Spaghetti Factory

Going on a vacation is what we always want. Heck, we even wish we do not have to work and just have the money for it. It always reminds you of something nice. Just by hearing the word 'vacation' is an instant relief. A thought of something very nice and nothing could go wrong with the world. It is an activity that is all about the positive side of life. The only negative thing about it is the money.

Vacation comes also with good food. Who among you here would want to eat instant noodles or even a canned sardines on vacation? Not unless if we do not have a choice. But if we do, as much as possible, it should be a grand meal. Like problems, diet is the last thing you will think when you're out on a cruise or riding a plane to go to a paradise of some sort.

However, not all people can have it grand. So if you do not have the money or time to experience the comforts of having a vacation at least comfort yourself with good food. This is where the Spaghetti Factory steps in.

Pasta Directory

Vacation is freedom from work and from life's drama. To give you the feeling of freedom and practice it, Spaghetti Factory gives the freedom of choice on what pasta you'd want for your order. Their pasta directory is filled with different options. From the good old spaghetti to the twisted fusilli, Spaghetti Factory provides enough varieties for you to choose from.

Carbonara

One of their bestsellers is the Carbonara. Mixed with ham, bacon, cream, with a sprinkle of parsley and topped with basil, their version is not just a conventional Carbonara. The thickness and the creaminess of the sauce is rich. The way the creaminess and the taste of the it stays in your lips leave you thinking about your first kiss: soft, exciting and long-lasting.

Red Seafood Pasta

Another favorite in Spaghetti Factory is the Red Seafood Pasta. Mixed with shrimp, squid, mussels, clam, tomato red sauce and parmesan cheese, this dish have a little bit of everything that it reminds me of Noah's Ark. The mixture of flavors is very intense. What I love about it is that it is not too sour and the flavors are well-balanced. Not to forget the good texture that the pasta provides with all the meat and sauce. Having this will take you to some island with white sand on a sunny day.

Spinach Dip

My personal preference though is their Spinach Dip. Served with pieces of crunchy garlic bread, the dip is composed of blended spinach with spices and herbs and topped with mozzarella cheese. The dip is baked to perfection as the mozzarella melts just like how an ice popsicle melts at the beach. Below the mozzarella is the creamy mashed/blended spinach which really taste beyond awesome. Together with the garlic bread, this dish makes one eat his greens.

Four Cheese Ravioli

If you want something new and something interesting, Spaghetti Factory's Four Cheese Ravioli is as interesting as the Piolo-KC breakup. Imagine ravioli - filled with 4 different kinds of cheese which is romana, ricotta, mozzarella, cheddar and splashed with cream sauce. What's inside is a piece of immortality in cheese form. I love the hint of sweetness in its sauce as it plays with the cheese mix inside your mouth. The dish is light, which makes it very comforting.

Panna Cotta

Creme Brulee

For desserts, the Panna Cotta is a classic Italian dessert which is made by simmering milk, cream, sugar and gelatin. The Spaghetti Factory's version is a fruit Panna Cotta which is topped with blueberry and has a plush of strawberry and blended mango below it. Imagine Italian leche flan, only fruity. Another Italian dessert is their Creme Brulee. Its very light as the cream is a bit bland and the spotlight revolves around the natural taste of the carmelized sugar on top. This is a good way to refresh the taste buds from the strong flavors of the main dish.

Spaghetti Factory knows too well that if we are not on vacation, we are planning for a party. For parties, Spaghetti Factory also delivers selected bestsellers on their menu and will pack it for you. However, please bear in mind that they only deliver party and family-size dishes. From October 1, 2010 to January 30, 2012, the Spaghetti Factory is running a Loyalty Festival promotion which you can take part of by collecting 8 stamps to get a Spaghetti Factory tumbler. Great deal, huh?

Each one of us deserves a good vacation. But not all of us are given the privilege of having enough money to sustain one. For that, we can always dine at a great restaurant that offers a foreign style and gives you the same blissful feeling, just like the Spaghetti Factory makes it happen.

But if you are lucky enough, go and visit Hawaii. It's got everything you need. Sand for the children, sun for the wife and sharks for the mother-in-law.

Spaghetti Factory is located at 3rd level, Ayala Center Cebu. Their prices ranges from P130 - P180. For take-out and delivery orders, call 238-5301 (for convenience, order a day before or 5 hours before) For prices and menu of delivery party boxes, go to http://spagdelivery.com

Visit their website at http://spaghettifactory.com.ph

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All pictures are taken by Roui Faelnar. For more of his photography, you may visit his site at http://rouifaelnar.com

Special thanks to Vanessa Balleras for the review of the article.

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SM Mater Chef's Supersized Cook-off

Photo by: Maria Caridad Satorre of http://travelwithblacksheep.blogspot.com/

A truly pinoy Christmas is never complete until you've walked home on a frigid morning after dawn mass and stopped to sample a warm bibingka from a small stall by the road. Naturally, with Christmas being so close, SM Hypermarket chooses to cap their quarter-long Master Chefs extravaganza with a celebration of one of the most iconic of holiday treats, the bibingka. And where better to do it than in the home of the biggest bibingka in the world, Mandaue City, Cebu.

Known as the source of the best bibingka in the country, Mandaue City is also the home of many ingenious bakers who have taken delicacy and given it a delicious twist. But one thing stays the same - all Mandaue bibingka are cooked in the classic "inurno" style.

Last November 18, 2011, SM Hypermarket kicked off the holidays in Cebu by holding a festival for bibingka makers and lovers of the treat. Its Supersized competition paid tribute to the many variants of the basic recipe and challenged chefs from all over to create the tastiest bibingka, and to serve up as many plates of it as they can.

At the end of the day, two groups were declared as winners. The best Tasting and Most Number of Plates Served Category winners each received P25,000 worth of SM gift certificates and a plaque of recognition from SM Hypermarket.

Alang-Alang group won the Best Tasting Bibingka with a staggering rate of 93.33%. The Largest Bibingka Serving was given to Mandauehanon group for serving a total of 391 pieces of bibingka.

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