The Foodinista: BGC

Irvins Salted Egg Chips & Salted Egg Fish Skin: Review

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Dangerously Addictive Salted Egg Snacks freshly made in Singapore using only the best ingredients, without any added preservatives.

The first original #DangerouslyAddictive Salted Egg snacks from Singapore is finally in the Philippines! Before the salted egg chips craze came to Manila this brand was the first one to make a buzz all over the world. Foodies from all parts of the world go to Singapore just to have a taste of this chips handcrafted with love. They are so in demand that you have to place your order a few weeks before the pick up date so they can accommodate your orders! Others even hoard these whenever they travel to Singapore and take it home for pasalubong!

Below are the prices & sizes in Philippines Pesos (PHP) respectively:

Potato Chip
Big (230g, 28.5cm in height x 24.5cm in breadth): 600 PHP
Small (105g, 22cm in height x 20cm in breadth): 300 PHP

Fish Skin
Big (230g, 28.5cm in height x 24.5cm in breadth): 600 PHP
Small (105g, 22cm in height x 20cm in breadth): 300 PHP

IRV Plushie: 680 PHP
Gaga Plushie: 680 PHP

Salted Egg Potato Chips

The first Philippine branch opened in SM Megamall but they already have three branches as of 2018. Other branches are located in Mall of Asia and in BGC, Taguig. You'll have to line up early if you want to score a bag cause they ran out of these before noon! There's always a queue but it's worth it once you get a handful of them!

VERDICT (Salted Egg Chips)
What makes Irvins Salted Egg Chips different compared to local salted egg chips in the Philippines (which I also like btw) is the thinness of the chip's cut. It's probably the thinnest i've had but still filled with savoury goodness! I like how there are a lot of tiny spice bits which makes it tastier and ads a unique flavour to the snack and not just pure saltiness. It has a barbecue aroma which is very inviting and will give you endless cravings at night!

Salted Egg Fish Skin

VERDICT (Salted Egg Fish Skin)
For some reason, a lot of people like this better than the potato chips.
I personally didn't go crazy over it cause it's a little overly salted for me. It also has a fishy smell which wasn't appetising and had a fishy after taste that was too prominent. I'm not a fan of this but it can really be a good pulutan (snack) partnered with beer!

TIPS TO ENJOY

Eat it just by itself or as a side dish. It's so good you would want to share the goodness of this snack with your friends and family.

TIPS TO STORE

Always reseal the pouch tightly.Best consumed within 1 week after opening. Store in cool dry place.

If you love snacks make sure to try IRVIN'S SALTED EGG Products at least once in your life!

This is something you wouldn't want miss!

#IRVINS #DangerouslyAddicitive #saltedeggchips #EggcitingSnack

Bar

Gorda, Uptown Parade (Fil-Mex Cuisine) Review

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Lechon Tacos

Gorda is a Filipino-Mexican Cuisine Resto-Pub that offers a wide range of comfort food & unique alcoholic beverage situated in Uptown Parade, Taguig. I've never tried Fil-Mex Cuisine before cause i'm not a huge fan of Mexican food but I said YES to this invite when I was invited by EJ (@ilovetoeatph) of Team Kaladkarin cause I knew that this will be another new food-venture for me.

Gorda is a family owned restaurant which took the restaurant's name as a tribute to their Mom.

In Spanish term Gorda means Fat Lady but in urban calling it's like "Bae".

Gorda Uptown Parade

Gorda has a rustic chill urban vibe which makes it a perfect place for lazy late night drinking session with the Barkada. It reminds me of underground bars in New York. I like how they incorporated dark-colored bricked walls & sassy graffiti which gave the place a very cozy feeling. This is also a good pre-game place cause their alcoholic drinks are pretty affordable! It's just beside Valkyrie so this is a good pre-game spot! They also play good music during late hours!

Inside Gorda

Lechon Tacos - Cebu Lechon, Liver Pate, Ensalada (P200)

When someone says Mexican Food I look for Tacos and this Lechon Tacos is the perfect dish that emphasizes the Filipino-Mexican fusion. The chopped Lechon bits went well with other toppings and I liked how the chicharon added a crispy texture making it more enjoyable to eat. I think the Mayo added was too much which can be easily adjusted.

Lechon Tacos

Calamari - Squid Frito, Local Spiced Dust, Homemade Crema, Pinakurat (P380)

I can say this was DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE among all the dish that were served during the night. It's not your ordinary Calamari fried in circles rather presented in chopped form with less flour and breading. I though it was Dori and not a squid at first cause it was freakin' tender it almost melts in the mouth. I liked it better dipped in homemade crema than the pinakurat or spiced vinegar.

MUST TRY FOR ME!

Calamari

Mama's Nachos - Spiced Beef Estofado, Trio Local Keso Sauce, Ensalada, Jalapeno Atchara (P400 Half; P600 Full)

Can you believe that this serving is only HALF? This is the perfect Nacho to share with families & friends. The half serving is already good for 4 to 5 people already and seem to be best to be paired with Beer! Chef Jessica showed us the container for the Full one is and that can be good for 7-8 people already. They didn't scrimp on the ingredients and added freakin' loads of cheese which made it delicious. Loved it! Okay na okay pang pulutan!

Mama's Nachos

Bell Pepper Relleno - Spiced Estofado Black Beans, Corn Inasal, Trio Local Keso Melt (P300)
Now this! I am not a fan of Jalapeno Poppers or anything with Bell Peppers cause they have a very distinct taste that I am not fond of. What makes this great is that the taste and quantity of the Cheese over-powered the Bell-Pepper that it neaturalized the strong bell-pepper taste which made it 'edible' for me. LOL! I surprisingly was able to enjoy it. What a good appetizer by the way!

Bell Pepper Relleno

Tapa Burritto (Deconstruct) - Carne Asado, Huevo, Ensalada, Garlic Cilantro Arroz (P350)

Deconstructed Burrito - FANCY Huh! The serving is big, one bowl is good for 2 people already. I really like how the Tapa tasted, the meat is tender and well-seasoned ; considering i'm a TAPSILOG fan this is a good one! I just hope that the rice will have more cilantro mixed in it to make the 'cilantro rice' more appetizing to eat. I like the rice of the Pollo Inasal Skillet Better than this.

Pollo Inasal Skillet - Mexican Spiced Marinated Chicken Inasal, Cilantro Sinangag, Roasted Pimiento & Onion, Homemade Crema (P450)

I wasn't able to take a photo of this cause I was in a hurry to dig in. LOL. This is a crowd favorite cause it was just simply delicious! The chicken is skewed in a huge stick making it look like a Kebab. I though it was a Kebab at first but it's placed in a huge rectangular shaped plate this can also be good for 2 people already. I LOVE how the savouriness of the chicken went well with the Cilantro Fried Rice, the chicken was so tender too and was cooked perfectly. What a perfect combo! I will definitely go back for this.

Tapa Burrito

Gorda's Avocado Pie - Condensada, Butter Graham Crust, Kalamansi Crema Whip (P250)
Oooh! I've never tried Avocado Pies before so when this came out I got so excited. I love Avocados and I think the custard became too bitter because of the Avocado, I recommend this to be sweetened just a tiny bit more. The Kalamansi Whipped Cream was pretty interesting too that all of us thought it was Lemon Curd cause of how sour it tasted. Good thing its sourness contrasted the sweetness and bitterness of the pie. I am not exactly sure what were the crispy sweet bits on top, it looks like sweetened fried bananas but it sure saved this dessert and added that kick I was looking for.

Avocado Pie

Bar

Horchata Morena - Homemade Roasted Grains, Whiskey, Rum (P320)
Horchata Morena is one of the drinks I will definitely recommend to anyone whether you are a alcoholic drinker or not. Liquido Maestro (@liquidomestro) is behind this genius creation and I must say he made me set my standards higher in defining a 'good' horchata. I've never tried one before and what makes this stand out would be the distinct pandan taste, creamy smooth texture that makes it drinkable. It's a great lady drink for people like me who don't drink often. This is something I will keep coming back for!

Horchata Morena

It was a really fun first with Gorda. The servers were friendly and the customer service is great. The ambiance is perfect, I now have my own version of NY Pub in Taguig Area! <3

BGC

Paper Moon Cafe, Uptown Place Mall BGC

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Paper Moon Matcha Mille Crepe

Exquisite Papermoon Mille Crepe Meets Matcha Heaven!

I have been craving to taste this famous Matcha Mille Crepe for a long time now. It's been being raved a lot by foodie friends so after the quick rendezvous at Morganfield's I dragged my newly found friend Norman to have our dessert here.

Paper Moon Cafe is located at the 2nd Floor of Uptown Mall. The store can cater up to 20 people or less. The ambiance is cozy and is a good place to have chit-chats and spend afternoon siesta.

Paper Moon Cafe

It's a no brainer that I will be ordering their Matcha Mille Crepe cause it's the talk of the town lately I knew I just had to try it!

Subtly sweet, creamy and fine green tea powder infused in every delicate paper-thin layer of no less than 20 crepes, topped with pure matcha. The Matcha Mille Crepe is priced P225 per slice and P2000 for the whole order.

First impression: It looks pretty, delicate and fancy. It didn't taste bad but it didn't taste so good to be worth the hype at all and it's quite costly.

Matcha Mille Crepe P225 / Slice

I'm a fan of anything with Matcha so I was really looking for the strong Matcha taste but then I got upset cause I was only able to taste it a little on the powder. Maybe because it was so light and creamy and the only distinct taste would be the cream. I appreciate it being subtle and light but I was looking for MORE. It didn't give me the Matcha sparks I was looking for.

Anyway, I still liked it but I didn't love it. I may come back for it but only if I need something light for a dessert.

To add to that my friend Norman tried the Checkered Cake which is P250 per slice. It's a vanilla chocolate chiffon cake covered with a chocolate ganache in checkered style. Honestly, we were both disappointed with this cake. Probably because we're both not fan of chiffon cakes and it tasted quite blunt. I tlooked fancy but that's it! It's moist but I really can't find the exact words to describe how it tasted cause it was so light and airy.

Checkered Cake P225 / Slice

Overall, I can say this is a not so good first experience with Papermoon Cafe cause I was expecting it would be so extravagant due to the hype it's getting. Maybe I should try their Chocolate Mille Crepe instead next time which is another favourite by many?

SPECIAL NOTE: I just realized this might be a good cafe for the adults/ elderly/ Titas of Manila/ and the like because the cake is not too sweet which tastes good paired with coffee or tea, one can definitely eat 1 whole slice of it without feeling too much!

Will I go back regardless how my first experience went? Maybe, yes. I would probably try other flavours which might suit my palate better. :)

Macarons

BGC

Early Bird Breakfast Club: The Fort, Taguig

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Breakfast!
Ahhh! Just hearing the word excites me! I used to not be a fan of breakfast meals because i'm a late sleeper so I would usually wake up at noon time. I'd always skip breakfast and my day would normally start with lunch as my first meal of the day.

As I mature, I see the importance of including breakfast in my daily lifestyle. I work as a wedding videographer on most weekends and I find myself moody and grumpy throughout the day if I do not get my tummy filled in the morning. I have slowly been incorporating breakfast in my system and so far I have fully adjusted and i'm loving it! Whenever my friends would invite me for breakfast or brunch dates, I would always get excited about it!

I was looking for a brunch place where I could bring my man for a date. Early Bird Breakfast Club was the first thing that came into my mind. This restaurant is famous among foodies and bloggers so it's not new to me 'cause i've been hearing a lot of good stuff about it. Early Bird is located in The Fort Strip, Bonifacio Global City. Easily accessible and there's a lot of parking space within the vicinity.

The restaurant is a few blocks away from Mind Museum so it's a perfect first stop before roaming around BGC. The place is cozy and the interior is very youthful and pleasant to the eyes. The ambiance is warm and the overall branding is chic. Their furniture and decorations remind me of Heima, a brand well-known for their colorful and youthful furniture. Everything screams the perfect ambiance for a wonderful breakfast!

The seats are comfy and the place is very neat.

The staff are also very accommodating and attentive to our needs.

They have creative hand-painted scriptures all over the wall and it just gives off pure good vibes.

It's so stylish and chic!

The overall brand is well-curated and well-thought of! The menu is a customised Early Bird newspaper and they update the layout of the menu every few months. So creative right!?

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It fuels up the body for the entire day giving us sufficient energy to work and be productive. It affects our mood too! Some even say that people who do not eat breakfast consume more calories and are more likely to be overweight. Maybe it's because people who don't eat breakfast would get hungry during other meal times and will consume more food to make up for the skipped breakfast.

Early Bird Breakfast Club Menu

The menu design is impeccable! I enjoyed browsing through the photos and scanning through the menu. I wouldn't usually hold the menu for a long time when ordering but this one made me want to keep it. You know the brand's legit when every detail has been thought of well enough!

Visit this link to view the complete menu: http://www.earlybirdbreakfastclub.com/menu.html

Sunny Salpicao

Now for my main meal, I got myself a Beef Salpicao. I'm a huge fan of Beef Salpicao 'cause it's like a no fail meal so when I saw this on their menu I didn't hesitate to order it right away. The meal consisted of chopped chicken breast marinated with their signature sauce, sautéed with button mushrooms and served with plain rice & a sunny side up egg. The sauce has a hint of sweetness to it which i'm not a fan of but the chicken meat was well-cooked and tender.

Adobo Sunrise P315.00

My boyfriend ordered Adobo Sunrise. The meal was topped with hashed Crispy Adobo Flakes which was so savoury and good! The adobo flakes were not too dehydrated so it's not as crispy as I expected it to be. The meat is tender and goes perfectly with the scrambled egg. It tasted good but there's nothing really note-taking about this dish.

Grille Cheese Sandwich

Lo and behold ~ the Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

Anything loaded with cheese is my weakness so I know I had to get this. The different cheeses added here were cheddar, mozzarella and gruyere. The sandwich is mixed with caramelized onions and sided with a roasted Tomato Soup that perfectly complemented the dish. Early Bird's Tomato Soup by far was one of the best i've tried. The soup has the perfect blend of sweetness and sourness from the tomato. So comforting! I was actually looking for a saltier and savoury overall taste because that's what i'm used to, but this one is unique and full of hearty goodness!

Holy Cheesus!

Their grilled cheese deserves its own praise. Hallelujah! I'd like to point out that the sharpness of the cheddar was the perfect contrast to the blandness of the other cheeses. This sandwich gave my mouth fireworks on every bite! Hands down, this is the BEST Grilled Cheese Sandwich i've ever had in my entire life. I totally forgot eating the Sunny Salpicao because all of my attention were focused here. SO GOOD, SO SO GOOD!

White Chocolate Mocha

For my drink, I ordered an iced White Chocolate Mocha. It was the perfect ending for all the savoury goodness we were taking in earlier. It's milky, light and refreshing! Even their drink didn't disappoint!

Going back to Early Bird Breakfast Club was a great decision! This restaurant is a must visit not just because of its fancy and instagrammable ambiance but because of their impeccable food worth trying and re-visiting! I'll definitely invite my girl friends here next time to explore more of their lovely dishes!

Pages

The Foodinista

Irvins Salted Egg Chips & Salted Egg Fish Skin: Review

Gorda, Uptown Parade (Fil-Mex Cuisine) Review

Paper Moon Cafe, Uptown Place Mall BGC

Early Bird Breakfast Club: The Fort, Taguig