Richmonde Hotel Ortigas has holiday take-home
FOR the holidays, Richmonde Hotel Ortigas is offering an assortment of creations by the hotel’s kitchen team headed by Executive Chef Tristan Galang. These Yuletide sweets, treats, and savory meals are good for gifting and indulging in at home during holiday lunches and dinners. Among the offerings are a platter of Salmon en Croute good for three to four persons (P2,680) which comes with potatoes au gratin and warm broccoli salad and is packed in a self-heating Hotbox; Canadian Bacon with sidings of oatmeal loaf and herbed butter, vacuum packed (P1,830) good for five persons; Bento Hotbox specials for individual meals with a choice between the Low and Slow Brisket (P1,150) and Pistachio-crusted Salmon and “Buro” Risotto (P1,250). For desserts there are baked goodies like Red Velvet Brownies (P180), Rum Cake made with Zabana Rum (P190), Sans Rival Cake (P180), Cruffin (P120), Cream Cheese & Chives Bun (P360 for four pieces), and Floss Roll (P280 for three pieces). Also available are Richmonde’s signature year-round hits: the Richmonde Ensaymada which comes in four variants (plain, ube, and the limited-edition holiday flavors of salted egg, and quezo de bola) and two sizes (the oversized regular and minis which come in boxes of four and nine pieces); the Richmonde Chocolate Cake; the Pistachio Cream Cheese Bread; Banana Walnut Bread; Cranberry Babka; and Salted Swirl. The hotel also has Christmas Crates of Happiness that contain an assortment of Richmonde’s freshly baked breads and homemade spreads packed in a wooden crate. There are two sizes to choose from: Santa’s Box of Cheer (P1,980) is big and brimming with six types of breads (Richmonde ensaymada, pretzel loaf, cranberry babka, salted swirl bread, pistachio cream cheese bread, and cruffin) plus 30 gm jars of mango & orange jam, bacon jam, and herbed butter; and The Holly Jolly Bundle (P1,380) contains pretzel bread, a baguette, and two mini ensaymadas, with the same three jars of jam and butter. All holiday goodies are available for pickup and delivery until Jan. 9, with advance orders and prepayment. Lead times vary per item and bulk orders may be arranged. For inquiries and orders, call 8638-7777 or 0917-534-4352 or e-mail sales@richmondeortigas.com.
Discovery Primea celebrates Christmas
DISCOVERY Primea welcomes the Yuletide season with a selection of gift recommendations, festive delicacies, and at-home celebrations. The hotel has come up with luxurious Christmas Hampers filled with gourmet items and trimmings. Offered at P1,500 net, the Festive Hamper features three 30 gm jars of jams, dips and spreads, focaccia bread, soda crackers, and Discovery Primea’s signature cookies and pastry bars; an upgraded Holiday Hamper contains additional assorted nuts, cheeses, and dried fruits for P3,000 net. For the ultimate selection, the Yuletide Hamper features an extensive collection of gourmet finds including assorted cold cuts and a bottle of premium red wine for P5,000 net. Order Primea’s signature cookies in cookie jars (P750 net), with more flavors to choose from this year: Chocolate Chip, World Peace, Oatmeal Raisin, Choco Peanut Butter, Classic Chocolate Crinkles, Salted Caramel and Milk Chocolate, and Chocolate Espresso. There is also a menu of Holiday Platters good for eight to 10 persons. The choices include traditional fare such as Cochinillo Asado, Lengua Sevillana, and Callos a la Madrileña. For families staying in on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, the Primea At Home kits offer spreads good for four to five persons priced at P5,000 net. For Christmas Eve dinner, the Feliz Navidad kit showcases authentic Spanish fare such as Croquetas de Jamón y Pollo, Cochinillo Asado, and Paella de Marisco. On New Year’s Eve, there is a Media Noche feast of Italian dishes including Arancini di Mozzarella, Mini Rotola Pizzas, Riso al Forno, Grilled Black Bass, and more. The Christmas Hampers, Holiday Platters, and Primea At Home Kits are available this December. Browse the hotel’s offers at bit.ly/TisTheSeasonAtPrimea. For orders and inquiries, call 7955-8888 or e-mail dp-sales@discovery.com.ph for bulk orders. For more information on the hotel’s offers and updates, visit discoveryprimea.com or follow Discovery Primea on Facebook and Instagram.
City of Dreams relaunches the Nobu Sunday Brunch
JUST in time for the holiday festivities, Nobu Manila at City of Dreams has relaunched its Sunday Brunch, each Sunday of the month with varying menu highlights from Dec. 5 to Jan. 2. Besides indoor dining, the restaurant has a tropical-themed patio and floating cabanas which make Nobu Manila the perfect al fresco venue for a leisurely Sunday brunch for families with children and seniors, regardless of vaccination status, in accordance with prevailing Alert 2 dining guidelines. Available for P2,950 net per person, the brunch’s action stations offer the day’s specialty menu with an extensive selection of appetizers, varied fare of kushiyaki or grilled skewered seafood, red meat, poultry and vegetables; a carving item which varies each week, from dry aged ribeye, kurobuta porchetta, salmon fillet new style, whole wagyu leg, to shichimi crusted ribeye. For variety, different rice and specialty dishes are offered weekly to complement the salads and soups. Diners choose their preferred dishes from the display counter, which chefs prepare fresh from the kitchen, and these are individually served on mini plates and lacquer cups or in a family style plating should guests prefer sharing. From an a la carte menu, diners can add to their meal. Their choice mocktail, chilled juice, soda, tea or coffee are included in the brunch price. Nobu Sunday Brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For the rest of the week, Nobu Manila offers an a la carte, and eight-course signature Omakase menus for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. from Sundays to Thursdays, and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. With the Safety Seal certification issued to City of Dreams Manila, the restaurant can seat maximum 60% capacity for indoor dining, and 80% for dining alfresco. Reservations are encouraged, through calling 8800-8080 or e-mailing guestservices@cod-manila.com. For more information, visit www.cityofdreamsmanila.com.
Crowne Plaza reopens buffet restaurant
CROWNE Plaza has opened its Seven Corners Restaurant Buffet for lunch and dinner, Wednesday to Sunday. The Lunch Buffet is open from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (P2,300 net per person) while the Dinner Buffet is open from 6:30 to 10 p.m. (P2,500 net per person). Make reservations through telephone at 8790-3100, Viber at 0927-163-0128, or e-mail at mnlcp.7corners@ihg.com.
Resorts World Manila celebrates with lechon
RESORTS World Manila’s (RWM) signature restaurants, Casa Buenas, Silogue, and Garden Wing Wing Cafe, are serving up a special menu with Lechon Baka, Spicy Cebu Lechon Pork Belly and Lechon Manok as centerpieces. The feast is served with corn on the cob, suman, and leche flan cake for P4,000 net, available for dine-in, take-out, or Delishvery until Dec. 31. For reservations, contact Casa Buenas (7908-8988, 0917-8788312), Silogue (7908-8880), and Garden Wing Cafe (7908-8889) or Delishvery (7908-8885 or 0917-878-8856). For more information on RWM’s Grand Fiesta Manila, visit www.rwmanila.com and follow @rwmanila and @newportmall on Facebook and Twitter, and @resortsworldmanila Instagram.
Brighten up holidays with Cravings
CRAVINGS can make Christmas luncheons and dinners extra memorable this season with its classic menu and fresh creations from the kitchen. One can order Cravings’ potluck dishes good for six to eight persons with a lot of selections to choose, from seafood to meat, as well as a charcuterie board. To start there is the Cravings’ Classic Caesar Salad or a Macaroni Salad. For the main course, there is Craving’s Roast Beef (slow cooked with mushroom sauce and truffle mashed potato), Lengua Con Champignon, Callos a la Madrilena, American Baked Spareribs, and Chicken Galantine. Cravings also offer two kinds of Roast Stuffed Chicken, one stuffed with paella rice, while the other has a stuffing of raisins and chorizo. Lastly, there is the Roast Pork Belly which can serve 12 to 15 persons. Pasta lovers can choose from Pasta Amatriciana, Truffle Mac & Cheese, or the crowd favorite Lasagna that is good for 12 to 15 persons. For seafood there is a choice of Prawns Ala Thermidor, Almond-Crusted Fish Fillet, Three Cheese Salmon, or Salmon Wellington. For something fancy, advance order Cravings’ special Charcuterie Board that includes cured meats, cheeses, and accompaniments such as fruits, nuts, and chocolates. There’s also an assortment of spreads one can order: Chicken Liver Pate, Boursin, or Truffle Goat’s Cheese Dip. Cravings also prepared a special Christmas Hamper that includes a pasta sauce, pasta, mango tomato salsa, and organic root chips. To make it convenient for families who wish to have a menu with a specific meal set, Cravings has the Christmas Set Menu that can serve four to six persons. For larger festivities, Cravings also assembled a ready-to-eat Christmas Party Box. There are five set menus suited to various tastes. There is a minimum order of 10 boxes, while discounts are available for bulk orders of 50 and above. For orders and inquiries, visit cravingsbakeshop.com or follow @cravingsphils on IG and @cravings.philippines on FB for more info.
Raintree Hospitality Group’s new bistro, Jones All Day
RAINTREE Hospitality Group recently launched a new bistro, Jones All Day. It’s an all-day dining space serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, snacks, and dinner options. It even has a raw bar with fresh oysters and seafood, a bakery, and an artisan retail store. Its signature dishes, including starters like Jones Burrata (locally made burrata with roasted pumpkin yogurt hummus, kale basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, pickled pimentos, and rocket), Pacific Oysters (Aklan oysters served on ice, Rock-a-fella with spinach and hollandaise, or Katsu Dynamite-style, which means oysters topped with Sriracha mayo, unagi sauce, and ikura), and the Jones Seafood Tower (a seafood tower made of shrimp cocktail, pacific oysters, blue mussels, salmon and tuna sashimi, Coctel de Mariscos, spicy tuna dynamite, pickles, horseradish, aguacate, marinated seaweed, fresh lemon and lime, chips, wonton crackers, and nori sheets). Other dishes include Jones Vegan Bowl (a totally vegan dish made of plant-based kofta, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, basil, cilantro, cabbage, carrots, onions, crispy garbanzos, plant-based Caesar dressing, and passion fruit and herb vinaigrette), Smoked Pepper Turkey Reuben (with house-made purple kraut, remoulade, and pickles, topped with Emmental cheese, mozzarella all between sesame rye and served with whole-grain mustard on the side), Jones Beef Tapa (char-grilled US top blade beef with tapa sauce topped with crispy garlic chili, served with garlic rice, two eggs the way you want them, and cucumber atchara, grilled tomatoes, and vinegar dip on the side), House-Made Handkerchief Pasta (with guanciale, butter, organic egg yolks, and finished with Malagos pecorino), or Truffled Mushroom Roast Chicken (half-chicken stuffed with mushroom tapenade served with light chicken jus and creamy mashed potatoes, haricots verts, and shiitake on the side). The new all-day bistro and bakery will feature a retail space called the Jonesery to sell locally made and sourced artisanal goods from small and medium Filipino enterprises. Jones All Day Bistro & Bakery is located at the ground floor of Serendra Piazza, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. It is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. For updates, like and follow @JonesAllDayPH on Facebook and Instagram.
Pinoy Christmas dishes transformed into macarons
CLASSIC Christmas Filipino dishes have been recreated into decadent macarons for the holiday collection of Jane Dough Desserts. Dubbed as “Home for Christmas,” the series features flavors such as Bibingka Special, Sans Rival, Ultimate Champorado, Ube Puto Bumbong, Spiced Chocolate, and Dessert Kare-kare. Pastry chef Allyza Cepeda, a Culinary Arts alumna from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, is behind Jane Dough Dessert. The selection features a fusion of sweet, salty and savory. The Ultimate Champorado is a crispy pinipig (rice crispies), milk powder, and golden dilis (anchovies) sandwiches with cocoa and rice ganache filling. The Dessert Kare-Kare is clash of homemade peanut butter, toasted rice ganache, and bagoong alamang (shrimp paste). Her take on Bibingka Special and Ube Puto Bumbong are both covered with toasted coconut. Bibingka Special has salted egg and cheese amid the coconut-rice ganache spread while the Ube Puto Bumbong comes with ube (purple yam) and pirurutong rice ganache made from the traditional purple rice from Ifugao. The Sans Rival macaron is a serving of cashew-covered shells with rich French buttercream, while Spiced Chocolate comes with 64% Auro dark chocolate ganache infused with cinnamon and cayenne. Visit Jane Dough Desserts on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/findjanedough) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/findjanedough/?hl=en).
M Bakery offers limited-edition holiday treats
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at M Bakery. Inspired by the Christmas spirit, M Bakery now offers Christmas products and gift packages at both its BGC and Rockwell locations starting Dec. 1. M Bakery favorites get holiday treatments this month, including the Banana Pudding whose flavor of the month is Red Velvet. There is also a special Holiday Cupcake, the Chocolate Peppermint Cupcake, made of moist chocolate cupcake iced with red and white peppermint meringue buttercream and topped with crushed peppermint candies. There are boxes of six or a dozen of M Bakery’s Christmas Cupcakes, each box filled with vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with vanilla and chocolate buttercream and topped with festive Christmas decorations. M Bakery also has a Christmas party spread: the World-Famous Banana Pudding Party Bowl, which is made with layers of vanilla wafers, fresh bananas, and creamy pudding. It is available in Classic, Chocolate, Chocolate Hazelnut, Red Velvet, and other flavors. Party bowls come in two sizes: Small (for eight people) for P2,200 and Large (serves 20) for P3,250. There is also a set of Christmas cakes offered in either classic vanilla or chocolate cake as the base: the Bottle Brush Tree Cake, Christmas Cake (Lights & Gifts), Snowman Cake, and Winter Cake. There is also the Holiday Red Velvet Cake, and the Yule Log Cake. M Bakery’s other specialty cakes are also available for advance orders. Some of its best-selling cakes include the Manila-exclusive ube cake, carrot cake, hummingbird cake, lemon raspberry, strawberry, banana chocolate hazelnut and chocolate ganache. M Bakery also has a set of holiday gift boxes: the Chocolate Chunk Cookie Favor Box with six classic chocolate chunk cookies; the Cutout Sugar Cookie Favor Box, which includes six classic sugar cookies in a variety of seasonal shapes; the Holiday Cookie Sampler, an assortment of M Bakery’s bestselling cookies; the Baker’s Choice Cookie Assortment, an assortment of M Bakery’s classic cookies that includes 12 pieces each of its chocolate chunk cookies and oatmeal raisin cookies; ‘Tis the Season, a tray that includes 12 pieces each of jammy thumbprints, snickerdoodles, cutout sugar cookies, gingersnaps, and holiday confetti cookies; a Brownie and Blondie Flavor Box with two pieces each of brownies and blondies; Baker’s Choice Bar Assortment, an assortment of four pieces each of double fudge brownies, chocolate chunk brownies, and magic cookie bars; Home for the Holidays with six jammy thumbprints, six snowballs, and six chocolate crinkles; and, Care Package which includes six pieces each of chocolate chunk blondies, double fudge brownies, and chocolate chunk cookies. There are also M Bakery Gift certificates available in P500 and P1,000 denominations. To learn more about M Bakery’s Christmas products and treats, follow M Bakery on Facebook or Instagram.
Cheesecake for a white Christmas
A 16-YEAR-OLD baker has come up with a special holiday treat: the limited edition Snowy Yule Cheesecake from Regi’s Cheesecake. A smooth and velvety confection that has the classic cheesecake sandwiched between a graham crust and a covering of white chocolate, the Snowy Yule Cheesecake is topped with vanilla and white chocolate flavored frosting. It features a smiling snowman design. The Snowy Yule Cheesecake is the latest flavor to be introduced by Regi’s Cheesecake, a home-based baking business that grew from Regi Depante’s adventures in the kitchen. Among the many cheesecake variants are Heavenly Blueberry Cheesecake, Cheesecake Potpourri, and Sugar-Free Delicioso Burnt Cheesecake. To order a Snowy Yule Cheesecake and to see the rest of the Regi’s Cheesecake menu, visit their Instagram and Facebook page @regischeesecake.
Shake Shack’s holiday favorite makes a comeback
SHAKE Shack has brought back its holiday favorites, the Truffle Trio, headlined by the Black Truffle Burger (P325), made of 100% all-natural beef with Swiss cheese, crispy ale-marinated shallots, black truffle mayo and arugula. The other two are the Black Truffle Chick’n (P300) which is a crispy chicken breast with black truffle mayo, pickled shallots and arugula, and the Black Truffle Fries (P205), crinkle-cut fries topped with black truffle mayo, crispy-ale marinated shallots and scallions. Available for a limited time only.
Dairy Queen launches Christmas-inspired Blizzard of the Month
THIS holiday season, Dairy Queen is offering three premium Blizzard creations inspired by some of the most popular sweets in the world. First is the Royal New York Cheesecake Blizzard Treat, made with chunky pieces of cheesecake blended with creamy soft serve and then filled with strawberry topping in the center. Then there is the Royal Ultimate Choco Brownie Blizzard Treat, made with bite-sized chewy brownie pieces, chocolate chunks, and cocoa fudge blended with creamy soft serve, and then filled in the center with fudge topping. The third is the Royal Oreo Blizzard Treat, made with Oreo cookie pieces blended with creamy soft serve and then filled with a fudge topping center. These Christmas-inspired Blizzard Treats are priced at P109 for Regular, P129 for Medium, and P159 for large, and are available until Jan. 10. Visiting a nearby branch or order through the 8911-1111 hotline, www.dairyqueen.com.ph, or official delivery partners GrabFood, foodpanda, and Pickaroo.
McDonald’s Christmas offers
MCDONALD’S Philippines celebrates the holidays with a light show, traveling Santas, and meals to share. McDonald’s is holding the Ride-Thru Christmas Light Show until Jan. 2 at three of McDonald’s Drive-Thru stores: the Icy Wonderland Ride-Thru at McDonald’s McKinley West in Taguig, the Happyland Ride-Thru in McDonald’s Alabang West in Las Piñas; and the Parol Holiday Ride-Thru at McDonald’s Savano Park in Bulacan. Customers will be able to grab a bite of their McDonald’s favorites while enjoying this unique light spectacle from the safety and convenience of their own rides. For customers who prefer to celebrate the holiday festivities from home, McDonald’s brings the light to them with the help of McDelivery Santa Riders. Christmas isn’t complete if happiness is not shared with those who need it most. Through the McDonald’s Kindness Kitchen, McDonald’s commits to sharing a festive meal with nearly 7,000 chosen beneficiaries, while all its stores combined will donate 1 million Happy Meal books and toys to school beneficiaries. In addition, 12 days before Christmas, McDonald’s will also launch its Share-A-Meal program, giving customers a chance to give back by sending McDonald’s meals to their charity of choice with no purchase requirement. All a customer needs to do is visit a McDonald’s store and fill out a Share-A-Meal card as McDonald’s will grant over 1,000 wishes and share over 18,000 meals come Dec. 25.
Jollibee’s Spicy Champ now in more stores
JOLLIBEE’S new Spicy Champ, which was initially only offered in stores in Metro Manila and Luzon, is now available in more stores nationwide. Jollibee Spicy Champ is the classic big burger with a 1/3-pound patty that’s made with 100% pure beef, with a new kick of sriracha mayo dressing and jalapeno slices. It is also available in a Spicy Champ Jr. Variant. The Spicy Champ costs P175 solo and the Spicy Champ Jr. is P79 solo. The list of participating stores offering Spicy Champ can be found here: https://www.jollibee.com.ph/spicy-champ/.
Nutella offers new snack
BEST known for its hazelnut spread, Nutella has come out with a new snack, the Nutella B-ready. Shaped like a mini baguette, Nutella B-ready is filled with Nutella spread and a sprinkling of puffed wheat crispies. Nutella B-ready is now widely available in supermarkets and grocery stores in the Philippines.
Sekaya gift packs for the holidays out
SHARE the gift of health this season, and contribute to the ongoing reforestation efforts in the Cordillera. The new Prescribing Nature Gift Packs from Filipino plant-based brand Sekaya are carefully put together to help with different health and wellness goals. Every purchase also contributes to ongoing reforestation efforts in the Cordillera region — Sekaya’s advocacy in partnership with the Cordillera Conservation Trust (CCT). With the help of everyone who bought the Prescribing Nature Gift Packs during the last quarter of 2020, Sekaya was able to provide 5,190 endemic tree seedlings, which are already adapted to the region and will support local ecosystems better than non-native species. Sekaya is once again committing to match the sales of its gift packs and donate to the same cause this year. Interested parties can choose from Prescribing Nature Gift Packs’ six gift boxes. For orders, check out @sekayaph on Facebook and Instagram or the official Synnovate Pharma Corp. stores in Lazada and Shopee, or send an SMS or Viber to 0917-5SEKAYA (735292).
Nespresso’s newest special reserve coffee from Jamaica
NESPRESSO’S newest coffee is Special Reserve Jamaica Blue Mountain. Named after the steep slopes and volcanic soils of the Jamaican summit wherein beans are stored in handmade wood barrels, Nespresso’s newest coffee highlights exotic woody notes and a pleasant spicy aftertaste with hints of pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg — a profile found only in the area’s crop. The Special Reserve Jamaica Blue Mountain is made from pure Arabica beans. With an intensity level of seven, the coffee is best served as an espresso. For a creamier option, just add milk. The Jamaica Blue Mountain is among the many Special Reserve coffee flavors that the brand has launched. It is available for a limited time in local Nespresso boutiques, pop-up stores, and online at www.nespresso.ph.
