Nomnomnom at Tomas Morato

I can’t believe we just ate in this hidden gem just last week. We’ve always wanted to eat here but have failed thrice – we always seem to go there when the place is closed. Finally, finally, we caught Nomnomnom open and it was certainly worth the wait!

The charm is from the baby's room design

The places looks like it’s been designed by a 12 year old girl. Think bedroom theme with storybooks, rainbows, lights and soft contours. I wanted to order pajamas but unfortunately it wasn’t in the menu.

Wooden tables and quaint photos

Handpainted stone as tableware and an exhibit of books turned into canvas

Your bedside table can be found inside Nomnomnom

Menu

Nomnomnom is said to be the home of “happy foodies” – lots of the menu items are organic or semi-vegetarian. Take a look at some of the items:

Vegetarian menu items at Nomnomnom

More organic menu items

You won't run out of things to order

We got the Enchilada (P160) and the Vegemeat Curry Rice Crater (P98). Now, woe is me, unfortunately my camera decided to die at this point so I don’t have shots of the food

The enchilada tasted fantastic though! It was a huge chunk of corn tortilla filled with kangkong and cream. It had a certain taste to it that makes me crave it even as I’m writing this article.

The rice crater was just that – a huge mountain of rice with the vegemeat curry put in a crater in the middle of it. There was too much rice for the viand, but I was able to mix in some of our enchilada so no worries.

For dessert, we grabbed the Boom Chika Wawa (P80) because it looked appetizing in the photo (think ice cream sandwiched between cookies with lots of candy sprinkles), but the cookie didn’t taste as good so we ended up shaving the ice cream off it.

Also, take my word for it, the orders are filling and HUGE. Really. Don’t over-order or you’ll find yourself taking these things home.

Because it will only take a couple of orders and perhaps dessert to get you filled and the food prices aren’t that extravagant, you’ll only need about P200 to P250 each – not bad for a casual date!

Eat here when you’re not in a hurry. It’s slow food – everything is cooked from scratch, and it actually takes a certain while to serve. Also, the food is piping hot and it’s best eaten slowly, enjoyed with the relaxed ambiance.

Also, note their opening times – 12 noon -1am, Tuesdays to Sundays.

Nomnomnom

1 Tomas Morato cor E. Rodriguez Ave.

Besides Shell Gas Station

Make your own Boom Chika Wawa – ice cream sandwiches!

We’ve always been passing through this restaurant in A.Venue on the way to the other restaurants. It’s quite memorable because whenever we pass by, their statue always gets to me – I always imagine it to be a real person! So it was one Thursday night when we finally gave it a try.

How cute - a hand-painted condiment holder

The place is very eclectic. There are some bits and pieces that don’t really fit together. Outside there’s a brunette statue wearing a Thai costume. Inside, the chairs are fitted with florals reminiscent of your grandmother’s table linen. There’s a tv in the corner playing Malaysian telenovelas. On the counter, you’ll see fruits and a fruit juice maker. I guess that’s what gives the place its charm – it’s very similar to the way your grandmother’s kitchen is put together.

You'll feel like dining with relatives in this cozy restaurant

The mishmash that's the counter

Menu

Just as the place is a mishmash of South East Asia, the menu is the same. You’ll find Thai, Singaporean, Malaysian, Indonesian and of course, Filipino food. With the variety, you’re sure to find something for your taste.

Pork and Chicken in different Asian ways

Noodle represent!

Here’s their whole menu:

The Full Menu from the Plate & Yummy website

So we got the Hot and Sour soup (P198) and the Chicken with Coconut (P230) to split. The Hot and Sour Soup was a surprise – it tasted a little bit like sweet and sour sauce made into a soup and turned very spicy. It tasted strange, but it was addicting and grew on my like no other strange soup has. It also had a lot of seafood meat in it for something that’s not so expensive. We were pleasantly surprised to find fish meat in our soup as we were fishing through it.

Hot and Sour Soup at P198 - value for money

The Chicken with Coconut tasted great. The chicken was soft and tender and it tasted infused with the sauce really well.

Chicken Coconut at P238 - good to share

More shots from their website:

More food shots from the Plate & Yummy food shots

Not at all expensive by Makati standards. Expect to be filled with about P250 per person. They also have special group meals (for 4) that look very interesting at about P150 per person!

It’s a great date place because of the charm, the friendly staff and the kick you’ll get out of watching Asian telenovelas on the screen. Of course, it may not be the ideal place for a first dinner, but a 3rd lunch out would actually be ideal.

Plate & Yummy
A.Venue Event Mall No.103
7829 Makati Avenue Brgy. Poblacion Makati City
Telephone: +63 (2) 7560202 ; +63 (2) 9940621
Mobile Number: +63 (917) 8487698 ; +63 (917) 8987984

A great Thai coconut chicken recipe!

The time has come – Gelatissimo is now open at Greenbelt 5!

Oh gelato joy – you’ve never seen gelato flavors as yummy and as creative as this.

The place is quite stylish and yet exudes an Italian charm. Being in Makati, you’ll probably see a lot of business people eating. But don’t worry, everybody loves the gelato and all will be in equal footing.

The selection is simply amazing and can be overwhelming! 100+ gelato flavors available – who can top that?

The description form the site about their Gelato says:

Gelatissimo’s award winning gelato is made fresh daily in store to an authentic family recipe. Manufactured to the highest standards using the best natural ingredients and freshest produce, it is Australia’s most popular gelato.

With flavours to suit the most discerning palate, we offer both classic favourites like Chocolate and Mango as well as unique flavours such as Caramelised Fig and Honey Toffee Malt. Our inventive Gelato Craftsmen add seasonal varieties so that each time you visit a Gelatissimo store there’s a new flavour waiting for you to try. Whether it is Lemon Cheesecake or Berry Pavlova, every season offers up a new temptation to our customers.

And the best part? This temptation is guilt free with sorbet being 100% fat free and premium dairy between 90-97% fat free. Whether you enjoy fresh sorbets or the creamy indulgence of gelato, even the health conscious can enjoy. We also have gluten free and dairy free products to accommodate special dietary requirements.

The flavors are just so many! Check it out:

Tons of yummy Gelatissimo flavors

Bring your date here and I guarantee a sweet time!

I’ve sampled the Pistachio (generally, my usual gelato favorite) and the Mars actually tastes like Mars (with caramel). The gelato here is just div-ine.

Confused on which flavor to get? You can taste each one before finally deciding. Don’t be afraid to ask the server.

A scoop costs around P95-P110, 2 scoops at P150, and 3 scoops at P198. Sounds expensive, but a single scoop can fill you, and it will be definitely worth it!

Gelatissimo
2nd floor, Greenbelt 5
Makati City

Make your own gelato!

The Ice Cream Bar at Rockwell is one of the quaintest, most genuine places you’ll find in Rockwell. Normally I don’t go to Rockwell to go on a date – I find the place a bit pretentious and it’s hard to be genuine or get a genuine of a person’s personality in such a high strung place.

I prefer grittier, hole-in-the-wall places. But The Ice Cream Bar changed my mind.

Of course, it’s hard for it to not to.

Ambiance

The ambiance of the place matches the food it serves: nice and sweet. White mixed with fruity colors will set the mood for playfulness, and you can never go wrong with kiddie drawings posted all around the place.

I must admit that the menu is quite limited – I didn’t find all the ice cream and sweet stuff I was hoping to find. I know that there are 41 flavors of FIC ice cream to choose from, but somehow it didn’t feel that many at all. But what’s good is that they also serve meals, from pasta to sandwiches.

We tried the yogurt for a bit of a healthy punch and it was a BIG serving, topped with all kinds of fruit you can imagine. It was yummy and just had the right mix of sweet and sour.

Frozen Yogurt with Everything On It

There are a lot of things to taste and for sure you and your date will be coming back to try everything.

Prices are reasonable and not at all insanely expensive. You’ll find sundaes and splits for about P150, and it’s such a big serving you can split it with your date.

Moderation is key: Don’t be in a hurry to finish your ice cream or else you’ll get a headache from the sugar rush. Take your time finishing off that bowl of ice cream so you’ll have the best satisfaction.

The Ice Cream Bar (Flavors by FIC)
Rockwell Center

Joya Tower,
Joya Drive (beside Power Plant Mall),
Rockwell Center
Makati

The Perfect ice cream! You can actually make your own:

Heading off to a romantic getaway at Boracay this summer of 2010? Here’s a checklist that every dating couple should bring and tick off.

1. The ride - Cebu Pacific, PAL and SeAir offers flights ultimately leading to Boracay, but Cebu Pacific and PAL would land you in Kalibo where you’ll have to take a 2-hour bus and 20-minute boat ride to get to Boracay island. If you don’t have the luxury of time, get on a SeaAIR plane to take you directly to Caticlan.

If you want to have the luxury of choice, however, be sure to always check out any promo fares. Check out the Cebu Pacific website, Philippine Airlines and SeAIR website to compare prices. PAL also offers PALAKBAYAN tours, with packages with hotels and transfers.

2. The hotel - Station 1, 2, 3… it doens’t matter anymore. The competition has pushed Boracay hotels to max it in terms of service, quality and price. There will always be the topnotchers like Discovery shores or Boracay Regency, but many average hotels will give you the quality and privacy you deserve. I personally like Boracay Tropics – the place is newly-renovated and the food is divine. The food here is even more delicious than those you’d find in restaurants outside. I advice you get their buffet packages to maximize your stay.

Boracay Tropics brings quality with a reasonable price

3. The grub – You’ll find a lot of choices along the beach but don’t be tempted with the restaurants you’ll find in Manila anyway. This means you should stay away from the Boracay branches of Pancake house, Shakey’s, Starbucks, Bite Club… I’d lay down your bets on grub from Aria, Jonah’s shakes, Cyma, and other Boracay specialties.

Never leave Boracay with Jonah

4. The gear – Have you been dieting or working out for 2 months to prepare for this trip? Then show it off! swimsuits and board shorts are in season all year round in Boracay, just bring enough accessories for variety for the next days. Don’t forget loads of sunblock if you don’t want to look like a lobster to your date.

The best sunblock - Beach Hut spray-on

5. Advil - for the morning after you go partying along the sands of the bars in the area. Different drinks, mixes and shots will tickle your tastebuds but will eventually mess with your head. Don’t go all out if its just you and your date – you don’t want to be spewing your dinner on the sand in front of her/him.

• Bring enough money. Although there are different ATM stations along the beach, some go offline, and the lines can be ten minutes long.
• Almost every estalishment has free wifi, so be sure to ask the servers when you choose your spot.
• Also, compare prices for snorkeling, helmet diving, or banana boat riding. Bring a lot of people with you so you can negotiate for further discounts.
• Last tip, be sure to be open and friendly to everyone. You’ll find people of all nationalities on the beach, and it’s best to gain some friends from different parts of the world, even just for the fun of it. You’ll impress your date with your ambassador skills, and you gain network friends as well.

Wow, this is hard. If you’re on a backpackers budget, esentially you can survive for less than P1,000 a day with room and food – there are many boarding rooms in the area.

If yu’re on a date, however, ideally you’d want to splurge a little so you can enjoy and be lovey-dovey – P5,000 for flights, P2,500 a night for a hotel, and P1,000 a day for food and drinks should be enough for each of you. If you want to save, bring friends or a double date. It’s useful for conversation as well.

Boracay island
Panay group of Islands, Philippines

How to make your own choco banana peanut shake! This is an excellent shake that is more like a snack itself.