My trip to Cebu was really more on a foodtrip than sightseeing. Well, I've been to Cebu several times already and I've seen the popular landmarks so this time around, the thrill is in finding new restaurants. Luckily, my former officemate whom I haven't seen for more than a decade (close to two decades actually), also happen to be in Cebu. So we were suppose to schedule a dinner date, but because he's there on official business, we agreed to have late lunch instead.

A lot of Chinese restaurants now are offering pork buns on their menu after the uproar created by THW when people literally lined up to get a table just to have a taste. So what is a pork bun and why is it so popular?

According to Google, Pork Bun is a Chinese snack consisting of steamed or baked bread dough filled with barbequed pork.

Its been ages since I last had a meal at the Shawarma Snack Center in Ermita so when we attended Pope Francis' mass in Luneta, we made a quick stop here.

I've heard from my friend that Pizzeria Michelangelo is also owned by the Lhuilliers which also own Michel's Deli + Cafe, among other restaurants. This one though is located just outside Shangri-La in Mactan. The pizzeria has an al fresco area which also has a view of the brick oven. You can see the chef making pizza.

As a foodie, its really hard for me to list down my favorite food or restaurant as I want to be adventurous when it comes to food and discovering new food places. So after some careful introspection, here's my list of 2014 Best Restaurant and Food Discoveries.

A nice beginning to discover a new dish last January 2014 - I immediately fell in-love with the Truffle Gorgonzola Pasta at Kettle. Kettle is still a relatively new restaurant last year but it has already attracted a lot of loyal patrons because of the good food that they serve. It was really a toss between the pasta and Kettle's famous Buttermilk Fried Chicken.

Our supposedly short visit to daughter's madrina ended up with merienda cena at Chef Jessie Rockwell Club.

Salad a la Jose Mari Chan. Heart of palm on a bed of alugbati. This salad is just divine. Tastes simple yet refreshing. The fresh alugbati micro leaves has a nice crunch and the sweetish vinaigrette complements it perfectly. The "ubod" or heart of palm has a light pickled flavor that is so good I want it paired with fried fish- hehe.

Michel's Deli + Cafe is managed by the same owners of La Vie Parisienne. Unlike La Vie Parisienne, Michel's has a much more casual appearance compared to its sister. I chanced upon this deli because it is just beside the restaurant where we ate a very late lunch.

Had it not been for Araneta Center's invitation, I wouldn't have discovered this gem of Italian Restaurant in Cubao. I mean, I do not pass by the area where the restaurant is located so there's really a slim chance that I'll see it. Luckily, I got to attend Giovanni'sopening last year.

PRESS RELEASE

    A three-man contingent from the Philippines will compete in the World Pastry Cup, Coupe Du Monde de la Pátisserie in Lyons, France. January 25.             Twenty-eight year old Rizalino Mañas, Bryan Dimayuga, 24 and 36 year old Vicente Cahatol,all from Makati Shangri-la,will compete with 20 other teams from different countries worldwide in what is considered as the premier competition in the world of pastry.  

Crystal Jade is an international franchise that has branches in more than ten countries including the Philippines. The restaurant is well-known for serving authentic Cantonese dishes with a modern twist. The distinct flavors of herbs and spices that is akin to good Chinese food is carefully presented in each of Crystal Jade Dining IN's dishes.

Delightful Fare for an Auspicious New Year
            It is one celebration after another. Not long after we partied for the New Year that we look to welcome The Year of the Sheep. As we await this auspicious date, try recipes not for a grand feast but filling and delightful nonetheless.  Read more and see how to prepare Oriental favorites beef noodles, pork buns and tofu. For more recipes, other culinary ideas and course schedule, log on to www.themayakitchen.com.    

Another kawaii discovery. Cos means cosplay and Cos Cafe which located in JY Square in Cebu is a haven for anime and manga-lovers. My friend introduced me to this cafe since her daughters always visit this place.

This is a belated post about our post-Christmas pig-out at Eat Fresh with my daughter and aunt. I guess we've eaten too much good food that craving for "Hong Kong" streetfood is inevitable. ;)

We usually choose our "streetfood" upon entering the restaurant because their kitchen is in front. You can see them frying a lot of sinfully oily but delicious streetfood.

Pig's Ear and Lobster Roll. I love the chewy pig's ears. My aunt and I shared this order except for the lobster roll which was requested by daughter. Costs P30-35.

words and photos by Irene Enriquez

There are a number of restaurants serving Mediterranean dishes around Manila. The Waterside Restobar is the newest and probably the most elegant addition. Located at the Sky Tower in Solaire Resort & Casino, it is an all-day dining restaurant which serves Latin American and Mediterranean specialties.

My family and I always look forward to discovering new restaurants whenever we go to SM Mall of Asia and we're happy to have dined at Modern Shanghai. It was also almost closing time when we entered the restaurant so there's also the fear that they might not treat us well but ...

My first "gimik" of the year was last January 2 and me and my dates ended up on the highest bar/lounge in town. I've already been to 71 Gramercy thrice but that was to attend an event. This time, the intention was to have a real good time with friends. :)

So this is where I had my first dinner of the year. I had a scheduled dinner date with my mommy friends from school and we all agreed to meet at Century Mall because we haven't been there yet. Actually, we were planning to eat in another restaurant but it was full when we arrived so we ended up at 12 Monkeys.

Wishing everyone a BLESSED 2015 with lots of WONDERFUL things happening in-between. :)

You've read about our annual Noche Buena tradition which was a big family affair for us (several families and in-laws, tons of nephews and nieces, including pets) but during Media Noche, we all celebrated it in our own homes.

For our Noche Buena feast, I just prepared some salmon sashimi (hubby's request), some suman, puto, kalamay (sticky food so that the family will sweetly stick together), chocolates (sweets, again), the usual round fruits, Christstollen, cookies, quail eggs (round, again), cheeses, wine ...