Negroni specials at Sheraton Manila Bay
SHERATON Manila Bay’s Unspoken Bar celebrates a decade of Negroni Week with a signature Negroni Cocktail, combo specials, taste teasers and more. Negroni Week started in 2013 as a celebration of one of the world’s great cocktails and an effort to raise money for charitable causes around the world. Since then, Negroni Week has grown from about 120 participating venues to thousands of venues around the world. To date, the initiative has raised over $3 million for charitable organizations. This year, Unspoken Bar joins by offering its Drink of the Month, the Latte Negroni that fuses the classic Negroni with hints of coffee (P390++ per order). The bar’s bespoke Negroni cocktails Paper Cut and Sbagliata will be available for complimentary samplers and mixes on Taste Teasers every Wednesday of September. For reservations call 5318-0788 or e-mail reservations.manilabay@sheraton.com.
Starbucks collaborates with FARM Rio on collection
STARBUCKS is teaming up with Brazilian fashion and lifestyle brand, FARM Rio to bring customers an exclusive collection of drinkware and lifestyle products celebrating the joy nature inspires. The bold and vibrant collection includes a tote bag, travel pouch, mug, water bottle, and tumbler, featuring five iconic patterns that represent the colors and shapes of nature in Rio. This limited-edition collaboration is available at select Starbucks stores in Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Singapore, while supplies last.
Happy 8 offers new crab dish
FRESH seafood can’t get any fresher than when it’s caught live and set straight to the wok as it now is at the Newport Garden Wing’s signature Chinese restaurant, Happy 8. The sweet-savory Wok-Fried Live Crab in Vietnamese sauce is available for the whole month of September for P550 net per 100 grams. For more information on Newport World Resorts offers, visit www.newportworldresorts.com.
Guevarra’s offers sweet treats
GUEVARRA’S by Chef Laudico can brighten a day with its sweet treats. There is the best-selling Brigaderos Cake (P1,080), a dark chocolate cake, frosted and filled with truffle ganache and creamy dulce de leche; the Ube Macapuno Cake (P1,199), a light and fluffy macapuno-filled chiffon cake with ube buttercream frosting; the Mango Sansrival (P1,080), made with layers of cashew meringue and buttercream topped off with fresh mangoes; and Brazo de Calamansi (P880), with its layers of cake, calamansi curd, and torched meringue frosting. For bite-sized treats, there are Kalabasa Pastillas Balls (P99 for six pieces), milk and squash candies rolled in sugar; and Butterscotch Bars (P179/12 pieces). Order these desserts and a whole lot more at www.guevarras.com. Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico is at 387 P. Guevarra corner Argonne Streets, Addition Hills, San Juan. For inquiries and reservations, call 8705-1811, 8705-1874, 0998-881-3200 or visit @guevarrasph on Facebook and Instagram.
Annual storytelling contest accepting entries
MGA Kuwentong Pagkain (MKP), an annual storytelling contest, has extended its deadline for submission of entries to Dec. 31. Launched in 2012 by the Mama Sita Foundation to celebrate Philippine culinary traditions and foodways, MKP has built a repository of gastronomic narratives from all over the country. On its 10th year, MKP is inviting even non-Filipinos to join the conversation on Filipino food. Anyone from anywhere in the world who has a Filipino food story to tell can now participate in the contest. To make room for more creativity and style in sharing food stories, separate categories have been set up for essay, photo, and video entries. Participants can win up to ₱20,000 in prizes. To join and learn more details about the contest, visit https://tinyurl.com/MKP2022Form or e-mail community@mgakuwentongpagkain.com.
Mang Inasal extends group deals this month
MANG Inasal has extended its “Ihaw-Sarap Group Deals” promo until Sept. 30. The promo includes the Chicken Inasal Family Size and Palabok Family Size combo for P585, and the Chicken Inasal Buddy Size and Pork BBQ Buddy Size with Peanut Sauce combo for P329. The “Ihaw-Sarap Group Deals” are available for takeout or delivery through http://manginasaldelivery.com.ph/, GrabFood, and foodpanda.
Bicol Express-inspired cocktail bags prize
MONIN, one of the world’s leading producers of gourmet sauces, flavored syrups, fruit smoothie and cocktail mixes, hailed the Bicol Speedster, a drink inspired by the popular Filipino dish Bicol Express, as the champion of the Monin Cup 2022. Filipino bartender Mark Defensor conceptualized and whipped up Bicol Speedster, a fusion of Tanduay Asian Gold Rum, coconut milk, Pork Fat-washed Habanero Lime Liqueur and Monin Ginger Syrup. The brew included a dash of siling labuyo (chili pepper) and black pepper. “The Bicol Speedster allows you to experience a regional Filipino dish in the form of a cocktail,” Mr. Defensor noted. “The rum compliments the coconut. And by fat washing the Habanero Lime Liqueur, you get a nice savory note to the drink while adding a kick of heat to it.” Mr. Defensor, who majored in Hospitality Management at the School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, was raised in the Middle East. He recalled he did not have access to pork until he tried Bicol Express when he visited the Philippines with his parents. For the Monin Cup, Mr. Defensor represented The Spirits Library, a Makati bar known for its collection of rare bottles, cocktail books, and bar paraphernalia. He was mentored by Ralph Allen Santos, the Dean of The Spirits Library. Mr. Defensor, together with Mr. Santos, will represent the Philippines in the Monin Tour in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia. He will have a guest shift at one of the best cocktail bars in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tatatito launches baked goods line
SINCE Tatatito Filipino Home Kitchen opened in Legazpi Village in February 2022 as the lockdowns ended and restrictions eased, diners discovered its signature dishes like Bamboo rice chicken tinola, Sarsaparilla BBQ liempo, Himalayan salt lechon kawali, 10-hour beef kansi, as well as Tuna belly inasal, Crispy binusog na pusit, and Pares-style US short ribs. Now Tatatito has launched its own line of baked goods inspired by classic Filipino breads and Western pastries. It includes several versions of the pan de sal: Classic Pan de Sal, Raisin Pan de Sal, and Malunggay Pan de Sal. It also has several doughnuts — Sugar-raised donuts, Ube-glazed donut, and Pandan-glazed donut — plus their interpretation of street-side bakery staples as croissants — Pan de pula croissant, Pan de coco croissant, and Spanish croissant. Tatatito Filipino Home Kitchen is at the ground floor of OPL Building, 100 Don Carlos Palanca St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. It is open daily (Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m). For online orders, call 0917-711-3005 or order through GrabFood and FoodPanda (available in select locations).
Conti’s to open more stores this year
CONTI’s Bakeshop & Restaurant will open 12 more branches and more drive-through concept stores in Luzon this year. Opening this month is a new branch in Molino Bacoor, followed by branches in Lipa, Batangas; UN Ave., Manila; Dagupan, Pangasinan; Lucena, Quezon; and Tagaytay. To be offered are signature dishes such as the Mango Bravo cake, Baked Salmon, and savory pies. Conti’s is also available via www.contis.ph, FB messenger, hotline 8580-8888, Grabfood, and through Conti’s Delight Shoppers (bit.ly/DelightShoppers).
Wendy’s opens new branches
WENDY’s Philippines has opened new branches in Caltex EDSA Caloocan, Fisher Mall Malabon, Sierra Valley Cainta, FTI Taguig, Phoenix Tandang Sora, and Pioneer Shaw. With over 55 franchises and corporate stores across the nation, Wendy’s also has selected 24/7 stores. For delivery, Wendy’s dishes are available via www.wendys.com.ph, FB messenger, hotline 8533-3333 and major food aggregators, Grabfood, foodpanda, PickARoo and Toktok food.