Dinner at Mann Hann - SM North Edsa

Whenever there's a celebration, there's always food. So, on the birthday of my father-in-law, we (there's 7 of us) went all the way to SM North Edsa to have a Chinese dinner at Mann Hann.

It was a Sunday, a family day and also the graduation day of UP Diliman students, so when we got there by 7 PM, it was a full house. In fact, we were on the waiting list, 8th, so decided to order ahead. But we didn't wait too long, the table turnover was pretty quick. Soon, we were seated at the rear end of the resto, near the kitchen, in a long wooden table with long wooden chairs.

At this point, I realized why the table turnover was fast. Within a few minutes of being seated, our order, all nine of them excluding the drinks, arrived.

So here's what we ordered and what I thought of them.

BEEF BRISKET

Though I am not a fan of beef (aside from burgers), I thought the Beef Brisket was okay. The meat was tender and flavorful. I'd compare it ti Beef Pares, but better. An order is P280.00, good for sharing of 2-3 persons.

LECHON MACAU HOTPOT

I usually get excited when Lechon Macau is part of the menu but in my experience with Mann Hann, I doubt I will ever try the Lechon Macau Hotpot again. This dish is the sauteed and sauced version of my deep-fried favorite with chunks of fried tofu and also good for sharing of 2-3 persons and priced at P275.00 per order. Anyway, I didn't like this dish because the meat was dry and hard to bite into, though the sauce was okay.

MIXED VEGETABLES

The Mixed Vegetables was the bestseller for us at P210.00 per order. The veggies were not overcooked but not really raw so they're chewy. As you can see, this dish has baby corn, broccoli, asparagus, baguio beans and straw mushrooms.

SEAFOOD SPECIAL

Though I don't think there's anything special with the Seafood Special dish, I did like it. Every ingredient was flavorful but not too salty, and tender but not mushy. There was breaded fish fillet and squid (that's all I saw but maybe there's more?) sauteed with black mushrooms and leeks. This dish is P275.00 per order, also for sharing.

LUMPIANG SHANGHAI

What Chinese eat out would it be without the Lumpiang Shanghai?! P195.00 for a dozen middle-finger sized pieces, this dish is good with or without the sweet and sour dip and eaten alone or with rice.

SIOMAI

I find an order of Mann Hann's Siomai a bit expensive at P105.00 per order of 4 pieces. And because we only got an order of this, I did not try this anymore. But I did notice that the filling is the same as the one in the Lumpiang Shanghai, so maybe they taste the same too?

SPICY SANSI FRIED RICE

Of the two rice that we ordered, I loved the Spicy Sansi Fried Rice more because yes, it was spicy, and more oily and it has more ingredients. I think there were chunks of meat in there and eggs among others. An order for sharing of 4 persons is only P280.00. It's a meal in itself so its worth the price already.

SWEET AND SOUR PORK

One of my favorites was the Sweet and Sour Pork. The pork was surprisingly tender even after being fried then heated again when sauteed and the sauce added. But at P260.00, I think its a bit expensive.

YANGCHOW FRIED RICE

Like the Lumpiang Shanghai, the Yangchow Fried Rice is a trademark in any Chinese restaurant. However, I did not really like this because its a bit dry. At P280.00, I think its not worth the price.

Overall though, I loved the service at Mann Hann and the food and the choices on their menu. I will definitely come back at this branch, but maybe not in the near future.

Happy Eating!

First Timer at J.Co's

I used to say when I pass by any J. Co store, "What's with J. Co? Why always the long line? It's only a doughnut shop right?" Well, I got my answer early this morning.


Our usual route to work would not take us near any J. Co store but on this fine morning, due to transportation hassles, the Hubby and I had to ride a van going to SM MOA then take a cab to Makati. The unloading point was at the north transport terminal of MOA, right across the J. Co store.

Since it was still pretty early and there were no lines (can you believe that?!), we decided to find out what J. Co is offering to warrant such long lines, everywhere.

When we stepped inside the J. Co (for the first time), we were greeted with a burst of yellow. Well, yellow-orange to be exact, which are the boxes. Boxes of different sizes stacked the counter top and beyond, probably in preparation for the throng of customers coming later in the day. But then the yellow was nothing compared to the glossy rainbows by the display case. Mouth-watering doughnuts were beckoning for my full attention, where I eventually chose half a dozen of them to go.

My 1st Half Dozen Donuts ^_^

Let me introduce the flavors: (top right to bottom left) Why Nut, Alcapone, Tiramisu, Unknown, Avocado Dicaprio and Blue Berrymore. Catchy names, noh?!

Among these flavors, my favorite was the blueberry because:
1. I like berries
2. the topper was not icing or cream but sort of like jam
3. there are cheese sprinkles too, so its a combination of sweet and salty, perfect!
4. the whipped cream-like filling was not super sweet  but nicely complements the jam on top

I also bought a cup of Hot Americano, P85.00 at 12 oz., and guess what, it comes with a free Glazzy donut!

Love the Cup. Super Chic

So would I ever go back to J. Co? Definitely!!! Again, again, and again. In fact, I have date with J. Co on May 1st for 12 dozens! BTW, these are the prices for assorted donuts:
Half Dozen - P230.00
1 Dozen - P350.00
2 Dozens - P550.00

I'd advise you to buy 2 dozens because it's cheaper (wink!)

Happy Eating!

Cha Zan - The New Milk Tea Place

There's a newly opened milk tea place near where I work in Makati and since I love milk tea, I was excited to try it out.

Cha Zan, located at the Ground Floor of the Grand Soho Makati in Gil Puyat, Makati, has opened its doors to milk tea lovers sometime this April. To celebrate their soft opening, they are giving 15% discounts on all their drinks until April 29, 2013. But on April 30 to May 2, to mark their grand opening, they have a "Buy 1 Get 1 Free" promo.

The New Milk Tea Place

15% off until April 29, 2013

But you know, I was excited, so I went over there last week to try it out. I got myself a Taro Milk Tea with 50% sugar and no add-ons. And true to their word, the large size which costs P90.00 was at 15% off so I only paid P77.00.

Taro Milk Tea w/o Add-Ons

So here's what I think of my drink. It DOES NOT taste of taro at all. The drink was not even violet in color. The last time I checked, ube is violet, right? Anyway, it was still refreshing and yummy but what is Taro Milk Tea without the taro taste? A bit disappointing, but, I am not giving up on them. Next time I'd try their other drinks, when its Buy1Get1 time :)

Happy Eating!!! (or drinking?!)

Dads Not-So Ultimate Buffet Experience

It was my Hubby's birthday and to celebrate, we went to Dads, Glorietta branch. The decision to dine at Dads was based on our previous visit to their other branch, the one in Edsa, where we had a great experience.

So, it was a Friday, we got to the resto at around 7 P.M. and the place was already in full swing with only a handful of tables left. Good thing we were asked to make reservations beforehand. But then I noticed that even with the crowd of diners, the staff were efficient. As soon as the receptionist confirmed our reservation, we were shown to our table by not one, but three walkie-talkie-equipped staff. It was like a relay game actually. One staff asked us to follow only to be shown to another staff and to be shown to another, until finally, tada! we arrived at a table for two. I was impressed!

So, we had the Crossover buffet, and these were the choices: Saisaki, which offers Japanese dishes; and Kamayan, which gives you a fill of your all-time favorite Filipino dishes.

Saisaki Selections

Kamayan Selections

And so, the hunt begins! As soon as we had settled down, my Hubby and I went our separate ways: Me to the tempura section while he went for the sashimi. By the time we were done scouring the buffet tables filled with Japanese delicacies (either rolled, fried or breaded), desserts (fruits, pastries and ice cream), and Filipino cuisines (lechon anyone?, sisig, bulalo, ginataang kuhol, halo halo, bibingka), this was what I got (on my first plate wink!):

Of everything in my plate, I only liked the following: lechon kawali, (topmost left) because its tender and juicy even though the sauce, which was supposed to be spicy, was not; fried lumpiang gulay with ubod, because the wrapper was still crunchy though I think the veggie filling was so konti; vinegar dip that I used on the lumpia, because it was not too sour and it's kind of cleansing to the palate.

The rest, because they're cold, were a bit hard and unappetizing. I barely finished the breaded shrimp and pork tonkatsu. And the miso soup (photo not shown) was too salty.

In conclusion, Dads Glorietta branch which is located at the 2nd Floor of Glorietta 3, Ayala, Makati needs to improve on the quality of their dishes, meaning they should serve hotter food, and the place needs a bit of a makeover to make it look more modern and up-to-date.

So next time you're thinking of eating at Dads, try their other branches first.

Happy Eating!

Starbucks' Asian Dolce Latte Promo

Just bought my Tall Hot Asian Dolce Latter from Starbucks and I am loving it! I think I just found my new favorite. I tastes like Starbucks' Caramel Macchiato but less sweet so its perfect.

But its more perfect because I got the 2nd cup (iced for my Hubby) for free!!! You know why? Because Starbucks is running the Coffee Perfection treat.

Here's how to get your voucher:
1. Go to their Facebook page: +StarbucksPhilippines,
2. Click on the "Coffee Perfection Treat", which is right beside the "Instagram Tab",
3. Watch the video,
4. Answer the question.
5. If you get the right answer (which I doubt you will get wrong), a voucher will appear,
6. Print voucher.
Reminder: do not close app window until the voucher has been printed or the page print-screened because the page will not appear again after its closed, and you can't get another chance until the next day.

Easy right? So what are you waiting for, go to Starbucks' page now and join.

Voucher is valid from 15 April to 14 May 2013.

Happy reading!