Sunday, July 26, 2015

Top Picks at Bayleaf Hotel

Recently work brought me back to Bayleaf Hotel in historic Intramuros. For my previous posts, you can go here, here, and here.

The most memorable item I associate with the hotel's 9 Spoons Restaurant is their pritchon.


For this visit they tinkered with the filling--the lechon bits are heftier, with the skin crunchier. This was a hit with me and my colleagues.

9 Spoons
9th Floor The Bayleaf Hotel


The hotel's newest dining outlet is the Rafaelle Woodfired Pizza Restaurant. I was smitten with


the Gamberetti, made of white shrimps, preserved lemons, garlic, chili, and almonds. Best consumed while still warm, it was garlicky and seductive. 

For dessert I had Dolci Al Cioccolato--warm chocolate cake with vanilla cream.


This reminded me of choco lava cake. Dig in while warm. The cake itself was mild, with the parts touching the hot plate tasting richer and darker. The cream makes the dish brighter. I finished the plate clean.



Rafaelle Woodfired Pizza Restaurant
Third Floor The Bayleaf Hotel

I now have a new favorite from the hotel's Cioccolata Churros Cafe--the brownies.


It was crunchy on the outside and moist inside. It was subtly sweet, and generous with almond slivers. No need for cream or caramel drizzle, as long as it is served warm. 

I should also add that the Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato (BLT) Sandwich was also good--they didn't stint on the bacon, which was fried crisp. Unfortuntaely, I have no picture to show, and so a future visit is in order. 

Cioccolata Churros Cafe
Ground Floor The Bayleaf Hotel

If you're considering holding a function in the hotel, opt for homegrown snacks. Their fried lumpia, sapin-sapin and suman sa latik are so good. 





The Bayleaf Hotel
Muralla corner Victoria Streets
Intramuros, Manila
(+63) 02 318-5000; (+63) 02 328-3170

Friday, July 24, 2015

Project Pie's Pizza Variant 6


I've been hearing about Project Pie since last year, and so when the opportunity came to drop by their Makati branch, I took it. The appeal of the local franchise is the option to build your own pizza, but since we were not feeling DIY that day we opted for their regular offerings. 

Of the two variants we tried, I was partial to number 6, a perfectly balance pizza made of grilled chicken, sliced onions, cilantro, mozzarella, Gorgonzola (veined Italian blue cheese), and BBQ sauce. I love how creamy, funky, and salty the toppings were from the blue cheese, and sweet from the barbecue sauce. 

In my next visit I'll create my own pizza. I hope it's good as the one featured here.


Project Pie
Ground Level, Park Square
Palm Drive, San Lorenzo
Makati
(+63) 917-8536308

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Globe's Fresh Lumpia

One day my office-mate offered me this treat all the way from Quiapo--Globe's  fresh lumpia.


I lost no time wolfing it down. It was garlicky, sweet, and sensuous. I never though lumpia would be this taste this good, and you can have it even without the sauce. Inside the casing are the usual heart of palm with carrots, lettuce, and muscovado sugar.

Note: eat immediately, as it easily spoils. 

Globe Lumpia House
740 Raon St., Quiapo, Manila