STARBUCKS "WHOOPS!"-IE PIE

This is the epic Starbucks Whoopie Pie.

It is not your average burger- inspired dessert. It is made up of two giant oreos that sandwich a mouthwatering melted marshmallow in between. And it is drizzled with frozen vanilla sauce. Sounds sinful yet looks so heavenly, eh?

55php for a slice of heaven. HOW GREAT CAN IT POSSIBLY GET?

Sorry for raining on your parade, but I'm here to tell you that the Whoopie pie tastes like your average chocolate crinkle from Aling Mameng's sari- sari store at 5php each.

Bottom line, it is disappointing. I'm not saying that it's not worth your buck since we have different perspectives, but to me, it's----- disappointing.

RESTAURANT HOPPING: RESTAURANTE PIA Y DAMASO AND STARBUCKS 'RESTAURANT'

Last Thursday, hubby and I decided to have a special dinner, in celebration of my successful recently concluded test run of CYRANO: Isang Sarswela. He decided to treat me so that all my hardships are well- worth everything.

We were planning to eat in Mr. Jones', but the place was kinda' jam packed. Since we were planning to try Restaurante Pia Damaso for almost a year now (but we never get to eat in this place), we finally decided to continue the plan.

Subversive is quite the term for the range of meals offered in this restaurant. Filipino classics were given a twist. The meals have a Creole appeal in terms of the taste: buttery yet light, well- defined and flavorful.

Though portions might be small, you still get to tell yourself that you've had a good meal. Each offering is somewhat gourmet already. The flavors are very rich, that you can't afford to overwhelm yourself too much.

Prices may be a bit steep, but surprisingly affordable when compared to its neighboring restaurants. Here are the price ranges for each meal:

Soups, Salads, Abreganas (appetizers)- 150- 500php

Main course- 300- 700php

Deserts- 100- 300php

Scroll down to check out the interior and the foods that we've ordered.

The interior boasts of an old world designed comedor (dining room) with a contemporary touch.

One of their best- selleing Abreganas. Pork Asado in Filo Pastry. It's so good!

My order: Rib eye cooked in olive oil. The marinade of the meat has a Pinoy flavor to it: garlicky, smoked, and the spices are dominant.

Ostrich steak in guava butter- Hubby's order. I was kinda' hesitant to taste his order because I can't imagine myself eating ostrich. But it's good. Tastes like meat, but has a zing- y after taste though.

Hubby and I ordered three kinds of deserts: Ube Macapuno cake, Tsokolate eh and Ensaimada quezo de bola, and Canonigo. I managed to take a snapshot of the Canonigo, but I realized that I haven't taken shots of the two other desserts when we were already halfway through both.

Salvi's Canonigo

And if you fill up their survey form, you get a free postcard and a sample of their Tocino Del Cielo- a flan made out of cassava, and lightly drizzled with dayap syrup. Tastes very light and satisfying.

As for our refreshments, Hubby and I just had soda. The waiter suggested that we try Tubig ni Maria Clara. It's a cold concoction of orange slices, ginger, and cucumber. It didn't sound so appealing to us so we settled for what we know. When the waiter described the taste as ala- Salabat (Ginger Tea), we decided to try it some other time. But apparently, it's one of their best- sellers.

Revolutionary cuisine at its finest. Hubby and I enjoyed our meal, and we are definitely coming back because of their impressive dessert offerings. No wonder why it became one of Luxe Asia's 'BEST RESTAURANTS'. Every meal is a great re- interpretation of our classic favorites. I love the fact that Restaurante Pia Y Damaso has reintroduced the Filipino cuisine in the junk food generation. It has elevated the Filipino cuisine to a whole new level of appreciation.

Moving forward. We always have to have coffee after each meal. And since the Starbucks 'restaurant' has finally opened, Hubby and I drove all the way from Greenbelt to The Fort for coffee.

One of the firsts in the world, if I'm not mistaken. Two floors of coffee, cakes and pastry. Somewhere at the side of the road leading to Buendia and Edsa stands a coffee edifice. It's a haven for coffee lovers and coffee shop dwellers alike.

And to still keep you amazed, let me show you why this building is one of the firsts in the world. It has a frikkin' drive thru. Coffee has evolved to fast food!

Here are shots from the second floor just to show you how massive this Starbucks building is.

The second floor served as a haven for coffee dwellers and coffee scholars like me. (I call those who prefer studying in coffee shops as such).

And if you are reading critically, one of the questions that could arise from this post is: In a country where Patriotism is a struggle, how can you promote your own goods if the market keeps on feeding the Filipino's colonial mentality?

Sheesh.

RESTAURANT HOPPING: CHELSEA'S

For our restaurant hopping entry, let's review CHELSEA'S

Chelsea's is an innovation in the Philippine restaurant scene. It boasts of its market-restaurant concept. It's a place perfect for those who want to buy some foods and products that restaurants (like Chelsea's) use to create their sumptuous meals. You don't have to go anywhere to find whatever Chelsea's has used to cook up your hearty meal!

Chelsea's menu is somewhat a fusion of French/American cuisine. From fresh salads to grilled burgers, Chelsea's has everything to satisfy your craving for exciting and unique fusion dishes.

The servings are pretty hefty. A plate can be good for two people. But if you're a heavy eater, then a plate would be equally satisfying as well.

Price ranges from 400- 1000php. It's a pretty expensive restaurant and it's a perfect place to eat if you want to dine out on a special occasion.

Hubby and I ate here during our Valentine's day celebration. Scroll down to have a look at some of the foods that we ordered.

MUST TRYS:

Portobello mushroom pizza

Granny apple salad with arugula

Squash soup

Cakes

Pizzas!

Free garlic bread! And I love that roasted garlic with olive oil and parsley.

French onion soup with multigrain bread with melted gruyere cheese. This is love. :)

Portobello Mushroom pizza: Must- try!

Slow- cooked lamb with white beans

Beer- battered fish and chips!

Chelsea's is one of my favorite restaurants. Their food is great, servings are big, so overall, you get your money's worth. :)

*Chelsea's is located in Serendra, Fort Bonifacio Global City

RESTAURANT HOPPING: LA REGALADE

For today's restaurant hopping entry, let's put LA REGALADE on the spotlight

PRICE RANGE PER DISH: 300- 1500PHP

LOCATION: PASAY ROAD, MAKATI CITY

OTHER LOCATIONS: NONE

La Regalade opened as a venture of different men who came from different professional fields. Executives, Business Moguls, Chefs and Entrepreneurs who decided to open a French Bistro in the Central Business District.

There aren't much French restos in the country. So La Regalade is truly one of the few who took the challenge of the food industry, and set out to compete against the sea of diners, chinese restos and grills.

La Regalade interior photo courtesy of: http://executive-class.blogspot.com

The interior is indeed classy and formal, which will automatically make you think "I'LL EAT ON MY NEXT (INSERT SPECIAL OCCASSION) HERE!" It's such a cozy place, definitely gives you a sense of perfect relaxation and privacy with your special someone, colleagues or family. I like the overall wood interior, which gives the place a homey atmosphere. However, to add up to the coziness factor, the lights are all warm, no white lights whatsoever. Some may find it a bit sore on the eyes but I'm completely okay with their lighting.

READY TO GET HUNGRY? SCROLL DOWN AND TAKE A LOOK AT OUR ORDERS:

French Onion Soup

Good ol' hearty soup that will always catch your heart on the first sip. I also like the toasted bread in it. A bit burnt to give a bit of spike to the taste of the soup. Gruyere cheese is used, which also perfectly gave that sour- salty factor.

Ratatouille of vegetables

Slow cooked zucchinis, eggplants, capers, olives and tomatoes and lightly cooked in olive oil.

Beef Stew

Made of tenderloin, cooked to melting perfection. Succulent and soft beef cubes in red wine sauce with portobello and wild mushrooms.

Lamb Stew

Mom's order. Lamb cubes in fresh tomato sauce. Mouthwatering and melt-in-your-mouth lamb pieces to fill you to your heart's content.

Couscous rice

MY FAVE!

Price is a bit steep, not to mention the servings are quite small. It's really meant for fine dining. Yet there will always be something in the way the food is cooked that will make you feel full and and very satisfied. I say that the restaurant's food has this quality. So I think this is the reason why upon its inception, the restaurant is always full and will never become almost vacant!

Will I return to this restaurant? Of course, but on special occasions only, since this is really a place to eat on special or formal occasions due to its fine dining atmosphere and food choices. But I would love to eat here again with moi hubby! :)

RESTAURANT HOPPING: JOHNNY ROCKETS

Hubby and I just celebrated our 3oth month together yesterday, Dec.7, 2009. And we decided to eat burgers on our special day so we decided to eat in Johnny Rockets.

PRICE RANGE: 150- 600PHP

LOCATION: EASTWOOD MALL (NEW MALL), LIBIS, Q.C.

OTHER LOCATIONS: USA

Johnny Rockets, Eastwood, Libis, Q.C.

I have this penchant for diners. I would always eat in Grams diner and 50's diner if I'm in Baguio. I guess I just love the overall vintage feel of diners. So when I passed by this 2- months ago, I decided to make this a must- visit in my restaurant hopping list.

Onion Rings. It is cooked in their special batter. Serving is too small. And of course, there's nothing special about the taste.

Here's my Route 66. It has swiss- mushroom, caramelized onions and cheese on a wheat bun.

Here's hubby's #12. It has lettuce, tomatoes with a special sauce (which is not so special accdg. to my hubby). It's also on a wheat bun. Pardon the dieters.

Since I'm on a diet for a year now, this milkshake is bliss for me. I managed to almost finish the strawberry banana milkshake. But the silver shaker is a refill. It contains half of the shake so I guess I just got my 250php's worth. :)

And here's hubby, about to enjoy his #12. :)

And here's moi. Posing before I sink my teeth on Route 66:)

Truth be told, there's nothing special about the burgers. It's kinda' hefty but I think it's too expensive. I kinda' suspect that it would be better if I ate the white flour bun instead of changing it to the wheat bun but I think the patty is a bit bland. If not for the cheese and mayo, it wouldn't taste somehow good at all.

I don't know if their marinade or spices are not good enough to make the patties taste awesome. Grilling food makes the spices come out that's why grilling is the best option to cook food. So I guess, there's nothing special with their marinade and it shows because the burgers were grilled.

At least the milkshake is love. The fries were kinda' good.

You could pretty much assume that I'm sorta' disappointed with my first experience. I'll still give this restaurant the benefit of the doubt. I will eat the burgers in the white flour bun on my next visit.

Will I go back to this restaurant again? Of course. Just for the sake of giving it another chance and try. But not in the near future. It's expensive. And when I come back, I hope they've done something about the case of the bland patties. :p

But truth be told, I'd choose Brother's Burgers anytime.

RESTAURANT HOPPING: MANSOS GREEK TAVERNA, TAGAYTAY CITY

For this weeks, restaurant hopping, let's take a look at the menu of MANSOS GREEK TAVERNA TAGAYATAY

This is a loooong overdue post. Haha. But I'd still wanna share cos this restaurant is da bomb! :)

PRICE RANGE: 150- 500PHP

LOCATION: TAGAYTAY (IT'S ALONG THE ROAD)

Hubby and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary last July 07, 2007. One of our theater friends suggested this restaurant because it's quite famous in Tagaytay. So we went the extra mile though there are tons of restaurants in the metro that are still left to try. Anyway, it's our anniversary so why not celebrate it in Tagaytay? :)

Their menu boasts of Greek meals that are quite easy on the budget, yet big on the taste. Here's what we ordered:

SAGANAKI (BRAISED VEGGIES WITH FETA CHEESE, SHRIMPS AND GREEK BREAD)

MOUSSAKA (FAMOUS GREEK DISH. LAYERS OF GROUND LEAN MEAT, BECHAMEL SAUCE AND CHEESE)

GRILLED LAMB MEAL (WE'VE BOTH DISCOVERED HOW CALAMANSI GOES SOOO WELL WITH GRILLED LAMB!)

I would really go back to this place because the food's great without being too expensive. There were a lot of couples eating there during the time we ate there, which goes to show that it's the ultimate getaway resto for couples. The ambiance and the overall feel of the place is just right. It's not extravagant, but it's quite decent but peaceful. Perfect for that getaway with your loved one. :)

And here's an little extra. Hubby and I had coffee in Starbucks after our GREAT meal. :)

Hubby: Forever?

Me: Forever. :)

MANSOS GREEK TAVERNA IS THE BEAUTY JUNKEE APPROVED! :)