FIC Introduces their Yogurt Ice Cream

It may not be the perfect weather for something cold, but I find myself craving for Fruits in Ice Cream’s Yogurt Ice Cream. No, it’s not frozen yogurt. I mean, it’s not just frozen yogurt. It’s yogurt ice cream.

The Ice Cream Bar flavors by FIC at the Rockwell Center - CertifiedFoodies.com

Fruits in Ice Cream (FIC) recently introduced their new product – Yogurt Ice Cream. This is in response to those who would love to take home the same health benefits from pro-biotics we get from a serving of soft-served frozen yogurt, and the creamy goodness of ice cream.

During the launch at The Ice Cream Bar in Rockwell, we all got a taste of their Lemon Crumble Yogurt Ice Cream, their first flavor for this new creation.

My serving of FIC Lemon Crumble Yogurt Ice Cream - CertifiedFoodies.com

I enjoyed my serving of this yogurt ice cream and I was glad we got to take home 2 pints of it. All of us at home loved it! Very creamy and the lemon flavor added this citrusy delight that really had me craving for more.

My 2 pints of FIC Lemon Crumble Yogurt Ice Cream - CertifiedFoodies.com

I love frozen yogurt and we’ve been scouring the Metro for more froyo stores. Now, I can buy FIC Yogurt Ice Cream and take them home for my family to enjoy.

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Yakimix Eat All You Can Smokeless Grill Restaurant, Trinoma

We love eat-all-you-can or buffet style restaurants. I mean, who doesn’t?! You get to pick the food you want on your plate and you get to try different dishes all on a fixed price. This is why we are scouring the Metro for all these restaurants so we can try them and post a feature or review here. First up is Yakimix in Trinoma.

YakiMix Sushi Smokeless Grill Restaurant in Trinoma - CertifiedFoodies.com

We’ve heard of Yakimix from friends and they were 99% raves. I wasn’t really convinced before ‘cause of the price tag. But, I’ll try anything once.

We’ve actually been to Yakimix twice for the past 3 months. For our first visit, we had to wait for over an hour to get a table. That’s why we strongly suggest you call them for reservations or be there really early.

They only have 2 buffet schedules you can choose from. Lunch is served at 11am to 2:30pm everyday, while dinner starts at 5:30pm to 10:30pm Mondays to Fridays and starts 15 minutes earlier on the weekends. Lunch and dinner schedules at the Trioma branch of YakiMix - CertifiedFoodies.com

The lunch buffet on weekdays costs Php 499 per head; Php 580 on weekends, which is also the same price for dinner every night of the week. A little expensive, but considering the amount of food choices you get compared with other eat-all-you-can restaurants we’ve tried so far, I say it’s worth it. 🙂

For children below feet, they offer a special rate of Php 380. Their bottomless drinks cost Php 65. And in case you have leftovers (a no-no when you’re at eat-all-you-can restaurants), they charge Php 699 per head.

Though we had to wait for a long time on our first time there, I observed that their crew are organized and quick in taking care of customers, cleaning up tables, and are generally accommodating.

By the way, the second time we went there with our parents, we actually had a table reserved a few days before. But, my mom said they can’t find my name so they just had their names listed at the reservations desk. Since they were early, they got a table right away and were already stuffing their mouths full when we arrived 30 minutes after. 😀

The pretty lady at the reservations desk of YakiMix in Trinoma with Ken and Jhay - CertifiedFoodies.comThis pretty lady, Dimple, was the one at the reservations desk.
She’s very organized and friendly, too, obviously, as she willingly posed for us. 😀

Note: Make sure you get your name listed at the reservations table / booth located right outside the restaurant’s door. We saw a couple of customers lining up thinking there was really a queue without having their names listed first and were disappointed to know they were waiting in vain.

Oh, by the way, you can also come by and reserve a table for a future date. Or you can just call them. Their branches and contact numbers can be found at the bottom of this post.

I love the color scheme inside Yakimix Trinoma. They used brown and black on their furniture and walls. The tables are also very spacious so you can place multiple plates on it. Just look at ours. 😀

Our second time at YakiMix in Trinoma - CertifiedFoodies.com

On each table at YakiMix is a smokeless grill. As soon as you settle in, a crew member will fire up the grill for you. And, yes, the grill is smokeless, so no worries about smelling like everything you had for lunch or dinner when you leave the restaurant.

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Philips Air Fryer Introduces the New Way to Fry Food – Air as the New Oil!

Fried chicken. Pork chops. French fries. Bagnet. Lechon Kawali. Fried tilapia. Buffalo wings.

Homestyle Buffalo Wings with Cheesy Garlic Dip - CertifiedFoodies.com

Those are just six of our favorite comfort food here in our home. They’re good and easy to prepare. We can come up with our own sauces, marinades, etc.. However, we wish there’s a way to enjoy these delicious dishes without the guilt of eating anything oily.

That’s why when we were invited to the launch of Philips Air Fryer, we were both really curious to know how the dishes cooked in it would compare against real fried food.

Philips Air Fryer launch was held at Simply Thai in Greenbelt - CertifiedFoodies.com

We headed to Simply Thai in Greenbelt 5 last July 12th for the launch of this new innovation from Philips. At the event was Divine Lee with her fierce followers who won invites from her blog. She hosted the launch and was very entertaining. 😀

Host Divine Lee with her fierce followers who were invited to the launch - CertifiedFoodies.com

Green chef himself, Chef Sau del Rosario, also graced the event as the ambassador of healthy eating and Philips MyKitchen. He truly is one of the most sought-after chefs in the country to-date. We’ve seen him like four times already in the span of 3 months. That only shows how much impact he has in the culinary and food industry here.

Air is the New Oil. That’s the theme of the night. We had doubts, really, ‘til we were served with these delicious appetizers that were all “air-fried” using the Philips AirFryer.

All these are air-fried by the Philips Air Fryer - CertifiedFoodies.com

We actually took a bite of the spicy chicken lollipop first before the server told us they were all air-fried. Yes, everything you see on that plate – spring rolls, dumplings/wantons and the chicken lollipops – were all fried using air. 🙂

We were pretty amazed and started wishing they’d raffle off some units during the launch ‘cause we really wanted to have one. 😀 Well, they raffled off 2 and we didn’t win. 🙁 But, we’d love to get our hands on one! 🙂

As much as we love fried food, the whole frying task can be a bit rough, especially when you’re frying pork. You’d need something to protect you from all the oil that’ll splatter from the pan. This can truly be a hassle, especially when you’re entertaining friends at home. Plus, all the smoke from the cooking will stick on you the whole day. And unless you’re using a non-stick pan, clean-up can be tiring, too. 😐

Continue reading Philips Air Fryer Introduces the New Way to Fry Food – Air as the New Oil!

Succulent Chicken Goodness from World Chicken

World Chicken - Be good to your heart... eat grilled! - CertifiedFoodies.com

Whenever my bro and I see a World Chicken stall, may it be in Trinoma, Gateway Mall or in Glorietta, we can’t help but wrestle with the idea of ordering their oh-so tender grilled chicken. If not for our hunger for something new to feature on this blog, we would’ve eaten there every time (I guess that’s something we’re actually thankful for :D). In fact, my bro loved them so much that they were the inspiration behind his Creamy Pesto Pasta and Grilled Chicken recipe.

Creamy Pesto Pasta with Grilled Chicken on the side - CertifiedFoodies.comKen’s pesto pasta is WAY more delicious than World Chicken’s,
but the ingredients are a li’l on the expensive side.

What is it about World Chicken that makes it one of our favorites? That’s a question that’s pretty easy to answer – it’s the tenderness of the flame-grilled boneless chicken they serve that’s very moist, and the wide variety of options for sauces, carbohydrates, and side dishes, PLUS affordability.

Reasons why you should choose  World Chicken, too - CertifiedFoodies.com

We got this flier from their Gateway Mall branch, explaining why a lot of people are flocking their branches in Glorietta and Trinoma.

  • Fresh tomatoes used on their pasta sauces.
  • Real potatoes with bacon bits on their potato salad, based on the photo.
  • 9 different sauces to choose from.
  • Freshly flame-grilled boneless chicken.

Continue reading Succulent Chicken Goodness from World Chicken

The BEST Homemade Buffalo Wings Recipe Ever!

Buffalo Wings are considered American staple food, together with our favorite burgers and fries. They’re the kind of food people don’t ever mind getting down and dirty in eating because it’s best savored using your bare hands, licking all the crevices of your fingers clean of the delicious buffalo sauce and blue cheese dip.

Best Buffalo Wings recipe ever!!

I had my first taste of the hot wings when some of my friends and I once dined at TGI Friday’s in Greenbelt. They ordered their usual nachos, burgers, and fries. One friend suggested we get the Buffalo wings, but another friend was quick to negate, saying that it’s too spicy for her taste. But since I love my food hot and spicy, 10 minutes later, we had two servings of Buffalo wings on our table, and they all agreed that I ate 2/3 of it. 😀

T.G.I. Friday's Buffalo Wings - CertifiedFoodies.com

Friday’s Buffalo Wings

After that dinner, the Buffalo wings flew straight up my all-time favorite food list, but it’s not everyday that I have the luxury to buy wings at Friday’s. So I decided to make some myself at home, and it’s a good thing that I have a very generous sister like Mhel, who shouldered the expenses for the ingredients.

Ken's recipe for buffalo wings

My first attempt to make Buffalo Wings at home – all gone in about 15 minutes! 😀

The Homestyle Buffalo Wings recipe I’m sharing with you are bits and pieces of different stuff I found on the internet. Not one recipe matched what I wanted to do because there is one requiring me to broil then bake the chicken wings, instead of simply frying them; another has a lousy breading mix recipe, but their instructions for doing the buffalo sauce was by far the simplest among all I’ve seen. And almost all sites had a recipe for blue cheese dip to accompany the chicken wings, but blue cheese is out of the question – too expensive for me. But, we’ll try that, too, soon. 🙂

Continue reading The BEST Homemade Buffalo Wings Recipe Ever!

Start Your Culinary Dreams at Global Culinary and Hospitality Academy

I dream to be a full-fledged chef someday soon - CertifiedFoodies.comAfter I came back from my “short vacation” in Singapore, I was determined to pursue my passion in cooking. And with a little badgering help from my ever-supportive sister, Mhel, we were able to convince my Nanay to finance my culinary education.

I scoured the internet in search of the best culinary schools in the Philippines, but making sure to prioritize affordability and quality of education above all other criteria. I was able to narrow down my choices between two schools. There is one institute offering a concise culinary program that lasts for a short period of 7 months (4 months of lecture and 3 months of OJT), which grants students who successfully finish the course with only a Certificate in Professional Culinary Arts. While my other choice, Global Culinary & Hospitality Academy, for almost the same price, is proud to offer a program considered a major first in the culinary industry – the Grand Diploma in Professional Culinary, Baking and Pastry Arts.

To be honest, it wasn’t a tough decision to make at all. Global Academy surely had this one in the bag!

Global Culinary and Hospitality Academy - CertifiedFoodies.com

My Nanay and I went to Global Academy’s Timog branch, which was most convenient for it’s nearest to our place. There we met their very accommodating marketing team, who gave us a short tour of their facilities, explained to us in detail the various programs they offer, and informed us of what my Nanay was dying to ask from the moment we got there – payment plans.

Global Culinary & Hospitality Academy boasts of their affordable TESDA-accredited programs for Diploma in Professional Culinary Arts, Certificate in Professional Baking & Pastry Arts, and their Grand Diploma Program that I mentioned earlier. And for those who prefer a more fast-paced and concise course, Global Academy also provides Fast-Track Programs for either Culinary Arts or the Grand Diploma Program.

 

Since it’s my goal to learn and experience as much as I can to master the art of cooking, I thought it’s only proper to enroll in the Grand Diploma Program. It’s a combination of the two courses, Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Art, which ensures graduates of the program a better edge in landing a job here and abroad, especially now that employers prefer having well-rounded people skilled at performing multiple functions in the kitchen. And the tuition fee for the Grand Diploma Program is definitely a good deal, since it would cost much, much more if the two courses were taken separately.

Open House at Global Academy's Pasig campus - CertifiedFoodies.comMoving forward, as part of the admission process, I was required to take a short exam, followed by a one-on-one interview with their marketing representative. Our conversation got really interesting when I mentioned that my sister and I share a food blog where we write about our food adventures and discoveries. The representative was quick to inform me that their Pasig Branch has moved to a new and bigger location and that they are planning to host a Blogger Event to showcase the branch’s new facilities. No date has been set yet for the event, so she promised to update us as soon as everything has been settled.

Sure enough, we received an invite for Global Academy’s Pasig Branch Open House Event, scheduled June 8, 2011. We opted to attend the second batch at 2:00PM because the first was set too early (for us anyway) at 9:00AM. The new Pasig Branch is located at the 4th Floor of Millennium Place,Meralco Ave. and Sapphire Rd., Ortigas Center, Pasig City. It’s a couple of buildings away from Robinson’s Galleria or just a short jeepney-ride if you’re coming from EDSA.

Continue reading Start Your Culinary Dreams at Global Culinary and Hospitality Academy

The Stock Market at Bonifacio High Street

Last week, Ken and I were invited to an intimate dinner with fellow bloggers at The Stock Market Cafe in Bonifacio High Street to introduce us to their new menu.

The Stock Market Cafe at B3 Bonifacio High Street in Global City Taguig - CertifiedFoodies.com

We were told to come in our 1930s clothes. Ken dressed up all in black, with a buttoned up polo and hat. Hannah of FlairCandy was also there and she wore a Chicago-inspired dress. She looked more like Cleopatra and was really pretty. Here’s the 3 of us right before dinner:

Us with Hannah of FlairCandy.com - CertifiedFoodies.comI know, I only wore that printed blouse. I don’t have any skirts or dresses in my wardrobe. 😀

Continue reading The Stock Market at Bonifacio High Street

Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria

Topping the list of my comfort food is definitely pizza. I love the combination of carbo I get from the pizza crust and all the goodness of my favorite toppings. That’s why when we got invited to Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria’s Bloggers Taste Test in  RFM Corporate Center in Pioneer Street to try the new items on their menu, Ken and I were both excited and were looking forward to adding them to our list of pizza places we’d be frequenting.

Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria at Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong - CertifiedFoodies.com

Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria is a very casual restaurant that now boasts of their contemporary Italian-American menu, with a li’l sweet twist to satisfy the Pinoy taste. They have recently re-enhanced their image from a Mafia style menu. Even their menu design is more vibrant in colors, using more photos to encourage customers to try out other items on their menu other than the usual and familiar.

Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria's menu is now more bursting with vibrant colors - CertifiedFoodies.com

We loved the interiors of Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria, obviously inspired by New York City. We were personally attracted to their custom-made lights. And I love the colors, well, mainly because they used black and red.

Inside Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria in Pioneer Street - CertifiedFoodies.com

Some may be taken aback to see Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria’s menu and find that their prices are very affordable (check here). They may look like a very high-end restaurant, but you can enjoy their food without worrying too much about paying a premium, one of the reasons why we are recommending them to fellow foodies.

They recently added seven (7) items on their menu – 4 pizza flavors, 2 appetizers and a lunch meal. With their pizzas, they decided to stick with thin crust and just come up with varying toppings. Their dough is made with a secret ingredient and the toppings are made fresh everyday, too. Expect no pre-baking of ingredients in the Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria Kitchen, especially at their RFM Corporate Center branch in Pioneer Street as it’s the home of their commissary.

Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria's own blend of hot sauce - CertifiedFoodies.com

Now, on to their latest menu additions. The first dish that was served to us was their Baked Cheesy Fries, a plate of russet fries combined with their house special meat sauce and overloaded with chili flakes, white onion, cheddar and cheese sauce. We both loved the saltiness. And being cheese lovers, we had to force ourselves to stop eating this ‘cause we’ve got more food coming. 😀

Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria Baked Cheesy Fries - CertifiedFoodies.com

Next was their Shrimp Fresh Salad, a plate of Fresh Romaine lettuce tossed with honey mustard dressing, topped with shrimps, croutons and parmesan cheese. The saltiness of the cheese was a perfect combination to the sweet and sour taste of the dressing. Definitely something we’d order more of next time.

Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria Shrimp Fresh Salad - CertifiedFoodies.com

We were then served Joey Pepperoni’s Barbecue Chicken Wings. The chicken wings are deep-fried to goodness then tossed with their very own special barbecue mixture.

Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria Barbecue Chicken Wings rice meal - CertifiedFoodies.com

After having a taste of this barbecue chicken, we wanted more! The chicken meat was very tender. I actually had doubts I’d enjoy it ‘cause I’m not really fond of barbecue flavored anything. But, the barbecue flavor wasn’t as overpowering as the ones I’ve tried. It was really good that it whet our appetite. Will definitely go back for these! I can finish 12 pieces without sharing. 😀

We didn’t eat the rice part of the Barbecue Chicken Wings meal because we know what’s coming – 4 new pizza flavors of Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria! 😀

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My ELBA Kitchen Cookbook Launch – Pasta Recipes Galore!

On May 26th, I was invited to the launch of My Elba Kitchen Cookbook at The Grove Rockwell near Tiendesitas. I was looking forward to supporting this launch because we have an 8-year old ELBA gas range at home. We use it for cooking delicious homemade dishes and for baking, too. In fact, we recently used it in baking The Cookie Jar’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, as pictured below.

Using our ELBA oven for baking cookies - CertifiedFoodies.com

ELBA is a well-known kitchen appliance manufacturer from Italy. They have been in the Philippines for over 20 years and has been one of the most reliable brands out there. When it comes to the durability of their products, I can attest to the quality because of how long we’ve been using our ELBA gas range.

Elba Kitchen Pasta Recipe Book for only Php 399! - CertifiedFoodies.com

The My Elba Kitchen Cookbook contains 60 pasta recipes that are easy to follow and prepare at home. Being a recipe follower with a little tantyameter (I recently learned this word :D) and some experimentation when it comes to flavor combinations when cooking pasta at home, I would love to prepare some of the dishes featured in this cookbook.

The cookbook is now available at all leading bookstores for only Php 399! So, make sure you grab one. If you want to know what recipes you’d find inside, let me share with you some of the pasta dishes that were prepared right in front of us during the launch by two guest chefs.

First off was Chef Darin Epp from Maxim Cookworks. With him on the photo is the event’s host PJ.

Chef Darin Epp prepping for his next dish while host PJ watches - CertifiedFoodies.com

Chef Darin hails from Canada, but expressed his fondness of the Philippines. He’s very entertaining and shared some tips while he prepared two dishes for us pictured below.

Sardine Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes prepared by Chef Darin Epp - CertifiedFoodies.comSardine Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes

Salmon with Rosemary and Cream Sauce by Chef Darin Epp of Maxim Cookworks - CertifiedFoodies.comSalmon with Rosemary and Cream Sauce

Again, take note that these dishes were prepared in front of us. So, that means they’re easy and quick to make. Very effective when you need to whip up a dish at home for your kids or loved ones.

Between the two dishes Chef Darin prepared, I wanted to get a fork and taste the Salmon with Rosemary and Cream sauce. Why? Two words – Salmon and Rosemary. 😀

Next up is Chef Richie Custodio from CCA, one of the top culinary schools in the Philippines today. He prepared five (5) dishes for us with the help of students from CCA.

Chef Richie plates the Fruit Sparkle Lasagna - CertifiedFoodies.com

Continue reading My ELBA Kitchen Cookbook Launch – Pasta Recipes Galore!

McDonald’s Shake Shake Fries, Kung Fu Panda 2 Happy Meal are Back!

Before we headed home earlier from a fun blogger event, my bro and I, with my blogger friend Divine, headed to McDonald’s in Munoz. I’ve been craving for their McChicken Sandwich (check this recipe) so I was glad that the venue for the event was a jeepney ride away from the nearest McDo.

I didn’t get to take a photo of my McChicken sandwich ’cause Divine and I were busy chattering away :D. But, when we last ate at McDo in Buendia, I took photos of the packaging or box for my burger, including the Heinz ketchup sachets.

McChicken Sandwich new packaging, including the Heinz ketchup packets - CertifiedFoodies.com

The Munoz branch wasn’t using the same packaging though. Anyway, since I was eyeing for the McChicken sandwich, I completely forgot that the McDonald’s Shake Shake Fries is back.

McDonald's Shake Shake Fries Combo choices - CertifiedFoodies.com

Yes! They’re back, along with some Kung Fu Panda 2 fun (ooohh, we’ve yet to watch it!). There are 2 flavors to choose from for your McDonald’s Shake Shake fries – Cheese Rush and BBQ Kick – for only Php 55 each. You can also go for the Shake Shake Fries combo where you can opt for a Watermelon or Green Apple Sprite McFloat for only Php 85. But, if you prefer Coke McFloat, it’s priced at Php 80 only.

Continue reading McDonald’s Shake Shake Fries, Kung Fu Panda 2 Happy Meal are Back!