PING PONG DIPLOMACY

If you're searching for your greasy Chinese comfort food that's fried up in the streets of Binondo, trust me, PING PONG DIPLOMACY is not for you.

But if you're craving for Chinese American fusion that a little bit on the wild side, then you should IMMEDIATELY make plans to drive up to SM Aura, pronto!

Yup! I daresay that the food in PING PONG DIPLOMACY is not something that you have encountered before. The dishes are unique, imaginative, affordable, and most importantly, DELICIOUS. Really a winner for those with adventurous taste buds.

Now does PING PONG DIPLOMACY serve your usual Chinese Food? Definitely not. But it is something you should NEVER miss because it will surely be the start of a "beautiful relationship."

And for ERICJAZ FOODIES, it started last week. :)

PING PONG DIPLOMACY!!!!

PING PONG DIPLOMACY, located at the 3rd floor of SM Aura, is the newest offering by the TASTELESS GROUP, the company that has already blessed us with HEY HANDSOME, Bad Bird, Le Petit Souffle, Hole in the Wall, among others.

THE ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 2016

For the past 4 years, ERICJAZ FOODIES has been going to the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST and there is NO stopping us. EVER.

We feel that it's already an annual tradition for the foodie in us that's why we'll forever attend the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST as long as they hold it!

NIU BY VIKINGS

Last Sunday, THE YAPPY BUNCH went to NIU BY VIKINGS to have our weekend family dinner. Would you believe that it's our first time to eat at NIU even after it has been raved so much about by foodies? I don't know why but of course, we've been meaning to go there several times with my family or with friends, but somehow it wouldn't push through. But that day was finally the day. I guess you could also say that it was such a great coincidence how our first dinner there also fell on Anniversary month of NIU BY VIKINGS.  So yes, it was really meant to be.

You might even say it was "Ang Tamang Panahon."

Tee hee!!!

Sorry, can't help but mention the the current rage of Aldub right now. He he he he he he he!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY NIU BY VIKINGS!

(Pabebe wave).

NIU!!!!

I have heard many great things about NIU as the affordable restaurant that is another level compared to the competition. 

Besides constant great reviews from my fellow KTG bloggers, I have a foodie friend (itago natin sa pangalan na Albert) who swears on the enjoyment quotient of NIU over some of the famous hotel buffets!

TODD ENGLISH FOOD HALL desserts (MY 2015 BIRTHDAY)

Even before my 40th birthday week, my BGP Marian would always tell me that she would treat me at TODD ENGLISH FOOD HALL because she abso-frigginly loved their chocolate lava cake. She knew how much I am obsessed with chocolate that she also wanted me to try her new found favorite that was very fudgy, creamy, and oh soooo heavenly!

As they say, birds of the same feather love eating the same food together. Tee hee!

So after we got ourselves very full from the deliciousness of LUGANG CAFE, we got a bit of exercise by walking towards TODD ENGLISH FOOD HALL. And yup, since we sweated a bit from that looong travel (tee hee) we felt so entitled to indulge.

And THAT we did in TODD ENGLISH FOOD HALL.

Tee to the Hee!

TODD ENGLISH FOOD HALL!

(pant) (pant) FINALLY we made it! It was such a long walk from LUGANG CAFE to TODD ENGLISH!

If you think that TODD ENGLISH's "food hall" is something like a food court of cafeteria, you are so wrong!

LUGANG CAFE (MY 2015 BIRTHDAY)

Whenever it's my birthday, I would always meet up with my BGP (Best Gal Pal) Marian and her crazy husband, Manong Fred. No birthdays without meeting up these two will be complete for me. It's already etched in stone and cannot be removed from history.

Yup! Best friends should ALWAYS meet up on birthdays! 

So as part of my 40th birthday celebrations, I met up with dear BGP Marian and (ew) her hubby Manong Fred in SM Aura. Usually when we're at the newest mall of the SM franchise, we would usually slurp noodles at our favorite RAMEN NAGI. But we wanted to try something new and we were in the mood for some Chinese food. So we tried out the restaurant that is peering at us from RAMEN NAGI....

LUGANG CAFE!

My husband and I love Chinese food but we have never eaten at LUGANG CAFE. We have always passed by it going to RAMEN NAGI and would usually feel discouraged by the poshness of the place. 

You can't really blame us because they have 3 or more friggin chandeliers for crying out loud! 

NBA CAFE MANILA

On one particular Sunday, my husband, Andrei, and I, decided to go to SM AURA because we promised the little lord that we will show him the colorful fountains there. We were just so disappointed however that when we got to SM AURA, it was so jam packed on a Sunday night. I mean, yes I know that malls are usually "filled to the brim" since it was a family day and all, but I really did not expect the hustle and bustle that we saw there last Sunday.

Anyway, so eating at RAMEN NAGI (my favorite, SEE HERE) is out of the picture since we saw the lines going on for miles and miles (well it seemed like it). My husband and I just walked around with poor little Andrei in tow who was so disappointed that the fountains near the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf were being renovated. When we finally got to the opposite side after a long stretch of restaurants, my husband was so happy to finally see the end of HIS rainbow!

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! My hub has hit the jackpot!

NBA CAFE MANILA!






Welcome to THE wonderland of Basketball fanatics!

BONO ARTISANAL GELATO NEW SUMMER FLAVORS

Last Saturday, the Chinese Adonis and I were at SM Aura (pronounced as HOWRA :P) to buy groceries and to meet up with some of our real live friends (meaning, not imaginary). Even though we just had a heavy lunch, walking around made us hungry, and HOT (not for each other though) that we decided to head over to our favorite station in the mall to cool ourselves down:

BONO ARTISANAL GELATO!

And the hottest news for us that day was that BONO ARTISANAL GELATO had new summer flavors. We already had our own favorites in the special gelato hub with our first visit (SEE HERE) but we cannot resist the sweet dessert paired up with the words "NEW" and "SUMMER". With that, our Saturday just got a little bit sweeter and we cannot be more excited at the prospect of cooling ourselves down.

Well it's either BONO GELATO or immersing ourselves in a kiddie pool filled with ice cubes. But the former is more delicious! He he he he!

BONO ARTISANAL GELATO!

SM AURA was extra full that day and we (meaning I) were getting irritated with the hustle and bustle. But of course, there is nothing that a good cup of gelato won't cure and we were raring to order!

Todays flavors at BONO ARTISANAL GELATO!

But we already know what to get!!

photo from BONO gelato facebook account

BONO ARTISANAL GELATO has 3 new summer flavors... One of them is BUKO PANDAN... 

MAGNUM MANILA

Every time me and the Chinese Adonis have dinner at one of restaurants along the stretch of SM Aura Skypark, we often pass by this place shrouded in black cloth. At first we would just dismiss that it may be something bleh under construction. But then we saw the sign MAGNUM  and right then we knew that  we should count the number of days, hours, minutes, and dagnabbit, even seconds to get a taste of its succulent ice cream... PLUS... OOOH...SOOO MUCH... MOOORE.....

(I was actually going for how the other sexy ladies do it in car commercials but I remember how my husband hysterically laughs when I attempt to do it, so never mind).

Anyway, the Chinese Adonis and I were so thankful to receive an invite to bask in the creamy glory of goodness of MAGNUM MANILA treats before its opening on April 8 (Tuesday). Even if we haven't had dinner yet, having our luscious dessert FIRST, was in order (pun intended). And remembering how fudgy and rich MAGNUM bars were, we were willing to forego even the usual 3 meals a day in order to indulge in these creamy temptations without any sort of remorse over our so called "diet".

Don't worry, one bite from your MAGNUM MANILA desserts and you'll be transported into a dimension where the word DIET is a virus and shouldn't be uttered out loud. Either that or you'll be so busy groaning like the sexy ladies from car wash commercials while eating your MAGNUM bar to even remember it. He he he he he!

MAGNUM MANILA!

BONO ARTISANAL GELATO

After stuffing ourselves silly when we treated friends BGP Marian and Manong Fred with delicious Thai food from TAMARIND (see HERE), we were looking for something sweet to eat. Dear Marian was craving for some ice cream so I suggested BONO ARTISANAL GELATO, since it seemed to be in my fave bloggers' hitlists when it came to dessert.

And yes, I finally understood what all the rave was all about! :)

BONO ARTISANAL GELATO!!

TAMARIND

It was my husband's birthday week and it wouldn't be complete without a dinner with the usual suspects, my BGP Marian and Manong Fred. For some odd reason, my husband was always craving for Thai Food (we already had it 3 times for the past few days!) that when we asked where he wanted to eat in SM OWRA (yup that's how I pronounce it :P), he wished for our dinner to be TAMARIND. 

TAMARIND!!! 

RAMEN NAGI (AGAIN)

Somebody made a comment to me today that I have been posting a lot of Ramen restaurants in this silly little foodie blog.

Really??? I didn't notice!!!

That is why, yet again, I dragged my little family to my new favorite RAMEN NAGI since I feel that I SHOULD feature this Japanese favorite in my blog more. I mean, my few readers might sense that I am ignoring the humble Ramen even if it has already been making strong waves within the hungry Filipino community.

And yes, with this dedication to be more "fair" and "unbiased" in this silly little foodie blog, we had lunch AGAIN in RAMEN NAGI, even if only a week has passed since our last meal.

What could I say? I will set aside all my personal desires just to be impartial with my posts for the good of mankind!

Yes. That is my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Tee to the Hee!

RAMEN NAGI!

RAMEN NAGI

FINALLY.

After Ramen houses opened up left and right, many were still clamoring for THE restaurant they feel is the "manna" of this noodle dish: 

RAMEN NAGI. 

I was able to savor their hot piping bowls of awesomeness when we had our company trip to Hong Kong last  year. Except there, they call the famed hub as "BUTAO RAMEN" (CLICK HERE!!!!). When they finally opened their doors in SM AURA last year, Ramen fanatics rejoiced and EVERYONE lined up everyday to get a taste of their special steaming bowls of Ramen.

Yes, I said EVERYONE because whatever time, whatever day you're there, there will ALWAYS be a line.

And believe me when I assure you that it will be worth it!

RAMEN NAGI!