Sweet Ecstasy Opens in Uptown Parade BGC

There's a new place in BGC that some of you should visit. If you're a fan of Sweet Ecstasy in Cubao a few years back (which unfortunately has closed already), they've been aggressively opening other branches already all over Metro Manila. This one however is situated very near Valkyrie in BGC. The complex is called Uptown Parade and this is their third branch after Regis Center in Katipunan, and Jupiter Street in Makati. Honestly, I haven't been to Sweet X (which they fondly call it) so this is a first for me and their BGC Uptown Parade branch is a good place to find comfort food when it's a bit too traffic to go home. This place is owned by Ms. Gelli Victor, Monica Francesca (RX Jock) and their other partners. They know how much the district actually needs a place for hanging out before people actually go to the nearby clubs, and they present a very awesome refuge for wings, burgers and craft beers. Speaking of which, we ordered different ones just for kicks!

This one was a tad sweet, it felt like it wasn't alcoholic but the mean label says otherwise. Comes smooth, Azrael liked it!

Ted and I had the Sierra Madre Wheat Ale which was sort of a wheat based beer, it's surprisingly light but you'll still get buzzed if you had a couple of bottles.

Enzo liked the Fish Rider Pale Ale and I've already tasted this in other bars, it's quite nice for bar chows and a good conversation starter don't you think?

This one's their Buffalo Wings. I asked for their hottest one and this is what the person on the counter suggested to me. It was spicy yeah, got that kick but it was bearable. It's Tabasco so it was tangy and hot, but I wanted it more HOT and I think they've got off the menu items to solve that. Kindly ask them because I can't really put the words here because it's explicit haha!

For a milder feel, or flavor, they've got these mean wings too. They call it Sriracha Wings, as they've probably used the Thai hot sauce to fuel it. Pretty good!

This burger wasn't mine haha. It's Sweet Ecstasy's Cheeseburger. They would actually ask you to customize how you want your ONIONS to be made and Ted wanted it to be caramelized, looks good eh?! He says they did it right on the grill. They also use 100% pure beef for the patties and I could see they did that in the kitchen. I like it.

This was mine. I wanted it crunchy and pungent so I had my Sweet Ecstasy Cheeseburger with Fresh Onions. It's not date food I know, but it's that exact thing that makes it appealing to me. I wanted to taste the onions so I went with that.

Azrael also got a Sweet Ecstasy Cheeseburger but had the onions made grilled. As you can see it also got caramelized a bit and by the looks of it, he loved it too.

Sweet Ecstasy Uptown Parade officially opens its doors today. I've seen Marian Rivera, Jennylyn Mercado, Raymund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala and a couple of other artists enjoy what they had that afternoon. Their prices? Not to worry because they're very affordable. You get premium quality burgers, wings and beers in this location and it's perfect before you party out in other establishments. Don't even think of drinking without eating something, that's totally unhealthy. But trust me on splurging with a burger, it helps heal your soul. These are X-citing times!

For more information about their place:

SweetXManila

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Visit their official website

http://twitter.com/sweetXmanila

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's "26th Bistro" at BGC

Anyone who's anyone knows Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf by heart. If you're in the metro, you probably have one near your place or maybe frequent one in malls. I have one outside my office so it's a given I go there most of the time. I thought it would always look like a coffee shop but I experienced something new a few days ago. Or if I could put it into one word, something that can ultimately make EVERYDAYEXTRAORDINARY!

At the corner of 26th street in Bonifacio Global City lies this huge, one of a kind Bistro that CBTL had put up; looking quite differently from the usual coffee and tea shop they have if I may say. It's seating capacity could probably go more or less 100; but states a sit down a la carte menu unbeholden with other branches. It's a breather, it's quite special and the promise of an extra ordinary experience everyday at the store is quite attractive. I bet people have been trying it out these past few days and I've personally suggested it with a few friends. They totally agree with me and say thanks that I've posted some of these products on Instagram. Last comment i got was about the pasta, saying it was divine!

One of my regular must order items is this frozen Pure Double Chocolate. I'm not much of a caffeine freak so I order the non or less caffeinated drinks off the menu. It's intense chocolate flavor really hits the spot. You can opt not to have the whipped cream, but really who doesn't love that?

Comforting as comfort food comes, this bowl of Wild Mushroom Soup came along. Probably made of roasted Portabello mushrooms, its got a very deep, earthy, gritty feel and flavor to it. The dob of cream made it thick and creamy just the way we liked it. They say Mushrooms help combat hormonal aging, which is a good thing. They prolly dropped a few extra virgin olive oil on top to make it even richer, fuller and finished shiny. The garlic bread stick provides a crunchy break from all that earthy goodness. 

 This is CBTL's Salmom Fishcake and Greens. I'm a picky eater and I don't really eat that much greens but this combination was like a marriage. The sweet tangy vinaigrette made with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil was so good on peppery leaves. The shards of cheese was a welcome addition too. This salmon fishcake was soft and moist, it's not to greasy either. Everyone else on the table was raving about the Aioli sauce that came with it; people were wiping it off the plate. This is such a nice date food if you want to bring your special someone along.

Think about thick white sauce on linguine topped with a huge prawn, seafood, mushroom and shards of parmesan cheese. This is CBTL's own Tiger Prawn with Shitake Mushroom Linguine. It's creamy sauce was a dead giveaway that this is good. For shrimp lovers, the tiger prawn was not overcooked, it was sweet and succulent probably because it was cooked separately. I love white sauce on pasta so this is indeed one of my favorites. I even splurged on shrimp even if I was allergic because I couldn't let this pass! Delish!

For the main course, we had this! I'm a self confessed carnivore so this was my weakness. It's CBTL's Hanging Tender Steak with Potato Gratin and Marsala. The steak was perfectly cooked! It was laid on a bed of potato gratin and smothered with a gravy of marsala sauce. I loved every bit of it. The gratin was something to rave about too because it was good. The Asparagus spears were not overcooked either so it was worth it! I'd like to have more of these on my next visit. Medium for me please! :)

Then when it was time for dessert, we had two! This one's the CBTL Apple Crumble a la Mode. It's was almost room temperature apple pie topped with vanilla ice cream. You already know this was good just by looking at it. It was not too sweet which is a plus on my books; and the apples kinda give away a tangy-fruity taste which goes well with the melted vanilla ice cream. Have a cup of coffee with this and it's a done deal!

We died. We went to heaven... and back to CBTL's 26th Street Bistro again for this sinful Chocolate Lava a la Mode. This is chocolate goodness on a ramekin. I loved this one too. It had that oozing chocolate center when you slice into it. Imagine that with the melted vanilla ice cream on top and you'll probably end up swearing a lot in that joint. I wanted more but I had to share haha. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf really has amped up it's offerings on this new approach with their coffee shops. It's a full bistro-restaurant now and this is one awesome way of celebrating their 50th year in the business!

I totally agree in making #EVERYDAYEXTRAORDINARY and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's bistro should be your next destination when having brunch, lunch or dinner when in the Fort Bonifacio area. This probably won't be the last one I hope. Congratulations to this brand who has been giving us the best coffee, tea and food choices since 1963! Thank you Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf! You really made my day extra ordinary! Now it's time for YOU to try it out and see why they can make your day way better!

For more information

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The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (Philippines)

Follow them on Twitter!

https://twitter.com/cbtlph


Or visit the Bistro!

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf  26th Street Bistro 
BGC Net Lima Building, 5th Avenue corner 26th Street
BGC, Taguig

Better Breakfasts at Sentro 1771!

I was expecting a few ravenous carnivores with me but just got some of the best bloggers in town (read:my friends). There's nothing but a great way to start a day but by doing breakfast in a posh neighborhood like BGC. We've come here to visit Sentro 1771 and yes we've just found something so good and spent much of my morning appreciating what I had that that day. Yummy!

The Interior

The place was a little packed when we came in. It was probably because it was race day in BGC and with all the runs happening in this part of town, this was quite the favorite place to hang out with the rest of the family. Their homey classic chairs and sturdy tables was in fact a necessity because I saw some huge expats and quirky kids testing it out. The kitchen was semi open and the service had some small lapses. Probably because it was a holiday; or maybe the person serving us was not that attentive. It was good though because they got better later on. Guy in orange on photo had me call him twice but he never came back to my table. But that's okay, we were waiting for someone anyway. The lady server not in photo made sure I had my fill of Chocolate which you'll see later on. You'll rave about that!

The Food

Hot Chocolate - Think about thick, smooth chocolate almost quite reminiscent of syrup. I added sugar on it because I like it extra sweet but the cup alone was perfect I tell you. You can probably have this with Churros and get away with it, but this is epic on its own. If it was raining and I'd be lounging beside a window, this is the one I'll be having. Quite comforting.

Fruit Platter - Why not splurge on what the Philippines is best known for? Fresh fruits like watermelon, sweet ripe mangoes and bananas to kick start your morning. It's a healthy alternative to carb loading which usually happen on this meal. This can give you the needed sugar rush you often only find on sweets which is a ton better than the usual.

Pan De Sal with Melted Kesong Puti - Local white cheese melted on Pan De Sal slices (used wheat bread instead because they ran out of it) this is quite nice instead of just plain butter and toast. The salty, crunchy texture just made me ask for more. It just made it a little hard to follow the diet regimen I'm in to eat everything haha.

Adobo Flakes - Sweet, salty and tangy. The signature Filipino dish just got even better. The fluffy eggs, made from fresh ingredients and the crunchy chicken adobo would take you to the moon and back. I love how this makes the comforting mood even way better.

Bonuan Bangus -Seeping all the way through the fish meat is its garlicky aroma. They told us that this actually is sourced locally albeit all their ingredients. They want to bring the produce directly from the regions it came from. No matter how hard it would be they want consumers like you and me to have the best and freshest ingredients. 

Durog na Baguio Longanisa - Speaking of fresh, this came directly from Baguio. They have this delivered almost everyday traveling by bus and to BGS's grounds. This is deconstructed. Presentation wise it would probably pass as ground pork but this wonderful dish accompanied by garlic or plain rice is just so filling. You would end up asking for more rice after a few spoonfuls. Make sure you have this and a side of achara. Yum-O!

Omelet, Bacon, Toast and Beans - Usually called an American breakfast they have these on regulars and have a variety of different toppings. I chose bacon of course and it was so good because it had that crunchy not so fat bacon strips which I ABSOLUTELY love! It stayed so crunchy even after a few minutes. It was the envy of my friends that time hehe! Plus the omelet still had that fluffy center. Quite a good deal for its price too!

Sirloin Tapa - Slivers of meaty, garlicky and peppery beef light fried on a pan and partnered with garlic rice; this one just packs so much flavor. It brings you home. You feel lighthearted and reminisce of what your mom used to make for breakfast. It hits the spot and you'll never regret ordering this one for sure!

The Dessert

Bam! I wasn't expecting this at all but YES we were having desserts!

Fried Suman and Mangoes - Who in the right mind would say no to Suman topped with caramel sauce, caramel shards and sweet ripe mangoes? Exactly my point. The combination is just perfect and if you ask me, it's a match made in heaven. You should have this shared for those sweet moments you haven't been getting in quite a while LOL

Keso Flan - Quezo De Bola based cheesecake with slices of Quezo De Bola and Salted Red Egg. I thought it was a nasty combination but no, it was AWESOME. I loved how the sweet salty played along with each other without disappointing those who want a sweet way to end their meal. The cheese flavor just seeps through so you get the best of both worlds. Highly recommended!

Maja Blanca Crepe - For those who love corn in their sweets, the Maja Blanca Crepe can give you that fix you've been looking for. It's soft and sweet crepe that is wrapped in hot crepe then smothered with caramel sauce, chocolate sauce and crunchy sugar caramel shards. The soft and crunchy in one bite is just the perfect thing you are looking for in this dessert. 

Coffee Bean Sans Rival - Unlike the sans rival that you know, this one edges it out on flavor profile and presentation. You'll definitely love this concoction with layers of egg white based meringue baked to perfection, together with nuts, more chocolate/coffee liqueur and cream.  I love this! It's the perfect way to end a meal... but oh, wait, there's more!

Coffee Pie - I almost blurted out a bad word when I got a bite out of this Coffee pie, and yes I saved the best for last. Among all the things on their dessert menu I found this one truly deep in flavor profile. It borders on dark chocolate and coffee so you kinda get a hint of both. It's sweet just like I want it and the powder made of cocoa and powdered sugar made this entire dish a work of art and a gustatory adventure itself. I would go back to Sentro 1771 for this alone. It's that good. Need I say more? =)

Sentro 1771 and their concept made sense to me; and probably the rest of the public who's been going in and out of their restaurant these past few years. The recipes for the breakfast might be modern Filipino and Western but the execution is quite impeccable. Price wise they might be on the high side but you can't compromise quality over quantity. They made my omelet and the other dishes fresh right off the pan when we ordered and they are keeping it that way to encourage a compelling vision of a homey atmosphere and food prepared close to perfection in every way (just like when Mom used to make it). P.S. They've got an even better ala carte menu for lunch and dinner. Several stunners! So make sure the next time you plan your breakfast, lunch or dinner... make Sentro 1771 on top of your list because you'll be so sorry if you don't!

Sentro 1771 is part of the Chateau Group of restaurants. You are getting only the best!

Visit their restaurants at these venues:

Level 2, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati
Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Or simply call

Greenbelt 3 Branch : 757- 3941
Serendra : 856- 0581

Or Like them on Facebook!

SENTRO 1771

/*Thank you so much to Kirk Daquioag who accommodated us at Sentro. Much appreciated!