The Foodinista

Terraz, Makati (Chinese New Year Pay Day Buffet!)

Monday, March 12, 2018

It's been a long time since I've joined an eat up. Time is flying so fast I just haven't had a breather the past few months. I got so caught up with work and my private life that I rarely even go out and eat out! So when I was invited to this small gathering and I had a few time to spare, I just had to say yes to my Team Kaladkarin fam. Buffet pa! Bawi bawi din pag may time

Street View from Terraz Window

Terraz is a casual and approachable dining space featuring modern comfort cuisine within the city’s renowned LEED accredited high-rise – the Zuellig building. Simply prepared and top-quality dishes are available for lunch and cocktails with tapas and sangrias at hand as an ideal conclusion to one’s busy cosmopolitan schedule. With delightful hospitality and a relaxed atmosphere, Terraz is the perfect place to hold social events, corporate meetings, family snacks and even romantic dinners.

Terraz is a restaurant owned by Raintree Group located in Zuellig Building Makati.
Ms. Michelle Magtoto of Raintree Restaurants was the one who accommodated and assisted us the whole day. I love her presence. She's so nice, a little quiet and shy. She's very easy to talk to and we've even made chika after dinner! Lol!

I never knew a restaurant in Zuellig Building even exists cause I've always known it to be a corporate office so I actually got lost navigating for it. There's a slightly intimidating vibe upon entrance cause everyone was wearing corporate attires and it's been a long time since I've worn a corporate outfit so I felt a little out of place. Haha!

Most of the customers are employees of the building cause Terraz also caters to offices on ordinary days. Most diners are business people and professionals that ads to the intimidating and sossy vibe. The place is quiet and the mood is very calming as compared to your usual buffet restaurants where a most people are actively chatting, laughing, shouting sometimes even with kids running around; Terraz has a hotel-vibe stress-free ambiance, so it's a good affordable place for lunch meetings and corporate gatherings.

Terraz can accommodate private meetings and events. They have seasonal or themed buffet twice a month depending on the occasion that will be celebrated or unique concepts they want to incorporate in the buffet. The place can accommodate about 70 people and has a cozy vibe, TBH medyo tita-ish ang feels for me cause of the warm lighting and couches. It's an ideal place for cocktails nights and mini reunions.

This month they're celebrating the Chinese New Year so this event is called the Chinese New Year Pay Day Buffet. Next month it'll be the Seafood Pay Day Buffet!

Buffet Price: P588 (Chinese New Year Pay Day Buffet)
Regular Buffet Rate: P520

Side Note: There's a musician playing violin to add to the cozy ambiance pero na off ako cause when I entered cause he was playing Hayaan Mo Sila by Ex Batallion

BWAHAHAHA

️I gave him a chance cause the music line up changed after that song!

TOP PICKS

Minced Beef with Crabmeat Soup

Braised Yellow Noodles

I just had to eat the noodles cause in Chinese it's tradition for us to eat noodles during occasions as it is believe that it'll give us long life. It's a little dry at first try but when the tray was replaced by a new batch it tasted good!

Pecking Duck

Pork Ribs with Special Sauce

Fried Rice

Assorted Dimsum

THE BEST! Can't count how many times I went back for the Siomai! I was eating Siomai the whole night. Grabe lang, legit. Akala ko lasang master siomai lang, but nooo it tasted so authentic and even the other dimsums. Ineffortan, hindi parang binili lang na frozen dimsum tapos ini-steam. Quality siya!

Fried Siopao (No Photo)
YUM! Not a fan of siopao, I don't actually eat siopao pero but this one is good. I thought it was a custard bun at first bite hahaha! It's a lil oily but it is super good! The filling is packed and isn't too sweet for my liking.

Mango Passion Fruit Juice

I love the variety of cocktail drinks they offer! ANG SARAP NITO! To be honest, most of the food for me were just normal. Maybe cause I'm Chinese? Parang parati ko na siya kinakain so ang hirap na i-judge kung masarap ba or hindi and one of the things na hindi ko talaga nakalimutan would be this drink! Ang sarap besh! So refreshing, sana pwedeng dalhin sa beach. The sweet x sour combo is just perfect pang-alis umay!

Buchi

Others that were available in the buffet.
Sweet and Sour Fish
Sauteed Chicken, Snow Peas black fungus with water chestnuts
Peking Duck
Singaporean fried noodles
Steamed Salmon Tail And Head with Special Sauce
Hoisin Chicken
Chicken Lemon Pineapple Cucumber
Pork Ribs with Special Sauce
Almond Jelly and Mango Pudding

Mango Sago

Thank you for having me Team Kaladkarin & Raintree Restaurants! What a memorable night!

Flat Bread

Flatterie, Mall of Asia

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Flatterie is another brilliant creation by FOODEE Global Concept - the same team behind the famous Tim Ho Wan, Pound, Sunnies Cafe and Todd English. My amazement behind the concepts they bring here in Manila is immeasurable. They really bring up the game in the food industry!

I was invited by Ej Buñag a.k.a. #ilovetoeatph to attend the grand launch of Flatterie last Dec 2017, so this is already a late post. Sorry Ej!

Flatterie is located in Mall of Asia and offers freshly made flat breads and pastas. Flatterie is just beside Pound and the interior pretty much similar so it's just a choice between burger and pizza or pasta. It's like a win win situation cause both place serves good food! There were a lot of foodies during the launch and I was happy to see fellow Looloo reviewers present. Parang malaki reunion lang ang peg. Love it. I feel at home.

The ambiance of Flatterie is very casual yet formal at the same time. The mood is very cozy but the interior and ambiance is very classy and sophisticated. The best of both worlds so as they say! I like the wooden furniture, the dim-lighting, warm lights, shiny decorative accents - everything just goes well together.

Flat Bread in the Making

FOOD
They really served us almost everything on the menu but I will only post about those ones that I really liked. They spoiled us so much that night and I appreciate how fast they were able to serve our orders despite the queue. The chefs were giving us quick tossing shows in between so it's a good entertainment while waiting.
Almost all the flatbreads were likeable but some tasted almost the same with others that it didn't make a mark. Here are the must tries when you visit. :)

Jalapeño Popper P180

Jalapeño Poppers
Fried chilis stuffed with cheese and pepperoni serve with aioli
A perfect appetizer with just a bearable amount of spiciness.

Flatterie Bruschetta P180

Flatterie Bruschetta
Homemade bread topped with mushroom pesto, cream, diced tomato, onion, garlic and basil

Frito Misto & Potato Crispy P320

Frito Misto & Potato Crispy

Deep fried sampler with calamari, shrimp and Flatterie potato

Vongole

Truffle Pasta

Truffle Pasta | P220 Selfie ; P320 Groupie

Spaghetti finished with parmesan, egg yolk and truffle salsa

I almost fell in love with their truffle pasta but I find it to watery or shall I say soupy? The consistency of the sauce gave the dish a blunt taste. It's as if they didn't strain it well and all the water was still there! I can only smell the truffle but I can't seem to taste it. I liked how they cooked the pasta though - al dente. The mushrooms were also a pretty decoration on top, haha!

Mac & Cheese

Mac & Cheese | P250 Selfie; P350 Groupie
Macaroni in a rich cream sauce with mozzarella and parmesan cheese

The best Mac and Cheese that I've ever tried in my entire existence. Well, this is only applicable during the night of the launch cause went I went back the 2nd time around with my boyfriend, it tasted different.
It was so creamy and light, there were hints of saltiness from the cheese which was perfect and they didn't over season the dish.

2nd Visit: I dragged my boyfriend to dine here cause he is a mac and cheese fan. Plus blame PMS! Haha! Mac and cheese and hinahanap ng puso ko. I kept telling him that he won't be disappointed on their mac and cheese, kaya sugod away to MOA. When our orders came gawd I felt so embarrassed cause it tasted so far from the first time that I've tried it. MAY SPARKS AT FIREWORKS yung first bite ko. I think that everyone in the event would agree na masarap siya. But during my 2nd visit... It was blunt, under-cooked and very dry. Tingin palang ayaw mo ng kainin. Konti konti lang yung cheese and we even had to request for an additional seasoning, kahit hindi na cheese, kahit salt nalang kasi wala kaming malasahan.

Truffle Flatbread

Truffle Flatbread | P220 Selfie ; P330 Groupie
Truffle cream, mozzarella and parmesan
Anything with truffle is my weakness. When the aroma of the truffle inside the restaurant scattered everywhere I just had to follow where it was coming from. I stood up from my chair and literally looked for it... voila I was right! The table beside us ordered a Truffle Flat Bread and a Truffle Pasta and because I got jealous I ordered one for our table too cause it was just so irresistable.

I liked the simplicity of the Truffle Pasta which had zero toppings on top. Simple yet very appetizing and tasty, a perfect pair for wine as well. On the other hand the pasta was just okay. It was very watery or soupy, ang labnaw ng sauce to the point na hindi mo na malasahan yung buong dish.

I think this could be improved though.

Carbonara Flatbread

Carbonara Flatbread | P200 Selfie ; P300 Groupie
Bacon, cream and egg with black pepper and parmesan cheese
This is probably the safest one to order cause all the ingredients are familiar and good. What could go wrong with bacon right? Ordered this during my 2nd visit and the quality was pretty consistent. Simply good. Nothing to complain about!
The presentation is something I'd like to commend to, it's very very appetizing!

Roast Beef Flatbread

US Angus Roast Beed Flatbrea | P270 Selfie ; P370 Groupie
US Angus Roast Beef with cilantro and crispy onion

I like the savoriness of this flavor. Kulang nalang rice, pwedeng pwede na, may nanalo na! It reminds me of bistek in flatbread form. It has a little hint of sweetness from the onions which complimented the saltiness of the beef well.

INDULGENCE P890

INDULGENCE
Probably one of the most eye-catchy flatbreads served during the night. Indulgence is made with truffled steak and foie gras with parmesan & onion. I'm not a fan of foie gras because of the after taste it possess but because of the truffle steak which was really good it really balanced the overall taste of the dish. Pinasarap niya! The onions added a crunchy texture to it. The is the most expensive one on the menu. It's priced at P890 available only in LARGE size which I probably would never spend for using my own money.

Ice Cream Puff P220 - Groupie

Ice Cream Puff
Fresh baked Profiterols filled with Vanilla Ice Cream and topped with chocolate sauce

They only have few desserts on the menu and this is probably the one that I like the most. Nothing too extravagant but the best pang-alis umay after all the savoriness from the flatbreads. Just the perfect amount of sweetness!

S'mores Flatbread P270 - Groupie

S'more Flatbread
Chocolate, marshmallows and crusted grahams

FOODIE ICED TEA P90I love Foodee's signature iced tea. It's not your typical house blend iced tea and has a hint of calamansi taste, slight bitterness then sweetness at the end.Among other pizza places I've been to I think this one is a must visit for its uniqueness. The flat breads are a stand out! Everything on the menu is affordable. The place has its own personality and the ambiance just really sets the mood for a good chit-chat. #AFFORDABLELUXURY

Clean & Green

Klean Kanteen: Product Review

Monday, January 22, 2018

The stainless steel bottle that launched Klean Kanteen over a decade ago is now available as a high performance insulated water bottle! We combined our original, iconic Classic water bottle shape with double-wall vacuum insulation to create our most versatile bottle ever. We test our insulated bottle performance constantly and our 20oz will keep drinks hot for 20 hours and iced for 50 hours. Electropolished interior, a process that is safe and non-toxic, and rounded corners make the bottle easy to clean. The included Loop Cap helps keep the contents hot or cold, is easy to clean and leak proof.

CLIMATE LOCK: 20hrs HOT ; 50hrs ICED

PHILIPPINE PRICE: P1849.75

[Source: Klean Kanteen]

FEATURES

Double-Wall Vacuum Insulation, Keeps Hot up to 20 hours, Keeps Iced up to 50 hours
Food Grade 18/8 Stainless Steel Construction
Comes with Leak Proof Loop Cap
Compatible with all Klean Kanteen Classic Caps
Large 1.75" (44mm) opening, for easy filling and pouring
Hand Washing Recommended for Insulated Products
Backed by the Klean Kanteen Strong as Steel Guarantee

SPECS

Capacity	20 fluid ounces (592 ml)
Weight (w/loop cap)	12.2 ounces (345.7 g)
Size (w/loop cap)	11.1" H x 2.9" W (282.2 mm H x 72.9 mm W)
Opening Diameter	1.75" (44 mm)

PRODUCT REVIEW

This is my first ever Klean Kanteen bottle. A first cause I'm hoping to get the other bottle variants in the future. This was a gift from my boss last December 2017 for Christmas. He was kind enough to give all of his employees a Klean Kanteen bottle cause he thinks that it will be very useful for all of us. True enough, it became very handy for us especially during video shoots and even as a daily liquid container inside the office.

I got the color fuchsia pink and I really like it! It's so chic, sophisticated & girly but most of all DURABLE.

This product amazes me in many ways especially its functionality. It's heavier compared to other stainless bottles but it's not a factor that would stop you from buying it when you think of what the product can do for you. Insulation plays a huge factor because it keeps your drink cool so it makes the perfect drinking bottle for travelling, hiking & just any type of outdoor activities.

I like the small mouth opening of the bottle which prevents liquid from coming out all at once. It's a great gym buddy too! I would usually bring this to my workout sessions and would put ice inside to keep my water cool ~ cause chilled water is what I thirst for whenever I sweat like hell. It just makes drinking a pleasure!

The insulation is a BIG PLUS I swear. It's such an advantage in so many ways that it keeps my daily life better! If I want a cup of hot tea I would just fill my Klean Kanteen with hot water and use it as a bigger container for refill. it's so convenient!

I would recommend Klean Kanteen to everyone who wants a high quality and durable liquid container / water bottle. It might be a little pricey but it's worth it! It also comes in different shapes, sizes, designs and color.