Ms. Polly's Award-Winning Chocolate Cake

Last December we were gifted with one amazing chocolate cake: it was moist, slightly bitter, no too sweet, very chocolatey. I'm not a fan of chocolate cakes but this is an exception: the icing is slightly sweeter than the body, driving one not to waste even a smidge.

Ms. Polly's Specialty Cakes and Desserts
16 Milan Street Merville Park Subdivision
Paranaque
(+63) 02 824 7612

Tagaytay's Marcia Adams's Tuscany for Grilled Orange and Vanilla Ice Cream

This is my second visit to Marcia Adams. Per usual, the food was great. Each course entitles one to an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert. I've already featured my favorites here. For this visit I was impressed with this dessert combo: grilled orange + vanilla ice cream + mint + honey = delicious!

Can't resist taking a picture of the Amalfi Prawns, which I also featured here.

Marcia Adams's Tuscany
JP Rizal Street, Tagaytay City
0917-8011456

Burger Bar's Double Cheese Burger and Salted Caramel Milkshake

Disclosure: I'm not a burger fan. My taste in burgers is very pedestrian: Jollibee's Amazing Aloha and Wendy's Bacon Cheeseburger hit the spot for me. But, who knows? Perhaps it's just a question of not having met the the burger that would win me over.

A couple of months ago I met up with some classmates in Makati's Burger Bar. I ordered the double cheese burger. The patty was moist, juicy, ginormous, and beefy. For this burger it's all about the meat. This is best for those with hefty appetites. juicy, 

Good thing I paired my order with the generous salted caramel shake. The shake was sinful, creamy, and rich, and you could really taste the the salted caramel--reason enough to smile. Oh, and did I mention it has generous swirls of salted caramel? Am I a convert? Almost. 

Burger Bar
Greeenbelt 2, Makati
(+63) 02 625 2792

Negros Occidental's Mila's Royal Bibingka

I have to admit I did not go all the way to Negros Occidental to try this. It came in a box as pasalubong. This bibingka post is timely, since Christmas is mere weeks away, and the holidays is not complete without this treat. Mila's bibingka is spongy, so soft even after a few days of sitting in the ref, cheesy, and with  welcome bits of salted eggs. If you prefer your bibingka sweetish, this is for you.

For my other bibingka entries you can click here, here, and here. 

Mila's Restaurant
Rizal Street, Hinigaran
Negros Occidental
(+63) 34 391 7849

What I Ate in and Around SM Davao

I recently stayed at SM's Park Inn Hotel. Here's a post of the more noteworthy things I ate. 

1. Bistro Selera's Buchitaw

I already had dinner when I dropped by the restaurant, so I wanted a dessert that's interesting at the very least. The 15-minute wait was worth it for this mash-up, a curious hybrid of buchi (rice calls covered in sesame seeds with a sweet bean paste filling) at the bottom and palitaw (soft, round, and sweet rice cakes) on top. 

I love the textures--soft and chewy for the palitaw half, the desiccated coconut, and the sesame seeds--and the choco filling.

Bistro Selera

SM Lanang Premier

JP laurel Avenue Lanang

Barangay San Antonio Davao City
(+63) 082 285-2184

2. Mesa Filipino Moderne's Laing 2-Ways 

I know I broke my rule on posting only local-based restaurants in my travels, but this stellar dish from Mesa is just irresistible. Laing, one of my favorites from Bicol, is a dish made of taro leaves cooked in coco milk and seasoned with fermented shrimp or fish paste.

Mesa serves their laing topped with pork flakes and in original and crispy versions, although it appears to be either dry or creamy, but I love both.

Both were buttery and creamy and I can't decide which I liked more. The pork floss adds flavor and texture. This version is perfect with crispy pata (pork knuckles).

Mesa Filipino Moderne
SM Lanang Premiere Davao
JP Laurel Ave, Barangay San Antonio
(+63) 082 285-0493

3. Park Inn Hotel's Durian Cheesecake

Before going to Park Inn's ABG, I tried a coffee-chain, famed for infusing durian in its offerings, for their version. I left disappointed. Their cheesecake was dry and needed loving. Good thing Park Inn's version was consistent in taste, but it looked remarkably different from last time. Let me break down Park Inn's Durian Cheesecake: it was moist, with the undeniable yet delicate flavor of durian. The body is not too cloyingly sweet. I love the crumbly crust and the burst of freshness from the mint.

Their mangosteen cheescake was good as well, although the delicate sweet and tangy essence of the fruit did not come through. 

Park Inn Davao
JP Laurel Avenue
Agdao St., Davao City
(+63) 082 272 7600

Century Park Hotel's Bibingka

Yes, this is another bibingka entry. Bibingka is a rice cake traditionally served during the Christmas season. It is made of rice flour, coconut milk or water, eggs, and milk, cooked with coal both belwo and above, and infused with the aroma of toasted banana leaves.For Tootsie's version, click here. For bibingka from SIDCOR Sunday Market, click here.

Century Park Hotel's bibingka is so good. It is decadent--buttery and so soft, melts in your mouth, and the toasted portions are bursting with flavor. I love the mix of coconut brown sugar and coconut meat shreds. This for me is best bibingka I've tasted so far. The sweet crust is cut by salted egg and cheese. The order came with a cup of traditional thick chocolate drink. This duo warms you up instantly, making you feel so festive.

Century Park Hotel
Ocampo Street, Manila
(+63) 02 528 8888

Tagaytay's Tootsie's for Turon Halo Halo and Bibingka

Today I'm featuring Tootsie's versions of two popular snacks, one a ubiquitous street food, the other usually served during the holidays. 

Turon is made of slices of plantain and slivers of langka (jackfruit), dusted with sugar, then wrapped in spring roll wrapper and fried. Tootsie's Turon halo halo came with heart-warming ube (purple yam) filling, and drizzled with langka sauce. The crisp outer layer and warm delicious soft filling make this a winner.

Bibingka is a rice cake traditionally served during the Christmas season. It is made of rice flour, coconut milk or water, eggs, and milk, and infused with the aroma of toasted banana leaves. I love Tootsie's version: redolent with egg, oh-so-soft, and buttery. It was also freshly baked. They need 25-minute lead time to prepare the dish. 

Tootsie's
J Abad Santos cor. Aguinaldo Highway
Km. 57.5, Tagaytay City
(63) 46 483 46 29

Dining in Cebu: What I Ate and Where*

I went to Cebu for a quick trip. Let's just say I gorged myself silly. If there is one takeaway from this travel, it's that Banilad is teeming with restaurants, just like Quezon City's Maginhawa Street. I have to credit Eat Out Now for the resto recommendations.

1. Giuseppe Pizzeria and Sicilian Roast

My first stop after landing at the airport and depositing my carry-on at the hotel is at this Italian Restaurant. I fell in love with the excellent seafood spaghetti / spaghetti marinara. It was simple and straight-forward, the flavors of the sea  taking center-stage. The noodles were firm and they were generous with the fresh seafood. I love bite of the green chilis. Since we're surrounded by water, I've always believed we should have more of the best that our seas offer. 

For dessert, I had tortino with ice cream, and it was worth breaking my diet for. I love the classic choco and vanilla ice cream on top of choco cake. These two alone made my trip to Cebu worthwhile.

View from my table:

Giuseppe Pizzeria and Sicilian Roast

Paseo Saturnino, Maria Luisa Road
Banilad, Cebu
(+63) 32 343-9901

2. Zubochon 

When in Cebu, Zubochon is a must-visit, and when I read from the man behind the restaurant himself that they will be offering Duhat /Lomboy Shake  for a limited run, I knew I had to book a flight down south. The shake was a sight to behold--deep purple and very inviting. It was refreshing, just right for the heat, and without the heavy mouth feel from eating too much fresh Java plum. One sip and I'm instantly transported to my childhood where one of the best ways to enjoy the fruit was sprinkled with rock salt and shaken in a covered bowl.

My view from where I sat:

Zubochon
IT Park, Lahug, Cebu City
(+63) 32 236 8256

3. Little Saigon Big Bangkok 

This is tucked away inside a compound of restaurant and retail establishments, so keep looking, otherwise you'd miss this charming joint specializing in Asian street food. You can either dine al freso or inside (airconditioned!), and since it was a sweltering late morning, I opted for the latter. I love the Bohemian feel of the resto. It felt like Malate in its heyday, where it could nestle perfectly alongside Batavia Restaurant. Adding to the quirk factor was they were playing an old song: Dancing Cheek to Cheek. And the items won't hurt your pocket. I only spent less than P500 for my meal, all featured here. I love it!

The Goi Con, Vietnamese spring rolls with lemongrass grilled pork. Spring rolls are either vegetarian or meat, and usually have shrimp, fresh herbs like basil and cilantro , lettuce, cucumbers, rice vermicelli, encased in translucent rice paper. I love the authentic flavors from the greens and the sweet, sour, salty combo of the fish sauce.

The Mieng Kam, described as a refreshing leaf snack that distills Thai cuisine in one bite. Also spelled Mieng Kham, it is a Thai and Lao street food snack popular during festivals and consists of chaplu leaves, roasted coconut shavings, shallots, red bird's eye chilis, ginger, garlic, lime, roasted peanuts, and dried shrimps. 

This snack is really pretty. It was minty, sweet, nutty, and and spicy. Each biteful was a delightful explosion of flavors in the mouth. This is only my second dish, but I'm already starting to soak in sweat. 

The last item I had was the Penang Spicy Noodles, fried wide rice noodles, nam prik (a Thai chili-based hot sauce), fish and pork. This is actually better than the one I had in Singapore. It was tasty, chewy with the firm noodles and the crunch of the bean sprouts.

My view from where I sat:

Little Saigon Big Bangkok Restaurant
1 Paseo Saturnino Drive Banilad
Maria Luisa Road, Cebu
(+63) 932 455 9063
(+63) 32 415-0228

After eating from these excellent restos, I'm raring to go back to Cebu.

* The title was inspired from a post from one of my favorite blogs.

Sebastian's Ice Cream Studio's Mango and Suman Ice Cream

If you're a regular visitor to my blog (thank you), you'd know I'm a fan of Sebastian's Ice Cream Studio. I love their take on flavors, which ranges from festive holiday fare, to unusual variants that are meant to be tried at least once. For this feature, I chose another rice-cake inspired flavor, the mango and suman ice cream. Suman is made from glutinuos rice cooked in coco milk, and wrapped in palm leaves. They're either sprinkled with sugar or paired with ripe mango. 

My verdict: they had the texture and mouth-feel right. I can't quite decide if I'm eating ice cream or the rice-cake. I love that the mango component was sweetish-tart. Honestly, I prefer this to the real thing.

Sebastian's Ice Cream Studio
SM Mall of Asia, North Parking
Seaside Boulevard, Pasay City
(+63) 915 489 5753

The Desserts of Cagayan de Oro's La Vetta Wine Bar and Restaurant

This is not the first time I went to La Vetta, ranked by TripAdvisor as number one among the restaurants in the city. I was smitten during that visit, so the next time I was in Cagayan de Oro, I made sure to drop by. You can read about my first visit to the restaurant here. 

We opted for desserts, and what an excellent selection they have. We tried the double mud choco cake, which is always a sure bet.

We also tried the mango flambe, which was also awesome.

My colleague, Rouschelle, looked like she could whip up the dish herself...

...but we left the cooking to the professionals. I love the theatricality behind the preparation of the dish.

Of the desserts we tried, our favorite was the apricot strudel. Strudels are a popular Austrian pastry.

The other desserts were good, but this was the most unusual. It warmed our hearts, it was creamy, not too sweet. I love the nice textures courtesy of the meringue and dried apricot.

The view from our table.

La Vetta Wine Bar and Restaurant
Rosario Crescent, Limketkai Drive
Cagayan de Oro
(+63) 88 856 1207

Mom and Tina's Bakery Cafe's Blueberry Cheesecake

My favorite dessert is blueberry cheesecake. Through the years I have drawn a checklist of what makes a good blueberry cheesecake: the toppings, the cake, and the crust should not be too cloyingly sweet, and the cake must have the right cheesiness. Mom and Tina's version acquits itself in these categories, plus it comes in the prettiest presentation I've seen of its kind.

Mom and Tina's Bakery Cafe
GF, Unit 14 Tropical Palm Plaza
Perea cor De La Rosa Street
Legazpi Village, Makati
(+63) 02 840-4299

Cagayan de Oro's Missy Bon Bon for Durian Gelato and Nutty Nutella Cronut

Whenever I travel, I always seek out home-grown restaurants. Usually I'm pressed for time during my work-related trips, thus eating local is how I experience the culture pronto. At Cagayan de Oro, I made a beeline for Missy Bon Bon's dessert selections. From their frozen items, I ordered their excellent Durian Gelato. I love the real fruit goodness and the creamy, silky texture. It was also not too sweet. It was one of the better duran ice creams I had.

I must admit I'm not crazy about food fads, so it took me only now, in faraway Cagayan de Oro, to sample a cronut. Missy Bon Bon's Nutty Nutella is quite good, if a bit oily and tough from sitting too long. I love the mix of nuts and Nutella, and the pockets of cream and Nutella. This is more croissant than donut.


Missy Bon Bon
Centrio Ayala Mall
Corales Ave
Cagayan de Oro

Romulo Cafe's Chocnut Ice Cream

Romulo Cafe is named after famed multi-hyphenate Carlos P. Romulo, best-known as a former president of the UN General Assembly. The restaurant's modern interiors are in black and white, with splashes of green courtesy of plastic coiffured plants. Pictures of the diplomat are everywhere. Like in most of my research expeditions, I came for a well-regarded dish, only to find out that another one is more note-worthy. The chocnut ice cream belongs to the latter.

Chocnut is made of chocolate and crushed peanut. Romulo Cafe's chocnut ice cream is a good translation of this Filipino childhood staple into ice cream. Imagine bright creamy peanut and choco ice cream with real chocnut bits. I'm smitten.

Romulo Cafe
148 Jupiter Street cor Comet Street
Bel Air Village, Makati
(+63) 02 478-6406

Mabuhay Palace's Choco Buchi (Fried Balls) and Salted Egg Ice Cream

Taste is personal. I went to Manila Hotel's high-end Chinese restaurant, Mabuhay Palace, to try the Salted Egg Ice Cream, which came well-recommended  online. It was good, the novelty factor is there, making it good copy. But I was more smitten with the Chocolate Buchi (fried balls). Buchi is usually filled with custard--cooked mixture of milk or cream or egg yolk, but Mabuhay Palace's buchi is filled with warm, dense, dark chocolate. This buchi is so luxe: crisp outer shell contrasts nicely with the soft buttery filling. 

The Salted Egg ice cream is no slouch--there's the subtle hint of salted egg and even the texture of yolk. It was actually good, not weird at all, operating in the same salty-sweet principle as salted caramel and pineapple slices or even duhat sprinkled with rock salt. 

I plan to return and order the savory items in the menu.

Mabuhay Palace
Manila Hotel
#1 Rizal Park, Roxas Boulevard, Manila
(+63) 02 527-001