B & P ALL DAY BREAKFAST: THE EATIGO P1K CHALLENGE!

          It was my officemate Toon's Birthday a couple of weeks ago, and I offered to treat him and a couple of members of our team out for a celebratory birthday lunch! I had a budget of P1,000, so my challenge to my buddy was that he choose from a list of restaurants from my Eatigo App, so we could get the best bang for the buck deal!

STAYCATION AT THE JEWEL BY THE BAY: DIAMOND HOTEL PHILIPPINES

        One of my favorite things to do with my family is enjoy a relaxing staycation at a hotel in the metro. Although admittedly it's quite fun to go out of town once in awhile, sometimes you don't really want the hassle of a road trip, but far enough to make the trip worthwhile. 

        I've been to Diamond Hotel numerous times to sample their stunning restaurants. but for the first time, I had the opportunity to enjoy a staycation there with my family. I knew the hotel was beautiful, but this would be my first glimpse at their rooms and other facilities. 

        I was definitely not disappointed! 

CHEFS SAU DEL ROSARIO & MIKO ASPIRAS: FILIPINO CULINARY PRIDE AT CORNICHE DIAMOND HOTEL

           I'm always game for a buffet spread that features the gastronomic creations of some of the finest chefs the country has to offer. And truth be told, I've been fortunate to have tasted a number of amazing ones. However, whenever the name "Sau Del Rosario" is entered into the equation, you can be rest assured that you're in for a whole new level of culinary excellence. And perhaps there is no one higher on the dessert food chain right now then Chef Miko Aspiras, so when I found out the two titans of the industry were joining forces to come up with the "Filipino Culinary Pride" Food Festival at Diamond Hotel's Corniche, all bets were off. This is one collaboration that I would not missed for the world! 

  

THE CORNER MARKET: LA TAQUERIA DEL CHUPACABRA

              El Chupacabra is often identified as the pioneer of the popular Poblacion restaurant Scene, turning a once quiet neighborhood into a burgeoning food Mecca.  El Chupacabra's die hard fans have been clamoring for the little cantina to expand and open new locations, but it was only in 2018 when El Chupacabra finally opened a "Little Sister" branch at The Corner Market, bringing their phenomenal Street Tacos to an even wider range of customers! 

THE CORNER MARKET PODIUM: CHAR EXPRESS

The sparkling new renovation of Podium Mall opened up opportunities for more shops and restaurants to settle into the bustling Ortigas center. Recently, a sprawling Food Hall opened, named, "The Corner Market". Spanning roughly around 1,200 square meters, The Corner Market is set to house 17 food establishments in its massive halls.  

      Though not all 17 are operational yet, your friendly neighborhood Pickiest Eater made the ultimate sacrifice for his beloved readers, to try the food stalls that have opened their doors at the Corner Market.. Where good food is just around the corner!

          Being a lover Chinese food, I was incredibly excited to try Char Express at The Corner Market at Podium Mall. Char boasts of a slew of Roasted Meats, done the oriental way, at very affordable prices! 

THE CORNER MARKET: BARCELON DE CALDERON

The sparkling new renovation of Podium Mall opened up opportunities for more shops and restaurants to settle into the bustling Ortigas center. Recently, a sprawling Food Hall opened, named, "The Corner Market". Spanning roughly around 1,200 square meters, The Corner Market is set to house 17 food establishments in its massive halls.  

      Though not all 17 are operational yet, your friendly neighborhood Pickiest Eater made the ultimate sacrifice for his beloved readers, to try the food stalls that have opened their doors at the Corner Market.. Where good food is just around the corner!

        Coming from a family of Spanish heritage, Spanish cuisine became a staple for me, growing up. To this very day, every family celebration is highlighted by the presence of my Aunt's famous Paella. Given that, my standard for Spanish food is very high, because the women in my family are known for whipping up restaurant quality Spanish dishes in their own kitchen (Which is partially to blame for my.. umm.. "Rotundness"). 

        Calderon is one of the few restaurants that I give my thumbs up to when it comes to Spanish Food. Once known as Little Baguio's "Best Kept Secret", Calderon has expanded to three branches across Metro Manila, namely Makati and now at Pasig, through their stall, "Barcelon De Calderon" at The Corner Food Market!

F1 HOTEL'S LUZVIMINDA 6: TIMELESS FLAVORS

          When Independence Day rolls in here in the Philippines, the foodie world is always abuzz in anticipation of an event that never fails to captivate our taste buds.. I'm talking about F1 Hotel Manila's LuzViMinda Festival!  With the theme of the 2018 incarnation "Timeless Flavors", we knew we were in for a treat, as this year's set of chefs pushed the envelope when it came to culinary innovation of beloved Filipino dishes!  

22 PRIMES'S FATHER'S DAY MENU

       Whenever I dine at 22 Prime, i'm always certain i'm in for an amazing meal. Although they are best known for their selection of premium quality Steaks, 22 Prime is more than just a world class Steakhouse. Recently Discovery Suites' Executive Chef Gerwin Bailon developed a menu for Father's Day that showed the finesse and execution that he and his staff possesses, that made 22 Prime the highly regarded restaurant it is today.

   And being a father myself, I was the perfect person to try out the new Father's Day Menu! 

CHIBO OKONOMIYAKI AT PODIUM MALL: PREMIUM EXECUTIVE SET MEALS

         Whenever I'm at the S Maison area, it's quite likely that I'll dine at Chibo Okonomiyaki. Knowing that it's a little bit out of the way for me, I always try to make the most of the opportunity to feast on their delicious Okonomiyakis. You have no idea how excited I was when I found out that Chibo would be opening a branch just two blocks away from my office, at the new Podium Mall! 

      As soon as it opened, I found myself there three times in the span of two weeks, bringing some officemates with me, so they could experience the awesome food for themselves. 

      Now, Chibo  raised their game by beefing up their menu to feature more than just Okonomiyaki.. But Set Meals featuring some Japanese cuisine favorites as well!

THE CORNER MARKET PODIUM: LITTLE KAYA

The sparkling new renovation of Podium Mall opened up opportunities for more shops and restaurants to settle into the bustling Ortigas center. Recently, a sprawling Food Hall opened, named, "The Corner Market". Spanning roughly around 1,200 square meters, The Corner Market is set to house 17 food establishments in its massive halls.  

      Though not all 17 are operational yet, your friendly neighborhood Pickiest Eater made the ultimate sacrifice for his beloved readers, to try the food stalls that have opened their doors at the Corner Market.. Where good food is just around the corner!

         Korea's growing influence in the world has been highly evident in the way their culture has made an global impact. From their music, to their films, and most especially (for me) in their food. Kaya Restaurant has been in the country for many years, and has perhaps become one of the top of mind places to visit when looking for a Korean meal. It comes to no surprise that they decided to open up a stall in The Corner Market Food Hall, albeit a down-scaled version of their menu, to help more customers experience authentic Korean cuisine.. 

         Check out a few of the dishes available at Little Kaya!

THE CORNER MARKET PODIUM: CATCH OF THE DAY BY COLD STORAGE

  The sparkling new renovation of Podium Mall opened up opportunities for more shops and restaurants to settle into the bustling Ortigas center. Recently, a sprawling Food Hall opened, named, "The Corner Market". Spanning roughly around 1,200 square meters, The Corner Market is set to house 17 food establishments in its massive halls.  

      Though not all 17 are operational yet, your friendly neighborhood Pickiest Eater made the ultimate sacrifice for his beloved readers, to try the food stalls that have opened their doors at the Corner Market.. Where good food is just around the corner!   

          Being a Picky Eater, it never fails to shock people when I tell them that I really love to eat fish. Other seafood, such as shrimps and crabs and the like, I'm not too fond of, but I truly do love a good fish dish. Being serial grocery shopper, I was fully aware of the Cold Storage name, even before seeing their kiosk called "Catch of the Day" at The Corner Market, so I was intrigued with what this seafood purveyor would bring to the table.. And I was not disappointed!

MAIN STREET'S AWESOME NEW MENU

          To me, Main Street Restaurant in Kapitoly has always been one of those restaurants to me that I go to when I'm not in the mood to explore new places. Every time I visit, I know i'm in for an amazing meal. I've always felt that the style Main Street's Head Chef Adam Tan really appeals to my personal palate, making me excited when I find out he has whipped up something new. 

       Chef Adam recently unveiled new items to Main Street's Menu, so I couldn't wait to troop to Kapitolyo to give it a try! 

THE CORNER MARKET PODIUM: BIRDHOUSE

  The sparkling new renovation of Podium Mall opened up opportunities for more shops and restaurants to settle into the bustling Ortigas center. Recently, a sprawling Food Hall opened, named, "The Corner Market". Spanning roughly around 1,200 square meters, The Corner Market is set to house 17 food establishments in its massive halls.  

      Though not all 17 are operational yet, your friendly neighborhood Pickiest Eater made the ultimate sacrifice for his beloved readers, to try the food stalls that have opened their doors at the Corner Market.. Where good food is just around the corner!    

            I've heard good things about Birdhouse since they opened at Uptown Mall in BGC a few years back, but unfortunately I had never gotten a chance to try it. However, since they opened a branch at the new Corner Market at Podium, which is just a few steps away from my office, I would soon rectify that situation.. and find myself kicking myself for not going sooner.. Because the food I discovered was spectacular.