Box Park Manila

Weekends call for food trips with your loves. And last Saturday was made more special because I got the spend it with one of my closest friends since high school!

Since she's staying in Novaliches, Box Park sounded like a good and accessible place to hang and eat. I've read a lot of hype about the place and my tastebuds had me curious to try their offerings. I particularly craved for the Churros.

We got there quite early (3:30 PM), as most of the stores are still closed or have just opened and not yet catering to orders. >.<

     

 

We went around the stalls and ordered what we fancied. Me and the hubby tried the Bacon Cheese Burger (Php 160) from Boxyard 101 and the Beans and Bullets (Php 155) from Colonel Franks. I was so eager to order from Cajita, unfortunately, they had just opened shop, so the oil still needed to reach the proper temperature needed to fry the churros. I was told that they would accept orders by 4:30 PM. I got 2 orders of the 4-pc churros (Php 99 ea) with chocolate dip.

Kate, Jay and Kurt ordered the T-Bone Steak (Php 170) from Boxyard 101, The Cheesy Bacon Fries (Php 150) and Chili Cheese Fries (Php 150) from The Fry Guys, Quesodilla (Php 95) from Plaza de Taqueria and Nacho Supreme (Php 140) from Porkfolio.

The Bacon Cheese Burger was nice, and hubby liked it because the meat was flavorful. I also agreed with his sentiment on this. My only dislike was that there was just too many sesame seeds on the bun.

 

The Cheesy Bacon Fries was packed with flavor and also you get a bit of entertainment when this is served. The mozzarella cheese topping will be melted in front of you, using a handheld torch.

As amusing as it is, you might need to eat your fries fast, since it becomes soggy a few minutes after the cheese is melted.

The Beans and Bullets was a very sad item... Hubby said the hotdog/sausage tasted like longganisa. I strongly disagreed since it was really flavorless for me. To add to the disappointment, the chili con carne also lacked in flavor...

The Nachos and Steak were just average in taste. The Quesodilla is another sad story. The filling was just too thin and tasted like The Sandwich Guys' Grilled Cheese Sandwich...

Last but not least, the Churros from Cajita. Me and hubby have already tried a bunch of churros places, and we probably know a good from a bad one. Our current favorites are the ones from Churreria La Lola and Don Churros. Reading about Cajita made me look forward to trying it, the result, disappointment...

To start of, the churros was quite heavy as opposed to the light batter from La Lola. It was also not generously rolled into sugar. To add to it, the chocolate dip was bland, it was too diluted and close to losing any trace of chocolate. In all honesty, we would rather have Don's Original Churros from Fisher Mall than this. I also computed the cost of having La Lola vs Cajita, and La Lola would actually come out to be cheaper, given the size and quality of what you'll get. Our verdict, not going back here again.

 

It's just a shame that we weren't able to try The Pie Guys, Ozawa, Kazam, and Mr. Diggins since we were already done when they started to open shop.

I couldn't really figure out all the hype and praises about the place since we all found nothing special in it. Oh well, to each his own.

BOX PARK MANILA

73 Block 2 Lot 28 Congressional Ave., Tandang Sora, Quezon City

PANTENE, BDJ and ME :)

Blessed by another beauty package from BDJ Box, I was able to miraculously transform my severely damaged hair to a significantly healthier one.

I got full-sized Pantene Hair Fall Control Shampoo, Conditioner and the holy grail of hair, the 3-Minute Miracle! It felt like I had the Power Puff Girls, soon to be battling against the dreaded damaged hair. :p

I've had a love-hate relationship with Pantene. Our family started using this when I was in my early elementary years. We loved how it made our hair soft and how it took care of our scalp. Unfortunately, when I had my hair dyed after college, it started to have a harsh reaction against my scalp, prompting me to change brands... :(

It has been a while since I've had my hair colored 'cause I've been growing it to have my natural hair back. And this arrived just in time to give me the chance to rekindle the lovely relationship I had with Pantene. :)

Moving on, this is how my hair looks like now, before using the Pantene Hair Fall Control product line:

You can clearly see how damaged and dry my hair is due to the series of hair coloring sessions... It does not only look rough, it also feels rough and tangled...I also experience a lot of hairfall due to breakage.

I've regularly used the Pantene trio for over a week now, and I am astonished with the results!
It really changed the condition of my hair!

   

My hair now definitely looks a lot better than before and it also feels so much softer and smoother to the touch! It's also easier to manage and my hairfall has also lessened significantly. 

Another thing I love is the long lasting scent it gives my hair and that it does not irritate my scalp, which is a huge plus! I just have to mention that the 3 Minute Miracle is indeed a miracle worker! True to its word, it can make your hair softer and healthier just by leaving it on for 3 minutes and rinsing thoroughly after. I was in awe when I used it for the first time and felt how soft and smooth my hair got after drying it.

With all these said, I believe that this experience is a successful rekindling of my love for Pantene! Welcome back Pantene!! 

Now I am a #DoItAllBella and I can #DoItAllHair, all thanks to Pantene and BDJ Box!

Eastwood Trip

It's been quite a while since we visited Eastwood, being that the parking in the area is not "lowered- friendly".

Incidentally, we were in the area last Tuesday, and since the car that we brought is not lowered, we decided to have lunch at Eastwood.

There are two places that I've been wanting to try here, Costa Coffee and Sisig Society. Talk about hitting two birds with one stone. :D

We first visited Costa Coffee to experience the famous UK coffee. Of course, I had to try their signature Flat White (Php 150), while hubby got the Belgian Chocolate Cream Frostino in Massimo (Php 185)

I took a sip of the Flat White and I was "wowed" on how smooth it was! I like my coffee strong and smooth, and the Flat White delivered the perfect cup. You can really taste the bitterness of the coffee, but it wasn't overpowering and was toned down a bit by the ratio of the milk added. 

The Belgian Chocolate Cream was not my thing. Hubby also said that it was just so-so. I found it odd-tasting as compared against our favorite Iced Belgian Milk Chocolate from Blenz.

I didn't get to try the pastries since we were going to lunch after our morning brew.

The interior of the place was simple and aired a homey feel.

Will be going back to give their other drinks and pastries a try.

COSTA COFFEE

Eastwood Citywalk 1, Libis, Quezon City

Ground Floor, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila

32nd st, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

Next Stop: LUNCH!

I first heard about Sisig Society from a friend of ours, and after researching, I found out that the thing that sets them apart from other sisig restaurants is that offer semi-customizeable sisig, other than their own unique signature mix.

I am a huge fan of sisig, and I 've already had a mix of good and not so good to disappointing versions. So here's what we had:

One Solo order (Php 159) each of Crispy Sisig and Bacon & Cheese, both with pork as the meat. You're given a choice of either rice or nachos. I got rice and he opted for nachos.

The Crispy Sisig (on top) was served first, and we were quite disappointed with the serving size... Next was the Bacon & Cheese sisig (on bottom), wherein you could see the bits of bacon mixed in the pork sisig.

   

There was nothing special with the Crunchy Sisig, it tasted like ordinary so-so sisigs. As for the Bacon & Cheese sisig, it had a smokey aroma brought about by the bacon. However, it had the taste of tinapa, which I found to be quite confusing as I am sure that the meat was pork. Oh, and I could not find a taste of cheese in my order. 

Truth be told, we prefer Sisig Hooray a lot more than their version...it was a sad day for sisig...

That's it for our short visit to Eastwood. Will probably be a while before we return to the area. :)

SISIG SOCIETY

Eastwood Citywalk 1, Libis, Quezon City

Casa Verde

We finally got the chance to dine at Casa Verde!!

Last November 1, the hubby's dad celebrated his birthday at UP Town Center and chose to dine at Casa Verde.

We were totally giddy since we've been wanting to try "The Mighty Ton". Unfortunately, we arrived a bit late (since we had to finish the November 1 tradition in our house) , and all other members of our party were done eating. Since we were the only ones who were going to eat, we settled on getting the Big Bang (Php 438) and an order of their Buffalo Wings (Php 168).

The Big Bang is a 9-inch burger topped with onions, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and American cheese. Served with a side of fries.

The wings were served first. Nothing really special about the presentation. It was served with a side of bleu cheese dressing. It was a tad spicy for my liking. I needed to smother the wings with the bleu cheese to enjoy it properly.

Next was the grand entrance of The Bing Bang.



It was massive!! We had it cut into 4 so we could get a good hold on the burger. The meat was tender, juicy and very flavorful. I only had half of a cut, and I was full! Hubby managed to finish a portion and my other half, so we ended up taking home half of it.

Next time we'll be trying their signature ribs and hopefully, the Mighty Ton! :D

Tip: When dining in Casa Verde, it's best to call for reservations or arrive early as it easily gets packed.

CASA VERDE

Second Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City

Lower ground, Building B, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City (Opening Soon)

Domino's B1T1

Pizza anyone?

It's that time again when Domino's Pizza gives you a reason to pig out on your favorite pizzas.

Starting today (November 2, 2015) until November 8, 2015, Domino's is on a Buy 1 Take 1 promo on ALL of its flavors!

Participating branches are: Retiro, CK Square Mall and Silver City

Pizza party!!! :D

Krispy Kreme Halloween Treat

Trick or Treat! Krispy Kreme is at it again. Get your freebies now just by simply downloading their app and follow the below instructions:

To get your free doughnut:
• Download the app using the link provided (Android ; iOs)
• Create an account using the Sign In button
• Once you have an account, head to the Rewards page
• Click on the Magic Money Coupon
• Click on Redeem Coupon
• Use the QR scanner on any unique QR code found in select KK branches
• Show the verification page to any KK employee and claim your Mad for Monsters goodies!

(Participating branches for the Magic Money Coupon are: Trinoma, SM North Edsa, Greenhills, SM Megamall, Bonifacio High Street and SM MOA)

In addition to this, you can get another free donut just by doing the below procedures:

• Once you have an account, head to the Rewards page


• Click on ENTER PROMO CODE and Type in KKMONSTERS

Doing both will entitle you to 2 free Mad for Monsters donut plus a small brewed coffee.

Promo period is just up until October 29, 2015.

So download now and don't miss the chance to get your #MadforMonster goodies!

Churreria La Lola

Me and the hubby battled through the SM Megamall 3-day sale traffic for some tech accessories shopping and of course, to finally get a taste of Lola!

Being that it was the weekend of the 3-day sale, La Lola had quite a line. It did not matter since we really wanted to try their churros and Xuxos.

We ordered a Large Churros Classico (Php 195) with a large Hot Chocolate (Php 100) and a Nutella-stuffed Xuxos (Php 120).

          

The Churros was served fresh, hot of the fryer! It was crunchy on the outside and was soft on the inside. Their hot chocolate dip was spot-on! It wasn't too sweet, nor too bitter, and the consistency was just right. It paired perfectly with the classic churros. This would probably be ranked as my 2nd favorite churros ( I still love the one from Mercato), based on both taste and price. Now, the Nutella-stuffed Xuxos is a whole different story. It was oozing with Nutella, and I fell in-love with in on the first bite! It was sinfully addicting and I could just care less about all the extra calories that it gave me. Also, no-sharing for this yummy baby.

Taste-wise, we loved La Lola's Classic Churros and Xuxos. However, we did found it just a bit more expensive than other places that served churros (i.e., Dulcinea, Don Churros), because you have to purchase the hot chocolate dip separately. They do offer the Chocochurro (chocolate dipped churros), but it is also priced a-lot more than the classic churros.

Overall, it was a great experience. I do hope they eventually come up with a pricing that offers the classis churros and hot chocolate as a bundle. :)

Churreria La Lola

Second Floor, Mega Atrium, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City

Lower Ground Floor, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City

Fourth Floor, SM Aura Premier, C5 Corner 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

Ground Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City

Ground Floor, Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

Brown Derby

Last July 28, I celebrated my 30th birthday. I initially ordered a pan of lasagna from someone I knew, unfortunately, she had a last minute cancellation excuse. Oh well, lesson learned.

Anyway, thinking about an alternative merchant whom I can order pasta from, Brown Derby came into mind.

Brown Derby is just a hole-in-the-wall take-out counter. They're known for their Footlong Hotdogs, but their pasta dishes are also delish. We've been ordering from this place ever since my high school days, and the proximity to our place is a definite plus! It's actually been a while since I've been trying so many other foodie places. So now, once again, I come home to Brown Derby.

I ordered a "bilao" of Spaghetti that was good for 15 people and a box of 25 pieces of Pichi-pichi.

  

Do note that you have to order in advance so they can accommodate you. I forgot the exact prices but my entire bill did not cost more than Php 1,000.

All I can say is that both the spaghetti and pichi-pichi were super yummy! I felt like a kid while eating these dishes.

Thank you so much for making my birthday a happy one! ^_^

MESA Family Dinner

Dad celebrated his Chinese birthday a couple of weeks ago. We were luck that MESA had an on-going set meal deal with Metrodeal (it's still available now).

The meal set comes with Boneless Crispy Pata (half portion), Sinigang na Hipon sa Guava, 12 pieces of Baked Scallops, Laing 2 ways, Adobo Flakes Rice, Steamed Okra with Tamarind Bagoong Dipping Sauce, Mangga Salad, and Special Dessert. It was said that the servings are good for 3-4 people, since there would be 7 of us, we bought 2 vouchers for just Php1,140 each.

So we had reservations arranged, as the deal requires at least 2 days notice.

We arrived at MESA just in time for our 6:30 PM reservation and went ahead to have the food served.

  

   

In addition to the items on the list, we ordered their Braised Beef (Php 305). I wasn't able to take a picture of the Sinigang, Adobo Rice and the Steamed Okra (ooopss).

Serving size of all the dishes, except for the Crispy Pata, were really good enough for 4 people.

I specially loved the Ensalada, Baked Scallops and the Laing Two-ways. The Ensalada was the perfect item to balance the taste of the other food items. The Baked Scallops were very garlicky, just the way I like it! The Laing was served in a dry and wet version. The dry version was a bit sweet, while the wet version had a hint of spice in it. It works very well when combined. The Braised Beef was divine! The beef was just so soft and flavor-bursting with every bite. The taste reminded be somewhat of bistek-tagalog.

For the Sinigang, I found it to be a little odd-tasting since I'm used to the traditional sinigang sa sampalok. Nothing bad, but also nothing special. I was quite disappointed with the "Boneless" Crispy Pata. It was more of, de-boned than boneless. I can say that I've had better crispy patas.

All in all, this deal is worth every buck. Ambiance was very homey and perfect for family gatherings. Food is generally ok and prices are reasonable.

Pampering myself with Olay

Last August 24, 2015, I was able to receive a wonderful surprise from BDJ BOX.

I was one of the lucky bellas to receive a surprise from them for simply updating my information and answering their survey.

The products came in a cute screen pouch which you can re-use as your toiletries or make-up pouch. Here's what I got:

  

2 full-size Olay products (Olay Deep Moisture with Honey Body Wash and Olay Total Effects Day Cream)! I was really ecstatic about it since I've been an Olay loyalist for the longest time!

I've been a regular user of the Olay Total Effects products and I just interchange it at times with the Olay Regenerist product line. So this is how the day cream looks like:

      

The Olay Total Effects Day Cream is very light on the skin. It glides easily and is quickly absorbed into the skin. It doesn't leave you with the greasy, heavy feeling that other moisturizers tend to do.

I love everything about it! It leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized, and gives it a natural glow. Great plus factor is that it already has SPF.

Now on to the Olay Deep Moisture with Honey Body Wash. It has a nice and creamy texture, a bit too loose, actually. Too much product tends to go out with one pour. Other than that, I love using it everyday. It effectively moisturizes my skin, and the feeling lasts for the entire day, even after a rough commute going home. I love the mild scent it has during use, I do wish it would last longer.

To sum it all up, Olay delivers what it promises. I'm very happy being an Olay Bella! ^_^

More power BDJ and Olay!!!

#MoistureThatLasts, #OlayBella, #TotalEffects

Going Loca for Alqueria!

I'm a fan of Spanish food, specially of Paella, Salpicao, Conchinillo, and of course, Churros!!

Just my luck that Alqueria is holding various promos for the month of August:

  

So last night (Wednesday), we made it a point to have dinner here.

Since Kyle will be coming from Makati, I went ahead to Alqueria so I could avail of the 50% off promo on the Churros con Chocolate. Being lovers of this yummy dessert, I ordered the 10 pieces Churros con Chocolate (Php 114).

Alqueria's Churros are made fresh upon order, so it takes around 5-10 minutes serving time. Their chocolate dip is made from Valor chocolates. The churros was sprinkled liberally with cinnamon sugar and had a nice crunch. The Valor chocolate  dip was just a palate pleaser. I am definitely in-love with their churros!



For Tapas, I ordered the Chicharones (Php 260), and for our main dish, I got the Paella del Carne in medium size (Php715, before discount). The Paella takes about 20-25 minutes of serving time, yes, perfection takes time. ;)

     

Their version of Chicharones takes on a different form. It is more like a bagnet. Chunks of pork belly, deep fried to skin-crackling perfection! It's served with a side of vinegar (I forgot to asked what sauce was poured over it). With every bite, you get that wonderful crunch, and that succulent, flavorful, fatty part of the belly was just divine or plain sinful. It was a bit too overwhelming for two people tho.

Another item that Alqueria has been known for is their Paellas, and I can say that it definitely takes the cake! The Paella del Carne, as the name suggests, is an all meat paella loaded with chorizo, chicken, smoked bacon and pork-spareribs. It was flavorful! Every bite felt like an explosion of flavors in my mouth. I specially loved the smokiness of the thick-cut bacon pieces. We were only able to finish half of the Paella and the Chicharones, both items are good to share for 3 - 4 hungry people.

The Churros, on the otherhand, were totally wiped out, hehe.

We definitely loved our dining experience! The food was great and the attendants were really very accommodating and polite. They made our experience extra special.

Kudos Alqueria! Will be seeing you again soon!

Alqueria Restaurante Y Chocolateria

Third Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City; 02 2469069 ext:100