The AVIDA Food Hunt

It's a hot weekend afternoon in Makati and what better way to enjoy it but by having a Avida Food Hunt. This is organized by Avida and hosted by Chef JJ Yulo who does food events professionally.

We went off to our first location which is Titania located west of Makati. It's also a stones throw away from Avida's Asten project. 

As you can see, Titania is a mecca for all kinds of wines, a variety of cheeses and savory cold cuts that can rival any deli internationally. During the tour, we were treated with a wine tasting class by its owner. 

You get to also have a little more than the usual knowledge about wines and their classifications. Sweetness, acidity, aroma, you'll know the complexities of the things you have in wine glasses. Sort of a Wine tasting 101 which is pretty edicational. The full course usually takes 3 hours and we got a compressed version. Still learned a lot! The place also accepts walk ins and drive bys if you want to get a bottle or case for your parties. Balbec White Wine from Argetina was recommended by Joe Meneses who owns the joint. Chef Renee (Le Cordon Bleu) can even customize your food according to your budget. I'm already am excited to see what's next!

Thao and Ahn Ngo owns one of the best places in Sandwich History. Their establishment is called Bon Bahn Mi (Vietnamese Sandwiches). They are located at 8390 Mayapis Street San Antonio Village in Makati. I almost bought a franchise because DAMN! Their sandwiches are SO GOOD! 

It's truly authentic as they have the freshest ingredients. The bread, pate, and pickled vegetables were to die for. They are after all, real deal Vietnamese so it doesn't get any authentic than that. Their prices too are dirt cheap as less than a hundred pesos per piece that could feed 2-3 people in one sitting. Their artichoke iced tea is also a good pair for any sandwich coming out of their counter. The bread they use can change your life. I highly recommend it! 

Next on our trip! 

This is 8065 Bagnet. It's located at 8065 Estrella corner Tanguile Streets in Makati. It's pretty popular already with locals and groupies. It's also owned by the family of Kitchie Nadal. Their bagnet is soft but crunchy on its skin. They also have Kare Kareng Bagnet that might rival the original. I soooo love their bagnet that I had 3 cups of rice in a few minutes. Do not leave Makati without it!

Don't tell me I didn't tell you to stay because you'll regret it!

Next we headed to Mao Jian Hunan Cuisine.

I already reviewed this place back when they were still in Ronac Center. Now, they are in a better location that's even VERY close to the Chinese embassy so it's normal for you to see mainland people eating here. 

Their specialty:

This humongous piece of hotness is their Spicy Fish Head. Don't worry because they can customize it's spice level according to your taste. They also have other items on the menu which you can call recipes from Northern China. Pretty spectacular food in this joint of course! 

You can also try their Chili Chicken or Hot and Sour Spicy Cabbage (which I love!) for some variety.

The small shop has VIP rooms for those who want a more private dining experience. The restaurant is located at Bagtikan Street, Makati City. For authentic Hunan cuisine, this is the place you should go visit! Hot hot hot! :)

Then we had desserts! 

BEBE ROUGE Patisserie is located at Sacred Heart Street San Antonio Village Makati. It is right beside Hatchin Grocery that's popular among Japanese nationals. It's best seller and my favorite is this STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE!

It was as good as what I had last night. I swore a little when I tasted it because it's so awesome I had to have seconds! Other items on the counter would just get your mouth water!

All of these stores are actually located in San Antonio Village area which means you can walk to these places on foot with ease. It's also near the AVIDA Asten site which means people who bought the property are so LUCKY! Now, you can actually try the AVIDA FOOD HUNT to get a feel how to live amongst those who already have condominium units by signing up on the AVIDA LAND Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/AvidaLandPH) or visiting their Avida Showroom at the 2nd Floor Glorietta 4. They will choose lucky ones to go with them so please say hi and check out the details there!

Ciao! 

KUMAGCOW

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A Peek at Sofitel Manila's Club Millesime

The memories come crashing back to me when I saw this sign. It gives me fond memories of what I've experienced during my stay in Sofitel Manila. I was so happy to have been able to experience their lounge services in Club Millesime.This is a deal breaker if you're still thinking why you shouldn't go ahead and book a room or two in Sofitel Manila; because in my books, other hotels just don't have it.

We were greeted with warm smiles upon entering the space located at the 10th Floor of Sofitel Manila. It was just a few steps away from our room which faces the grand Manila Bay and Sofitel's own Lagoon. I had my eyes already set on the table I wanted to be in but it was raining outside so we can't go al fresco. These lovely ladies and the other staff members of Club Millesime didn't make us wait at all and proceeded to escort us to our table.

Who wouldn't want to be seen with them right? Aside from that, we were delighted to see they've already set up our table that afternoon. It was cozy!

They are open the whole day for refreshments but make special arrangements for Breakfast, Late Afternoon Snack and evening wine/cocktails. The place is classy and they'd appreciate you to dress a bit for kicks. It's also got its own private library lounge where you can probably hold small chats/meetings if you need it.
 

 

Plus they've got an impressive spread of pastries, cold cuts, hors d'oeuvres which can even impress the most discriminating palate. I love the variety of cookies they had that morning and of course the yummy sandwiches, bagels and smoked salmon that came with it.

 It felt like royalty when they suddenly put this on our table. It's warm, freshly baked bread that I had to pair up with cold butter and a load of this!

From Apricot, Blueberry, Strawberry and Orange Marmalade they've got all the Jams you love that's oh so good! I had to close my eyes too every time I took a bite off the croissant! =)

They've also got freshly brewed coffee that's all frothy and neat. Add a huge amount of cream and it's my kind of cup. This was just heavenly!

They also had salads in the afternoon which I splurged on. I like greens, mostly the peppery ones. They also had different kind of hams and cold cuts plus a variety of salad dressings that could go with anything you put on the plate. Mine had Bleu Cheese and Mustard. Weird for you perhaps, but perfect for me!

Sink your teeth into these delightful marshmallows which you can dip into chocolate or orange melted on candle light. I love fondues! It's my guilty pleasure! I was surprised to also find out that their marshmallows are pretty damn good. Their pastry chef and staff might be really thinking of good ways to serve these. Amazing!

I had around 10 glasses of Sweet, Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice and wanted to have some more if I weren't that full. I loved to stay and take a couple of hours here if I didn't had to go to another event. =)

Business travelers would find it quite easy to use the Club Millesime's Mac computers for internet use. The lounge chairs can be your go to place if you need to relax and watch shows in their wide screen LED TV's. You'll love the culture of French reception as they show you their whole entourage in serving exquisite food, wine, art and services. Oh they'll even ask you how you would want your eggs to be cooked. Mine had Mushroom and cheese on it. It's too pretty to eat!

Don't forget to try dining or having lunch al fresco because Club Millesime has got some awesome views of Manila Bay and the sides of Manila's cultural centers. If it wasn't for the typhoon I would have preferred that. =) Maybe then after all that lovely thing you had for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner you can get started on your magnifique day in Sofitel Manila and their awesome Club Millesime.

For what it's worth, this would come with the room you can reserve through http://www.sofitelmanila.com. Just ask specifically for rates that already come with perks like Club Millesime. You won't regret it because it's like having your own small version of Spiral which I'll tell you about soon. Perhaps if you would avail a room or two you won't need to stare at my food photos too much, please stop drooling and do it! You deserve this treat! You've been working hard anyway! =)

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Buddha Bar Means Business: Lunch That Is!

I've been to Buddha Bar in Makati a couple of times now and it's nothing but absolute poshness in one place and I can't believe there's such a thing in the Philippines. From it's impeccable interiors and grandioso bar, couches, private rooms and dining tables.. it's something that I always want to be in every time I'm within the district. Nothing can match this place when it comes to food too and I've had a glimpse of that during business lunch a couple of days ago. I had to have my favorites too because this is heaven... just take a look at this!

I had the signature Buddha Bar Iced Tea first because they know this is my favorite... did you know this one is served around the world? Buddha Bar has restaurants in Paris, Dubai, Monte Carlo, Keiv and this one in Manila... everything in it is pre approved by management in Paris so you are sure you're only getting the best if you are in Buddha Bar.

I was here specifically for this, to try out the BUSINESS LUNCH which they are offering now. Judging from the menu, it was all special and I couldn't wait to see the soups and main course which kinda tickled my fancy.

Executive Chef Soc Santos even appeared to take care of logistics and explained the menu. She took time telling us how this is the perfect marriage of Asian flavors and French flare. It triggers emotions, it can make you fall in love. This is a business lunch but it definitely brought more than just that.

Case in point:

This is Mushroom Cappuccino. It was a warm afternoon but it was cold inside Buddha Bar, it was just the right amount of warmth I was expecting to have for lunch. The foam made the soup quite light. The soup itself had bits of mushroom and because of it, it had a very earthy flavor all throughout. Dark, thick, but must be taken hot so you can appreciate how it is just as Chef Soc wants you to experience it. 

This one is the Salad Mesclun with Tropical Fruits. Fresh, a combination of crunchy veggies, leafy greens and sweet fruits and drizzled with light oil based dressing and balsamic vinegar. I wanted this whole bowl on my own but you can definitely have this shared. Pretty basic looking but this is a hit with me.

Take a look at this.... the Butterflied Salmon Fillet. It's slowly caramelized the Salmon meat while on the grill then served with a side of Teppanyaki Sauce placed on a bed of Asian Cream Pasta and a few pieces o snow peas. This is so comforting. Do I really need to convince you to order this one? LOL

This is my favorite among those that were served that afternoon. This is the Chinese Style Chicken. This is also said to be the owner's favorite. I couldn't blame him why. It's juicy, crunchy and had good flavor. The noodles that came with it, was superb! I don't eat noodles on regular occasions but this one was AWESOME I even had to have more!

There's no iconic snack than old Fish and Chips in the UK and what better way to present something western but putting in your own Asian touch with the fish in the center and a serving of spuds on the side cut up au naturelle. I love the combination and it was served so piping hot I felt like I was in the British district. A splash of lemon on the crunchy batter oh don't get me started. Loved it!

Tempura Wok Fried Vegetables had all the crunch and all the nutritious treats you want in one plate. Healthy, not that oily and very filling without the guilt. It's something I'd like my lady to have if on a date. I guess if she's not a steak person this is definitely worth it!