Noche Buena 2012

This year's Noche Buena we decided on a White Christmas theme. Everything we served is white except for the Christmas ham of course. Well we tried our best to make everything white anyway but colored dishes are really tasty hehe. Enjoy!

White Christmas Noche Buena. The ham is Purefoods Bone-in Smoked Ham

Choco Santa Cake by Tous Les Jours. We just added the powdered sugar to make it white

Mom's fruit salad

Mom's carbonara

Mom's prosciutto and asparagus

Chao Fan by Chowking

Mom's Lumpiang Ubod

John and Yoko Cosmopolitan Japanese Resto

Therese and I first ate at John and Yoko in November last year. We liked it so much that we vowed we'll eat there again. Well that vow was only accomplished just last August. Being busy and so many other restaurants to try we only got back just recently.

We ate at our usual spot in Greenbelt 5, Makati even to the very same table near the window. There were reviews before that when you eat at John and Yoko you'll come out smelling like food. I think they have fixed their exhaust system now because when we went there recently and being a full-house since it's lunch time we still came out smelling fresh. The other customers seem to think that way as well. The waitresses donned their usual mini skirts which nobody seemed to mind because their service this time was good. The last time we went there they had leggings or dark stockings beneath their skirts so it wouldn't be too revealing. There were reviews before that their service wasn't that good and put the fault on the revealing skirts making them too uncomfortable.

But overall Therese and I had a lovely time. She as usual ordered too much and had to take home some of her food. Below are the pics of food we ordered last November (the first four) and the rest the ones we ordered last August. As usual I'll come back again when I crave for some Japanese fusion.

Finding Nemo - this is good for 3 people. loved everything on it

Beef Teppan - Therese ordered this and she said it's so so. (I think beef is not one of this restaurant's strong points)

Chicken Teriyaki and Mango Pizza - this is their bestseller! and one of the reasons why we keep coming back. Yum!

Hehe there's actually three of us but the other person hasn't arrived yet. Also we recommend the 'green' iced tea if you're choosing between colors

Oyster Overload - I love this! I always loved tahong or oyster with cheese. this made me full very fast

Ocean's Eleven - Good for 3 or 4. I don't know why Therese ordered this but it's too much for two people. But still yummy. At the back you can see the Wagyu Rice. It's still so-so.

Crunchy Tuna Roll - since I liked Finding Nemo before, I ordered again one of the sushis in it. If you like spicy you'll like this one. I'll order the Philadelphia roll next time.

Hotel Celeste Lunch Buffet

In one of our monthly get together my friend invited me to have lunch at Hotel Celeste located at the center of Makati at the intersection of Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road) and San Lorenzo Drive (just outside the gate of San Lorenzo Village). I've heard about the hotel before that they have nicely designed rooms inside and have different themes for design. We didn't check out the rooms so I couldn't say anything more about it.

I knew the hotel was a bit small so I wasn't expecting anything grand of a buffet like Shangri-La, Sofitel and the like. Judging from the price though I was expecting a little more selection but I guess we were paying for the ambiance as well.

I didn't find anything special about the food. I didn't like much the Angus beef they served but maybe it's just me. I'm no expert in meats. I did like however the Buffalo Chicken (which tastes kinda similar like Korean chicken) and the potato slices (very yummy bacon taste). The desserts were so-so. I guess all in all I would say a person who likes to eat a lot would find the buffet worthwhile since it's eat-all-you-can plus the ambiance but for those who are used to great selection of food they should opt for other buffet venues.

The restaurant with very nice interior

The entrance of the hotel can be seen on the left side and the buffet table upfront

pretty chandeliers

View from our table - intersection of Arnaiz and San Lorenzo

cozy chairs

The buffet spread

The salad and dessert table - we were early so the desserts weren't out yet

Angus Beef

Buffalo chicken, Angus Beef, potato slices (I love the chicken and potato slices)

I got another chicken and potato slices along with the dessert

Razzzo Bistro and Serye for Valentines

For Valentines 2012 I treated my family to Razzzo Bistro and Serye since they both had group buying vouchers at that time.

Razzzo is located inside BF Homes along Aguirre Avenue. I've always passed by their restaurant going home from work and I'm glad I've had the opportunity to eat there. The place inside looks very nice. I love the interior designing. I imagined this would be a great place for dates and romantic dinners.

Love the wall designs

 

There are dining booths along the walls for a more private dining experience

I love the chicken and drinks at Razzzo. The chicken is just tasty all the way up to the bone. I'm even craving for it now while I'm writing this. I also ordered a Green Tea Smoothie and it was great! But I ordered one of the combo meals and didn't realize it included a blue soda drink so I had two drinks to finish :(. But they both tasted great anyway. I think the blue one is dalandan flavor.

One of the combo meals that includes chicken, pasta and pizza and a blue soda

pasta

Pizza

Burger

We checked their comfort rooms and I just had to take a picture of it. It's so nicely designed. The whole place is just a treat for the eyes.

Razzzo's comfort room

Near the comfort rooms - me and my sisters playing with the mirrors :P

After having lunch at Razzzo we treated ourselves for some dessert at Serye. There's one located in Sucat road at Santana Grove which is fairly near from Razzzo. Their promo is a cake and a coffee for only P99. I've always wanted to taste their Macapuno Pandan Cake because I love pandan and green cakes so that's what I ordered. It's the best Pandan Cake I've tasted so far :). Didn't disappoint me at all. Not too sweet and just right. My brothers and sisters said their cakes are all good. Below are their pics.

Apple Pie

Chocolate Decadence Cake

Sans Rival

Suman

Mocha Manila Cake

 

Macapuno Pandan Cake

Biscotti to go

Tous Les Jours - Rose Inspiration Fresh Cream Cake

On Mother's Day my sister brought home a Tous Les Jours cake from SM Southmall. It's the first time I've heard of the brand and my sis was all praises about it being high quality and healthy. Well when we first unboxed it we were all oohs and aahs but I was dubious about the taste because the appearance looks too good to be true.

My doubts disappeared the moment I had that first bite. I've always wondered what those cakes in Asian (Korean, Japanese, Tawainese) telenovelas tasted like because they looked so neat and artsy. Well now I've tasted one and it's everything I've imagined! The cream on the cake is just perfect. Not too sweet. The Rose Inspiration Fresh Cream Cake is a strawberry-flavored cake so you get that tangy taste of strawberries inside the cake itself and not as a filling. It's the like the sponge cake has sponged all the strawberry juice while there's a heaping amount of cream all over the cake inside and out. It's just so wonderful. Just like a cloud.

My mom and our family loved it. Mom as a housewife who likes to bake herself said the ingredients are all high quality. She appreciated her cake and her flower as well :).

Tous Les Jours - Rose Inspiration Fresh Cream Cake

Tous Les Jours - Rose Inspiration Fresh Cream Cake (slice)

You can visit their website at www.tlj.ph or their FB page www.facebook.com/touslesjoursph

Media Noche 2011-2012

Happy New Year! One great thing about living in BF is that people here love to buy fireworks. Our family are a bit of a coward when it comes to firecrackers and fireworks but since living here we don't have to buy anymore. We just look up at the skies and marvel at our neighbor's hard-earned money blow up in the skies. Some are really amazing I must tell you and must have cost quite a sum. Below are some pics of that night when the clock struck midnight as well as our Media Noche dinner. Happy New Year everyone!

Fireworks in the sky

Fireworks in the sky

Fireworks next door

Fireworks next door

Fireworks next door

Fireworks in the sky

Fireworks in the sky

Fireworks in the sky

Fireworks in the sky

Fireworks in the sky

Fireworks in the sky

Media Noche (front left to right)  Caesar Salad, Barbecued Ribs, Buko Salad, Krispy Kremes, Cuerva's Mango Torte

Media Noche (front left to right) Mac and Cheese, Pochero, Lechon Kawali, Caesar Salad

Mostly round and 13 kinds of fruits for luck