Dining In/Out (12/19/24)

Do good this Christmas at The Peninsula

THE PENINSULA MANILA once again welcomes guests with a sumptuous calendar of delicious experiences this Christmas as, the hotel’s culinary team unveils festive menus for guests to savor with family, friends, and loved ones at its restaurants. Since its founding, The Pen has extended support to underserved community members through outreach programs and charitable donations. This year, guests can join in contributing to the welfare of children with the Peninsula Festive Afternoon Tea that will feature finger sandwiches, pastries and cakes paired with homemade scones, and a choice of tea or champagne. For each Festive Afternoon Tea set sold at The Lobby, the hotel will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Make-A-Wish Foundation Philippines, an organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses. The afternoon tea is available daily from 2:30 to 5 p.m., for P3,170 (with tea of your choice) and P5,370 (with two flutes of champagne). The hotel’s various dining outlets will be offering special meals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On Dec. 24, The Upper Lobby will be offering a merienda buffet and a dinner buffet. On Dec. 25, it will be serving la carte breakfast, lunch, and dinner merienda buffet. The hotel’s fine dining restaurant, Old Manila, will be serving a four-course set dinner, aside from à la carte lunch and dinner on Dec. 24 and 25. The hotel’s buffet restaurant, Escolta, will have a special Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet and Christmas Day lunch roast and dinner buffet. Spices, the hotel’s Asian restaurant, offers an array of exotic flavors that will bring an extra dash of warmth and joy to the festive season, with special lunch and dinner offerings on Dec. 24 and 25. Savor with family, friends, and loved ones at its restaurants. Visit the official hotel website at peninsula.com/manila/special-offers for more details.

Discovery Samal welcomes holiday with festive offerings

DISCOVERY SAMAL celebrates the Christmas season with dining experience and exclusive holiday packages. On Dec. 24, from 6 to 10 p.m., The Shoreline and Morning Catch restaurants will host a special Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet for P6,000 net per person. Guests can indulge in holiday favorites likeRoast Beef (P20,350 net for 6 kg), Roasted Turkey (P11,500 net for 8 kg), and Christmas Ham (P5,850 net). Festive pastries and treats are also available, including Signature Christmas Log Cakes (P900 net), French Macarons (P250 net), classic Fruit Cake (P850 net), Christmas cookies (P250 net), and the Gingerbread Castle centerpiece at P2,200 net. Discovery Samal offers holiday party packages tailored to groups of various sizes, starting at P300,000 net for 50 guests. These packages include venue use, buffet options, lechon, beer kegs, and other festive inclusions. Also, special room packages are available for those seeking a holiday getaway, starting at P27,385 net, with perks like roundtrip transfers, daily breakfast, and access to beach and pool facilities. For reservations, e-mail @discoverysamal.com or fb@discoverysamal.com.

7-Eleven brings Taiwan flavor to its stores

CONVENIENCE STORE 7-Eleven is taking Filipinos on a culinary journey to Taiwan with its new Taste of Taiwan lineup, available in select stores in Luzon. Partnering with its in-house brands — Big Time Meals, HottaRice, and 7-Fresh — it now offers an array of Taiwanese-inspired dishes including the Big Time Meals Chicken Chop Bento (P129), HottaRice Lu Rou Fan or Taiwanese Braised Pork (P99), and 7-Fresh Taiwanese Beef Noodles (P95). For snacks there are the 7-Fresh Pepper Pork Bun (P59) and the 7-Fresh Almond Jelly for dessert.

Jollibee opens eco-friendly branch in Tuguegarao

JOLLIBEE recently launched a branch at Enrile Blvd., Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, which is designed with sustainability in mind, incorporating advanced green technologies to reduce environmental impact while delivering the brand’s signature offerings to customers. The store utilizes solar panels to lower energy consumption by up to 30%, along with a solar water heater and solar window films that regulate indoor temperature. High-efficiency motors have also been installed to manage the exhaust system and air supply, optimizing energy use during off-peak hours — key for a store that operates 24/7.  Also, the store converted its pylon lights to LED, reducing energy use by 80%. Motion sensors in restrooms, automatic low-flow faucets, and a modern wastewater treatment facility further enhance the store’s eco-friendly operations by recycling clean water for toilet use and other maintenance activities, including rainwater collection.

Bounty Fresh introduces safer, healthier holiday chicken

BOUNTY FRESH CHICKEN is setting a new standard for holiday meals with its No Antibiotics Ever (NAE) farming approach, ensuring safer and healthier poultry options for consumers. By eliminating the use of antibiotics and steroids throughout the chickens’ lifecycle, the company adheres to strict biosecurity measures, promoting natural health and optimal living conditions. This approach supports global health initiatives to combat antibiotic resistance, reduces the risk of superbugs, and aligns with ethical and sustainable farming practices. Bounty Fresh offers a diverse selection of products, including Whole Chickens, Premium Chicken, Gourmet Chickens in various flavors, and NAE Chicken Cut-Ups for convenient meal preparation. With pre-marinated options such as Meals in Minutes, the brand caters to the needs of modern households during the busy holiday season. Bounty Fresh products are available at supermarkets.

Korea’s Eat Pizza offers different flavors

EAT PIZZA is bringing a fresh and innovative approach to the local dining scene with its Korean-inspired pizza slides. Since debut in October, the brand has captured the attention of both food enthusiasts and Hallyu fans with its distinctive 10-inch rectangular pizzas, offering unique, personal-sized portions with creative and bold flavors. The menu features 10 options, including Korean Sausage with honey mustard and relish,Beef Bulgogi with marinated beef, andSamgyeopsal with local meat and Korean cheese. Sweet options like Sweet Potato, Sweet Milk, and Sweet Corn are also available, alongside classic choices like cheese, pepperoni, and aloha. Popular Korean sides such as Sweet Potato Corn Cheese, Tteokbokki with Cheese, and Sweet & Spicy Corn Cheese complement the pizzas, along with Spaghetti and Carbonara for added variety. For more information, follow Eat Pizza on their social media pages.