Christmas Dinner 2014 at Wafu Japanese Restaurant, Greenhills San Juan, Philippines

I love organizing Christmas dinners. It makes the holidays all the more special when we get to celebrate it with Good Eats & good company. For this year, Hubby's college friends were all game to try Wafu's Teppanyaki-All-You-Can. 

Because all other dates were unavailable, we were left with no choice but to have the 6:00pm time slot for December 19. While waiting for the others to arrive, spent the time taking pictures of the place. 

Check out the festive colors & bright lights running all through out the restaurant. 

Teppanyaki tables are on the 2nd floor. By this time, several members of our party arrived. 

Wafu's Teppanyaki-All-You-Can menu offers a diverse selection, making sure that they're able to tickle anybody's taste buds. ;)

With our tummies ready and while waiting for the Teppanyaki grill to be fired up, we ordered their ready-to-eat dishes. 

Revisited Review: Toby's Estate Coffee Roasters, Century City Mall, Makati

For every food review we do, we always make sure that we give a fair & honest one. Sometimes, restaurants who get low ratings are given second chances. Hence our Revisited Review section was born.

The lucky candidate for this time is the 3rd wave coffee place at Century City Mall. Our first visit left quite a bad taste in our mouth. Let's see how they do on this 2nd visit.

We learned from our first visit; stay away from their cold coffee. Besides, our Instagram feed has been littered with coffee shots of their famous Gibraltar & Flat White. Maybe these would be enough to make us fans of this place?

Potted Dreams at Roots Market Bistro, Promenade Greenhills, San Juan Philippines

In trying new food haunts, it seems that Greenhills hasn't been on our list as much as other places. So when an opportunity came up (Hubby had a dinner function around that area), I took it as a sign that I had to try out one of Promenade's selections. 

But eating dinner alone has never been my style. Luckily, my friend Athena was free... even at such short notice. (Hi Ats!)

The name alone makes me think of words like organic, basic & simple.

And their display makes me think of harvest & bountiful. 

They had two types of dining area; either this table top setup or the much fancier cabana-type seating. Of course, we had to go with the latter. ;)

Homage to Mason Jars

After browsing their menu, I gotta be honest with you, I couldn't wait for dessert. And can you blame me? ;)

Crepe Night at La Creperie, Salcedo Village Makati Philippines

It's always fun to try out new places especially when it surprises you.

La Creperie Moderne, Makati

At first glance and going by it's name, we were in for a night of crepe. ;)

La Creperie invokes a sense of class through their choice of interiors; from the wooden side tables with glass vases to their cut-out utensils holder that acts as the table's centerpiece. It's in these small touches of fancy & flourish that elevates the place a bit.

Spicy Chorizo with Olive Oil (Php 255)

And here's our only non-crepe dish of the night. Noodles were cooked just right while the chorizo bits were tasty albeit a bit bitin. 

Hungarian Crepe (Php 265)

We each got a dish from their Les Gastronomiques section; their savory crepe offerings made from wheat flour and served with a side salad. Smokey and peppery, just the way Hubby likes his Hungarian. 

Korean Shabu Shabu at Bulgogi Brothers and Modern Shanghai, Glorietta 2, Makati Philippines

We've had our fair share of Shabu Shabu nights. This time around, we were trying something different, Korean Shabu-Shabu to be exact. 

Ohh.. and did I mention that they offer crossover dining? ;)

To fully enjoy our Korean Shabu Shabu experience, we chose to sit in the Bulgogi Brothers side. While waiting for our orders for the night, they served us these appetizers. Liked everything except for the kimchi... not a fan.

Modern Shanghai Signature Xiao Long Bao (Php 188)

Xiao Long Bao makes its appearance. As you bite into one, you get to taste the usual pork filling.  Modern Shanghai's version of this soupy dumpling was pleasing on the tongue. A nice start to our meal.

Deep Fried Squid with Spicy Salt & Pepper (Php 388)

This lightly breaded crunchy squid seasoned with salt & pepper dish was okay. Cooked nicely & had none of the rubbery texture that screamed overcooking. Serving size though was a bit of an issue. 

Deep Fried Crispy Chicken with Garlic (Php 688)

Here's another crunchy dish from Modern Shanghai. Well cooked; crispy on the outside yet still moist & tender on the inside. This would've been a great dish except for the price. Honestly, you'll be able to get this dish for half the price in other Chinese restaurants.

Soon after, our server began setting up the mini on-table stove. 

Tasty Treats at Tim Ho Wan, Glorietta 3, Makati Philippines

Seeing this all over Glorietta, I couldn't contain my excitement.

Finally, they're opening one right in our neighborhood! ;)

We were able to go on the 3rd day but the long line & full capacity seating made us feel like it was opening day all over again. Good thing waiting time only took about 10 minutes. 

They led us in their function room where it was more private and had lots more elbow room. A nice start to our evening.

Chinese Fusion at Kwong's Provisions, Hole in the Wall, Century City Mall Philippines

There's a new foodie place in town and its name is Hole in The Wall. 

This is a food court with an elegant & classier feel to it. The dining areas are cut into sections with different themes & interiors. Playful & inviting, Hole in the Wall have none of the hurried vibe we typically see in food courts. Observe, they even have high-backed chairs for comfort & that antler light fixture that seems reminiscent of the one seen in the Kutcher/Heigl movie Killers.

For their al-fresco diners, seating fixtures that resemble mini-greenhouses; monoblock white chairs & wicker seats were available. 

Due to the time constraint (we had an appointment for 9:15pm), we just went with the first brightly lit food stall we saw. 

Pizza Afternoon at Motorino Pizza, Greenbelt 3, Makati Philippines

Having had the chance to try Neapolitan pizza & loving it, I was really excited about eating at Motorino. ;)

This used to be a different Italian restaurant. Hmmmm.. that seems to be the trend for this specific space in Greenbelt.  

Loved how the shiny ceiling & red lights connects with the wall painting; it makes you feel like you're really driving on the bridge. ;)

If you aren't into all that stainless, they have this booth. Here they keep it simple & woodsy. 

The HUGE oven where all the pizza magic happens! ;)

Peking Duck Night at The Eight by Choi, Greenbelt 2, Makati Philippines

It's another Sunday dinner out with Hubby's family. This time, we were going to try out the newly opened restaurant of Choi Garden in Greenbelt. Welcome to The Eight by Choi.

These fancy fixtures of hanging fishes, complete with bubbles, were eye-catching.

With high back chairs and bishop hat-shaped table napkins, its going to be a night of fine dining. And for that special occasion, you can request their red-on-red table setting as pictured above.

For tonight, reservations were made for a private room.

Here's what we had for dinner.

Instead of the usual peanuts for appetizer, they served this.

Doesn't this remind you of the Filipino Lechon Kawali? In Chinese restaurants, they call this Lechon Macau and serve it with a side of spicy yellow mustard. The 8 by Choi's version was not bad; with its crunchy skin and tender & juicy meat. Definitely a nice start to our meal. ;)   

XO Radish Cake Large (Php 900)

A must-try, the cubed radish is really soft & squishy on the inside, just the way I like it. The chopped veggies & slivers of meat made it a complete meal.