Mhel Ignacio, Author at Certified Foodies

We’re Torn Over SPAM Tocino

There is no doubt we love SPAM. We’ve tried almost all of their variants available at the grocery, with the original and the one with bacon topping our list. So when we saw a post on Facebook about SPAM Tocino, we thought it was some kind of April Fools’ day joke. 😀

I didn’t take it seriously UNTIL I decided to check out SPAM’s official Facebook page and saw the post above. I did mention it to Ken and he said he saw some people saying it was based on Mexican Tocino. Still, I was curious. He LOVES tocino, and I do too. And we love SPAM, so we just had to find out how this new variant tastes like.

We learned it was available at Robinsons Supermarket. We first checked the one at Victory Mall in Monumento – nada. We finally found it after a few days at the new Robinsons Supermarket here in Malabon. Though we wanted to know if we’ll like this, it took us a few more days before we decided to give it a taste.

The SPAM itself was a li’l wet compared to the original variant, so it slid smoothly out of the can. You can also smell that the sauce that surrounds it is sweet. When I started slicing the meat, I saw that the color was slightly yellowish (as you can see in the photo below). By this time, I was already excited to fry them up to get the crisp we wanted.

Continue reading We’re Torn Over SPAM Tocino

Tokyo Tokyo’s Maki and Shrimp Katsu Donburi + GIVEAWAY!

We’ve talked about Tokyo Tokyo before, but it was mainly because of their Chicken Karaage, which we LOVE! It’s one of our guilty pleasures. We have other favorite dishes on their menu, but we’re here to talk about the new Maki and Shrimp Katsu Donburi that we’re sure many already tried and enjoyed.

We’ve also mentioned about how much we’re into Japanese food. It even tops Ken’s favorite cuisines. What we like about Tokyo Tokyo is that we can have our tasty Japanese food fix at affordable prices. So if you’re craving for Donburi, you might want to try these 2 new delicious options.

The Maki Donburi bowl is Tokyo Tokyoâ€™s play on their popular California Maki, which includes a combination of crunchy Kani and crisp onion rings drizzled with zesty Japanese Mayo and a savory sauce.

The Shrimp Katsu Donburi, on the other hand, is a variation of Tokyo Tokyoâ€™s Katsudon. Crunchy shrimp patty smothered in rich sauce on top of hot rice. I think this will be Ken’s pick, and I’ll go with their Maki Donburi.

You can order these Donburi bowls for Php 85 a la carte, and Php 99 if you want the meal with your choice of soft drink.

Continue reading Tokyo Tokyo’s Maki and Shrimp Katsu Donburi + GIVEAWAY!

Reward Yourself with Jollibee’s Kit Kat Mix-ins

Do you love Kit Kat? How would you like to enjoy it with a serving of Jollibee’s soft serve sundae? Now you can enjoy it with the new Jollibee Kit Kat Mix-ins.

I remember back when I was still working the night shift at one of ePLDT’s call centers in Taguig, I frequently rely on coffee or chocolate bars to keep me awake while I listen to agents’ calls and evaluate them throughout my 8-hour shift. One of my favorites was Kit Kat. I love the sweetness of the chocolate that wraps the chunky, crunchy wafer inside.

I think this is my favorite Jollibee Mix-ins variant because of the crunchy chocolate goodness of Kit Kat that’s mixed in with Jollibeeâ€™s creamy vanilla soft serve. Best eaten right away, especially in this warm weather we’re experiencing now. I suggest you order it after you’re done with your main meal at Jollibee.

Continue reading Reward Yourself with Jollibee’s Kit Kat Mix-ins

What to Look For in Great Ribs

Ribs are unfortunately overlooked in a lot of foodie circles. They can be a very diverse dish, but most tend to associate them with less-refined or lower-quality food. There’s absolutely no reason this has to be true, however, if you know where to look. Rib City, located on the web at ribcityutah.com and in person in Salt Lake City, is a great example of a rib place that takes things to the next level. If you’d like to give great ribs a shot, the following is what you need to look for to find the best.

BBQ Ribs

First, always go with barbecued ribs. Barbecuing ribs has a very different result as compared to baking them. Baking ribs is great at home; it can soften up the meat and lead it to nearly fall off the bone. However, this isn’t what you want to look for in restaurant ribs. You want to look for barbecued ribs specifically because these create a very different consistency. This will produce firmer meat that shreds when bitten into, as well as a crispy skin. This is great for actually experiencing the flavor of the sauces, rubs and other things offered on them.

Ken's BBQ Ribs

Ken’s BBQ Ribs – recipe soon here! 🙂

Continue reading What to Look For in Great Ribs

It’s All About Sharing + WeChat’s New Features

We’ve had Certified Foodies since 2010. Let me tell you, maintaining a food blog is not an easy task. That is why whenever someone asks us for tips on how to start a food blog, the first thing we always, always say is you have to have a passion for food blogging. Not just love for food, but a passion for sharing because that’s what blogging is all about: sharing a part of you and your life to others in the hopes that they’d be inspired, in our case, to try out other restaurants, food products and ingredients, to start cooking and to enjoy food with people you love. 🙂

Our blog’s old layout from 2010. 😀

If you’re already following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, you know that we love to share there too. Some of the food or dishes we post to our social media accounts don’t make it to our blog, but we still want to share it with you. To be able to do that efficiently without spoiling the enjoyment of the food we ordered, Ken and I have to share tasks when we’re eating out. I usually take the photos using our DSLR and Ken shoots through our smartphones, which we then share mostly real-time on our social media accounts. I’m glad to be sharing this food blog with him, and thankfully, there are many apps that provide us with features that make sharing easy and fast so we can spend more time enjoying food and the experiences. 🙂

WeChat is one of those apps that make sharing more fun with the smooth navigation and unique features they offer. Check out below the 6 new features they recently introduced.

Continue reading It’s All About Sharing + WeChat’s New Features

Magnum Gold : Grab The Gold at SM Supermarkets – 2 for Php 100!

The sexiest ice cream bar is at it again, with a new luscious flavor to tickle our senses: Magnum Gold. Have you tried it yet? 😉

As you rip the wrapper open, the brightly colored Magnum Gold ice cream bar inside is revealed. It’s coated with thick Belgian chocolate – 2 layers to be exact. The outer layer is in this luxurious color of yellowish gold.

A nice crunch welcomes you as you take your first bite off the ice cream bar, the Belgian chocolate coating gently crumbling in your mouth. The lusciously creamy vanilla ice cream inside, with swirls of salted caramel to boot, will melt your heart. Mmmmmm so good. It’s definitely one indulgence you need to take time to enjoy. 🙂

If you haven’t tasted the delectable goodness of the all-new Magnum Gold, you are in luck! SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket and SaveMore Markets nationwide are offering an exclusive promo – you get TWO (2) Magnum Gold ice cream bars for Php 100!

Continue reading Magnum Gold : Grab The Gold at SM Supermarkets – 2 for Php 100!

WeChat : A New Way to Connect

There is no doubt that the emergence of technology in the past 5 years has been instrumental in uniting people all around the world. Ken and I can attest to how the existence of social media networks and smartphone chat apps like WeChat have improved our lives, serving as vital tools in reconnecting us with relatives and long-lost friends (including my dearest college friends I haven’t seen since 1998!).

WeChat - new way to connect

Contrary to what many say, technology has given us more ways to improve and even initiate real life connections. I can say that I’ve met new friends through social media and online chat, and these tools have helped me keep in touch with people I value.

Continue reading WeChat : A New Way to Connect

Live Without Regrets with Metrobank’s Prepaid Card!

Ever since Ken and I started working online, we have enjoyed all the perks of staying at home for work. So we are all for convenience nowadays, especially when we go out to shop or on a food trip. As much as possible, we avoid long lines at the ATM. That’s why it was definitely good news to hear about the all-new Metrobank Prepaid Card.

Imagine enjoying all the advantages of a debit card and the perks of a credit card, but with more security and safer features, plus a more convenient application process. That’s what the Metrobank Prepaid Card is all about. Oh, and it’s a MasterCard! So you can use this even when you prefer online shopping.

We were invited to the launch of the prepaid card at Vyne restaurant (of Hyve) at BGC, which also happens to be a partner merchant. There, we learned more about the features of the Metrobank Prepaid Card that we know you’ll all be excited about. First, let us tell you about our experience using the card.

Continue reading Live Without Regrets with Metrobank’s Prepaid Card!

Show Off Your Personality with WeChat Stickers!

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I LOVE using emoticons or smileys when I’m writing. Some of my friends might even say I can’t finish a sentence without an emoticon when I’m chatting with them. Since most of my communication now is done online because of the nature of my work and what I do on the side, I want to make sure I send my messages and emotions across through these smileys. 😉 And I love that there always seems to be an emoticon that can convey what I’m feeling at a specific moment. I think smileys lessen the chances of you being misunderstood by the recipient of your messages, don’t you agree? 🙂

Whenever I’m writing a review or a feature about a restaurant or a product that I’ve tried, may it be just recently or sometime in the past few months (or years 😀 ), not only do I remember the flavors that I experienced, but everything I felt at that very instance when I took my first bite or spoonful. For instance, I’m reminded of the delightful sensation I got when I first tasted the zesty tartness of the MalacaÃ±ang Frozen Souffle (lemon custard with dark chcoolate, pistachio and lemon lavender sauce) from Casa Roces, which made me smile in pure happiness while I exclaimed, “Ang sarapppp!”. 😀 So when I finally write about this restaurant, you can be sure there’ll be a whole bunch of smileys on there to show you how giddy I was about their food and ambiance. 🙂

I don’t think I can go a day chatting or writing (even on my personal journal) without using even one smiley or emoticon. That’s why I’m easily amused by the amount of smileys available in the many apps we use nowadays, just like on WeChat. Check out the smileys below and you might find that you have the same WeChat sticker personality as Iya, Drew or Vice Ganda.

Continue reading Show Off Your Personality with WeChat Stickers!

Oishi Smart C+ : a Refreshing Daily Dose of Vitamin C

With the bipolar weather we’ve been experiencing lately, it’s easy to get sick, especially when you’re like Ken and I who work nights. That’s why we never fail to supplement our diets with food and drinks rich in iron and Vitamin C like fresh fruits and citrus juices. One of our recent favorites is Oishi Smart C+.

Continue reading Oishi Smart C+ : a Refreshing Daily Dose of Vitamin C