Actor Joshua Garcia, one of the biggest stars of his generation, recently signed up with Koomi, Manila’s favorite natural drinking yogurt, as its new endorser and Koomikada in time for the opening of its 100th store at the SM Mall of Asia Square in August.
Joshua, who currently co-stars in the new adaptation of the popular Darna television series, has captured the hearts of the public with his endearing roles onscreen. He rose to prominence for his critically-acclaimed performance in the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival top-grosser Vince, and Kath and the James, and in the primetime series The Good Son. He has starred in various TV series such as Nasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kita (2015), The Greatest Love (2016), Ngayon At Kailanman (2018), and The Killer Bride (2019).
The flagship brand of Visum Ventures Group, Koomi’s guiltless goodness drinks have taken the country by storm since opening its first store in 2019. The now widely-popular brand has branches all over the country, fast expanding in major cities and provinces nationwide.
Shown in photo during the contract signing are from left: Visum Ventures Group’s Hyacinth Luansing, Chief HR Officer; John-Michael Hilton, President and Chief Executive Officer; Joshua Garcia; Adrian Luansing, Chief Finance Officer and Andrew Neri, Chief Marketing Officer.
Visum Ventures believes that healthy eating need not be bland and boring. This resonates in the other brands under its expanding portfolio: Oh My Greek, Meraki by Oh My Greek, Zig, Sante by Zig, and T2 Tea. They recently launched Salt and Ice Oyster Bar and Craft Cocktails at the Uptown Parade in BGC.
Make sure to drop by and have your favorite #GuiltlessGoodness treats at any #KoomiPH store or order via Grab Food, Food Panda, Pick-A-Roo, and Toktok.
Randy’s, known for its fluffier, airier and larger donuts, is creating quite buzz in the local food scene since it opened last May at the Uptown Parade in BGC.
Get your hands on these iconic donuts from LA and enjoy all-time favorites like the Classic Glazed Raised and deluxe, fancy and premium varieties such as S’mores, Fruit Loops Raised, Apple Fritter, Butter Crumb, Jelly Raspberry and Cake Sprinkles.
Randy’s Donuts can be spotted in movies such as The Avengers where Tony Stark was seen inside a Randy’s donut hole. Its exterior has been used in Arrested Development, Masked Rider, Entourage, The Golden Child, Get Shorty, Problem Child 2, Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles, The Kissing Booth and Runaways among other movies.
Max’s Restaurant makes the rainy days more comforting with its lineup of heartwarming soups now available alongside their Solo Meals!
When you order a Solo Meal that already comes with a range of rice, beloved viands, and Max’s Caramel Bar, you also get to choose a solo serving of one of their soups.
Photo: Max’s Restaurant
If you’re going for that classic sour and savory flavor, you can select the Sinigang na Tiyan ng Bangus, Sinigang na Baboy, or Sinigang na Hipon.
If you’re seeking to sink your teeth into tender beef that’s soaked in a heartwarming soup, then pick their Nilagang Baka. Meanwhile, Pocherong Baka is Max’s newest offering, made with a rich tomato-based soup, juicy saba, corn, and other vegetables complementing its flavorsome beef chunks.
Photo: Max’s Restaurant
Diners can just add P139 for the Sinigang soups, or P159 for the Nilaga and Pochero. The new Pocherong Baka is also available for sharing at only P759 for dine-in customers.
Enjoy Max’s latest offerings through delivery.maxschicken.com or 888-79000 (Metro Manila). These are available for dine-in, take-out, and delivery in all stores nationwide.
For more information and the latest updates on their promos, follow Max’s Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram.
There’s no denying that cakes provide comfort and joy in the midst of life’s ups and downs. They serve a purpose other than for special occasions. They are a sweet ending to any day or meal, a form of reward, a way to brighten up a mood or express your love.
If you’re looking for something extra noteworthy, you’ll never go wrong with Pâtisserie Le Choux-Colat’s premium and artisanal bakes. In their pursuit of making every day special and spreading happiness to every family, this homegrown brand offers a selection of delectable desserts at a reasonable price. Their specialties are handcrafted entremets and gâteaux de voyage (or travel cakes) in various flavor combinations that are familiar to the Filipino palate.
Behind the sweets is Ely Salar, an international award-winning and multi-certified Filipino pastry chef and chocolatier whose culinary endeavors are founded on his desire to elevate the Filipino food experience. With Pâtisserie Le Choux-Colat, he gives classic French confections a Filipino twist through a play of culturally inspired flavors and real and high-quality ingredients, some of which are sustainably sourced from his Elfortunella Farm in Leyte, where he also grows his own cacao.
In February 2021, the brand made its debut on Facebook and Instagram, with only two products available for delivery. Their Chocolate and Coffee Crème Brûlée entremets instantly became a hit. To meet the rising demand, they gradually expanded their dessert repertoire with new flavors. They officially marked their expansion on July 8, 2022, with the opening of their first physical store in The Podium.
“Our taste profiles are never too far away from flavors we are used to,” says Chef Ely. “From the aroma to the form, glaze, textures, and flavors, each piece is a treat to the senses and taps into a familiar feeling or memory or serves you a wave of nostalgia.”
A lot of skill and artistry goes into creating the perfect blend and form, not to mention the intricate details that are also made from scratch. Every creation is truly a labor of love and a testament to quality and pastry craftsmanship.
“Even with a simple and elegant presentation, each cake is made with a great deal of complexity using the French technique to build all the layers and achieve the desired eating experience.”
Entremet lineup
Entremets are multi-layered cakes encased in a beautiful mirror glaze. These confections may appear simple and unassuming, but they will take your taste buds on an adventure with a flavorful medley of fudge or sponge cake, cream, mousse, crunch, and texture. Imagine biting into a symphony of flavors and textures that range from light to creamy, pillowy, smooth, and crunchy.
The Chocolate Entremet is a sophisticated take on a classic flavor. This tried-and-true favorite is composed of 64% dark chocolate mousse, moist chocolate sponge, homemade crispy wafer crunch with hazelnut praline paste and milk chocolate, and encased in a dark chocolate mirror glaze with edible 24k gold leaf accents.
The Coffee Crème Brûlée boasts a complex yet comforting taste profile—a perfect marriage of the bold coffee flavor and the soft, sweet brightness of the crème brûlée. Underneath its silky smooth mirror glaze layer with bitter-sweet coffee and white chocolate cremeux, rich vanilla custard, caramelized sugar, crispy milk chocolate wafer crunch, and a moist dark chocolate sponge cake.
Made with fresh Philippine mangoes, the Mango Magnifique is the perfect play of sweet and citrus profiles. When sliced, this stunning dessert reveals delectable layers beneath the white chocolate mirror glaze: a spread of mango mousse, mango gelee cubes in vanilla diplomat cream sandwiched by vanilla citrus sponge, and a streusel crunch disc.
Yema Cacao is a distinctly Filipino treat that brings together the sweet, silky local delicacy with rich homemade chocolate. You get the best of the best on all fronts—from the decadent cacao nib sponge cake, rich tablea cacao panna cotta, light vanilla sponge cake, and oozing yema mousse, to the yema chocolate mirror glaze, cacao chocolate bark topping, and cacao pod made with tablea milk chocolate crunch.
A new addition is the Strawberry Dark Chocolate. A lovely pairing of two romantic flavors, this decadent dessert is layered with chocolate fudge cake, dark chocolate ganache, strawberry coulis, feuilletine, and praline crunch, and topped with fresh and plump strawberries, chocolate truffle kisses, and edible 24K gold leaf.
Also new on the menu are the Petit Gateaux or miniature sizes of the Chocolate and Coffee Crème Brûlée entremets.
For moments that call for an added touch of elegance, take your pick from the three flavors of their White Chocolate Rose Entremet: Chocolate, Coffee Crème Brûlée, and Yema Cacao. Each comes with a delicately handcrafted white chocolate flower on top.
Gâteaux de Voyage
Gâteaux de Voyage, Pâtisserie Le Choux-Colat’s version of travel cakes, comes in two seasons of varying flavors in snackable sizes that can be enjoyed at any time of day.
Season 1 includes the Chocolate Rocher, a fudge cake with feuilletine hazelnut crunch and topped with chocolate truffles and chocolate praline.
Another flavor is the Banana Chocolate, a fresh and indulgent sponge cake with white chocolate streusel, banana ganache, and dark chocolate ganache.
There’s also the Almond Praline, which consists of vanilla pound cake, almond praline, and caramelized whipped chocolate ganache.
Season 2 features a mix of familiar tastes and adventurous notes. The Carrot Cream Cheese is a carrot sponge cake layered with rich white chocolate cream cheese and topped with sweet glazed carrots and crunchy milk chocolate praline crumbles.
Inspired by local delicacies, the Tablea Nut Brittle is made up of tablea chocolate sponge, salted caramel nut brittle, and tablea chocolate cremeux.
The bright and tangy Calamansi Bavarian is a calamansi pound cake topped with candied calamansi and wrapped in white chocolate.
Each Gâteaux de Voyage box contains two bars of each of three flavors.
#EverydayMadeSpecial: Treat yourself to a premium dessert experience at Pâtisserie Le Choux-Colat’s store located on Level 2 of The Podium. You may also order for pick-up or delivery thru this link https://form.jotform.com/213533794041453. Follow @patisserielechouxcolat on Facebook and Instagram to get updates on new flavors and seasonal offers.
To cap off the summer season, Starbucks is taking on a boldly refreshing journey by introducing new drinks and bringing back classic flavors that will surely excite their customers!
Introducing two delicious Starbucks Refreshers™ beverages: The Strawberry Açaí with Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers™ and the Pink Drink with Strawberry Açaí Starbucks Refreshers™.
The Strawberry Açaí with Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers™
A combination of real fruit juice and flavors of sweet strawberry and acai, with real strawberry slides and a pop of light energy boost, balanced with delightful zing of lemonade. Available in iced variant only MSRP for a Tall (12 fl oz): Php 165 MSRP for a Grande (16 fl oz): Php 180 MSRP for a Venti (20 fl oz): Php 195
The Pink Drink with Strawberry Açaí Starbucks Refreshers™
Pink drink is a combination of creamy but light coconut milk and real fruit juice of sweet strawberry and acai, with real strawberry slides and a pop of light energy boost. Great balance of creamy and fruity! Available in iced variant only MSRP for a Tall (12 fl oz): Php 165 MSRP for a Grande (16 fl oz): Php 180 MSRP for a Venti (20 fl oz): Php 195
Fun, fruity, and flavorful with a mesmerizing appearance, the beverages are boldly refreshing and unique in every way. So, to celebrate their launch, they’ll invite you to use Starbucks Refreshers™ as one of many sources of inspiration to express themselves boldly.
They are also bringing back their Oatmilk Cocoa Series that will excite cocoa lovers all around the Philippines!
A delicious blend of oatmilk, espresso, and ice, topped with whipped cream, cocoa drizzle, and a sprinkle of cocoa powder. Available in coffee and cream variant MSRP for a Tall (12 fl oz): Php 195 MSRP for a Grande (16 fl oz): Php 210 MSRP for a Venti (20 fl oz): Php 225
RETURNING! OATMILK COCOA MACCHIATO
Signature espresso blended with smooth oatmilk and vanilla syrup, then topped with a drizzle of rich cocoa sauce. Available in hot or iced variant MSRP for a Tall (12 fl oz): Php 205 MSRP for a Grande (16 fl oz): Php 220 MSRP for a Venti (20 fl oz): Php 235
STARBUCKS® BEVERAGES Also available via GrabFood and foodpanda (prices will vary).
Liang Crispy Roll is celebrating their first anniversary here in the Philippines!
The famed scallion pancake chain that boasts of over 12,800 stores worldwide was first brought here by the Fredley Group last year. Now there are two Liang Crispy Roll stores in Metro Manila, and the brand is marking their first year here with a delightful deal for their customers!
When you order online, you can get 20% off on their Box O’ Rolls when you use the code LIANGLOVESCTC! Their Box O’ Rolls contains six assorted crispy rolls in a box that’s perfect for gifting and for sharing. Liang Crispy Rolls’ flavor lineup are comprised of Angus Beef Steak, Pork Barbecue, Grilled Chicken, Chunky Tuna, Veggie Delight, and 5 Cheese Melt.
Order your Box O’ Rolls now via liang.fredleygroup.com. Liang Crispy Roll’s physical stores can be found at 780 Banawe St., Quezon City, and at the fourth floor of SM Aura Premier in Taguig City. You can also find them at The Mall in Nustar, Cebu City.
For more information and updates on their latest promos, follow their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf launches its first event after almost three years! Not only are they celebrating the 19th year anniversary, but this is also their first-ever Community meet-up.
Attendees are met with a series of new products that are yet to be released making them the first-ever CBTL guests to taste and experience these releases.
Check out this video to get a glimpse of the event’s happenings!
First off the list is their newest drink – Cold Brew Burnt Caramel. This is their first limited-time offer drink this year. They upgraded their cold brew with an exquisite Burnt Caramel syrup.
Burnt Caramel Cold Brew Regular: P195 Large: 215
Now, what could be the best pairing for this other than some good cake and pastries. Attendees also had the first dibs on these goodies:
Yema Sansrival P155/slice
Layers of meringue-based cake with cashews and buttercream, frosted with butter icing. Topped with yema custard drizzle and toasted cashew nuts
Carrot Cake Cheesecake P155/slice
Two layers of carrot cake and cheesecake topped with cream cheese frosting.
Butter Croissant P125/pc
Buttery and light-layered croissant with crispy texture
Cranberry Walnut Sourdough P295/pc
Light and chewy artisanal sourdough loaf with cranberries and walnuts
Ham & Cheese CroissantP155/pc
Buttery and flaky croissant with cheese and savory ham.
Pain Au Chocolat P145/pc
Layers of buttery croissant filled with dark chocolate.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a complete line-up without their latest drinkware – Urban Future. This lineup highlights the core color of CBTL accenting it with a jet black colorway and some metallic and glimmer finishes. Learn more about Urban Future here: https://www.coffeebean.com.ph/urban-future-series-tumblers/
That sure is a lot to unpack but it definitely gave CBTL’s guests something to look forward to this July. Make sure to catch these newest releases at a CBTL store near you and try them out yourself!
The consistent number one canola oil brand and nutritionists-recommended Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil introduces the Legaspi family as its first family celebrity ambassadors this 2022, to strengthen the brand’s campaign of promoting the importance of healthy and delicious meals for the whole family.
One of the Philippine entertainment industry’s famous celebrity families, Zoren, Carmina, Mavy, and Cassy Legaspi represent the typical Filipino family that bonds over food, made healthier and extra special with Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil.
“We are grateful and honored to be the first family ambassador of Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil,” Carmina says. “Nakakatuwa kasi it’s a new chapter for us, lalo na malaki na ang kambal,” Zoren adds.
The family that eats together…
Zoren and Carmina have been together for nearly two decades as a certified power couple in local showbiz. Their kids, twins Mavy and Cassy, have just turned 21 years old in January and are beginning to make their mark in the industry. In spite of their busy schedules, the Legaspi family makes it a point to cook at home and eat meals together to be updated with each other’s life.
“Number 1 thing in the Legaspi family is that being busy is not an excuse; we need to spend time together as a family especially during mealtime,” says Cassy.
Mavy agrees, adding they always find ways to bond, such as connecting via video call when one of them is inside a locked-in taping. “We’re all busy doing our own types of work, but when we all gather at the dining table, it brings us closer together. We talk about anything under the sun.”
Healthy and delicious
As for what they usually have on the table, they said cooking and eating healthy have always been a priority. Carmina admits to having cheat days, but the key is to balance what’s healthy with what makes you happy. In her own words, “healthy pero masarap.”
“Noong dumating itong pandemic, mas naging conscious kami in making sure that we cook and eat healthier food,” she says. “Mas gusto naming home-cooked meals than food deliveries para we know the ingredients, the way it’s cooked and prepared, at ano ‘yung cooking oil na ginamit. ‘Yung mga ganung details na akala natin hindi importante, sobrang mahalaga pala.”
Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil serves as every Filipino kitchen’s heart-healthy companion for everyday meals. It offers the lowest amount of saturated fat or “bad fats” versus other types of vegetable oils. Bad fats increase bad cholesterol levels in your body which may lead to heart disease.
Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil has high amounts of monounsaturated fats or the “good fats” that helps lower bad cholesterol levels in your body. It contains Omega 3 and 6 which are essential to your heart, brain, and overall body development. Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil is the consistent number one canola oil in the market, trusted by health professionals who value its health benefits, and high versatility – perfect for a wide range of dishes.
A heart-healthy and nutritionist-approved pantry staple
Every member of the Legaspi family shares their own favorite home-cooked meals. Carmina’s favorite is adobo, while Zoren goes for “anything with noodles or pasta.” For Mavy, it’s “Salpicao ni Mama,” and for Cassy, it’s “Mommy’s tuna pasta.”
“I usually cook with whatever’s in the pantry,” Carmina says. “So, anything gisa-gisa. And when you sauté, you need canola oil. Ang pinakamadali, gambas. Kapag dinner time, I prepare salmon escabeche or pag wala ako maisip – salpicao!”
Carmina may be commanding the Legaspi kitchen today, but it was actually Zoren who was the first in their family to learn how to cook. He enrolled in CCA, a prestigious culinary school. He invited his wife to join him but Carmina was hesitant at first and said she would rather stick with doing the groceries instead. Eventually, she was inspired by Zoren’s dedication and decided to finally try her hand at cooking. She never looked back since.
“Ang pagluluto kasi, it’s a gift pala. It’s a talent,” she says, adding even Cassy and Mavy are starting to find themselves in the kitchen more often.
Cassy says it’s essential to prepare all the ingredients first. Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil, in particular, is an important pantry staple. Aside from all its health benefits, it also has one of the highest heat points that make it ideal for frying, especially for deep-frying.
The Legaspi family calls on everyone to keep their family ties strong, starting with cooking and sharing meals whenever they can. With Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil and its health benefits, bonding moments are made extra special with home-cooked meals that are good for the heart.
Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil is available in supermarkets and grocery stores nationwide, and online on Lazada, Shopee, and AceMarket.ph. For more information, check out the brand’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/JollyHeartMateCanolaOil
Since the mid-1800s, the Filippo Berio brand has become synonymous with Italian olive oil excellence thanks to modern production facilities, uncompromising quality standards, and a strong brand integrity. Its unique flavour has made it one of the leading brands in the world.
If there was one thing for which Filippo Berio was particularly proud of it was the exceptional quality of his olive oils. He worked hard to ensure that each bottle was made from the best olives using ‘tried and true’ production methods.
In every deliciously rich bottle of Filippo Berio olive oil lies 150 years of skilled craftsmanship. We treat our heritage with great care, ensuring Filippo Berio’s signature today represents the same uncompromising quality that our founder intended.
Today, his stringent quality standards are still applied at every stage of the production process, which takes place in SALOV’s state-of-the-art production facility just outside Lucca, Italy.
Filippo Berio’s highly-experienced tasters sample 6,000 olive oils each year, yet only 6% are actually selected to become Filippo Berio olive oil.
During the selection process, stages of analysis must be passed in order for an olive oil to be considered Extra Virgin.
The very best and purest form of olive oil is extra virgin which is stored or bottled immediately after pressing, just as it is. To obtain this prestigious classification however, the olive oil must undergo a range of stringent tests to ensure that its acidity levels are below 0.8%. All oils above this limit are sent to a refinery and blended with extra virgin olive oils to add flavour, the resulting product is known as standard or pure olive oil .
Filippo Berio Olive Oil has become a staple ingredient in the kitchen that some of the country’s renowned chefs use it as an everyday cooking oil.
“What’s great about using Filippo Berio olive oil is that you get a longer shelf life with your pastries as compared to butter,” says Chef Angelo Comsti.
“Filippo Berio Extra Virgin olive oil, it’s really high quality, very flavorful and they’re experts in olive oils” says Chef Jackie Laudico.
Filippo Berio Oils are also certified Kosher and Halal.
Aside from high quality olive oils, Filippo Berio creates delicious Pestos. Pesto is an Italian sauce. The name ‘Pesto’ derives from the Italian verb, pestare, meaning to crush or grind. Available in the market are the classic pesto, sun-dried tomato pesto, and tomato and ricotta pesto.
Filippo Berio also has Balsamic Vinegar of Modena which is made from specially selected grapes and assures its origin in Modena, Italy which is known for its production of Balsamic Vinegar. Its unique flavor, which is a perfect complement to our fine Extra Virgin Olive Oil, is ideal for salad dressings, marinades, or even drizzled over grilled fish, meat, and vegetables.
Filippo Berio is available in all major supermarkets nationwide and in e-commerce platforms like Lazada and Shopee.
To know more about Filippo Berio and discover its products, cool recipes, videos, chefs’ tips, and more, you may visit the official Filippo Berio global website, Facebook, and Instagram
Another Mekeni food product will be available in the US market soon as Mekeni Food Corporation announced that they are bringing their well-loved tocino through Island Pacific Supermarket.
Mekeni President Prudencio Garcia said that this new development in their world-market journey is a testament to their commitment to uplift the lives of Filipinos and bring pride to the country.
“This is another step for us to introduce our own Timplang Atin to the rest of the world. When we introduced our first batch of Mekeni-branded products to the US, we want Filipinos abroad and foreigners alike to have access to the world-class quality and taste we offer,” said Garcia.
Last January, Mekeni made their Kikiam and Fish Balls available on the West Coast also through its partnership with Island Pacific Supermarket, one of the area’s biggest Asian/Filipino supermarkets.
The products were widely accepted by the Filipino community on the West Coast. Stocks immediately ran low just a few days after the new products were announced by Island Pacific on their Facebook page.
“We received a lot of positive feedback from families, friends, and friends of friends in the US. Some even asked us to bring more Mekeni products, said Marilou Uy, Mekeni AVP for Export. This inspired Mekeni to speed up its efforts to bring its tocino to the US.
“This is a major feat for a brand like Mekeni that started as a backyard business of a simple family. This milestone is a celebration of the efforts of the whole Mekeni family through the years,” Garcia said.
Before the US, Mekeni exported food products to international markets such as Dubai, Bahrain, Brunei, Qatar, Australia, Canada, and the UK. It is also the first company accredited by the Japanese government to export cooked products to the country.
For over 30 years, it has been known for its world-class manufacturing capabilities. Mekeni is the first in Asia and the second in the world to receive the certificate of compliance with ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System standard. In 2012 and 2013, Mekeni received the Century International Quality ERA Award (Gold Category) in Switzerland and The International Arch of Europe Platinum Award in Germany, respectively, which further cemented its commitment to food safety and quality.
For more information about their products, visit Mekeni’s official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mekeniph.
