Restaurant Features Archives - Page 12 of 13

Merienda at The French Baker

Last month, after our lunch at Bigby’s Restaurant and some window-shopping and strolling at SM Mall of Asia, we headed to The French Baker for some merienda or light snack. Well, that light merienda turned to a very fulfilling meal at 4PM.

I’ve been to French Baker a couple of times before because my mother loves their breads and I enjoy their pasta so much. Mai haven’t been there yet so we decided to order some familiar food on their menu.

First, our drinks. I ordered a tall glass of French Baker’s Iced Mocca (Php 52) and Mai chose the Four Seasons (Php 48). Nothing new or surprising with the flavors as expected, but we enjoyed how refreshing and ice-cold they were when served.

We were then served our starter (yep, we ordered a salad for merienda time *LOL*) – Potato Salad topped with crispy bacon bits. It was served cold and really tasty. I love that the chunky slices of potatoes give you a li’l bite or crunch. I also loved the simple presentation.

Continue reading Merienda at The French Baker

Bigby’s Cafe and Restaurant : A Review

While scouring SM Mall of Asia for a place we’d dine in for lunch, we saw Bigby’s Cafe and Restaurant near the IMAX Theater / Entertainment Mall. I’ve heard about them from friends and so we decided to try their menu.

Bigby’s Cafe & Restaurant offers a diverse selection of food on their menu. We couldn’t really decide what to order, but we ended up with a salad for starter, two main meals and a dessert. We had other plans later in the afternoon, so we didn’t want to be too full for any more food trip.

Continue reading Bigby’s Cafe and Restaurant : A Review

KFC Chili Lime Chicken : New, Exciting Flavors!

We were invited to the launch of KFC’s new chicken flavor last week, but, unfortunately, we weren’t able to join. Aside from food bloggers, KFC also invited some of their Facebook fans who sent in the most creative guesses on what their new chicken flavor is. Ken guessed “Chicken Tocino“. That would’ve been good, too, right? He’s a tocino addict, FYI. *LOL*

After the event in Blue Leaf Events Pavillion in McKinley Hill Village in Taguig, I found out what their new chicken flavor is â€“ KFC Chili Lime Chicken.

I was pretty excited to try this new chicken flavor. I’m a HUGE fan of KFC, especially their Hot and Crispy chicken, California Maki Twister and their fries. So, their Chili Lime Chicken was really something I looked forward to tasting.

Last weekend, we finally got a taste of KFC’s Chili Lime Chicken at their branch near Gilmore. And, all I can say is the combination of chili and lime is really interesting.

First off, I just wanted to say this â€“ I don’t like sprinkled flavor powder on anything. So, I didn’t particularly enjoy the flavor powder on my Chili Lime chicken. BUT, I loved how these 2 flavors â€“ chili and lime â€“ gave KFC’s chicken a new twist.

They say that the Chili Lime Chicken is marinated in special Chili Lime spices. That part, I really love. The chicken meat really bursts with flavor. And, I’m pretty happy that the chicken meal we ordered was still very warm so you can really taste and enjoy the chili lime flavors.

I’ve read some comments from KFC fans who didn’t particularly like the Chili Lime chicken. They say it tastes weird. I say, it’s new and interesting. The first time I bit into my Chili Lime chicken, I immediately tasted the lime flavor. I love limes on anything so I really enjoyed it. The chili or spicy flavor of the chicken, though, got a li’l overpowered by the zestiness of the lime flavor. I can only taste the spiciness on the chicken skin. I guess I was looking for a li’l more chili flavor on the chicken itself.

However, I still enjoyed my KFC Chili Lime chicken because it was something new. I love the flavors combined with KFC’s tender chicken meat and, of course, their famous gravy (soup to other people *LOL*). I’m actually thinking of trying preparing chicken here at home using these 2 flavors to see how it’ll turn out.

By the way, we ordered the 2-piece KFC Chili Lime chicken meal. I didn’t know that you can actually choose from the 3 flavors for ANY KFC chicken meal. If I did, I would’ve ordered their Fully Loaded Twister meal instead with Chili Lime-flavored chicken. Kien and I had to order 2 separate California Maki Twisters *LOL* I know, we’re on a diet, but when we’re in KFC, we just can’t help but go on a food trip. We don’t need the best multivitamin to boost our appetite when it comes to KFC. We just love their food! ^_^

Have you tried KFC’s Chili Lime Chicken?
How did you find the combination of the tangy lime flavor and spiciness?

Yogiberry Frozen Yogurt : Self Serve Froyo

After I’ve had my taste of frozen yogurt (froyo) from different stores/stalls (Red Mango, White Hat, Yoh-Gurt), I’ve decided to try ALL the frozen yogurts I could find. There are a LOT, and I mean a lot, of frozen yogurt stores mushrooming all over the metro. And, my brother Ken and I discovered another froyo that really got us all interested because of how it’s prepared. I’m talking about Yogiberry Frozen Yogurt.

Yogiberry Frozen Yogurt in Greenhills - CertifiedFoodies.com

Â Yogiberry Frozen Yogurt in Greenhills Shopping Mall (Virra Mall)

The Yogiberry stall on the second floor of V-Mall in Greenhills, just below the food court, got us all curious. There’s this Yogiberry guy handing out cups to people passing by. When we saw the “pumping station”, I was like, “What’s up with this?!”. The guy, with a smile on his face, instructed us on how to prepare our own cup of frozen yogurt. It’s a self-service yogurt station, which really caught my attention. I like self-service stores or food places because I prefer to have control over my servings. *grin*

Yogiberry Frozen Yogurt self-service station - CertifiedFoodies.com

Â Yogiberry’s self-service station â€“ prepare your own cup of yogurt

Continue reading Yogiberry Frozen Yogurt : Self Serve Froyo

Big Daddy’s Crispy Chicken Chops at Greenhills

Last week, Kien and I went to Greenhills for some shopping. I needed a new mouse and I know I’d find what I’m looking for there at a more affordable price. He was also very eager to join me since he wanted to window shop for gaming consoles.

Aside from buying a new mouse (I bought a Logitech Trackman mouse to help ease the pain on my right wrist) and searching for great deals on Xbox and other video game consoles, we also wanted to try one of the chicken joints in Greenhills Theater Mall â€“ Big Daddy’s Chicken.

Big Daddy's Chicken in Greenhills - CertifiedFoodies.com

Big Daddy’s Chicken in Greenhills Theater Mall

Big Daddy’s Chicken claims to serve "Taiwan’s Famous Crispy Chicken Chop". I’ve heard a couple of my friends raving about them, so we decided to try them out. Here’s their menu:

Big Daddy's Chicken Menu - CertifiedFoodies.com

Big Daddy’s Chicken Menu â€“ Everything is really affordable!

Supposedly, I would be ordering Big Daddy’s Porky Chop and Kien will take the Chicken Chop. But, they didn’t have any pork chops ready for frying â€“ all were still really frozen. So, I decided to go for their Chicken Chop, too, but my bro and I chose different flavors and carbo to go with it.

Big Daddy's Chicken Chops, chili flavor with Creamy Pasta - CertifiedFoodies.com

Big Daddy’s Chicken Chops, chili flavor with Creamy Pasta â€“ Php 90.00

Kien ordered Big Daddy’s Chili / Hot Chicken Chop with Creamy Pasta. Because he’s cooked A LOT of pasta at home, Kien wasn’t blown away with the pasta he ordered. Yes, it was creamy, but we wanted more flavor. And there wasn’t anything with the pasta, just creamy white sauce. I guess that’s why they just call it "creamy pasta", eh? *LoL* The serving was big enough for Kien’s appetite so they get points for that.

Big Daddy's Chicken Chops, hot chili flavor with Creamy Pasta - CertifiedFoodies.com

Big Daddy’s hot Chicken Chops â€“ look at the coating and flavoring spread on top of the chicken chops. It was still good though.

Anyway, about the chili flavor, it was a bit spicy, but the flavor was more like chili powder spread on top of the chicken chop. HOWEVER, I still enjoyed it. At first taste, it could be a li’l salty, but that fades away as soon as you get to the crunchy chicken. Kien didn’t order rice so he had to use the soup that came with my order to lessen the saltiness.

Big Daddy's Chicken Chops, in lemon flavor with rice and soup - CertifiedFoodies.com

Big Daddy’s Chicken Chops, lemon flavor with rice and soup â€“ Php 85.00

I ordered Big Daddy’s lemon-flavored Chicken Chop with Rice and Soup. Like Kien’s order, there was pepper and flavor powder spread on top of my chops. The lemon flavor wasn’t that strong, but it was still good. We just expected a stronger punch of lemon flavor on my chicken chops.

Big Daddy’s Chicken Chops â€“ lemon flavor needs a li’l more punch, but I still enjoyed it because of the crispiness and juiciness of the chicken.

Even though we had a li’l issue with the saltiness and the not-so-strong lemon flavor of our chicken chops, I can say that Big Daddy’s chicken chops are really crispy and you’d get a lot of real chicken meat in there, unlike with other chicken or pork chops I’ve had from other food places where the crispy coating was thicker than the actual meat. PLUS, the serving was big considering the price. It’s really affordable and we were already filled after we’re done with our meals. We were pretty satisfied.

We give Big Daddy’s Chicken Chops at their Greenhills branch this rating (3 out of 5 smilies).

â˜»â˜»â˜»

We’ll try the other items on their menu next time.

Enjoy!

Chowking’s Orange Chicken and Tender Beef Broccoli

Ever since Chowking announced their newest additions to their menu, I’ve wanted to try them. And, a few weeks ago, we finally got the chance to have a taste of their Orange Chicken and Tender Beef Broccoli.

We were told to wait for 10 to 15 minutes for our orders. I was okay with it and glad they served the Black Gulaman I ordered, that I’ve been craving for.

The order took a li’l longer than we expected. We talked about a wide range of topics, from our next food trip destination, and even about SSS.Â 😀

Anyway, when our orders were finally served (the server apologized for the wait), I was a bit disappointed with the serving of my Orange Chicken. For the price of Php 89.00 inclusive of rice, I expected more slices of chicken.

We first tasted the Tender Beef with Broccoli. It was good, but didn’t really blow us away. I guess it’s because we cook beef with broccoli A LOT at home (one of my faves) so we expected something more from Chowking. There was too much sauce for us, but we’re glad the broccoli and carrots still had li’l crunch to it, since that’s how we like our veggies. And, yes, the beef slices were tender. The sauce wasn’t salty or too overpowering. It was just right, so we still enjoyed it.

Then, we tried my Chowking’s Orange Chicken. I was surprised, honestly. I didn’t expect it to be really yummy. The spiciness of the orange sauce added to my enjoyment of the whole dish. I can say they made up for the little serving with the delicious, spicy sauce. But, still, I would’ve loved more pieces of the chicken.

I love Chowking’s Lauriats, their Kangkong with Bagoong and, of course, their dimsum. And, now, their Orange Chicken is the latest addition to my favorite meals from them. I’d also love to make my own version of it, homestyle!

Have you already tried Chowking’s Orange Chicken or Tender Beef Broccoli?
How was it? And what’s your favorite from Chowking’s menu?

KFC’s California Maki Twister and BBQ Rods

KFC – It’s Finger Licking Good!

Last week, my brother and I had food delivered from KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), my favorite chicken food joint. We were both craving for their chicken and BBQ rods, so we decided to have them for lunch. We also haven’t tried their new California Maki Twister yet so we added it to our order, plus two KFC Go-go sandwiches for my parents.

By the way, I wish KFC will bring back their Go-go Dragon sandwich. I super love it and I’ve been craving for it.

KFC BBQ Rods â€“ yum!
Php 27.50 per stick

The KFC BBQ Rods is currently Kien’s, my brother, addiction. I understand why because it’s good and the sauce really makes it more enjoyable. Not pairing KFC BBQ Rods with rice is like a waste of the sweet taste of the sauce. *LOL*

I ordered 6 sticks of KFC BBQ Rods â€“ five for my bro and one for me. And, I also ordered their two-piece chicken meal. As always, one chicken is Hot and Crispy, the other one’s in Original flavor. What was delivered to us was still warm, so I really enjoyed it even when a couple of customers at our internet cafe were having their photos printed while I was eating away. *grin*

KFC 2 piece Chicken Meal - Hot and Crispy, Original - CertifiedFoodies.com

KFC 2 piece Chicken Meal – Hot and Crispy, Original
Php 130.90 â€“ ala carte

A few minutes after we were done with lunch, my brother and I decided to have a taste of KFC’s California Maki Twister. We only ordered one since we can share it anyway. I haven’t had sushi ever (but I will, soon!!), so I didn’t really know what to expect. Good thing Kien is a sushi guy, so I told him to let me know if it really tasted close to actual California Maki sushi.

KFC California Maki Twister - CertifiedFoodies.com.jpg

KFC California Maki Twister
Php 86.90 â€“ a li’l expensive for me, but I loved it.

When I took my first bite, the mango filling gushed out of my half of the Twister. It was so good, I can eat another one without feeling guilty. Might need women’s weight loss pills afterwards, though. Hahaha. But, seriously, I loved it!

What’s inside KFC’s California Maki Twister – Mangoes, cucumber, wasabi

The KFC California Maki Twister is made up of cucumber, mango and a hint of wasabi wrapped in a toasted tortilla. Kien said it tasted close to the sushi version. That made me want to try sushi on our next food trip. Woohoo!

Again, KFC didn’t fail my tastebuds. I was quite full after everything we ate. It was like our last supper / meal before we start on our “gradual” diet. But, for now, I am really craving for another KFC California Maki Twister!

Have you tried KFC’s California Maki Twister already?

What do you think? Let me know if you enjoyed it, too.

Enjoy!

Continue reading KFC’s California Maki Twister and BBQ Rods

Max’s Delivery in the Philippines through BDO Remit

Max’s Restaurant, one of the country’s leading fast-casual dining restaurants, recently sealed an agreement with BDO Unibank Inc. through its remittance service brand BDO Remit. The partnership pioneers a Food Remittance Delivery Service that will benefit Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families in the Philippines.

Through BDO Remit, OFWs can now surprise their loved ones by sending them their favorite Max’s dishes here at home, in the Philippines. To do so, they just need to visit any BDO Remit office in HongKong, Macau, USA, Italy, Germany or any of the bank’s participating remittance partners in Asia, Middle East North America and Europe.

The meal packages are good for 5, 10 and 20 people. This is available for delivery to Metro Manila and selected provincial areas. For non-serviceable areas, the beneficiaries or the OFWs families may dine in instead at their preferred Max’s branch or enjoy Max’s meals at home.

â€œThis is our way of paying tribute to hardworking Filipinos abroad. Through this initiative with BDO, Filipinos overseas can now surprise their loved ones by sending their favorite Maxâ€™s dishes to their families even if theyâ€™re far away from home,â€ said Jim T. Fuentebella, Maxâ€™s Vice President for Corporate Marketing.

â€œThrough our expanded food remittance services, we can help Filipinos abroad reach out to their families in the Philippines.â€ said BDOâ€™s First Vice President and Head of Remittance Domestic Operations Genie T. Gloria.

Bake & Churn Ice Cream Cakes : My New Favorite!

I love ice cream and I love cakes. And these 2 combined is just heavenly! The first time I’ve had a slice of ice cream cake was back in Cebu. Since then, I was looking forward to the next time I’ll enjoy another slice of its yumminess.Â I know of Dairy Queen‘s ice cream cakes, but, I was looking for a more affordable alternative. And, thank goodness forÂ Bake & Churn Ice Cream Cakes!

Last time we went grocery-shopping at Malabon Citisquare, I was surprised to see that Bake & Churn has their own stall inside the grocery. I actually had a pint of my favorite Vanilla ice cream in my grocery cart, but, I immediately changed my mind and decided to try one of Bake & Churn’s ice cream cakes.

Bake & Churn offers a wide range of choices of ice cream cakes. I was a bit skeptical if I’m going to like it, so, I picked the safest choice â€“ the chocolate ice cream cake! Just look at their other flavors.

You can opt to buy a slice or a whole ice cream cake. The prices are very reasonable and affordable, if you ask me. You can try a slice of their cake for Php 40-50. I chose to buy a whole Bake & Churn’s Classic Ice Cream Log for only Php 199.00. Nice, eh?

Continue reading Bake & Churn Ice Cream Cakes : My New Favorite!

Lunch at Best Friends in Monumento

We’ve been meaning to eat at Best Friends in Monumento and we only got to finally do it a few weeks ago. Their branches are open 24 hours a day, so, I’ve dined at some of Best Friends branches all over Metro Manila back in the days when I used to party late at night. *grin* So, in case you crave or want to eat late at night, you can drop by the nearest Best Friends branch for a hearty meal.

Best Friends branch in Monumento - CertifiedFoodies.com

Best Friends in Monumento â€“ Open 24 hours!

What I love about Best Friends aside from their operating hours is that their prices are very affordable and the quality of their food has been pretty consistent across all their branches I’ve dined in. Some people, though, might not be comfortable eating at a very open area, but it’s actually one of the things I liked about them.

Dining area inside Best Friends

One of the famous dishes on Best Friends menu is their Beef Pares. So, of course, it’s one of the dishes we ordered. But, they have a wide range of dishes on their menu.

Continue reading Lunch at Best Friends in Monumento