THE SIXTH BITE: RAMEN NAGI TSUKEMEN & TONKATSU-MEN MADNESS

        The Sixth Bite of The Pickiest Eater Bites is here.. And this time I'm featuring the two new dishes of Ramen Nagi... Their Tsukemen and Tonkatsu-Men! 

THE FIFTH BITE: TEXAS ROADHOUSE AT HIGH NOON

        I was invited to the VIP night of sparkling new Texas Roadhouse at BGC Uptown Mall, and here's a glimpse of what we had!

ALOHA, FROM THE ORIGINAL HAWAIIAN BBQ IN TAGAYTAY!

           Like I mentioned in my previous post about The Boutique Bed and Breakfast, Tagaytay is a favorite "Out of Town" spot for barkadas and families. It's far enough so that you're away from the pollution of the metro, but not too far that it becomes an exhausting drive just to get there. 

      Now, lets say you do go to Tagaytay for a quick vacation.. Where would you eat? I have a few suggestions that I'd like to share with you, these coming weeks, but the first place that comes to mind is this awesome place located within The Boutique Bed and Breakfast.. The Original Hawaiian BBQ!

THE FOURTH BITE: DAY ONE OF THE WORLD STREET FOOD CONGRESS 2016 AT BGC

           Hi everyone! Welcome to the new format of The Pickiest Eater Bites! 

      The Fourth Bite takes us to the first day of the World Street Food Congress 2016, held at BGC last April 20. You have three more days to check it out.. See the Schedule and video blogs here!

CO-WORK & DINE: 59c AT PASEO DE ROXAS

      Through this door lies an amazing little restaurant that whose charm and ambiance allows it to offer much more than delicious food. It's the kind of place that you instantly feel right at home at, making you unaware of the amount of time that has ticked away as you thoughtlessly picked away at the numerous "Picas" available. Without realizing it, you discover that you've been in the same restaurant for hours.. and doing what? 

           Eating, obviously, but more than just that, you realize that you've found a great place to share an awesome meal with your friends, perhaps a few cocktails afterwards.. and maybe, even to meet that work deadline you've been dreading. Wait-what?

          Yes, you read that exactly right.. Work. 

           To those of you who have been looking for a Co-Working Space, allow me to show your new office.. 59c at Paseo De Roxas! 

BEAUTIFUL MORNINGS AT THE BOUTIQUE BED AND BREAKFAST

      Admit it.. When someone asks where they can go for a nice out of town date, the first place that comes to your mind is Tagaytay. If it's not the first place that pops up into your head, then presumably it's the second. However, it isn't hard to see why. With the cool air, spectacular view of the lake, and the manageable distance from Metro Manila, Tagaytay is a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

     I've stayed in Taal Vista Hotel quite a few times, and it is undoubtedly among the best hotels in Tagaytay. There's no denying that the place is one of the most- if not the most popular hotels in Tagaytay. Almost too popular, to the point that it's often quite crowded. With its facilities and activities, not to mention that its situated near Sky Ranch, it makes it a great place to stay with your family. 

       However, what if you're just a couple that is looking for a Romantic getaway? You're looking for a little solitude where you can run away from everything together, even just for a weekend. 

     Then my friend, I've got the place for you.  Let me tell you all about Boutique Bed and Breakfast in Tagaytay,

Tokyo Tokyo’s Sakura Sumo Meal in Full Bloom!

　　Probably one of the most magical looking places on Earth during the months of late March to mid-April is Tokyo, when the whole place is blooming in pink because of the Cherry Blossoms during Sakura Season. Sakura means Cherry Blossom. I’ve only seen it in photos on the internet and I’m sure those photos don’t do them justice when you see them in real life. It just looks so spectacular! Sakura festival is their way of welcoming the spring. And every season they make the most out of the beautiful surroundings by having a scrumptious picnic under the Cherry Blossoms with their family and friends, with meals usually consisting of grilled or fried meat, fish and veggies, and colorful desserts.

　　We may not be there in Japan physically to experience this beautiful season right now, but that doesn’t mean we cannot celebrate. So, Tokyo Tokyo decided to bring the Sakura Festival to us! 

Presenting Tokyo Tokyo’s Sakura Sumo Meal! 

HOTEL JEN TURNS ONE: USHERING IN A NEW JENERATION

      Rina and I don't usually find ourselves in the Pasay or Manila area unless it's for a good reason. Well, A few weeks ago, Rina and I found ourselves braving the infamous Metro Manila traffic to head on over to Roxas Boulevard, for a very special reason, indeed... The First Anniversary Celebration of Hotel Jen! 

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY AT MORGANFIELD'S BGC UPTOWN MALL

         When asked what my favorite cuisine is, my stomach and I always reach an impasse. We're always torn between Chinese Food or good old fashioned American food. When I say American food, I usually pertain to stuff like Barbecues, Ribs and the like. Which is why my ears always seem to tingle when I hear about a new Rib joint opening up in Manila. 

          One of those places that caught my attention was Morganfield's that opened up late last year. It was only a couple of weeks ago that I was able to make time to visit, and I must say, I kicked myself for not going sooner (Which wasn't easy to do mind you.. I have short legs)! 

EAST MEETS WEST AT SM BY THE BAY

　　Joan Roca. Virgilio Martinez. Yoshiniro Narisawa. David Thompson. Lea Cohen. I’m not sure sure if the names ring a bell to you, but to Hard Core Foodies like me, they are Rockstars. And they are just a few of the numerous internationally renowned Chefs from around the world to fly into the Philippines to grace Madrid Fusion Manila 2016! 

　　

　　Madrid Fusion Manila’s theme for 2016 was “The Manila Galleon: East Meets West”, which coincided with the 450 Year Anniversary of the Galleon Trade that linked Asia with the Western World. I was fortunate enough to be invited to Madrid Fusion Manila’s Welcome Night, graciously hosted by SM Mall of Asia and SM By The Bay, giving the delegates a chance to hobnob with some of the most prominent chefs in the world!

MURRAY AND D'VINE REVISTED

      Murray and D'Vine was one of the restaurants that I had targeted to visit during the early days of my blogging. I distinctly remember taking advantage of a promo from a group buying site, just so Rina and I could try it ("El Cheapskate".. That is I)! 

     Years later, I went back with my friends from KTG to see what was new with them, now that they were under the Bistro Group Banner. And we discovered that they maintained the old favorites, but added a bit of new stuff as well!

              

THE SECOND BITE: A WHOLE NIU WORLD - NIU BY VIKINGS

           Considering I'm at one of the Vikings Group of restaurants at least once a month, it was only fitting that I show you one of their restaurants. And so for the third episode of The Pickiest Eater Bites, I'm taking you to their more upscale buffet concept.. NIU BY VIKINGS!

The Winners of the Doña Maria #LEVELUPYOURRICE Contest!

         Congratulations to the winners of the #LevelUpYourRice Contest of Doña Maria! I am at a loss for words with their creations! Your creativity and innovation is amazing!

 Here are the top 3 winners who will win:

Php 10,000 cash
Doña Maria Rice
And a VIP Pass to meet Doña Maria newest Celebrity endorser, Alden Richards!!!:

BEHOLD: BOHOL'S 2016 UBI FESTIVAL!

            Since I lived a great deal of my life in the neighboring Cebu, I was awfully surprised to discover that the beautiful City of Bohol celebrates an annual "Ubi Festival", held last January 27-29. It has only been going on for 16 years so it was understandable why I had never heard of it.. And I was uncertain what exactly "Ubi" was. The spelling initially threw me off, but upon further inquiry, I was ensured that the the festival was in honor of the Purple Yam that we all know and love. 

         But as it turns out, there's some much more about ube that I don't know about, and Air Asia, together with the Bohol Provincial Tourism Council Inc., and in partnership with the United States of America International Development, would help me learn more about, including why the crop is so close to the hearts of the good people of Bohol. 

TURNING A NEW LEAF AT JUJU EATS

So my friends, the day that I had been dreading has finally come. My daughter Rain went up to me as I was on my computer, and asked me, "Daddy, am I having a baby brother?".

I was a bit startled, but I realized that this might be because it was summer and she was bored and lonely. Her cousins all have siblings, and quite a few of our neighbors children all have brothers or sisters as well. I calmly replied to her, "No sweetheart, not yet. Why do you ask?".

And with all sincerity, she answered, "Because I thought there's a baby in your tummy!".

Nice one Richie. You just got owned by a 4 year old.

It wasn't much help that I was shirtless, either, but in my defense, I had a series of events that week so that really didn't help my weight loss program.

As fate would have it, a couple of days later, my friend Spanky offered me a challenge. He asked me to accompany him to Juju Eats in Podium, and if I didn't find anything that I found edible, then he would never bother me with trying healthy food again. 

Honestly, I had heard about Juju Eats from my former boss, who loved their salads, and practically had it every day for lunch. So being the Pickiest Eater in The World, I was naturally hesitant. 

But after my daughter mistook me for a pregnant woman, I decided what the hell.

And let me tell you the truth, for a meal filled with salad and healthy food.. All my fears were dispelled the moment I actually gave the dishes a try.