Serenitea is the brain child of Export Management graduates Peter Chen and Juliet Herrera. On a trip to Taiwan, they saw the popularity of tea and the presence of numerous tea houses and kiosks in almost every corner. Along with souvenirs from their trip, the partners brought back and introduced a new way of tea drinking to the Philippines.

To ensure that they maintain the authenticity of their products, all of their ingredients and equipment are ordered from Taiwan. No powdered mixes here, what you’ll have is a drink made from tea bags and real tea leaves by an espresso machine that was specially customized to brew teas.

A variety of toppings, which include sweet pudding, silky black jelly and chewy pearl balls, can be added to fit your individual taste, preference and idea of the perfect healthy summer cooler. And along with choosing the toppings that go into your drink, the servers also give you a small cup of your choice drink for you to taste the sugar levels until you give them the thumbs-up.

We list down our cold favorites at Serenitea, bound to become your summer drink of choice:

1) Yakult Green Tea (P80)
Who would ever thought that Yakult, which we all loved during our childhood years can be made into a cold drink mixed with your favorite type of tea. When mixed with green tea, the drink is fragrant and complements the smooth, healthy Yakult. With black pearls and a sugar level of 50%, this drink goes down well with a plate of Pepper Tofu.

2) Royal Milk Tea with Black Jelly (P80)

A sweet milk tea combined with smooth black jelly is a refreshing summer cooler. Milk teas are generally sweet, so this tea is best taken with minimum sugar levels for the uber health-conscious. The Royal Milk Tea can also be ordered hot (P70).

3) Blueberry Iced Tea (P80)
For those who want it simple and refreshing, the Blueberry Iced Tea is highly recommended. Every sip has a burst of sweet blueberry flavor with just the right amount of sweetness. A perfect pair to Serenitea’s yummy Chicken Chops, this will save you from a summer filled with aspartame-sweetened drinks.

Serenitea Cha Kitchen is located at the Ground Floor of the GNL Building, J. Abad Santos cor V. Cruz, San Juan City with telephone number 379-4166.

Images taken by John Paul Ang.

Summer ice cream socials are always in order when the sun starts beating down on us Manila mortals and with the temperature rising this week, cooling off has become imperative. SPOT visited a couple of ice cream parlors in the city where elaborate ice cream treats are prepared and ice cream concoctions all clamor for your attention.

Art’s Cream Gallery

Located near the escalators of the Padre Faura Wing of Robinsons Place Manila, Art’s Cream Gallery sits in the middle of the mall’s ground floor lobby with the striking red Japanese-inspired umbrellas catching one’s attention. Several tables and compact cream sofas encircle the Art’s Cream stall, echoing a relaxed, minimalist vibe to the ice-cream eating experience.

The Ice Cream Selection. The colorful ice cream is displayed gelato-style on the counter with the more popular flavors tagged with a ‘bestseller’ sign to help you make your ice cream decisions. Art’s Cream serves Fiorgelato Ice Cream, which may be ordered in a cone or in a cup. Ice cream creations are also on the menu, which includes One for All, where several ice cream scoops fill up a huge martini glass and a dessert named Blooms, served with sugar roses on top of the ice cream scoops.

The Waffle Cone (P180), is a mid-sized ice cream concoction with three flavors of your choice, a wafer stick on the side and sprinkled with chocolate sauce, nestled inside a sturdy and crunchy waffle cup. While the strawberry-flavored wafer stick did not do wonders for the dessert, the creamy, flavorful ice cream itself is really Art’s Cream masterpiece. Highly recommended are the Chocolate and Mango flavors.

Ambience. Art’s Cream’s stall is in the middle of the lobby so expect noise from shoppers and the mall’s foot traffic.

Why You Should Go. The ice cream’s taste and creamy texture echo the home-made kind and an ice cream fix will always be a sweet finish to a day of shopping. Plus, they have pasta, salad dishes and coffee for those who strangely do not like ice cream.

Art’s Cream Gallery is located at the Ground Floor Padre Faura Wing, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila.

Iceberg’s Eskimo Bob

Eskimo Bob sits along San Miguel by the Bay behind Mall of Asia, beside the myriad of seafood restaurants and bars with a view of Manila’s bay.

The Ice Cream Selection. When the server hands you the menu, you will be faced with overwhelming choices from the Choco Creations Line, Towering Parfaits and Amazing Splits. Eskimo Bob also serves the Ultimate Big Bob, a bowl with six scoops of ice cream, mango, peach and strawberry slices on the side, a drizzling of chocolate syrup and whipped cream.

The Chocolate Banoffee Split (P185) is a visual delight with brownie cubes, wafer sticks and cherries to play up the traditional Banana Split treat. While the dessert is total eye-candy, the ice cream tasted like the usual store-brought kind, sweetened by the generous toppings and impeccable presentation.

Ambience. Colorful walls splashed in oranges and greens with mouth-watering images of ice cream desserts and sandwiches mark Eskimo Bob’s walls. Orange and white chairs, comfy booth seats and bright lights complete the cheery and inviting diner ambience.

Avoid dropping by at around 3 p.m. when the height of the afternoon heat streams in through the diner windows which makes for an unbearably hot ice cream afternoon experience.

Plus Factors. Pretty ice cream presentations remind you of your ten-year old self plus they have a Ferrero Indulgence Sundae, crepes, pizza and pasta on the menu.

Iceberg’s Eskimo Bob is located at San Miguel by the Bay, Mall of Asia, Pasay City with telephone number 415-6778.

Cold Rock Ice Creamery

Since Cold Rock opened its first branch at The Fort, appreciative customers somehow flock back for a cup of smashed ice cream blended with your choice of fun mix-ins: gummy bears, chocolate chips and sliced chocolate bars, cookie dough and a slew of other toppings you don’t find at your run-of-the-mill ice cream parlor.

The Ice Cream Selection. “If you can dream it, we can ice cream it”, so goes their slogan and more than ten flavors are on display at the counter. Count on Cold Rock to have the uncommon flavors coupled with the regular kinds and you can always ask to sample flavors like Tia Maria, Rum and Raisin, Irish Cream, Tiramisu and White Chocolate before you decide which flavor you’re going to get for the day. The mix-ins are as varied as the ice cream flavors and it is literally a playground for those who love over-the-top ice cream confections to satisfy all kinds of sweet cravings.

Ambience. Cold Rock’s interiors carry the dominant hues of the Australian flag, where the first Cold Rock store opened: red, blue and white chairs can be found in the store with kangaroos dotting the walls of Cold Rock. Even with house music blaring from the speakers of the Greenbelt branch, it’s soft enough for you to hear the conversation at your table.

Why you should go. If you’re ready to splurge on atleast P180 (medium-sized cup) for ice cream, creating your own dessert concoction should be a fun treat. They also have monthly specials and this month’s movie combo is the Yumdog Millionaire, a play on the Grammy award-winning film and is a mix of White Chocolate ice cream with strawberries, bananas and Rice Krispies.

Click here to get a complete list of Cold Rock branches.

The Ice Cream Bar (Flavors by FIC)

Hip meets retro at The Ice Cream Bar, where young urbanites go and show devotion to all things ice cream and more.

The Ice Cream Selection. More than fifteen FIC ice cream flavors are available at The Ice Cream Bar, along with shakes, signature concoctions and their version of the increasing popular frozen yogurt. The Banana Caramel Crunch (P250), a bestseller, is a sublime creation with vanilla and butterscotch ice cream, banana slices and caramel pastilles with delicate drizzles of caramel butterscotch syrup. Streusel also lends texture to the ice cream treat.

Ambience. White, orange and red dominate the diner’s interiors and gives off a homey diner feeling. Outdoor tables are available for alfresco dining, which are best for windy nights.

Plus factor. The Ice Cream Bar has Buffet Thursdays this month, where you can get unlimited scoops of local gourmet ice cream for P295. They also have free wi-fi and is open till 12 midnight and until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Ice Cream Bar is located at the Joya Tower, Joya Drive, Rockwell Center, Makati City.

If you’ve decided to forego juicy steaks and slabs of beef to make room for Lent-friendly dishes, don’t despair. Going the meatless route need not automatically equate to bland, flavorless dishes. Aside from Dampa, there are a couple of spots in the metro that pride themselves in creating seafood dishes that are worthy substitutes for your all-meat diet. Here are our picks of the best seafood-serving spots in the metro:

Shanghai Hand-Pulled Noodles

For authentic Shanghainese dishes, check out this hole-in-a-wall spot located at N.S. Amoranto (Retiro), Quezon City. Their noodles are freshly made (pulled in fact, complete with hand acrobatics) and cooked in broth. A must-try is their Fish Noodles (P110) which can be served wet or dry (with no broth). Also try visiting the restaurant after Lent for their Pork and Kuchay Dumplings (P95/14 pcs). This heavenly dish is just as good as other dumplings served in upscale Chinese restaurants but for a whole lot less. You have the option of having them steamed or fried.

Shanghai Hand-Pulled Noodles is located at 411 N.S. Amoranto Sr. Ave. Near Corner D. Tuazon, Quezon City. For inquiries please call 743-0286.

The Legend Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant

If you are craving for some Chinese Lauriat love, head on to The Legend in Roxas Boulevard. The prices on the menu may lean on the steep side but quality is not sacrificed, evident on the plates of first-rate seafood dishes served by the kitchen. Options include the standard Chinese fare of dumplings and Salt and Peppered seafood, but we strongly recommend getting the Fish Lip Soup (P250) and the Steamed Fish Fillet with Ginger and Onion (P260). Both dishes score perfect marks in terms of flavor.

The Legend Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant is located at the Boom na Boom Compound, CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Manila. For orders and inquiries, please call 833-1188 or 833-3388.

Emerald Garden

Another Roxas Boulevard spot on the must-visit list is Emerald Garden. The interiors may not invite you to linger inside but the food more than makes up for everything. The Shrimp Salad (P540; good for 12) is a good way to kick off your Lenten meal. The medley of unique but complementary flavors and textures make this dish a winner. Other stand-outs on their seafood menu include the Fried Crab with Sesame Oil (P1000/kilogram; good for 12 people) and the Steamed Lapu Lapu (P1200/kilogram; good for 12). Don’t leave without trying their Honey Taro (P220; good for 3 people). A concoction drizzled with honey and filled with black mongo at the center, this exceptional dessert is a sweet ending to finish off any meal.

Emerald Garden is located at 1170 Roxas Blvd., Ermita, Manila. For orders and inquiries, please call 523-8510 or 523-8515.

Bangus

You know a restaurant is ideal for Lenten eating when it’s named after a fish. But contrary to what the name suggests, the restaurant does not solely serve Bangus dishes. Boasting of a menu with traditional Filipino favorites, Bangus Restaurant also offers praiseworthy-seafood dishes like Sinigang na Hipon (P138), Adobong Sugpo sa Aligue (P298) and Rellenong Alimasag (P175), which are all surprisingly good despite the relatively low price tag. The real highlights of their menu, however, are their Bangus specialties, which include the Bangus Tempura (P198), Grilled Bangus Belly with Sampaloc Candy Sauce (P250) and Bangus Paksiw (P275). Be nice and share the servings.

For a list of all Bangus branches, please click here.

Shinjuku Ramen House

Japanese cuisine is abundant with fish-inspired dishes and one can live on their varied range of Sashimi and Sushi dishes alone. One of the more memorable specialties is the Maguro Sashimi (P250), fresh fish without the ‘fishy’ aftertaste. Another filling option is the Seafood Ramen (P540; good for 4) served with heaps of oysters, squid, salmon, and shrimp.

Shinjuku Ramen House is located at 7853 Makati Ave. cor. Hercules St., Makati City. For reservations and inquiries please call 890-6107.

Wagamamu

Wagamamu is one of those homey family diners with friendly and very accommodating servers. Though essentially a diner that counts burgers, fries and shakes as their specialties, the restaurant also offers Lent-friendly options such as their Grilled Salmon Steak and Fish Fillet Sandwiches. With an average budget of P100-P200, you can already get a full meal. And if your sweet tooth beckons, end your meal with hearty desserts like their Chocolate Mango Crepe and Blueberry Streusel Cheesecake, along with a steaming cup of coffee or tea.

Wagamamu is located at 411 N.S. Amoranto Sr. Ave. Near Corner D. Tuazon, Quezon City. For reservations and inquiries please call 749-7108.

Seafood Market and Restaurant

Though the ambience is far from cozy, diners still flock to the place because they get their seafood fresh and cooked just the way you like it. Take your pick of live seafood ranging from fish, lobsters, crabs, and shrimps and let the servers know how you’d like them done. Dining tip to remember: don’t be afraid to let the staff know if you’re not one for MSG or if you’d like a bit more butter on your dish. They’re more than happy to comply with anything (weird or otherwise) that your stomach desires.

Seafood Market and Restaurant is located at 1190 J. Bocobo St., Ermita, Manila. For reservations and inquiries, please call 521-6766.

Antonio’s

Those who plan to head to Tagaytay this Holy Week should try to squeeze in a reservation at Antonio’s. The restaurant did land the 10th spot on the Miele Guide’s Top 20 restaurants in Asia, so Easter or not, dining at this prime spot is a no-brainer. Antonio’s has seafood picks that will surely satisfy your hunger for gourmet food but also fulfill the requirements of going without meat. Start off with the Garlic Scallops or Prawns Fresh Mesclun Salad with Lemon-Truffle Vinaigrette (P350) with vegetables freshly picked from their garden. For the main course, the Grilled Chillean Sea Bass on Linguine with Truffle Clam Sauce (P1100) although expensive, will certainly not disappoint.

Antonio’s is located at Brgy. Neogan, Tagaytay City, Cavite with telephone number (0917) 899-2866.

Artwork by Karl Bustamante.

The power of your peso isn’t what it used to be.

The global economic slump plus inflation is telling us to save more and spend less. With the media telling us that our world economy should brace ourselves for much worse, it’s safe to say that we’re not expecting a perfect future ahead of us.

But of course, us foodies can never let go of the joys of dining out. There’s just something about having food served outside the house that’s so appealing. What’s an urbanite to do with all the calls for penny-pinching and saving for a rainy day? Luckily, there are still restaurants out there that are doing their best to lure us into their domain with fantastic discounts and promotions, making our dining economy a buyer’s market. Here’s our list of recession eats.

1.    Rai Rai Ken is offering a 50% discount on your total bill in their stand alone stores. Yes, you heard us - that’s half-off your entire bill!  The discount does not include their branches inside malls (except their SM Southmall and Robinsons Galleria branches, which are also participating).

2.    Pepper Lunch is dishing out 20% off on different dishes (all which come with rice and drinks) daily. For Monday it’s the Pepper Steak, Tuesday it’s the Teriyaki Pepper Chicken, Wednesday it’s the Double Beef Pepper Rice, Thursday it’s the Hamburger Steak with Fried Egg, and Friday it’s the Unagi and Salmon Combo. The promo is only available from 11:00AM to 1:00PM so make sure you’re eating at Pepper Lunch within that two hour window.

3.    KingOne Rotary Hot Pot.  Imagine shabu-shabu with ingredients rolling right beside your table on a conveyor belt with over 90 different ingredients you can drop in your pot. It’s an eat-all-you-can hot pot fiesta for P449 during lunch and P499 during dinner. Regular favorites are mozzarella balls, lamb slices, and oysters.

4.    Secret Recipe. The restaurant is celebrating their two and half years in Manila by treating everyone to a 25% discount off the total bill. This promo applies to their branches in The Fort at 32nd and 5th (3:00PM to 7:00PM) and in their Robinsons Manila branch (10:00AM to 3:00PM).

5.    Pizza Hut. Register at their local website and get a chance to win two family size Super Supreme Pan Pizzas and a 1.5 liter bottle of Pepsi. That’s enough for the whole barkada! Then again, you’d have to wait for the end of the month to find out if you’ve won.

6.    Gerry’s Grill.  If you’re one who likes to have more than just one viand when you eat out, then the relatively inexpensive Value Variety Plates of Gerry’s Grill is your ticket to satisfaction. For only P149, you can have a single serving of rice, your choice of viand and vegetables or pancit.

7.    Melo’s.  The famous steak place is doing something new and holding a Seafood Festival. Dig into the freshest seafood and get a 20% discount on your total bill. This is of course provided if you dine in groups of 4 - so use this as an excuse to get together with your friends at Melo’s!

8.    Kenny Rogers Roasters. Treat your barkada or family to a P320 dinner consisting of a whole Kenny’s Classic Roast Chicken and two large servings of any side dish of your choice. Later, you can brag about how much of a big shot you are (and a clever dude for taking advantage of the 175 pesos off the original price).

9.    Texas Roadhouse Grill.  If you’re thinking of going to some other place for dessert after dining in this restaurant, you’d better think twice. If your total bill reaches P500, you’ll get a coupon which enables you to get any of their desserts for only P1. Yep, gather all your friends, get that P500 bill and share that one peso dessert.

10.    Chili’s. Got an extended studying session or just itching to get out of the office to do some work?  Make full use of the free Wi-Fi connection at Chili’s - with no minimum purchase necessary. Get the bottomless iced tea and you’re all set for a whole day of free surfing!

11. Chowking.  These days, you can spend up to P100 for a single meal at a fast food joint. But not at Chowking. Grab two of their Value King Meals for only P49 (that’s two filling plates for less than P100). One plate can have your choice of 8 food items (Pork Chao Fan, Wanton Noodle Soup, Chicken Kikiam with rice, Lumpiang Shanghai with rice, 4 pieces Siomai, Asado Siopao, Canton with Sioplet, and Fried Siomai with rice) plus one regular soft drink.

12. The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Those who bought a Belle Du Jour Planner know that it’s filled with freebies from different shops and restaurants. But more importantly, the planner also contains buy 1, take 1 coupons for various CBTL food items (breakfast, cakes and drinks). If you don’t have a planner, we suggest sticking close to someone who has - you never know when they might be feeling a little generous!

13. Goldilocks.  Frequent shoppers with a BPI credit card can now get something from their card aside from late charges. If you spend at least P1000 pesos on your BPI credit card, Goldilocks will make nice and give you a freebie - your choice of one of their signature dishes (Palabok, Dinuguan or Sago’t Gulaman).

14. Kabisera ng Dencio’s.  Feel like having a drink?  Kabisera will give you a Pink Lady for every P600 you spend using your Metrobank credit card.

15. Abbondanza Pizzeria Ristorante - You don’t fancy getting a for-sharing dish but still want to get that steaming plate of your old Abbondanza favorite. Here’s good news for you - the restaurant is now offering a smaller versions of their famous for-sharing dishes. Dig into a single serving of Risotto con Sogliola (P175), Risotto al Funghi Porcini (P150), Risotto con la Fondutta (P165), Risotto con Osso Buco (P175), Pollo Arrosto (P145), Salsicce al Vino Biance with Potatoes (P175), or Calamari Ripieni (P175) without worrying about leftovers!

No one has to know that the next bottle you bring to a dinner party was bought for less. Victor Santos of Sommelier Selection, premier distributor of French wines in the Philippines, shared with us his wine list of bang-for-your buck bottles that are available at the Grand Wine Sale, all for under 600 pesos.

1. Alexis Syrah Grenache
Type: Red
Region: Southern Rhone
Winemaker: Les Vignerons d’Estézargues

Grape Variety: Syrah and Grenache
Tasting Notes: The Syrah Grenache is characterized by red fruits like cherry, raspberry and gooseberry mixed with floral nuances and light peppery sensations. The tannic sensation proposes a wine that has to be drunk young and best paired with grilled or roasted meat.

Food Recommendations: Best served with grilled meats and meat dishes with sauce.
Regular price is Php 345, on sale at Php 290.

2. Colombelle
Type: Red
Region: Southwest France
Winemaker: Producteurs Plaimont

Grape Variety: Merlot, Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Notes: With its cherry-red and garnet color, the Colombelle has generous aromas of black currant, plum and hints of licorice. It has a round and silky-in-the mouth finish, coupled with a fresh and fruity taste.
Food Recommendations: Ideal for barbecued meat, light Italian dishes and Mexican food.
Regular price is Php 435, on sale at Php 370.

3. Gaillac Tradition Red
Type: Red
Region: Southwest France
Winemaker: Domaine de Labarthe

Grape Variety: Braucol, Duras, Merlot, Cabernet
Tasting Notes: Ruby-red hued, this wine has complex aromas of red fruits and spices.
Food Recommendations: Best served with delicatessen picks, meat and cheeses and grilled pork.
Regular price is Php 635, on sale for just Php 380.

4. Cuvee Pruneyrac
Type: Organic red wine
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Winemaker: Chateau Bousqette

Grape Variety: Grenache Noir, Carignan, Mourvèdre
Tasting Notes: Complex with fruity and floral aromas come together with nuances of cocoa and spices.
Food Recommendations: Poultry with prunes, hot and spicy dishes, games and stews are best bets for this red-colored wine.
Regular price is Php 885, on sale at Php 530.

5. Fitou Cuvee Tradition
Type: Red
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Winemaker: Domaine de la Rochelierre

Grape Variety: Syrah, Carignan, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre
Tasting Notes: Spicy aromas of pepper are coupled with the smell of red fruits in this wine.
Food Recommendations: Venison, grilled spicy sausages and roasted chicken go well with reds such as the Cuvee.
Regular price is Php 980, on sale at Php 590.

6. Rive Haute Sauvignon Blanc
Type: White
Region: Southwest France
Winemaker: Producteurs Plaimont

Grape Variety: Sauvignon
Tasting Notes: The Rive Haute is filled with aromas of exotic fruit and blackcurrant lead, enhanced by a citrusy freshness.
Food Recommendations: This white wine is an ideal companion to aperitifs, seafood, grilled fish and vegetable pies.
Regular price is Php 750, on sale at Php 375.

7. Viognier
Type: White
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Winemaker: Domaine Rougie, Emmanuel de Soos

Grape Variety: Viognier
Tasting Note: Deep straw yellow in color, the Viognier is a medley of white fruits such as peaches and apricots. Full bodied, the fruit balances the oak taste before one can sniff hints of tarragon and herbal aromas.
Food Recommendations: Best paired with roast chicken with herbs.
Regular price is Php 805, on sale at Php 400.

8. Sylvaner Beblenheim
Type: White
Region: Alsace
Winemaker: Domaine Bott-Geyl

Grape Variety: Sylvaner
Tasting Notes: A fresh and dry light wine exuding discreet floral notes and hints of lemon and pineapple.
Food Recommendations: Cheese or fish souffles, tuna salad and asparagus are best with a glass of Sylvaner.
Regular price is Php 800, on sale at Php480.

9. Wine: Cuvee des Galets 2006
Type: Red
Region: Southern Rhone
Winemaker: Les Vignerons d’Estezargues

Grape Variety: Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan
Tasting Notes: The Cuvee has dark fruit aromas such as blackberries with hints of spices.
Food Recommendations: A good wine for grilled meat and rockamadour or roquefort cheese.
Regular price is Php 540, on sale at Php 460.

10. Veillee d’Equinoxe 2006
Type: White
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Winemaker: Domaine du Grand Arc

Grape Variety: Grenache blanc, Macabeu, Roussane
Tasting Notes: Clear and brilliant with yellow-green tints, this white wine has fresh and round aromas of grapefruit, pear and fennel. Slightly spicy to the taste but has an enjoyably fresh finish.
Food Recommendations: Best paired with creamy blue cheese, tripe and veal à la crème.
Regular price is Php 770, on sale at Php 460.

Sommelier Selection’s Grand Wine Sale is from February 21 to March 7 at the Sommelier Selection Tasting Room at 2295 Jannov Plaza, Don Chino Roces Extension, Magallanes, Makati City. For inquiries, please call 840-3816.

Artwork by Darwin Manibog.

Secret lovers no more at La Copa Wine Bar and Restaurant.

True love deserves dinner by candlelight, Champagne and a box of the finest chocolates your hard-earned peso could buy. But what if Prince Charming turned out to be Mr. Disgusting? Well, just because your story will not end in happily ever after, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your last dinner with him. SPOT scours the metro for some ideal break-up spots; just be sure you hang on till the main course has been served before you split. Check please!

1. Cupcakes by Sonja

You know she likes the Vanilla Sunshine and the Red Velvet Vixen. Be a sweetheart and order a dozen before you drop the bomb. This will be the last time you’ll be calling each other “cupcake.”

Cupcakes by Sonja is at Serendra Piazza, Ground Level Mckinley Parkway, Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. Telephone 856-0308.

2. Hooters

The sign says it all: “Hooters Makes You Happy.” So bring HIM here and say goodbye to what’s left of the relationship. Busy yourself with picking on the 911 Chicken Wings and Cheese Quesadillas. He’ll be too busy ogling the, er, view to actually feel like a forlorn puppy.

Hooters is at San Miguel by the Bay, Esplanade, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City

3. Mr. Choi’s Kitchen

You don’t love her anymore. She throws a hissy fit but no one notices because the noise level is just too far out at Mr. Choi during peak hours. She can scream your ear off and remain part of the background noise, or flail her arms about and it will look like she’s just trying to get the waiter’s attention.

Mr. Choi’s Kitchen is at Robinson’s Pioneer, Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City.

4. La Copa Wine Bar and Restaurant

Enough of the secrets. Your inamorata knows she’s not the first one you brought to this mysterious hideaway. The only moment she’ll remember from all these surreptitious meetings is when the Caesar salad, freshly made table-side, is placed before her. Glorious.

La Copa is at 707-7 Columbia Airfreight Complex, Ninoy Aquino Ave., Brgy. Sto Niño, Parañaque (beside Duty Free, in front of the archway to Baranggay Sto. Niño). Telephone 853-2927, 852-1608.

5. Xocolat

With the copious amount of chocolate drinks on their menu, Xocolat shall bring pleasure when you tell her it’s all over. She can repair to churros con salsa, thick and dark with emotion, and maybe later, a glass of Martini Xocolat. And no, you can’t have your share of churros and eat it too.

Café Xocolat is located at Ground Floor Serendra Piazza Mckinley Parkway Road, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City with telephone number 856-2146. Other branches are located at the Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan and Eastwood City, Libis. Casa Xocolat is located at 172 B. Gonzales St. Loyola Heights.

6. M Café

Since you’ve both decided to be amicable about it, brunch at M Café will be comforting, laid-back and more flavorful than what has become of your love life. The bonus is that you can mask the tears with your stylish shades .

M Café is at the Glass Wing, Ayala Museum, Makati Ave. cor. De la Rosa St., Makati City. Telephone 757-3000, 757-6000.

7. Lime 88

At Lime 88, she’ll be cool with it, celebrating both your emancipation over street style barbecue platter, quail egg tempura, balut in red wine sauce and other street food with pedigree. Careful though, she might make you tusok tusok in the eye with the curried fishball stick for being such a schmuck.

Lime 88 is located at 160 San Rafael St., Mandaluyong City. Telephone 533-7515.

8. Heaven and Eggs

You’ve grown apart: she likes her Heaven ‘n Eggs when it was its sweet and angelic self, while you’d rather rock and roll with it’s current darker theme. But at least you’ll always have good pancakes.

Heaven ‘n Eggs is at Glorietta 4, Ground Level Glorietta 4 Ayala Center, Makati City. Telephone 818-2792.

9. Chaikofi Pioneer

Tuck yourselves in one of Chaikofi’s happy yellow booths, private and cozy enough for your goodbye speech. But you’ll have to compete with the occasional loud music bouncing off the walls and the yummy yogurt shakes. You were saying?

Chaikofi is at The Forum, Robinson’s Pioneer, Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City.

10. Spices Restaurant

Order the hottest and spiciest dishes on the menu and before long, tears will start streaming down both your faces. Best time to break the news. Diners at Spices Restaurant will sympathize and blame the chili.

Spices Restaurant is at The Peninsula Manila, corner of Ayala and Makati Aves., Makati City. Telephone 810-3456, 812-345, 887-2888 ext. 6694.

11. Bacolod Chicken Inasal

Admit it, you’ve been eating the Ysabella Chicken since it was first served here, then switching to the mini barbecue sticks when you’ve had your fill. You know she’s The One, but you’re just too chicken to make a commitment.

Bacolod Chicken Inasal has many branches, one of which is Level 2, Robinsons Place Pioneer, EDSA corner Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City. Telephone 747-2382.

12. Spiral at Softel Philippine Plaza

Get it over with before you both make a beeline for Spiral’s cavernous cooking stations. She’ll have plenty of distraction—from the Indian curries and tandoori chicken, the Chinese noodles and dimsum, and the tempura station to the Mediterranean mezze. And frankly, they’re much better company than you are.

Spiral is at the G/F Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, CCP Complex Roxas Blvd., Pasay City. Telephone 551-5555 or 551-5610.

13. The White Hat Italian Frozen Yogurt

It’s the most perfect break-up spot because of the 98% fat free fro-yo they serve and the gazillion toppings to choose from. Good for the (broken) heart. There’s nothing better than frozen yogurt for a love gone cold.

White Hat is located at Level 2, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia (across Nike store).

Which type are you going for, exactly?

Even with Facebook features enabling us to virtually “poke” someone we’re too shy to start a conversation with and social networking status alerts making us privy to our current crush’s daily preoccupations, we think the real world is still the best place to solidify human connections. And with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we list down some hotspots to hit for those wanting to celebrate hearts day with a new love, but don’t exactly know where to go to find their love type.

Best Place to Meet an Intellectual Literature Lover: If you’ve ever fantasized about meeting a real-life Heathcliff or someone who can quote e.e. cummings and Neruda on the fly, spend more time browsing around the shelves of Fully Booked in High Street (lots of floors means more opportunities to scope out lit-loving people) or their newly opened branch in Greenbelt 5. Our latest eye-candy at the book store? Derek Ramsey (Fully Booked High Street - so happy to know that he is a reading man).

Best Place to Meet A Moody Musician: In your mind, he can rock out to heavy tunes, and she can write you the perfect love song and spend hours on end talking to you about the Beatles, Clapton or even Fall Out Boy. Hit up Route 196 in Quezon City or Saguijo and Capone’s in Makati, where nightly gigs allow all kinds of music lovers to rock and roll. Go easy on the beer as these spots serve them cold and cheap. A mix of young designers, film buffs, writers, and other liberal arts types who rock-out once a week have also been spotted at Mag:net High Street, but be prepared to wait your turn on Mondays - Rockeoke night.

Best Place to Meet Artistic Souls: If high culture stimulates you and you yearn for someone who loves art as much as you do, spend your afternoons and weekends at the Silverlens Gallery or the Manila Contemporary Gallery, where the best of what is new and artsy are highlighted in their monthly exhibits and where you are most likely to bump into eclectic, young radical thinkers like yourself.

Best Place to Meet the City’s Party Animals and ‘Socials’. If partying is the one thing that gets you excited, meet fellow urbanites at Embassy and Piedra at the Fort or at Club Bureau and Attica at A-Venue, where celebrity sightings happen and the next-big-things hang out. If you’re up to meeting people who dance themselves to death and leave their hang-ups at the door, these clubs are our best bets for a swinging good time and are the perfect places to meet people whose idea of fun is exactly like yours: fast, loud and captured on a Facebook photo album the next day.

Best Place to Meet a Culinary Chick or Domesticated Dream Dude: You’ve always fantasized about being with someone who can whip up a mean dish or bake you the sweetest, most delectable cake ever. Head to Gourdo’s at the Bonifacio Global City or Living Well at the Podium and take your time scouring the aisles for the perfect grilling pan or the baking sheet. After a few hours, you are bound to see someone mulling over the same stuff and offering recommendations and sharing your most treasured recipe secrets shouldn’t be such a hard thing to do. You can also flirt with the student waiters and staff at teaching restaurants like Restaurant 101 and Aubergine - they’re bound to know their way around the kitchen and will know how to serve you breakfast in bed.

Best Place to Meet Sporty, Adventurous Folks: If climbing mountains, the great outdoors or a good work-out is what gets your heart pumping, then meeting like-minded sports buffs is inevitable at the ROX Shop at Bonifacio High Street. Overflowing with must-have sports gear and adventurous people trying them on for size, it won’t be long until you’re making weekend dates (or eye contact, at the very least) with your fellow shoppers. Jocks and their hangers-on have also been spotted at Bugsy’s in Ortigas, especially after touch-football practice on the week nights and game day celebrations on weekend afternoons. Bikers also converge at Handle Bar in Makati, where sports enthusiasts hang out. Grab a stool at the bar and be sure to make your social skills and sports know-how stand out.

Best Place to Meet the Man or the Woman of the World. If being well-traveled, cultured and educated on the finer things in life are part of your dream date’s traits, head on over to La Regalade and Restaurant Cicou in Makati, or Barcino at Bonifacio Global City and Cesca in Quezon City, where people effortlessly ease into conversations about their latest travel discoveries, the merits of New World wine or why jazz music making a comeback can be a good thing.

Text by Trixie Zabal. Artwork by Karl Bustamante.

Nothing says “Happy Valentine’s Day” more than a box of chocolates.

We all have our inner chef, and in light of the gloom and doom economic atmosphere, many are inclined to make their own homemade Valentine’s Day gifts. This year, we turn to the Asian Food Channel (AFC) for guidance on how to surprise our sweethearts with a decadent box of homemade chocolate candy. Here’s AFC’s five-step process to making your own chocolate treat.

Step 1: Melt
Divide chocolate block into four equal parts. Chop up three parts of the chocolate into small pieces. Place them in a clean, dry metal bowl. Heat water in a large pot until it reaches a simmer (do not bring to a boil), place bowl over the pot. Stir constantly until chocolate melts. Insert candy thermometer. Once the temperature reaches 48.9°C, remove bowl from heat. (For milk or white chocolate, remove the bowl when the temperature reaches 43.3°C to 47.8°C.) Wipe any moisture from the bowl.

Step 2: Cool
Drop in remaining chunk of chocolate. Stir constantly until the chocolate cools to about 27.8°C (26.1°C for milk or white). Remove unmelted chocolate chunk.

Step 3: Temper
Once the chocolate is cooled, gently rewarm it over simmering water until 30°C (29°C for milk or white). Keep the temperature stable for a few minutes, then heat it up to 33.3°C to 38.8°C (30.1°C to 31.7°C for milk or white). Remove from heat.

Step 4: Test
Spread a teaspoon of chocolate on a piece of aluminium foil or wax paper. If the chocolate has a glossy shine and dries in about 5 minutes, it is ready.

Step 5: Create
Pour the chocolate into heart-shaped candy moulds and gently tap the moulds against the table to get rid of air bubbles. Place the chocolate in refrigerator for 5 to 7 minutes. Once the chocolate firm up, you can place them in a gift box lined with colourful tissue paper. A glass of Champagne is a complement for white chocolate, while red wine is perfect with dark chocolate.

Equipment: You’ll need one large pot, a metal bowl, a candy thermometer, and a couple heart-shaped candy/chocolate moulds.

Ingredient: A one-pound (or half a kilo) block bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Use high quality white, milk, or dark chocolate. The terms bittersweet and semisweet are interchangeable.

Don’t feel like staying in the kitchen? SPOT recommends you head to these chocolate havens for the readymade good stuff.

1. Belgian Chocolates by Benoit.

Must buy: A box of Red Hearts Chocolates (P600), with each box (choose from black or white packaging) containing two red heart-shaped pralines made with 64% chocolate from Peru and Cherry Kirsch. Visit their kiosk at the RCBC Tower from February 11 - 13. Free deliveries within Makati only. For orders please call or text Benoit Nicolay at (0917) 327-1877. To view his products please visit www.chocolatesbybenoit.com.

2. Royce Chocolates

Must buy: Dark Chocolate Staff (P580 per box of the bittersweet stuff that’s been associated with sensual pleasure, by far our favorite aphrodisiac). Royce is located at the 3rd Level Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City. For orders please call 492-5051.

3. Leonidas

Must buy: A box of dark chocolate from the King of Sparta himself. Leonidas chocolates are available for purchase at any of their kiosks at the ground level of Glorietta 3, second level of the Podium in Ortigas City, and at the NAIA.  Priced per piece.

4. Heavenly Chocolates

Must buy: Sachi Nama, of course (P350 per box)! Wrap the gold packaging with a red bow to transform it into a Valentine’s Day gift. Heavenly Chocolates is located at 127 Roces Avenue, Quezon City, and can be reached at 666-2208, (0915) 788-1105 or ellainessevilla@yahoo.com.

5. Chocolate Confections

Must buy: Chocolates and Wine Package (P450 for a bottle of wine and 6 pieces of chocolate). For orders please call or text Maribeth Santiago at (0917) 851-9828. To view her list of products please visit chococonfections.multiply.com.

To view more how-to articles and see the TV Program Guide, please visit the Asian Food Channel website at www.asianfoodchannel.com.

Text by Rachel Ng. SPOT recommendations added by Cathy Paras-Lara.

]]> http://blogs.spot.ph/editors_blog/?feed=rss2&p=2240 http://blogs.spot.ph/editors_blog/?p=2087 http://blogs.spot.ph/editors_blog/?p=2087#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:01:51 +0000 Julie Reyes http://blogs.spot.ph/editors_blog/?p=2087

January 26 is the beginning of the Year of the Ox, or the bull or buffalo - which doesn’t necessarily give one license to eat a hearty helping of kare-kare. In fact, there are symbolic time-honored treats and foods that should be present at the table on Chinese New Year. Read on to find out which foods to eat, ensuring that the coming year is one of happiness, wealth and togetherness.

Food: MISUA (thin, salted noodles made from wheat flour)
Symbolic significance: It’s not hard to decipher what long noodles represent - long life! Long noodles represent an unbroken life, so cutting them into shorter strands is not a good idea during Chinese New Year. Feel free to take long slurps of noodles at the table.

Food: TIKOY, or sweet, sticky rice
Symbolic significance: A pleasant or ’sweet’ beginning to the year, coupled with a sticky togetherness with one’s family and loved ones. Tikoy, made of glutinous rice flour, wheat starch, sugar, slat and water, is often handed out by those celebrating Chinese New Year to neighbors and friends. Tikoy is said to be the Chinese Filipino’s nian gao (Chinese New Year cake), which originated from southern China, from where Fukienese immigrants to the Philippines came.

Treat: ANG PAO, or red packets containing money
Symbolic significance: Pao, signifying luck and wealth, are typically handed out to the younger generation by their parents, lolos and lolas, relatives, and even close neighbors and friends.

Food: PONKAN, or tangerines
Symbolic significance: Displaying these fruits, along with other round, golden orange fruits, is said to bring luck and wealth. All the better to get tangerines with leaves, for longevity. However, think twice about displaying them in fours; four is a bad luck number to the Chinese as the number is associated with death.

Food: DUMPLINGS
Symbolic significance: Eating them is said to bring prosperity, but it is in the making of the dough and the wrapping of the pork and cabbage that the family experiences togetherness, which is equally important during Chinese New Year.

Treat: ‘TRAY OF TOGETHERNESS’
Symbolic significance: Typically, 8 compartments (8 is considered the luckiest number by the Chinese) of the octagonal tray are filled with things such as preserved kumquats for prosperity, coconut for togetherness, longans to bring many sons, sweetened lotus seeds for fertility, and red melon seeds for happiness. Call it a windfall of auspiciousness!

Food: SPRING ROLLS
Symbolic significance: Spring rolls look a lot like gold bars, representing wealth.

Food: POMELO
Symbolic significance: The Hokkien word for pomelo sounds like ‘prosperity’ - not a bad word to sound like in a culture that treasures abundance and for an occasion ushering in a new beginning.

Food: WHOLE FISH
Symbolic significance: The fish (or fowl) served during the Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner is never fully eaten to ensure that the family will have an excess of good fortune through the year, so make sure to leave leftovers. The fish is served whole as opposed to chopped up in pieces because the use of knives or sharp objects during the eve is considered bad luck and ’severing’ to the family’s good fortune.

Special thanks to our resource, Marketing Manager, Marilyn See, for giving insight to the symbolic significance of the foods. Need ideas on where to dine this Chinese New Year week? Click here for Spot’s restaurant suggestions in “Eat, Drink and Be Lucky.“

Text by Julie Reyes. Image by Karl Bustamante.

Binondo is a bustling district that will never run out of delightful places to eat, from old school panciterias to the newer cafés and eateries. Manila’s Chinatown captivates the stomach at every turn it’s almost fun to get lost because you might turn up clutching a bag of warm bicho-bicho, dumplings, or hopia. Now that, literally, is a food find.

The best way to experience Binondo is on foot, the better to navigate the alleyways and streets. Pedestrians jostle against each other amidst the slow moving vehicles, pedicab drivers, horse-drawn carriages, and fruit carts. The street signs in white and green function like beacons to those in search of restaurants whose specialties have become legend. The whole stretch of Benavidez St., for example, is home to Ma Su Ki (from the Ma Mon Luk family), Golden Fortune Teahouse, Holland Bakery Co., and Wan Chai Teahouse.

Binondo Church which stands majestic in front of the Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz (formerly Plaza Calderon de la Barca, named after a writer) can serve as your point of reference. Same with Ongpin St., the main street of Binondo. Here are a few yummy spots to fill you up while you’re in Manila’s Chinatown.

1 Café Mezzanine (Volunteer Firemen’s Coffeeshop)

On the second floor of Chuan Kee Restaurant is the sleek Café Mezzanine. It’s a perfect spot to dine if you’d rather skip the crowded canteen ambience. The interiors are a shout out to the area’s volunteer fire search and rescue brigades, which benefit from all of the café’s proceeds. Dramatic black and white shots of firemen in action and shiny firemen’s hats adorn the bright yellow and purple walls. The menu features sizzling plates, burgers and sandwiches, soups, noodles and rice meals as well as fireman-themed drinks and desserts.

Don’t let the Western-style offerings keep you from trying the Chinese all-time favorites like machang, fish ball soup, go kong, and kiampong. Kiampong is salted fried rice served on a small bowl. Dig in and the rice—dark brown with soy sauce—reveals pieces of pork, chicken, dried shrimp, and mushroom. Unshelled peanuts and crisp fried shallots adorn the top and pack in more flavor. We ate that with go kong, a soup glorious with pork knuckles, meat and broth that’s not so salty. The café also serves large mounds of purple-colored siopao from Mr. Ube at P45 a piece. The special meatball siopao variant is made hefty with salted eggs, Chinese sausage and ground meat. The hot and spicy variant is aflame with grilled pork.

Insider tip: Open from 7am – 10 pm. Closed on Sundays after 2pm. Landmarks to look for: right next to Tasty Dumplings, Eng Bee Tin Chinese Deli, and the ubiquitous ube-colored fire truck parked at the side of Binondo Church.

Café Mezzanine is at 650 Ongpin St., Binondo, Manila. Phone 241-99-99 Loc 230.

2 Quik Snack

Office workers, businessmen and other locals grab their merienda at Quik Snack, a small brightly lit eatery along grimy Carvajal St. Ignore the dingy signboard when you enter and ask the waiter to give you a plate of Misua Guisado (stir-fried egg noodles with scrambled eggs, mushrooms, shrimps and peanuts), a specialty of the house. Tell him to anoint it with sate sauce (additional P15) for that special peanut flavor. Its simpler cousins include other guisado noodles with your choice of beef, shrimp and pork, fish, or talaba over mi, bijon or miki noodles. We tried the Beef Guisado, a messy tangle of bijon, thick sate sauce, meat and greens. A secretive hint of anise lent the noodles a distinct flavor. I enjoyed every forkful of noodles partnered with the popular special fresh lumpia. The wrapper was stuffed to bursting with evenly diced cabbage, carrots, mushroom, spring onions, tofu, bean sprouts and wansoy (cilantro). Vegetarian-friendly noodles are also offered, as soup or stir-fried.

You can graze on dimsum, soup, pancit and sandwiches at Quik Snack but progress on to a full meal if you prefer. Quik Snack also offers short orders common to Binondo eateries: buttered chicken, oyster omelet, ngo hion (kikiam), relyenong shrimp and rice toppings.

Insider tip: Open for lunch and merienda. Carvajal is a narrow alley connecting Quintin Paredes St. and Yuchengco (formerly Nueva St.). If you’re at Café Mezzanine, turn right to Yuchengco St. until you reach Carvajal.

Quik Snack is at 637-639 Carvajal St., Binondo, Manila. Phone 242-9572, 242-9589.

3 Ilang-Ilang Restaurant

Ilang-Ilang Restaurant looks very dated and tired, but on a late Sunday afternoon when its contemporaries are closed, it’s a good substitute for dinner. Decrepit buildings line this fragrantly-named street but its namesake restaurant still stands here, waiting like a jilted bride. We made a stopover here for the buttered chicken, one of their specialties, and for a whiff of nostalgia.

The place looks like a dimly lit banquet hall, with white geometric print tiles (a venue perhaps for special occasions in the area). The house specialties are already enumerated on top of the menu: lomi, rellenong hipon, taro cake, kikiam, hong ma, stuffed eight treasure chicken, fried pigeon, braised chicken feet, atay con bawang and glutinous flour rings.

For our meal, we went for a course of fried chicken, vegetable and fried rice. Although the buttered chicken was recommended, I’d skip it the next time. It was slightly off-kilter: the chicken was saltier than expected and was more batter than butter. Stuffed with pork and sweet Chinese sausage, the rellenong hipon was enlarged way beyond its size. I liked the stuffing but the small shrimp underneath the layers of meat and batter looked pitiful. The sautéed vegetable with garlic was fresh and flavorful but costs too much at about P200 for the whole plate.

Insider tip: Drop by Ilang-Ilang St. if you’re through exploring the other streets. From the Binondo Church, walk towards San Fernando St. (a short bridge), then turn right. Ilang-ilang St. is at the corner of Jaboneros and Sto. Cristo Sts. When you see Mercury Drug Store, turn right at the first corner along Jaboneros St.

Ilang-Ilang Restaurant is at 551 Ilang-Ilang St., Binondo, Manila. Phone 241-9298.

4 Wan Chai Tea House

For some serious lunch or dinner with family or friends, proceed to Wan Chai Tea House in Benavidez St. It was not so crowded when we came in so we had a leisurely lunch amidst a bright and clean ambience. Allow for a good five to ten minutes to select from the menu which features about two hundred dishes. Teahouses and restaurants like Wan Chai leave no diner behind, listing a dozen of so ways of cooking meat, seafood, vegetables, noodles and rice to please any palate.

We asked the waiter what their house specialties were. “Everything with the pictures,” he said. That meant probably half the menu. I got dizzy just browsing through each page. When we finally got our bearings, we decided to skip the usual Chinese restaurant staples like fried chicken, lemon chicken and stir-fried vegetables. Instead of being overcome with gluttony and indecision, I comforted myself that we can come back to Wan Chai again so I need not worry about not being able to taste everything.

The key is to order at least one new and unfamiliar dish. For me, that meant the tausi fish head, a beautiful pile of, well, fish head minus the eyeballs, eaten with gusto down to the last morsel. The fried radish cake was a stinky revelation. It starts out looking like an ordinary square patty until you bite into the soft interior, revealing a pungent aroma. It must have come from the fermented fish roe mashed inside. Last was the fried pork chop with orange syrup, crisp, tender and doused with a sauce that was not too sweet.

The fried mini pao took a good ten minutes to arrive. It was shiny with a bit of oil (but not so much as to give your doctor a heart attack). The top bore brown pan marks like an emblem and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The meat filling was nothing fancy—just some cabbage, shrimp, ginger and pork. What drove us to siopao ecstasy was the freshness of the dough, something that isn’t always present in the steamed variety. I dream of this siopao to this day.

Insider tip: Skip the roasted Peking duck—the one served on our table probably waited for centuries before being arranged on a platter. It looked handsome but it was tough to the bite. The assorted soy sampler would have been a better choice. If you still can’t find anything you like off the menu, Wan Chai has posters of new offerings stuck on the wall. Landmark: Benavidez intersects with Salazar St.

Wan Chai Tea House is at 918 Benavidez St., Binondo, Manila. Phone 245-4406, 245-4889.

5 Institutions Other Binondo institutions on my to-visit list include Ma Su Ki (Benavidez St.), Panciteria Lido (across Teodoro Alonzo St.), and President Teahouse (809 Salazar St.). Foodies flock to Sincerity Restaurant (497 Yuchengco St.), a 50-year old plus restaurant, for its popular fried chicken.

After your food trip, drop by Eng Bee Tin Chinese Deli for a pack of hopia for pasalubong. Two variants I’ve tasted include ube-cheese and ube-pastillas. They also have tikoy roll, Chinese sausage, condensed milk pastillas, fresh egg noddles and more. Boxes of tikoy are stacked outside the stores in time for the Chinese New Year.

Text and images by Jenny B. Orillos.