I've never been noticed as a foodie before so imagine my excitement when I was chosen as a "Blogger Judge" by the UP Economics Society for Foodgasm 4.  I knew I just had to free up my hectic schedule for it.

I'm glad I went there because I haven't tried all the food participants.  Plus, the bands was great too.

Having tried all the food participants... Let me share my feedback with you based on the order of the score sheet just to be fair.

Cuptain Cakes: Batak Sesame

I'm generally not a fan of cupcakes but I enjoyed the Batak Sesame cupcake from Cuptain Cakes because it was moist and not overly sugary.  I liked the bold taste of sesame in the icing but would've loved it better if the flavor on the cupcake itself was stronger.  

Check out:
Cuptain Cakes Facebook Fan Page

Niku Niku: Crabstick

Niku Nuki's Crabstick is fun to eat as a comfort Japanese snack.  The batter and nori was fresh and crisp so it was a good way to complement the crabstick concealed within.  This won as"People's Choice".


Check out:
Niku Niku Facebook Fan Page

Cooking Ina's: Chocolate Rhumballs

 Being a chocoholic, I loved Cooking Ina's Chocolate Rhumballs!  They were so generous too. =) I had all 7 assortments: Wasabi, Chili, Double Dutch, Peanut, Coconut and White Milk Chocolate.  Cooking Ina's Kitchen offers bento boxes for lunch, snacks and dinner too.

 
To inquire:
Contact: (02) 823-2107
Email: cookinginaskitchen@gmail.com
Facebook Fan Page

Buenavi Food & Beverage: Pescado Gourmet Turo in Olive Oil

The Pescado Gourmet Turo in Olive Oil is good but it just lacks the X factor as compared to the rest for me.

Check out:
Facebook Fan Page

Babci Kuchnia: Polish Periogi

You could tell the success of the food when there are long lines for it and everyone wants to buy some to take home.Babci Kuchnia's Polish Periogi was that much of a hit!  I wasn't expecting anything but I was really stunned by how good it was!  Although this didn't win, this is definitely the winner for me. 

Their Periogi variants includes:

• Potato, onions and cheese
• Beef, vegetables and cheese
• Beef and sauerkraut
• Cheese and rum raisin

To inquire:
Contact: (0917) 5276147
Email: babcikuchnia@gmail.com
Facebook Fan Page 

Chorizo de Cebu

 The Chorizo de Cebu is good but not much to rave for.

To inquire:
Facebook Fan Page 

Chili Chili Bang Bang: Bite the Bullet and Original

Chili Chili Bang Bang's Bite the Bullet and Original got me really interested since I loved spicy stuff.  But, I was really disappointed to find out it wasn't spicy enough for me.


To inquire:
Contact: (02) 818-4180
Email: chilichilibangbangph@gmail.com
Facebook Fan Page

The Happy Monster's Elvis Pie

I was swooned by The Happy Monster's Elvis Pie.  It's a nice blend of everything!
 
To inquire:
Contact: (0922) 536-1191
Facebook Fan Page

Country Fries: Okonomiyaki

 The Country Fries: Okonomiyaki won as "most innovative".

 
To inquire:
Facebook Fan Page

Hungry Buster: Dying Burger

The champion of Foodgasm 4 is Hungry Buster's Dying Burger.  I'll let the photo speak for itself!  Just look at that thick beef patty.

Team Johnny: CheeCups

My friends' top pick is Team Johnny's CheeCups which ironically is one of the least for me.

Baking Bad: Bacon Cookies

They say everything with bacon is good... Well, Baking Bad's Bacon Cookies failed to impress me.

 They gave out free chicharon weee!

Modern Desserts: Pastillas Flan

 Modern Desserts's Pastillas Flan got great texture!  It's just a bit too sweet for me.


To inquire:
Contact: (0933) 334-1780
Facebook Fan Page

Mau's Cupcak Cafe: Yema-filled Crinkle Sandiwch

The Yema-filled Crinkle Sandiwch by Mau's Cupcak Cafe are just okay...


To inquire:
Facebook Fan Page 

Ruby Red Kitchen: Original Cinammon Monkey Bread and Parmesan Herb Monkey Bread

Ruby Red Kitchen's Original Cinammon Monkey Bread and Parmesan Herb Monkey Bread won as "Expert's Choice" and I couldn't agree more!  You've got to try this!


To inquire:
Contact: (0917) 860-5915
Facebook Fan Page
P.S. I forgot to take a photo of the Oreo Filled Cupcakes by Chef Francesca's Cupcakes Couture 
Check it out here: Facebook Fan Page
  
Tsinoy Foodies Verdict 
We really enjoyed our visit at Foodgasm 4!  Keep it up and see you next time. =D

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I've been to Baguio on almost every summer of my life but could you believe that I've never stepped upon The Manor Hotel.  If wasn't for Baguio Food Tour 2014 (#BFT2014), I wouldn't have discovered the elegance of The Manor Hotel and the gastronomic wonders of Le Chef's breakfast buffet.

 It was a chilly morning  when we arrived at The Manor Hotel. 

I couldn't help but fall in love with the beauty of the place.

It's very in line with nature and it is kid-friendly too.
 

Le Chef adopts a strict dress code.  It requires a  smart casual attire.  And, sleeveless shirts, tank tops and slipper sandals are not allowed so be sure to take note of that. 

Le Chef is connected with Le Chef Delicatessen so you can expect a wide range of freshly baked pastries among the buffet selections.

Pastries

They have the basic pastries like bread rolls, tasty bread, whole-wheat bread (for health-conscious ones like me) and croissants.

Pastries

I noticed that the pastries vary on every refill.  The pastries are offered with warm butter and jams: strawberry, mango and orange marmalade. 

 

Danish Puffs

Who could resist this luscious fruit-topped Danish Puffs?

Pancakes, Waffles, Danish Puff, Brownies

I had Pancakes with maple syrup, Waffles with blueberry and raspberry toppings, kiwi and peach Danish Puff and bitter-sweet Brownies with cashew bits (just the way I like it).

Cereal with Milk

Cereals has always been a popular choice with kids.  Well, two of my three (third being rice crispies) are available: corn flakes and coco puffs.

Monggo Soup with Roasted Garlic, Chili Flakes and Onion Leeks

I don't think I've ever appreciated the comfort of a hot bowl of healthy fiber-rich Monggo Soup with Roasted Garlic, Chili Flakes and Onion Leeks as I've had on that cool morning.

Mediterranean Vegetable

For something healthy, the Mediterranean Vegetable is a great choice.

Tuna Flakes

 My friend enjoyed mixing the Tuna Flakes with their Garlic Rice.

Spicy Seafood Salad

The Spicy Seafood Salad has tomatoes, bell peppers and cuttle fish.  It reminded me of kimchi but this is an extravagant rendition.

Assorted Cold Cuts

The Assorted Cold Cuts is composed of salami, proscuitto ham and salami.

Omelet Station

You can see from the way Kuya tosses the omellete that you're in good hands.

Mushroom Omelet, Orange Marmalade and Blueberry Jam Smeared Raisin Bread and Banana Bread

I just couldn't resist the fragrant smell of the Egg Omelette kuya was making so I requested an extra mushroom-filled one for me.  I also had their delicious Raisin Bread with Mango and Orange Marmalade Jam and Banana Loaf.

Corned Beef

Smoked Bangus

Salted Egg with Tomatoes

Almost all my favorite breakfast options were offered: Salted Egg, Corned Beef, Swordfish (danggit) and Smoked Bangus.

Longganisa

Longganisa is quite popular in the North.

Grilled Chicken

I enjoyed the Grilled Chicken the most.  It was tender and juicy.

Embutido

The Embutido is good!

 

Plain Yogurt, Strawberry Yogurt, Blueberry Yogurt and Muesli

If only I wasn't stuffed already I would have indulged myself with their yogurt offerings. But since I was, I only got to try the Plain Yogurt which was really good
 

Apple Compote

Peach

You can add the Apple Compote or Peach on your yogurt. 

Creamy Fruit Salad

My friends loved the Creamy Fruit Salad.

Mixed Fresh Fruits

They have a wide variety of Mixed Fresh Fruits: Papaya, Longgan, Banana, Pineapple, Watermelon and Honeydew.
 

Pineapple Juice, Orange Juices and Four Seasons Juice

Aside from brewed coffee or hot tea, they also have Pineapple Juice, Orange Juices and Four Seasons Juice for beverage options.



Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
I highly recommend Le Chef's breakfast buffet spread.  The price you pay is well-equated with the food quality and service that it offers. 

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Le Chef at The Manor Hotel
Ambiance	★★★★★	Breakfast Buffet: 550 php
Taste	★★★★
Service	★★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Le Chef at The Manor Hotel
Business Address	The Manor, Camp John Hay Loakan Rd, Baguio City,  Benguet, Philippines
Business Hours	6am-11pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	250-500
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(074) 424-0907
Other	Website

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I've always loved Singaporean cuisine but it's rarely available even in Manila.  It's a good thing that Rasa Pura has opened in Baguio City so that residents of the North Luzon Province can now experience authentic Singaporean dining.

Rasa Pura's kitchen is headed by a Singaporean master chef and makes use of imported spices from Singapore so you can be assured that of the authenticity in their dishes.  

They offer a superb fine dining ambiance which is elegant and spacious.

They have the typical round tables with lazy Susan for lauriat style dining and also square tables for smaller groups.  The Baguio Food Tour 2014 (#BFT2014) dined lauriat style so we chose the big round table.  This was actually our last stop on our trip and it was the one that my companions loved the most.

Food

Cold Dish Platter

Singapore Assorted Platter (1,200 php)

For starters, we had the Singapore Assorted Platter.  This is similar to the typical Chinese Cold Cuts Platter.  It has Century Egg, Kikiam, Singapore Prawns Salad, Asado and Egg Foo Yong.  

Soup

♥ Seafood Tofu Soup

The Seafood Tofu Soup is something new for me.  It's a clear soup that's very flavorful due to its abundant ingredients.

♥ Seafood Tofu Soup

It has beef strips, tofu and all sorts of seafood.

Vegetable

Kangkong in Spicy Singapore Shrimp Paste (350 php/Large)

The Kangkong in Spicy Singapore Shrimp Paste is crunchy kangkong in sambal belacan which is a combination of chili paste and shrimp paste. 


Fish

Steamed Pampano in Tausi Sauce

One of my favorite local fishes is Pampano.  But, I've never thought of it as an alternative for expensive fish variants.  This Steamed Pampano in Tausi Sauce is delicious because of the nice clean taste of the Pampano complemented by the tausi sauce and loads of fried garlic.


Shrimp

♥ Cereal Prawns

The Cereal Prawns is so good that we didn't spare any bit of this!  It was perfectly crunchy that you wouldn't want to spare even a tiny part of its shell.
 

♥ Singapore Chili Crab

I have always been a lazy crab eater.  I usually skip or ignore shelled crab dishes.  But, this Singapore Chili Crab is definitely one of the best I've ever tried!  I just couldn't stop myself from indulging this huge platter till its empty.

 

Mantao

I've always loved Mantao (fried buns).  I ate this with the sauce of the Singapore Chili Crab.  Yummy!


Meat

♥ Singapore Famous Satay (Pork BBQ) (40 php/stick)

No doubt, the Singapore Famous Satay (Pork BBQ) was well-loved by all of us.  Everyone was praising how tender and tasty it was.  This is also one of the best satay I've had.


Chicken
 

Authentic Singapore Hainanese Chicken (600 php/whole)

The Authentic Singapore Hainanese Chicken is one of the most popular Singaporean dishes.  This version is pretty good.

Authentic Singapore Hainanese ChickenSauces

Rice & Noodles 

Simgapore Fried Hockkien Mee (300 php/Large)

The Simgapore Fried Hockkien Mee is mixture of yellow noodles and thick rice vermicelli with egg, prawns, squid, pork and chives. 


Beverage

♥ Singapore Ginger Milk Tea (70 php)

I've tried Singapore Pull Tea before but never tried one with ginger.  The Singapore Ginger Milk Tea is really good!


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Rasa Pura is a must stop for authentic Singaporean dishes in Bagiuo City.  The price is a bit steep but that's because you're guaranteed the best authentic Singaporean fine dining experience with the finest quality and cooked by a Singaporean master chef.  I suggest you dine in groups as serving sizes are intended for that. 

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Rasa Pura Menu
Ambiance	★★★★	Menu 1 | Menu 2 |
Taste	★★★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Rasa Pura
Business Address	42 CM Recto cor. Leonard Wood,  Baguio City, Philippines
Business Hours	10:30 am-10:30 pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	500-1,500
Free WiFi	No
Unlocked Foursquare Perks	None
Contact	(0998) 984-8158
Other	Facebook Fan Page

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