Dining In/Out (04/20/23)

New restaurants opening at Araneta City

DIFFERENT areas around Araneta City are set to offer more dining options for visitors. Gateway Mall 2, the latest lifestyle offering at Araneta City, is set to welcome the public this year, and it will offer more choices of restaurants, cafes, and other food destinations. It will house restaurants owned by chef Margarita Fores and her family — a mano, Mamou, and Grace Park — which will be part of Gateway Mall 2’s Restaurant Collection. Other restaurants to watch out for are Wolfgang Steakhouse Grill, Abe, Cochi Bistro, Choi Garden, Botejyu, Coco Ichibanya, and Tokyo Milk Cheese. And for coffee lovers, UCC Park Café and Starbucks Coffee will open their branches in the new mall. Meanwhile, more restaurants are also opening at Coliseum Plaza. Located just a few steps away from the Smart Araneta Coliseum’s Red Gate entrance, it will host a variety of dining options, ranging from Shake Shack and Mo’s Burger, Hong Kong dim sum at Tim Ho Wan, Pinoy comfort fare at Manam and Nono’s, and a drinks and cocktails bar. Restaurants at the Coliseum Plaza offer both indoor and outdoor seating. Gateway Mall 2 will also feature a food crawl called Palenque — a Pinoy-themed food arena with the best Filipino food heritage. At Palenque, diners can do a “food crawl” through a selection of signature cuisines native and unique to every province or region in the Philippines and prepared by celebrated chefs. Check out Bale Dutung of chef Claude Tayag, Al Puruganan’s Ilocos cuisine, chef Tatung’s Cebu offerings and delicacies, Palm Grill from Zamboanga, Sea Salt Davao Grill, Chinoy’s Chicken Fandian and more Bacolod delicacies, and offerings like Diwal. Behind this food idea is Filipino chef and restaurateur Claude Tayag. Gateway Mall 2 will also host the Asian Village with delicacies from Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Korea, among others. Coliseum patrons entering or exiting via the mall’s upper ground floor access will be greeted with an array of food choices such as Hawker Chan, BLK 513, French Baker, Tong Yang, Yoshinoya, Llao Llao, Pound, Panda Express, Subway, and more. Also, the largest Mary Grace Cafe in the metro will soon open alongside these restaurants. More restaurants will spread in various parts of the mall. There’s Ramen Nagi, Red Crab, Burgoo, Tsokolateria, Dookki Korean, Banana Leaf, Bread Talk, Peri-Peri, Classic Savory, Via Mare, and more. Vikings buffet restaurant is also set to open. Opening soon there soon is K Pop Town and Café which will provide an additional Korean and local pop experience beyond Araneta City’s usual entertainment scene. Araneta Group-owned brands Pizza Hut, Dairy Queen, and Taco Bell will have more presence in Araneta City with additional branches in Gateway Mall 2.

Summer dining at Shangri-La Mall

SHANGRI-LA Plaza mall has more dining options for visitors this April. On the hunt for more things local? Browse and buy everything from food to charming and quirky knick-knacks at the pop-up bazaars at the Food Forum happening every weekend in April. Meanwhile, Shang’s Food Forum has newly opened dining options like Pepa Wings, known for its chicken wings available in 10 flavors like Cheesy Bacon and Salted Egg, and The Blue Apron, that’s known for its unique poke tacos. Pepper Lunch is back at the Food Forum to serve sizzling plates again. For updates and inquiries, follow Shangri-La Plaza on Facebook at www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficialand on Instagram @shangrilaplazaofficial.

Johnnie Walker limited edition artist series with Quiccs

JOHNNIE Walker has teamed up with internationally renowned street and graffiti artist Quiccs to create the newest Johnnie Walker Luxury Artist Series collection. This latest collection includes four exclusive bottle designs for Johnnie Walker Blue Label, all designed by Quiccs as he pays tribute to his decade-long journey as an artist. The Artist Series collection features the evolution of Quiccs’ signature character in his designs, TEQ63 — 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the original TEQ63 design. Each bottle design features TEQ63 in vibrant layers of color, inspired by the depth of character and layers of flavor found in Johnnie Walker Blue Label’s blend. The Dragon, OG Blue, and Lightning bottle designs feature TEQ63 in streetwear designed in a vivid blue and liquid gold colorway, while the Manila Killa bottle shows the character wearing a jacket inspired by the flag of the Philippines. The exclusive bottle designs can be purchased at all Secret Fresh branches, S&R, and exclusively online at Singlemalt.ph and Sugbo Wine.

Asia Society presents Asian Eats 2023

ONE of the best ways to understand a country and its cultural nuances is through its food. On April 28-30, discover the diverse cuisines of Asia through Asian Eats at the Grand Atrium of Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City. The weekend food fest is a collaboration between Asia Society Philippines and various Asian embassies in Manila who put together a curated mix of merchants. Chef, author, and culinary heritage advocate Myke “Tatung” Sarthou will present TinDeli. Bangkok will be represented through The Thai Plate and ChaTruMue; Indian cuisine at Flavours Indian and Mediterranean Cuisine; Korean dining at Kaya; Malaysian cuisine from PappaRam Malaysian Kitchen and the ladies of Perwakilan; Japanese okonomiyaki at Botejyu; Vietnam through Em Ha Noi; and Indonesian comfort dishes at Bakmi Nyonya and at Rumah Makan Padang Huang Jia. Laotian dishes will be prepared by the ladies of the Embassy of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Pick up some bottles of Australian wine, cheese, and gourmet products from Unitetris and Silverwave Corp., and have some Vietnamese coffee and pastries from Highlands Coffee’s pop-up cart. Sauces and condiments can be had at NutriAsia’s booth. At the Main Stage, Mr. Sarthou will have a cooking demo on April 29, 4:30 p.m., while the Korean Cultural Center, the Embassy of Indonesia, and Prof. Carlito Camahalan Amalla with the Tinampuso will take centerstage on April 28-30, 4-7 p.m. with cultural performances.

Crimson Hotel kicks off 10th anniversary celebration

CRIMSON Hotel Filinvest City Manila has officially commenced its 10th anniversary celebration with the opening of the Radiance Art Exhibit in partnership with the South Arts Festival. The exhibit features the works of 10 artists from the South, paying tribute to Crimson’s 10-year history. In addition, the hotel launched its Mediterranean Delights promotion, offering guests a chance to enjoy authentic Mediterranean cuisine at Café Eight with guest chef Ranuka Hettiarachchi of Timberland Highlands Resort. From April 21-22, 28-29, to May 5-6, guests can enjoy the boutique dinner buffet promotion for P2,000 net per person. The hotel also has promos during the celebration, featuring 10 exciting ranging from the Perfect 10 Room Package to a special edition FIL the Bear, Baker J’s Sweet 10 Treat promo, special discounts and freebies at Alibi Lounge•Bar, Firehouse Pizza, Deck Bar, and Lobby Lounge. For details about Crimson Hotel’s 10th anniversary offers visitwww.crimsonhotel.com/manila, or e-mail info.alabang@crimsonhotel.com.

Macao Imperial Tea, Twinings of London join forces

MACAO Imperial Tea, the biggest milk tea chain in the Philippines, together with Twinings Tea, one of the world’s most renowned tea brands since 1706, have combined their expertise to create six new and exclusive summer beverages. They are Cheesecake Peach Tea featuring peach flavored Twinings black tea and Macao Imperial Tea’s cheesecake blend; Earl Grey Lemon Teawhich blends the bergamot flavor of fine black tea with lemons; Mango Jasmine Green Tea; Strawberry Mango Tea, an infusion of fruity flavors and white pearls; Lemon Ginger Tea; and Camomile Honey Tea with Vanilla. The six Macao Imperial Tea and Twinings Cool Refreshers are now available at any Macao Imperial Tea shop.

McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets meets BT21

MCDONALD’S has come out with a new meal partnership, Chicken McNuggets Meets BT21. Now every Chicken McNuggets Meal comes with a BT21 surprise to collect featuring the K-pop group’s members Koya, RJ, Shooky, Mang, Chimmy, Tata, and Cooky. McDonald’s classic 10-piece Chicken McNuggets comes with two servings of the returning, fan favorite Cajun Sauce; the meal is also paired with World Famous Fries, as well as a side of Coke. As part of the limited-edition meal, the BT21 members come as their own collectibles that come with every order, with diners having the chance to complete the seven-piece set. One order of the Chicken McNuggets Meal Meets BT21 is priced at P550 and includes the complete meal, as well as a BT21 collectible of the diner’s choice. An extra order of the Cajun dipping is P20. The Chicken McNuggets Meal Meets BT21 is available only via dine-in, take-out, drive-through and for delivery exclusively through the McDelivery PH App (toy availability may vary per branch). The Chicken McNuggets Meets BT21 Meal is not available for purchase through third-party applications such as GrabFood and foodpanda. It may also not be availed with purchases done through McDonald’s Send To Many, Large Food Orders, Birthday Party, and McDo Party Box.

Kenny Rogers Roasters offers a mix of sweet and spicy

KENNY Rogers Roasters mixes the sweet with the spicy with its newest offering: the Mango Habanero. The restaurant chain’s signature dishes are complemented by the flavors of the sweet-spicy Mango Habanero Sauce and salsa made with fresh mangoes, tomatoes, onions, and parsley. Customers can choose from Kenny Rogers Roasters’ classic offerings, such as the sweet and spicy Mango Habanero Roasted Chicken, the tender Mango Habanero Baby Back Ribs, and the Mango Habanero Burgers made with ⅓ pound of juicy grilled beef patty. Each Mango Habanero Roast Solo (P330) comes with sweet and spicy, quarter roasted chicken, a choice of two side dishes, rice, and a muffin. There’s also the Mango Habanero Roast Group Meal (P1,170), which comes with a whole roast, four side dishes, four cups of rice, four muffins, and 1.5-liter soda. For meat lovers, there is the Mango Habanero Baby Back Ribs (P520) where the classic roasted Baby Back Pork Ribs is served with sweet and spicy mango habanero sauce and fresh salsa. They can also go for the Mango Habanero Burgers (P300) made of freshly baked sesame seed bun with grilled 1/3-pound burger, then topped with the mango habanero sauce and salsa with lettuce. Served with potato chips and soda on the side. Available in all Kenny Rogers Roasters branches nationwide for dine-in, takeout, or delivery through www.kennyrogersdelivery.com.ph, hotline: 8-555-9000, or via Grab Food and Food Panda.

Jollibee customers can make Mix & Match Combos

JOLLIBEE now offers a way for customers to choose their own meal combination through the Jollibee Mix & Match Combos. For P75, the customer can choose one main dish (Jolly Spaghetti, one Burger Steak, Yumburger, or Tuna Pie/Spicy Tuna Pie), and one side dish (Jolly Crispy Fries Regular, Peach Mango Pie, Choco Sundae, Coke Float, or Pineapple Juice Regular). The Sulit-Sarap combination is available via dine-in, take-out, or drive-through only.