Hubby and I have quick tea dates every week, and this is the place where it all started. Serenitea…read morewas at the forefront when the milk tea craze happened in Manila. I didn't think my husband would like milk tea, but I ordered Hokkaido for him one time and he actually liked it. Since then, he's been loyal to his milk tea selection while I alternate to fruit teas, hot teas (it's a shame they phased out the peppermint tea, that was my favorite) or the Yakult tea choices. And it's not just the beverages; unlike other milk tea place, Serenitea puts a lot of thought to the food they serve in their store. There are more choices than your usual fries or mojos. I love ordering their peppered corn while it's the chicken chops or Thai tofu for the beau. Everything we tried is delicious (so far). We love their drinks, but the food is responsible for elevating their status from just a milk tea place to a hang out and date place.

Had Serenitea for the first time! I thought it was bad and I recognize it is Super Delicious!…read moreEspecially for the Sugar Level and the Sinkers! 5 out of 5 Stars! Well Done Serenitea! Till I visit again!

One of my to-go cakes for celebrations, but Banapple also has homemade, hearty meals that always…read morewarm my foodie tummy. My top picks are penne pasta, roll up lasagna and chicken parmigiano. The resto is comfy with a restroom, though I find their tables weird because of the embedded balls that make the plates and glasses unstable sometimes (might cause accidents!). Parking can be a hassle though, since they can only allot 5 cars max at a time (including neighbor parking space). Nevertheless, the staff is always there to help out and make sure that the customers have the best care. Definitely one in my books! I hope that they make smaller sized cakes in the future. ;)

Comfort food at its best! Banapple is really one place that knows how to cook up a good meal…read more There's just always a line here. People never get tired of their food because it's just plain awesome! Almost anything in their menu sounds really good and they indeed are. Everything I've tasted from their menu so far are so good! This is the place that really makes me feel happy after eating a meal. I don't know how they cook their food but I keep wondering why nothing tastes bad. The place is also designed so cutely! It feels like you're in a tiny girly play house. It really works though. My favorite dish from their menu is the Chicken Parmigiana. The serving is just huge and definitely worth how much you pay for it. The chicken is tender and juicy in the inside and crunchy outside. The tomato sauce and cheese are so good! It's definitely one of the best comfort food dishes I've ever had!

I love ice cream. So when Magnolia came back with a vengeance a few years ago, I was on the…read morebandwagon, grabbing all the flavors I can as soon as they came out. But one thing I love more than the ice cream they offer in supermarkets, is the return of Magnolia Flavor House. Dining there is really a walk down memory lane. It feels reminiscent of those after-school trips you take to Manila when you're picking up your supply of boyscout/girlscout items (in that one store beside it). The branches they now have even look like the old ice cream parlour we used to visit from the vintage lighting to the staff uniform. This time around, they're offering more than just ice cream. While they still have old favorites like Bert and Ernie, they have an extensive selection of burgers, pastas and pizzas. They pizza is big enough for 4 people and is ultra-cheesy. Their burgers are thick and juicy and again, they don't scrimp on the cheese. This is one of my favorite places for some Sunday bonding with my little girl to introduce to her some of the classics I used to love...and apparently still do. Special tip: If you're hankering for some mais con yelo but couldn't find any, try their corn and cheese ice cream. It's a refreshing change that satisfies the cold corn craving.

I'm saying it right off the bat: this place is expensiiiive…read more If you're coming here for lunch, be prepared to shell out at least 300php for your meal. Another 200php more if you want dessert. This place is not for solo eaters at all. But here's an idea: bring a friend. Serving sizes are big enough that you could probably share an order of pasta or split on a pizza. With the nostalgia factor that Magnolia Flavor House brings though, this is somewhere better experienced with company than somewhere you'd go alone for lunch. I'm sure most people remember the original Magnolia Flavor House that used to stand where Robinson's Magnolia (hence the name) now is. I for one remember going when I was a tiny thing and it was probably the first place I ever had a proper sundae. So imagine my surprise when they actually opened one in SM North. It's definitely a pleasant nostalgic punch to the face. I've always had a fondness for Magnolia Ice Cream and it's good to see that the next generation will be able to appreciate it the way we did.

I love macaroons. They're one of my favorite parts of life! When I saw that the power plant mall…read morehad a TWG, I thought I would be in trouble, with affordable macaroons so close. Unfortunately (fortunately?), the humidity inside the macaroon display case means that the bottom half of their tea-themed macaroons are almost always a soggy mess when you go to eat them. Just take a peek inside the glass - there's always droplets of water hanging on the inside. They need a dehumidifier up in there like woah. Just once I had a perfectly crisp shelled macaroon here. It was glorious. I must have gotten a fresh batch before they had a chance to sponge up all the moisture. Unfortunately 1 success out of 5 attempts is not a good ratio. Laduree across the street is pricier, but more consistent.

There are always so many people at Conti's. Reasonable price, good meals, very good desserts, lots…read moreof bread options. What's not to like, really? I usually get the USDA Beef Salpicao. The beef is soft and tasty and garlicky just like how good salpicao should be. Mango Bravo is their best dessert. It hasn't changed since the first time I've tried it until last week. That's a good thing. One slice is not enough. I forgot the name, but they also have this triangular shaped bread with cheese inside. It's good for a snack. The good thing about Conti's is that they have these party sizes. When you have a potluck party, Conti's is always a good choice. I brought over some pasta and roast beef once and everybody liked it. I spent around PHP 1200 for both dishes which I think is fairly reasonable. Conti's is a people pleaser. Good for family, for barkada, for parties, for whatever.

Two words: Mango Bravo. This dessert is amazing, and probably the only reason why I like Conti's…read more One delicious slice of mango-y goodness just doesn't cut it. You have to have two. Or buy the whole cake. Maybe even buy TWO cakes. Gah, just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Not that the Mango Bravo is the only awesome thing on the menu though - Conti has a lot of great bread and pastries and a diverse selection to boot, and if my love for Conti's stems only from it's Mango Bravo, then my family loves Conti's only for it's cream cheese salmon dish. My mom loves that dish so much that she's tried time and time again to re-create it at home only to realize that she just can't make it as good as Conti's. Definitely a good place to eat with family or friends or officemates - as long as you order the Mango Bravo for dessert.

I have recently embraced healthy eating as a way to manage my weight and it has been working to my…read moreadvantage. I try to stick to a mainly plant-based diet so that I can snack on junk food without any guilt. What I love about Kitchen Revolution's tempting sweets and desserts is the fact that they are not just healthy, they are sinfully addictive and good too! Kitchen Revolution focuses on vegetarian and vegan snacks, dishes, and desserts, and on many occasions, I have sampled their vegan cakes and ice creams. Marie, the owner is a visionary in bringing vegetarian and vegan consciousness in the Philippines. I love that she studied abroad to be better informed about her green and healthy food, and that she has garnered an impressive expereince working for gourmet health food brands in the US before coming back to offer her goodies to the Filipinos. I have sampled her flourless and gluten free dark chocolate cake, which was so rich and indulgent I forgot I was actually eating a healthy alternative to fatty and sugar-loaded cakes. I particularly love her Vice Cream, a vegan ice cream susbstitute that will make you a vegan food convert in no time. The rich and scrumptious dark chocolate vice cream is simply divine, and I couldn't stop at a few spoonfuls. No. I need an entire tub to myself. The creamy mangoes and creme vice cream is also tempting. How she gets her vice cream so creamy and dense eludes me. At P350 for a tub of fairly-sized vice cream, you can expereince how it is to indulge while being mindful of the healthful ingredients of your guilty pleasure.

Clean and organized store with a well-structured system, friendly customer service, and…read morehigh-quality boxes with a wide variety of options to choose from. Shout out to Maricel for her exce customer service skill and Aldrin for going extra mile folding the bulky boxes to make it easiet for me to carry. As a new customer, the entire process was smooth and hassle-free. Highly recommend!

If you're already planning your Christmas shopping, looking for attractive packaging for the cakes…read moreyou're selling, or have a cat you're hoping is going to make it big on YouTube, you're going to need a lot of boxes. It's too much of a hassle to go to plenty of stores looking for different shapes and sizes so it's better in the long run to just go to the source and cut out the middle man. The one stop shop for food related boxes in Manila is RM Box Center. RM is in the middle of Sta. Mesa so the traffic is a bit bad going to and from. Don't worry as it'll be worth your while. RM stocks practically every kind of boxes and food packaging you'll need. They have boxes for cakes, cupcakes, muffins, and pastries of any size, whether it's something as small as a macaron or as big as a whole loaf of bread. They even have pizza boxes! If for some reason they don't have a box with the specifications you need, you can have them make one for you!

I discovered Ebi Tempura Udon and wow! I love the broth so much I wish it'd have a second serving…read more I'm not really an udon fan but this can change everything because all its contents are delicious. It's so relaxing to eat early morning. Squid Ink Epi Bread is obviously very interesting and it's hard to say no to the squid ink twist. It's terrific when heated and no worries regarding teeth-coloring. Gyudon is okay. They're pretty generous in the noodle department but more meat would be nice. Service is excellent! We even purchased their Jipan card for P200 to get discounts every visit at any branch. The freebies give good added value to this card.

The underrated hype is real. Jipan's dynamite roll is a must order. I never expected this brand,…read moreknown for its fresh bread, could whip up a good serving of fusion maki. I was at Omakase at that time with my father-in-law, who is a huge fan of Japanese cuisine. Out of all the Japanese places he has been to, he said that the most surprising of them all is Jipan's dynamite roll. A few days after, I read an article that one of Manila's best maki is Jipan's dynamite roll. In effect, I got so hyped up to try it. Finally, today, as I jot down this review while munching down on the rolls, I can confirm that it's worth a try. What I love about this place is that no one cares about it that much compared to Ooma or Omakase. I can just go here anytime, no long lines and order my new favorite.