KFC Philippines, now have Baked Goodies

First saw this egg tarts in KFC Hong Kong almost 5 years ago.  It just arrive in the Philippines lately.  KFC now have baked products, such as baked macaroni and this egg tart.

The egg tarts here are a little bit smaller than the one I tasted in Hong Kong.  Maybe, they made it so that the price is more affordable in the Philippine market.  The egg tart costs P29 (about $0.70 USD). 

Egg Tart box for take-out(to go) "Baked" line of KFC Products 

So, how was it?  It was delicious, the crust is like a croissant, light and fluffy.  The egg part was like egg pie, the crust was the major difference with the ordinary egg pie.  I suggest you never let this desert cool off, so you can taste it at its best.

I would buy it again, if I'm craving for it.  I was able to buy one in KFC Shopwise branch in the Araneta Center, Cubao, QC, during lunch time.  I'm not sure, if other branches have it already since their website (http://www.kfc.com.ph) does not seem to have it on their menu.

New Philippine Product: Smart C+

New product from Oishi brand in the Philippines.  This product is advertised as high-Vitamin C juice drink, made with all natural fruit juice with no preservatives.

I just hope, what they are saying are true, and it won't make people any more fatter drinking their product.  Even though they say it has sugar cane in the ingredients, I think it is refined sugar.

They currently only have 3 flavors: Pomelo(grapefruit), Orange, and Lemon.  I have tasted them all, and I prefer the Lemon from all the three choices.

As of today, Smart C+ 500mL cost around P17.40 (about $0.41) in NCR (National Capital Region) in the Philippines.  Price could vary from store to store around P1.00 difference.

Also, available is a smaller size, for those who just want to taste it.


The product website: http://oishi.com.ph/products/beverages/smart_c/4

Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt in SM MegaMall

Another place in SM Megamall, which is a good place to get frozen yogurt is Tutti Frutti.  This specific branch is located at SM Megamall Atrium on the 4th level.  Tutti Frutti have delicious tasting frozen yogurts in different flavors, that is not sour and not too sweet.  They have melon, apple, strawberry, watermelon, and soybean among others.

This picture of a yogurt in their cup looks delicious 

Tutti Frutti sells frozen yogurt by the oz. at P20 (around $0.50 USD).  Like all other frozen yogurts out there, it is a bit expensive.

Tutti Frutti has a very wise and practical business model, they sell their frozen yogurt by weight.  That way you get charged even if the ice cream is a bit melted.  Paper cup, you use for the frozen yogurt is also part of the weight you pay per oz. at P20.

The store location is also almost hidden, you will never find it by accident, if you're in Megamall for the first time.

Store front of Tutti Frutti in SM Megamall

They're not doing anything special for us consumers to get curious about.

If it wasn't for their latest frozen soybean yogurt poster, I don't think we would be in the store, the magic word here is YOGURT.  Their signage is a bit misleading too, looking at it makes me think of regular fruit ice cream that is very sweet and unhealthy for me.

half eaten frozen yogurt, yum

When I first ate there, I was surprised, the small cup I had filled with frozen yogurt cost P145 without toppings of any kind.  After that first visit, I devised a technique to estimate the cost.

The technique, I use to estimate how much it will cost me, is to mentally counting from 1 to 6.  From the time you press the lever to release the soft serve frozen yogurt, you start counting 1, almost as fast as 1 second per count.




I know it will look like you haven't have much frozen yogurt on your cup when you reached 6, but trust me, it will cost you around P100-P120 (about $3).

You may adjust your counting to less than 6, if you only plan to spend less then P100 for a frozen yogurt.  Also, if your a slow counter, you need to lower it to 4.  Or just time with your watch to 4 seconds to stop the frozen ice cream from pouring on your cup.

I ate there more than once and the taste is still pretty good, you may have to spend an average of P100 to savor the delicious frozen yogurt.

I recommend this store for  its delicious frozen yogurt, and that there is actually no line to the cashier.

Their website is http://tuttifrutti.com.ph/

Grocery items cost in Manila Philippines

This is again another price list of some items available in the Philippines.

You may have landed on this blog on either you where searching for cheese in the Philippines.  Anyway, here are some of the products we have in the grocery store in the Philippines on the first half of the year 2012.  Prices may vary for about a couple of pesos in different supermarket or grocery stores in the Philippines.

This are usual things people buy for snacks or simple sandwiches, except for the pasta.  That one is for the weekend snack at home.

Here are the prices of grocery items converted into USD at 42 peso rate.

• Spaghetti pasta 250g - Php20.00 (around $0.47)
• Century Tuna (Solid in Water) in can - Php37.50 (around $0.89)
• Alaska Evaporated Milk Tetra Pack - Php25.00 (around $0.59)
• Magnolia Cheddar Cheese 185g - Php66.00 (around $1.57)
• Eden Cheese Singles (pack of 6) - Php48.00 (around $1.14)
• Eden Cheese 450g - Php105.00 (around $2.50)
• Gardenia White Loaf Bread - Php61.00 (around $1.45)

This is good for 2 persons

Let me know at the comments section, if it's more expensive here in the Philippines or cheaper compared to where you are currently.  Please note, that the prices are inclusive of all taxes, unlike in Canada where the price on the shelf does not reflect inclusive of taxes.

Supermarket goods in the Philippines

Selecta Fortified Milk

Alaska Condensed Milk

I have been meaning to place some of the current prices of some of our goods in the Philippines.  This is basically for people abroad, who wonder how much does this thing cost in the Philippines.

When I was in another country, I wanted to compare the price on some of the products I was holding with my home country products.

Here are some of the products I was able to get a hold of, but more to come on my later blogs:
US Dollar was computed using $1 = Php42 Philippine Peso exchange rate.

• Highland canned Corned Beef 150g - Php35.00 (around $0.80 US)
• Pure Foods canned Corned Beef 210g (well known brand) - Php64.00 (around $1.50 US)
• Alaska Condensada Tetra Pack 250mL - Php38.50 (around $0.91 US)
• Selecta Fortified Filled Milk 1L  - Php62.50 (around $1.48 US)
• Mott Apple Juice 64oz - P299.00 (around $7.11 US) - Yes, this one is an imported product

Note: Prices are from a supermarket store and could be lower or higher in other stores.  Also, this is the price in Metro Manila, Philippines.

Recommended Restaurant in SM Megamall: Chefs' Quarter

Desert Menu

I found a new favorite restaurant accessible to us working in Makati or Cubao, when going home to Pasig passing via EDSA SM Megamall FX.  Before, when my family and friends ask me what is a good resto I can recommend in SM Megamall, I usually say I don't have anything in particular to recommend.

Sure, there's the Classic Savory Restaurant, best Chinese style roast chicken I've tasted, but ambiance and service are lacking there of.  It has been their trademark, I guess, to have cramp space that they try to maximize their rented space by placing most table and chair inside and outside their store.  But, let's talk about Classic Savory in another blog, and continue with Chefs' Quarter in SM Megamall.

I never really had a favorite restaurant in SM Megamall, where I would not mind eating everyday.  That is until we (my girlfriend and I) discovered this nice place by accident.  We are trying to find a new place to eat since most of the other resto there isn't serving what we were looking for at that time.  We are looking for quality food, good ambiance, great service, and fair-reasonable price.  Discovery of this place is all credited to my girlfriend, she's the one who decided to try Chefs' Quarter.  And she's the one who usually introduce me to new restaurants that are a sure hit on our taste buds.  Let's go on with the review.

My rating of the place after eating there twice at different dates and time:

• Food Quality - 4 stars (very good)
• Ambiance - 5 stars (excellent)
• Service - 4 stars (very good)
• Value  -  4 stars (very good)

Reasons behind the rating:

Food Quality is very good, you won't find this flavor in just any restaurant.  You will know, the person who made it has been trained well and is skilled.  It could have been excellent, if all their food was good.  As with all restaurants, there are food in their menu in which they are not good at all.  Sample is the Fish and Chips they have on their menu.  Every time, I see a Fish and Chips on a restaurant's menu, I want to try their version.  Their version failed, they don't do it traditional batter with beer, they do it with tempura crumbs, tartar sauce was not tasty too.  So you should avoid the Fish and Chips in this restaurant.  The plating of their food is also good and appetizing.

Ambiance is excellent, at least the table we had near a window looking at Julia Vargas Ave. is good.  We went there twice, we had the same table for 2, but it could accommodate 3 persons.  Place was clean; their wash room was clean (they have their own toilet inside their resto even thou the mall wash room is near) and they have separate male and female wash room inside. Place was well put up, you can walk without disturbing other guests, entrance has a wide area to walk around, tables are well arranged perfectly for their wide rental space.  It has a high class feel of fine dining, it's like you're in a mansion or country club.

Service is very good, they are a bit better than some restaurants. Their waiters do check your drinks if it needs refill or if you need anything.  This usually deteriorate as time goes by, the service does become an issue, when you can't seem to get the waiter's attention when you need something.  Cook time is also good, we didn't wait that long.

Value is very good, reasonable price for product & package you get overall.  Some restaurant have high prices, but food is very ordinary.  This place however, gives you what you paid for, you won't feel cheated out of the price, the servings are usually good for two.  I saw their menu online on their other branch, I think in the SM Megamall branch the prices are a bit lower and more affordable about 30% less.

Chefs' Quarter Steak

Oh wow, even though it looks small the taste is very nice.  I ordered steak before, and some of them fail in taste and preparation.  Chefs' Quarter Steak is something you should try when you decide to dine in their place.

It may have been just the other dish that have over powered the taste the second time we ate, it seemed a bit less tasty.

Baked Three Cheese Lasagna Bolognese

This dish had me surprised, I was expecting the usual lasagna you order, where there are more noodles than meat.  Man oh man, I was happy with this one.  It was full of Bolognese meat, and the three cheese was just very tasty. It's really good for two.

It was too tasty, that the two garlic bread that came with it is not enough.  The steak was over powered by this dish.  Next time we should eat the steak first before this dish.


Did I mention their ice tea is made from freshly brewed tea, instead of powdered ones we usually find in restaurants?  That itself is a winner in my book.  I dislike powdered ice teas, they stick to my throat and at times I get sick after drinking those kind of ice teas.  This is one of the main reason, I want to go back to this place from now on.

Ok, just to be sure we are on the right page.  I am not a professional food critique. I am a food enthusiast, I enjoy eating at fine dining restaurants, fast food joints, and food stalls.  If you enjoy eating in Jollibee, McDonald's, Classic Savory, Taco Bell, Red Ribbon, French Baker, and Chocolate Kiss in UP then chances are you will like my recommended place 90%. If out of all I mentioned you dislike half of it, then chances are you won't like my recommendation.

Sorry, I wasn't able to take good pictures of the food.  You can visit them, when you are in Megamall and try my recommendations or explore some of their other menu items, just make sure you have enough money around P500 per person at maximum.  Just don't order their P700+ steak, if you're on a budget.

Leave a comment on places that are worth trying in Metro Manila, so I can try it myself.

Chatime milk tea drinks available in the Philippines

Grass Jelly with Fresh Milk

Last year (2011), I saw some stores open up and offering Milk Teas.  I pay no attention to them since, what's the difference on me making my own tea at home?  That is until a store opened near my work place, and I was given a free sample of their product by my girlfriend.  I was still not convinced that this is anything I would like.  But I had a hint that I liked the Jelly on the drink.  I think, it was milk tea with grass jelly.

So a week passed, we were walking and we saw the store packed with people in line to get their orders.  This is not only at the store near my work place, this is also true on their other branches.  People are lined up to order their milk tea at Chatime.  I was intrigued why this franchise is so popular, so I went to try something that I saw in their menu, which I was familiar with.  I used to eat Grass Jelly from a can when I was a kid, so this would probably be something I will like to drink.  To my surprise, when they served me the drink, the whole large plastic cup was full of Grass Jelly with enough fresh milk in between.

On my first sip, the taste was so good, I was hooked to Chatime from then on.  They seem to make their own grass jelly, since it's much softer and sweet than the ones I get from cans.  In fact, I recalled why I never bothered to eat grass jelly from cans anymore.

So, when you see Chatime in the mall you are in, don't hesitate to try something from there menu, of course, you have to like milk tea in the first place.  I myself don't like milk tea that much, so I got the Grass Jelly with fresh milk.

I think their prices, currently are:

• Medium size P85
• Large size P95

These prices are for the Grass Jelly with fresh milk.  Other items probably cost more or less, but are near the same price range.  Branches I know that are open are Gateway Mall & Robinson's Galleria.

flags on top of Chatime drink

There facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/chatimephilippines

Welcome to Food Philippines

Welcome, readers, I made this blog to help people know where there are good eats.  I often find myself wondering if there are any good restaurants or food stalls to visit here in the Philippines.  Hopefully with this blog I can help you save some money, by letting you know the establishments that have good food and service.

I will try to update often on places I have eaten and give my opinion on their food, service, ambiance. 

Also, from time to time, I will feature food and drinks available in the Philippine market.  I will inform you, on where it is available and how it is.