happyfoodies.com – Philippines Food Blog

Lunch with the Hardys: Fine dine with fine wine

Call us very casual drinkers for we Happyfoodies really eat more than drink. However, an invitation to sample some of the best Australian wines one fine weekday came as a proposition too good to pass up. The wines we’re tasting are made by Hardys, the most popular brand from Down Under. With Oakwood Ortigas as host, we knew the pairings with Oakwood lunch fare would be worth the trip.

The occasion, a rather intimate small group lunch, introduces the Hardys’ new Heritage Reserve Bin – Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon — continuing the company’s tradition of blending grapes from different regions to come up with complex wines. Distinguishing itself from vintners that make wines from single plots or regions, the Hardys have carved a name for taking grapes from different places and maturing them to come up with complex blends.

Tags: Australian, Hardy's, Oakwood, Wine

A Taste of Asia at Makansutra

Going back to the Manila Ocean Park last weekend became a trip not only for your happyfoodies to rediscover the oceanarium but to fish for something else – the food offerings at the Makansutra Asian Food Village located at the Ocean Park mall.

Makan means “eat/eating” in Bahasa while Sutra means thread or line holding things together (or metaphorically, a collection of such lines or things such as in the Hindu scriptures) in Sanskrit. This is especially meaningful as Makansutra is envisioned to be a place gathering together fare from all over Southeast Asia sold hawker-style. Granted that one may not always have the opportunity to travel but at Makansutra, one can let his/her taste buds do the traveling. Will K.F. Seetoh, the Singaporean foodie who inspired this enterprise, approve? Tag along with happyfoodies and find out.

Tags: Asian, Bak Kut Teh, Laksa, Manila, Noodles, Pad Thai, Satay, Soups

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.

Tags: cocktales, dessert, food, fruits, smoothies

Having a G’ day at Aussie Cafe

Apart from the food offerings of longtime stalwart, Outback Restaurant, we admit we’re not that exposed to Australian cuisine. Oh, we have images of Australian icons in our heads but still, we asked ourselves, “what is Australian cuisine?” Googling the topic reveals a bit of insight like the fact that traditional Australian cuisine borrows heavily from the British tradition (think fish and chips, pies, et al). The modern iteration, however, is not as easy to define as understandably, their cuisine is influenced by and infused with other cuisines, especially of the people who have been transplanted to the continent like Asians. Follow the Happyfoodies as they venture to the southern part of the metropolis to get a taste (and a flavorful idea) of Australian cuisine at the appropriately-named Aussie Café and Resto.

Tags: Alabang, Australian, Coffee, Frappe, Pastas, Ribs, Steaks