HAYOP NA DEGUSTACION

There was a time when everyone in my little Team Yap family got so engrossed in TOP CHEF that whatever we do, wherever we go, we would be speaking and breathing TOP CHEF:

Mati, besides wanting to be a Chef, would seriously say things in restaurants such as "This fish was cooked perfectly and goes well with my Coke zero...". It's the cutest thing I swear.

Andrei had sudden hankering to cut up vegetables (garnishes) from his plate and would even try to saw a table. It's such a destructive thing I swear (he he he!).

Yub would always have the TOP CHEF dvd in the player before I even uttered a word. It would have given him plus hubby points if I did not hear him say "Look at what Padma is wearing!" or drool when there was really no food onscreen yet. 

As for me, besides wanting to eat every dish they plate from Season 1 to All Stars and admiring my favorite Chefs from each show, of course I have to admit that I loved Padma! She is like the hottest thing on the planet who won't stop eating but still maintained that voluptuous figure. I wanted to be like her and have that same sophistication when eating a degustation dinner.

So when Yub and I received an invite for HAYOP NA DEGUSTACION (an ultra extraordinary 12 course dinner introducing the newest lechon offerings from Pepita's Kitchen and muchos more), I did not only thank the heavens because I will finally have a taste of the special dinner almost every blogger is raving about but I also programmed myself to relive the elegance of Padma at this momentous event.

And of course, true to EricJaz Foodie form, the HAYOP NA DEGUSTACION just unleashed the primitiveness in both of us at every course! Oh we were so embarassing!

Egad! I think I even remembered teaching the Editor in Chief of Breakfast Magazine how to speak JEJEMON! Ha ha ha!

Oh well... Food really does that to the best of us.

HAYOP! :)

Our HAYOP NA DEGUSTACION menu!

There was really no description as to what each dish is actually like but it certainly made everyone in Ms. Dedet dela Fuente's house, owner of Pepita's Kitchen, to be more beast-like in hunger!

If you're thinking that it is ERICJAZ FOODIES who were pathetically drooling and starving, DING! DING! DING! You're right again!

F CAFE (F1 HOTEL MANILA)

I LOVE BUFFETS!

I mean, who in his/her right mind would not? You get a long table of everything you ever wished for that will probably make your cellulite grow the size of Kanye West's ego and you could refill your plate again and again. 

Very stingy (read: kuripot) me loves buffets because if I compare the price of ordering the viands separately in other restaurants, it would probably cost more. PLUS, I would have that power to get MORE or LESS, depending on what my bulging tummy fancies. 

And as for the buffet at F CAFE in F1 HOTEL MANILA, I did not just LOVE it. I ULTRAELECTROMAGNETICPOP was ENCHANTED by the long stretch of food that would definitely satisfy any bulging or protruding tummy there is.

And get this, we were not just served ANY ordinary buffet. What F CAFE laid out for us was their special Christmas buffet which the public will get a taste of on the holidays. 

Believe me, one bite of their Filipino Christmas ham, Organic Cebu Lechon, and Juicy Stuffed Turkey will get you Fa-la-la-la-la-ing all night long until the next breakfast buffet. The best thing here is that since the price is so affordable, you know you could have a taste of your favorite Christmas treats whenever you want it. No need to wait for Noche Buena! Yohoo!

It is definitely an early Christmas gift with the delicious food at F CAFE! It is so good, you might even forget what you wished from Santa! At least, you could be naughty all year long and still have a scrumptious night at F CAFE! Ho ho ho!

ERICJAZ FOODIES was already having a wonderful staycation at F1 HOTEL MANILA (See our DAY ONE) and we were excited to have our first meal at the hotel at F CAFE! 

My little lords Mati and Andrei were so amused at the twirly wirly red sofas which greeted us going into F CAFE.  I'm sure they took note to play with it after our meal. As for me, I wanted to try it out for a long siesta (that's how comfortable it seem) BUT I'm sure they will be alerting hotel security in no time. He he he he! 

The Executive Chef of F CAFE by the way, was none other than THE Chef Sau Del Rosario! What I loved about his menu for the F CAFE buffet was that it highlighted our Filipino cuisine but added special twists. You surely won't miss home if you spend your weekend staycation/meal at 

F1 HOTEL MANILA/F CAFE! 

F1 HOTEL MANILA STAYCATION (DAY TWO)

It's the second day of our wonderful F1 HOTEL MANILA STAYCATION and yes, yes, as much as I want to sleep in since it is a Sunday and all, I don't want to waste another fun-filled day for the little lords.

Before I blow my horn to wake up the little rugrats, check out our exciting first day at F1 HOTEL MANILA by going HERE!!

While my little lords were sleeping soundly like little kittens in F1 HOTEL MANILA.... 

... my husband was looking out at our spectacular view and daydreaming about the usual guys stuffs (like having a private jet or an 8-pack abs OR being married to ME... he he he he!)

F1 HOTEL MANILA STAYCATION (Day one)

As much as I love going on out of town trips with the boytoy and my rugrats (read: my husband and... well... the rugrats) whenever my guy says that we will be having a getaway I would let out a tiny groan only dogs could hear.

Don't get me wrong. I L.O.V.E going out on weekend vacations and bond furthermore with my 3 guys (read: try not to wring their necks) but days away from home would only mean one thing for me.

PACKING.

I don't know how to put it. Maybe I love packing too much that I could have about 3 bags just for meself (and that is only for an overnight stay) so imagine how much I WILL love it as I pack for the 2 boys.

That's a balikbayan box waiting to happen.

When we received an opportunity to have the weekend at the first hotel ever in the Fort at F1 HOTEL MANILA, I was again ecstatic and already calculating what I will be bringing for the family. I already lashed out my usual PACKING LIST (yes I have one) that was good for 2 days.

This time however, my husband set his foot down, banging splat on my N' Sync cd on the floor (:P) and said I do not need to pack oh so many since we will just be having a staycation within the confines of the Metro.

I was frustrated "How could they have what we would ALWAYS need??" already taking out the scented aromatic candle which I would always bring (yup it's true).

My husband would not hear any of it and just assured me that yes, based on what he heard, F1 HOTEL MANILA has whatever people on vacation would fancy be it a businessman on a trip or a crazy family like ours.

"Besides..." He added "We are so near. If you ever forget anything, then I'll just get it from home."

I raised my eyebrows at him to surrender, mentally noting that if I were mean I could leave something behind intentionally (like the monopoly game board?) to test him of his promise.

Fortunately though there was no need for that since TEAM YAP truly had the weekend of their lives.

And yes. That was within the Metro.

And yes. That was just with ONLY 3 bags.

Mati and Andrei : YEY! We're going to a hotel!

Even though the weather did not agree with us, we were still beyond excited at what was in store for TEAM YAP in F1 HOTEL MANILA. 

We were all scheduled to meet up at 10:00am and since we were just nearby, no need to wake up 4 hours beforehand, like what we were used to if the we were going to, say, in Tagaytay. 

We all stayed up late on a Friday night (playing Monopoly and all) then woke up at 8:30pm for a quick breakfast.

And finally we see it, F1 HOTEL MANILA!

Everyone in the car, yes my husband included, let out screams of excitement.

For him though, it made him a little girly.... Ha ha ha ha! Kidding!

ROCKWELL'S 3RD ULTIMATE TASTE TEST

It is finally done! ROCKWELL'S 3RD ULTIMATE TASTE TEST!

Foodies from all corners of the Metro did not disappoint and turned up to be an Anton Ego, Tom Colicchio, or a Gail Simmons for a day! 

Well I would have added Padma Lakshmi but, that seat is taken... ahem ahem...

Anton Diaz, founder of OUR AWESOME PLANET, organized the superbly tasty event and was happy to declare that all 1,000 tickets allotted for the ULTIMATE day WERE SOLD OUT. Many people were still lining up hoping to get tickets but I guess that would be the push to have ANOTHER ULTIMATE TASTE TEST... fast! 

Oh yes, this early on WE are looking forward for that!

Okay but for now, ERICJAZ FOODIES lived for the moment and relished every second of it. And if you had doubts that P585.00 per person was too much for mere food sampling... you were so wrong.

We were only halfway in sampling the 50 home based food vendors and already we are getting crazy and our tummies were instantly bulging! I think I had meat and dessert sweats rolled into one. But it was all worth it.

ROCKWELL'S 3rd ULTIMATE TASTE TEST was indeed the extreme foodie celebration and we were happy (and burping) to be a part of it! Let ERICJAZ FOODIES share to you our awesome experience!

Yohoo! We're going to ROCKWELL'S ULTIMATE TASTE TEST!!!!

HOLDAK GC GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

SO our HOLDAK GIVEAWAY has now come to an end and I'm sure that you would like to know who the winners are....

But before I do that, let us take a stroll down memory lane and make you salivate some more on what is in store for these lucky winners!

Since you will get a gift card  for HOLDAK'S DEEEELICIOUS chicken (worth P529.00)!!!

Wohoo!

INDULGENCE BY IRENE

Yes this silly little foodie blog was supposed to be our usual HA HA times in restaurants be it pricey or dingy as long as blah blah "we are together".

But lately, like the computer in 2001 Space Odyssey, it's almost having a LIFE OF IT'S OWN. (Enter dramatic  DAN DAN DAN music).

Well, before, we would just document our usual foodie night out dates (hence the name ERICJAZ FOODIES)... But then it suddenly featured my family... then it had KIDDIE meals (with the 2 little lords)... then with friends... then our meals on family trips (be it here or in zimbabwe).... then with the greatest bloggers I know.... and  then we had giveaways....

Then what I really did not expect to have in this silly little foodie blog (yes far greater than the unexpected giveaways) was that I would feature DESSERTS in its own blog posts.

Why do that you may ask? Well even though most of the restaurants we have been to have their own special sweets and desserts, most of it would often be overshadowed by the deliciousness of their entrees. It is very rare that even after savoring the steaks, burgers, etc., etc., that I would be blown away more by "after show" than the main event.

And that is why we have THIS.

In honor of those grubs that are SO good... SO delicious... SO heavenly and wonderful that they have bragging  rights to have their own "mark in this silly little foodie blog.

(Yeah... yeah... my silly little foodie blog may not be a sufficient platform for bragging but still, my imaginary friends love this so THEY may count... tee hee!)

So after my Starbucks Special Cookie and Yamato's Cronuts...

Presenting....

QUEZO DE BOLA CHEESECAKE 

by INDULGENCE BY IRENE!!!



Warning : Insane selfies.

Sorry... these desserts may have their own features but not without a hitch right? Ha ha ha ha!