Frannywanny

I got to say that with a little more than a month left as we close 2019, The Grid Food Market was indeed one of my favorite foodie places this year. What's there not to love about it? It has a very good selection of food choices and I'd say, they didn't stop at being "good" but they really went above and beyond by getting the best in the industry. Here, you get only the most authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice, the yummiest Laksa , the highly desired Lobster Roll and of course, you finish off with the best Chocolate in town and award-winning cake selections too. Even my twins love it so much that we spent almost the entire day last Saturday dining at The Grid . We had lunch, merienda and dinner there and we never got tired of it as there were just a lot of options to choose from. For my part 2, let me focus on 3 homegrown brands that has quickly made a name for itself in the foodie circle. One was first known for their ooey gooey, super sinful brownies. Anothe...

I still remember how the food scene was just two years ago. As soon as we landed in Manila, the first thing that I asked my sister-in-law Achi J and my brother-in-law Ahia J was... "so what are the must eats here in Manila?" This was when they told us about the rising trend of food parks -- small, hole in the wall, highly instagrammable food concepts normally found in small neighborhood garage and built using old container shells. "Interesting" , I thought to myself. Achi J told me about several must-try concepts such as one with nachos topped with melted cheese, another with Iced Tea served in fish bowls that's good for 3-4 people to share. Somehow, it reminded me of Timbre+ in Singapore which, I'm happy to report, is still doing so well up until today. I wasted no time and brought my preggy self to try one of those much-talked-about food parks. Let's just say that after one short visit, I came to the conclusion that outdoor, al fresco dining in con...

While I'm admittedly a rice fan, I still can't pass up any opportunity to enjoy a good loaf of bread. A few years back, Pan brought be to Eric Kayser  in Greenhills Promenade  for brunch and I can still remember swooning over their yummy flavored breads. It's quite sad though that this particular branch no longer is in operation today but at least they still got their flagship outlet at the Powerplant Mall . The shop is not that big but it sure is eye-catching! I love the clean white and orange interiors where the shelves are lined with all these huge bread baskets. I peeked into each one of them as I made my choice of what to bring home this time.

"I'm craving for Pinoy garlic rice, tocino, egg and atchara..ugh!" This is what I suddenly messaged my Pinoy lunch group at work yesterday. It's the type of craving that you can clearly imagine the food in your mind and you're starting to smell it too. Clearly, I'm missing home and I'm really bummed that my supposed flight home tonight won't be pushing through. Anyway, happy thoughts again..happy thoughts. I got to admit that I didn't grow up eating Filipino food on a daily basis as we got a very Chinese-style kitchen back home. In fact, not so long ago, I wouldn't even consider Filipino cuisine as one of my favorites. Well as they say, " absence makes the heart grow fonder"  and that's how I am towards Filipino food for the past 3 years plus. This is also why we make it a point to visit a Filipino restaurant whenever we fly home. So, on our most recent trip home, we brought the entire family out for lunch at Wooden Spoon ...

Happy Easter, my dear readers!!! Today, we will be heading to church to attend the Easter Sunday Mass and later on will also be having lunch with the entire family. Next to Christmas, this is probably the next big religious holiday where families get together and spend time with each other. For those with kids, they're most likely headed to any of the major hotels and shopping malls to take part of the fun Easter activities lined up. I know for a fact that my niece Julia will surely enjoy this day as she just loves joining Easter Egg Hunts! She's barely 5 years old and yet she has become an expert in searching for those eggs and always ends up with lots of yummy candies which were inserted inside.  Speaking of candies, let me share with you one ambition that I have. A few years ago, I really wanted to be a lolliologist . Not that I wanted for it to be my main profession, but I'm really interested to learn how to mold and create rock candies. Well, it's not too l...

I took the leap last Monday! For someone who is deadly scared of blood, vaccines and pain in general, I bravely headed to the dentist and had my bothersome wisdom tooth pulled out. To be honest, I was still hoping the pain caused by the irregular alignment of my poking wisdom tooth would go away but after days for not being able to chew on yummy pizza as well having difficulty in munching on chips and a lot more, I knew I HAD to do something. Happily, I survived the procedure and walked out of the dentist clinic alive. I'm still undergoing a recovery stage now wherein all I can eat are soft and cold food items. For days, I have been eating mashed potato and ice cream every single meal. I love them very much but I think I have seriously went beyond my annual consumption quota for both already. Call it perfect timing that my friends over at Fruits in Ice Cream (FIC) sent over a bag filled with 3 pint containers of frozen delights. The labels says Vermont Classic Frozen Custar...

...and the fun never stops!! After celebrating my birthday with The Club, my high school best friend and my family, I went back to work the day after my birthday leave and scheduled to have lunch with my closest colleagues. They let me decide where lunch will be held and after finally choosing between 2 to 3 restaurants, I finally went for Cantinetta which was located outside the Powerplant Mall. The reason for choosing this restaurant? 1) I am craving for pasta and truffles 2) I love Italian food 3) I haven't had a full meal at Cantinetta ever (the last time was when I just had a bowl of Gelato). Thus, Cantinetta was our lunch destination that day. My colleague I was the first to arrived and she was given a basket of warm bread and two types of spreads. At the same time, she went ahead and got a plate of Spinaci e Funghi (Php. 300) for us to share. I love the bread and the delicious Chicken Liver Pate . I enjoy having this topped with some sweet salsa on top. D...

I've been a blogger for almost ten years already. While this blog was just created four years ago, I have been busy documenting my everyday college life in my first ever personal blog which unfortunately has been kept hidden to the public eye since Frannywanny.com was born. For ten years now, blogging has been my best stress reliever. I enjoy jotting down my thoughts and sharing my experiences to the world. Aside from writing and maintaining my blog, I also enjoy visiting sites of fellow bloggers most especially that of food bloggers . The links you see in my sidebar are some of my favorite blogs which I frequent on a daily basis. Yes, like you I get excited whenever I learn about a new restaurant discovery or a new grocery item that I would also like to try. I'm thankful that majority of the owners of these blogs that I follow have eventually became really good friends of mine. I always look forward to dining out with them as we get to experience a new restaurant together...

After a hearty lunch yesterday, my friends and I decided to get something sweet as a perfect way to end a wonderful meal. While not forgetting to take the healthier alternative, we made a unanimous decision to head to Lulu belle for some yogurt treat. I had a hard time deciding whether I should go for the same cup of strawberry yogurt that I had before or perhaps try the green tea which they're quickly gaining popularity for. Then my eyes shifted further down in their menu and finally, I know what I'm getting. A tall cup of Strawberry Smoothie (Php. 120) that consists of a natural yogurt base mixed with a scoop of FIC Strawberry Ice Cream. It's healthy and yummy at the same time. It somehow reminds of the mouthwatering milkshake that I've tasted last year with a hint of sourness from the yogurt. I think I found my Lulu Belle favorite! I'll definitely be back for more s moooo thie! Lulu Belle is located at the 3rd floor of the Power Plant Mall (Playground Section...

"Hi Fran! You should try Lulu Belle here in Rockwell, it's so pink! You'll love it." This was the message sent to me by a friend who knows just how much I love the color pink. I quickly replied back asking her what is Lulu Belle and where exactly it's located. Thanks to my friend and fellow bloggers Anton and Lori , I found out that Lulu Belle is the newest venture of the FIC group. "It's FIC's newest dessert place that specializes in yogurt. It's located at the top floor where the billiard and bowling center used to be" My jaw dropped as I read my friend's reply. What?! Has it been that long since I've been to the Powerplant Mall? I'm really intrigued and excited to check both the mall and Lulu Belle out. This afternoon, Paul and I found ourselves strolling around the mall. We made our way from the ground floor up to the newest area that houses a number of stores for kids and (perhaps even for) the kids at heart. I love...

This is a classic story of a guy who, after finally giving in to his girlfriend's stubborn cravings and insistent requests demands, agreed to drive beyond their usual dating area just to come face to face with a line that had to make them wait for 10 minutes before getting a table and eventually falling in love with the food that made him truly understand the reason why every single food enthusiasts is totally crazy about..... PEPPER LUNCH!!! It was just an ordinary weeknight and I was lucky enough to convince Paul to have dinner at Rockwell. I guess it's true that when you're with someone long enough, you'll have that strong connection going on that sooner or later you can read each other's minds. True enough, Paul knew that we'll be having dinner at Pepper Lunch the moment I suggested that we go to Rockwell. Either that or I'm just too obvious :P Waiting in line was an ordeal . I do not understand how people can stand just waiting there while smelling the...

One thing nice about working in Makati is being close to a wide array of food choices located at the two major malls in this city namely: Powerplant Mall and the Ayala Center. This gives more excitement when going out for lunch with colleagues. After two years worth of Friday lunch outs, it's innevitable that we have our set of favorites that we somehow manages to go back to every now and then. Happily sitting at the top of our list of favorite lunch out spots is Cafe Mediterranean at the Powerplant Mall. Our love affair with this cozy, dimly-lit, foreign looking restaurant began a year and a half ago when a colleague treated the entire lunch group out for his birthday. It was my first visit and to play it safe, I got the Kofta Kebab (Greek meatballs) with Buttered Rice. Surprise surprise! It was love at first bite. I love how flavorful the meatballs were and the buttered rice was just the perfect pair. The next visit followed shortly a week after that and we have been regular cus...

After my first visit and after declaring to the world that i LOVE Pepper Lunch, I found myself back there again with two friends who are soooo exciting to get bitten by the PepperBug . Call it good coincidence that my favorite chicken and salmon plate was out of stock forcing me to order something else. I then chose to have Cut Steak and Burger (P280) and a glass of Coke Light instead. With very low expectations on my order as I am not really a steak person, I examined the thinly slices of beef and the meaty burger patty that were served in front of me. The aroma is just heavenly! Once again, I quickly spread the butter on the steak and the burger then flipping them over to make sure my meat gets evenly cooked. The Verdict The steak is really soft although I would have enjoyed it more without the visible fat strips on each cut. The burger, however, was a winner! I like how tender it is and it's so flavorful that I almost forgot to make use of the two sauces available on our table. ...

When asked about my favorite part of a meal, I would quickly answer "definitely appetizers and desserts." This is because I find gastronomic satisfaction in trying out a wide variety served in tiny portions until I finally decide on my favorite. Therefore, how can I possibly ever say NO to an opportunity to try the newest dessert innovation made by the Diamond Hotel ? Just by reading the invite, I imagine rows and rows of sweet, creamy, to-die-for delicacies. Now that makes my mouth start to water... mmmm Life is Sweet Called the Dessert Buffet , this is the first and one of the most (if not THE MOST) extensive dessert catering service in the metro as Diamond Hotel puts together an array of treats concocted with the skills and expertise of the hotel's kitchen team. After a short briefing about this new concept, we were ushered towards the dessert buffet station where we first allowed our eyes to take a closer look at each unique creation before giving in our taste buds t...

One of my resolutions this year (and for the past 15 years at that) was to lose all the unwanted pounds and to live a healthy, sexy life forever! Unfortunately, I've been pushing this back from time to time, later on realizing that I am NOT progressing at all *sigh*. With my increase fondness for food blogging and continuous quest to share with all of you the newest and coolest food places out there, I know I have to be more careful in adding more weight and in putting my health in danger. Last week, I made a new resolution to totally cut rice out of my diet. Since I always have a bowl of oatmeal in the morning and a small pandesal for lunch, I realized that I might as well continue eating light for the entire day. My no-rice plan was suppose to begin yesterday. Oh dear, this was until I realized that I am meeting up with a couple of fellow bloggers to try Pepper Lunch , the newest and most talked about restaurant in Powerplant Mall. I've heard so much about their oh-so-soft-it...

It's backkkkkkk!!! Hope i can find a nice customized pair again this year! Make Your Own Havaianas is an event which will run from May 2 to 4, 2008 at the Rockwell Tent where you can customize your own pair of flip-flops. You can create your very own pair following these easy steps: 1. Choose your sole. 2. Choose your strap. 3. Choose your embellishments – letter-pins to spell out your name, lifestyle pins to reflect your personality, Swarovskis to express your chic. 4. Our friendly staff will assemble your special pair on the spot. 5. If you wish to embellish your pair with Swarovskis, proceed to the designated station. 6. Lacinhos (“little laces”) are also available to dress up your customized pair. 7. Purchase your exclusive creation for only P795.00 (Adults sizes from 33/4 to 45/6) and P745.00 (Kids sizes from 25/6 to 31/2) without embellishments; an additional P50.00 for each pin or each Swarovski will be charged. Purchase of lacinhos will be...