Dining In/Out (07/04/24)
Chocolate at Solaire
CELEBRATE Chocolate Month at Solaire Resort Entertainment City with new chocolate creations ranging from cakes to pastries and savory bites, available for a limited time only. At Finestra, a chocolate-filled Sunday brunch awaits with tiramisu tartlets, creamy coffee chocolate Zucotto cake, orange and gianduja cake, Amarena and white chocolate maritozzo panna, and rich Torta Barozzi with Disaronno cream. Diners can enjoy milk or white chocolate nitrogen gelato made in front of them and have this Italian staple with decadent toppers or a homemade biscotti. At Yakumi, diners can explore innovative chocolate flavors sourced from Japan. Begin Sunday brunch with the seafood and meat teppanyaki station or opt for a personalized hotpot experience with sukiyaki or shabu-shabu. This can end with Japanese-inspired chocolate cocktails and diners can enjoy a premium upgrade of free-flowing Junmai Daiginjo Sake. End brunch on a sweet note with a dessert bento featuring Nama Cocoa, a lusciously smooth ganache known for its pure and fresh ingredients. At Fresh, the buffet features an exclusive chocolate dessert bar. While Japanese, Mediterranean, Italian, Filipino, and Chinese cuisine are up for grabs at the buffet, the dessert bar will have Solaire’s signature chocolate cake, white chocolate, rose and pistachio tart, dark chocolate and coffee cake with orange, and chocolate jelly and mango verrines. Meanwhile, there’s a Chocolate Afternoon Tea experience at Oasis Garden Cafe, where visitors can have the Fondant Baulois, or a chocolate cherry club sandwich, cocoa scones, or caramelized milk chocolate mousse with peanut powder and orange gel. For something savory after a sweet-filled afternoon, there are the Foie gras chocolate macaron with cranberry jelly, chipotle pulled chicken taco, or Yuzu marinated king fish tartlet with black truffle. For lighter bites, indulge in dainty tea sandwiches including chicken mousse, croissant with pistachio crumbs, or smoked salmon on bagel bread with cream cheese and salmon roe. For more information, call 8888-8888 or e-mail restaurantevents@solaireresort.com.
Madcafe opens in Mindanao
QUEZON City-based Madcafe has opened a branch in Cagayan de Oro. Madcafe Mindanao, an Encanto-themed café, is the latest venture of Gila Salvador-Arellano. The restaurant has a pork-free and alcohol-free menu to accommodate the Muslim traditions of the community. Their menu includes its signature Sunrise Steak Bowl, Smoked Bangus, Beef Rendang, and Plant-based Sisig. It offers an extensive range of coffee-based drinks, milk tea offerings, and themed drinks like Pepa’s Blend and Isabella Frappe. Among the cafe’s facilities are a play area and a prayer room, creating a welcoming atmosphere for families. Madcafe Mindanao is at Masterson’s Ave., Upper Balulang, Cagayan de Oro.
Chowking offers P99 meals
CHOWKING’S Mix & Match: Lucky Combos means enjoying Chowking favorites for P99. Until Aug. 31, diners can savor a variety of options while on a budget. They can choose from Chowking’s Mix & Match Combos, pairing main dishes like Chao Fan, Chunky Asado Siopao, Pancit Canton, or Wonton Mami with their choice of sides, from Halo-Halo Supreme (small), three-piece Buchi, Chicharap, Kangkong with Bagoong, or a Medium Drink — all for P99. The promo is available daily, all day, for dine-in and takeout only.
CoComelon is now on Jollibee toys
JOLLIBEE Kids Meal’s latest educational toys feature characters from the hit children’s show CoComelon, namely CoComelon, JJ, Tomtom, and Yoyo. Colorful pictures and letter cards help children discover new words with CoComelon’s Word Quest, and they can learn numbers and basic equations with Tomtom’s Math Stamp. They can get creative with Yoyo’s Color Surprise, and play with JJ’s Shape Toss. Each CoComelon playset is available with the purchase of any of these items: a Yumburger with Drink (P120), Yumburger Solo (P95), one-piece Chickenjoy with Drink (P162), one-piece Chickenjoy Solo (P137), a Burger Steak with Drink (P140), a Burger Steak (P115), Jolly Spaghetti with Drink (P140), Jolly Spaghetti Solo (P115), four-piece Chicken Nuggets with Drink (P115), and four-piece Chicken Nuggets Solo (P140). The promo is available until Aug. 31.
Professional chefs vie for national title in pasta tilt
BARILLA for Professionals, one of the leading global providers of high-quality food service products, gathered expert cooks at the Philippine finals of the 2024 Pasta Championship Asia. The national tilt was organized in collaboration with the Werdenberg International Corp., distributor of imported foods and wines and equipment products from different countries, and Chefs in Progress, the professional culinary organization of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management (SHRIM). Held at the Angelo King International Center, the participants, mostly from hotels and restaurants, were challenged to present their distinct and original creations which highlight pasta as the focal element of the dish. Out of the seven contenders, chef Joana Paula Tiglao of Manila Marriott Hotel was hailed as the national champion. Ms. Tiglao, whose specialties and experience range from cafeteria and fine dining, to banquet and buffet, nabbed the top prize with a personal recipe of Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese. The competition served as an avenue for gastronomic innovations: Spaghetti Caldereta by The Bistro Group Corporate Head RND Chef Raul Bolledo, Jr., Spaghetti Moringa Pesto with Prawns by Tartufo Ristorante Deputy Head Chef Danilo Cartujano, and Seafood Saffron Spaghetti by The Alley by Vikings Executive Sous-Chef Danier Tupas. Completing the line-up were Camarona Truffle Shrimp and Crab Fat Carbonara by Jab’s Park Café Restaurant Bar Chef de cuisine Karl Vincent Manlapaz, Nduja Ala Vongole by Mama Lou’s Italian Kitchen Corporate Chef and Benilde Culinary Arts alumnus Carlo Luis Carlos, and Tomato, Olives, and Artichoke Pasta by The Palms Country Club Jalyzza Ogayon. Judges included Barilla Group Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand Regional Executive Chef Andrea Tranchero, Werdenberg’s Chief Operating Officer Othmar Frei, and Benilde Culinary Arts Chairperson and Les Toques Blanches Philippines Chefs Association Director for Memberships Margarita Marty. Ms. Tiglao will represent the Philippines in the regional stage of the 2024 Pasta Championship Asia against fellow national winners from Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, China, India, Vietnam, and South Korea. The grand finals will be held in October in Manila. For more information about the 2024 Pasta Asia Championship, visit chefcompetition2024.barillagroup.com/.