Wrong Ramen, it's so right!

Wrong Ramen
by: Brian Ong

Wrong Ramen is one of the must try ramen places in Manila. Not only does it offer mouth watering ramen concoctions you would crave for, it also offers a sleek ambiance you would wish it was the interiors of your own pad.

Going back to the mouth watering ramen concoctions, Wrong Ramen's Tonkotsu Ramen is something that would blow your mind with its rich, deep and milky pork bone broth, served with sliced pork chashu that melts in your mouth. For me, this seals the deal!

If you love something spicy, the classic Tantanmen Ramen is for you. It is made of a bold sesame broth with ground pork and shredded chashu. What's there not to love about this spicy heaven in a bowl?

If you are looking for an appetizer, try Wrong Ramen's Chicken Akuma, Japanese fried chicken in asian buffalo sauce. It is sprinkled with sesame and gives a kick in every bite. 

Something different but breaks the taste of your food is their Sweet Potato Iced Tea. Yes you read it right. It has a hint of taste of that of a sweet potato but it is also sweet and refreshing. A must try! :)

For Wrong Ramen's menu, check out the photo below.

Wrong Ramen
Burgos Circle, 1634 Fort Bonifacio
+63 2 823 8249

Brian Ong: Sweet Patti Cakes by Patti Grandidge-Herrera

Sweet Patti Cakes by Patti Grandidge-Herrera
by: Brian Ong

One of the more reliable go-to places to buy exceptionally good comfort food (and in my opinion, best desserts) are the kitchens and stores of the home-cooks and home-bakers. These "kitchentreprenurs," have a high standard for quality and taste, and are usually teeming with passion for their creations. That is why when I get to find them, I make sure to share these great finds to my friends.

One highly recommended recent find is that of Patti Grandidge-Herrera's Sweet Patti Cakes, which offers premium home-baked creatively designed cupcakes and treats that would tickle your taste buds and other senses. 

"No one can resist a box of playfully sweet and utterly enchanting cupcakes," its website describes of their heavenly cakes in a cup. Truly, with 12 existing flavors to choose from, you are taken into a play of taste and flavors, which marries well, and would not disappoint.

Recently, I chances upon Patti's Instagram post of a creatively designed cupcake topper, made especially for dog lovers like herself. Her dog, Truffles, was also celebrating her 3rd month birthday. I wanted to do the same for my mini dachshund, Kiwi, who, back then, was also celebrating her 6th month birthday. 

I messaged Patti right away because besides the fact that I really wanted to try her cupcakes for the longest time then, it was a timely treat for Kiwi. :)

Finally, when the box of Sweet Patti Cakes arrived in my office, I was excited to bring it home to Kiwi! Look how she was when she saw the treats. But more importantly, Kiwi's owners had the best time eating all the yummy cupcakes.

Now, Patti just released three new additional flavors of Sweet Patti Cakes (Vanilla Vanilla, Vanilla Chip, and Vanilla Royale) in celebration of her three delicious cupcake making years, satisfying every customer and cupcake lover coming her way.

Do check out Sweet Patti Cakes Website and Facebook page for more details and how to order.

Brian Ong: A Bite of the Sandwich King

A Bite of the Sandwich King
by: Brian Ong

Who would have thought I would be meeting the Sandwich King himself, Jeff Mauro, the winner of the Food Network Star's 7th season, and the host of Sandwich King on Food Network (US/Asia). The other night, I had the chance to talk to him in a private function, together with other food bloggers.

We were introduced to the Sandwich King, and the premiere of a new season of his show. We also had some lessons on how Jeff "makes any meal into a sandwich and any sandwich into a meal." It is not just putting meat in between two slices of breads, but it also takes some consideration on color, texture and imagination.

He's such a character beyond his sandwich making skills. He's down to earth, entertaining and creative. He definitely knows how to capture his audience, that's probably why he became successful in bringing mouthwatering and tasty sandwich meals and an awesome show together.

After showing us a few tricks up his sleeves, we were able to do and replicate some sandwich creations he made. This is my version of his Brisket Sandwich with Smoked Mozzarella. Slow cooked juicy beef brisket, red cabbage slaw, onions, several slices of homemade smoked mozzarella, with mustard. With carrot cranberry salad on the side. I would prefer this in between a baguette or sourdough, but all in all, it's an amazing bite! Try it :)

Catch Jeff Mauro's The Sandwich King, Wednesdays, 8pm on the Food Network, brought to you by Cignal. Be sure to watch the Season 3 premiere this June 19, 8pm. Jeff also appears on $24 in 24, premiering on Food Network Asia in the 4th quarter of 2013.

Yummy Magazine: March 2012

YUMMY magazine celebrates fifth anniversary with an all-new look

Say hello to the fresh new look of YUMMY magazine this March! Following the introduction of new sections and columns, YUMMY puts the final touches on its makeover as the pages in the fifth anniversary special are revitalized and injected with a more energetic vibe to better enhance your reading and cooking experience.

“It’s a new look, yes, but you’ll also see that we’ve upheld the YUMMY approach that has been appealing to you all these years. The recipes are still easy and friendly, the tips plentiful, and the ideas creative and inspiring,” says YUMMY editor-in-chief Becky Kho in her editor’s note.

Aside from the added features and the brand new look of the magazine, readers can also look forward to YUMMY’s annual food business features this month. The issue is packed with inspirational stories of Filipino entrepreneurs who have introduced their own homegrown brands to the market.

Food entrepreneurs Katrina Ponce-Enrile of Delimondo, Mary Grace Dimacali of Café Mary Grace, and Peter Chen and Juliet Herrera of Serenitea show you how you can make that big leap to entrepreneurship. Be inspired by their success stories and learn how you can turn your own fascination with food into a business.

Plus, YUMMY gives you a primer on bottling, which covers preparing containers for long-term preserving and proper canning techniques. Learn also how you can make your own spreads, jams, and condiments, all in this month’s issue.

Classic Cuisine at Summit Circle Cebu Hotel

I recently stayed at the newly refurbished Summit Circle Cebu Hotel (previously Cebu Midtown Hotel) along Fuente Osmena Cicle in Cebu City. The hotel's cafe/restaurant is now managed by C2 Classic Cuisine Philippines of the Cravings. It's the first out-of-Manila venture of the group, and they placed C2 Classic Cuisine which served really nicely done Filipino food in Cebu. Let's see how the Cebuanos will like the restaurant.



After checking in we were treated to a nice dinner, with a menu specially made for us. But before that we were served these appetizers or treats. There was the... Boneless Chicken Stew Supreme Vol Au Vent,



Bruschetta of Spicy Sausage with Mozzarella,



Brazilian Beef and Cheese Quesadilla,



They also served this Skewer of grape, olive, cubed cheese with a pomelo-liquer sauce, Seafood Brochette, and some desserts.



For the menu prepared for us, first up was the Molo Soup C2 Style, which was my actual favorite in Classic Cuisine. The soup's just yummy, and the molo just tender and melts in your mouth.


Another star of the night was the C2 Crispy Kare-Kare, think Crispy Pata and Kare-Kare sauce and Bagoong. The combination of all 3 is just the bomb! :)



They served the Lumpiang Hubad next, which should be vegetables wrapped in lumpia or spring rolls wrapper, but this time around, all the vegetables were exposed and served on a plate, while the wrapper was deep fried.



The Seared Tilapia in Coconut Emulsion sauce is another bestseller in C2 Classic Cuisine Manila. If you're looking for something seafood or fish to try, this is a must. The Seafood Inasal is another seafood dish which is good if you want a variety of seafood in a dish.



For dessert we were served the leche flan, which was so creamy and it melts really well in your mouth. It's just the way I want my flan. Another dessert was their famous Bibingka Souffle, which crumbles just right, and if paired with the sauce, it tastes like heaven.



C2 Classic Cuisine Philippines's newest out of town branch is located at the Summit Circle Cebu Hotel lobby at the 4th floor of the building, Cebu City.

Malagos Farmhouse's Blue Pepato Cheese

Olive Puentespina of the Malagos Farmhouse in Davao City has been producing cheeses using cow and goat milk for the past six or so years. Her products - Blue Pepato, Aged Pepato, Fromage frais, Chevre, and other gourmet cheeses and products that are "natural, farm fresh from their gardens, and prepared by caring hands."



I was able to try Malagos Farmhouse's Blue Pepato cheese thanks to Director Art Boncato, Eden, and our friends from our Tourism Office in Davao. It's mildly aged cow's milk cheese with whole green pepper corn. Available in approximately 130g tumblers.



I tried scraping off some of the cheese and placed it on top of my spaghetti/pasta. It was really good :) I think Filipinos aren't that acquainted with different kinds of cheeses. I, for one, just had Blue Pepato the first time. I never knew there was such a thing before.

Also, I don't know if these kinds of cheeses are for everyone given that they're aged and fermented, and do not really smell that good. But frankly, I do not care because it tastes good to me. We should have more cheese appreciation opportunities.

Malagos Farm is a sprawling, eight-hectare property in the Baguio District of Davao City. At an elevation of 375 meters above sea level, it is the ideal location for growing the most breathtaking Vandas, Dendrobiums, Mokaras, Oncidium Grower Ramsey, and Phalaenopsis, as well as exotic landscape plants. It produces approximately 20,000 dozen sprays of Oncidium Grower Ramsey and 60,000 dozen inflorescences of Dendrobiums. Adjacent to the farm is the family’s famous Malagos Garden Resort, which serves as a hotel, park, function area, and public stage where the family can share its love and knowledge of indigenous Philippine flora, and, occasionally, even the country’s rich avian life.

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf opens at One Archer's Place near DLSU Manila

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf comes to One Archer’s Place on Fidel Reyes St. near De La Salle University (DLSU), along Taft Avenue in Manila. The new The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf shop opened its doors to its first customers yesterday, January 30, "serving everyone with their full selection of internationally-acclaimed signature blends and gourmet treats and dishes."

In line with its debut, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® branch in One Archer’s Place will be holding a special promotion that will coincide with DLSU’s 100th year celebration. During the promo period that will run from its opening day till February 05, 2012, customers can come to the store from 12:30 to 1:30 in the afternoon and purchase any of their favorite drinks for only Php 100.

“Manila is a good market for us,” shares Walden Chu, President of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®. “A place that’s right in the center of a burgeoning coffee culture in the country, this new branch will not only compliment the busy lifestyle of people in the area, it will also make it easier for more to enjoy the specialty drinks that our brand is known for.”

The One Archer’s Place store will be located near prominent establishments around DLSU and will cater mostly to students and young professionals working and living in the vicinity. In addition, it will serve as a haven for both cult-like followers of the brands as well as coffee and tea aficionados of all sorts.

The White Hat Creamy Cioccolato

Want a new experience for enjoying HOT CHOCOLATE? Instead of having it made for you, you can have fun blending your own hot chocolate with The White Hat’s new DRINK called THE WHITE HAT CIOCCOLATO.

You will be given THE WHITE HAT SPOON encased in a block of premium chocolate. Then, they will warm a cup of milk for you so you can slowly melt the chocolate into the milk and smell the rich aroma before savoring the oh-so-delicious and REAL HOT CHOCOLATE. SPOON, STIR, SIP -- It’s truly an experience worth waiting in line for.

The White Hat can be found at these Metro Manila Outlets:

Glorietta 3
Robinson’s Place Ermita
Robinson’s Galleria
Rustan’s Makati
Shangri-La Mall
SM Fairview – Annex 2
SM North Edsa – Annex Bldg.
Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street

Saint's Alp Teahouse

It was my first time to try Saint's Alp Teahouse. I brought my family to Saint's Alp Katipunan, located right above the Fullybooked branch along Katipunan Avenue, in front of Ateneo. I have been really curious about this place, as I have tried other milk tea and tea stores which have taken Manila by storm, and sprouted like mushrooms everywhere you look. Lucky for tea lovers like myself, we have a lot of options to choose from.



Saint's Alp Teahouse has a nicely decorated interior, which provides comfy seats and great ambiance. It isn't just a tea shop, because it also offers a variety of food and beverage items for customers to choose from (which is also good, come to think of it).




And since I had Php 1000 gift certificate to use that night, I browsed through a very long menu, and decided to order these for the family to try:



We ordered the 2 Taiwanese Breaded Chops (Chicken and Pork) with Marinated Minced Pork add ons (Php 195 + Php 60 = Php 255): Quite honestly, I like the chicken better than the pork. The chicken chops were okay, but with the minced pork combined, it was good and filling. We also got a Large Chicken Breast (Php 110) to add on to the chops.



An all time Filipino breakfast favorite, the Beef Tapa w/ Garlic Rice & Egg (Php 195), I think, was the better choice. The tapa was soft, tasty, and flavorful.



For cheese lovers, you might want to try their Cheesy Tempura Balls (Php 90), which is a good appetizer. Watch out for the oozing hot cheese, if you don't want to scald your tongue. It's fried cheese in light tempura batter.



A must try off their menu is the Matcha (half-and-half) Peanut Butter Toast with Tea (Php 90). Matcha flavor and peanut butter with honey green tea equals perfect combination. The toast is a perfect snack, combined with a perfect hot tea, which is flavorful.




The drinks reminded me why the place is called a teahouse. Surely, I can say that the beverage is good. As for drinks, we got the Almond Milk Tea (Php 115) and Blueberry Double Chocolate Sorbies (Php 130). The almond milk tea is a refreshing taste, something different from what I have tasted so far. I think it's good for almond lovers, or those who want the tea taste hidden. The Blueberry Double Chocolate Sorbies is one of the best iced blended drinks you should try in Saint's Alp. Who would have imagined blueberry and chocolate (double) actually works. It's a little sweet for my taste though, other than that it's a perfect cooler!



Last, but definitely not the least. This is the star of the night. The best drink I have tasted in Saint's Alp Teahouse. It's actually not a tea-based drink, but it's great for coffee lovers, like myself. Sumiyaki Coffee with Coffeeagar (Php 150). Really good strong coffee with coffee jelly on ice. Yummy! :)



Saint's Alp Teahouse
2/F Regis Center, 327 Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City
G/F Forbeswood Parklane, Rizal Drive, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Tel#: 990-2194 (Katipunan), 478-7135 (Fort Branch)
http://www.saintsalp.com.hk/

Yummy celebrates 5th with a "fresh start"

YUMMY magazine is celebrating a milestone this year as 2012 marks their fifth anniversary. To kick off their year long celebration, YUMMY is introducing new columns and sections. Editor-in-chief Becky Kho says, “YUMMY is expected to be a more fun, helpful, useful cooking and dining companion for you.”

With the addition of new pages, YUMMY now boasts of a meatier content. Guest Chef is a new section where readers can get to know the cooking style of a noteworthy personality each month. Another is the Yummy Likes! which features YUMMY editors’ current best picks of their favorite food, drinks, and restaurants in the country.

The Everyday Recipes section is now given an upgrade with the addition of more baon ideas using five ingredients only. Plus, YUMMY also trains the spotlight each month to local artisans who are living out their passions in their Making It page.

Readers can also expect more surprises in the coming months. Kho adds, “Content is not only the only aspect of the magazine we’re making better. In our next issue, we will also unveil the all-new look of YUMMY.”

The January-February issue of YUMMY is also a healthy issue which features homegrown products and local superfoods guaranteed to improve your lifestyle, help you make the right food choices, and achieve a balanced and healthy diet.

YUMMY is available at newsstands, bookstores, and supermarkets nationwide. For more of YUMMY online, visit www.yummy.ph.

Photo courtesy of Yummy Magazine. :)

Corniche at Diamond Hotel

My officemates and I celebrated the season with a lunch at Diamond Hotel's newest restaurant, Corniche, located at the hotel's lobby level days before Christmas. My verdict: The food selection is quite impressive, with my favorite part, the desserts, being really divine and really sinfully good.

Cream of Mushroom
Appetizer: Salad plating
Japanese Selection: Sushi, etc.
Main Course: Seafoods, Steak and Chinese
Corniche is proud of its beautifully appointed facilities, elegant interiors, cuisines of the world and impeccable service. It offers an exceptional breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet spread and an extensive all-day a la carte menu. Corniche's lunch buffet menu showcases a combination of "Asian, Western, Japanese, salad, and dessert stations, all meticulously prepared by culinary experts."

Desserts Part 1: Cake and Dessert Shooters
Desserts Part 2: Creme Brulee and Chocolate Truffles
Truffles and Green Tea White Chocolate Ice Cream
Candies
Corniche is open from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm, daily.

Merry Christmas! Remember, "Food tastes best when shared." - Brian Ong