Experience Dining at The Coast Food Park in Malabon

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Food parks have continued trending that nearly every city has more than one of these food hubs with several food choices to choose from. Since they are managed centrally, the food park could offer various kinds of treats to satisfy the cravings of their customers. So aside from the usual comfort foods, they could throw in a mix of other dishes that are either new or popular among the common food hub patrons.

The biggest advantage of food parks is the affordability of the food prices and since stall owners do not need to worry about the other business requirements because the food park owners would deal with that, it is a lot more convenient and easy to operate for even small entrepreneurs that are just starting and hoping their small business will eventually boom.

Even the provinces and cities outside Metro Manila are already being penetrated by food parks but we are yet to see if they are equally successful.

Though some food stalls of a food park may not click with the patrons, they could easily redevelop new concepts or accept other food offerings. Packing up is not a hard thing to do when all their concern is within their stalls. There are several other business savvy individuals who would be willing to try their luck in the food business.



After all, everyone eats at least three times a day that this basic necessity could easily be addressed by providing tasty enough cuisines that would keep people coming back for more. Great customer service could also be a key since many would prefer to dine at a place where customers feel more comfortable and welcomed. Of course, additional value-added services like providing entertainment for the enjoyment while enjoying a meal could attract patrons to hang out and eat at the food hub often.

One food park that is quite new, and should be among the foodies chosen destination soon, is The Coast Food Park located in Malabon city. We were invited to try out some of their specialties a few days ago, and so now I'm delighted to share to you these offerings so you could at least be aware of what to expect at this food park.

My son and I were invited to join this food tasting along with other bloggers. We went as far as Malabon to see if this particular food park can match up with the other existing food parks we've been.

We asked them to serve the dishes all at once so we could do a flatlay of the entire feast. However, there's just no room to take a photo of everything from the top, so more of our photos show the dishes per food stall, aside from the individual shots of the dishes. We also have videos of each food and stall that we plan to compile into one preview of the food park. As of this writing, it is still a pending task since work obligations are not being cooperative and requires me to work even during weekends. Just stand by for the video on our YouTube channel or Facebook page as soon as we have ample time to work on it.







Which ones among the dishes served were my personal favorite? I have to stay that the Longanissa Party of Salongganisa Atbp was my favorite since it allowed me to experience tasting around 10 kinds of these yummy treats from different provinces of the Philippines (Guinobatan, Batac, Cabanatuan - Batutay and Recado, Cebu, Lucban, Calumpit, Tugeugarao, Baliwag - Garlic and BBQ), and best eaten with their special fried rice. The dish is meant for sharing with someone else but I could eat the entire thing on my own. It would be a great first choice for new visitors of this food park.



I'm also a pizza lover so I love all kinds of pizza whatever toppings you put on them. This is why I chose pizza as one of my take-outs so I could share the blessings at home. When I said "blessings," it was meant to emphasize my love for the Overload Pizza of Rox to Go that I want my loved ones to taste it too.



I would have also taken home another batch of the Longganisa Party but I ordered the monstrous Giant fried squid from Hungry Pirate instead which is also another favorite though it lack the spices I am looking for. They could improve on it by adding more herbs and spices to the breading or marinade the squid longer to taste better. I didn't choose it because it was big, but more likely because I prefer to eat seafood which is less fatty than meat.





If I'm really hungry, I would also choose to buy Pancit Canton or Pata Tim at Chelle's Diner. These are comfort foods for me since I always love pancit of every kind. However, theirs was just the right mix to satisfy our taste buds. The Pata Tim was a bit too sweet for me, but it's something too easy to fix, and you'll have a great meal already.





The steaks from Steaks & Sizzles could have been better if they sizzled it. The Beef Porterhouse and T-Bone steaks were quite cold already when we ate it so it became too dry to be appreciated. Maybe when I return there I could try a newly-cooked and still sizzling one.





Hot & Ready Buffalo Wings served two kinds of buffalo wings: Signature (Parmesan) and Garlic. Between the two, I prefer their Signature because it's a lot more distinctive and delectable in taste.







The Ramen and Takoyaki from Hanabi was not that too special to stand out but I could be wrong again since they were already too cold when we got to them. We all know that Ramen, and Takoyaki, are better when hot and freshly-cooked. That's the problem with the need to take photos., or even videos, before trying out the food, you'll end up not knowing the actual taste when served at its best.











For drinks, you have three choices here: either at Street Shakes for different kinds of shakes like their Shawberry Boulevard and Macha-ti avenue (all named after popular Philippine streets), Sebastian's Fish Bowl who has specially prepared drinks like the Peppy Flounder (Green Cucumber) and the Dazzling Ariel (Pink Lemonade Sparkling Punch), and Rox Gastropub for concoctions with alcoholic content like the Chokeslam and the Love Potion.

Each one among the three would work to satisfy my thirst, especially the drinks inside the huge fish bowl-like jars from Sebastian's Fish Bowl. Sweet-tooths would probably choose from the Street Shakes menu especially that the shakes are attractively decorated and generously filled with sweet treats, but the more adventurous peeps would go for the drinks at Rox Gastropub.







For dessert, Scoops and Drizzle serve sweet treats that are quite new in the Philippine market. Examples of their creations are the Customized Egg Waffle and Cake Balls with Nutella. The one they served with strawberry is a favorite since you don't see that choice very often and it is only in Baguio where you could almost only see strawberry-filled dishes as affordable as here.

For more details, below are the names of the stalls and the dishes they served to us for sharing. Also listed are the prices of each:
Hot & Ready Buffalo Wings
Signature Buffalo (P79)
Garlic Parmesan (P79)

Rox to Go!
Overload Pizza (P350)

Scoops and Drizzle
Customized Egg Waffle (P145)
Cake Balls with Nutella (P105)

Steaks & Sizzles
Beef Porterhouse Steak (P134)
Beef T-Bone Steak (P134)

Street Shakes
Shawberry Boulevard (P130)
Matcha-ti Avenue (P130)

Rox Gastropub
Chokeslam (P199)
Love Potion (P199)

Hungry Pirate
Giant Squid (P350)

Chelle's Diner
Pancit Canton (P120)
Pata Tim (P299)

Sebastian's Fish Bowl
Peppy Flounder (Green Cucumber) P89
Dazzling Ariel (Pink Lemonade Sparkling Punch) P89

Hanabi
White Ramen (P140)
Takoyaki

Salongganisa Atbp
Minaisang Longganisa (P90)
Longganisa Party (P245)
Hinilongganisa (P125)


As I've said earlier, the food park trend is still booming right now that you may want to join in on the bandwagon while it's still hot. People would always want something new eventhough there are already several choices to choose from. So my advise to the owners of the food parks, including each individual stall, is that they should always come out with something new. We want to keep our customers' interests sustained so that they'll definitely come back for more. It is therefore advisable to always innovate and introduce additions to the existing list of dishes in their menu, even for just a short time so frequent visitors could expect to find something different to try.



The inclusion of entertainment like a band, some singers, stand-up comedians, or even monologues from "hugot" lines or what is known as the spoken word, are a great way to attract attention and keep diners glued and awaiting for more so they could order more, but not too much because just as how free Wi-Fi access divides the attention of customers, too much entertainment could also keep them from eating at a normal pace and thus leaving their seats for the next diners would take a considerably crazy amount of time.

But in my case, I would definite want to see more stunning performances from the likes of Two Way, and the other emerging artists out there that definitely need breaks to be discovered. It would be such a waste to keep that talent hidden. It is also amazing that some of the tenants participate in providing entertainment since we were surprised to see our host, one of the owners of the stall there, who sang a song for the crowd. Now with that voice, she could totally add more brilliance to an already exemplary act.

My son and I enjoyed a fairly good dinner that night. If you were to ask him, he was not that impressed with the overall experience since we've been to better restaurants with extravagant ambiance with highly decorated and generously spiced dishes. However, the price comparison would tell you the exact reason why. 

Good luck to The Coast Food Park for entering this business venture. We hope that you'll be among those who would survive a very competitive industry. The taste preferences of Filipinos are becoming more sophisticated but there are many who still go back to the comfort foods, just like me, when I'm too hungry to dare to experiment. However, when Filipinos find and discover new favorites, they would stick longer with you. Thus, it is up to these food stall owners to find ways to sustain their quality and also come up with ideas to keep their customers.

Culinaire 2017: Our Passport to a Flight of Flavors

Congratulations to Juan Carlo catering for winning three awards (Best Appetizer, Best Main Dish and Best Setup) at the Culinaire 2017 event held last night at SMX Convention Center Manila.

I believe Juan Carlo emerged as the crowd favorite as well last year. They have obviously been consistent with the quality and taste of their dishes even in small servings.

Juan Carlo was followed by Conrad Manila for winning two awards (Best Dessert and Best Service). There were 14 that night but the awards were all received by the said two caterers as voted by the attendees themselves.

Though the caterers had been designated to offer specialties coming from different countries (Germany, China, Japan, Korea, Italy, Turkey, France, USA, India, Mexico, Brazil, Thailand and the Philippines) to conform with the theme of the night "Flight of Flavors," where we had a boarding pass and passport accompanying us as we roam around our different culinary destinations.

But before all the tummy traveling treats, the management of SMX welcomed the attendees and presented the good news that happened, happening nd about to happen with their many venues from Megatrade Halls to SMX Conventions Centers here in Manila and other areas like Davao and Cebu.

Conrad Manila got Best Dessert and Best Service Awards

Juan Carlo Catering got three awards (Best Appetizer, Best Main Dish and Best Setup)

The caterers who participated were the same batch as last year but with the addition of three more (Kitchen City, M Catering and Fine Foods, and Manila Catering). The original batch are LJC Group Catering Service, Tamayo's Catering, TJIOE, Via Mare, Albergus, Bizu, Conrad Manila, Hizon's Catering, Josiah's Catering, Event Shaker Mobile Bar (the only bar) and Juan Carlo.

All caterers have given their best but still everyone was required to vote for their chosen ones to win five awards. It is also times like these that many would wish they have a bigger stomach. With 14 caterers (1 bar) offering delightful dishes, you could not really fit everything in one seating so I had to go through every dish offering half-way . Meaning, I had to eat only half or just a portion of everything so I would have room for everything. I felt I had this obligation to judge them well so skipping a caterer was not an option. My mission that night was to taste everything even if it means not being able to consume the entire portions of the dishes.

To be objective in my judgement, I had to sacrifice eating only half of that Churros, just a portion of that Slow Braised Beef Ribs and Roasted Leg of Ham, just a piece of that Azuki Pearls with Rose Jelly ..... you get the idea.

Juan Carlo's Beef Brasatto truly was tender and tasty deserving of the Best Main Dish win. Their Setup is equally superb since it attracts attention in just one look, while their Wrap a la Portofino appetizer is worth every praise.

Conrad Manila's dessert CO2 Soju Lime was quite unique for me and makes you want to return for more as your happy ending.

The organizers of the event know very well to offer finger foods and cocktails before the event started, and the final drink of coffee that was available for everyone at one side of the venue.

Culinaire is really an event I always look forward to. Being my third time at a Culinaire event has given me the opportunity to compare, and I could very well say that the event has been constantly improving every year. Congratulations to SMX for a very successful event.

Debunking the Tupperware-gate: Was There Even A Plastic Container?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"Bakit ba hindi kayo maka move on jan sa issue nang pag take out ng food galing sa event. Buti nga si Ate girl may sarli nang dala na tupperware. Eh yung iba jan nanghihingi pa ng supot so mas nakakahiya yun.Kelan pa nagkaron ng instruction ang mga event host na pwede mag take out ng food from events? Yung iba nga jan hindi nga nag ta-take out eh nagsasama naman ng mga nanay, kapatid, pamangkin sa events. pinakain na kayo meron pa kayo take out. Gawain din yan ni.... (Ay syet nalaglag ang Orange)" - Hao Siao

My mom used to sell Tupperware.

Yup! I still remember how she used to go visit one home to the next to offer her wares - Tupperware(s). But she's so quick in leveling up this particular "career" by getting herself promoted immediately from being just an ordinary home-to-home seller to an area manager of some sorts. This part I was too young to remember but I do get the feeling that she was something like a boss back then because she has "people" under her who gets the bulk of Tupperware orders from her.

The Tupperware home parties was probably a big hit too since it was so nice seeing so many different kinds of plastic food servers, containers, keepers, etc., on the table. From plates to salad bowls, glasses and storage bins, Tupperware has them. They also have these policy that you can return any Tupperware item that breaks and they'll replace them with brand new ones with no questions asked.

So basically, the brand had a great reputation and marketing scheme, and until now they are still on it. Though there may be some competitions around, the Tupperware brand still seems to be the most popular.

This is probably why it was the branding that was given to a blogger accused of "stealing" food from an event. The news about her so called despicable act spread online because of some bloggers and their friends who were all itching to jump on the bandwagon of hate and persecution.

This issue even made its way to another publication who even included a quote from the blogger. Well, I have to say that the article was a bit comprehensive but actually pertaining to food blogging dilemmas instead. Still, even though the writer included so many facts and quotes from other people, she still left out an interview with the accused herself.

That made her article incomplete because it is always important to get all the facts from the other party (especially the accused) involved. As we all know, inclusion of select quotes would never quantify the entire story. The article, even though it tried to raise the issue of how questionable food blogging is, added further injury to the blogging community because it was specifically pointed to bloggers. Isn't she aware that even legit traditional media review, and take home, food and restaurants as well? Don't even let me get into the sponsorship, advertising and/or "enveloped" ways of giving thanks for their support towards a brand. The difference between traditional media (TV, Radio and print) and online media (including bloggers) is already so hardly seen anymore because we see trad media following the ways of online, and vice versa.

The bashers responsible for spreading the rumors couldn't even get their information right. The accused blogger said there was no Tupperware involved. She just wrapped the food in tissue and put it in her bag. But I guess the term "Tupperware-gate" was only meant to generalize similar acts. It just proves that the Tupperware brand is highly recommended for all your food storage requirements.

They've already judged the blogger as guilty and pronounced her as a thief. Her pregnant daughter jumped into the "hate-full" conversation to save her mother from the wrath, not thinking that the rumors about her and her mother may cause harm to her delicate condition. Admirable, but sort of crazy. Her mother is tough enough to fight her problems on her own, but the rest of us who understand that all these bashing are senseless should stand up and put a stop to these stupidity.

Hey, I bash also. But only to react and ridicule the "professional" bashers instead, most especially those that would even write "love letters" to brands, PRs and event organizers, to put down other bloggers so they would gain monopoly of the industry. Attacking them would probably make them realize that bashing is not even worth any of our precious time because it only asks for a retaliation from both parties and further brings down the perception of people about "online publications."

But even after we all know that the hate towards bloggers should not be discussed on public forums or threads because it only aims to ruin reputations, "hate-full" bloggers continue to ridicule her like she's the most evil person in the world. The hate bandwagon has always been a public party among social media friends who immediately jump in on the bashing without even knowing all the facts.

Regardless if she's guilty or not, we cannot convince her to do better if we personally attack her without giving her the opportunity to explain first. You don't shame people in advance....then explain that the thread was all about saving the blogging community. You've already damaged her. Talk about adding pain to the injury - of being seen on CCTV?

That particular report that she was seen on CCTV was even disturbing. How could bloggers have access to the video footage or even get reports about it if the "casino and hotel" did not leak the information? Shouldn't there have been a questioning first between the "casino and hotel" with the accused, rather than giving out this information already to other people? I'm sure they understand that this accusation of "theft" is a highly sensitive matter that may ruin a reputation if not dealt with accordingly. Isn't there a protocol that should have been followed?

We are not siding with the blogger at all, or anybody else for that matter. But, when food will only go to waste, even the organizers themselves would take them out. They have the authority to do that because they are responsible for the event. Though we encounter a lot of events where the organizers encourage everyone to take home the left-overs, it is not really very "classy" to have take-outs on either paper/plastic/foil/cardboard or even Tupperware, especially when there are still people eating.

Stay away from being tempted to bring home those yummy dishes when some people are still around. It may be a compliment to the chefs that you appreciate their cooking, but let everyone else have their second or third serving, please. Wait until everyone has left, and then (when very few people are looking) you discreetly ask the organizers if you could take home the left-overs. OK lang yan kapag close kayo ng PR, or makapal ang mukha mo, or may advocacy ka to give food to the needy street children or those at the squatters (informal settlers) area, or you just couldn't stomach seeing good food go to waste.

To the journalist who wrote the article putting bloggers in a bad light. Please complete your information. Get the side of the blogger you quoted. We prefer to read an article where you also reached out to the parties concerned  rather than just grabbing a few quotes here and there, then arriving at a conclusion based from those itsy-bitsy information. When you confine the issue of "taking out food" among bloggers only, that is totally a wrong perception. Everyone appreciates being able to bring home something from an event whether they may be tokens, GCs, "envelopes" or "ampao", or even the excess food.

BTW, to those who intentionally get too much food from the buffet, or from wherever, and then end up only to request for them to be taken out, that is also quite "unethical." Still, that is your life. Your blog, your rules. But be prepared to expect a consequence out of that action.

To the bashers, it is much "classier" to wait for the organizers to come out with their official statement. Huwag laging nangunguna sa chismis lalo na kung wala naman pruweba. If all you have are hearsay, and you can't show any proof or evidence, better hold back on the rumor-mongering and wait until you could post a copy of that CCTV video footage, if ever there was really one that shows the true nature of the "crime."

Remember that all that negative talk will surely backfire at you. You may be able to persuade others to believe in you, but that would be limited among the weak-minded and gullible people. I am positive that the number of respectable and considerate people outnumber those who quickly judge people based from only a few facts.

Experience the Taste of Japanese Food with Buddha-Bar Manila's Corporate Chef Shigeki Iimura

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Buddha-Bar Manila, a world-class resto-bar-lounge that offers fine dining and entertainment experience, is bringing the best of contemporary Japanese cuisine as Chef Shigeki Iimura, Buddha-Bar’s Japanese Corporate Chef, visits Manila this July 7 for a meet-and-greet with lovers of good food and entertainment.

A night of gastronomical delight will follow on July 8 as the renowned executive chef showcases his culinary skills as he prepares choice Japanese dishes through a live kitchen demo.

The said event on July 8, dubbed as “Japanese Serenade,” features Chef Shigeki’s signature Japanese dishes that will be prepared right before a live crowd while a violinist plays a beautiful ensemble.

“We are glad to invite everyone who loves Japanese food for this once-in-a-year event. I know that they will get to enjoy and learn a lot from this spectacular night as Buddha-Bar Japanese Head Chef Shigeki Iimura  comes over to showcase his one-of-a-kind dishes,” said Bernadette Castillo, Sales and Marketing head of Buddha-Bar Manila.

For almost 35 years, Chef Shigeki was able to learn the different styles of Authentic Japanese cuisine from Kyoto-style to Kaga and Robata-style. With this, he achieved a reputation in the culinary world in Japan as he established a career in a top restaurant in Tokyo. After traveling and working in different parts of the world, he developed a passion for Western cuisine and its flavours.

“Beyond the passion for Continental and Japanese cuisine, Chef Shigeki is admired most because he is an artist whose talent gives people emotions displayed from the fusion of his different cooking styles,” added Castillo.

Venture Capital Cafe: Eat, Drink, Play, Meet, Collaborate and Get Funded

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Otherwise known as VC Cafe, the establishment has more than just coffee or pastries because it offers potential entrepreneurs (with great ideas) to be funded by the "venture capitalists" from the company that owns the cafe.

The place is actually dedicated for those who want to hang out, play video games, watch cartoons from the 80s, admire the toys or posters on display, while enjoying good food, and at the same time could present their ingenious ideas that are worth hearing out.

Who knows? You may have the next Google, or Facebook, or Uber, AirBnB or whatever idea. It doesn't even have to be an app or anything online. Just as long as you think you ideas have potential and sustainable, it may warrant a look from the people behind Venture Capital Cafe.

We will also focus our attention on the food available in their menu which is not limited to coffee or pastries. They have full meals with presentations that would beat those served at fine dining restaurants and hotels.

 We asked the Chef to bring out one food item per category so we could show you how their food looks like. We also had a short interview with the Chef so he could explain more about the food.

Below is the video interview we had with the Chef and the Managing Director, as well as another video showcasing the food. Also featured here are photos of the dishes from starter to pasta, salad, main entree, and drinks. We also had some dessert for sharing but it was not included on the video since it was just an additional order after everything else was done.

B&B Burgers & Brewskies: Definitely Big in Taste Even Without Beer

Wazzup Pilipinas!

As usual, I'm the early bird to come to the restaurant since I really hate to be late for a food tasting event. Just as how I hate people coming in late since if its this kind of event, the food is usually served ahead for photo (and video) before finally eating them all for tasting. So if you come in late, you'll end up eating left-overs, and worst is that you won't be having any good photos (and videos) of the food.

However, my experience at this restaurant is somewhat different because it let us order our own choice of burger (from between two selections only) and it just served what we normally call as the starters. Drinks could be cola, beer, or any liquor, but I chose a healthier drink of mango smoothie or shake since it was too early for alcoholic drinks.

I couldn't recall anymore how I got invited to this food tasting event but something tells me it must have been from a long-time sign-up opportunity looking for bloggers to try out restaurants. It's either my memory has defeated me or it was from a long time ago, and it is only now that they opted to invite us.

We were greeted by the organizer, Paulo, together with the owner and Chef who could be clearly known by the uniform he was wearing having the name tag of Marc. Chef Marc said they had a former branch at Capitol Commons but it had to close down. Right now he is concentrating on this only branch located at BGC which is now about to offer new menus for the restaurant.

We were told to bring in a plus one to join us for lunch but I completely forgot about it. Thus, I came there alone, while most of the attendees were with someone. But no worries since I left the resto smiling because of their delightful food.

Lunch with the Fambam at Red Ginger of City of Dreams Manila

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It was a pleasant Sunday morning when my family visited the luxurious City of Dreams Manila to have lunch at one of its restaurants. An eye-catching and glimmering entrance welcomed us as we made our way into the opulent and marvelous casino and hotel complex.

We couldn’t help but utter “Wow” and wonder when we set our sights on the equally astonishing Red Ginger restaurant which was located on the second floor of the resort. As my brothers and I went in, the first thing we noticed were the sumptuous desserts elegantly lined up near the entrance of the restaurant, much to our eyes’ liking.

The atmosphere and service gave an elegant mien, and the crew were also very hospitable and tried their best to quickly establish rapport with their customers. There was even one who was very eager to chat with us, learn about our family, and even join our group photo. I couldn't recall her name but she definitely made our lunch time a lot more interesting.

We were seated on comfy chairs and presented with a menu which was already mouthwatering by means of words alone. My dad wanted a menu with pictures of the dishes but he instead asked a crew for her recommendations. We took our time to finalize our orders because of the variety of cuisines, and after a good wait, we got to admire the effort put into the presentation of the dishes. 

As an appetizer, we had the Vietnamese Caesar Salad. Nothing like the classics, as they say. The salad consists of Romaine lettuce, garlic croutons, parmesan cheese and a soft, poached egg. The first thing we noticed was that there was a poached egg in the salad, which was unusual compared to the salads we’ve tried in the past. My brother liked this menu item and found it very appetizing, as proven by the fact that he ate most of it. The salad costs an affordable 270 Pesos. 

Vietnamese Caesar Salad

Another starter was the Baby Squid in Lemongrass and Lime Soy. It was bathing in its pickled chili and served with soft-boiled egg, mustard greens and cherry tomatoes. The first for my palate to detect were the spices marinated into the squid. Coupled with rice, they made a delectable dish. This menu item costs 350 Pesos.

Baby Squid in Lemongrass and Lime Soy

Baby Squid in Lemongrass and Lime Soy

Topping my list of appetizers was the Popiah, a spring roll or something akin to our native Lumpia but stuffed with barbecued duck and eaten with iceberg lettuce, for us to dip into a vibrant and complementary chili garlic sauce. We were served four spring rolls and ate them by wrapping the spring roll with the lettuce, dipping both into the sauce and biting into their balancing flavors. The item costs 370 Pesos. 

Popiah

This is how you eat Popiah

As for the main, what I can recall first is the Singaporean Crispy Grouper. Southeast Asia is no stranger to seafood, and our Philippine palate just loved this menu item. We were served a whole fish was tender, well-seasoned with garlic peppercorns, brimming with flavor and spice from the chili. Most of us can say that this was one of their best especially when paired with rice. The grouper dish costs 990 Pesos. 

Singaporean Crispy Grouper

Next item for main was the Grilled King Prawns with Roasted Chili and Lemongrass. They were served with three sauces and presented us shelled prawns with soft flesh. The service mentioned that they base it on the weight of the catch of the day – always amounting 250g. It costs 960 Pesos.

Grilled King Prawns with Roasted Chili and Lemongrass

One of the most delectable items was a Double Rack of the Pork Baby Ribs with Sticky Palm Sugar Glaze. It was certainly a mouthwatering item on the menu because the meat was spot on. It was also flavorful and the meat just falls off the bone, ready for us to taste the time dedicated into preparing the ribs. Ribs plus the rice was a match made in heaven. A single rack costs 840 Pesos whereas a Double Rack costs 1600 Pesos.

Double Rack of the Pork Baby Ribs with Sticky Palm Sugar Glaze

Pork Baby Ribs with Sticky Palm Sugar Glaze

During the transition between main and dessert, we got to experience how accommodating the ambience and service were. We took pictures and established rapport with them by means of chatting and conversing about blogging, food and other relatable stuff like sharing experiences. 

All in all we ordered six (6) dishes. That's just like one dish for every member of our family composed of five. Which is the best dish among the six? I have to say the best for the main dishes are the Pork Baby Ribs and Singaporean Crispy Grouper, while for the starters, the Popiah. The Baby Squid is also good but is a bit of a runner-up to the Popiah. I would have picked the Grilled King Prawn as seafood dishes are my favorite, but the serving was just too little to appreciate because for a group of 5, there were only three pieces of prawn to share. 

Desserts for everyone

Finally, every member of the family had their own dessert. Mom had the Green Tea Chocolate Cake, Kyle had the Blackberry Vanilla Praline, I had Jar Mango Triffle, Kyro had the Crunch Caramel, and Dad had Jar Dark Choco Mousse. My youngest brother reckoned his dessert tasted too mature for his liking, since we three children all agreed that his had a strong coffee taste. My mango dessert was very sweet and had a jam-like texture to it, whereas dad’s chocolate dessert presented what it advertised: sumptuous dark chocolate. 

Green Tea Chocolate Cake

Crunch Caramel

Vanilla Praline

Jar Dark Choco Mousse

Jar Mango Triffle

While Kyle’s praline was nice, I barely got to comment on the rest of his dessert, for he had already finished it up before I could get a second taste. All of them were very delectable – Kyle was never too full to finish up what we couldn’t – but the dessert that won my taste buds over was mom’s Matcha Cake, which was not too bitter nor too sweet for my liking. I expected it to be bitter like how the Japanese prefer it, but of all the Matcha-themed food we’ve tasted during our family days out, I deem it the most enjoyable so far. All desserts were priced at 265 Pesos.

Lemongrass Iced Tea

The only negative I could say about the restaurant is that they don't serve fresh juices so we all ended up drinking Lemongrass Iced Tea. I try my best not to encourage the drinking of softdrinks or any sugary drinks which most of the ingredients are artificial or full of sugar that are unhealthy for everyone.

The Happy Fambam at Red Ginger of City of Dreams Manila

All in all, our trip to Red Ginger was fun, relaxing, and palatable. It brightened our mood and painted a glimpse of the luxuriant life in our minds. We reckon that it is of great quality and would love a second trip.

Michelle Tachiangco of Red Ginger at City of Dreams Manila

Be sure to watch our video interview with Michelle Tachiangco of Red Ginger. She explained what Red Ginger is all about and the recommended dishes to try when dining at their restaurant. Though I should have talked with her before ordering as she gave out suggestions from the menu that we have not tried during our visit.

I'll be sure to take down notes so I will be ready on our next visit to Red Ginger of City of Dreams Manila.

Written by Hannah Krystelle Del Rosario