MFT's SALADSTOP! Ventures Into Spanish Market

Have you ever wondered why there are thousands upon thousands of brands around the world that are here in the Philippines but not quite a lot of our own venturing into other countries? That's depressing to know huh? Have you guys seen Saladstop!? I've had the privilege of seeing and experiencing it over at San Juan but they're pretty much everywhere as they have outlets in Makati and Bonifacio Global City. The brand originated in Singapore and is now present in other countries too like Japan and Indonesia.  

Albeit not being that into salad, I tried out several of their best sellers. The Vegetarian Bowl I had is called IRON WO MAN and is comprised of fresh Spinach, salty and creamy feta cheese, roasted pumpkin, sweet and tangy raisins, nutty toasted almonds, in a tangy Raspberry Vinaigrette.

This one is one of their signature wraps. It's got romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, creamy avocado, green apple, celery, grapes in a Ranch dressing. Pretty good and very filling.

This is Fried Kale, it's very nutty and fresh.

The MFT group Joan of Regional Marketing Head says "We were established in 2009 and is one of the world's leading nutrition brand. It is the first time that we are taking this out of the country, to Spain in particularly. Our brand puts holistic customer experience to the forefront because we want this to be an experience for them. The founders are vegetarian and we are sharing the values for the brand. 12 Signature wraps, 4 tortilla wraps, our dressings are home made and fresh made everyday. We source our food locally so for the Spanish branches we maintain a good relationship with the farmers and suppliers. We want people to eat wide awake, in September we are putting this movement in Spain and we are so happy about that."

Paul Paraeda who's handling their operations in Spain and Portugal says "We are moving to these countries in a few months and why not. It's a good place to start for a Philippine business to venture out into the EU. We will have more as soon."

MFT Group CEO Maria Francesca “Mica” Tan adds "MFT is a diversified holding company. We are not limited in regions, involved in 22 subsidiaries under our wing including medical equipment, petroleum, and now SaladStop! in Spain. Barcelona has 5 million people and is an emerging area. There is a very diversified economical structure home to 90% of investments in Spain. Hopefully we would be doing it in the whole of Europe later on. We are not just tied with food, they are also looking for something healthy and this is evident in food clusters in Spain. MFT group is confident about this franchise in Europe and we are present in 6 countries, we love emerging markets. We want SALADSTOP! to be our flagship food product. In SaladStop Spain we have our own suppliers and farmers so it will be a level up as Spain and there is a big demand for what we are offering. The carrier of the food is the sauces, the freshness is still with the farmers that we have locally and you'll only get the best produce."

This is very promising and I can't wait to see how they (being a Filipino owned company) would grow BIG in the European region.

KUMAGCOW
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A New Spot to Eat, Drink and Chill in the South: REDD at Prism Plaza

Do you still have your own "go to" place when you want to relax, unwind, or just have a few bottles with your peers after office hours? I have my favorites, I'm sure you do too. Well, there's a new spot in the south of EDSA that promises a great venue to eat lovely Filipino dishes, enjoy really good mixes and just plainly have a good time. It's called REDD, a gastronomy bar found in the 4th floor of the grand Prism Plaza. It's that quirky looking building found just beside the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Just go up the flight of stairs or use the escalator in the middle so you can get to the restaurants on the same floor.

Admittedly, I wasn't really aware that restaurants were actually sprawling here. If I usually go to this area, I'd probably be hanging out at the SM Mall of Asia most of the time. That's a mistake. This place is cozy, plus there are artists every night who perform live. Even if they don't publicize it that much, Prism Plaza gets packed to the brim sometimes because of this. Since they're officially open now, they're dishing out a few specials so you could enjoy food and booze with friends and office mates there! Let's take a look at their place first!

The Interiors 

 This establishment is owned by partners and builders who also did interiors for 5 star hotels in Manila. The walls and decor stayed geometric, a little industrial with accent walls with wood panels in different shades, plus plexiglass for the bar's counter. They have a private room equipped with KTV, perfect for small parties when you need it. They also used different lamp light fixtures for the lighting and several more on the actual exposed ceiling. This is pretty nice, not intimidating.

The Food

REDD serves legit Filipino food, not just bar chow - but they've got a lot of that too. They even have regional favorites which surprised most of us because it's in the menu.

We had our drinks first, on the left is the Pina Lemonage which is a concoction of Orange Pineapple Lemonade juice done in shake form, while on the right is the Mango Cloud which is your well loved mango shake with whipped cream -  I could compare it to Mango Tango if it were dessert.

Sisig Ala Kanto - Part of their appetizers, this version of Sisig is perfect for pairing with beer. An option to slice open the chili that's put on top would be good. 

Juana Fries - Cut up sweet potato fries, fried til golden, plus the usual sauce and hearty chili on top.

Wen Manong - Chopped up Pork put on high flame, crunchy, mixed with liver and their own sauce. Tasted like a white version of Dinuguan. I loved this with white rice.

Tuna and Bangus Sisig - The lovely cooked Milk Fish shredded and deboned plus chunks of Tuna sauteed with garlic and onions, then placed on a hot plate so it could be crunchy on the bottom. It's a healthier version of the sisig, pretty good!

Grilled Tuna Belly - Thick premium slices of Tuna grilled and basted with sweet sauce, a little nutty, big and meaty. Love this with rice, another option for those who don't want pork on their plate.

Bagoong Rice - This one is good while it's hot, so make sure to put loads of it on your plate. Not too salty, just right.

Tinapa Rice - For those who want it a little smoky rice variant, try the Tinapa rice. Perfect for those fried items on their menu.

REDD's Caldereta - Lovely chunks of beef, soft potatoes, carrots, olives with heavenly tomato based sauce. This is so good I could finish this whole bowl to myself. Have this with plain white rice, super good, highly recommended!

Chicken Pork Adobo - Think of Chicken Inasal, Bagnet Pork Slices mixed in with the marinade and sauce of well loved adobo. It's easy, give in, do not hold back on the rice.

Gising Gising - Winged String Beans, Tofu squares, made a little spicy for good reasons. You can also pair this with Tinapa Rice, or the plain one, it will make you a little sweaty but totally worth it. This is also good for beer pairings.

Aligue Pasta - Best eaten when hot is this Aligue Pasta. If you're so bored by the normal res and white sauce, this would be a good competitor. It's a little on the fishy side though because of obvious reasons, a little rich too. It has tuna pieces on top to serve as meat, making it a tad healthy even after all that crab roe.

REDD's Kare Kare - Their version is a deconstructed Kare Kare. You've got the veggies, the banana heart, Bagnet Pork Slices, Chicken Inasal, and almost corned beef. Make sure you also eat this while it's hot as the thick sauce becomes too thick if you let it stay on the table for too long. Have it with the Tinapa Rice, it's rich and flavorful!

Leche Flan - Dessert option, this one's just right, not too sweet and has lime flavor on the mark.

Turon Overload - If you're a sweet tooth, try this Turon Overload. It's fried banana fritters wrapped in rice paper with jackfruit slices, cut in half and sprinkled with cinnamon. Served with Vanilla Ice Cream on the side, do I need to really convince you to order this? I guess not.

There are new places in the south that are worth the trip, this one is. They've got entertainment, privacy, the majestic sunset on Manila bay, good food and drinks. All you need to do is trek there and get it! They're at the 4th floor of Prism Plaza, Two ECOM Center in Pasay City. You may call them today at 808-76-83 and reserve for functions or events. They're open from 11am to 1am. I'm going back there very soon!

For more information about their restaurant:

REDD Eat Drink Chill

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Visit their official website

https://www.facebook.com/REDDeatdrinkchill

Baguio Brunch and Dinner Buffet on Father's Day!

If you are around Baguio City and looking for a place to celebrate Father's Day, you can make it extra special by doing it in Azalea Hotels and Residences. Their house restaurant TRADISYON serves Pinoy Comfort Food and the premise is, from the hours indicated above... all adults pay 550 but of course... the surprise is.. THE KIDS EAT FREE!

I stayed there a long time ago and am really wishing I could go back. Just sharing the news so you can get your TRADISYON experience too. Please save me some pizza, that was something I could still remember from my Baguio trip a few months ago. You should get something special for Dad while you're at it! :)

Reserve or call this number! 09199944140, remember the date June 15!

Happy Father's Day!

For more information about their hotel:

Azalea Baguio

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Visit their official website

http://www.azalea.com.ph