Frannywanny

Next to Chinese and Japanese cuisines, my family also has a growing fondness for Korean food. For instance, we all love adding kimchi to our barbecued meats, the wide array of banchan never fails to excite us and pajeon, bibimbap and galbi jim will always be part of our order line-up. So, when I heard that a new Korean restaurant named Sibyullee recently opened at the relatively new Ayala Malls The 30th in Pasig, I took the opportunity to invite my parents out for lunch one day. It was all our first time to check out the mall and I got to say that I love the very relaxed, neighborhood vibe that it gives. The selection of restaurants and retail shops were quite impressive too not to mention that they even have a Rustans Supermarket available at the Ground Floor and a row of cinema at the top floor to complete the mix.

I know it hasn't been too long since we moved to the Lion City but every time we get to fly back to Manila, we can't help but feel somewhat touristy in our own country. I guess it's because at least every quarter, there's a new mall, a commercial complex or an attraction that would open and is worth checking out. So, during our ninja-like visit home, Paul and I went to Capitol Commons along Shaw Boulevard as we kinda saw this on our way to the airport during our previous visit. Weeks before we moved to Singapore, I remember Capitol Commons to be the place where one can go on a food truck hopping. I'm not quite sure where the food trucks went but what we saw were several fully operational restaurants in the area. For this particular visit, we dropped by Nomama to say hi to our friend Chef Him and to check out his new menu. I've known Chef Him way back when I was still wearing my magazine publisher hat. He was the first chef whom I've tapped for an even...

Back then I used to think that the only way to go is to surround yourself with lots of friends. The more the merrier, they say. However, as I grew older, I learned (in somewhat the hard way..) that quality still beats quantity anyday. Today, I have learned to let go of the rotten apples in my life and to keep the best ones close ones to my heart. They say, the greatest friends you'll ever have in your life are those whom you've met in high school. I really think this saying is true. After all these friends chose to love you without any prior judgement on your status in life, the amount of money you have in your bank or who your family is. All they cared about is that you choose them as groupmate for the class project, you get to have lunch together and you're there for each other no matter what. I'm lucky that I found a number of great friends back in high school and even luckier that we're still very much in touch with one another at present. A few months ago...

My good friend Bianca is getting married tomorrow. While I'm extremely happy that Bianx and Pao are finally  tying the knot, I can't help but feel a bit of sadness that I won't be physically there to witness this momentous moment in their lives. Oh to be 1,400++ miles away from home. *sigh* Anyway, allow me to dedicate this entry to Bianca as I tell you about our recent dinner together at Haru Sushi Bar and Restaurant -- our last before she officially becomes Mrs. M. Bianx, Kat and I are a trio. We all used to work for the Green Siren a couple of years back and have moved on to new companies since. Both Kat and Bianx were from the same department and our office cubicles were not exactly close to each other. What made us bond was our shared love for... FOOD. It all began with a series of emails sent back and forth until we agreed to meet up for lunch and that lunch led to another lunch...after which, we also had dinner and more dinners thereafter. It has been 5 years si...

Who would have thought that you can actually find really good food at the 2nd floor of a business hotel that's located right at the heart of the Ortigas Central Business District (CBD)? That was one of our realizations after having such a yummy lunch at Mesclun in Linden Suites last January. Last January, Paul and I have been eating out non-stop with friends and family who were so sweet to spend some quality time with us. I actually wasn't planning to say yes to dining invitations anymore given the state of our social schedule. However, the girls behind Mesclun were just so sweet (and persistent hehe) that we just have to say YES to their email/Twitter/Facebook invite (beat that!) . Well, I honestly am glad I did.  We have been to Linden Suites before to attend a work-related event as well as to be surprised by our own friends and my sister as they threw us a joint bridal/stag party in one of their suite rooms a few years ago. What I love about Linden Suites is t...

I love to sleep. If only I have the luxury of time to stay in bed all day long. I'd love to do that again soon. Anyway, a week before our trip, Paul and I met up with a couple of friends for breakfast. Our January and early February schedules were so busy that the only way to squeeze in more chances to meet up with friends was to set breakfast meet-ups...and that's what we did. We met up with good friends Roch, Rowena and Peter at 8:30 in the morning at Cafe 1771 . Sure it was so hard for Paul and I to pull ourselves out of bed but the thought of being able to enjoy a yummy meal with a great set of friends was enough to keep us up at least for a few hours that morning. It's pretty much obvious that the breakfast scene in Manila is not as busy yet compared to probably Hong Kong or Singapore. This is  why there aren't a lot of choices aside from the usual fast food chains, 24 hour eateries, hotels and my Kong Kong's favorite congee places in Manila.  I'm glad ...

Just about the same time two years ago, Paul and I went to the US for a quick R&R. During the said trip to   California, we were able to try a restaurant called Umami Burger and believe me, they just got to have the best burgers in town (or at least from those that we were able to taste) . The flavor was just so intensely good that it left me in such a happy state days and months after. Just like the word umami  which is Japanese for  perfectly flavorful , Umami's burger was exactly that. It had all the right flavors that would make you want to close your eyes and savor one bite after the other. Here in Manila, there's a new restaurant at The Grove by Rockwell Land that shares a similar name -- Umami Hambaagu House is what it's called. The Grove is the up and coming premier property located right across Tiendesitas. At present, Starbucks Coffee has opened a branch there as well as Sunrise Buckets too. Expect more restaurants to follow suit in the coming mon...

For the past week, my nails have been sporting a new color. PURPLE! No, I'm not attending neither Barney nor Grimace's birthday party. It just came to a point wherein I wanted to deviate from my usual baby pink nail color which I've been sporting every so often for the past decade. CHANGE is good, after all. I've been so happy showing off my deep purple nails most especially as it has a good smooth and shiny finish. Good job Nail Tropics! ♥ A few days ago, my college best friend L celebrated her birthday and Paul and I dropped by our favorite bakeshop to buy her a box of Chocolate Revel Bars before heading to our dinner venue. I first heard about Purple Oven more than 5 years ago when I began obsessing over Starbucks Coffee's  Banoffee Pie . A friend pointed this place out to me and I've been a regular customer ever since. It's also a plus that it's located so close to where I work making it so convenient anytime I have to drop by to buy a cak...

I was born to a family who loves to eat. Save for my Dad who has turned into a picky eater after his operation, the women in my family continues to be avid food lovers and our dinners, for instance, can go on and on and on. Sadly, it's only I who wasn't gifted with a sexy body that whatever I eat immediately zooms straight to my hips and butt. I'd call it ala-JLo asset if only I don't have a growing tummy too. *boo!* Just watch how my sister and Mommy would eat. They'd be the first to sit down for dinner and the last to leave the table. After dinner, you'd find them nibbling on chocolates, dried prunes, chips and a lot more. Life is truly not fair. *sigh* Anyway, one night after dinner, Pan and I were still craving for something sweet. Since we miraculously ran out of our chocolate stash at home, we decided to take a short drive to have some fondue! Yes! Fondue for dessert sounds yummy! The best thing is, I know just the place. After doing my regular bl...

A couple of Fridays ago, The Food Club was invited to have dinner and a few glasses of wine at Café 1771’s The Winebar . This came as a perfect timing given that it was the end of a stressful workweek and a great way to welcome the much-awaited weekend. We arrived just about the same time and as we made our way up to the 2nd floor of Café 1771 in El Pueblo , we were all impressed with the sudden change of ambiance. From the bright pink and blue décor of the Whimsy section, climbing up the wooden staircase led us to an all-wooden interior that reminds me of a scene from The Godfather or one of those Al Pacino films that Papa loves to watch over and over again. After leading us to our table, we were offered some wine to get things started. I sadly had to decline as I’m not really much of a drinker…an “eater”, yes…a drinker, no. Nonetheless, my companions seem to enjoy their selection of wines which I think went perfectly well with our wide-array of dishes that evening. In true Ca...

I love the simple things! A box of sweet treats... My doggie Scottie excitedly greeting me by the door...Impromptu lunch outs with Paul and friends and a lot more! I'd say I'm pretty easy to please and more often than not it always involves food! Paul, for one, knows this very well already... the way to my heart is definitely through my STOMACH! ♥ A couple of weeks ago, we had an impromptu lunch date with some members of The Food Club at Longganisa Sorpresa . I'm lucky that the restaurant is just a stone's throw away from my office making it very accessible for me. I've mentioned a number of times how much I love Brgy. Kapitolyo as it's rapidly growing to be a foodie haven. There's Mad Mark's , Lia's Cakes in Season , my favorite Milky and Sunny , the ever-dependable Uncle Moe's and our latest office craze.. Rub Ribs ! We got there just in time before the lunch crowd arrived allowing us to secure a good parking spot. The menu was quite e...

Welcome to Brgy. Kapitolyo in Pasig – the newest foodie haven in town. Believe me, a trip down East Capitol Drive is like a gastronomical journey around the world. Start from the corner of Pioneer you’ll see Nav and Uncle Moe’s which will give you really delicious Thai and Mediterranean dishes respectively. Drive further down and you’ll hit Kainan Au Gusto and Café Juanita located just around the corner for our local Pinoy fare. As you continue with your drive, you’ll see The Three Sisters' restaurant, the place to get really yummy Pork BBQ and Pancit Bihon and my latest fave – Milky and Sunny , an all-day breakfast nook. Go on another block and you’ll see another line of restaurants like Poco Deli for some cheese and sausages while Lia’s Cakes in Season makes a great dessert stop. Care for some burgers? Charlie’s Grill and Grind is located right across and is right beside Bacolod’s Café Bob’s Manila version – Cab Café . There’s still a couple of restaurant left for m...

What's your favorite dessert? For Paul it would definitely be a bar of chocolate. For my Dad it would have to be a bowl of his favorite Ice Cream while for Mommy it would be a refreshing platter of fruits. I, on the other hand, prefers to have baked goodies and cakes for dessert. Examples would be a ramekin of Creme Brulee, a slice of that perfect Red Velvet Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory or (once again) my friend Irene's to-die-for Queso de Bola Cheesecake! Having an amazing dessert is like getting a great massage. It brings you so much happiness and bliss that makes you go oohhhhh and ahhhhh while taking in bites after bites of that delicious piece of cake. It's a great way to indulge and to treat yourself especially after a stressful day at work. However, I tend to be a very picky cake eater as I have very low tolerance for overly sweet products thus I tend to stick to the fruity or slightly salty ones. I always have to scrape off the icing on any cake as my s...

One rainy Sunday, Paul and I joined Richard, Irene and our favorite playmate Lauren for dinner. We decided to try Po Suk Jung , a Korean restaurant located in Brgy. Oranbo, Pasig . I've been noticing this restaurant that actually looks like a huge garage from outside ever since I started working in Mandaluyong three years ago. We got there quite early for dinner and were surprised that the parking lot was almost full. Good thing, even without a reservation, we were able to get a good table near the huge TV set that kept Lauren pre-occupied all throughout dinner time. Just with any Korean meal, ours started with a lot of appetizers ( banchan ). Unlike those served at other Korean restaurants where there's a mix of spicy and non-spicy fare; here, they have more spicy appetizers which for me was pretty manageable since I like eating kimchi a lot. My favorite though were the fish cakes. I also love the complimentary egg custard that's very similar to our Chinese home-co...

It really takes a good restaurant for me to go back to two days in a row.... even a better one to make me interrupt my Baguio series to share my fun dining experience with you. In other words, this is just something that can't wait and I really have to let you guys know for you to try it out yourselves...ASAP! :) I first heard about Milky & Sunny while reading my Twitter feeds. A couple of friends, whose taste in food I trust, have been talking about this pretty breakfast place that just opened in Kapitolyo, Pasig . Afterwards, I heard about it again from one of my colleagues who got really amazing taste when it comes to aesthetic design..she's a licensed interior designer, after all. This prompted me to research about this restaurant and I realized that it's just a stone's throw away from my office! Finally, last night I set a dinner date with two of my former colleagues Kat and Bianx. I actually gave them a couple of choices and while we initially was planni...

A month ago, I received 4 Gift CerTEAficates to try Cha Dao Tea Place , a new milk tea shop near my office. This entitles me and three companions to an XL Drink with Free Sinkers each! Since Paul and I basically had nothing planned yesterday afternoon and my sister and her boyfriend E happened to be at home too, we decided to go out for an impromptu double date over milk tea. So, off we went to Cha Dao Tea Place in Brgy. Kapitolyo in Pasig . The store is quite small where probably only 10 customers can fit at a time. I like the nice touch of having bowls of dried tea leaves on the table. Wish that it was more aromatic for the scent to fill up the room. The servers were extremely friendly, asking us if it was our first time in Cha Dao and after learning that it indeed was, she proceeded to pointing out their best-sellers in the menu. She was very helpful in suggesting and guiding us through our orders. Paul, a non-milk tea drinker were interested to try the Yakult line an...

Here's one interesting story to tell... Back in 1941, a mother of 5 named Rosa Francisco opened a small panciteria in Pasig. She named it Three Sisters' after (make a wild guess!) a talcum product that she just heard over the radio. On her first day, church-goers flocked to her panciteria and continued to go back from that day on. Sadly, World War II broke out and the family was forced to head to Antipolo to seek for safety and shelter. After the war, Rosa went back and found that her panciteria has been burned down. Still, with much determination, she rebuilt and re-opened her panciteria to the public. Soon, she has regained her loyal patrons and have acquired new ones. People would visit Three Sisters' Refreshment Parlor for their halo-halo and noodle dishes. Fast forward to 1970, Rosa Francisco decided to relocate her panciteria to its present site in Kapitolyo, Pasig . This time she has renamed it: Three Sisters' Restaurant of Pasig . Given the bigger space, m...

Last week was definitely the busiest week for us publishers. It was the time for our annual strategic planning presentation and it is when we were required to present our ideas for 2012. Before this, we spent nights in the office working on our presentation, days thinking of ideas and hours before the presentation praying that everything will turn out okay. Thus, a celebration was truly in order. As much as I wanted to scream and do cartwheels for surviving the presentation, I felt a tiny ache in my heart as it was also the day when I will finally say goodbye to that one person who has stood by me for the past 3 years, he was the one who taught me everything that I needed to know in order to do a better job ...he was my boss and last Friday was his last day.  We decided to throw him a simple farewell lunch at Nav , a newly-opened Thai restaurant near our office. Passing by the restaurant, I noticed that the place was quite small thus I was surprised that when I called to make a...

Last Friday, despite the strong winds and non-stop rain, The Foodie Club got together to throw a special cheese-themed despedida which we coined as CHEESEPEDIDA for our dear friend Chris who's leaving in a few weeks time. Our plan was to throw a potluck dinner where everyone in the Club will bring a cheese-filled dish . Paul and I brought containers filled with our best-selling Pichi-Pichi with Cheese , Irene made her mouth-watering Quezo de Bola Cheesecake , Doña Joan prepared her signature Baked Macaroni with Cheese , Janey bought two types of pasta from Cibo , Didi (whom we miss dearly) sent over boxes of Pizza (with lots of cheese!), Tita Jane and Cara completed our meal with Cheese Ice Cream and Trixie and EQ brought bags of yummy chips with cheese ! You may have noticed that our line-up was filled with desserts and carbs, thus Irene and Richard offered to order from BBQ Chicken to fulfill our protein needs. I've been hearing about BBQ Chicken even when I...