That Thing You'll Surely Love: Swensen's!

Have you ever dreamed of your perfect Sundae? Yeah! Those perfect scoops of premium ice cream, tons of nuts, marshmallows, slivers of your favorite fruit and oozing caramel, chocolate or strawberry syrup?! You thought that wouldn't happen in the Philippines huh?! There's now one thing that can actually make your dreams come true and they have finally arrived in the Philippines! It's SWENSEN'S!

SWENSEN'S


Swensen's was founded in 1948. It began as a small Ice Cream Store at the corner of Union & Hyde Street in San Francisco. Earle Swensen began as a small entrepreneur making ice cream from small churners in the goal to discover the best recipes using the finest ingredients available in the market. Right from the get go he made sure his success emanates from three key principles: quality, quantity and value for their money. He made a couple of flavors and cooked them all via trial and error methods; today almost 150 are available on full Swensen's Stores. Although there will be more!

Now in the Philippines!

Swensen's has continually grown over the years and they have put up branches in states like Arizona, California, Florida, Minnesota, Nevada, and Texas. They also have branches in other countries like China, India, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. The question is, why not the Philippines?!

It's time so they say but before that happened, proud owners Chito and Lizzie Guerrero of famed restaurants Grilla and The Old Spaghetti House were just touring Bangkok and saw these shops serving awesome Sundaes + food stuff and they tried it out. True enough they kept coming back for more to fulfill their fix of their own fantasy Sundaes. They wanted to bring this to the Philippines but had a lot of problems about getting the franchise then. When they got it, they were excited because they know this will be a huge hit in a tropical country such as ours. Plus they will get to experience first hand those favorite flavors they loved so much! How did it fare?! Well, let me show you something to think about... =)

First Scoop of Swensen's Philippines!

Swensen's is no ordinary ice cream shop. Unlike Philippine ice cream brands who put in tempting photos in their menu but send you mediocre servings, Swensen's give you the things photos even can't justify. It's like everything that comes out of their kitchen is a work of art! Visiting their first flagship store in Mall of Asia (South Wing beside the Department Store Entrance) we went in and ordered one of their best sellers!

Coffee and Mocha Almond

Imagine thin baked slices of almond, various nuts, banana and vanilla ice cream covered in thick luscious caramel. Saw it in the menu and immediately said yes just by looking at the ingredients. True enough when it arrived in my table it was HUGE! Remember that local store that said they serve Sundaes? You would completely forget that! Swensen's is different! Because they serve the real deal Sundae you see in the menu and price wise, I say it's even a steal given that almost everything that's on your tall glass is imported! Heck even the glass itself was imported! =) (Refrigerated too!) >>>>>>>>>>

Strawberry with real strawberry fruit bits; Vanilla that's not too sweet on a huge waffle cone with whipped cream and cherry on top. The guy writing this article can probably finish this all in a few minutes but surely you can actually share it. The servings are huge I'm tellin you!

Well if you think that ain't BIG enough, take a load of this!

Chocolate ice cream drizzled with hot fudge, oreo cookie bits, huge chunks of brownie slices, whipped cream, chocolate-dipped cherry and chocolate covered wafer. If that does not bring you to the moon and back I don't know what else could give you a CHOCO high!

Got lots of friends?! How about this!

The Earthquake!

This is what 8 scoops of premium rich ice cream looks like with choco fudge, hot fudge, butterscotch, caramel, strawberry, fruit jam, marshmallow, mixed almonds, nuts, whipped cream and cherries on top! It'll give you that earth shattering feeling you can share with friends and family! But I'm sure someone out there can finish this in one sitting! :)

Quality wise, you would never even ask about it. Just look at the meticulous training they got from regional branch partners from Thailand.

It's the best thing that happened to Sundae lovers in the metro. For sure people will flock to Swensen's and get those well loved ice cream flavors... after all there are currently 27 flavors to choose from and more soon!

If Mall of Asia is too far from you, don't despair! The Eastwood and SM Southmall branch will open sooner than you think! ;) (heard from the grapevine it'll be this October!)

Congratulations Sir Chito and Ms Lizzie Guerrero! Thank you also to Ms. Tina Hernandez, JB Bolanos and Mae Navarro for the wonderful experience in Swensen's! You've got your hands full in the next couple of months! Again, congratulations! =)

Guys, go and grab your special someone and head over to their Swensen's Mall of Asia Branch. It's above and beyond your ordinary Sundae. It's your DREAM SUNDAE! That's Swensen's!

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For more information like them on Facebook!

Swensen's Philippines

Red Fox : Truly Redefining Innovation

Red Fox has been known nationwide as the premier affordable brand for desktops, laptops, computing machines and accessories. We took an afternoon to take a look at some of the best items they have in store and check out what they have been doing these past few months. A few products have also been released in the Philippine market. It's one of the things I was excited about whilst visiting their Innovative Technologies Center in Quezon City.

Specialized Laptop units with Medical/Nursing software; the possibilities are endless with Red Fox Technologies

Since the 80's Red Fox has continually made efforts to put out its brand and technologies in very affordable rates. With their corporation concentrating in the early years in manufacturing and research for boards - computer peripherals they made necessary production systems that have high standards but made each of the quite cost effective. Just take a look at the AMD Main Board lines they have and you'll know why they've been number one since early 2000. Do you remember the Red Fox Vengeance? It was one of the noted gaming PC's in the past that was successfully launched by the same company. Computer shops were obsessed with these and the AMD processors that it came with. Graphics wise, it performed quite well with others in the mainstream market. They won numerous awards and garnered high acclaim here and abroad.

Multiuser PC's using one station. Saves power and money.

The Optima Line from Red Fox, Laptop units at a fraction of the cost

Today, they are steadily penetrating the market with new releases like the Red Fox Wizbook, Optima, Vengeance EVO (second generation Vengeance) and the Wizpad (which uses Windows7). Anyone who wants to also save a lot from purchasing units for educational purposes should try and get the WIZStation which can accommodate 10 users. They've got you covered!

WizPad


The WizPad looks very promising. Imagine running several software applications 0n this tablet since you can easily do it on Windows7. It also can boot up on Android as an option too. I'll get you in on the details when I do my review for this ingenious competitor for the tablet market. Watch out for that!

AMD Processors

They gave us a short peek at the new products from AMD. The best retail gaming and entertainment processor impressed us with better memory switching technologies and its utilization of discreet GPU. It's something never even thought of being used in the past but now they will be releasing more models that can make this work through AMD Dual Graphics technology. GPU is utilized so that the processing speed would be pumped up to almost 120%. Just think about overclocking... ooh that and your gaming addiction, this is bliss!

If you are ready for a high-definition gaming experience, do it with AMD Radeon HD 6870 graphics processors.

By the first week of October they will launch 6 and 8 core processors. That's something to look forward to in their AMD Client PC platforms. AMD FX is the only 8 core CPU processor available in the Philippines. It is the only one that can support the directx11 enabled graphics card. AMD btw is also being used by its competitors but they just don't disclose it on manufactured laptops and desktops. If the GPU is significantly good for them to even use it, you should get the obvious. So the next time you think about boards and processors to use, make sure it's AMD.

Gigabyte Motherboards, 8 phase power VRM design with Dual Power Switching Technology. Tech geeks just drooled on this one. I'd like to test this out soon.

Watch out on this site reviews about the WIZPad and other Red Fox Devices. This is going to be good. We're gonna pit this together with the performance of the IPAD2 and tell you how it fares.

*/ Asiantechnologies is the distributor of AMD products in the Philippines and they have launched AMD Radeon dual graphics and AMD client PC platforms.

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For more information please visit their website


http://www.redfoxtechnologies.com

Old Vine: Divine!

When you try and think of a special place to take your friends, family and loved one you stare at a wall and wish there was somewhere you can immediately take them to. These days fine dining restaurants charge an arm and a leg then serve mediocre food which would end up either in a doggy bag or worse a garbage dump. In this day and age you don't usually get what you pay for but I'd like to recommend this one where I usually take my bosses from the US so you'd stay classy yet affordable. It's a place where celebrities also frequently dine, it's something divine!

Where do you ask? It's at Old Vine!

Green Mango, Watermelon, Ripe Mango and Pineapple

For starters, we had a couple of fruit shakes prepared for us. It was fresh and not too sweet, it'll give you that refreshing feeling at each sip. It was the perfect accompaniment to what we were about to consume that evening. The dining experience just started a notch higher!

Foie Gras Salad (750, 1150)

The Foie gras salad was definitely sinful, I suggest you get it and share. Probably neat to break it off with more balsamic vinegar so the acidity can do its job. It was so rich and smoky from the searing. You'll definitely love this! If you want to indulge, go ahead and get it to start off the meal.

Tessie Tomas Salad (350, 680)

The Tessie Tomas salad was designed for the celebrity with the same name. She is a regular and they dedicated this to her. True enough; it lived up to its name! It's salmon, mushroom, greens and shrimp combination plus tangy dressing was just right to start the dinner. It was pretty festive and probably would need second servings. This is a must try!

Steak and Shrimp

The Steak and shrimp looks divine. The premise of a surf and turf inside this fine dining restaurant was surprising; specially if the shrimp in this case was prepared gambas style so it has a little kick. Wedges of potatoes give you that filling factor for those who don't watch their carbs!

Steak Tagalog - Filipino Version of Steak

It's not the normal run of the mill beef steak but a version of bistek tagalog using a US grade flank of steak. It's got that salty - soy flavor with a hint of calamansi and slices of onions sauteed in oil. Just get yourself 2 servings of rice and it's a done deal! :)

Old Vine Pasta

It's Fettuccine smothered into a tomato - veggie based sauce called pangritata and a couple of prawns. How can you go wrong with this number?! The tangy mildly spicy sauce and the scrumptious prawns are heaven on earth. It is good for sharing if you have other things to eat aside from this. It's also best eaten while hot.

Stir-Fried Seafood Paella

Comfort food. I imagine eating a hot serving of this while watching my favorite TV show reruns while raining. The rice was a little al dente and the meat had me love it even more. The egg slices makes it a very creamy consistency when mixed in, it's something nice to to look forward to when you want something warm.

Steak and Escargot

Following that surf and turf tradition this is another good rendition of a steak dish. The salty- not so fishy escargot bits played well with the steak. The steak was soft and seared outside just the way I like it - a little rare and still pink inside. It's served with potato wedges like the other steak dishes in the menu and can stand on it's own. I didn't know a pairing like this would be nice. Maybe a beer or red wine would suffice to get us on a roll! I can still remember how it made my mouth water!

Beef Salpicao Fried Rice (230, 395)

For the spice loving Filipino here's another offering from Old Vine. This is their Beef Salpicao Fried Rice. It's on the hot - savory side so if you want a different way to have your rice taken this is the perfect dish. This is way different from adobo rice and more on the sweet side. If you want something sweet spicy and savory this is the way to go!

Baked Cream Dory (450)

Just imagine Angel Hair Pasta rolled around pesto topped with a baked cream dory filled with mushrooms smothered with cheesy garlic sauce. It's pretty on the plate and even more beautiful on the palate. I loved this dish and people didn't even want to touch it because it was so nice on the plate. Maybe a little white wine together with this wouldn't hurt.

Lamb Shank in Pinot Noir (550)

If you are not much of a steak person you can opt for the lamb shank in pinot noir or red wine reduction. It's laid in a bed of mashed potatoes and buttered veggies. If you like something concentrated for the sauce this is like a sweet-slightly bitter reduction of the red wine so if you are drinking something like it this is a stronger version of it. The meat just falls off the bones and reminiscent of a rustic European dish.

Baby Back Ribs - American Favorites Barbecue

Even if this was a slab of meat on the table, it literally was non existent after a few minutes. This was a crowd favorite to say the least and I love how it was so soft and sweet. If I had something to eat in this restaurant in one sitting THIS WOULD BE IT. It's just one of their best sellers but I'm telling you if you go there and don't order this, you'll be sorry!

Banana Langka Crepe

If it's time for the sweet things, this would not disappoint you. You might mistake it for crem brulee but once you spoon it off you would taste that hot cooked banana and langka. Soft and foamy, this would be good for kids who like fruits in their dessert.

Ube Cheesecake

There are imitations and here's the real thing. This ube cheesecake is heavenly! Just look at how it's plated, perfect for something very yummy! The star in this one is the dense purple yam cheesecake and if you don't mind me finishing this up for you I'd gladly do!

Chocolate Fondue

It's fun and made for a group! Did you know that in Scandinavian countries you can't let a morsel fall on the fondue because if you do you would have to kiss the one beside you? It's a perfect date ploy so you can get that first kiss hehe now that's an excuse they can't resist! :) Make sure on your first date you get one of these!

The steaks and all its concepts are all by Larry Cortez and Chef Mauro. You'll actually see that listed on their menu. They got these all from testing a couple of recipes before they put up the restaurant. It's nothing that I've seen so far in other fine dining establishments so I suggest you check out The Old Vine Grille one of these days.

And by the way I wasn't joking when I said there were celebrities in Old Vine, look who dropped by for their Tessie Tomas Salad fix!

Husband and wife Jean- Christophe and Gladys Reyes - Sommereux was there and they were SO NICE! I'm a fan of her show and it was really nice of her to say hi. Now do you still have any inhibitions on what to choose the next time you go out and dine with your family? friends? loved ones? There's one restaurant in my mind and that's OLD VINE!

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Like them on Facebook!

Old Vine

Like their other restaurants too!

KUSE, Beurre Blanc, Chef's Quarter (Megamall Branch), Chefs' Quarter (Malate Branch), Old Vine Mckinley, Uncle Cheffy

Call 02-7065573 for reservations. Their store is located at Unit 119, Level 1, Eastwood Mall, Eastwood City Cyberpark, E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. Quezon City.

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read All About It! 63 SCOOPS OF ICE CREAM FREE!

Have you heard the NEWS???

Tomorrow will be the start of something good. Something you LOVE has definitely arrived into Philippine shores. It's SWENSEN'S! In celebration of their 63rd Anniversary they will be awarding 63 lucky customers tomorrow (September 15, 2011) the chance to win 63 free scoops of ice cream that they can consume for one whole year! One scoop per visit ain't that bad for the Filipino sweet tooth so make sure you order first at their flagship store in SM Mall of Asia.

Line up and get counted!

First one thousand customers also would receive special coupons that they would be able to use every 500 peso purchase to get them something special from the menu (hint: Strawberry Stripes, Nuts and Mocha) so make sure once it opens tomorrow you line up and get that Sundae everyone's been talking about!

You thought you had a Sundae from someone here in the Philippines? You haven't seen the best yet! So come and get your PERFECT SUNDAE only at SWENSEN'S!

SWENSEN'S is located at the SM Mall of Asia South Wing right beside the Department Store Entrance. Just look for the huge SWENSEN'S Sign! You won't miss it!

P.S.

I'll show you how SWENSEN'S made my PERFECT SUNDAE too! Watch out for that!


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For more information LIKE THEM ON FACEBOOK!

Swensen's Philippines

*Photos courtesy of Swensen's Philippines Facebook Page!