Frannywanny

A couple of weeks ago, I got a message from one of my readers (hello to you!)  asking me for recommendations on the best brunch buffets in town. I had to stop a while and recall in order to give her my best recommendations as I didn't want to let her down. Eventually, I answered: "Personally, I love Mireio at Raffles Hotel, very good selections."  To my reader, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. :) Anyway, let me tell you more about my Sunday Brunch experience and why I think it was one of the best there is in town. First of all, the venue. Who doesn't love the luxurious feel of the Raffles Hotel in Makati. It may have a more corporate vibe as opposed to its Singapore counterpart which gives off a more garden feel but well, it's located right at the heart of Makati's busy district so it perfectly suits the vibe there. From the moment I arrived at the entrance of the hotel up until we were ushered up to the 9th floor where we were led towards the resta...

During the recent Christmas break, my family and I headed up to our favorite weekend getaway, Tagaytay . Since we left the house close to lunch, we decided to stop over at Nuvali for lunch. I was tasked to take care of our dining itinerary so I had to do a thorough research given that we're quite a big group of 8. Luckily, I chanced upon Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen 's Facebook page and then remembered that I've been wanting to try it out after seeing how my fellow bloggers have been raving about their delicious risotto. I was so happy that they actually have a branch at Solenad 2 and their sister-restaurant Nonna's is located at Solenad 3. Two choices just in case one is really packed! Seeing that we got Kongkong with us, the very efficient server quickly ushered us to a long table with a couch on one side. We let the seniors ( heehee ) sit inside to make it more comfy for them. Of course, Papa refused to be counted as a senior citizen and insisted to sit on on...

Back then, our birthday celebrations would normally be held at American bar and grills like Chili's or Friday's. Those were the days where we would get drunk over bottomless iced tea and fill our tummies with unlimited tortilla chips, chicken fingers and pasta. We're indeed getting older are starting to have a more *ahem* refined and mature taste. Best Friends since 1996! (We miss Cami!) This year, my best friends have been celebrating their birthdays quite differently. It began with Estee's  birthday dinner at Beso Cucina Vinoteka where we traded in our usual bottomless iced teas with a carafe of Sangria. After Estee, it was Trina who turned a year older. We celebrated her birthday at Galileo Enoteca Deli located at the Eastwood Citywalk . I've been to Galileo Enoteca Deli 's branch in Mandaluyong a few years back. I remembered enjoying their cheese and cold cuts platter very much. Thus, I was very excited when Tre told me that we're having dinner...

From the moment that I got engaged, I simply thought that Paul and I will be able to have more time to spend dating, going out on regular movie nights, enjoying a weekly massage and a lot more. In other words, I never thought that after being married for two years, our schedules would turn from hectic to crazy to crazier! Every weekend, we have deliveries to attend to, a growing business to take care of and a number of functions and parties to attend. That's how our two day weekend run and we don't even have a baby to worry about yet! Our weekends are normally filled to the brim that we truly cherish rare lazy weekends with not a single thing to do. This is the reason why both Paul and I love having impromptu dinner dates that allow us to unwind and to just enjoy a really good meal. A few months ago, we got an invite to we spend a quiet night at Dusit Thani Manila 's Italian restaurant -- Tosca . We've dined at Tosca before, first, for an event for work and second, a...

It was our last day in the island and it has always been a tradition that we eat well and splurge a little for our last meal. Thus, together with my sister and her friends, we headed to Lemoni Cafe inside the busy D'Mall. Since we were there on a non-peak season, getting a table was pretty easy. I've read up on all the must-eat and must-visit places in Boracay and for Lemoni Cafe , there's only one thing that I've seriously made a mental note of -- to try their Tiger Prawns with Spinach and Coconut Risotto (Php. 495)

My family has been a long time loyal patron of Buon Giorno Tagaytay . Every trip to Tagaytay would not be complete without two things: a meal at Josephine's and lunch at Buon Giorno . Yes, that's how loyal my family can get. For as long as we love the food and we find the price reasonable, expect us to be back regularly. After lunch at Buon Giorno my parents love to spend more time around the area as we enjoy the cool breeze and the beautiful sight of the Taal Volcano. Once in a while, my mom would crave for something Italian and to her dismay not a single Italian restaurant here in Manila could satisfy her craving as much as Buon Giorno could. Her request is simple: fresh ingredients, balanced flavor, top quality meat. Our favorite is the Smoked Salmon with Mango Dill Sauce and their Risotto. We were so happy when Buon Giorno opened their first branch in Metro Manila along Shaw Boulevard. Sadly though, the ambiance there just doesn't match with that of their Tagaytay br...

A perfect way to unwind after a crazy week at work is with the company of great friends and with lots of food! We have been awaiting the opening the Chelsea Market and Cafe at the Podium Mall for months! Finally, my friend K who has been monitoring the status of their store opening texted B and I that they're finally opening on April 30, Friday and invited us to have dinner there. Of course, we said yes . Despite the rain and the bad traffic all around the metro, the three of us met up and enjoyed a delicious dinner with me introducing a couple of my well-loved Chelsea dishes and trying out a couple of new ones too. K was the first to arrive and while waiting for us, she ordered the Risotto Balls (Php. 295) which we all agreed was a great choice. I love the cheezy risotto filling that's packed inside a crunchy deep-fried shell. This comes with cheezy Jalapeño sauce which you have to dip your Risotto Balls into before taking a bite. I also enjoyed the tiny deep-fried oli...

A couple of weeks ago, I received an invite from Mr. Binondo food walker himself, Ivan ManDy , to join his special food walk around posh and upscale Bonifacio Global City I immediately hit the reply button and sent him our confirmation initially for April 24. Unfortunately, we had to move our reservation to May 1 to give way to our growing list of tasks for our upcoming BIG day. Ivan was so nice to accommodate our request. Still, our plan to arrive on time did not push thru and we found ourselves exactly an hour late. Luck must have been on our side as we decided to proceed directly to The Stock Market as we were also invited by Tita Yoli Celdran of Fruits in Ice Cream to try their mouthwatering desserts. It was a good decision as the group's next stop was exactly at The Stock Market! While chatting with the organizer, we found out that we just missed out on three stops and we can actually join the group up until the end of the event. Hooray! Not long after, the group final...

Let me share with you my latest discovery! While shopping at the Rockwell Moonlit Bazaar last month, I chanced upon a booth selling packs of grains and dried herbs. Looking at it closely, the package says Mushroom Risotto . Hmm.. interesting. I turned the package and read the step-by-step procedure, looks pretty easy to do. I couldn't resist and bought myself a pack to try. Finally, a couple of weeks after Christmas, I decided to try this interesting instant Mushroom Risotto and see if it can definitely satisfy one's sudden gourmet Italian craving. Cooking this is simple -- I simply just boiled 5 cups of water and added everything into the pot. After the liquid has been reduced to half, I turned down the heat a bit and continued stirring until I got the right consistency. Within minutes, I can smell the mushroom and herbs! Mmmm To make it extra yummy, I sprinkled some Parmesan cheese before serving. The verdict: It surely was a hit with my family particularly with my sister! ...

In this day and age, it is more common to meet up for dinner given our busy work schedule. Somehow, this also gives having a relaxing lunch out a different and special meaning since it's something that everyone looks forward to and truly treasure when given the opportunity to have one. Such is the case one fine Saturday noon when my sister and I found ourselves with no specific plans for the day. Waking up early, we agreed to go out for lunch with mommy to just bond for the day. It's about time for our regular mother-daughters bonding session! While Pan and I have been really tired and stressed out from work, Mommy's stress level probably triples that of ours combined since she takes care not only of our family but that of her own team at work as well. In fact, I still owe her a massage session this coming holiday break. salmon tartare Our lunch date was set at Chelsea Market and Cafe , I had such a wonderful experience here on all three occasions that I dined here while pr...

In my previous post, I talked about Red Ribbon's two new delicious cakes that are truly noche buena-worthy. Here, I would like to share with you 10 of my favorite Christmas Party dishes that I would always order when I do not have enough time to whip something up before heading to our annual potluck dinner. Thanks so much to Spot.ph for giving me the opportunity to share my list and I hope that you and the readers will find this useful this Yuletide season. :) SPOT.ph’s Top 10 Christmas Party Food-to-Order List Watch out for the next installment of this article as I will share my Top 10 Christmas gift ideas! :)