Oktoberfest 2011 at Sofitel Philippine Plaza

So it's already October, and October + Beer + Beer Maiden means it's time for...? 

 OKTOBERFEST 2011 at Sofitel Philippine Plaza!!

The German Club Manila and Sofitel Philippine Plaza play hosts to the 73rd Oktoberfest Manila on October 20-23, 2011! Bring on the beers, bratwursts and Bavarian spirit at this four day fun and booze-filled extravaganza for those who want to celebrate the traditions, entertainment and Bavarian food and beverage spreads reminiscent of the classic German folk festival.

Post Op on the Ultimate Taste Test 6.0

How many people can say they get text reminders from Mr. Our Awesome Planet himself? (ME!)

Busy with last week's BEST DEALS On SALE event, I almost forgot to visit the Ultimate Taste Test 6.0 at the Rockwell Tent last Saturday if Anton didn't message me about it. And of course, off running I went to make it to the fantabulous food festival Anton has been organizing for years for home bakers, ingenue caterers, and specialty food goodies waiting to be discovered by foodies.

Here are some of my favorite food finds...

Crepe ala Pandekager (aka Pancake-Bike)

Crepes are, what I would call, the ultimate mobile munchie; easy as a sandwich, tasty as a slice of pizza, and portable as an ice cream cone.

Introducing the Pancake Bike

The crepe is made even cooler when its made to order, to your fancy, from a 3-wheel tricy-cart. It appeals to me even more because this is probably the only bicycle contraption I would be comfortable pedaling. No 2-wheelers for me. No need to look for a place to grab dessert, let dessert come to you.

Loitering around the busy shopping streets of Stroget in Copenhagen is another example of Copenhagenization at its yummiest: Introducing the Pandekager, otherwise known as the PancakeBike. There are about 4 PancakeBikes around the city, each calling out to your sweet tooth and your pocket change.

Mara's Mille Feuille Crepe Cake

This cake is soooo good, even Jimmy Choo wants some (check out the side-eye)

 

As a belated happy birthday present to ToT, my travel soulmate Cheska "didn't know what to get for the girl who has it all. But when (she) tried this cake, she knew this was it!" Love the message, chick!

The box was sweetly pink, with adjectives that evoke the essence of whatever baked wonder is inside  it.

Pizzeria Mozza by Mario Batali

These are, by far, the best chicken wings I have EVER tasted. Of course they should be damn good, the wings came from Mario Batali's kitchen.

I've had my eye on Osteria Mozza ever since arriving Singapore and learning that Mario Batali has a branch of his establishment at Marina Bay Sands. Sadly, since the Osteria is only open for dinner, we decided for the next best thing for our last lunch in Singapore...

Pizzeria Mozza by Mario Batali

Hawker Haven at Maxwell Food Centre + BEST Hainanese Ever

That's it. I'm in love with Hawker Food

It was really providence that our hotel is located right across Maxwell Food Centre, one of the most popular hawker hotspots in the whole of Singapore. So famous, in fact that one notable celebrity foodie has deemed some of the dishes from the stalls at Maxwell "the Best of the best".

Anthony Bourdain, are you talking about Hainanese Chicken Rice?!?

The Three Lechon Flavors of General's Lechon

Hello my lovely porkers, we meet again.

Three Little Pigs

Since I traverse back and forth Cebu on a regular basis, I've become somewhat of a lechon-snob. I like my porkers tasty, crispy (skin), and tender (meat) without the over-abundance of fat; the combination is next to impossible. I've even gone as far as to roast my own lechon de leche (suckling pig) just so I can attain the perfect pork. So imagine my delight when I was invited to chow down not one, but three different types of lechon from grassroots company General's Lechon. I say, why settle for one when you can have three?

I don't normally attend events for bloggers, but when Anton and Spanky call for a gathering, I'm (almost) always in because I know these two have dining du jour down pat. And when they holler "Lechon", my ears begin ringing.

Cupcake Confidential

FML

So I started my Monday with determination that TODAY was the day I begin the road to recovery; recovery of my figure, that is. So imagine my disdain when I arrive toting a lunch-pail full of juice cleanses for the day and see this sitting pretty on my office desk. 

 A friend is developing a new concept for cupcakes and wanted ToT's honest opinion on the quality before she forges ahead in her endeavor. Honestly, I wanted to kill her for putting Day 1 of my Master Cleanse on a serious test of character. I was ready to battle the cupcake demons... but then I spotted a smidgen of red... RED VELVET!?!

Battle of the Breakfasts: Bouchon at Venetian Las Vegas

I just finished watching Hangover 2 and, though the movie is now based in Bangkok, I couldn't help but reminisce the last time I hit up Sin City and lived the suite life.

Instead of partying it up and waking up with a nasty hangover, I decided to take the old-lady route and got up early to have one of the best breakfasts I've had in a very, very long time.

 Yes, I went to Bouchon Bistro, Chef extraordinaire Thomas Keller's casual counterpart to French Laundry.

Super Salads at Cafe Georg

I'm a big salad fan, if you know where to get the good stuff. Now I've found a great place to get hearty salads whenever I'm in Cebu, and it's not a secret to the Cebuanos.

Cafe Georg

Located in Banilad in Cebu City, Cafe Georg is a cutesy coffee shop-cum-meeting place for a lot of the locals. Many tourists would have a hard time locating the restaurant, but any well-fed Cebuano will lead you to Cafe Georg if your looking for easy eats and hearty meals.

Sunday Stovetop: Shrimp Scampi Pasta with Feta & Olives

Shrimp Scampi Pasta w Feta & Olives

Last Sunday I realized how much I had missed whipping up something in my kitchen. My S-i-L called me up and requested I make my Shrimp Scampi for a get together at her place, and I was all excited to be able to flex my cooking muscles. Here's the recipe, it's super easy and I'm sure you guys will love it as much as everyone at the party.

To make the Scampi you need several ingredients available on most supermarkets, nothing fancy over here... but I do have a secret weapon. I'm also not very keen on actual portioning since I usually eyeball things, so it's up to you how much or little you wanna add on some of the herbs.

 

Shrimp

To make Scampi, first you need some... well, scampi, otherwise known as Shrimp. I like to buy the shell-on kind so that the flavors are still intact. You need to peel them but you can use the shells and head as seasoning for another dish. Or for "Ginisa". Buy about half a kilo to a kilo, depends how generous you want to be with the shrimp.

Holiday Goodie Giveaway #10.2: A SET of Vosges Chocolates!

CONGRATULATIONS BLANK PIXELS FOR WINNING THE VOSGES CHOCOLATES GOODIE GIVEAWAY!

CHECK YOUR EMAIL TOMORROW FOR DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS!

Guess it was just about unanimous. When I asked ToT readers which they would rather win as a Goodie Giveaway, you all screamed CHOCOLATES!!!

During my recent visit to California, I went to my favorite Whole Foods store to pickup some goodies for myself and for ToT-ers. I also stocked up on my ultimate opulent indulgence: Vosges Chocolates.

Hello, I'm ToT and I'm a Lace Cookie-holic

Damn it. I've been cookiefied.

So last week I Tumbler'd that I had spent PhP15k (almost $350) on these cookies. The responses were borderline vulgar, but it was a big order, and I had to share it to the world!

Would You Rather Win...

I'm having a bit of a Goodie Giveaway Crisis...

 I'm thinking if I should give away delectably crunchy Tate's Cookies

 Or sensual sweets from Vosges Chocolates?

Commenters' Choice gets the vote! Let me know which shouts at your sweet tooth!

Kinder Krazy

 Only because it's rainy and I'm hormonal... I really want some KINDER products! Namely, Kinder Bueno ( hazelnut creme-filled wafers dipped in milk chocolate), Kinder Cioccolato (little chocolate bars with white milk chocolate in the middle), and... Nutella & Go!

Awed and Odd at Aubergine

Let's say you're on a date, and towards the end of the night all you could think of is dessert and how good it would be right at that moment when all you want to do is impress someone. When the platter arrives, you take one look at the (above) dessert, another look at your date, and you realize... you have no idea what the heck that is! Ok, that isn't really the case, but I thought it a bit amusing to begin with that dessert platter because it's just plain whimsical. That's my Amuse Bouche for this post.

 A few nights ago I was on my way to dinner and was blindsided towards Aubergine. Blindsided because this was not the intended restaurant for the evening, but apparently I didn't get the memo on the location change. No complaints, I love Aubergine; It's the perfect date place if you want to impress a lady. Beware if that lady happens to be ToT, she knows how to burn a hole in your pocket.

Burritoville in Ristras

I love a good burrito...

When I moved from Santa Monica, CA to New York, I was worried I'd miss out on my Mexican fix which is a staple in SoCal. I'm so addicted to Mexican (the good kind) I'll search for it in every nook and cranny.

Cebu Lechon Ala Zubuchon

On one of my frequent trips to Cebu, I brought home some very tasty pasalubong conveniently found at the airport. Coming into Cebu, I usually get a healthy breakfast of toast, so going out of Cebu, ToT decided to indulge in a little more cholesterol

 Lechon! 

But not just any kind of lechon. Apparently the "best pig ever" by Anthony Bourdain!

Some Zubuchon Lechon!

True Spanish Tapas at Ipar's, Cebu

Imagine eating all those plates of food, and finishing them too! When the plates are so small, you don't feel as guilty munching on a lot of things. That's the beauty of Tapas!

When in Cebu, visit Ipar's Restaurante Y Bar de Tapas for some of the most authentic & tasty Spanish cuisine in the Philippines. I'm not kidding, it's pretty spot on from the ambiance to the cuisine.

Pad Thai & People Watching at People's Palace

Last week I was craving for some really strong Thai flavors after a recent not-so-satisfying Thai meal at MyThai. Since there are only a handful of Thai restos in Manila that I'm aware of, I headed to the one that always pops up in my head. Which also happens to be one of the hottest spots to be in and be seen, which I'm all for even if it means traveling to Greece just to eat by ZE sunset.

People Palace at Greenbelt 3

Home of the Floor to Ceiling windows perfect for people watching.