Spiral celebrates Japanese Spring Festival

SOFITEL Philippine Plaza’s Spiral welcomes the bloom of Spring in the Land of the Rising Sun with a series of gastronomic engagements that will immerse connoisseurs in the rich history and traditions of Japanese cuisine. Throughout March, Spiral features Japanese master chef Masahiro Mizumoto as he prepares bespoke menus for an exclusive sake dinner, sake and cheese masterclass, and Japanese cooking class. Mr. Mizumoto brings more than 35 years of culinary experience which he gained from working in Japanese fine dining restaurants in his hometown Fukuoka. Now Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila’s resident Japanese master artisan, he heads Spiral’s Japanese atelier and curates the Japanese menu for hotel banquets and events. The Sake Dinner will be held on Mar. 11 at the Indulgence, Decadence, and Epicure Private Rooms, featuring a six-course Japanese menu tailored with a selection of premium sake. Rate is set at P3,500 nett per person. The Sake and Cheese Masterclass will be held on Mar. 13 at Spiral’s Hidden Room. Slots are available at P2,000 net per person. A Japanese Cooking Class will be held on Mar. 27, featuring favorites such as Salmon Salad Roll, California Temaki, Mixed Okonomiyaki, Kani Salad, and more at the Boracay Room. Slots are available at P2,500 net per person. For reservations and inquiries, call F&B Reservations at 8832-6988 or e-mail H6308-FB12@sofitel.com. Follow the Facebook and Instagram pages of Spiral and Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila for more updates and fresh promotions.

Wine dinner at The Pen

PASSIONATE about collaborating with the world’s finest vintners, The Peninsula Manila is partnering with Spottwoode Estate, an award-winning California vineyard and winery, to bring Old Manila’s latest food and wine pairing dinner on March 17. Only 12 seats are available at this five-course dinner priced at P12,000 per guest. For reservations, call 8887-2888 or visit http://bit.ly/SpottswoodeWineDinner for more information.

Robinsons Magnolia’s outdoor dining experience

AS PEOPLE cautiously start to step out of their homes to dine out again under the new normal, Robinsons Malls has provided its patrons with a breezy al fresco dining area by launching The Garden at Robinsons Magnolia. The Garden is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. during Mondays to Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays to Sundays. Guests can order takeout from any food kiosk, café or restaurant or have their food delivered straight to their table when they order from partner establishments that include Cibo, Max’s, Fiery Style, Mesa, Akira, Kamicos, Sumosam, UCC Park Café, Pho Hoa, Kaya Korean Restaurant, and Black Scoop. They just have to scan the QR code located at the tables to view the restaurant’s menu and contact details. The Garden can accommodate around 40 to 50 people with safe social distancing. One can also reserve a table before going to the mall by filling up the online reservation form or call/message Robbie and Rosie, the mall’s personal shoppers, at 0921-499-2958 and wait for confirmation. Aside from the comfortable outdoor dining experience, guests can also relax with their pets after taking them to the pet park or simply letting them run around the lush garden. There’s also a giant chess set nearby where one can practice your mental and strategic skills with friends and family. Too, since we are celebrating Women’s Month, a string quartet featuring women musicians performs on Mar. 7, 13, 20, and 27 at 3 p.m. Robinsons Magnolia ensures that chairs and tables are sanitized after every use. The wearing of face masks and face shields is required except when eating. To see the complete line-up of upcoming performances, events and promos, visit www.robinsonsmalls.com or its Virtual Directory bit.ly/RMallsVirtualMallDirectory; or follow RobinsonsMalls on Facebook; @RobinsonsMallsOfficial on Instagram; and @RobinsonsMalls on Twitter.

Century Park Hotel’s bucket specials

THE BEST beers are those drunk with family and friends, so Century Park Hotel invites groups to a chill out session at the Atrium Lounge with its special bucket offers. Complimentary bottles are up for grabs. Avail of the Beer na Beer 5+1 bucket for P595 net and the Heineken 4+1 special for P695 net. Pair it with pica-pica or any hearty dish served at the Atrium Lounge which is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Check out the menu at bit.ly/AtriumLoungeMenu. This offer is ongoing until further notice. The Hotel strictly enforces stringent health protocols. For table reservations or advance orders, contact 8528-5924.

Chivas releases new Chivas Extra 13 collection

CHIVAS has created the new Chivas Extra 13 collection, a brand-new line of Blended Scotch whiskies with a variety of unique flavors and different finishes by Chivas Master Blender Sandy Hyslop and his team. Chivas Extra 13 is unique with its 13-year aging process (one more year than the usual 12) and distinct flavors from extra selective cask finishes. The line of whiskies come to the Philippines with two variants, with more to come. The first is the Oloroso Sherry flavor, a rich and intense interpretation of the Chivas house style of whisky that’s matured in Sherry Oloroso casks. Oloroso Sherry comes sweet, fruity, and spicy with notes of ripe pears in syrup, as well as vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, and almonds. The other is the American Rye flavor, a mellow and generous take on Chivas Blended Scotch that’s finished in American Rye casks. This flavor is also sweet, fruity, and spicy with notes of orange, milk chocolate, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg with a long, smooth finish. Chivas Extra 13 is now available at all S&R, Landers, Landmark, and Pioneer outlets starting at P1,199, and at Boozy.ph and Liquor.ph starting at P1,549. For more information on Chivas Extra 13 and other Chivas products, visit the Chivas website at https://www.chivas.com/en-PH, or follow Chivas on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/chivasregalphils/, and on Instagram at @chivasregalph.

Fresh Benguet veggies at BGC

WITH a goal of helping displaced farmers earn a living, Bonifacio Global City (BGC) brings good quality Benguet staples at Bonifacio High Street through it’s My Street High Street initiative, which will run every weekend for the whole month of March. There will be a wide selection of fruits and vegetables straight from the Benguet Collective Producers. All-time favorites like the ube (purple yam) jam from Good Shepherd, brewed coffee, mixed greens, and fresh strawberries are also up for grabs. And since there’s no middle man costs involved, the farm to table goods are much cheaper. Order in advance through Jhona Bitan at 0961-294-3083 and pick up the items at the My Street High Street booth. For details, visit Bonifacio Global City’s official facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bonifacioglobalcityph.

Jollibee’s summer treat: Creamy Caramel Floats

SUMMER’S coming, and that means the heat is turning up. That’s why fast food chain Jollibee has come up with new, cool, and smooth Creamy Caramel Floats: coffee and choco drinks, topped with soft-serve vanilla sundae and drizzled with caramel syrup. The new Coffee and Choco Caramel Floats are now available at Jollibee stores for P49 solo or upgrade a value meal drink for P30. Jollibee’s Iced Coffee is now available for P39 in all stores nationwide. Have them safely delivered via the Jollibee Delivery App, JollibeeDelivery.com, #87000, GrabFood, and foodpanda. It’s also available via drive-through and take out.

Season 8 of Sandy Daza’s FoodPrints

CHEF Sandy Daza takes viewers on a road trip from Manila to Ilocos to discover the best restaurants in the new season of FoodPrints, premiering on Metro Channel on Mar. 6 at 8:30 p.m. He will serve as a food guide once again for the show’s eighth season — a partnership between Metro Channel and the Tourism Promotions Board — highlighting culinary treasures in the metropolis and up north in Pampanga, Subic, La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte that viewers can explore post-pandemic. In its premiere episode, Mr. Daza explores authentic Turkish cuisine at Feta Mediterranean in Greenhills. Then he visits Manila’s second Chinatown, Banawe, for dishes that will remind viewers of Hong Kong. He stops by BGC for bistro classics like escargot and foie gras reminiscent of a Parisian al fresco experience and ends the night at Caphe Saigon in Antipolo with a steaming bowl of pho. Viewers can also look forward to his top 10 favorite lockdown discoveries and a guide on how to order them. Upcoming episodes will show the chef exchange stories with locals, enjoy farm-to-table cuisine, and go pasalubong shopping. FoodPrints season 8 will air every Saturday on Metro Channel with simulcast on Metro Channel’s YouTube channel starting Mar. 6 at 8:30 p.m. Metro Channel is available on SKYcable channel 52 (SD) and channel 174 (HD), Cignal channel 69, and GSAT channel 70. For more details, like Metro Channel on Facebook www.facebook.com/metrochannelph and follow it on Instagram and Twitter (@metrochannelph).

Solane launches cooking show

LPG brand Solane is launching Solane Kitchen Moments, a unique cooking/talk show that is anchored on fond memories relived through great food. The limited series will air on Solane’s Facebook page and Youtube Channel, and will feature notable guests who will recreate dishes that defined specific stages in their lives. The show will be hosted by Suzi Entrata-Abrera, a cooking enthusiast and long-time Solane user herself.  The guests on Solane Kitchen Moments are being kept well under wraps, but Solane has said that the upcoming show will feature celebrated Filipino chefs and food enthusiasts. The pilot episode drops on Mar. 11.

A milky sort of soy milk

THE LACTOSE intolerant and vegans can try out something different Vitasoy Plus Milky, a product of Vitasoy-Universal Robina Corp. (VURC), which delivers the natural goodness of soy but with a milky taste, creamy texture, and healthy benefits. Vitasoy Plus Milky’s carefully crafted formula and special production process give it that milky taste and creamy texture, differentiating it from other soy milk products. It offers the same milk experience as regular milk, such that even vegans can’t believe it’s plant-based. Because of its special milky formula, Vitasoy Plus Milky can be enjoyed in several ways — as a beverage, paired with a breakfast meal, or as an ingredient to kitchen recipes. Check out what vegan family and YouTube content creators Team Malunggay created: vegan halo-halo, milky mango sago, and banana bread using Vitasoy Plus Milky. Vitasoy Plus Milky is high in calcium, is a source of quality, plant-based protein, has zero cholesterol, is low in saturated fat, and only has 2.4% sugar per serving. For lactose-intolerant dairy-lovers, Vitasoy Plus Milky can help satisfy milky cravings. Available in supermarkets nationwide, or order online via Lazada, Shopee, and Zalora, for P85. Know more about Vitasoy Plus Milky by visiting www.facebook.com/VitasoyPH/.

Nespresso’s new Lungo line travels the world

NESPRESSO’S World Explorations line of Lungo visits the coffee cultures and preferences in some of the world’s most vibrant cities: Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Shanghai, Stockholm, Tokyo, and Vienna. World Explorations Buenos Aires Lungo blends a gently roasted Colombian Arabica with Ugandan Robusta to deliver distinct cereal and sweet popcorn notes. Coffee lovers can enjoy their Lungo like a local by adding a generous drop of milk and sugar to their cup. World Explorations Cape Town Envivo Lungo is a blend of Indian Arabica and Robusta, resulting in Nespresso’s most intense Lungo — full-bodied and with a punchy bitter note and woodsy aroma. To enjoy it like a local, coffee drinkers can add a splash of milk to their long cup and thus unfold the Lungo’s smooth and roasty notes. The World Explorations Shanghai Lungo is an insight into the emerging Asian coffee culture. Crafted from Kenyan, Chinese, and Indonesian Arabicas, this distinctive light-roast blend has berry notes and fine acidity. Add a splash of cream to enjoy it like a local. World Explorations Stockholm Fortissio Lungo recreates the aromatic profile of Swedish coffee by coupling Monsooned Malabar with Colombian Arabica for an intense, sweet cup with a hint of bitterness. Pair it with freshly baked cinnamon rolls to enjoy the drink like true Swedes. World Explorations Tokyo Vivalto Lungo features refined Ethiopian and Mexican Arabicas — complex, floral, with a hint of acidity. The best way to enjoy this treat is by extracting the drink up to 150 ml and taking time to savor the aromas. World Explorations Vienna Linizio Lungo pairs sweet Brazilian and Colombian Arabicas, lightly roasted to enhance the malty and aromatic notes. Coffee drinkers can enjoy their Lungo best by extracting their cup to 150 ml and pairing it with a slice of cake. For more information on Nespresso products and promos, visit https://www.nespresso.ph.