happyfoodies.com – Philippines Food Blog

Of Makimi and dimsums at Shin Din Kha

Sunday is a nice time to go to Manila’s Chinatown. It’s less crowded, there’s not much traffic, and most restaurants have room to spare. Some would argue it’s not Binondo if it’s not crowded but at times, it would be nice to be able to sit down and grab a bite without wading through the crowds and waiting for a long time even for short order items on the menu. Your happyfoodies chanced upon this panciteria, Shin Din Kha, while on a food trip with friends about two weeks ago. We were full at that time so we had to bypass this small restaurant. But a recent Sunday lunch found us wandering here again, this time with hungry stomachs.

A rainy day Binondo food trip

So what do we avid traveler-photographers do during the monsoon season? Hmmm, at times, we just brave the weather and go ahead with our trip. But sometimes, we’d wisen up and not push our luck, opting to stay in the city and find something else of interest. That is exactly what we did recently when along with two fellow foodie friends, your happyfoodies braved the Saturday monsoon rains to eat their way through a Saturday. Nevermind the overcast skies and intermittent rains, the muddy streets and damp air, but really, is there something more pleasurable than sniffing out the delicious smell of Chinese food wafting from shops and hole-in-the-walls and succumbing to the temptation?

Just desserts at Cocktales

One Saturday afternoon found happyfoodies at SM Megamall for a business meeting. Looking for a quiet place to meet in busy Megamall can be quite tricky, especially on a weekend but on a friend’s suggestion, we found ourselves in the month-old dessert place, Cocktales. Tucked at the entrance the Atrium on the fifth level, we seem to have found our quiet spot as the place was desserted (no pun intended). The lighting was inviting and conducive for cooling off. The images of drinks and desserts were really enticing and well-done. The signage says “desserts like no other” so we felt we had to give them a try.

Two desserts in one Custaroon

Two-in-one coffee mix. Two-in-one toothpaste and mouthwash. Two-in-one shampoo and conditioner. Two-in-one mobile phone and organizer. We live in a curious age when consumer products are marketed to be better because they’re essentially two products in one. But how about desserts? Sure, we’ve got cake a la mode but that’s about it. That is, until we heard of Custaroons.

Just what on earth is a custaroon? Well, it’s a mix of custard (or leche flan in more familiar terms) and macaroons (dessicated coconut and milk confection). It’s a term coined by its creator, Gigi Gaerlan, a self-confessed sweet tooth and leche flan fanatic. Hailing from a family of restaurateurs, getting into a hobby of baking sweet treats came naturally to Gigi. In a very competitive marketplace, she felt the need for a unique product she can call her original. So she mixed her liking for custard with her mom’s recipe for macaroons. At first, she just baked batches for giving away to relatives and friends. But soon, orders started trickling in. That was way back in 2000. At present, Gigi’s Custaroons are still home-baked in her kitchen in Sta Mesa. Happyfoodies samples custaroons and shares the experience.

Where to eat when in Basco

“Where do we we eat?” Tired and famished from all the hiking and traveling, it’s a question we ourselves keep asking whenever we’re in Basco,. This capital of Batanes, is usually the jump-off point for visitors exploring the Philippines’ northernmost province. Happyfoodies collates some noteworthy eating places to help out first-time or returning visitors.

Going nuts about Macadamia at Haagen-Dazs

The fickle weather hints at the onset of the rainy season but every once in a while, the sun emerges from the clouds and the weather turns sunny and hot. Uncomfortably, very humid,hot. Seems to us that summer is still here and holding. What a time for happyfoodies to be given an opportunity to sample Haagen Dazs’ nutty creations.

We were given three preparations to sample (many thanks to Haagen Dazs and especially the SM Megamall crew) – the Macadamia Nut Delight, Hawaiian Macadamia Crunch, and the Macadamia Nut Cake. Imagine the velvety, creamy goodness that Haagen Dazs is known for. Mix it with Macadamia nuts. Voila, you have a perfect recipe for going nuts.