Caffe’ Ti Amo is a gelateria cafe’ that offers Italian gelato and coffee in a fast casual dinig format. It was established in 2006 in Korea, where it has become quite succesful with stores numbering close to 270. Their first branch here in the Philippines is located at The Annex, SM City North Edsa, and they have since opened another one in Greenbelt.

Affogato and Gelato; Gelato Small Php 55.00; Regular Php95.00

I’ve tried out a lot of the flavors of their gelatos from chocolate to green tea. But out of everything I’ve tried, the dark chocolate, coffee, mocha, strawberry and yogurt are my top faves.

Honey Bread  Php 120.00

But aside from the gelato, Caffe Ti Amo also has Gelato Creations like the Honey Bread, which is a big chunk of loaf bread drenched in honey and served with scoops of gelato. They also have different flavored waffles which are topped with gelato and slices of fruit.

Gelato Waffle Small Php 95.00; Regular Php 189.00

They also have Banana Split, Affogato, and 3 flavors of Mischiato: Yogurt, Green Tea, and Chocolate. Affogato is a combination of hot coffee and gelato.

Chocolate Mischiato

And what cafe wouldn’t be without coffee? Caffe Ti Amo  not only serves gelato, but offers coffee and tea selections  as well.

Caffe Ti Amo is definitely one of my favorite cafes to hang out in. The place is cozy and inviting, the gelato and food are delicious and truly mouth-watering.

Part of their savory offerings is the Spanish dish callos. It’s something I am very familiar with as it’s somewhat of a staple in our household; once only cooked during holidays and celebrations by my mom, until eventually when ever we feel like having it. I even shared her recipe on my other blog (with her permission, of course) . Cocktales’ version has the requisite mix of ox tripe, garbanzos and chorizo, but unlike my mom’s recipe, is a bit sweet, maybe to adapt the taste to the Filipino palate. I liked how it tasted but found the serving rather small. But then again I am a big eater, hahahaha!

To wash it down, I ordered a fruit shake. The menu boasts of a varied selection of fruit based shakes. From simple mixtures to one of a kind concoctions. Deciding to stay simple, I choose the Peach Mango Smoothie- a combination of peaches and sweet ripe mangoes blended to a cool, smooth drink. A very refreshing drink served in a slim tall glass.

I guess the small serving of the callos was actually a good thing because if it here as hefty as I wanted it, there wouldn’t be room for dessert! What meal would be complete without it? Cocktales’ dessert menu consists of fruit shake based desserts served with fresh fruits and sweet creamy desserts like panna cottas and tiramisu.

To balance out the savory flavor of the callos, I chose something that looked light so I chose the Mango Cosmo. This stylishly-named dessert has a sweet mango shake base, topped with mango cubes, almond jelly and whole lychees. The sweetness of the mango is layered from top to bottom with the mango shake and the mango slices; and complimented by the light tart flavor of the lychee. The almond jelly finishes it off with it’s velvety -smooth texture.

The items on the menu are varied. Aside from what I’ve featured here, there are hot and cold drinks, more desserts and other dishes like pasta and sandwiches. The savory dishes also come as set meals. Included are drinks and a dessert. The prices vary depending on what you’d want to have. Drinks and shakes can ordered spiked with alcohol, for an additional fee.

Drinks and shakes start at Php 75.00. The Peach-Mango Smoothie is PHP 150.00 per order ; desserts like the panna cotta and tira misu are Php95.00 per order. The Mango Cosmo and other similar fruit bowls come in sizes: single and to share. Prices start at Php 120.00 for the single and Php180.00 for the to share bowl. The callos is Php 175.00 for the solo and Php 245.00.

Cocktales
3rd Level, TriNoma Mall
EDSA cor. North Avenue, Quezon City
Tel. No. (63 2) 290-5236
http://cocktales.multiply.com/

The new Selecta Gold Series flavor Vanilla Almond is a very rich and creamy blend of vanilla ice cream, caramel fudge and almonds.

Vanilla is one of my least favorite flavors, because often times it’s too sweet and very “milky” for my taste, but I definitely liked this one.The vanilla ice cream doesn’t taste very “milky” as other brands do, and is very smooth and velvety. And the base itself isn’t very sweet either– the sweetness you get from the caramel fudge swirling and weaving it’s golden goodness around and through the ice cream. The roasted almonds lend a smokey flavor, complimenting the sweetness of the caramel fudge and richness of the vanilla ice cream– rounding up the wonderful flavors of this very rich frozen delight.

Vanilla Almond joins Selecta’s Gold Series line up along with Berry Strawberry, Chocolate Truffles, and Hazelnut Brownie. Available in pints and tubs in groceries and supermarkets.

Opened in December 11, 2008, it offered another venue where one could enjoy the rich and sophisticated flavours of Häagen-Dazs. The shop is among the first in the world executed in the Genesis design concept, which offers a dining experience that is more refined and relaxed, which every customer deserves. The Häagen-Dazs shop is located in the 2nd floor of the SM Megamall Atrium, making it very accessible as it is located in the center of the Ortigas Business District as well as a lot of nearby villages.

In an effort to make Häagen-Dazs more accessible to customers during the rush of the Christmas season, a satellite branch will be opened in SM Megamall. Dubbed as “Häagen-Dazs Express,” it is located at the Ground floor of Building A, in front of Toy Kingdom. This gives an opportunity for customers in SM Megamall to indulge on Häagen-Dazs wherever they may be, especially if they are in a rush.

The Eat-All-You-Can Ice Cream Buffet is an ice cream connoisseur’s dream come true, while Häagen-Dazs Express allows people to enjoy and indulge in the best ice cream in the world while strolling around the mall.

Häagen-Dazs
2nd floor SM Megamall Atrium,
Ortigas Center

Selecta Gold Series

Especially crafted for discriminating gourmands, Selecta Gold Series represents Selecta’s most luxurious offering yet: a line of extra creamy premium ice cream designed to provide a truly opulent experience. Made only from the finest ingredients available, the three flavors that compose the line—Chocolate Truffles, Hazelnut Brownie and Berry Strawberry were developed with 3 of the country’s top chefs— Sau del Rosario of Chelsea Market and Cafe’, Rolando Laudico of Chef Laudico Bistro Filipino, and J. Gamboa of Cirkulo, respectively.

Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Truffles is Chef Laudico’s creation. To ensure a rich texture and mouth feel, Chef Laudico insisted on importing gourmet chocolates from Belgium. The end result is a very rich, luscious, creamy and very chocolate-y ice cream.

Hazelnut Brownie

Chef Sau Del Rosario wanted to capture the essence of “gianduja”-a treat from Italy that combines cocoa and hazelnut-and translate it into a fun and modern ice cream flavor. The end result is the Hazelnut Brownie ice cream, a mouthwatering mixture of ground hazelnut paste and rich chocolate ice cream laden with moist fudge brownies.

Berry Strawberry

Berry Strawberry, on the other hand, finds Chef J., a third generation restaurateur/chef and another Culinary Institute of America graduate, taking a more conventional but no less innovative approach. By combining plump, whole, sun-ripened strawberries with quality French vanilla ice cream, he injects a dose of flair and refinement to freshen up an old favorite.

I’ve had the pleasure of trying all three flavors, and i love all of them. But if push comes to shove, I ‘d have to say, my favorite would be Chef J. Gamboa’s Berry Strawberry. Why? For the simple reason that I love anything with strawberries. Enough said. Go try it for yourself. All three flavors from the Selected Gold series are available at all groceries and supermarkets nationwide.

The savory crepe menu includes the Pork floss Chessy Omellette, Smoked Salmon, the classic Mushroom ham with Mozarella, and the Japanese cuisine inspired Kani Mango. There’s also a BLT– bacon, lettuce and tomato- crepe, which is what I ordered since I’m a BLT sandwhich lover. This take on the classic sandwich is a rerfreshing and novel approach which I liked so much.

Kani Mango

Vegetarians and weight-watchers need not fret: there’s also something in the menu for you. Like the Veggie Crepe which is made up of sauteed mushroom, fresh lettuce and juicy tomatoes.

Crepes are widely known as desserts, and Crepes & Cream does not disappoint! Their selection of flavors is sure to sate your sweet tooth. Chocolate, fresh fruits and creamy ice cream are wrapped in crepe fro yummy delights like Carribean Cruise, Capuchocco, and Hazelnut Banana Chocolate.

If you are a cheesecake lover, then you’d be happy to know that there are cheesecake flavors on the menu. They have Strawberry, Mango, Blueberry and Oreo Cheesecake crepes. Real cake cubes are folded in with vanilla ice cream and topped with almond flakes.

Crazy For Strawberry

I love the Crazy for Strawberries crepe. Well, I love anything strawberry so I’m a little biased! This combination of fresh strawberry cubes, strawberry chocolate chips, almond flakes, whipped cream and strawberry sauce really made my sweet tooth happy.

One of the best things they have on offer, I think, is the Create-Your-Own-Crepe option on their menu. It’s perfect if you are undecided on which flavor to have, or would like to make your own creation. You can choose from any of the filling and topping ingredients they have.

So if you are hankering for a crepe fix, be it savory or sweet, give Crepes & Cream a try.

Crepes & Cream
4th Floor Bridgeway
SM Megamall
Ortigas

Crepes & Cream also have branches at the Podium; Ortigas Center; Crescent West Park; Fort Bonifacio; SM Mall of Asia; Power Plant Mall at Rockwell; SM Pampanga; and Robinson’s Place Ermita.

As an added treat, kids can learn how to make a doughnut bouquet for mom and enjoy an interactive activity with fellow budding pastry-chefs to create a doughnut cake. For P499, kids ages 7 to 10, can attend a 2-hour class to be a Junior Chocolate Chef. Classes will cover the history of doughnuts and Krispy Kreme, a tour inside the infamous Krispy Kreme kitchen and a hands-on lesson on the basics of cake and doughnut decoration. Krispy Kreme perks include apron, cap, a dozen Krispy Kreme chocolate doughnuts, exclusive Krispy Kreme icing recipes and ingredients and a special Krispy Kreme Junior Chocolate Chef Certificate.

To register, call 840-3694 or 812-6596 and look for Wanda de Guzman or email info@chocolatekarnival.com. For class schedules and availability, please visit www.chocolatekarnival.com.

Like warriors going into battle, we made preparation. We read and memorized Lori’s Guide to Gorging on the Peninsula Chocolate Buffet. We kept dinner light and rather salty, and admittedly, cheap (for the Chocolate buffet is rather pricey). With tummies partially filled with fast food goodness, we drove to the Peninsula.

We arrived a couple of minutes past nine, and already, some of the plates were already empty. We surveyed they scene, planning our attack on the buffet tables. There were rich and moist chocolate cakes and cheesecakes, creamy mousse, smooth chocolate drinks, chocolate buttons, exquisite truffles and pralines, bread sticks dipped in chocolate, ice creams made with or laced with chocolates, puddings, brownies and cookies, assortment of nuts, fruits and marshmallows to be slathered with three different kinds of fondue. It was mind boggling, but once we got over the shock at seeing so much chocolate, we made our choices and converged back at the table.

Argee, Anna and I hungrily dug into our picks and paused for a nanosecond, savoring each orgasmic bite of chocolate. Everything tastes as good as they looked. Some desserts have a richer and fuller taste than the others, so to cleanse the palate, we tucked into pieces that doesn’t have as much chocolate in them. Unfortunately, (I’m not one for l33t talk, but this is one occasion that calls for it) the chocolate pwned us. We managed 5 or 6 trips back to the buffet before admitting defeat. By the end of the night, I was nibbling on marshmallows, strawberries and ice cream cone — without the chocolate fondue nor the ice cream. Nonetheless, it was a wonderful experience, all these chocolates. I would not hesitate to go back to this buffet.

Chocolate Buffet at the Manila Peninsula Lobby
Adults: Php 550+
Children (12 yrs & below): Php 225++
For inquiries and table reservations please call The Peninsula Manila at 887-2888, extensions 6757
and 6759 (The Lobby) or 6694 (Restaurant Reservations).
Corner of Ayala and Makati Avenues
1226 Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Jollibee is coming out with a new sundae variant that lets you indulge without having to spend a lot: the Black Forest Sundae. Our favorite vanilla soft serve ice cream is smothered in rich dark chocolate syrup, blended with a drizzle of cherry syrup, served with moist brownie chunks from Red Ribbon and dark chocolate bits, and a slice of cherry on top. The best part? It’s only Php 35 pesos.

This sumptuous treat will be available in Jollibee branches starting September 24, 2008.

At the back of SM San Lazaro in Manila is Celadon Manila, a leisurely residential community by ALVEO Land Corp. Every Sunday for the month of September, Celadon Manila plays host to PICK Manila– the first lifestyle weekend market in city.

If you are a foodie like myself, you’ll be able to go on a food trip with the big mix of culinary delights they have to offer– form Filipino staples like embotido, relleno, aligue (crab fat)–which I had to stay away from (a bit hard, but I managed)- leche flan and other native delicacies to international fare like Japan’s sushi and Italian sodas.

They even sell organic products like organically-grown brown rice and herbs. Gourmet items, foreign and local, like honey and coffee are also sold by some stalls. Fresh fruits and baked products like breads and cakes are also available.

For the fashionistas and home make-over lovers, PICK Manila also offers a showcase of some of the most novel and exciting finds. Shoes, bags, tops and fashion jewelery for the stylish urbanite and intricate home decor made of glass, wood, and fabric inspired by different cultures for the interior-savvy. I spotted a little wooden decoupaged case and a nice big lamp, both of which were just screaming for me to take them home.

Though I wasn’t able to take home the box and lamp, I did manage to snag myself a bag of Kalinga coffee which everyone has been raving about. I also bought some fruit and baked goods.

If you’re not doing anything tomorrow, why not check out PICK Manila. Head on over to Celadon Manila and experience it yourself.

PICK Manila is open on Sundays from 7AM to 2PM.

CeladonManila is a development by ALVEO Land Corp. Please visit: www.celadonmanila.com.ph for more information.

* Promotional photographs were provided by the concessionaires through ALVEO Land Corp.