Frannywanny

As we welcomed 2023 with close to unbelievably cool weather, the summer heat is truly here and it's making itself felt for sure. We've been hydrating ourselves round the clock and the thought of enjoying some icy cold desserts is one that we look forward to on a daily basis.  When Paul told me about this new brand of halo halo that went viral on TikTok last year, we searched for it and discovered Bebang Halo Halo  along Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City. Luckily, Mandaluyong is not that far away and one can just place their orders online anytime. Rumor has it that the waiting time in their restaurant can go for hours so it’s best to have your halo halo delivered straight to your doorstep while you go about your busy day. We got 6 flavors and wow, I don’t even know which one to try first! Before I talk about each flavor in detail, one thing that we noticed with Bebang Halo Halo is that you get a thick slice of leche flan in every cup of halo halo. Unlike others where the l...

No matter how short or long our stay in Manila is, what we loved the most are those times that we would spent with our families. I'd say, we're really improving in terms of scheduling our meet-ups as we get to allot more to family and our ever understanding friends would willingly take the brunch or tea time slots. During our recent visit home, we blocked off our Sunday lunch to go out for a nice meal with my in laws. It was also this time when Paul and Achi Jen decided to co-celebrate their belated birthdays similar to how they used to do in the past since their birthdays are two days apart. Achi Jen took care of making the reservations upon my request to try Tomo Japanese Dining  in Araullo Street. It's really a good thing that she made a reservation as the whole place was fully booked that day. We even bumped into our former flatmate C and his family there! My MIL has been there a couple of times so she knows what are the must-orders. Here are some of the dishes that...

Paul and I got to try the new  Vikings  at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall a couple of months ago to celebrate the birthdays of Ahia J, Achi M and our cutie nephew and godson, Jairus. We started planning for this dinner months in advance as you know, early notification is necessary for the *ahem* OFW members of the family as our schedule is always crazy hectic and given that, we somehow managed to still arrive half an hour late and almost everyone were on their 3rd 4th 5th plates already! Even my favorite (she's my one and only) niece, Julia was busy enjoying her plate of marshmallows and chocolate too! Let us go on a quick tour around Vikings : Start your meal with some of these bite-sized appetizers Salad corner with a selection of hard cheeses

"France, the lady owner of Monterey told me that Tuan Tuan is really good. Let's go eat there tomorrow night!" That's what Mommy told me when she called me one evening last week when Paul and I were still in Manila. That my food loving Mommy for you! So there we were at 6PM on our last night in Manila in our effort to get to the restaurant early to avoid the long queue. We were able to get a table right away which made it all easy breezy.  The menu was quite simple, it specializes in noodle soup in Halibut stock and a few more Chinese side dishes too. That and some baked rice that I've been wanting to try since friends started posting photos of these on Instagram. The ambiance reminds me of a traditional but extra classy  cha chaan teng in Hong Kong with white tiled walls, a semi open kitchen and restaurant diners talking all at the same time. They even have the famous Black & White Evaporated Milk commonly used in Hong Kong for their nai cha (...

Even if we try to avoid it, Paul and I always end up with really jam-packed schedules whenever we fly home to Manila. *sigh* I guess it's just so hard to packed everything that we want to do which includes shopping, running our errands and meeting people within 3 or 4 or 5 days. Take for example that one day that Paul and I went to SM Megamall with my sister Pan. In between shopping for our Diner en Blanc outfits, we found the need to just sit down, bond and have a nice cup of coffee. I was so happy to be able to finally check out the newest wing called the SM Mega Fashion Hall . While there are still a couple of shops about to open soon (eg: St Marc's Cafe, H&M, etc), the wing is already 80% complete! This was where we also found Lucca Bakery at the top most floor near the Ice Skating Rink and the IMAX theatre. I first read about Lucca Bakery from my friend Leslie's blog . She was raving about the Hazelnut Snail and the Banana Walnut Sticky Bun. However, I wasn...

More than a month before our January visit home, I've been hearing friends and fellow food lovers talking about this new restaurant called Kettle  that recently opened at Manila's newest hangout spot, where else but in the East Wing  of  Shangril-La Plaza . This new structure of the mall houses a number of interesting food concepts from Chef Rob Goco's Green Pastures to another addition in the ramen competition, Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen  to name a few. Since I don't get to go home that often, I have a long list of restaurants to try and one of those is Kettle . I am very lucky to be blessed with really supportive high school friends. As we were planning for our dinner out, they allowed me to choose where I want to eat as they are very much aware of my long running list. We all agreed to dine at Kettle and to ensure that we have a table ready for us as we're dining on a busy Friday night, a reservation has been made. We were a loooong table of 12 so it can be quite...

"Let's eat out when you're home!" , this was the SMS that my little sister Pan sent me weeks before our recent visit to Manila. My response was: "Okay, can we try Green Pastures ?" She SMS backed to say: "Galing! I was just thinking of that." We may be miles away but my sister and I sure do think (and continue to talk) alike. I've been hearing and reading about Green Pastures from fellow food bloggers and knowing that this is Chef Robby Goco's newest baby, all the more I was so excited to give it a try. Being a big fan of Cyma and Charlie's , I was pretty certain, Green Pastures will also be a winner. Just to ensure that we get a nice table as we planned to eat there on a Friday night, I called to make a reservation. I'm sure glad I did as the restaurant was packed at 7PM and there was already a waiting line outside. Whenever Pan and I are excited to try a new restaurant, we tend to over-order. Here's our dinner men...

Months ago, photos of this donut-like pastry has been popping up on my Facebook wall and Instagram feed . One post after the other from various friends would show their latest discovery and I have been dying to give this a try. CRONUTS . That's what they're called. A perfect play between the mouthwatering words "croissant" + "donuts" I later found out. Did a little research about it and learned that these sweet creations originated in New York, USA. Trust my fellow Filipinos to catch this food craze right away and so within weeks more and more bakeries and retail shops began offering their own versions of Cronuts. Before heading home last weekend, I messaged a couple of foodie friends to point me to where I should try my first cronut. They were very helpful in giving me tips and so I went home ready for my Cronut initiation. First stop was at Chatime in Pioneer, Mandaluyong City. When a friend told me about this, I immediately asked if she's su...

I think the title should actually be, "New Ramen on the (East) Wing!" I'm talking about the newly opened East Wing of the Shangri-la Plaza Mall which Paul and I were lucky enough to visit during our quick return home last month. I can't believe how fast things can change in the span of a month. We were just away for a month and when we got back to Manila there was the new Shangri-la Plaza wing as well as the New Glorietta Mall in Makati. I can't wait to go home and see what's new in the coming months. Given that we only have a few weeks in Manila, of course, majority of our time was dedicated to our families and about 30% of our time were spent bonding with our closest friends. As much as we wanted to meet with everyone, there were basically just 3 meals in a day and 7 days in a week. Nonetheless, we were so happy to see the friends who have been checking up on us eversince we got here. This act may be nothing for them but it means the world to us. A sing...

Today is the 1st of February and it's my dear friend and fellow blogger Jane of Between Bites' birthday!!! Since it's her special day, let me tell you about the night when Jane and I went out for a ramen date. Just us girls for a couple of hours of bonding and happy eating. I met Jane over the Internet as I have been an avid reader of her blog since way back. One time, we agreed to meet up for dinner with two other girl friends (hello Sab and Didi !) back in 2007. I still remembered that she brought a container of pasta for all of us to try. That's how sweet and thoughtful Jane has always been. She would really take time out to do things for her friends and loved ones despite her super jam-packed schedule and never-ending things to do. I really enjoy being able to spend time with her as she's one of the most sincere and loving friend that I've ever known. She's a keeper, guys and girls, and I'm so lucky to have a friend like her! Truly someone who g...

Ever since Yabu opened at the SM Megamall Atrium last year, Paul and I have been frequenting this place whenever the craving for good authentic Japanese katsu comes up. In Manila, Yabu tops our list as the best go-to place for katsudon and tonkatsu . Thus, when I got a pretty invite to visit Yabu a few week ago, I immediately said yes as I would love to check out the new product offerings from our favorite katsu place. Together with fellow blogger Richard , we were one of the first guests to arrive and while waiting for the rest, we shared their four appetizers available in the menu. We had the Wakame + Edamame -- I love these two as they make a good starter combination. The wakame salad stays crisp and refreshing while the edamame is somethign that I enjoy munching on. Open the boiled pod and sprinkle a little Japanese salt because eating the peas inside. We also had the Hiyayakko Tofu + Superior Egg and Potato Salad . I wasn't able to try the tofu as I'm trying...

It’s BACKKKKKKK!! A year ago, my food-loving colleague excitedly told me about S M Megamall having a 3-day Food Sale . Imagine having at least a hundred food establishments offering discounts, free dishes and a lot more! It truly felt like a food lover’s holiday! I wasn’t sure what happened last year but sadly, I missed the fun weekend. Well, I’m not going to let that happen again this year. In fact, as early as last weekend, Paul and I headed to SM Megamall to check out the participating establishments already and took mental notes on which ones we will definitely visit this coming weekend. We mean business which means, we need a surefire strategy. This is WAR! Food War! :)

A few months ago, Paul and I had one of our impromptu lunch dates again and this time we had it at the Shangri-la Mall . Going around the mall while thinking of where to eat, we were faced with a big dilemma as there were quite a lot of options to choose from. The best way was to do it through the process of elimination. Since we both don't eat beef then all steak and burger places were immediately removed from the list. Paul wasn't in the mood to splurge so there goes the high-priced restaurants as well. However, I was feeling hungry (a.k.a. I want rice) so we skipped all sandwich bars and cafes in the mall. Finally, as we got to the 5th level and I spotted an old favorite -- Recipes by Cafe Metro . I first tried this more than 5 years ago and it has been my go-to place for comfort food done the Filipino way. Believe me, you'll never go wrong with their Gising Gising, Crispy Tilapia and their famous General's Chicken. We got there earlier than the lunch crowd thus ...

With the holidays just around the corner, we are now starting to feel the cold air especially during the evening. Given the chilly weather, the thought of slurping a bowl of piping hot noodles just makes perfect sense. Thus, an invite to try a newly opened Japanese noodle bar called Moshi Koshi that's located so close to work and home was immediately accepted. We were actually the third and fourth guests to arrive after fellow bloggers Dyanie and Chyng. This allowed us to familiarize ourselves with the cool features of the restaurant such as the noodle room where there's actually a stoplight installed at the top showing if a noodle is currently being created or not. Reminds me so much of the much-anticipated red light of Krispy Kreme. The rest of the group arrived shortly after which signaled the start of our Moshi Koshi feast! As explained to us, Koshi is that " sweet state of a noodle that is tender and chewy, firm but not hard, with resistance to the bite "....

Last Friday, I suddenly had this weird craving for... Putong Ube . Oh how I daydreamed about those tiny, pillow-y, rice cakes cooked with our native ube (yam). Of course, no other store can make it better than Michelle's . I used to visit their store along Gilmore street or Papa would buy a box home for us to enjoy. I searched online to look for a store closest to my office and I was surprised that their main branch was actually just a stone's throw away from where I work!! Thus, on my way home, I asked Paul if we can make a brief stop at Libertad street for me to buy a box of Michelle's Homemade Putong Ube to satisfy my craving. Luckily, he said yes! YAY! The store wasn't hard to find, if you're familiar with California Square Garden and Galileo Enoteca then you'll be able to locate Michelle's Homemade Putong Ube in no time.It's located at the corner of Kanlaon and Domingo M Guevara (formerly known as Libertad) streets. Arriving at the store ...

I'm addicted once again. After being witnessing my long running addiction to Serenitea , here I am again falling in love with another milk tea brand that has just recently opened its doors to the Philippine market. I would like to introduce you to ChaTime . It's actually a big milk tea company that originated in Taiwan and has a number of branches in Malaysia, China, USA, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Australia, plus new stores opening soon in Korea, Japan and the Philippines! (source: ChaTime Philippines' FB Page ) I'm lucky because ChaTime's first official branch is located once again just a stone's throw away from my workplace. Just like Cab Cafe , I can easily go there via a short tricycle ride. On my first visit, it was after doing overtime work at the office as Paul and I made it to ChaTime at 9PM. Despite being a few days old, there was already a long line inside the store. I like the clean and brightly-lit interiors. They also have a ...

My sister and I live under the same roof yet in these past few weeks, I hardly had the chance to chat with her. She has been very busy with work that she would come home late at night while I've been feeling extremely tired lately that I was already in bed as early as 10PM (sign of early aging? I hope not!) . I guess she misses me so much already (haha!) that she sent me an SMS last Friday inviting me to an afternoon bonding session before heading home. I immediately said yes and I was so excited that I hardly could sit through all my meetings that day. Finally at around 530PM, I left the office to head to Podium for our much-awaited bonding session. We agreed to meet at Borough , a restaurant that I've been wanting to try out. I'm glad my sister was game enough to take that longer walk to Podium from her office instead of just hopping over to SM Megamall. See, she misses me THAT much! :) I bought a P495 coupon from Deal Grocer a month ago. It's a set consisting...

Lola is a Tagalog word that means Grandmother. Thus the name Lola Maria Restaurant inside The Legend Villas evokes that warm homey feeling that we'd get whenever we visit the home of our grandmother. The smell of wonderful home-cooked meals that she would lovingly prepare as you wait while admiring the beautiful decors that adorns her home. The same home where either your mom or dad grew up in. You memorize every nook and cranny and know where lola's favorite part of the house is..most likely the kitchen. Located just right across where I work, I was surprised that there's actually a hidden gem for me to discover. It is said that people normally tend to search far and wide when a beautiful thing is standing so close by that we fail to take notice of it. I've first visited Lola Maria last year for a business meeting. We were surprised that the buffet lunch was pretty extensive and delicious. Fast forward to a couple of Fridays ago, we were invited to a food tastin...

Whenever I drive myself home from work, once in a while, I'd find myself craving for pasta. As always, my dilemma is where to get good pesto pasta. There used to be a stall at the food court of our office building that sells this..it was pretty oily, not the best quality but I stayed loyal to it for almost a year. At home, this has been my constant request, it used to just be every Monday where Mommy would ask our helper to prepare pesto spaghetti for dinner. However, now we would ask for this almost twice a week or more. Back when I still had Bo (the Basil) , I was planning on making my own pesto sauce. Bo, after all, was very cooperative. He grew to be a very healthy and fragrant basil plant with lots of leaves. However, I became very busy and didn't had the time to source for the other ingredients needed to make my own pesto sauce. Thus, I've resorted to stocking up on bottles of pesto sauces as home. Still, I know nothing beats enjoying a plate of piping hot al dente ...