October 2013 - Certified Foodies

NACI Comfort Food at Bonifacio Global City

If there’s one thing we all (yes, including you!) have in common, it’s our love for pure, unadulterated comfort food. The difference lies on where we find that sense of satisfaction. It could be your nanay’s home-cooked meals, or simply from a restaurant that means business when it comes to comfort food (no pun intended). And we recently discovered one that takes it seriously, they had to add it to their name – NACI Comfort Food.

NACI Comfort Food is a family-owned restaurant located at Bonifacio Global City. We were invited to have a taste of some of their dishes, including their Kid-friendly Meals. Though they’re hours away from our home, we thought it’ll be a perfect time to revisit BGC. The restaurant was initially located at Greenhills, and they later on moved to BGC.

We got to meet Nadine (daughter of Lovely Rivero) and Natasha. They told us a little bit about their restaurant. We initially thought the name was an abbreviation or something, but we later found out that the name “Naci” actually means “rice” in Kapampangan. The menu, however, at NACI Comfort Food is not merely inspired by Kapampangan cuisine, but a fusion of various flavors. Some of the dishes at Naci Comfort Food were even concoctions of the late Chef Ed Quimson. They also have a Cohen-friendly menu. Continue reading NACI Comfort Food at Bonifacio Global City

A Lovely Staycation at F1 Hotel Manila

If there’s one thing Ken, our nanay and I have in common, it’s how hard we work and how dedicated we could get with our jobs. Some may consider us (slightly) workaholic, but we do enjoy what we do. However, from time to time, we forget to give ourselves a break to rejuvenate. That’s why F1 Hotel Manila‘s invitation for a staycation couldn’t be any more timely.

A short staycation is sometimes all one needs to unwind and forget, at least for a little while, the stress of every day life. Ken and I were actually planning on staycationing at F1 Hotel before they invited us ’cause we wanted to stay there and eat at some of the restaurants in BGC since the area is too far from our home (like 2-3 hours travel time… ugh).

We learned when we arrived that they were introducing us to their holiday offerings. We were excited to find out what F Restaurant has to offer this year since we had a very tasty dinner buffet from awhile back. F is the restaurant of F1 Hotel Manila and they have an all-day buffet here (breakfast, lunch and dinner). We’ll show you all the food we enjoyed in a bit, but before that, let me tell you about our staycation experience.

First, a group photo of all the bloggers and their loved ones who were there with us.

Continue reading A Lovely Staycation at F1 Hotel Manila

The Maya Kitchen Baking Class with The Burp Society

After our dinner at Van Gogh is Bipolar, we thought it’ll be fun to organize a different kind of activity for the next The Burp Society meet-up. Thankfully, The Maya Kitchen gladly helped us organize a baking class for our group, which turned out to be a completely fun and learning experience for all of us.

The Burp Society and Ms Rory at The Maya Kitchen

Ken’s an excellent pastry chef, which has inspired me to want to learn how to bake. So, I thought it’ll be a great idea to hold a baking class exclusively for The Burp Society. And, almost immediately, I thought about The Maya Kitchen Culinary Arts Center.

Maya Kitchen display of products

I’m sure you’re all familiar with Maya, the brand well-known and trusted for decades by us Filipinos because of the quality of their products. You’ve probably prepared pancakes, brownies, cakes, cookies or even champorado at home with ease because of Maya’s mixes. But, did you know they have been helping out entrepreneurs and home bakers and cooks for years now through the classes they hold at The Maya Kitchen? You can learn more about this through their website: www.themayakitchen.com.

Continue reading The Maya Kitchen Baking Class with The Burp Society

Zoricho: Putting a Spotlight on Philippine Sausages

One late afternoon, my friend and I got out of work early (a rare feat when you’re working in the hotel industry), so we decided to hang out and grab a bite. We went to this restaurant and started ordering, but a few minutes in, the server approached our table and apologized since all the food we ordered were unavailable. Frustrated and really hungry, we beelined to Zoricho, just across the diner we were previously in.

It’s a good thing I just got my pay check that day, so I wasn’t intimidated much by their chic and upscale-looking interior. 😀 Here are photos of their restaurant in Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas that I grabbed from Gianne‘s blog since I didn’t have a decent camera at that time.

If I only had Php 500 in my wallet, I wouldn’t even dare steal a peek inside. 😀 But don’t be fooled, the dishes on their menu are actually affordable. My friend had been craving for lasagna, so just imagine her delight when she saw one on the menu.

A classic done tastefully, Zoricho Lasagna (Php 250), with a twist of Zoricho meat sauce, was surprisingly good. The serving size was more than enough for one person (10 points for that!).Â The dish had a good play in flavor and texture, with its refreshing hint of herbs, the tanginess from the tomatoes, and the pork Zoricho bits that added a good crunch.

Continue reading Zoricho: Putting a Spotlight on Philippine Sausages

Fall in Love with Chocolates from CMBV Confectionaires

If there’s one thing Ken and I have in common, it’s our deep love for chocolates. We’re more into dark chocolate, he likes milk chocolate more than I do and I think we have the same amount of liking for white chocolate. So when a common friend offered to let us taste the chocolates he makes, how can chocolate lovers refuse? Let us introduce you toÂ CMBV Confectionaires Co.

CMBV Confectionaires is a chocolate shop owned by 2 friends – Christian, the general manager, and Marvin, the head chocolatier. They’re a fairly new business which started in November 2012 out of their passion for chocolates, skills in chocolate-making and business savvy. Fast forward to 2013, you can now find CMBV Confectionaires’ hand-crafted gourmet chocolates at Manila Polo Club (Manila’s Best), VASK Modern Tapas & Gastronomic Cuisine Restaurant and soon at KYO Patisserie (the last 2 are located at BGC). They also have a shop at Fort Bonifacio. You can find their complete address and contact info near the bottom of this post. 🙂

Continue reading Fall in Love with Chocolates from CMBV Confectionaires