Dimsum, Savory Meals and Afternoon Tea at MODERN SHANG

It's like clockwork to go to MODERN SHANG after church or just strolling around the mall for the love of dimsum and savory meals. You know you're going to a legit one when much of the diners are actual Chinese and see them enjoy the meals in store. Recently, they're given us much more reason to go there as they launch their "Afternoon Tea" that only costs Php 400- Php 600 and is already good for 2-4 people. With dimsum, noodles, even pudgy dessert items, it can surely fill you up without breaking the bank.

These were what we tried at the MODERN SHANG branch in Greenbelt 5 a few days ago. They spruced up the place and I must say, the modern Chinese French look felt quite bougie, I liked it a lot. You won't be disappointed bringing in friends and family because by any standards, they'll find it cool. The food too is pretty solid, as they've been doing these for several years, I think they've had the hang of things early on and made sure their dimsum choices are above grade. I actually had seconds on some of them and contemplated to have a few more because it was that good.

Vegetable Dumplings

Meat Buns

Har Gow

Chicken Feet

Shrimp and Pork Siu Mai

Salted Egg Custard Bun

Xiao Long Bao

My personal favorite, the Hot and Sour Soup

Salted Egg Shrimp (ordered a la carte)

They've got good drinks too, this was Citrus and Mint.

The Afternoon Tea sets cost almost Php 600 and can save you almost Php 300

There's really more on the menu but I think they'll make a hit with the "Afternoon Tea" meals they have listed on it. It's got the right amount of protein and carbs, dimsum items that anyone would find filling at that price.This is only served from 3-6PM on weekdays, totally worth it.

MODERN SHANG is at the Greenbelt 5's 2nd Floor, They also have branches around Metro Manila which serve the same menu, but I would strongly suggest you give this branch a visit. It looks fresh and modern, and your family will love it too!

Smart Cooking with Samsung Home Appliances

We went to Chef Ernest Reynoso Galang's Gala Stars Culinary School in Pasig City to take a few lessons so we could use some of Samsung's modern ovens and state of the art refrigerators to whip up a couple of recipes during the event. I cook a little, but am yet to fully utilize my Samsung oven and this was something that they think could get us a little acquainted with the appliance and got a few bloggers in the mix to make the  activity a little competitive. This time we we're not cooking our best recipes but doing everything by the book. Instead of frying we could use the modern oven to air fry, aside from that, we could use the Samsung Refrigerators to keep the ingredients fresh and frozen at some point.

The executives from Samsung Home Appliances and Chef Ernest gave us small talk about how we can maximize the use of the appliances. They also told us not to worry about cooking that afternoon because it's going to be easy. 

When we arrived they already did the "mise en place" so we barely prepared everything and just had to put things together. The school mostly does this on their classes I think. When we started to cook it was awesome to have the instructions on paper at that time, that made it easier for us to understand. They also got the "finished product" in front so we could see how it'll all turn out.

The appliances were kinda huge because they're more industrial, fit for the school's function. Still, I could definitely see how this will all look like when the appliances are at home. It'll definitely help a lot.

After pounding the Chicken Breast (to flatten), we had it butterflied and inserted slices of Spam (original flavor) and a couple strips of cheese. You just roll them up, put them in F.E.B., that's Flour, Egg and Bread Crumbs (specifically in that order) and put them in the fridge so they could hold their form. Then, you just deep fry them or bake, it depends on your preference but it'll be crispier with oil. It'll be way healthier if you put it on the oven though.

It was meaty, spicy and cheesy, just the way I liked it. I put in a sprinkle of dried herbs on mine like basil, pepper and cayenne so it would be different from the others who made the same dish. It was absolutely, insanely delicious! Of course, I made it! :P

We also made pasta with only a few ingredients. It's sauce was just made by Basil, Garlic and Tomato. I had my serving with tons of Parmesan cheese whilst the one for show had fried basil leaves on top. It was simple, yet very filling. It could even pass for date food if I were cooking for someone special, but you can always cook for yourself and make it your comfort food. I know I do.

Life became so easy with the Samsung Ovens and Refrigerator. I still have my fridge at home and it's so efficient, we've had it for years. I also have the Samsung Oven but I'm still learning to use it. You can cook too if you had the right products in your kitchen, all it takes is the right ones from Samsung so you can get started with your own culinary journey. That's smart cooking!

For more information about their products:

Samsung Mobile PH

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http://www.samsung.com/ph

The Coca Cola Modern Glass Collection at McDonalds

Isn't that a sight for sore eyes? You know last year, I had to line up a couple of times in McDonalds stores in Eastwood so I could get all the upside down looking Coca Cola glasses and take it home. This year, I feel so ecstatic that people have been so good to me for this to happen. I got a whole set of the new Coca Cola Modern Glass Collection complete with a box that made look quite expensive. The same rule goes, if you get to purchase a McDonald's Extra Value Meal, BFF Burger, Chicken Bundle or Breakfast Value Meals, just add Php 25.00 to it and voila! You've got one of these gorgeous glass pieces in the bag!

First impression? Pretty. Anyone could prolly mistake this for those expensive ones in posh home centers seen in malls. It's something collectible, and pretty much it's something that Filipinos have grown accustomed to. I know a ton of people that probably received a set or more of these drinking glasses as gifts from birthdays, weddings, or just any occasion there is in the country. Funny as it seems to some, but it projects our natural affinity of taking care of each other, our way of making sure that our fellows home is complete and at least have the basics. It does mean a lot more than just drinking glasses, it's how we share memories, how we interact when we get to the table from breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Design wise, they've done an extremely good job at it. This is the 7th year that they are doing this, making this a long withstanding partnership with Coca Cola and McDonald's. Whether it's the Diamond, Linear, Mosaic, Pixel, Ripple or Steel that you need to work on these days, now's the chance for you to storm through the nearest McDonald's branch near you to get one of these gorgeous drinking glasses available only holidays through the special partnership of Coke and McDonald's which will only last during the holidays. 

I'll be adding another set for some friends and relatives, will you be doing the same?! :)

For more information about their stores:

McDonalds Philippines

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http://McDonalds.com.ph/