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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Event: Krispy Kreme In Cebu!

Krispy Kreme. This doughnut does not need any introduction. Just by a glance of the brand, you know it's the best doughnut in the world. It's been years of wait that it has become Manila's delicacy as people coming back home are obliged to bring it as a pasalubong. That will end pretty soon as Krispy Kreme will finally set foot in Cebu and is here to stay!

Official press release:

A Sweeter Treat Beyond Luzon

Five years after Krispy Kreme set foot in the Philippines, the confectionary company immediately garnered its own niche leading to an extensive expansion across Metro Manila.

Krispy Kreme opened its 1st store at Bonifacio Global City in November 2006. At present, Krispy Kreme boasts of 23 stores that serve renowned melt-in-your mouth doughnuts and coffee.

“We achieved what the Americans have been feasting on since 1930’s—the famous Krispy Kreme doughnut line, best served after the hot light outside the store flashes on,” says Jim Fuentebella, Chairman of Krispy Kreme Philippines . “And we also experienced the long lines that people in the US do, every time a new store opens for business.”

In fact, what the Filipinos did was more than just a line. True to Krispy Kreme's passion for fun and excitement, the first customers get a month or even a year long supply of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Thus, some camped near the branch hours and even days before the new store’s opening.

And this is probably the scene that Cebuanos should expect now that Krispy Kreme is about to land on the celebrated Queen City of the South.

“Bringing Krispy Kreme in one of the country’s most vibrant cities is just one of the results of our continuous expansion outside Metro Manila,” says Fuentebella.

Meanwhile, Mark Gamboa, Marketing Manager of Krispy Kreme Philippines says that the Krispy Kreme branch in Cebu will also offer wide varieties of doughnuts and beverages that made Krispy Kreme famous across the globe.

“We want to share the Krispy Kreme experience in our Cebu market thus we are bringing what the brand has to offer all the way down to the south,” says Gamboa. “From the world’s famous Original Glazed, yeast-raised and cake doughnut varieties, to our Signature Coffee and its different hot and cold variants—they can experience them all.”

Soon to be located in Ayala Center ’s The Terraces, Krispy Kreme Cebu is poised to be a sweet-destination-treat in the thriving Cebu Business District. Surrounded with sophisticated establishments, green landscapes and orchestrated water features, Krispy Kreme’s future location promises a relaxing yet refined surroundings of Cebu.

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On October 22, 2011, Krispy Kreme will open its first store in Cebu at the Ayala Active Zone/Terraces. Not only that, after drumming up the grand opening of the first store in Ayala to the tune of awesome, another branch will also follow at the ground floor of Asia Premier Residences in IT Park, Lahug, Cebu City.

UPDATE: Krispy Kreme will also open in SM City!

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Event: Fantastic Filipino Flavors @ UNO

Waterfront Hotel's UNO restaurant has recently launched the Fantastic Filipino Flavors for the whole month of July!

This food festival will be in the limelight at UNO for the entire month, and will be available for lunch and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays. Buffet spread will include sisig, danggit, bulalo, kinilaw, crispy pata, lechon manok, lechon kawali, liempo, bagoong rice, pinakbet and kare - kare, among others.




Along with the festival, Waterfront Cebu and their Marketing Communications Manager, the stunning Ms. Mae Varron officially introduced their new and classy Food & Beverage Director, Mr. Alastair Granger.

Pinakbet

UNO restaurant is known for their extravagant cuisines from different parts of the world. But it does not mean that they can't cook Filipino dishes. The very Filipino dish, Pinakbet caused a buzz every time someone gets a spoonful. The fresh vegetables and the classic and strong mix of flavors from it will surely shoot up your delicious meter. I love how the way it was prepared. Vegetables are not totally dead and not boring like your boyfriend who spends most of his time on the internet. You know your pinakbet is best when you still get that crunch from the vegetables.

Binagoong Rice

Filipinos are not fond of rice. We can live without it and is not really that important in all of our meals. Those are the statements of denial from a person in a middle of a no-carb diet. But I do not think you can get away from their binagoong rice. Usually, most restaurants fail at this dish with the excessive amount of bagoong in the mix. UNO made it perfect by just flirting with the bagoong's taste. It is what binagoong rice should be.

Kare-kare

Meat and vegetable dishes are common in a Filipino cookbook. UNO's kare-kare is simply amazing. It reminded me of my relationship with ex-girlfriend, Emma Watson. It was a time that it felt that everything was right and nothing could go wrong. UNO's kare-kare is just like that. But this time, it has a happy ending. There is absolutely no wrong in the ingredients for this one. The peanut butter did not take away the spotlight from the meat and the vegetables. Tender meat, fresh vegetables and pure flavors all in one? That's a classic Filipino dish. That's UNO's kare-kare.

The only bad thing about the kare-kare is that I could not take the whole serving to my plate.

Danggit

Sweet and Sour Fish

In a Filipino buffet, it should have at least one type of pancit. UNO's pancit habhab is a mix of flavors from the earth and the ocean. I love the shrimp's flavor being complimented by the pancit and the eggs. Their sweet and sour fish also captivates the stomach as it is not soaked with the sauce entirely. I love how the fish stays dry with just a little amount or a hint of the sweet and sour sauce.

Pancit Habhab

Ginataang Adobong Manok

Their ginataang adobong manok is one of my favorites. The mere fact that it is adobo, Filipinos will love it. But the coconut milk on it is simply putting elegance on the dish. The coconut milk is a very smart addition as it is used to fuse the flavors from the adobo. As we all know, fusion is good. It almost killed Majin Boo.

Cheesecake

Puto Cheese

For the festival, the dessert corner will also showcase different Filipino desserts. But also make sure that you get to taste their cheesecake. Trust me, their cheesecake is one of the best food that I've put in my mouth.

Filipino Pastries

With all the good Filipino dishes, there will be more to it as those are just part of the Filipino buffet spread of UNO!



UNO is located at the Gourmet Walk of Waterfront Cebu Hotel and Casino Lahug Cebu City. Buffet is at P850.00 per head. Operating hours: 5:30 AM - 10:30 PM A la carte menu available 5:30 AM – 10: 30 AM (Breakfast Buffet) 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Lunch Buffet) 6:00 PM – 10:30 PM (Dinner Buffet)

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All pictures are taken by Roui Faelnar. For more of his works, you may go to http://rouifaelnar.com

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