Melo Villareal
It’s already almost Midyear, and I know this post is kinda late but let me still share this with you. Those who consider themselves foodies are left with some fantastic memories of this remarkable year in food. From the must-go restaurants to the must-taste recipes – 2011 was indeed an incredible year for foodies, and here are my favorite ten culinary trends of 2011.
1) One of the big trends of 2011 was the huge increase in food blogs being written and read by foodies. Foodies decided to publish their own reviews on the web, and now the blogosphere is filled with culinary reviews, cooking and baking blogs, and more than a few tips about how to photograph, write about, and cook incredible dishes.
2) Manila remains a top spot for international foods and restaurants, and this year brought BonChon Chicken, the famous and delicious Korean favorite from New York. BonChon brought out the foodies from Manila for its grand opening, and the owners made it clear that this is a franchise from the Korean business, not the splinter Singapore Bon Chon. The difference? The Korean franchise uses a patented double fry method to make the chicken ‘paper fried crisp,’ and of course, there is also the secret batter and sauce… btw. Aside from their Chicken, I love their ChapChae… You know how I love Pancit:)
3) It was a big year for chicken lovers as both Bon Chon, and Chicken Charlie got some boost. While this might be a bit confusing, Chicken Charlie offers spiced chicken, much like how the Korean Bon Chon cook theirs, but they add their own soy garlic or hot sweet sauce to make Chicken Charlie a little bit unique. 4) Tired of drinking unhealthy Frap or fatty milk? Good news, Foodies. Milk Tea is Health Tea! Called God’s best gift to mankind, Milk Tea mixes sago with green Taiwan teas. When the two are shaken, the milky froth gives it its name. No milk included! Costing just 40-45 pesos, Naicha Milk Tea is the Filipino’s new favorite drink. Also available in vanilla and caramel or with a variety of fruity flavors too.
5) Cebu finally got its own Krispy Kreme bakery, so Cebuanos can now rush to the ‘Hot Donuts Now’ sign when lit in the Queen City of the South. This international donut chain has proved very popular in the Philippines, with the opening of the Cebu branch located at Ayala Center Cebu in the Asiatown IT Park being its 25th branch.
6) Homebaked Parvati yumminess came out in the Parvati Shop in Trinoma homebaked goods exhibition featuring the best frozen and room temperature desserts in the Philippines. 7) What’s the best thing to do in Manila, according to Lonely Planet travelers? Easy…head to Gerry’s Grill and get some real Pinoy Food. The Manila local grill ranked number one in Manila and came in at number 30 for things to do in Asia! Not bad for a local grill!
8 ) Remember when the first pizza delivery service came to the Philippines? Well, we’ve come a long way, baby. These days you can get adobo flakes from Adobo To,’ or maybe you prefer a French meal from Alexandre’s Breakfast Bonjour? Want to get the famous danggit-silog from Binalot sa Dahon or Maybe a hot stuffed pandesal? The new Food Delivery Hotlines let you order what you want by just dialing one number…you gotta love progress…
9) Even though I’m trying to watch what I eat this day, I still love a great all-you-can-eat or buffet, and this year we got some great additions to the options available. My favorite is Yakimix. 499 PHP for lunch or 580 PHP for dinner. While the price may seem high, the choice is staggering, and unlike a lot of all-you-can-eat choices – the food is prepared by proper chefs and is delicious.
10) Foodies love food, and where do you find the most food? Food Hubs! The newest Food Hub was unveiled at the Ayala Triangle Gardens in the heart of the Makati Central Business District. It is called Ayala Triangle Gardens by those familiar with it and is bordered by Ayala, Paseo, and Makati Avenues. It’s a great place to hang out with friends, sample foods, and enjoy a night in the heart of Makati – as long as it isn’t raining.
Outdoor dining is the highlight with Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, MoMo Cafe, Wee Nam Kee, C.B.D, Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes, Bon Chon Chicken, Amici, and Cara Mia Gelateria, Golden Spoon, Chef Laudicos Bfast All Day Breakfast Cafe, Kanin Club, Pho 24 and more all in one accessible location.
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