the pumpkin. Simmer until tender.
4. Add cream, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
5. Mash the pumpkin with the cream and stock. Add in the sausage and re heat the sauce.
6. Add the dried parsley.
7. Pour the sauce on top of hot pasta.

Healthy note: You may reduce sausage to 300 gms and replace heavy cream with yogurt.

PUMPKIN, TOMATO AND BASIL SOUP

Ingredients:

500 gms  pumpkin, diced
1 cup whole peeled tomatoes, quartered
4 cups chicken broth
8 pcs carrots, diced
1 pc onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
½ stick butter
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup  all-purpose cream

Procedure:

1. Cook pumpkin and carrots in the stock until tender.
2. In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil and butter together and sauté the onions and mushrooms.
3. Add the tomatoes.
4. Add in the softened carrots and pumpkin (keep the stock) and sauté all together. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Puree stock and other ingredients in a blender.
6. Put back in a pot and add the cream and basil.
7. Simmer for about 8 minutes or until thickened.
8. Serve with croutons on top.

Healthy note: You may replace the all-purpose cream with yogurt

OKOY (PUMPKIN AND SHRIMP FRITTERS)

Ingredients:

4 cups  pumpkin, grated
½ kg  suaje, head on, spiny parts removed
1 pc red onion, finely sliced
1 cup  carrots, grated
½ cup  cornstarch
2 pcs eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil (for frying)

Procedure:

1. Combine the pumpkin, carrots, onions, cornstarch, agg and salt and pepper in a bowl.
2. Mix in the shrimp.
3. Form the mixture into patties. Place 1-2 pieces of shrimp on each patty.
4. Heat the olive oil for frying.
5. Deep fry the okoy until the patties turn golden brown in color.
6. Drain excess oil on paper towels.
7. Serve with vinegar dip.

One last thing: You may want to join the Dona Elena Cuisinera Club and learn all the healthy cooking tips, meet other members, exchange recipes and join the club’s year-round events. Visit their site at www.cuisineraclub.com

Contest: Keso de Gallo with Kraft Eden Cheese

100 towns.

100 unique dishes.

100 days.

1 Grand Yuletide celebration.

Yes, for 100 days prior to Christmas, 100 towns are showcasing their unique dishes that feature Kraft Eden Cheese as an ingredient. And they are gunning to break the record for the longest Christmas celebration in the world!

Where else should the longest Christmas celebration be than in the Philippines. The moment BER months come around, Christmas songs are already in the air and malls start decorating for the Christmas season already!

We can all help make the Philippines break this record and, at the same time, make YOUR favorite city’s cheese dish win P2 million worth of prizes it can use as a support fund. You can also be your city’s HOME PARTNER and win a cash prize for yourself.

The Philippine Beat is rooting for the town made famous by a pancit it is named after. In truth, this is one of, if not my favorite, pancit because I just love the crushed chicharon flakes and varied seafood toppings heaped on it — Pancit Malabon!

Yes, I am throwing my vote behind Malabon City which has done a twist on their famous pancit by adding cheese cubes.

Pancit Malabon with Cheese Cracking Toppings
Will you help me make Malabon City win? If you love Pancit Malabon, then vote for Malabon. Just check out their yummy recipe for Pancit Malabon with Cheese Cracking Toppings HERE. And while you’re on Malabon’s page, read up a bit on the history of the city. There’s more to the city than just pancit!

What do you need to do to make Malabon City win?



1. Buy one Eden 35g, 180g or 450g pack at any supermarkets, public market stalls, groceries, convenience stores or sari sari stores nationwide.

2. Write the following information on a piece of paper attached to one (1) empty Eden pack size:

a. Name of Favorite Featured Town (help me by writing MALABON CITY)
b. Name of Eden Dish for that Town
c. Name
d. Age
e. Complete Address
f. Contact Numbers
g. Signature

3. Submit entries at Drop Boxes within participating Towns or mail entries to

Prime Cast Event Concepts Plus, Inc.
Lower Ground Level, Grayline Ventures Building,
14 Arayat St. Boni, Mandaluyong City

OR:

ABS CBN Foundation Inc.
ELJ Communications Building
Mother Ignacia St. Quezon City

4. Deadline for Submission of Entries is on December 2, 2010.

5. Send as many entries as you want. The promo period is from September 4-December 2, 2010. The promo shall be announced on TV through participating ABS CBN Shows.

The winning town will be awarded seed money for their training materials/ livelihood projects. Additionally the winning town’s major landmark will be featured in limited edition Kraft Eden Cheese boxes.

There’s something for you too!

If Malabon City wins, a Home Partner will be chosen by raffle from among those of us who voted for Malabon City. The Home Partner wins P100,000.

(Full mechanics on the contest may be found at the Keso De Gallo website at www.sarapngpasko.com)

These Online Games Can Win You Free OREOs

Are you or your kids gamers? Oh, never mind if you aren’t gamers. Do you love OREOs?

I do! And yes, there’s now a way to get free OREOs and play simple online games to get your free packs.

Here are a few steps:

1. Head on over to shareoreo.com first. You’ll need to register an email address and provide a password. That way you get your first gift pack of OREOs just for registering.

2. Log in and on see the 2 games on the right side. To play, just click “Play Game” on the game of your choice.

3. Completing all levels of a game entitles you to free OREOs. An email will be sent to you. Print this out and claim it at the 7-Eleven branch you indicated.

OREOs has two fun games to choose from.

The first is Twist, Lick, Dunk.

There are 3 levels in this game. Drag the Twist, Lick, Dunk icons on the top to the “?” boxes in a certain order. Press “OK”. That releases the OREO which travels from one block to another. Once it hits the “Dunk” button, an arrow appears and it moves in the direction of your mouse. Aim for the glass of milk, then press the key. You have 5 tries (represented by the five OREOs above). Trying again costs you one OREO.
I’ve completed this game already and earned myself another set of OREOs.
The second game is the OREO Bonding Puzzle.
The goal here is to get both mommy and child to sit down at the dining table to share OREOs. To do this, you need to drag objects to either the mother or son in a correct sequence to get them to sit down and share OREOs.
It’s that easy. Start today and have fun playing while earning your FREE OREOs.

Nuffnang and HEAVEN Ice Cream invite you to a special screening of ‘SALT’

Divine ice cream pleasure is HEAVEN Ice Cream.

Give in to the richest, smoothest, and creamiest by NESTLÉ Ice Cream. Revel in the exquisite goodness of its four sophisticated flavors—Belgian Chocolate Bliss, Strawberry Dream, Vanilla Almond Secret and Butter Pecan Obsession. HEAVEN Ice Cream is made with only the finest ingredients and contains no artificial food colors. Available in 800mL(Php 175) & 450mL(Php 115) tubs across supermarkets, groceries, and convenience stores nationwide.