Yes, Trinoma is now the venue of the newest UCC Cafe Terrace in the Metro. UCC Trinoma has free valet parking service for those who don’t want to bother having to go up and down the perpetually-full Trinoma parking lots. It’s actually one of the things I hate about going to Trinoma. MRT is supposedly a better alternative but the thick crowds can be very discouraging. Kudos for UCC for offering this service to their customers.

Normally they serve their coffee in larger cups/mugs. This is just a sampler cup where the bloggers were treated to a sampling of their finest brews, including the Sumiyaki and the expensive Blue Mountain blend.

Because breakfast is the most important meal of the day, this was exactly what they served to us. UCC has different menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Like the coffee places I’ve been to, UCC serves wonderful breakfast creations. Pictured above is their frankfurter with waffles.

Their Shiitake Mushroom Omelet is heavy on mozzarella cheese filling topped with a special white sauce. Low on salt but high on flavor and nutrients.

English bangers with toasted white bread, veggies and eggs, sunny side up. These sausages are tender to the bite and juicy.

A variety of desserts followed. First off was the Japanese Macadamia Cheesecake.

Then the chocolate Samba with vanilla ice cream on the side.

Blueberry cheesecake anyone?

And my favorite of the lot, the Kitkat cake.

Another view of this luscious creation.

Don’t forget the coffee jelly, which is REALLY coffee made into jelly. The jelly is not sweet unlike most coffee jellies.

UCC, which stands for Ueshima Coffee Company, is one of the few companies who grow their own coffee beans. They do not buy their beans from independent coffee producers, but would rather supervise their own plantation to ensure the quality of their blends. “From farm to cup” as their business manager touted. Before it all gets to the customer, UCC uses its own siphoning coffee technology to make sure all the goodness of their coffee beans is enjoyed in every sip. So how do they make their coffee? First, they grind their beans and store these in very large containers. All their stored coffee in these containers must be sold within the day or else they throw all excess coffee powder to so as not to serve stale coffee.

They have a different way of preparing coffee. UCC does not use any of the usual coffee making machines, instead they have six small pyrex-looking glass coffee pots of water on top of blue flame burners. The water has to be in boiling temperature before they put in the siphon containing the coffee powder.

When heated, the water is sucked up into the siphon and the barista mixes it with a wooden spoon. The barista then turns off the burner and waits for the coffee to seep back into the pot. The mixing process happens in a few seconds.

The coffee then travels back down into the pot, while being filtered of all sediments and large coffee bits. Pictured below is the cloth filter strategically placed between the top of the coffee pot and the siphon. It lets water go up easy but filters all coffee on its way down to the pot.

And that’s just for the special house blend. For other coffees like the Sumiyaki and their coffee jelly, they use a large contraption that filters coffee by osmosis, and takes six to eight hours to fill a small pot.

UCC is also a haven for smokers. They don’t make you stay outside and take in the smog along with your coffee. Most UCC coffee places have a smoker’s room inside the restaurant, where smokers can be comfortable with the air-conditioning. All UCC staff members are trained to serve coffee with the cup holder on the left side of the diner, a minor consideration for smokers who hold cigarettes with their right hand.

There’s a UCC Cafe Terrace at The Fort, Rockwell, Paseo Center, Westgate Center, SM Mall of Asia and Trinoma. You may call their branch at the Fort through (02) 845-1365 or (02) 884-2477.

To my surprise, the SM Mall of Asia is so full of wonderful foodie finds. A recent rave is Rotimum’s coffee buns. The owners say it is Singapore’s best selling coffee bun. So, I decided to go in and give it a try. I do not know the origins of this great-tasting bread, but I do know that it smells like freshly-brewed coffee, a scent that is appealing to a lot of people even to non-coffee drinkers like myself. Depending on which country you are in, these buns come in a variety of names; roti boy (sounds like a proper noun), mexican buns or coffee buns. Rotimum is a Singaporean original and now it has come to the Philippines.

The nice lady at Rotimum posed for a quick snapshot. Don’t be fooled by the first picture. The store may look empty, but there is a line of people outside waiting for the bread to finish baking. I only wanted to buy one but I had to wait in line he as others have already paid for their orders of a dozen or more. I agree with earlier reviews of Rotimum, it is addicting!

Always best eaten when it is freshly baked. Wouldn’t want it any other way.

Each bun costs P50.00 (US$1.09).

Crispy and sweet on the outside, soft and delicious on the inside because of it’s creamy center. A sure winner!

Rotimum has branches in SM North Edsa, SM Megamall and SM Mall of Asia. Drop by for a box. You’ll love it!

After seeing an IMAX movie at the Mall of Asia, Noreen and I decided to go around the mall and check out what’s new. The Mall of Asia is indeed a treasure trove of wonderful foodie finds. A little further and I finally stumbled on White Hat, a yogurt store.

I remembered having seen a comment on this blog from a manager of White Hat inviting me to visit this place and try their Italian frozen yogurt. So when I told Noreen about she agreed to go and sample the yogurt.

She immediately loved the taste. Honestly, I’m not a yogurt fan because it tastes like Yakult, it’s kinda sour, but creamy and not too sweet. Noreen, on the other hand, LOVES the taste of Yakult, thus found the large tub of White Hat frozen yogurt to be her personal heaven. It supposed to be for two but I gave up my share seeing that she really loved it.

There are two sizes to choose from: regular (which costs P85.00 or US$1.89) and large (which costs P115.00 or US$ 2.56). Toppings are available from P20.00 (US$ 0.44) and cheaper as you get more.

In fairness, I must commend the staff. They were very accommodating, friendly and efficient. Now that’s another reason to return to Mall of Asia.

I highly recommend that you give the place a try if you are a yogurt lover, or if you love the taste of Yakult.

After last Friday’s bout with hypertension, Noreen was up and about the next day, August 9. Why? It’s her birthday and most of her anxiety came mostly from work stress. So I decided a Saturday lunch out would be a good way to celebrate. After being at the Cake Club launch, we decided to cross city limits and venture into Roxas Boulevard, where the Diamond Hotel sits facing the Manila Bay. It was a delightful surprise that we bumped into Executive Sous Chef Melchor Taylo. He was nice enough to indulge us in a short conversation, as well about some of the changes he was planning for the Palm Court Cafe buffet spread. He said it was going to be a themed change and next month was a surprise so watch out!

It was indeed fortuitous that their buffet were featuring Asian favorites like Korean Chapchae, Japanese sushi and Filipino seafood greats! Noreen truly enjoyed this buffet! The Palm Court Cafe is where the hotel’s buffet is served and charges P1,049 (US$23.31) per person inclusive of all taxes and surcharges and the first round of drinks. They do have an ongoing promo. For groups of six people, only five will be charged and the sixth person eats for free. They also get two free swimming passes. For groups of 10 people, only eight are charged and two eat for free! They get four free swimming passes. The pictures below will tell you how good it is to dine at Diamond Hotel’s Palm Court Cafe.

They definitely did not scrimp on the shrimp! Their shrimp were fresh, large and ubiquitous! Bubba was right, you can do so many things with shrimp.

Works well with salads.

Tempura too!

The crabs were also fresh.

Time to flex a little mussel.

Make your own salad and go crazy with the possibilities.

Chips and nachos galore.

Hors d’oeuvre anyone?

Very few hotels offer a wide range of cheeses in their buffet line. The Diamond Hotel does.

There is also a wide variety of breads to choose from.

Plus a machine that automatically heats your bread!

What was on Noreen’s plate?

On my plate?

You gotta love the sushi.

One of my favorites, the meatloaf with onion and Shiraz reduction sauce.

Noreen’s favorite, the seaweed.

They have a barbecue section with so many options, chicken, beef, pork and fish. I got the pork marinated in ginger and Mirin sauce.

Got room for dessert?

Noteworthy to mention here that most of their desserts are sugar-free. With the wonderful taste, I couldn’t believe they didn’t use sugar.

Of course, if you’re the fruit person, there’s some for you too!

I got her the smoothie of the month, the Mocha-lympics which came with a stuffed toy named “Mawz”. This smoothie was topped with gold dust.

Yup, that drink made her day. So why don’t you stop by the Diamond Hotel for lunch or dinner? Bring your loved ones. They will surely cherish the experience.

The last day of July saw me dining out with friends from the office. The lunch was good and so were the laughs. This was not really the original place we decided to dine, but a little kink about selecting tables became an issue so we decided to move to Burgoo at the 4th floor of the Power Plant mall. We were glad we did.

It was only at the time that we ate there did we know what a burgoo really is. It’s a kind of stew, slightly spicy that was made from meats and vegetables. Think of it as diluted Menudo, with a little spice that hits the spot. Apparently, it has Irish origins but has been a Kentucky, USA favorite. I learned from another blog, that Burgoo is wholly Filipino owned. The servings made it seem like an American food franchise. Compared to most local restaurants, Burgoo’s servings are larger than usual, can be enough for two or more if you get the large portions. Seeing their menu, they now have regular and large orders per dish. I was so full with my fish ‘n chips regular order worth P255.00 (US$5.67), VAT inclusive but not including the standard 10% service charge.

The Jambalaya was very good. Abundant with seafood, Burgoo doesn’t scrimp with their ingredients. Khursten and Rael had this.

Zee had this large plate of ribs with corn, sausages and fries.

I had this fish ‘n chips with bottomless iced tea. Really good.

Khursten and Rael also had this dish along with their Jambalaya. Please leave a comment because I cannot remember what this is called. It was really good.

Smiles galore from happy Lawson people!

“What kind of restaurant makes you cook your own food?” Actor Bill Murray was remembered for having said this line in the movie “Lost in Translation.” Pretty much like Murray’s character, many of us have yet to fully understand and appreciate the experience of dining in a shabu-shabu restaurant. It’s not expensive, as many would think. Keep in mind that the pots are there not because the chefs are too lazy to cook your food. Because for you to appreciate the flavors, you need to eat it as it comes out of the pot.

Famous restaurateur Candy Hwang taught us how to properly eat shabu-shabu. Not because the broth is boiling, you can throw just about everything in pot and expect the flavors to come out right. Like many things, there is a science to it and I will share that science with you. Read on.

Entering the restaurant, you will see pots dedicated per diner. Though shabu-shabu was originally meant to share, Healthy Shabu-Shabu has a 1:1 ratio of these hotpot machines. This is made to make dining and cooking convenient. The tables are wider than usual to accommodate many plates which you will need to use. Aside from the hotpot machine, each diner is provided with a plate, a bowl, a regular ladle, a netted ladle, soup spoon and chopsticks (or a regular spoon and fork, upon request).

The good waiter will first pour the broth into the hotpot. Let it simmer, not necessarily boiling. The spices are there to give you the choice whether you want the soup to be spicy. The barbecue sauce (the dark mushy thing on the right picture) will give flavor to the broth and the sauce. The egg is fresh. Using the netted ladle, separate the yolk from the albumen. Put the yolk in the sauce and the albumen in the broth as thickener and flavor enhancer. They really give you a cold egg so that separating the yolk from albumen is easier.

First thing you need to put in is the meat. You hold it with the chopsticks then swish it in the pot until it looks cooked. This is why it is better to use chopsticks in shabu-shabu. You are not supposed to drop the meat and look for it when it’s done. You need to hold it while it’s cooking. Using a fork won’t work because a fork is made of metal and it will get too hand to hold on to if you let it stay in the pot too long. Same goes with the netted ladle. NEVER overboil the meat, especially beef, because it will become too tough to chew. Just slosh it in and when the meat looks pink, dip it in the sauce and down the hatch. Then, raise the temperature of the pot and blanch the vegetables. Again, try not to overcook the veggies. Last thing you put in are the noodles and the fish cakes. By this time, the soup would have absorbed the flavors of the meat and the vegetables and will taste better than when you started. You may down the remaining soup with rice or noodles.

Every diner, aside from the meats, will get a plate of raw noodles and fish cakes with vegetables.

There are several main courses to choose from. There’s seafood.

Angus beef.

Lamb.

I got fish and chicken.

This eating/ cooking style originated from Genghis Khan’s fuel conservation methods. The Mongols, being steppe people, traveled a lot and carried everything with them, including fuel to warm their bodies and to cook their food. To conserve their fuel, especially during campaigns, the Mongol soldiers would huddle and cook their rations in a communal pot. Food is fresh and the resulting soup was flavorful and healthy. When shabu-shabu was first introduced in Japan during the early 20th century, it became an instant hit, until the name was registered as a trademark by one of Japan’s first restaurants to offer shabu-shabu. Though Chinese in origin, Shabu-Shabu is essentially Japanese. Some people will debate that, of course.

The desserts are served fresh and is included in all group meals.

There are group menus ranging from P1,200.00 (US$26.67) to P4,000.00 (US$88.90) depending on your choice of meats and seafood. The desserts are included. I highly recommended Healthy Shabu-Shabu if you want to eat fresh and healthy food. The experience is quite extraordinary. Special mention is the service in this place. One of the best I have experienced. In Metro Manila, Healthy Shabu-Shabu can be found at The Podium Mall in Ortigas, Powerplant Mall in Makati, Robinson’s Galleria in Ortigas, SM Mall of Asia in Pasay, Alabang Town Center, Robinson’s Midtown in Manila, and Shangrila Mall in Mandaluyong.

1. http://dukeward.blogspot.com - when a dad raves, instead of ranting
2. http://mylifejoys.com - a mom sharing her love of good things to everyone in the blogosphere
3. http://oxymoron.wordpress.com - very well written and full of interesting reads
4. http://pinoylife.i.ph - my dear wife’s version of the things I see
5. http://kainpinoy.com - yummy pictures and great-tasting food excursions

These the only blogs I have decided to nominate. See more about this year’s emerging and influential blogs by clicking here.

Yes, Jansport, the backpack maker, has invited Noreen and myself to a launch party like no other. Personally, I’ve been using Jansport back packs since the late 1990s. I gave Noreen this green back pack as a coming home gift when I got back from the US. My Jansport has been with us for 10 solid years and we are still using it. I’m a fan, but Noreen is a believer. I do urge you to see her post on the Jansport blogger party by clicking here.

This has got to be my best snack find in S&R since Blue Bunny Ice Cream. Binggrae, a popular dessert manufacturer in South Korea, has come up with what could be one of the world’s fastest selling “creamsicle“. They call it an ice bar, but in local terms, it’s a popsicle. The smell and taste is that of real honeydew melons.

For those who really know me, they would immediately be confused as to why I am raving about a melon-flavored popsicle, because they know I absolutely hate melons and other squishy fruits. However, Melona is the absolute exception. I fell in love with it the first time I tasted it.

I first heard about it at the check-out line of S&R membership shopping. I heard an old lady tell her maid “Me-lo-na! I don’t want anything else. Get me one box quick!” So her maid ran to the frozen section, grabbed a box and made sure it reached the check-out counter in time. After her groceries were bagged up, she gave Melona to her grandchildren, maid and driver. The kids immediately stopped asking for pizza and were quiet while they walked to their car. If a popsicle can make a bunch of kids quiet for a few minutes, I figured this popsicle must be worth a try. So I did, and I wasn’t disappointed at all.

It comes in a box of eight individually wrapped creamsicles. If you plan to buy one, you must consume them all in one go (because it melts easily) or have a cooler ready with lots of ice packed in. One box, containing eight pieces, sells for P189.00 (US$4.20). Each one would cost around P23.65 (US$.52). I love the strong melon scent and how creamy it is to the bite.

I suggest you visit the nearest S&R in your area and try Melona. Just a reminder, you cannot buy it individually, you need to buy it by box of eight. You will surely enjoy this dessert.

ALVEO is the new face of Ayala Land. The good properties like Senta, Celadon Residences, Two Serendra and Verdana Homes are now under the management of ALVEO. That’s Ayala Land’s top brass Jaime Ayala on the right. Ayala Land has managed to protect their reputation as a builder of safe communities for families of all incomes. ALVEO was nice enough to treat new and traditional media people to lunch at Red Restaurant inside the Makati Shangrila Hotel.

The people made the launch an exciting event.

I must say that the guys of ALVEO really know how to treat people well. Treating us all to a wonderful sit-down lunch at Makati Shangrila’s Red Restaurant was the highlight for us food bloggers. See how great the lunch was.

Above is the appetizer.
Then there was a choice between the grouper and U.S. Prime Rib Eye. I had the fish, so did Noreen. Dante had the steak.

The accompanying risotto was so good. So very, very good.

The steak was medium rare and wonderfully delicious.

There were wines and other refreshments. However, my favorite was the blue lemonade.

Dessert was a Christmas-looking pandan jelly with strawberries and dalandan sherbet.

If you want to know more about ALVEO, click here.

If you want to know more about Red, click here.