Dining In/Out (03/16/23)

Saga Wagyu and sake pairings in a six-course dinner

HOTEL Okura Manila invites guests to travel by taste to the historical Saga Prefecture in Japan through a six-course dinner featuring Saga Wagyu beef, elevated with authentic sake pairings. Four kitchen masters, including guest chef Hiroki Samata of the Federal Meat Academy of Japan, collaborate on a tasting menu that traverses through different interpretations of the premium beef. Saga-Gyu is made from the finest breeds of Japanese cattle raised on fertile farmlands within the prefecture. Saga beef is considered among the best of over 200 beef brands in Japan carrying a grade of 4 (or A4) by the country’s meat grading standards. The courses are paired with premium sake including sunflower and strawberry-flavored drinks from Amabuki Junmai, the award-winning bottles from Tenzan Sake Brewery, Shichida Junmai. The six-course dinner will be served on March 18, 7 p.m., at Yawaragi restaurant in Hotel Okura, at Newport World Resorts, Pasay City. Limited seats are available. Prices start at P9,100++ per person. For inquiries and reservations, call 5318-2888 or 0917-842-9067.

Newport World Resorts restaurants mark Women’s Month

HOTELS and restaurants in Newport World Resorts celebrate Women’s Month this March with deals, treats, and activities. Hilton Manila’s celebration, “Legally Pink,” runs until March 31, and includes power lunches, specially curated buffet offerings, and afternoon tea available every Friday, all in pink. Kusina Sea Kitchens, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, treats guests with a special “Buy 3, Get 1 Free” dinner buffet paired with free-flowing Pink Moscato for the ladies, and a spread of pink desserts every Wednesday. Price starts at P2,800+ per person. It is “Ladies’ Night Out” until March 31, with welcome drinks served at KAO, the newest VIP nightclub in Newport Mall. Every Wednesday in March is the day to raise a glass with select restaurants offering a variety of discounted deals on their drinks and alcoholic beverages. Taste the Spanish wine at Barcino and indulge in selected sangria and cocktails for two for P500. Nikkei Robata serves three drinks for P595+, while Rafael’s Tapas Bar & Restaurants offers “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” on all cocktails, and Parmigiano hasa “Buy 1 Get 1” deal on selected sangria and cocktails. These restaurants are located on the second floor of Newport Mall. Participating stores and outlets at the mall have Women’s Month Specials with shopping discounts and pampering sessions on offer until March 31. For more information on the Women’s Month offers, visit www.newportworldresorts.comand follow @newportworldresorts and @newportmall on Facebook and Instagram, and @nwresorts on Twitter.

Pancake House celebrates 49 years

PANCAKE House is now celebrating its 49th year in the business with special offers. First of all, it has redesigned its Feel Good Rewards Card using the brand’s signature fuchsia pink accented by its pancake icon. The card comes free for every P500 purchase, and users get a 10% discount for purchases of P600 in all Pancake House stores, free pancakes on their birthday month, and a free House Specials Set A upon registration. More deals are set to come for the Feel Good Rewards Card members this year. It is launching its own Lazada online store where customers can get deals when they buy exclusive Lazada voucher coupons and present them when dining at a Pancake House outlet. More treats are up for grabs on Pancake House’s birthday month with these promotions that will run until March 313: Plant-Based Classic Favorites powered by The Vegetarian Butcher, Chicken Taco and Pasta Choose Any Two for P399, Chicken Taco and Pasta All-You-Can Weekends for P399 every Friday to Sunday of March, and the Chicken Box Set that serves a feast for four for P999.

Cinema ’76 Café Tomas Morato now open   

MICROTHEATER Cinema ’76 Café has settled in its new home in Tomas Morato, Quezon City, opening a new restaurant. With its official launch on March 18, Cinema ’76 Café offers guests an elevated casual dining experience, featuring a menu of “progressive” Filipino dishes inspired not only by cinema but also by different flavors around the world. Designed by the chefs of the Center for Asian Culinary Studies led by Gene and Gino Gonzalez, the array of dishes ranges from comfort food to all-time favorite snacks as well a selection of handcrafted beverages like blended coffee drinks and classic cocktails. While the Anonas branch of the micro-cinema has permanently closed, the new location in Tomas Morato makes it even more accessible for film enthusiasts and foodies alike. “We wanted the café to reflect the needs of our growing customer base so we made sure to incorporate dining options for them, which we couldn’t implement in our former branch. With our spacious dining area and a customizable menu, we can do so much more and be an ideal venue for different types of events,” said TBA Studios President and COO Daphne O. Chiu in a statement. “Tomas Morato has always felt like the heart of the entertainment capital: Quezon City and we’re pleased and excited to be part of this community. We look forward to serving anyone looking for a unique place to dine,” she added. Cinema ‘76 Cafe is located at the second floor of the Terraces Building, Tomas Morato Avenue cor. Scout Borromeo, Quezon City. It is open Sunday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon and Friday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.   

Limited edition of Pocky flavors launched

THE POCKY Sunshine Paradise, a special summer blend of flavors including peach, lychee, and elderflowers, is coming to the Philippines. The limited edition of the snacks is being launched at the Clark Marriott Hotel. The hotel’s check-in guests will receive a complimentary pack in their rooms this month. Meanwhile, dinner guests can still enjoy this special flavor at some of Clark Marriott’s hottest dining spots. A surprise awaits every diner at the Pool Bar and Urban Coffee until March 31. Be the first to try the limited-edition flavor at Clark Marriott Hotel before it hits stores on March 28.

Coffee Festival at BGC

BONIFACIO Global City (BGC) will host this year’s Coffee Festival at High Street South from March 18-19. The event will include coffee merchants, bike shops, and a number of art installations and musical performances. Entrance to the festival is free. Enjoy brands such as Elephant Grounds, harlan + holden Coffee, Single Origin Coffee & Tea, Malongo Atelier Barista, Coffee Lab, Pocofino, Luntian by Luna, Figaro, Paik’s Coffee, Supersam, Caravan Black, Twenty Four Bakeshop, and Tiger Sugar. Aiming to put the spotlight on more merchants, the fest is also welcoming more shops from around the metro, including De’ja Brew, Ten-Four Coffee by Overlandkings, Space Coffee, Wideye Coffee, Kombi Brew, Commune Coffee, Gourmet Farms, and Kaulayaw Coffee + Gringos. There will also be a Growing Coffee Culture talk session featuring Calibre Magazine Editor-in-Chief Carl Cunanan, El Kapitan Coffee Owner and Operator Raymond So, and Coffee Commune Chief Extractor Rosario Juan, as well as an Outdoor Brewing Demo by Alex Aranzanso of Ten-Four Coffee by Overlandkings, both happening on March 18. Everyone is encouraged to decorate the Freedom Cup installation that will find its home at the festival. There will also be an Art Section featuring the works of the Baraks collective, consisting of Archie Oclos, Tsarlyboy, Apok, Epi, and Bato Manila, who will be doing live murals on March 18. For those looking for a sign to take the plunge and get inked, a tattoo popup by Crimson River Tattoo will be waiting to finally bring attendees’ design dreams into reality. The event will also celebrate biking culture, with merchants such as R.O.X, adidas, 2Wheel Nation Cycling, Specialized Philippines, Built Cycles, Blocks, Passe, Everyday Camo, The Breakaway, and Team ABC. To cap off each festival day, attendees can also witness a variety of musical performances from Pedicab, Party Pace, The Espasouls, The Buzzer Beaters, The Diegos, and DJ Honey. For more information, follow BGC on Facebook and Instagram.

Shake Shack to open in SM North EDSA

SHAKE Shack unveils its newest spot with a wilderness inspired hoarding spanning the stretch of its next space in SM North EDSA. Continuing its tradition of decorating the area before opening, Shake Shack collaborates with local graphic designer and illustrator Raxenne Maniquiz for the store’s construction hoarding. As a 2021 Young Gun Awardee, Raxenne’s artistry depicts a high appreciation of the native (and mostly endemic) flora and fauna with brilliant and bold color contrasts and deep, painterly strokes. Her hoarding design is a trippy visual walkthrough of Quezon City’s lush and vibrant environmental surroundings and open spaces. But more than a scenic homage to the country’s greenery, the hoarding will also give patrons a chance to win prizes through a game called “I Spy at the Shack.” Inspired by the children’s puzzle book Where’s Waldo?, the digital game will have Shack fans hunting for featured images that have been laid out in the hoarding design. Spot the correct item and participants can rack up weekly prizes until the end of the game. Lucky joiners who complete the challenge will receive tickets for two to the Shake Shack Community Day, where they will have a chance to visit and dine for free before it opens to the public. Follow @shakeshackph on Facebook or Instagram for more details.

McDonald’s launches its Cheese Dunk

THE NEW McDonald’s Cheese Dunk is a savory cheese dip that pairs with McDonald’s Cheeseburger and Double Cheeseburger. After all, there’s no such thing as too much cheese. The Cheese Dunk is a limited offer, available only while supplies last at all McDonald’s stores nationwide via dine-in, take-out, drive-through, and McDelivery. Customers may avail of a 15% discount when they purchase a Cheeseburger/Double Cheeseburger Meal starting March 10 exclusively through the McDonald’s App. The Cheese Dunk can be purchased as a value meal, coming with a Cheeseburger or Double Cheeseburger (for an additional P45), and can also be purchased on its own as well.

Eat now, pay later with Atome and Bistro Group

ATOME, a Southeast Asian Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) platform, recently partnered with The Bistro Group to offer its BNPL services in select F&B outlets in Metro Manila. The Bistro Group is the latest addition to Atome’s growing roster of restaurant partners which offer flexible, deferred payment options to diners in the metro. Diners can use Atome to pay at branch locations of Hard Rock Cafe, TGI Fridays, Denny’s, Randy’s Donuts, Watami, Modern Shanghai, Bulgogi Brothers and Italianni’s restaurants within Metro Manila. In total, the partnership will cover 65 F&B outlets under the Bistro Group. “Nearly 70% of Atome users in the Philippines are Gen Z or millennials under the age of 40, and we know food and dining experiences ranks high amongst their favorite activities… Beyond the Bistro Group, Atome is also available as a payment option across 200+ restaurants and counting,” Zine Nedil, General Manager at Atome Philippines, was quoted as saying in a press release. “You might ask why split a dining bill into zero interest installments but you’d be surprised once foodies discover how convenient and frictionless the process is. On top of that, they also receive Atome+ rewards points, which they can redeem across our network of 1,500 online and offline retailers all over the country,” added Nedil. To sign up with Atome, download the app from the App Store or on Google Play and complete the account opening requirements.

Bon Bakery introduces Doughnettes

BON Bakery’s newest product is the Doughnettes. The hand-crafted treats are rolled, cut, dipped, and decorated by the pastry chef using artisanal ingredients. They come in six flavors — Golden Bacon, Leche Flan, Mascarpone, Strawberry Shortcake, Manuka Honey, and Belgian Chocolate — and are baked fresh daily. Meanwhile, frozen yoghurt brand Pinkberry and Bon Bakery have joined forces in a collaboration store. They have combined their menus — desserts and pastries, and frozen yogurt — their joint location at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.