BANZAI! A GREAT AUTHENTIC JAPANESE BUFFET!

BANZAAAAAAI!!!!!!

        Welcome to a world of authentic Japanese buffet! If you like Japanese cuisine as much as I do and if you're around the Mall of Asia area, then you'd definitely want to try dining here with your family. It's this huge buffet restaurant located at SM Mall of Asia By The Bay with a seating capacity of 500. It is the biggest Japanese buffet in the Philippines. And it's called Banzai, The Great Teppanyaki Theater!

CRYSTAL JADE DINING IN: WEEKEND DIMSUM BUFFET!

        We got a lot of drooling comments from this photo above. Truly, the Weekend Dim Sum Buffet of Crystal Jade Dining IN at Bonifacio High Street Central is sensational! And for the price of just P688++ with free flowing iced tea, how can you go wrong? Not to mention it is deeeee-licious!

NANBANTEI OF TOKYO UNIQUE YAKITORIS AND NEW COCKTAIL DRINKS

       Nanbantei of Tokyo is not your usual Japanese restaurant because it specializes in Yakitori. Apparently, in Japan, employees / businessmen often visited Yakitori-ya places (yakitori stands or restaurants) to relax and de-stress after a long day of work. And Nanbantei of Tokyo had been one of those famous Yakitor-ya in Japan. It has been in Bonifacio High Street and Greenbelt for quite sometime now, and I almost feel ashamed to admit that I haven't been there yet. 

         So, while Richie was off at the land of the free, I was told that they were unveiling some new unique Yakitori's and cocktail drinks.. I thought it was the perfect time to finally pay Nanbantei of Tokyo a visit! 

TRIPLE-O's BY WHITE SPOT NOW IN MANILA!

        I haven't been to Canada, not even for a short while. So honestly I wasn't familiar with Triple - O's By White Spot, which is Canada's very first drive-in restaurant. But guess what? Triple - O's by White Spot are are known there to make legendary burgers. I checked out their official website in Canada and I got really excited (see for yourself here). The good news is, THEY'RE NOW HERE IN MANILA! 

MAGNUM CAFE'S NEW DESSERT: THE ROGUE MAGNUM!

        Back at The Magnum Cafe for the launch of a new beautiful new dessert by non other than Chef Miko Aspiras! The Rogue Magnum! Branded by the only literary luxury magazine in the Philippines, ROGUE MAGAZINE! And as expected, the plating was fabulous!!!

FOOD TRIPPING WITH THE CHEVROLET SPARK!!!

　　It has been a while since I last went on a food trip to hidden places with hole-in-the-wall restaurants and frankly, I have been wanting to do it for a long time. As good as the new restaurants are in the Metro nowadays, we thought it would be fun and interesting to go on a food trip featuring hole-in-the-wall restaurants that have been serving amazing Chinese food for generations.. And what better place to do this kind of food trip than go to Binondo! 

　　

         Luckily, my partner in eating crime, Richard of Tales from the Tummy, and his wife Irene, know their way around Binondo even with their eyes closed....

RECESS BY CHEF CHRIS: MY FAVORITE SUBJECT!

          Since he opened "My Kitchen" in the Manila area a few years back, the name of Chef Chris Locher has been synonymous with incredible food. Although I must admit that I had not yet been able to visit it yet, it was most definitely in my Bucket List of places to try. 

          I had heard that Chef Chris had opened a new concept restaurant in the more accessible Makati area called "Recess" (Incidentally, my favorite subject in school, and the only one in which I had perfect attendance), I knew my title of "Food Blogger" was at stake if I didn't go out of my way and visit it right away. Especially when I found out that the menu was comprised of Chef Chris's take on "Comfort Food".

  

WINE AND DINE AT CAVIAR RESTAURANT

        Need a posh place to propose? I think Caviar would be the perfect place! Very elegant (though not in a don't-breathe-you-might-break-something kind of atmosphere), elegant table settings with wine glasses and the like. Not to mention the glass wine cellar filled with a variety of good wines that will greet you as you come in. Caviar Restaurant in Alabang is the place to go to in the south if you want to dine in an intimate setting away from the busy life in the Metro. 

BULGOGI BROTHERS 7 NEW KOREAN CLASSICS!

  

        Bulgogi Brothers is one of my favorite Korean restaurants up to date. I love their barbecues paired with their yummy sticky and steamy rice.  In fact I end up eating lots of rice whenever I eat there (see our previous post here). And now, it's like they deliberately want me to come back and load up more on carbs with their 7 new authentic Korean dishes hahaha! 

        But they don't only have new meat dishes, they also have other new items as well!

I FINALLY TRIED VIKINGS LUXURY BUFFET AT SM MEGAMALL

Trying to look like a Viking.. looking more like Asterisk The Gaul

         I have a confession to make. You would think that a big eater such as myself would jump at the chance to visit a food paradise such as Vikings, but life got in the way. It wasn't until a few months ago that I was able to dine there. 

     Vikings is one of the favorite restaurants of (of all people) my mother (I take after my momma), and she wanted to celebrate her birthday at the SM Marikina Branch (Birthday Celebrants eat for free). 

       Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy my experience. Not because of the food, but because I had an event that evening, and I was pretty much rushing the entire time. Not to mention, there were so much people it was hard to move around. So, it was safe to say that my first Vikings experience didn't have me rushing to go back to Marikina or Mall Of Asia. 

     I was elated to hear that Vikings opened their latest branch at the recently-opened SM Megamall Fashion Hall. I felt it was a good time to give Vikings another chance.. and see what all the fuss was about. 

    This time I didn't have a pesky event to get in my way. I had all the time in the world to eat as much as I pleased. I could- dare I say it? 

     EAT LIKE A VIKING!

RED BARON RIBS AND STEAKS: FLYING HIGH IN QUEZON CITY

           When Rina and I began this blog, our intention was to be able to help smaller, "hole-in-the-wall" restaurants, as well as other stand out purveyors we find at Food Markets get the word out on their products. Since we began, I'm happy to see some restaurants that I discovered in my early blogging days, such as Mama Lou's and Mad Mark's, expand their business to more high profile locations. From humble food stalls in Mercato Centrale, businesses such as Dulcelin and Chuck's Grub now have actual sit down outlets, giving them a chance to further flex their culinary muscles to the public. And let's not forget Manang's Fried Chicken.. which has turned itself into a Fast Food giant in such a short span of time. 

      Though my mission statement was clear, something happened along the way. For whatever reason, our blog began getting noticed by the big restaurants and hotels. And since I am a man of modest means caring for a wife and daughter, we decided to make the most of this invitations. But once in awhile, Rina and I talk about going back to our roots and look for hole in the wall restaurants again, but my backlog and schedule just wouldn't permit it. 

      When I got an invite to try Red Baron Ribs and Steaks, I felt this could be a great opportunity to discover yet another Hole-In-The-Wall restaurant that I know you guys love!

CELEBRATING FOUR YEARS OF PICKINESS: YOMENYA GOEMON GIVEAWAY

              Can you believe the blog is turning Four years old this month? So much has happened to me in such a short span of time! I can safely say that this blog changed my life.. For the better of course :) 

          Without you, my dear readers, I would not get the opportunities that I have been blessed with, these past four years. So as a thank you, I will be doing a GC giveaway from a restaurant that I'm sure you'll love.. Yomenya Goemon!