Unboxing Lachi’s Sans Rival from Davao City (PHP 285)
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at March 22nd, 2009
I’m no food reviewer, but it doesn’t take an expert to know if something’s good — like REALLY GOOD. I recently came from a Davao Food Tour organized by good friends from the Mindanao blogging contingent. I hand carried one whole Sans Rival from a nice little place called Lachi’s. Some of the foodies who went coined Lachi’s as the “Conti’s of Davao.” That’s actually very close to the truth, in my humble opinion as someone who is barely exposed to the rudiments of gastronomy.
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Twenty One Plates by Tinette Villanueva-Miciano
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at March 2nd, 2009
Editor’s Note: Oh no, I’m being sucked in further into writing about gastronomy … O tempora! O mores!
Tinette Villanueva (now Miciano) was a former professor from college, and like most teacher-student relationships in UA&P, we (students + young faculty) all pretty much became a close knit group outside of class. Add the fact that Tinette was moderator for the theater org — AND it was also known fact that she cooked very well. She used to bring batches of her sun dried tomato pasta to our strat plan meetings — and now the updated version of her recipe is in the menu of her newly opened restaurant, Twenty One Plates.
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Nitrogen Ice Cream at Zenses
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at January 27th, 2009
So so geeky! Thus, this restaurant deserves a post. 
There’s also a Plurk thread discussing reactions.
——-
So Anton Diaz asked me out on a date. Don’t worry — it wasn’t a HOT date. It was actually pretty cold. More than 100 degrees below zero cold.
We were both a little early for a meeting so after editing my last slide, Anton huddled me down to the next door restaurant – Zenses Neo Shanghai Cuisine. It really didn’t strike my eye at first as a place that had great ice cream and drinks. But Anton is pretty good at sniffing these places out, so I tagged along for some nitrogen powered ice cream.
Chef OJ is an applied physics major who really dresses for the occasion. I just had to take photos and write this down for everyone else to try. The place has been open since October 2008. If you want to know the details of our Osmanthus Ice Cream (P480.00 for two orders) and the Zenses Sweater (P240.00) which Anton ordered, check out his detailed review.
As for me, I just wanted to shoot! Check these out:
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Believe it or not: BEER Ice Cream from Elfav (!!!)
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at January 26th, 2009
At 3% alcohol, the P60.00 per scoop ice cream is the only one of its kind that comes with a warning label: 18 years and above only.
I wrote about Elfav a couple of days ago, being happy that we finally have a decent malt shop in the south. Elfav is short for El Favorito, that brand of ice cream that Filipinos may be familiar with – especially to suppliers. Have you ever tried the ice cream sandwiches from Brother’s Burger? Well, the ice cream between the cookies is El Favorito. So today, we got to indulge in a few scoops of ice cream, P99.00 T Bone steak and eggplant lasagna.
So how does it taste, Jayvee?? Well … ummm … It tastes like lager beer. 3% alcohol. The concept of ice cream with alcohol isn’t alien as we have the liquor based flavors like Bailey’s for instance. But beer? Wow.
Definitely not something I’d order on a regular basis – but yeah, it does taste good. Imagine a bottle of beer chilled with the Beer Below Zero technology – and freeze that moment (pun intended!). That’s exactly what the ice cream tastes like.
So I had to ask – yes they can manufacture a batch of this for your private parties. You need to tell them a week in advance.
Elfav serves Yakult Ice Cream
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at January 8th, 2009
Addition: Just found out from the owner that “Elfav” is the flagship store of the El Favorito brand of local ice cream. Apart from Yakult, they also have Wasabi, Turrones, Fruit Cake (!!!) flavored ice cream.
One of the reasons why I’m not a food blogger in the professional sense is because I retreat to myself in restaurants. I’m too timid to ask if I can take photos, peeping at the store manager or owner whilst I open my camera bag with a muffled zzzzip.
So whenever I do fancy talking about food, it’s really just because I find what’s offered rather compelling, it’s a meme by itself. That happened with the Baconator and now it’s happening with Elfav’s Yakult Ice Cream — well it’s more of a sherbet that ice cream, but what the hell.
The idea of a Yakult flavored ice cream is perhaps more enthralling than the photo above. The thought of your ice cream with a lot of swimming Lactobacilli (together kids … the Lactobacilli Shirota Strain!!!) may sound weird, but isn’t that what yogurt is as well?
Elfav’s store took this long to open. The sign’s been up since October of last year and now that they’re finally open, I’m glad to have a decent ice cream parlor cum diner two minutes away from home. Elfav makes their own iced cream, so although they have traditional and eccentric flavors (Coffee, Cheese, Ube, Bailey’s), you’ve never tasted their concoctions before in any other ice cream parlor. The trip’s worth it.
For P99.00 I went all out and had lunch. That’s what I got above – a really delish deboned T Bone steak and a serving of ice cream in a shot glass (note that a regular order of ice cream comes in a bigger bowl – the one pictured in the first photo is the “free” version).
Scoops vary from P40.00 to P60.00 depending on the flavor. A proprietary blend of iced tea is also available for P25.00.
And apparently, Elfav wants to keep customers in so the place is littered with board games such as Chess, Scrabble and Dominos. So if you’re from the south, you know where it is – the top floor of Pergola Mall right above Kopi Roti. They close at 9 PM. 
Pardon the weird angles of the store shots. I told you, I’m shy to ask!
The Spin: Wendy’s Baconator in 3 Philippine Magazines
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at December 22nd, 2008This isn’t a blog about food, so when I do talk about food I approach it from a different angle. Here are some samplings of how Wendy’s latest offering – the Baconator appeals to different niches. The photos below are magazine ad pegs for three different publications: T3, Men’s Health and FHM.
Notice how the ad is essentially the same except for the take away quote on top of each Baconator. Sometimes, it isn’t about the product but with how the product can be spun into the content making it more relevant and less disconnected from the reader.
So have you tried it? It’s a killer!
New San Miguel Premium Beer: It’s good!
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at August 28th, 2008
Monday night had me and Phoebe at Manong’s for her 25th birthday countdown. Perhaps the highlight of the evening was our discovery of San Miguel’s new Premium beer for domestic shipment only. Well, I myself am not a connoisseur of beer so all I have to say is that, it’s good! Goes down easy and leaves a slightly nutty taste afterward. At Manong’s this cost P50.00 so it shouldn’t be too expensive as well in regular bars. We tried ordering the same yesterday at Murphy’s in VA Rufino, Makati but it was sadly sold out. The bottle is green, with white “Premium label” wrapping on the neck and the body.
Have you tried SMB’s new beer offering? Do you like the new bottle? Do you like the taste?
Kopi Roti BF Homes Pergola is OPEN FOR BUSINESS!
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at August 3rd, 2008
Yay! They’re finally open! Sonny Young, Mike and Ven opened Kopi Roti this 08.08.08. I was not able to attend the store opening and blessing but I was able to grab a freebie yesterday (I was the hamster guinea pig for their very first batch of buns during their dry run). I dropped by today and the place was packed at around 10 AM. I ordered take out for myself and buns for Phoebe as well. Also got to see Nicky Mapa from my Southridge ’98 batch.
I love Kopi Roti. Not only is the coffee, iced tea and food really good, they are also very affordable.
As of today, the store is still running on generator but the official opening hours will be from 7 AM to 1 AM and they will try to be open till 2 AM on weekends.
This is Sonny’s invitation letter:
Dear Family & Friends,
Finally, our Kopiroti branch in BF Homes, Sucat is opening! Months of planning and preparation have been poured into this project – and we really hope that you would drop by and patronize our store (and help spread the word!) in the coming days. We are soft-opening on 08.08.08 (for good fortune), and will be open daily from 9am to 9pm. We are still running on generator power for the next 3 weeks and aircon will not yet be available – but we promise on the great food/drinks!!!
We will hold a simple blessing on 08.08.08 at 9am. Please drop by and tell your friends!
Kopi Roti Pergola
Unit 104 A Ground Floor, The Pergola Lifestyle Mall Aguirre Ave,
BF Homes, Paranaque City
Store Hours 7AM to 1AM
Coffee Bean’s African Sunrise tea offering and the Wisdom of Crowds
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at July 19th, 2008Have you ever wondered how the “hive mind” works? Science fiction writers have brought forth the concept of a certain intelligence that exist within crowds into such forms as The Borg from Star Trek, The Zerg from Starcraft, and The Reavers from Mass Effect.
You’ve probably come across the concept of public opinion, viral marketing, or really, the jist of an “overall consensus.” There is a certain wisdom that’s inherent in large groups. Given that certain conditions of diversity are met (read here for those conditions) the crowd can be more intelligent than the few geniuses. In other words, Wikipedia can actually be more authoritative and efficient compared to the Encyclopedia Brittanica.
So when we take that concept of popular opinion (in Latin the phrase is Vox Populi, vox Dei – the Voice of the People is the Voice of God) and apply it on a micro level one example could be Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s African Sunrise and how the tribe has spoken, wanting this product to be retained as a permanent offering in CBTL’s menu. Members of the Internet community, mainstream media and friends of CBTL were offered African Sunrise tea several weeks ago and the feedback on its taste (“it’s sweet and creamy without cream and sugar”) is pushing their management to make this a permanent offering.
So a small informal event was launched for tea lovers to announce the coming of the African Sunrise, being pushed as a regular product offering due to the wisdom of a sampling of consumers.
And thus ends my pathetic attempt at linking media events with a social phenomenon. LOL.
Kopi Roti Pergola, BF Homes has a blog!
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at July 6th, 2008
Editor’s Note: Kopi Roti BF Homes is now open! You can proceed here for more details and photos.
Many reasons why I’m plugging this:
1. Kopi Roti is an excellent brand. Anybody who knows good coffee (and BREAD!!) knows Kopi Roti! And now finally, us folks from the south need not go up north to savor Kopi Roti. Their complete address is:
Unit 104 A Ground Floor,
The Pergola Lifestyle Mall Aguirre Ave,
BF Homes, Paranaque City
This is in the new promenade mall across BPI, right beside Jollibee BF and the Ruins Night Market.
2. This particular franchise is operated by my high school batchmate from PAREF Southridge ’98 (Sonny, pa-libre naman dyan!).
3. They have a blog. And this blog is rather specific to the franchise in the south. The anticipation is building as they plan to open this July. Sonny and Mike sure know how to market this thing. The anticipation begins with photos of the store under construction.
Finally construction of our Kopi Roti store started last June 26. We are estimating the construction to last only 20 days long. Our neighbor tenants in the Ground Floor Sarabia Optical, Simply Bread, Baker’s Depot, and Figaro are nearing completion in their construction and will open mid to late July. We will be opening shop before the month of July ends
Photo c/o www.kopirotisouth.blogspot.com
Vitwater: Magic potions for our daily lives! (LOL)
Posted by Jayvee Fernandez at June 20th, 2008
“Dude! Look what I have for you,” said Rey. “You’re the first to see this!”
I was with Rey and Ria yesterday afternoon ironing out a few things for BlogBank when Rey left and came back with a cold, cold plastic bag from 7-11.
“This just came out today and it’s available exclusively in 7-11 for the first few weeks for P15.00.”
Wow, Vitwater (not to be confused with the US Vitawater). This is a non-carbonated water drink with vitamins inside. I guess it is similar to dropping an Enervon C tablet into a cold glass of water, heh!
Well I wasn’t really a fan of the flavored water craze but I admit, this one actually tastes okay. Sorta like Gatorade but loads cheaper at P15.00. Well it’s new and has been out since yesterday. Check out 7-11 and try some. Each color supposedly has a different “effect” on you. One has fiber (tropical citrus), another supposedly helps you trim (red kiwi), while the other fortifies you with vitamins (orange). I don’t know what the blue one does – maybe it restores your mana to full, while the red one gives you more health, but with a cooldown of 30 seconds.
Well, whatever those effects are, it’s secondary to me. I think people go for the color and the taste first before the effects. Anyhoo, go check out 7-11. Vitwater is manufactured by RFM.
