Paradise Dynasty's New Dishes! (Podium Mall)

According to Wikipedia, Xiao Long Bao is a type of Chinese steamed bun from the Jiangnan region, especially associated with Shanghai and Wuxi. It is traditionally prepared in Xiaolong, which is a kind of small bamboo steaming basket, which give them their name. Xiaolongbao is often referred to as a kind of "dumpling", and they are also called a "soup dumpling" because they are filled with hot soup and must be eaten carefully.

One of the places you can get the best xiao long bao, not only in the Philippines, but across Asia is at Paradise Dynasty. A few days ago, I was lucky to get invited to try their new menu additions at their branch at The Podium Mall. I’ve heard so many great reviews of this place and I was excited beyond my wits because it was my first time to try what they have to offer.

Hearty Breakfast Buffet at Spice Cafe - City Garden Grand Hotel

It is widely known and accepted that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast is not just fuel for the activities that lie in the day ahead; a great breakfast should awaken the senses, satisfy the taste buds, and lift our spirits. As John Gunther said: “All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.” Just like all other meals of the day, breakfast should nothing but put a smile on our faces.

I’m not much of a breakfast person especially when my body is so used to the graveyard shift. But hotel breakfasts speaks volumes to me. This is what I look forward to whenever I stay in a hotel. Because besides being able to stuff myself with massive amounts of bacon, with breakfast buffets there is a variety of dishes that appeal to different cultural and national backgrounds.

Meet the Mega Meat BBQ Set from Soban K-Town

I always deny that I like things that are Korean, but actually, I do. I buy a lot of makeup and beauty products from Korean brands. I like their fashion style, a select few of their K-Pop bands and I've watched 1 or 2 of their telenovelas too (back in college). As for their cuisine, I was just ok with it. My liking of Korean food was turned 180 degrees until I tried Soban K-Town Grill. I have tried a few Korean restaurants before, even during my childhood (my late father loved it) but all I can remember was that how I hated Kimchi because it is super spicy and I'm not really big into spicy food.

Soban means small tray or table. Soban K-Town Grill is a collaboration between award-winning Korean restaurateur, Mr. Sung Rah of Sariwon Korean Barbecue and their Philippine franchisee, the Happyfoods Group. It is inspired by K-Town in Los Angeles where Korean immigrants settled and began fusing traditional Korean ingredients and techniques with American comfort foods and the Mexican street food scene, charting a bold a new flavorful path for Korean cuisine. At Soban K-Town Grill they aim to serve their client's favorite Korean pork, chicken BBQ and tacos in a bold, new flavorful way.

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Spice Cafe at City Garden Grand Hotel

We are in the age where hotel restaurants are climbing back to popularity and respectability. I remember when I was young and life was better than now, my late father would hold meetings at hotel restaurants for when they would meet foreign or local clients for their business. He and my mother would usually debate if it’s practical do so. My father would argue, the food is great and that it is a way to impress their clients. 

Ever since then I’ve always thought, dining in hotel restaurants has always got to be expensive plus extravagant. Only that I’ve started earning money and want to reward myself once in a while and getting invited to events where the venue is a hotel, that I understood why my father prefer eating or bringing his clients to hotel restaurants. 

Take Your Dining to New Heights at Firefly Roofdeck - City Garden Grand Hotel

If you have been a regular reader or visitor of my blog or other social media, by now, you have an idea that I am someone who loves roof deck or roof top restaurants and/or bars. Whether or not the fickle Manila weather allows, my fondness of alfresco dining and drinking has taken me to a higher level of fun by seeking out the Metro’s best rooftop places. Places where solitude and calming breezes offer me a break from the noise of the real world down below.

In Poblacion, Makati, there’s a couple of rooftop restobars you can hang out at. I don’t know for sure if you’ve heard about Firefly Roofdeck. Well, Esquire Magazine Philippines included it as one of Manila's 7 Coolest Roof-Deck Bars. And I couldn’t see any reason why they shouldn’t include Firefly in that list. 

NIU by Vikings Now Open at The Podium Mall!

Buffets were originally a display of wealth as seen in old-world celebrations. But nowadays, it means to “eat-all-you-can”, whether in an event or in a restaurant. If you need to shed money for it, there’s usually a fixed or set price that you need to pay, no matter how much food you can stuff into your mouth or stomach. And Filipinos are known to be big on buffets, as evidenced of the growing buffet restaurant scene in the Philippines.

Although it mightily ruins my get-fit goals, I love buffets myself. What my strategy is to eat the dishes that I usually don’t get to eat that often and deviate from the ones that are all too common and get smaller portions (which is a struggle for me LOL!). A week ago, I was invited by one of my blogger friend Princess (www.phantasmdarkstar.com) as her plus one during the early days of the soft opening of NIU by Vikings at their newest and second branch at the Podium Mall. 

Nothing Beats the Classic: Ube Cake by Cara Mia Cakes & Gelato

I love anything ube (purple yam) flavored! Name it, I'll eat it! I have a long time love affair with ube ever since I was little. Trips to Baguio or Tagaytay without be complete without bringing home my favorite ube jam. I can sit for hours on end just sitting and eating ube jam straight from the jar. I wouldn't let anything flavored pass my radar: candies, cakes, sandwich etc., even store bought snacks with that flavor I've tried it. 

Obviously I was ecstatic to get a hold of this Classic Ube Cake from Cara Mia Cakes and Gelato, especially that I was feeling under the weather when it arrived at my doorstep. What a perfect pick-me-up treat! Even though I was quite sick, I rose from my bed and took time to capture it. I mean hello, just look how pretty this thing is!

Staycation: Grand Weekend Staycation at City Garden Grand Hotel Makati

Everyone deserves a break. I mean we all really do. After I took my Nursing board exams a great couple of years ago, I already started working even though I still didn’t know if I passed or not. When I became a registered nurse and opportunities came, I was non-stop with work. I only had three jobs under my belt and I believe there was only a couple of weeks of free time that I had in between in jobs. So to say the least, I have been working for almost a decade straight. 

Sure, I get to have breaks and vacations, but you know sometimes you get to a point where you really really get burned out and I guess it is a way that life tells us to now and then, pause. That is exactly what happened to me; I was in a rut and a very dark place so I left my almost 8-year job and decided to take somewhat a sabbatical leave. To reassess and to evaluate where I want my life to be headed. 

Takaw Filipino Eatery Greenhills - For the #TakawwwNation

What is Takaw? I only know two phrases associated with it: sobrang takaw and takaw tingin.  Sometimes, I am sobrang takaw and sometimes I am takaw tingin. Hahaha! Kidding aside, Takaw is a Tagalog word which means voracious or gluttonous. For some it might give a negative connotation. But as for Filipinos, this word is more on the lightly funny side; especially Filipinos love their food, love to eat, therefore we are Takaw. 

Speaking of Takaw, there’s this restaurant named as such in Greenhills by acclaimed celebrity chef Tatung Sarthou offering Filipino comfort food. Ok, you’ll probably ask, why do you have to trek to Greenhills for Filipino food when you can get it just about anywhere in Manila. Well, it’s a Filipino eatery serving dishes with funny and quirky names, heirloom dishes and others that Chef Tatung put his spin on.