Chinese New Year Comes Early at Seven Corners!

Wazzup Pilipinas!?




Say “Gong Xi Fa Cai” with a feast!

As we bid adieu to the year that was and welcome the New Year, Seven Corners at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria joins the festivities with a FAREWELL, TIGER! RABBIT, COME FORTH promotion.

From January 5 to 14, guests born on the Years of the Tiger and Rabbit can celebrate the Chinese New Year early by treating their friends and family to a sumptuous lunch or dinner buffet 50% off!

From pasta to sushi, curry to steak, cakes to kakanin, diners can go ‘round the world with delightful gastronomic staples and come home stuffed (wallet included!)

Make a reservation today! Contact us at 02 8790 3100, email fandb.reservations@ihg.com, Viber +63 927 163 0128.

Terms & Conditions apply.

- A valid ID must be presented upon dining with birth years: 1926, 1927, 1938, 1939, 1950, 1951, 1962, 1963, 1974, 1975, 1986, 1987, 1998, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2022, and 2023

- Minimum of 2 guests and maximum of 8 guests

- Discount applies on the total food bill after taxes and service charge

- Offer cannot be exchanged for other items or discounts and cannot be used in conjunction with other promotional offers

- Senior Citizens and Persons with Disability can avail of the promotional discount or discount provided un der the expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 or Magna Carta for Persons with Disability, whichever is higher

- Available for in-house and walk-in guests; prior reservation is encouraged

Valentine's Day dinner at the Sheraton Manila Bay

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

My wife and I had the opportunity to try the Taste of Love: Valentine’s Day Dinner at the 21st floor of Sheraton Manila Bay. We wanted to have an overnight stay as well but the hotel informed us that they were fully booked that day. It seems even the pandemic has not stopped couples in booking for hotel stays. The day still was busy for hotels since they were still serving as quarantine places for newly arrived guests of the country, mostly fellow Filipinos arriving from other countries.

We were early, not really excited, at the venue but merely to avoid the rush hour traffic. The Sheraton Manila Bay is formerly the Pan Pacific Hotel that has been totally renovated when it was taken over by Marriott hotels three years ago. Honestly, we don't really spend Valentine's Day like young couples since we're not that keen on sharing the day with others adding to the traffic jams, but since we've been mostly indoors due to this pandemic, we opted to try our luck, and gave in to the season of love.

To spend time waiting for the 7pm dinner, we just hang around at their park located at the 21st top-most floor, but before that we tried going around the hotel surroundings first and realized it was quite near Robinson's Place Manila, the mall nearest where you can buy stuff or just go window shopping if ever you decide to stay at the hotel. 

While taking photos and videos of the venue, we also met Sheraton Manila Bay's Chef who prepared the Valentine's Day dinner tonight. He also revealed earlier that he has his own YouTube channel so that means he's also very bubbly and creative. Let's see if he'll be sharing more information later, and we'll definitely share how good the 7-course meal is.

A sumptuous 7-course set menu features foie gras croquette with smoke pimento aioli for the starter and shellfish veloute, potato espuma, dehydrated olives, arugula pesto for the soup. Followed by a salad of beet root carpaccio, goat cheese emulsion, candied pecans, mesclun, caper berry and a hearty serving of glazed cod, pumpkin risotto, edamame, pumpkin seed, watercress & parmesan crisp. Cleanse the palette with calamansi sorbet with tanqueray gin and then indulge in slow braised beef cheeks & herb crusted lamb rack, roasted cauliflower puree, blistered tomato, king oyster mushroom, radish & port wine reduction with beurre noisette for the main course. Cap off the meal with raspberry financier, irish mellow chocolate, mille-feuille, french macaron, fruit compote for dessert. Complimentary themed beverages of Cupid Cappuccino or Blueberry Acai White Tea and Mignardises are served après-dinner.

The start of our 7-course meal is Amuse-Bouche. - Foie Gras Croquetta with Smoke Pimento Aioli

Followed by the second dish named Shellfishly Devoted - Shellfish Veloute Potato Espuma , Dehydrated Olives, Arugula Pesto

My Heart Beets for You - Beet  Root Carpaccio, Goat Cheese Emulsion  Candied Pecans,  Mesclun,  Caper Berry is our third dish.

Our fourth dish is You are the Catch of My Day -  Glazed Cod, Pumpkin Risotto, Edamame, Pumpkin Seed, Watercress & Parmesan Crisp

To cleanse the palate for the next main dish is Squeeze Me - Calamansi Sorbet Tanqueray Gin

Going to the fifth dish, You Make Me Blush - Slow Braised Beef Cheeks & Herb Crusted Lamb Rack,  Roasted Cauliflower  Puree, Blistered Tomato, King Oyster Mushroom, Radish & Port Wine Reduction with Beurre Noisette

For dessert, Just For the Two of Us - Raspberry Financier, Irish Mellow Chocolate, Mille-Feuille, French Macaron, Fruit Compote

Final drinks for the night, Wrap Me with Your Desire - Blueberry Acai White Tea Mignardises. We also had the option of having coffee - Cupid Cappuccino.

By the way , before all of these , we had the option to drink wine (red or white) of our choice from their list of available wines.

Soft and hard buns were also served before the 7-course dinner.

Overall, I told the Sous chef that every dish passed my preference. In fact, I would have wanted more from the servings but as other people would comment, quality of the servings is the more important than the quantity. That's how food is really served for a decent fine-dining restaurant. It gives you more reasons to come back and enjoy the dishes again from start to end.

My wife agreed that all dishes were superb except for the Squeeze Me Calamansi sorbet. She was expecting the traditional sweet iced treats not knowing that was just served to prepare our tounge for the next meal.

She also got a complimentary panda stuff toy, and a stemmed rose to bring home as souvenir of the dinner.

Thank you Sheraton Manila Bay for the fab Valentine's Day dinner.

Discover Manila’s Best-tasting Gourmet Pizza at Sheraton Manila Bay

Wazzup Pilipinas!?


Sheraton Manila Bay serves premium gourmet pizzas for takeaways.

Discover first-hand what makes Sheraton Manila Bay’s oven-baked gourmet pizzas one of the best-tasting pizza you can find in Manila. Crafted by the hotel’s seasoned culinary team, each slice offers a myriad of flavors accentuated by its premium choice ingredients, fresh tomatoes, and specialty hand-knead dough made of a unique blend of flour, yeasts, sugar, and oil giving a refined taste that matches the sauce and toppings. Perhaps, what makes it more appetizing is that each order is freshly-made and ready-for-delivery in just 45 minutes.

Epicurean foodies at home can choose from a tasty selection of four thin-crust favorites: Ricotta, Spinach & Mushroom Pizza topped with spinach, garlic and shiitake mushrooms on zesty ricotta and mozzarella cheese priced at Php 660 net, Pizza Meat Supreme topped with pepperoni, ground beef, cured bacon and ham, topped with capsicum, pineapples and shimeji mushrooms, in homemade pomodoro sauce and mozzarella cheese priced at Php 660 net, Seafood Pizza topped with herb marinated freshwater shrimp, mussels, local scallops and red squid in homemade pomodoro sauce and mozzarella cheese priced at Php 770 net, and Pizza Prosciutto di Parma topped with Parma ham, burrata cheese, fresh arugula, shaved parmesan, with fresh tomato, farm egg and olive oil priced at Php 770 net.

Indulge in these premium crusted goodness at home by calling +632 5318 0788, 09175837294, 09175837326 or email sh.mnlsb.fnb@sheraton.com. For a full listing of our gourmet takeaways menu, please visit http://bit.ly/ccmnlsb.

Sheraton Manila Bay is located at M. Adriatico cor. Gen. Malvar Streets, Malate, Manila. Like us on Facebook and Instagram @sheratonmanilabay and Twitter at @sheratonmnlbay.

Sheraton Manila Bay’s Sweet and Savory Creations in a Can

Wazzup Pilipinas!?


Sheraton Manila Bay's Baked Dreams In A Can: A Must Try!

Celebratory cakes and savory used to draw their allure from intricate piping works and meticulously made toppings that makes each piece an edible work of art. However, with the surge of food delivery as the “new normal” means to satisfy cravings at the comfort and safety of home, simpler and more practical packaging that can withstand remote transport becomes a more logical and popular alternative. It is no wonder that cakes and savories enclosed in tin can rose to fame. Its decadence and novelty makes it the ideal gift for your loved ones or for personal indulgence.

Sheraton Manila Bay now embarks on a fresh take to this tin-can trend with an array of selection that makes every sweet and savory dreams come true. If you're on the lookout for delectable desserts, the hotel’s signature Mango Cheesecake available for only Php 600 net and Crème Brûlée available for only Php 550 net is the perfect find. For those in search for something filling and flavorful, you can take a pick from the hotel’s homemade creations of Baked Sushi (Php 500 net), Baked Shawarma (Php 799 net), and Cheesy Baked Sisig (Php 799 net).

To order for delivery, please call +632 5318 0788, 09175837294, 09175837326 or email sh.mnlsb.fnb@sheraton.com. 24 hours advance order is required. For a full listing of our gourmet takeaways menu, please visit http://bit.ly/ccmnlsb.

Sheraton Manila Bay is located at M. Adriatico cor. Gen. Malvar Streets, Malate, Manila. Like us on Facebook and Instagram @sheratonmanilabay and Twitter at @sheratonmnlbay.

Celebrate at home with Sheraton Manila Bay’s Lechonito Special

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Filipino celebrations is never complete without a Lechon. But since most of our celebrations are now confined at home with presence of only a few family and friends, Lechonito or conchinillo, is definitely a more practical alternative for intimate parties.

Sheraton Manila Bay now offers their own version of Lechonito Special made of Pinoy favorite suckling pig slow-roasted to crispy golden perfection with meat so tender even a plate can cut through it. For only Php 7,888 net, each Lechonito set also includes vegetable kare-kare, bringhe rice, ube leche flan, and healthy fruit beverage good for sharing up to 4 persons.

To order for delivery, please call +632 5318 0788, 09175837294, 09175837326 or email sh.mnlsb.fnb@sheraton.com. 24 hours advance order is required. For a full listing of our gourmet takeaways menu, please visit http://bit.ly/ccmnlsb.

Sheraton Manila Bay is located at M. Adriatico cor. Gen. Malvar Streets, Malate, Manila. Like them on Facebook and Instagram @sheratonmanilabay and Twitter at @sheratonmnlbay.

La Germania Shares How to Recreate Your Favorite Dishes from Cibo, Yabu and Other Beloved Restaurants

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to cook like your favorite chefs? Participants had the opportunity to learn how to cook like the pro’s themselves during the Cooking with La Germania: Masterclass Series, a five-part installment of virtual cooking classes held in partnership with celebrities and chefs from renown restaurants all over Metro Manila.

In the webinar series, expert instructors guided viewers through the step-by-step process of how to cook their signature dishes, disclosing their tips and tricks along the way. Attendees also had the opportunity to interact with the chefs, who assisted them throughout the process.

Among the impressive lineup were award-winning restaurateur Chef Margarita Forés, celebrity chef Rolando Laudico of Chef Guevarra’s and OK Cafe, and Chef Lee Jose from the Standard Hospitality Group which manages Yabu and Ippudo. In case you missed out on the unforgettable series, worry not! La Germania is here today to share some of the recipes behind your favorite restaurants’ signature dishes, and advice from our top chefs.

 
Not your typical pancake

There’s more to Japanese cuisine than ramen and sushi. Chef Lee Jose, Executive Chef of popular Japanese restaurant chains Yabu and Ippudo, demonstrated how to make the savory version of Japanese pancake, Okonomiyaki. Not only is it an easy and filling recipe, but it’s sure to wow your friends and family! It’s best if you shop at a Japanese grocery store before you try this recipe, as a lot of ingredients won’t be found in your usual supermarket.



Ingredients:

Okonomiyaki Batter

● ¾ cups of water

● 1 tsp Honodashi powder

● 1 cup all purpose flour

● ⅛ tsp iodized salt

● ¼ tsp sugar

● ½ tsp baking powder

● 4 large eggs

● 4 cups of cabbage

● ½ cup of tenkasu (tempura flakes)

● 1 tbsp Benishoga (pickled ginger)

● Regular sliced bacon

● 4 tbsp spring onions

● 4 tbsp canola oil



Okonomiyaki Sauce

● 1 ½ tbsp white sugar

● ⅛ tsp salt

● 3 ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce

● 4 tbsp tomato ketchup

● 2 tbsp Oyster sauce



Assembly

● 1 tbsp cooking oil

● 1 cup Okonomiyaki batter

● 3 slices regular sliced bacon

● 2 tbsp Onomiyaki sauce

● 1 tsp Aonori powder

● 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise

● Bonito flakes

● 1 tsp Spring onions



Procedure:

 
Prepare the Okonomiyaki batter by chopping the cabbage into 1/2" chunks. Do not use the hard core. In a mixing bowl, add water and hondashi powder and whisk to dissolve the hondashi powder. Add the rest of the dry ingredients (flour, salt, sugar and baking powder). Whisk until the batter is smooth, then add the eggs and whisk until fully incorporated in the batter. Add the chopped Cabbage, Tempura flakes, Pickled Ginger and Spring onions. You can also add whatever fillings you desire (mushrooms, ham, pre cooked seafood, etc.) Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until every ingredient is coated. Cover and keep chilled until ready to cook. This recipe yields 4 portions.

 
For the Okonomiyaki sauce, put all ingredients in a bowl and mix until all the sugar has dissolved. Keep in an airtight container and set aside. Keep chilled.

 
Heat up a non-stick pan and add 1 tbsp of oil on medium heat. When the pan is hot, scoop 1 cup of batter and add to the middle of the pan. Using your rubber spatula, gently level out the batter, then cover and let the batter cook a bit for 2 minutes.

 
Remove the cover and lay down 3 slices of bacon on top of the pancake. Cover and cook for 1 minute more, then gently flip the pancake and turn the heat to low. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes, then test for doneness by sticking a knife or chopsticks in the middle of the pancake to test if it’s fully cooked. If the stick or knife comes out clean, it’s cooked.

 
Spread 1-2 tbsp of okonomiyaki sauce on top of the pancake and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the aonori (seaweed powder) and drizzle the Japanese mayonnaise. Top the pancake with bonito flakes & spring onions. Serve right away.

 

Elevate your breakfast favorites

You may be an expert in making meatballs, but have you tried Longanisa meatballs? Chef Rolando Laudico of Chef Laudico Guevarra’s and OK Cafe taught the audience his secret to making his elevated version of Filipino breakfast classic Longsilog, better known as “Long-Ri-Long”, which is Longanisa meatball on creamy garlic salted egg risotto, poached eggs and oven dried tomatoes.



Ingredients:

Longanisa Meatballs

● 500g longanisa ground meat

● Half cup small white onion, diced

● 2 tbsps fresh basil, chopped

● 2 tbsps fresh Italian parsley

● Half cup grated parmesan cheese

● 1 whole egg, beaten

● 1 cup bread crumbs

● Half cup milk

● 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil



Creamy garlic salted egg risotto

● 1 cup risotto rice (arborio or any short grain rice)

● 2 tbsps butter

● 1 head of garlic, minced

● 1L chicken stock

● 1 cup of cream

● 2 salter eggs, chopped fine

● Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste



Oven dried tomatoes

● 6 whole tomatoes, halved

● Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

● Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle



Poached eggs

● 4 eggs

● Sea salt

● 4 cups of water




Procedure:

1. To make the longganisa meat balls, begin by mixing bread crumbs and milk together in a cup and let milk absorb for 5 minutes. In a big bowl, take out fresh longganisa meat from the casing (discard casing) and mix all other ingredients together. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. Form into meatballs and fry using a non-stick pan with 4 tablespoons of olive oil until brown. Place in a sheet pan and bake in the oven at 175C for 10-15 minutes or until meatballs are fully cooked.

2. To make the risotto, heat butter in a saucepan on medium high heat and add minced garlic. Saute for 2 minutes or until garlic is golden in color, then add risotto rice or sticky rice and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock 1 cup at a time and gently stir until liquid has been totally absorbed.

Repeat the process until the rice is cooked. Rice should be a bit al dente. Add more stock if needed depending on the type of rice used. Finally, add cream and finely chopped salted egg then cook for another 2-3 minutes.

 

Garnish with fresh herbs like Italian parsley

3. For the tomatoes, slice them in half then season with sea salt and pepper. Bake in a 175C oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until tomatoes have dried a bit.

4. For the poached eggs, add water in a small cup then add a pinch or two of sea salt. Break the whole egg and add to the cup being careful not to break the yolks. Place the cup in a microwave for 45 seconds to a minute depending on the power of the microwave. Spoon out poached egg on a paper towel to absorb excess liquid. Repeat the process to the other 4 eggs.

5. For assembly, on a platter or plate, spread salted egg garlic risotto then top with longanisa meatballs, oven dried tomatoes, poached eggs and garnish with fresh herbs.

 

Satisfying your Italian craving

While the recipe behind Cibo’s famous Penne al Telefono will remain a secret (revealed exclusively to the attendees of the Masterclass series), here are some of Chef Margarita Forés biggest do’s and don’ts when it comes to cooking the perfect pasta. 

For one, the quality of your ingredients and the way they were manufactured makes a world of a difference when it comes to the richness and flavor of your meal! This is why you need to choose your ingredients carefully, and understand the science behind how they were made and how they react to other ingredients. For instance, Cibo recommends using pasta from the brand “De Cecco”, which uses a bronze pasta shaper that creates more porous noodles, allowing sauces to cling to the pasta better.

For Margarita’s biggest don’ts, do not check for doneness by throwing your pasta against a wall and expecting it to stick. This means that your pasta is overcooked! Furthermore, do not run your freshly cooked pasta under cold water, as this removes all the flavor. Remember that pasta water is your best friend, and is a vital ingredient to the flavor of your pasta.

When preparing these mouthwatering dishes, it’s important to choose the best ingredients and to use good quality kitchen equipment like La Germania. Built according to the highest European standards in terms of construction and design, La Germania appliances allow you to prepare restaurant-worthy dishes in an efficient and easy way. With guaranteed durability and superior quality, they’re a good investment for you to channel your inner chef, and unleash your kitchen genius.

La Germania products are available online through La Germania’s official e-commerce website www.lagermaniaph.com and e-commerce platforms on Shopee and Lazada. For more information on La Germania and its products, you may follow the official Facebook and Instagram accounts of the trusted kitchen and appliance brand.

Amazing Ideas for What to Do with Leftover Adobo and Fried Chicken

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

We definitely shouldn’t be wasting food. Even without our mothers admonishing us to clean our plates out of consideration for the starving orphans in their impoverished country of choice, food security and frugality should be top priority. The food on our dining table represents our hard work, and letting it go to waste devalues the effort needed to bring it to the table in the first place.

However, at the same time, estimating how much to cook and figuring out portion sizes for each member of the family can be very difficult. It’s often much easier to cook more than what’s actually needed, then set aside whatever’s left for another day. But what happens when you’re made to eat the same dish for the third night straight, simply because that’s what was available?

If this sounds like a familiar issue to you, you’re in luck. Here are some great ideas for turning tired old leftovers into dishes you’d look forward to having.

Last Night’s Adobo Is This Morning’s Breakfast

We get it. Your mom’s adobo recipe is the best in the city, country, planet, or solar system. But no matter how good it is, you’re likely to want something else if you’re having it for the fourth night in a row.

Give your favorite Filipino braised dish a fresh treatment by turning it into adobo flakes, which the whole family will look forward to for breakfast. To make this dish, start by stripping the chicken meat from the bones, and if your adobo has pork, break those pieces of meat into smaller pieces. Then, put all your meat in a bowl and shred it. You can do this by tearing the meat apart with two forks.

Once your meat has been flaked and no large chunks remain, heat an oiled skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to sizzle, put in the meat, and press it into the skillet so as much of it comes into direct contact with the cooking surface as possible. Mix it and toss it every so often, but not too much; you want to allow the meat to toast and crisp up. You may also have to scrape the bottom of the skillet to extract all the burny, toasty bits (which are full of flavor, so don’t waste those).

Once your meat has browned and toasted evenly, it’s ready to serve. Be sure you have plenty of fried garlic rice and sunny-side up eggs to go with your adobo flakes, and provide some of the braising liquid as a sauce on the side as well. You can also serve the sauce as a drizzle on either the rice, or on the adobo flakes themselves, for added flavor.

Pro tip: Adobo flakes are also great as a filling for rolls and pandesal!



Fried Chicken Becomes a Handy Sandwich Filling

Fried chicken, whether store-bought or homemade, makes frequent appearances on Filipino dining tables, and with good reason. When it’s done right, the combination of crunchy, fatty skin with the heartiness and delicate flavor of the meat makes it a mealtime winner that appeals to kids of all ages.

Unfortunately, day-old fried chicken is not nearly as enticing. The skin, once crisp and golden, becomes flabby and lifeless, and the meat is usually dry and bland after spending the night in the fridge.

Make old fried chicken pieces delicious again by turning them into the base for chicken salad, which can be great as a sandwich filling or even just on its own. Begin by stripping away all the meat on the chicken bones (you can also save the skin and turn that into cracklings). Once the meat has been extracted, how you prepare it for your sandwich will be up to you and your preferences. You can slice the meat into chunks, giving you a heartier filling, or you can shred it, making it easier to spread on bread or rolls. Whichever you prefer, remember to add a fatty dressing to your chicken salad. The chicken meat will probably have dried out a little, so reintroduce some moisture into it with mayonnaise, yogurt, or ranch dressing.

Once you have your basic filling prepared, you can modify it however you like. Adding in some cubed apples and halved walnuts will give you the starting point for a classic chicken Waldorf salad, while mixing in some ground cumin, chilli, and garam masala will give you a filling for a chicken tikka wrap. You don’t even have to include the bread, if you’re watching your carb intake. Just make a big batch of this and pull it out as a quick lunch option. As an additional note, all of these treatments are great for leftover roast or baked chicken as well.

Dinner doesn’t just have to be a matter of combing through the fridge and reheating whatever’s in there. With some creativity and a willingness to experiment, almost any dish can be remade into appealing new versions that present new flavors and textures. Try these out, and see which of them will be your next favorite!

La Vita E Bella: Life Made More Beautiful with Koibito’s Gelato

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In Lipa City lies the first and only authentic premium Italian gelato in the country

こいびと koibito - (n) lover; sweetheart

There is a Bible verse that says: “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). 

And if we have to pick one brand that epitomizes this from end to end — from the time the business was born to where it is now — we pick Koibito’s World of Gelato.

In a world where most of us are hardened by hardships, pains, and heartaches, Koibito’s World of Gelato reminds us that love is, indeed, a powerful force. It helps create a successful business out of a hobby, and a world-class brand out of passion.

Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending

Since the Koibito’s World of Gelato story emanates with so much love, it is only right to compare Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers with Roger and Angelina Lantin-Monsale, owners of Koibito’s World of Gelato.

In 2012, Roger was on the road to fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a pilot. He was already in flight school in the US when he and Angeli decided to get married. Angeli then asked Roger to stay in the Philippines instead of returning to flight school in the US — a request Roger happily obliged. 

Roger chose his wife over his passion for flying, and the newlyweds settled in Angeli’s hometown of Lipa, Batangas. Roger then decided to make his sacrifice worthwhile by pursuing another passion: gelato. 

This quickly became a good obsession.

Gelato training in Bologna

Roger and Angeli’s love and passion spilled over into their passion to make a successful business out of their love for Europe and gelato. Roger then traveled to Bologna, Italy (said to be the rightful origin of the gelato), where he took his formal training in gelato making.

He was in search of a perfect and original recipe, something that would help him fulfill his new dream of creating the best gelato in the world. This search led Roger to Venice, where he found the gelato flavor that would become his favorite, the Cremino. The store where he found it was nondescript, yet it paved the way to what would become Koibito’s World of Gelato.

Cremino not only became the inspiration for Koibito’s but also its benchmark. Imagine this: layers of hazelnut and salted caramel gelato with chocolate hazelnut ganache. Now close your eyes and imagine this gelato embracing your tongue and kissing every corner of your mouth.

Want this multi-sensory experience? Get it only at Koibito’s World of Gelato.

Authentic Italian, proud Filipino

Nationalists might frown at the thought that a Filipino brand is claiming to be the “home of rare and authentic gelato.” Why not create the Filipino sorbetes and promote Filipino ice cream instead? Here is the simple answer:

Koibito’s World of Gelato features Filipino ingredients, sourced from their origins around the Philippines (like cashews sourced all the way from Antipolo). Roger, the Koibito’s gelato artisan, has masterfully applied the techniques he learned in Italy with the ingredients he can get from his home country.

This then results in another spillover of his love and passion: Koibito’s World of Gelato is able to help Filipino farmers by buying straight from them, making this a farm-to-gelato￾machine initiative and advocacy. 

Other Philippine ingredients they use are the tablea (“Chocolate tablet” in English; small traditionally home-made tablets of pure ground roasted cacao beans) and the Philippine coffee, hailed as “the next best thing” in coffee around the world by Coffeerama. When one supports Philippine coffee, they also support fair trade, environmental health, and —in war-torn areas where coffee is grown — peace. (People trade their guns so their community can buy coffee processing machines. But that’s another story.)

Roger’s heart may be for gelato, but it beats for his country and its farmers. 

Now that is truly Filipino.   

Italy in a cup

Koibito’s mission is to educate the world to know and only prefer the best gelato. Their tagline is “A little piece of Italy” because, with every small batch of gelato they make in the exact Italian way, they want their customers to feel like they are right there in Italy, enjoying the best that it has to offer. 

Koibito’s is not an imitation of Italian gelato, nor is it Roger’s take on the Italian gelato. 

Koibito’s is Italian gelato — and in a country pervaded by ice cream and other iced desserts left and right, Koibito’s is the only way one can experience authentic gelato.

A rare opportunity? Definitely. But is it accessible to everyone? Most definitely.

One also has a world of Koibito’s gelato flavors to choose from:

● ChocoHazelnut Bon Bons

● Wild Berries

● Strawberry Cheesecake

● Mango Cheesecake (seasonal)

● Kapeng Barako

● White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

● Batangas Tablea

● ChocoPeanut Bar

● Cashew Butter

● Nocciola (hazelnut)

● Caramel Panna Cotta

● Salted Caramel

● Nutty Strawberry

● Cookie Butter

● Bubble Gum

● Cookie Monster

● Sweet Cream and Cherries

● Oreos and Milk

● Salted Sweet Corn

● Mexican Vanilla 

● Mango Sorbet (seasonal)

No sugar added:

● Pistachio 

● Giandujia 

In Manila, Koibito’s World of Gelato is available in Lipa Grill Makati in Chino Roces Avenue. Avid and loyal fans also travel all the way to their only branch in The Outlets at Lipa, Batangas, which is also popular for its authentic Italian vibe and the beautiful Insta￾friendly design. 

Koibito's in your home

Like any business in all industries, Koibito’s World of Gelato felt the impact of the COVID￾19 pandemic, which is why they procured a new mission: to get families to celebrate over gelato in the safety of their own home.

And as a gift to all families, shipping is FREE.

How does one order? Simply visit their website www.koibitos.com and click on “Order Now.” They even share recipes to help their customers make the most of the 101% gelato experience — perfect to share with friends and loved ones (or even alone!).

Order the gelato flavors of your choice in pints, delivered in a special Koibito’s thermal bag to ensure quality control. Add a pack or two of waffle crisps and you’ll be exclaiming “DELIZIOSO!” in no time. 

Koibito — a Japanese term of affection that owners Roger and Angeli call each other. It is the same kind of fondness that led them to Italy to train in the art of making gelato. It is the same passion that took Koibito’s from being a hobby into a thriving business. 

It is the same love that helps Filipino farmers with every batch of gelato they make. It is the same devotion that allows Filipinos to enjoy only the best authentic gelato.

Get on the love train and order the best gelato in the country — try Koibito’s today.