I guess since the family is mostly ladies, we were all attrached by the cute signage of Mirinae Tea.

I mean how could we resist the color pink with matching cute little hearts right?

So we decided to make a quick stop to try it out.  Because of the cuteness, we thought it was Taiwanese or Korean.  To our surprise, it was actually a local concept.  Also, the counter had a  different sign "Milky Way Tea" which was it's former name according to the staffs.


It has a nice interior.  I love the colorful place mat idea.  It was very spacious too.  But, the electric fans were a bit of a turn off to the overall atmosphere for me.



Food


Moffle (Mochi + Waffle)

Green Tea Moffle Large (170 php)

We were curious to try the Moffle which was said to be the mochi plus waffle so we wanted to order the Green Tea Moffle in regular for sampling.  Unfortunately and odd enough, they didn't have the regular size available but the large size was available so we had no choice but to order it in large instead.  

We liked it.  I'll try doing this at home.  It was basically mochi flour mixed with matcha powder then cooked in a waffle maker.  I think you can even use the Beksul Instant Sesame Glutinuous Bread Mix with this. For topping, I'd prefer if they only added red beans as the condense milk made it a bit too sweet for me.  We also did not like their cream.  After tying the cream, no one wanted it.  "Nakakaumay siya".

Drinks

Rock Salt and Creamy Cheese Tea

Green Tea Rock Salt and Creamy Cheese Tea R (85 php)

For the record, the Green Tea Rock Salt and Creamy Cheese Tea is by far the worse tea drink we've tried.  Their Creamy Cheese topping is really bad that it ruined the whole experience.  

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
I don't think we'll be visiting Mirinae Tea again due to our disappointing experience. 

I can still remember my pre-teen years when billiards and bowling was the "in" thing.  Whether it's with family or classmates, we'd play at Robinson's Place Manila. After that I'd buy my favorite Cinnamon Pretzel from Auntie Anne's and cap my snack off with a single cone of Pistachio Ice Cream from Baskin Robins located just outside the bowling center.  Later on, the craze faded and I rarely visited that side and when I did, Baskin Robbins had already closed down. 

When I heard that it opened at Central Square, I persistently convinced the family to have our dessert there.   It was a rainy day but as you can see, there are still lines

Before you can reach the ordering station's you'll first go through the enticing cake display.  I hope I can try this on one of my birthdays.

There's an ordering book there too.

There's a procedure guide on top of the chillers.

You can also have a taste before selecting.

Here are our orders.

Green Tea (139 php/Single Scoop)

Mint Chocolate Chip (139 php/Single Scoop)

Rum Raisin (139 php/Single Scoop)

Very Berry Strawberry (139 php/Single Scoop)

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
I'm glad Baskin Robbins is back and we got to try it again.  It's still as good.  I'll try their cake next time.

It's funny how timely opportunity seems to just knock on my door.  Just a few weeks ago, my friend Hana, her better half Kyle and I were planning to go for a Maginhawa food trip.  A week later, we all received an invited along with our blogger friends to go join their Food Panda Maginghawa Food Crawl.  I'm so glad Food Panda organized such a gastronomic adventure because we would never have made an itinerary as awesome as they did!  Our first stop was Katz Diner. 
  
Katz Diner is located in Malingap Sikatuna Village (within the Maginhawa area).  It has two parking slots and an al fresco area which you can visibly from the outside.

Inside, you'll see that it's no ordinary hall in the wall.  It's very bright, warn, colorful and cozy with nice frames hanged on its walls and quirky displays.

Simple but very pleasing to the eyes right?


Food

Entrees

Grilled Pork Steak (260 php)

The Grilled Pork Steak is a plateful of sweet marinated pork cuts which is great when dipped in the vinegar-based sauce.  It is also served with a cup of rice, fried egg, pickled radish and carrots and fresh slices of tomatoes and cucumber. 

♥ Roast Pork Belly (290 php)

Isn't the Roast Pork Belly just stunningly beautiful?  We all had a few seconds just looking at this to appreciate it before digging in.  Some of the skin delivered a crackling sensation.  The roast pork belly was so soft and so flavorful as it was swimming in gorgeous, gratifying although quite guilt-bearing oil.  The oiliness was properly subdued by the delicious sweet potato puree, gravy and chimchuri sauce.  It also comes with a cup of rice, fried egg and pickled cucumber.


All Day Breakfast

♥ Longganisa (185 php)

My favorite among our orders would be the Longganisa.  Although my mom is from Ilocos Sur and we regularly cooked longanisa at home, I super rarely eat them because I'm not much of a fan.  I'm so glad that Katz' Longganisa is unlike any other.  It is deconstructed into bits and mixed with a delicious salsa.  It actually felt like eating a Filipino-style taco but with scrambled egg and rice instead of cispy taco shell or soft tortilla.


Dessert

♥ Lava Cake (100 php)

Save room for dessert because there's the Lava Cake!

♥ Lava Cake (100 php)

The Lava Cake has a rich, sweet, gooey chocolate fudge that oozes out in every forkful.  Yum!

Drinks

♥ Brewed Tea (80 php)

For drinks, the hot Brewed Tea is highly recommended!  You can choose between black tea or oolong tea and they serve it with a mix of creamy sweet milk.

Tea-Based

Citrus Tea Pitcher (140 php)

I found the Citrus Tea a bit too sweet but I liked that the citrus flavor was bold enough to be distinguished.

Yakult-Based

♥ Green Tea Yakult (90 php) *Sample size only

The Green Tea Yakult we tried was at a sugar level of 25%.  It was just right for me.  I liked their blend.  I could sense the floral flavor of the green tea and at the same time, recognize the sweet and tangy flavor of the Yakult.


Order from Katz Diner Through Food Panda
Food Panda is an online delivery service available in over 35 countries.  If don't want to hassle yourself to go Maginhawa (I personally find it difficult to commute in that area), you can easily order from Katz Diner through Food Panda. 

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
If you're looking for a diner that serves hefty breakfast with a nice atmosphere to brighten your day, then consider Katz Diner.  It's also an ideal place to just chill (they have a very good air conditioning) and relax.  Their drink selections are very affordable and really good.  But, I can't say the same for most of their food items.

I've heard a lot of raves about Pao Pao Xiao Chi Milk Tea from other blogs.  I've read remarks that thsi local brand even tops their lists against globally recognized milk tea chains.   Being a huge milk tea fan, this has long aroused my curiosity. 


A few weeks ago, I've spotted Pao Pao Xiao Chi Milk Tea at the new U-Pad Residences along Vito Cruz or Pablo Ocampo and decided to buy some for the family.  I also bought some takoyaki from a neighboring stall which the family failed to appreciate. =(

The staff was very friendly and even helped me in deciding what to order.   

Drinks

Milk Tea
 

♥ Banana Milk Tea (80 php)

 Being a fan of Korean banana milk drinks, I was excited to spot Banana Milk Tea in their menu.  The fact that I've never had Banana Milk Tea enticed me even more.  I asked the staff if they use fresh bananas and I was informed that they use powder.  I was skeptic at how it would taste like but still insisted on it.  I'm glad I made the right choice!  This is the best variant we've tried there.  It even got to buy this again for the following weeks.


Rock Salt & Cheese

♥ Chocolate RSC (90 php)

My brother requested the Chocolate RSC. It was delicious!  It was dark and rich with a slight bitter sweetness. 

Green Tea RSC (90 php)

The Green Tea RSC failed to impress all of us.  It just lacked in terms of tea flavor. 
 

Peppermint Milk Tea (70 php)

The Peppermint Milk Tea was okay but nothing spectacular.


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
I don't know if it was because we set our standards to high because of the lot of online raves Pao Pao Xiao Chi Milk Tea received from other blogs but we were honestly disappointed save for the Banana Milk Tea.

My family is loves tea and coffee so we've been eager to try out da.u.de (da-you-deh) Tea Lounge since it has opened.  Unfortunately, due to my hectic schedule, we only got to try and have long planned tea party last December while on our way to Bonifacio High Street to buy some present for our dogs at Hobbes and Landes.


da.u.de (da-you-deh) Tea Lounge has a nice, clean and slightly sophisticated facade.  It has an indoor and outdoor area. 


Since we visited during a sunny afternoon, we opted to sit inside.  It had small tables and cozy seats. 
 
They also sell tea leaves and other tea brewing items.


We sat by the wall where loyal customers have made their marks.  I saw the message of fellow bloggers and several celebrities there.

Food

High Tea Good for Two (1,400 php)

The High Tea is a three-tiered tray that is available from 3 pm to 6pm.  When it was served, we were that sharing is not allowed.  For two people, this is a quite a satisfying tea snack.  
 

High Tea Good for Two (1,400 php)

♥Roasted Vegetable Tartine

Couture Blends and Premiere Tea

♥ Skala 8 oz (100 php)

♥ Passion Green 8 oz (100 php)

I failed to take note of their orders but I recall that we just followed the suggestion of our server.  Everyone was delighted with their drinks upon first sip.  

Young
~Defines me

I was the only one who ordered a cold beverage.  It took awhile before my Cajun Watermelon Smash was served. Upon serving, I was given the chance to choose my paper straw.  It opted for the dotted ones because it so cute.

♥ Cajun Watermelon Smash 16 oz (160 php)

I enjoyed my Cajun Watermelon Smash.  The blend is just brilliantly refreshing with some nice spice to it.  Had I know it would be so good, I should've ordered the larger serving since it had a lot of bits which occupied around half of the glass.


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
da.u.de (da-you-deh) Tea Lounge is a great place to sit back and relax with some tea, snacks and meals.  Having to eat on a tiered tray with some tea is a first for me and I loved the experience.  The highlight of our visit, of course, was the tea.  It gave us such a calming effect that was even carried over to our sleep that day.  But, the food didn't strike a lasting impression upon me save the Tea and Chocolate Pudding.  It was priced a bit on the high side too.