Frannywanny

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! :)

My sister just got back from her business trip in Japan and she brought home a luggage full of yummy goodies! From delicious rice crackers to a bag of Takoyaki mix and a lot more! She really went wild shopping for food that it was only when she was unloading her pasalubongs that she realized that all her food purchases were enough to fill up our dining table! Nothing surprising though as this is a common sight whenever a family member comes home from a trip. It is no wonder why my sister and I get along so well. While recounting her week-long stay in the land of Tempura and Sushi, she showed us photos of her having this amazing dinner where she had Tonkatsu and was enjoying the experience so much. I was actually surprised as my sister is not the type who would order Tonkatsu or even Katsudon here in Manila. She's a big fan of Unagi (eel) and Ebi Tempura (shrimp) and not much of the breaded pork cutlets that I, on the other hand, truly love. I guess having the authentic kind he...

Here's my latest discovery with Mommy during one of our shopping dates in SM Megamall . Located at the second level of The Atrium, we found HK Choi which is the sister restaurant of Choi Garden , our favorite Chinese restaurant in Annapolis street here in San Juan . The ambiance looks very formal with mellow Chinese music playing at the background, servers were in the usual Chinese get-up and pretty rotating lanterns on the ceiling are lined up near the window area overlooking EDSA. We were led to one of their comfy couches as we marveled at the beautiful interiors of the restaurant. In our family, my Mom's the food expert and so she also took care of ordering for the two of us that day. For starters, Mommy chose the Xiao Long Pao (Php.90). She has always been searching for good Xiao Long Paos here in Manila ever since she tasted the real thing at Din Tai Fung during one of her trips to Singapore. :) For her, the best Xiao Long Pao must still have the soup inside th...

Just as we thought we've seen them all..now comes a new player in the Yogurt world . Coming all the way from California, USA; Tutti Frutti has finally arrived in Manila! Unlike its friendly competitors, Tutti Frutti will help you exercise your freedom to choose as you go through the entire self-service procedure with the help of their friendly staff. Here's a simple guide on how to enjoy your visit to Tutti Frutti : First, choose the size of your cup . If I'm not mistaken there are four different sizes. I like the huge tub at the far right, this is perfect for a group of four. Second, choose your yogurt flavor . After trying at least six different flavors ranging from chocolate to taro and even fruit strawberry, I ended up getting the Original Tart which is your basic yogurt flavor. Third, take a pick from the wide variety of toppings . I originally wanted to get blueberries and crushed graham but the blueberries looked different that I just ended up creating my own mix...

It has been a very hot Summer! Don't you wish you can just hide inside a giant freezer all day long? Had it not been for the fear of getting tonsillitis, I would probably drown myself in liters and liters of ice cold water and gallons of ice cream and yogurts every single day! Thus, an invite to try a new dessert place inside the fully air conditioned SM Megamall was warmly welcomed by my colleagues and yours truly. Cocktales is the newest dessert restaurant by the Fruitas group. The main objective of the owners is to create a hang-out spot for dessert lovers who wants something light and healthy after a heavy meal. To see how serious they are about desserts, take a peek at their menu and you'll see their wide array of ice-cold desserts from fruit bowls to shakes and even to mocktails! The photographs in the menu are so beautiful and mouth-watering that it made it harder for us to choose! Finally, I got the Strawberry Fizz while two of my colleagues got the non-alcoholic Vani...

Here's a classic story about how service can vary depending on the situation or your customers: Last Saturday, I was fortunate enough to be invited to the media launch of the newest branch of Crepes & Cream at The Atrium of SM Megamall . I was excited to attend this event as I love crepes and I used to frequent their Podium branch a couple of years back. I entered the store and immediately smelled the scent of cooking crepes. The aroma just made my stomach grumble and my mouth to water. Finally, it was my turn to place my order and I got a Kani Mango Crepe (Php. 135) because I found out that they add ebiko in it which is perfect since I'm still on my sushi craving phase . I watched the girl effortlessly prepared my crepe that it got me wondering if it's really that easy to prepare. Here's what she did: First, she poured the batter into the hot skillet pan Next, she spread the batter around and smoothen out the sides Afterwards, she added the remaining ingredients ...

I can still remember my trip early last year to Cebu . It was the farthest place that I've ever traveled to for work. For one thing, to get there requires riding a plane. Upon arrival at sunny Cebu, we were warmly greeted by our fellow partners who excitedly toured us around. While walking around Ayala Center Cebu, one of the city's major shopping malls, I asked a partner what are the must-eat places around the area and without even batting her eyelashes, she said, " You have to try the ribs at Bigby's ". Unfortunately, our time in Cebu was pretty limited and most of our meals were taken inside the resort, thus I said goodbye to Cebu without having a taste of Bigby's famous ribs. Needless to say, I was disappointed and vowed to return to Cebu soon. SM Megamall's Atrium is starting to be one of the places that we frequently visit during the weekends. It's very exciting to see a new restaurant opening one right after the other in a matter of days. Unlik...

If there's one thing I miss the most about working for the Green Siren is the group of friends that I have found throughout my two years stay. I'm so thankful that even though we do not get to see each other anymore on a daily basis, this does not in any way, affects our closeness. Keeping up with traditions, we met one one Friday evening at SM Megamall's The Atrium and briefly went around in search for an interesting dining place. We didn't have to go around that long because right at the 2nd floor, we found a brightly lit and cozy looking restaurant called The Kebab Factory . Luckily, we were all game to have an Indian feast and so we all agreed to give it a try. Unlike other Indian/Mediterranean restaurants, this one barely has any vintage decoration which gives it a more modern feel. I was tasked to take care of ordering the food and these are the dishes that I got for us to share: Papadum Masala (Php. 65), Chicken Tikka (Php. 250), Lamb Kebab (Php. 300) and b...

While strolling around SM Megamall's newest section , I chanced upon a store that caught my attention and perked up my curiosity. At first glance, it looked like a bakery with a glass-enclosed area with an oven, a counter with yummy looking donuts and pastries and wooden shelves with bread-like products. Taking a closer look, I noticed that the donuts look too glossy, the bread-like products too colorful and why on earth is there a pretty sink at the corner of the store? Then I realized that these attractive looking pastries are not for our sweet tooth's consumption but are meant to be enjoyed in a bubbly bath. While the Soap Factory staff can customize soaps to suit your taste, they also have four types of soap categories to fulfill your bubbly needs: - Yummy Soaps look so much like its baked counterparts that I personally had a hard time choosing if I want to bring home a cupcake, doughnut, a slice of cake or a piece of fruit. Eventually, I chose a Piña Colada after lovin...

While walking around SM Megamall early last week, I found myself entering a different area I never knew existed. With board up announcements of soon-to-open high end shops and restaurants and an attractive church at the top floor, I realized that the newest section of the mall was finally open to the public. My first impression was that the structural design looks very much like SM Megamall's high-end sister mall called The Podium. It's as if a mini Podium was placed right at the middle of busy Megamall. Trust SM to stick to their promise that they got it all for us . Here are some shots of what we can expect from SM Megamall's The Atrium: welcome to the atrium Steve Madden opening soon! Can't wait for Haagen Dazs! Megamall, say hello to Gap! Macau photo exhibit