How to Get Free McDonald's Coffee

McDonald's would be giving away free coffee for 5 days. Yes, you read it right. They would be giving away 8 oz. coffee randomly via claim coupons.

I dunno if this has something to do with Noynoy Aquino's reveal on PAGCOR's coffee corruption on his SONA but I think this is just McDonald's way of promoting their new P25.00 coffee. You've seen the TV ad (the coffee with a smiley sticky note at the office), now I guess they're making people taste the coffee so it could be distinguished. Let's face it: Coffee is seen by people as inclusives to breakfast meals. If they won't do promoting I guess close to no one will buy it. But with this great marketing ploy, people would remember their P25.00 coffee as it is, no burgers or fries attached.

Continue on below for the free McDonald's Coffee promotional video courtesy of YouTube:



How to Get Free McDonald's Coffee

MECHANICS

Get a free 8 oz. McCafe Premium Roast Coffee from August 8 to 12
at any McDonald's breakfast store from 4:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.


HOW TO GET A COUPON

Be on the lookout for the McDonald’s crew who will distribute the coupons in selected offices, universities, colleges, terminals, churches and even outside the McDonald’s stores nationwide starting August 5!


TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. Present the "Free Coffee" coupon at any McDonald's breakfast store from
4:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., from August 8 to 12 to get an 8oz McCafe Premium Roast Coffee.

2. Only one (1) 8oz. McCafe Premium Roast Coffee can be claimed per coupon.
No purchase requirement.


I'd likely take advantage of this promo when I get the chance i.e. when a McDonald's crew presents himself or herself in a location where I frequent. Heck, I might even ask for 10 coupons. FYI, I'm a McDonald's guy. Always been, always will be. It's high time these guys give something free in return, even if its just coffee priced at an obscene P25.00.

'Till my next installment.

[Via this Facebook page]

What is the Caveman Diet and Paleo Diet

There's a diet craze on town that would supposedly give you optimum health and weight the way human ancestors had back in the jungle man era. Introducing the Paleo Diet, also known as the Caveman Diet. But what is the Caveman Diet and Paleo Diet?

The Paleo Diet is a practice of eating locally-based gluten-free food i.e. organic lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, fruits and vegetables. The catch: No grains, legumes (that means no peanuts for you. It's a legume, not a nut), dairy, salt, refined sugar and processed oils—some which would of course totally make your food taste like bleh. This of course is a "powerful way to normalize health and well-being" according to Loren Cordain, a professor of health and exercise at Colorado State University.

Fred Flintstone is totally on Paleo. Just look at his bod-urrrrr...

Regardless, the Caveman Diet has found success in the users of whole9life.com,which pitches a Paleo Diet post way back May 2010 (which makes me wonder why this diet is just reaching mainstream shores). You could check the whole story here.

But does this so called Caveman Diet really work? According to WebMD's quizzer to health specialists, a person can achieve a better state of health in the Paleo Diet regimen, but also added that a balanced diet and food consumption moderation is still the way to go.

There's not much research done about the Caveman / Paleo Diet's effects, but in fairness to the said diet, it placed an honorable fourth on the number of people who said yes at the question "Did this diet work for you?" on the U.S. News & World Reports Best Diets—4807 users to be exact. Ironically, it also has the most numerous nos in the tally—23,689—which unquestionably makes it the #1 not-working diet in the list and sits at 20 out of 20 all in all.

If you're still interested in trying the Paleo Diet—or Caveman Diet, whatever suits your taste—check the Paleo Diet Wikipedia page. Unsurprisingly, it also has it's own website at thepaleodiet.com.

So there you go. If you're trying to go a la caveman with a matching Rogaine-like hair thickness to match or just want to experience something similar to what our olden folks ate tens of thousands of years ago, go for the Paleo Diet. Next post: The Jurassic Diet.

'Till my next installment.

[Photo by askmen.com]

Max's Chicken All You Can Review

Yesterday we decided to try Max's Chicken All You Can at a certain key mall just to try the stuff out. You know, so we could just say something about it when someone random brings it up.

We fell on queue on this Max's restaurant at around 7:00PM. There was a huge crowd in front of the chain as everybody wants to go inside. But as with all other standard restaurants, you'll have to wait to get seated. Snapped a photo of the crowd in front of the chain, look below:

TheWe got inside the restaurant at 8:30PM (imagine standing at the front of the restaurant for almost two hours), got seated almost immediately, waited for a while for someone to take our order. Not that they weren't expecting us to not order the dish of the month–Max's Chicken All You Can. At P199 a pop, this definitely was all worth it.

Now, a word of caution to all those who would want to take this challenge head on (personally I consider this a challenge, because after downing 3/4s of a whole chicken, I gave up): Wear your game face and bring an empty stomach along with you. Because if you don't, you will be crushed by an astounding amount of Max's chicken raining from the sky.

So here's how it will roll: After you order the Chicken All You Can, they'll give you a plate with a quarter of a chicken. After you take down that chicken, they'll instantly put another one on your plate. Then another one. And another one. And another one. And another one. Until you'll literally say "PLEASE KILL ME I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! NO MORE CHICKEN!"

In all seriousness, I think I was going hysterical yesterday night. I was laughing teary-eyed while saying that we won't eat in another Max's restaurant for two years. My younger brother was angrily stuffed, says he don't want to move no more. My younger sister, she was not moving. Meanwhile, my parents' necks were hurting i.e. hypertension starting to kick in.

I don't mean to gross you out, but here's how your table would look like after you run your veins through the Max's Chicken All You Can challenge:

After we gave up, a Max's server came to us and said "More chicken sir?" I said no and he said playfully mocking us "No more chicken sir? It's hot and sizzling. Sure you don't want more?" I laughed and just waved it off. Man, it's one thing to dismiss food being offered to you. It's another when chicken literally rain from every corner of the restaurant and people want to shove chicken down your throat.

And uh, right after you pay the bill, they'll give you P20.00 money coupons for every 200 pesos worth of money spent on the restaurant. And if your bill reaches P1,500.00 they'll give you a free Max's Happy Father's Day tee.

So there you have it folks. The Max's Chicken All You Can promo starts daily from 6PM to 10PM. The promo runs until July 10, 2011.

'Till my next installment.

P.S. The older people should bring along their medications with them, just for safety's sake.

T.G.I. Friday's Quick Home Delivery

Ah, Friday. Who doesn't love Fridays? It marks the end of the weekday grind and the start of relaxation. Even the teenybopper Rebecca Black sang a whole song dedicated to Friday. No wonder the term TGIF was coined. We're not here to talk about the term though, we're here to talk about the restaurant. You know what I'm talking about. Obviously you've already read the title. Yes, it's T.G.I. Friday's.

Well, what about T.G.I Friday's? For one, you have to be serious on shelling out a good sum of money to be able to enjoy a decent meal here. Second, all your expenses would definitely be worth it. With over 900 chains scattered over 51 countries, this American casual dining chain is guaranteed to bring you the Jack Daniel's experience if you know what I mean.

So last Friday – no seriously it was Friday – I went about my average day until I decided I wanted to eat something that heavily describes America. Nope, not fried chicken – hamburgers. Coincidentally, T.G.I Friday's serves burgers too, designer burgers to be exact. Burgers aside, Friday's is also well-known for its appetizers, steaks and unique alcoholic beverages. Anyway, I called up my favorite delivery crew Quick Delivery for this one by dialing 212-1212. A sweet, mild-voiced lady attended to my call and told me that my order would arrive in approximately 60 minutes or earlier. 50 minutes later, a Quick Delivery driver called my name at the gate. I dashed outside and he handed me this:

Good branding strategy right there. You'd identify this black bag a thousand miles away. But upon closer inspection of what's inside the bag, I was totally caught off guard, befuddled even. I can't remember at any point in my life seeing burgers contained inside a microwavable plastic container.

Yes, those burgers were that huge. The guys at Friday's even moved the top burger bun just for this monster to fit. Seriously, just look at that stack: TLC, onions, a half-an-inch thick (probably more) pure beef patty, two slices of bacon, sided together with a moderate portion of fat fries. Also found are a pair of plastic utensils for contingency, so that just in case you can't bite your burger you can slice it to manageable pieces.

I gotta tell you, for P395 a pop, these T.G.I Friday's burgers were a definite bargain. Finest ingredients served hot on a rainy day, who wouldn't be pleased? The moment you sink your teeth in on that juicy, chunky pure beef patty, your mouth would instantly salivate. The tomatoes are almost as wide as the patty itself, definitely imported. The cheese, separated in its own righteous foil. Don't let me start on the bacon. Oh was it sweet!

And as if downing this baby wasn't enough already, you still have the fries. Like I said, at Friday's they use nothing but the finest ingredients whenever, wherever. Others pale in comparison with this one.

Lastly, you have the option of your patty being rare, medium rare, or well done. Personally I suggest you try a medium rare burger or a medium rare steak for that matter just for a change.

One more thing: I'm somewhat of an environmentalist myself. I love establishments that use recyclable materials. It makes their customers feel that their frequented corporation is doing its part to help mother nature. So it was to my utmost delight to find out that T.G.I. Friday's was using a biodegradable bag.

They're definitely going green. And I approve.

I know that this post on T.G.I Friday's somehow has made you scratch your stomach. Well, move soldier move! These buns of heaven ain't going to move by itself y'know. No wait, I have a better idea. Grab your phone, dial 212-1212 just like you would while playing with your land line, talk to one of Quick Delivery's friendly agents, and order away. And while you're at it, with 170 and counting partner restaurants – in 326 different locations – food and drink-wise, why not order something for dessert too?

Talking to an agent not your fancy? Order online or send an SMS message and they'll call you right back. Plus, they're open 24/7/365, rain or shine. How convenient can ordering your favorite foods be?

Finally, if you want to see the complete T.G.I. Friday's menu, click HERE.

And remember, 212-1212.

For more information, log on to:

T.G.I. Friday's
www.fridays.com.ph

Quick Delivery 21
www.quickdelivery.ph


'Till my next installment.

Max's Chicken All You Can Promo 2011

With the tremendous reception it received from foodies, families, and regulars alike last year, Max's Chicken is bringing back its Chicken All You Can promo starting this June 10 up to July 10, 2011.

Max's Chicken All You can promo would be commenced daily from 6PM to 9PM at P199.00.

Yep, Chicken All You Can is really back. This is fantastic considering Father's Day is coming fast and all. But if there's any consolation, at least you'd be lucky to get a seat for this promo. I'm absolutely sure that 6PM-9PM would pack Max's branches insane to the point that even if you wait for an hour there would still be no seats available while the queue keeps on growing.

Anyway, I heard from someone that Max's would be giving away P20.00 coupons to diners for every P200.00 spent during the said promo.

Time to empty those stomachs boys and gals.

'Till my next installment.

The Banana Leaf Experience

Most of the time we dine outside we end up eating in fastfood joints and Filipino, Chinese and Korean restaurants. There's just too many restaurants in malls that serve the same thing over and over again to be called food attractions. Don't get me wrong, I still find Chinese and Filipino food superb, but at this point in my life I think I've exhausted all the meals they have in store: Fried this, Sauteed that, and Grilled something. You get my point?

So yesterday as early as 4PM in the afternoon, I was already planning what we'll eat on dinner. Pasta? Nope. Takeout? Forget it. I was running out of ideas, it was getting dark fast. I thought I'd try something different. I want something different. Something with dishes I haven't eaten yet. Something like Banana Leaf. And I was spot on.

For starters, Banana Leaf is an international restaurant which specializes on Southeast Asian cuisine. And when I say they specialize on Southeast Asia I'm not kidding. They serve Malaysian, Singaporean, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Thai dishes. Banana Leaf is also a multi-awarded joint, and has been awarded the Philippines Best Restaurants' "Philippine Tatler" for six years straight.

Okay enough about the facts. I got to the Quick Delivery website and checked if they have Banana Leaf in their partner restaurants' list. Of course it was listed, why was I not surprised? See, Quick Delivery has 170 plus partner restaurants around the metro – and the list is still growing! So you betcha your favorite restaurant is listed there. Anyway, I looked up the Banana Leaf menu enthralled, decided what's up for dinner, grabbed the phone and dialed 212-1212 – that's twenty-one twenty-one twenty-one two, not two one two one two one two. In  a jiffy I was able to order something new.

In an hour a Quick Delivery driver knocked at the gate carrying my Banana Leaf bag. That's four dishes, plus the travel time – in only an hour. Now that's what you call "quick delivery", get it? So anyway, this is how the Banana Leaf delivery bag looks like:

There's this adage that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but this is a situation you can't help but to. And of course, food presentation comes hand on hand with the food's taste. If the presentation is mediocre, you'll not get that fulfilling sensation no matter how delicious the food was. These Banana Leaf people are serious on how they present their dishes, and I like that. That said, let's start with the food already.

First up is Banana Leaf's Stir Fried Malaysian Noble Leaf veggie dish.

Now, I don't know what vegetable this is. I don't even know if it's available locally. All I know is it tastes great. It's not fibrous, not too oily, it's crunchy, and it's good for your health. Sells for P188.

Now, this is Banana Leaf's Malayan Style Deep Fried Chicken. I know what you're thinking: It looks nothing out of the ordinary. That might be so, but remember, what we're after here is the presentation and the taste – both passed with flying colors. I can't describe the chicken's delicious taste, probably because it's Malaysian. No, really. There's something in there you can't quite put your tongue on. Try it, you'll know what I mean. Sells at P278.

Nooope, that ain't chicken strips in garlic. This is Banana Leaf's Deep Fried Squid Flavored in Homemade Spicy Garlic dish (see: looks can be deceiving). Trust me, at P238 it's taste and texture is nowhere near the Mediterranean and local calamari you're accustomed to. Definitely one of the best fried squid dishes I ever had.

This is my highlight of the night. At P288, the Malayan Lamb Curry with Potatoes just puts the exclamation point in the sentence. When you hear curry, usually the first thing that comes in mind is the word "spicy." I've tasted Indian and Thai curry before and in comparison Banana Leaf's curry is mild, and I like that.

The lamb itself is tender and good. It doesn't taste gamey as mutton and would pass as beef. Meats you're not accustomed to i.e. mutton, venison will have a slight "off" taste – game taste if you will – that you won't taste in domesticated meats like you can find in the supermarket. The curry sauce is creamy and thick and it doesn't have as much oilspots as you would find in other curries. The Malayan Lamb Curry with Potatoes is a must-taste. I urge you to try it, especially when you reckon of the fact that there are not much sheep raisers here in the Philippines.

As an additional, the difference between lamb meat and mutton is the age of the sheep it was derived from. Lamb meat is taken from sheep that are between 4-12 months old while anything older than that is called mutton. The latter has a much stronger flavor and is tougher to chew at when compared with the former. Serving lamb rather than mutton is a real plus to food connoisseurs. No wonder Banana Leaf has plenty of awards under their name.

I just want you to take note that unlike other restaurants which charge P500+ per plate that's good only for one person (and I'm not talking about buffet restaurants here), Banana Leaf's P300+ food servings are good for 2 persons or more depending on how strong of an eater you and your companions are. That right there makes Banana Leaf one of the more economical but more than delicious restaurants in the Metro.

Anyway this night was a great night. Not only did we taste something new, my family was delighted as well. Plus the fact that it was delivered warm and fast in our doorstep thanks to Quick Delivery.

Speaking of Quick Delivery, they'll bring any food from any restaurant of your choice warm at your doorstep. Food from Orchard Road, copy. Anguses from Brothers Burgers, check. Sweets from Xocolat and BanApple, easy. With a roster of 170+ partner restaurants, you could have Chinese, Italian, Filipino and American all at the same time before dinner time. All you need to do is dial 212-1212 on your phone and say what you want. As I've mentioned above, the Quick Delivery crew are very friendly. Just talk your heart away and order.

You don't want it by phone? How about ordering online or texting them an SMS? Just head to their website and create an account. It's a piece of cake. They're ready to deliver 24/7/365. They've recently revamped their website too. Now you can download a small .pdf file and listed in it are all of their partner restaurants' menus. You can literally prepare your order before calling up their crew. Really really handy.

The best part is, if a snafu happens with your meals, Quick Delivery personnel will quickly contact you at a moment's notice and let you know. This is how professional they are. Now you don't need to grab your phone and call angrily for an order follow-up.

So the next time you want to taste something special from the Southeast, call up Banana Leaf via Quick Delivery. Or you could drop by at their various branches in Metro Manila.

For more information, log onto:

Banana Leaf
www.bananaleaf.com.ph

Quick Delivery 21
www.quickdelivery.ph
www.facebook.com/quickdelivery


'Till my next installment.

Quick Delivery's Huge Brothers Burger Quintet

We've all had our fair share of burgers everywhere. There's the fugly burger, the street burger, the fast food burger, the "burger-that-sounds-like-the-Terminator" burger and the ridiculous Double Down burger (it just needs to be said). Some of us find these burgers too oily, too salty, sometimes too mundane to eat. Can't blame you, I've been there. And then there's the burgers from the Brothers Burger brand, all on a league of its own.

As far as I know, the Brothers Burger brand has been the pioneer of designer burgers here in the Philippines. They were the first here in the Philippines to set up shop than all the other burger joints that popped up like mushrooms when designer burgers clicked.

All the craving has somehow made me a burger-longing zombie. I was crazy hungry, but I was too lazy to clothe up and go to the nearest Brothers Burger joint. Then I realized one thing that was the greatest invention of man next to the modern wheel: Home delivery. Fortunately Quick Delivery – my favorite delivery crew in the NCR region – has Brothers Burger on their restaurant roster. I grabbed my phone, dialed 212-1212 and conveniently placed my order.

An hour later, voila! A Quick Delivery dude was waving at our front gate. He gave me this:

That bag alone weighs 2.5 pounds. And in burger parlance, when someone mentions the word "pound", they quickly think of a quarter pounder. What, 1/4 pounds? What about 1/2 pounds? That's exactly what the Big Brothers Burger is all about: half a pound of pure beefy goodness.

You gotta admit, the Big Brothers Burger looks awesome. And at P195.00 a piece, like Kris Aquino always says, the price is right.

Jammed in this burger is a generous portion of lettuce and tomato and half a pound of their signature flame-grilled pure beef patty sandwiched in an oatmeal bun. And when I say pure beef, I mean it. This is not like that chain with a red bee as its mascot proclaiming that they're pure beef when I personally think that they're pure processed beef dripping in trans fat and reeking of refrigeration.

Taste-wise, all burgers from Brothers Burger taste beautifully delicious. Their patties are juicy, not from oil, but from the natural juices of the beef. Lettuce and tomatoes are warm and fresh unlike burgers in other joints in which they feel like fresh from the ref (see: cold tomatoes and lettuce on a hot burger). And I urge you to try their onion rings! I tell you, it's a MUST. Their onion rings at P65.00 each are one of the few remaining – if there are others remaining which I doubt – authentic onion rings. Trust me, I ate at this burger joint whose name refers to burger royalty, and their onion rings were all processed to the point that it tasted like paste.

Munching this giant down is as difficult as it gets. Halfway through with onion rings and soda at hand, you'll just stop and take a breather. But that's okay. You're not the only one to stop mid-way while battling this thing. Don't be ashamed of it. I mean, one is enough to intimidate a grown man. How about five?

Yes, I know. Point made. And of course, the Big Brothers Burger ain't the only huge daddy Brothers Burger have on their menu. Just prance around and take a pick among their dozen-plus designer burgers. For a real heavyweight meal, I suggest you try the Brothers Pounder. Sadly, I can't explain all their burgers here because reading about all of it in one seating would literally blow your mind away.

I know that this post somehow has made you scratch your stomach. Well, move! These buns of heaven ain't going to move by itself y'know. No wait, I have a better idea. Grab your phone, dial 212-1212 just like you would while playing with your land line, talk to one of Quick Delivery's friendly agents, and order away. And while you're at it, with 170 and counting partner restaurants – in 326 different locations –  food and drink-wise, why not order something for dessert too?

Talking to an agent not your fancy? Order online or send an SMS message and they'll call you right back. Plus, they're open 24/7/365, rain or shine. How convenient can ordering your favorite foods be?

Finally, if you want to see the complete menu Brothers Burger has on its delivery list, click HERE.

And remember, 212-1212.

For more information, log on to:

Brothers Burger
www.brothersburger.com.ph

Quick Delivery 21
www.quickdelivery.ph


'Till my next installment.

Yoshinoya's Lenten Dish: The Bangus Kabayaki

This day marks the beginning of the Lenten Season. For Filipinos, it's the season where people fast, stop eating meat and start eating fish. So to all would-be fish eaters and fish lovers alike, Yoshinoya's got a treat for you.

Starting this Lent, Yoshinoya will be offering their newest dish, the Bangus Kabayaki. The Bangus Kabayaki is a lightly-breaded Century Bangus belly, with special kabayaki sauce, served with beansprout. It's the perfect dish for the conservative you. It's good for weightwatchers too.

The Bangus Kabayaki costs P140.00 and is available for a limited time only. You can find Yoshinoya branches at: SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Mall of Asia, Park Square 1, and Robinsons Galleria.

So don't miss out on this new Bangus Kabayaki. Go to your nearest Yoshinoya now.

'Till my next installment.

Via Mare Dinner Quickly Delivered at the Doorstep

Ah, evening – it's this time of the day again where everybody retreats back home and takes dinner. Sometimes it's hard to decide what to eat at this hour, especially if you're coming home from work or school. No time to prepare for real food, less time to think of what to eat. Usually we end up eating fastfood meals, or the usual roasted chicken, which can get tiring or boring at times. One can't help but cry "Ma, we want real Filipino food tonight! Nothing deep fried or roasted please!" So it was tonight we decided to take on real food, made just the way Ma does it – Filipino style. Our gastronomic adventure to Via Mare was about to unfold.

Via Mare is well-known in the food industry as a pioneer of truly Filipino foods. It has its fair share of prestige and reputation around the nation, serving the world's leaders and whatnot, so I was quickly sold and contacted Quick Delivery immediately. With a simple dial of the number 212-1212, I was able to bag 2 servings of Via Mare's Ensaladang Bagnet, a bowl of their Tiyan ng Bangus Sinigang sa Miso, a bowl of Kare-Kare, and a saucerful of Palitaw.

Check out Quick Delivery's 10% Off Peak Promo!

In just an hour, the Quick Delivery delivery agent was at our gate, knocking while donning a smile. I gave him a little something for his effort, and this is what he handed me:

Such a wonderful bag, don't you agree? Makes you excited to tear through your meal right from the getgo. Within this very bag are these delightful Filipino packages:

First off, the Ensaladang Bagnet:

It tastes as good as it looks. Those crispy pork bites really gives a lot of bang for the buck. Via Mare should make this in huge batches so that them hungry folks could eat plenty. I actually ate a lot of this personally. A serving will set you back P175, but its totally worth it.

Somehow this Tiyan ng Bangus Sinigang sa Miso escaped my grip and was gone long after I even started to notice. But this I surely can say: Whoever ate this must be fully satisfied because it was totally finished. And I was very delighted to know that the broth of this dish is coupled with soybean paste. You don't see that very often. The Tiyan ng Bangus Sinigang sa Miso is good for two and costs P265.

If anything else, Via Mare's Kare-Kare is the star of this dinner set. The tripe didn't have the slightest trace of game taste. The peanut-annatto sauce could pass for a milk shake for its smoothness. It's genuine peanut sauce, and you won't feel even a hint of unground peanuts. If you've experienced making genuine peanut sauce like me you should know how hard it is to make those peanuts all pasty and smooth before it's A-OK for cooking. All the other vegetables, well-made. It's a bomb waiting to explode in your mouth.

Unfortunately though, the guy who packed this meal into the bag forgot to put Via Mare's bagoong alamang. Even if it was just an accident, people should be extra vigilant on the completeness of their customers' orders. You'll never know when an angry customer calls back yelling. This piece of awesomeness costs P355.

And last but not the least, Via Mare's Palitaw:

For P42 a box, it's totally a bargain. I urge you to try this one out. It's so white that my camera needed to adjust its lens and darken the image so that the palitaw will not appear as a single white blob on the photo. And seriously, this is the very first palitaw I've seen seasoned with sesame seeds. If you're not feeling palitaw-y though, there's lots of other rice-based sweets you can dig into. Among others, there's the Via Mare Bibingka, Puto-Bumbong, and the Puto-Maya. No kidding. What, you thought the Puto-Maya existed only in a children's game (gaya gaya puto-maya paglaki magiging buwaya)?

The Via Mare dinner set, courtesy of Quick Delivery, gave us a wonderful night. Not only were we able to taste the dishes that politicians and moguls tasted, we were also able to authentically enjoy a genuine Filipino-themed meal (though some would argue that the Kare-Kare is an heirloom of Spain to us).

So if you want to enjoy what we enjoyed tonight, just ready up your two fingers and dial 212-1212 on your landline. Dialing the number is as easy as playing with buttons. A friendly Quick Delivery agent will answer your call and will attend to everything you need to know about their 170 and counting partner restaurants – in 326 different locations –  food and drink-wise. You can even order online or send an SMS message and they'll call you right back. Plus, they're open 24/7/365, rain or shine. How convenient can ordering your favorite foods be?

Finally, if you want to see the complete menu Cafe Via Mare has on its delivery list, click HERE.

And remember, 212-1212.

For more information, log on to:

Via Mare
www.viamare.com.ph

Quick Delivery 21
www.quickdelivery.ph


'Till my next installment.

Quick Delivery's Off Peak Promo!

Get this: Quick Delivery, the pioneer of delivery outsourcing here in the Philippines, is having a 10% delivery discount on all its 170+ partner restaurants, Mondays to Sundays, 2PM-5PM. You read that right: 10% off on all cash transactions, Mondays to Sundays, 2PM-5PM.

With a partner restaurant roster of 170+ in 326 different locations, you can literally order anything you want, anywhere! A snack from Oliver's Super Sandwiches will reach you in under an hour.* A salivating Chinese mid-noon set from Kirin is guaranteed to be delivered warm at your doorstep.

So if you're looking forward to that late lunch of yours at the office or otherwise an early merienda at home, just dial 212-1212. That's Quick Delivery for you. Don't want to call? Order online by registering an account at the Quick Delivery website. You can even send them an SMS message and they'll call you right back.

And next time you want something delivered from any restaurant, just remember Quick Delivery. They're open rain or shine 24/7/365.

'Till my next installment.

 *Varies with location

Quick Delivery's Fatboy's Pizza Merienda – A Review

I just titled the post using words in three different languages: English, Italian and Spanish. That aside, we'll be talking about how something Italian was reinvented to please the Filipino palate.

History tells us that the humble pizza and pasta originated from Italy. These good eats have appeared in text books in the 16th and 13th century respectively. As old as they are, they're very dynamic, ever-changing, and never failed to appeal to the Filipino taste. You got to think, how much more appealing would pizzas and pastas be if they were "rewritten" specifically for us? My friends, I introduce to you Fatboy's Pizza Pasta.

It all started with a rather pleasant conversation with a female Quick Delivery agent. I told her who I was and that I was going to grab both the Hickory Chicken Bacon and Bacon Cheeseburger family pizzas of Fatboy's.  Y'know, these Quick Delivery folks, they do know how to speak with people. They speak audibly in a moderate pace and in a nice courteous tone, unlike some guys I know who speak 50 words a second you can't understand half of the time. Come to think of it the woman who answered my call, her voice, it makes me want to order more. But enough about that. After confirming my address and my orders, the agent told me that my food will arrive in approximately 90 minutes. That was 4:15PM. Oh and by the way, the Fatboy's Pizza Pasta branch that prepared my meal was the one in SM Mall of Asia. I live in Mandaluyong. Pasay to Mandaluyong. Whew. That shows you how dedicated the Quick Delivery team is on fulfilling their promise – they deliver to anyone.

Fast forward to 5:45PM: My pizzas arrived hot complete with a smiling Quick Delivery agent. I like people who always smile. They don't have that negative aura which makes life miserable. Anyway, I paid my dues then got inside the house, targets at hand.

Now I'm going to show you some of the aspects of Fatboy's Pizza Pasta so you won't be like "Uy anu yan bago san mo binili?" with your friends in case you dine out at Fatboy's. I'll be doing this for you so you won't have to. First of all, the box:

Definitely a beauty albeit still a plain square box. This one's a 14-incher, their family size. Good branding, instantly recognizable at sight. And notice the words written in red? Yeah. This one I'd like to present in American slang: "They be not kidding you when they sez` they pizzas be excellent in taste and value."

Next, the pizzas themselves. The first is the Bacon Cheeseburger and the bottom one is the Hickory Chicken Bacon. Looks delicious doesn't it? Well, you don't know what you're in for.

Let me tell you, these babies are definitely a piece of heaven. No, put that in all caps. HEAVEN.

Let's discuss the cheese first. You know the creamy, milky cheese Kraft uses on its Macaroni & Cheese dinner boxes? These pizzas' cheese combination tastes just like that. The moment my tongue touched the cheese, I was like "Oh man." Plus, it's not as tacky as the pizza cheeses you're used to. You don't need to extend your pizza 2 feet away from your mouth just to snap the pizza's cheese. At Fatboy's, all it takes is one big bite.

The pizza toppings are exactly what you'd expect from pizzas. You have to wonder, why won't pizza joints serve an all pizza toppings rice meal? I think it'll click with the Filipinos. Anyway, as you'll see in the photos, Fatboy's seems to have cut back on mushrooms and whatnot. Or maybe their selections are not as wide as the other already established pizza joints, thus the lack of mushrooms. What they lack in ingredients they more than make up for in quality and taste. What you see here is a strong, rising star in the pizza and pasta world. Heck, I won't be surprised if their chains suddenly pop up at malls like mushrooms (what's up with the mushrooms? Hah.)

Lastly, the dough itself. Will you forgive me if I call it pizza bread? Because y'know, when dough cooks it's called bread. Pizza dough, pizza bread? No? Okay, fine. Anyway, Fatboy's Pizza Pasta pizza dough is not greasy. And when I say it's not greasy it's really not greasy. Most of the time when I eat other pizzas I get grease smeared all over my mouth and cheeks and my forehead. It's kind of irritating sometimes, especially when you gulp a glass of ice cold soda. The grease builds up in your lips. So irritating. But this Bacon Cheeseburger and Hickory Chicken Bacon, bah. Just grab one yourself and you'll see what I mean. And seemingly as an added bonus, the lesser the grease the healthier the eats! Yey for health buffs! Yey for calorie-conscious women!

I almost forgot about the crust. The pizza crust of these two are edible. By that I mean it's unlikely you would leave them out because they're not as tough and as chewy as other basic pizza models out there. You could really eat it and the taste is still there unlike those ones that taste like burnt bread.

Wait, have I told you that these 14-inchers sell for P265.00 each? Yes! At P265.00 you have a formidable opponent to chow down at your table! I only ate three slices and I was down for the count. I wasn't even having soda with it (soda makes you feel full faster when taken with a meal). As much as I want to munch all the slices down my belly, I can't. I'm full. In fact, only one slice was taken from the Hickory Chicken Bacon box. Expect those slices to be gone come this morning though. Fatboy's Pizza, anyone?

Just a sec. I'mma tell you a little secret. Look at the photo below:

You see that tiny silver sachet? That thing contains what pizzas need to give you full satisfaction: Hot sauce. It might be silver now but I'm expecting in the near future that they'll brand their hot sauce sachets with their own design.

It was a good experience all in all. I give Fatboy's Pizza Pasta an 8/10. Hey, it's still a relatively young brand. There's lots of room for improvement. In a couple of years time it'll be as established as say, Puzza Hit. or Shekay's. That's one way of putting it.

This meal wouldn't have reached my doorsteps if it weren't for the dedicated guys at Quick Delivery 21. Remember what I said a while back? That they deliver to anyone? 21, to anyone, 2any1? Does it ring a bell?

Speaking of Quick Delivery, they'll bring any food from any restaurant of your choice warm at your doorstep. Food from Orchard Road, copy. Anguses from Brothers Burgers, check. Sweets from Xocolat and BanApple, easy. With a roster of 139 partner restaurants, you could have Chinese, Italian, Filipino and American all at the same time before dinner time. All you need to do is dial 212-1212 on your phone and say what you want. As I've mentioned above, the Quick Delivery crew are very friendly. Just talk your heart away and order. You don't want it by phone? How about ordering online or texting them an SMS? Just head to their website and create an account. It's a piece of cake. They're ready to deliver 24/7/365. They've recently revamped their website too. Now you can download a small .pdf file and listed in it are all of their partner restaurants' menus. Really really handy.

Here's the downloadable .pdf menu of Fatboy's Pizza Pasta.

The best part is, if a snafu happens with your meals, Quick Delivery personnel will quickly contact you at a moment's notice and let you know. This is how professional they are. Now you don't need to grab your phone and call angrily for an order follow-up.

The next time you want a pizza, a pasta, or a rice meal as they case maybe, I suggest you order at Fatboy's Pizza Pasta. Try it. You won't regret it. A simple 212-1212 will do the trick.

For more information, log on to:

Fatboy's Pizza Pasta
www.fatboyspizza.com.ph

Quick Delivery 21
www.quickdelivery.ph


'Till  my next installment.

*Photos were taken with an Olympus Camedia C-50 Zoom

The McDonald's Milkshake Tracking Project | Where to Buy McDonald's Milkshakes

If you've read my previous posts about McDonald's, you'd know that I'm furious over the non-availability of their milkshakes in most chains, so I decided to start what I'd like to call the McDonald's Milkshake Tracking Project. See, I'm really dedicated to spread the word – that is, all McDonald's branches should serve milkshakes (so that we don't have to do anything anymore just to find these god-damned milkshakes! And dude, if you're thinking I'm a fat loser desperate to chug down milkshakes – and even if there's nothing wrong with being fat – I ain't)!

The idea is simple: I'll just add here in this post the location of every McDonald's chains I find that serve milkshakes. You can contribute to this list too. Okay, so here we go on our quest to answering the question "Where to Buy McDonald's Milkshakes":

National Capital Region

1. McDonald's SM Mall of Asia
2. McDonald's near RCBC Plaza Makati
3. McDonald's Glorietta 3
4. McDonald's Glorietta 4
5. El Pueblo
6. McDonald's Valero
7. Jaka
8. Macapagal Avenue
9. Metro Market! Market!
10. Rockwell
11. McDonald's Greenhills, outside mall proper
12. Katipunan
13. McDonald's Ayala Avenue
14. Paseo Center (Paseo de Roxas)
15. The Fort (near HSBC)
16. Banaue/Retiro
17. Quezon Avenue
18. C-Town
19. Don Antonio (Commonwealth)
20. Strata 200 Ortigas Center
21. South Super Highway - Southbound Lane - CALTEX
22. Eastwood
23. SM Megamall, Ground Floor
24. SM Cyber Two, Buendia
25. McDonald's La Consolacion, Mendiola
26. McDonald's DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs)

And the list would go on as long as you dear readers contribute to this post. Just leave-a-holla below in the comments box McDonald's chains that serve milkshakes in the Philippines be it in Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao.We Filipinos should help each other out.

And Kenneth Yang, if you're reading this post (considering you're still CEO and President), damn you. Do something about this. Or else I'mma go tell Santa Claus. Or the head honchos in the US.

Thanks to the guys at Pinoy Exchange.com for contributing a lot on this "Where to Buy McDonald's Milkshakes" post.

'Till my next installment.

Reyes Barbecue Christmas Party Group Package | Reyes Barbecue Pork BBQ & Butterscotch Banana

Well, next week is the official start of office and school Christmas parties nationwide. We got lots of people – from toddlers to office workers like me – who are looking forward to celebrating a decent party. There's the games and the drinks, but how about the food and desserts?

If you're always on the run and just don't have enough time for everything, say prepare a feast for dozens of people, the guys at Reyes Barbecue and Quick Delivery Philippines can answer for you.

See, I was recently informed of a new launching of theirs – the Pork BBQ Party Size, which can feed a hundred people (considering you allocate a stick each to each person) and the Butterscotch Banana Party Size, which I can say, is one of the more finer tasting things a person or a restaurant can do to a humble banana. Let's tackle their barbecue first.

At Filipino parties, barbecued pork is a staple. It's always around. Nevertheless, it shouldn't be just barbecue. It should be "The Barbecue." Sure, you can get barbecues anywhere: Streets, beerjoints, wherever. But if you're looking for "The Barbecue", try Reyes'. I tasted it first hand and let me just say, it was succulent, moist, tender, and not too burnt. It looks simple on the picture but wait until you get a bite of it. 100 pieces of this wonderful meat on a stick will set you back P2,400.00. I do guarantee you though that for its taste and quality, it's a bargain. What's more is, you can skip preparing barbecues yourself and save a lot of time and energy. Perfect for parties and gatherings.

After munching on Reyes' Pork BBQ, I'm pretty sure that you'll like this one more than your generic ice cream for dessert. Consider this if you're a health junky: It's healthier, it's tastier, and heck it sure carries less sugars and calories – the Butterscotch Banana.

Honestly, I don't know folks at Reyes Barbecue created something like this. It's like plain bananacue but 500% better and sans the stick. It's way too delicious, even my diabetic father chowed down four.

Usually when you see bananas like this, it's either fried or boiled. This one is in between. It's cooked with the skin on, but just stab your fork in one, sinks right on, very tender, and it magically peels off from the skin (I swear, it peels off magically) – proof that it's made with utmost supervision and expertise. And most of all, like I said twice now, it's indescribably delicious. No wonder it's always unavailable or out of stock or sold out. People at Bonifacio Global City can't get enough of these babies. No, seriously. This batch was especially made for me to try out. My friend over here wasn't as fortunate as me (Read his experience at Reyes Barbecue Bonifacio Global City). Costs P145.00 for a pack of ten.

At this point I'm sure that you've made up your mind on how many pieces of Pork BBQ and Butterscotch Bananas you'll order for your office party or for your kid's Christmas at school. Speaking of orders, you can directly order from the source or at any Reyes Barbecue chain since they are everywhere. OR, if you're out of the Metro and your local Reyes Barbecue chain doesn't deliver, you should call 212-1212 – that's Quick Delivery for you.

These guys at Quick Delivery are as competent as other delivery crews, maybe even better. Ring their number up and be answered by professional agents that are very friendly, sincere, and are good accented too. Frankly I was surprised at how good my agent's English accent was. Lovely female voice. And the best part: They'll call you back on your cellphone or land line if something turns up (see: Haywire) or if they need further clarifications on your order. They don't just deliver: They make sure that they deliver what you want on-time, anytime (they delivered me my Reyes Pork BBQ Party Package). And while you're at it, go check Quick Delivery's website. See their partner restaurants!

I'll be calling Reyes Barbecue or Quick Delivery up right now to reserve those Butterscotch Bananas if I were you. Remember this for next week: Less time preparing, more time partying.

For more information, please call or log on to:

Reyes Barbecue
Bonifacio Stopover, Bonifacio Global City
856-1215
http://www.reyesbarbecue.com/

Quick Delivery Philippines
212-1212
www.quickdelivery.ph


'Till my next installment.

*Photos were taken with an Olympus Camedia C-50 Zoom

Pizza Hut Pair Deal Promo Philippines

I was going home the other night, rode the MRT home and got down at the Boni Station. As I was passing by the GA Towers, I saw this huge tarpaulin basically saying to me in all caps "BUY PIZZA HERE NOW. And buy I did. Presenting the Pizza Hut Pair Deal:

The Pizza Hut Pair Deal: Buy two whopping Family Pan Pizzas for only P399. The catch: It's exclusive for takeout. Choose among Deluxe Beef, Hawaiian, Salami, and Pepperoni & Garlic.

What are you waiting for? Visit a Pizza Hut chain near you and take home a pair now.  Promo until April 25, 2011.

'Till my next installment.

P.S. Pizza Hut GA Towers is a nice cozy little spot ran by good crew. Too bad they have weak airconditioning.

Yoshinoya's Festive Meal Promo

Christmas is fast approaching. Aside from giving gifts and hanging lights, Christmas is also about the food. After all, we celebrate Noche Buena at Christmas Eve.

Maybe you're tired of preparing that same Christmas meal you've been having for years on end. Well, if you've ran out of ideas on what to serve your family or friends this season of gift giving, why not go Japanese?

Here at Yoshinoya, we prepare the festivities for you. Presenting the Yoshinoya Festive Meal promo:

Mechanics:

1. Promo valid from November 15, 2010 to December 31, 2010 only.
2. Save P20 for orders of Jumbo meal, Rice Bowls, Bento meals.
3. Minimum order of P1,000 to avail the promo.
4. Valid for dine in, take out, delivery.
5. Valid on all branches.

It's not only perfect for Christmas. Yoshinoya's Festive Meal is also perfect for those who'll be celebrating their birthday, anniversary, or baptism this Yuletide season. What's also good is you can avail of this promo whether in your the Metro or somewhere in Cebu.

Try Japanese. Try Yoshinoya.

'Till my next installment.

Brother's Burger at 50% Off Today

You read that right. Brother's Burger slashes a whopping 50% off its Big Brother's Burger as a Thanksgiving gift from 11AM to 10PM and is only good today, November 15, 2010. See poster below for details:

Or head to Brother's Burger's website.

Maybe we'll even grab a half dozen of these babies to our way back from the Department of Foreign Affairs. I just love how these burgers taste.

'Till my next installment.

Yoshinoya's Buy 1 Take 1 Yakiniku & Misono Promo

Once upon a time there was the Buy 1 Take 1 Beef Misono Promo. Next thing you know the Buy 1 Take 1 Beef Yakiniku Promo was up and over. What's next? How about if I tell you right now that there's more. Wait! There's more? Of course there is.

Here at Yoshinoya, we like to celebrate Christmas early. And the fun part is just beginning.

Starting November 15 - 21, 2010, from 6pm onwards, Yoshinoya will hold the Buy 1 Take 1 Beef Yakiniku and Beef Misono Promo. The mechanics to avail the promo is simple: Just come on over at 6pm, order our Beef Misono or our Beef Yakiniku, take another beef bowl of your choice and eat! How simple and delicious is that?

So what are you waiting for? Come on here at Yoshinoya and enjoy our beef bowls. Remember, this is for a limited time only.

'Till my next installment.

Jollibee Online Delivery

Hey hey, Jollibee made itself more accessible to people - especially computer potatoes - with the launch of its newest service - Jollibee Online Delivery.

The Jollibee Online Delivery system works like McDonald's McDelivery: Create an account, log-in, fill-up your cyber tray with orders, submit it and done. Just order and wait. No more of that laborious dialog with telephone operators that sometimes irks the beep out of you.

The catch: A 10% delivery charge on all items ordered with a minimum order amount of PHP 200.00. I honestly think it's pretty fair, unless of course you order lots of items because that's when the 10% additional charge becomes a burden. McDonald's implemented this percentage delivery charge in the McDelivery service but later scrapped it in favor of a PHP 40.00 fixed delivery charge. The reasoning behind that move I don't know. But I guess it works for McDonald's. Again, do take note that the actual and online prices of Jollibee food items vary. 

Anyway, it's good to see the Jollibee Corporation embracing and going with the digital revolution. As a Filipino, I'm proud that we have a fast food chain online delivery service we could call our own. Although I'm a fan of McDonald's and usually I'd call this move a rip, hey, it's a free country. This is marketing inclined to the tech-savvy who don't want to stand up from their computer chairs - a good sign of progress. Good work Jollibee, keep it up. Just don't remove Mang Inasal's "Unlimited Rice" and destroy their food i.e. serving small helpings of chicken rather than the original big sizes prior to your 70% majority takeover.

If you're curious as to how Jollibee's Online Delivery works or if you're contemplating on making an actual purchase, proceed to the Jollibee Online Delivery website by clicking HERE.

'Till my next installment.

The McDonald's Twister Fries is Back, But How About Their Milkshakes?

I've always been a McDonald's fan. Ever since I was a kid, I've chased their Happy Meals. Now that I'm a full-fledged adult, I still eat at, like how our Malaysian counterparts say, McD's.

Recently, McDonald's Philippines decided the comeback of the McDonald's Twister Fries. Yeah, that's all good stuff. That curly bit of potato joy, it's all good, especially when you dip it in tomato ketchup. I guess it's patented because if it wasn't, Jollibee would be all over it copying and renaming it to "Jollibee Swirly Fries." Hah, ugly.

Anyway, I have beef with how McDonald's launches the return of the Twister Fries nationally and yet their milkshakes are always almost nowhere to be found. What's up with that?

See, I'm a big McDonald's milkshake fan. But whenever I go to some random McDonald's chain right by the road to fetch a milkshake, most of the time I end up having a Sundae. Everytime I say milkshake, they say "We don't serve that here sir." The only McDonald's chains I know that serve milkshakes are the ones in the SM Mall of Asia and the one right beside La Consolacion Mendiola. This shouldn't be the case, the milkshake should be available everywhere. What if I want to purchase a milkshake right now? It's so not practical to ride an hour long trip to La Consolacion just to purchase a milkshake when our local McDonald's could be serving us with that fluffy bundle of happiness (yeah, I know it's full of sugars and calories and all, but I love it. What do you care?). See my point?

Is there an issue with the milkshake machine? Is it so expensive that only a few franchisees ever dare put it up in their McDonald's branch? That shouldn't be the case since setting up a McDonald's branch costs tens of millions of dough. If you spend that much on setup alone, why not throw in the McDonald's milkshake machine as well? It not only diversifies your products, it also generates a faster return of investment, at least in my opinion.

So to McDonald's Philippines (hell, throw in the McDonald's HQ in the US and all their representatives everywhere), this I address: Urge your franchisees to consider purchasing a milkshake machine for their branch(es) so that people could enjoy it. We're tired of floats and sundaes and the McFlurry. We don't want nothing to do with those no more. We don't want "We don't serve that here sir" answers no more! We want milkshakes or else we'll sue you for not bringing joy to people! Just kidding.

'Till my next installment.

[Photo by curiosityfillsthecat.blogspot.com]

Eraserheads Limited Edition CD Set at Greenwich

This month of September, Greenwich exclusively brings you the limited edition CD set of the Eraserheads, complete with digitally remastered EPs. Look at the photo below or proceed directly to Greenwich's official website for further information.

So what are you waiting for? Grab a pizza and the Eraserheads limited edition CD set at Greenwich now.

'Till my next installment.