What's Happening This Weekend

H&M Philippines Turns 1:

source: https://www.facebook.com/hm

H&M Philippines is turning 1 on October 17 and they're giving out surprises to the 1st 100 shoppers!  All you have to do is make a minimum purchase of PHP 1,500.  As simple as that!  Promo runs in all H&M stores, AND on October 17 only.  

H&M SM Megamall | H&M SM Makati | H&M Robinsons Manila | H&M Robinsons Magnolia | H&M SM North EDSA | H&M SM Fairview

SM Megamall Sale:

source: http://sm-megamall.com/

Robinsons Malls Giant Sale:

source:  spot.ph

62nd Manila FAME:

source: https://www.facebook.com/ManilaFAMEofficial

Debenhams Mid-Season Sale:

source:  http://www.debenhams.com/

On October 15, Debenhams will have an exclusive preview sale open only to loyalty cardholders.  First dibs on great merchandise at up to 50% off!  Sale will be open to the public on October 16. 

So many things happening, so little time!  Now, where do I go first?  Wherever it is, I'm pretty sure everyone will have one heck of a weekend!  See you around!

OOMA Japanese Rice Bar

I've always heard about Mecha Uma at the Fort, but never had the chance to try it out.  Guess there was really no occasion, nor do we find ourselves hanging out at the Fort.  Hence, no Mecha Uma.  Boo.  So it was great news to me (and to all of us) that Chef Bruce Ricketts of Mecha Uma partnered up with The Moment Group and opened up OOMA Japanese Rice Bar at the Mega Fashion Hall!  I, of course, spared no time and went straight to SM Megamall the moment I found out that they were already open. 

OOMA Japanese Rice Bar from outside

Here's good news for us who are more budget conscious,:  OOMA's price range is more affordable than those of Mecha Uma's.  Way, way more affordable.  Yay!

And here's what we had:

O-Gyoza

Gratinated Mozzarella and Cheddar Cheese, Scallion, Togarashi, Unagi Sauce

Uh... not impressed here.  Sure there were lots of fancy "add-ons", but it did nothing to amaze the palate.  Plus, the gyoza skins stuck to each other, making it hard not to destroy it when prying them apart.

Scallop and Tuna Aburi Maki

Torched Scallop, Tuna, Cucumber, Sesame Seeds, Nori Crumbs, Scallion, Teriyaki Sauce, Spicy Mayo, Kimchi Aioli

Again, lots of add-ons, but nothing spectacular.  The pieces were teeny tiny and the rice did not resemble Japanese rice at all (so it's probably not).  Makes you feel like you're eating budget maki. 

Hanger Steak

Sous Vide Hanging Tender, Sauteed Mushrooms, White Truffle Oil, Sweet Potato Mash, Crispy Baby Potato, Pickle Dressing, Ponzu Butter

Now we're talking.  We actually bumped into an old friend who ate ahead of us and he recommended that we get the hanger steak.  I liked that they did not scrimp on the truffle oil (I could smell it in every whiff!) and that they incorporated sweet potato mash.  The meat was also tender (well, most of them are but not all),  The dislike?  There's a bit of a sour taste to it, probably from the ponzu butter, which I feel did not complement the dish at all.

Unagi Maki

Broiled eel, Cream Cheese, Fried Shallots, Toasted Rice

And lastly, is the unagi maki.  Same complaints here.  Small bite sized pieces, bad rice.  Unagi was practically nonexistent.  Oh well.

Overall, I really hope that our experience with OOMA was just the typical birthing pains of a new restaurant.  Aside from the hanging tender, nothing else we had that night was worth going back for.  There are, however, a couple more other dishes I'd like to try, but I think I'll wait a while first before going back.  1.5 out of 5 stars. 

OOMA Japanese Rice Bar is at 3/F, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City

Tim Ho Wan in Manila

Speaking of barbecued pork buns...  I realized I totally forgot to blog about my Tim Ho Wan experience here in Manila!  Argh!  But better late than never, right?  A few months ago, I finally got the chance to try out Tim Ho Wan.  Been wanting to try it out ever since they opened, but the long lines always prevented me from doing so.  So on an extremely rare and early trip to SM Megamall a few months back, I finally got my chance! 

Tim Ho Wan Manila, like their Hong Kong counterpart, has a very simple ordering process.  Each table is given a sheet of paper which lists down everything they have.  Just put the number of orders you want for each dish, give it to your server and wait for your orders to arrive!

Menu Page 1

Menu Page 2

Baked Bun with BBQ Pork

Say hello to the very item that "made" Tim Ho Wan.  I've already raved and salivated over the one in Hong Kong, so trying out the Manila counterpart is a must.  Sad to say, I didn't find the Manila version as appetizing as the original.  It was good, yes, but paled in comparison to Hong Kong's.

Vermicelli Roll with Sweet and Sesame Sauce

Loved this.  Reminded me of the sidewalk vermicelli roll I usually get whenever I'm in Hong Kong.  It was both sweet and nutty, which was perfect.

Prawn Dumpling

Again, another winner.  The skin was thin but doesn't break easily, and the prawn pieces are huge!

Beancurd Skin Roll with Pork and Shrimp

Not bad.  The beancurd skin was very soft.

Vermicelli Roll with Shrimp

If I could stuff my face with Tim Ho Wan's vermicelli rolls every single day, I would.  Hats off to their vermicelli roll maker.  Theirs is one of the most delicious ones I've tried.  The skin was oh so thin, and the insides was plump and juicy.

Vermicelli Roll with Beef

Again, vermicelli roll.  Guess I'm on a roll! (pun intended)  LOL.  But seriously, Tim Ho Wan Manila's vermicelli rolls are highly recommended.  Even better than Hong Kong's, I daresay.

Beef Ball with Beancurd Skin

Pretty good too.  Is there anything that Tim Ho Wan can't do well?!

Pan Fried Carrot Cake

And don't get me started on their pan fried carrot cake.  Ok, this is actually what we commonly know as the radish cake.  For some reason our Hong Kong and Singapore neighbors like to call them as carrot cake.  No biggie.  They can call it whatever they want as long as it tastes goooood!  Tim Ho Wan Manila's version is a definite must!  Absolutely loved biting into the huge radish chunks.  Yum!

So the verdict?  Oh what they heck, just take all my money.  5 out of 5 stars!

Tim Ho Wan is at UG/F SM Megamall Fashion Hall, Julia Vargas Ave. cor. EDSA, Wack Wack, Mandaluyong

Tuan Tuan Chinese Brasserie

After battling the crowds and the long lines in H&M, finally it was time to eat!  I was already to tired to think of where to eat.  Luckily, we stumbled upon Tuan Tuan - a Chinese restaurant that was having their grand opening that very same day!  (Little Trivia:  Tuan Tuan is brought to you by the same group that brought Lugang to Manila!)

Nai Cha (Cantonese Milk Tea) 

There are milk teas, and there are MILK TEAS.  What's the difference?  Milk teas are those bubble tea places all over the Metro.  MILK TEAS, on the other hand, is the original Cantonese milk tea, which offers a very strong tea flavor mixed with creamy milk.  The latter, my friends, is the best milk tea on this planet that no bubble tea place can ever replicate.  If you've ever been to Hong Kong and tried the milk tea in Cafe de Coral or any small corner snack shop, then you know what I mean.  I've tried one or two authentic Cantonese milk teas here in our country, and this one, though just a bit lacking in the strong tea flavor, is good enough to satisfy a quick nai cha craving.

Crispy Barbecued Pork Snow Buns

Ah, barbecued pork buns.  Ever since Tim Ho Wan started the craze here in Manila, it seems that everyone has gone cuckoo trying to outdo them.  Tuan Tuan's version is extremely crispy on the outside, with big juicy pieces of barbecued pork inside.  A perfect mix of sweet and savory indeed.

Grilled Ox Tongue

Tender and melt-in-your-mouth, with just the right amount of saltiness to balance off the strong flavor.

Honey Garlic Spareribs

Would have been great, but it was more bone than meat.

Pork Meatball and Liver Congee

Not a fan of liver, sorry.

US Premium Beef Rib and Tendon Curry

Ooooh.  This was the creamiest of all curries I've ever tasted.  The beef rib was soft and tasty.  I'd definitely get this again the next time I go!

Pan Fried Halibut Belly with Soy Sauce

This was tasty while hot.  But when we went back to it after having a few other dishes, it started smelling really fishy.  Was a bit tougher too.  Wish they had the fillet version - I spent too much time separating the fish from the fish bones.

Pan Fried Boneless Chicken

Nicely crisp and sweet chicken skin with very soft dark meat.

Pan Fried Pork Chop

This one was pretty tender too.  But paled in comparison when compared to the other dishes.

Original Halibut Soup with Beef Tendon, Bean Curd and Lanzhou Flat Noodles

One of the specialties in Tuan Tuan is their make-your-own noodles where you can choose the soup, noodles and toppings.  We had the original halibut soup.  When a soup base is made out of fish, there's a 99% chance you'd expect it to smell and taste fishy.  Boy was I wrong.  The soup was tasty and a bit milky, but void of all fishy smell and taste.  The flat noodles was cooked just right too - not too hard and not too soggy.

The verdict?  We loved Tuan Tuan!  In fact, my Mom loved it so much that she even dragged my Dad and Brother to dine there the very next day.  LOL.  Admittedly, I'm not much of a fan of Chinese food.  Blame it on my parents who fed me mostly Chinese dishes while growing up.  That said, Tuan Tuan surprised me.  So if you're sick of the usual Chinese fare and want something different, I would highly recommend this new Chinese kid on the block.  Heehee!  4 out of 5 stars!

Tuan Tuan Chinese Brasserie is at the 3/F, SM Megamall Fashion Hall, EDSA cor, J. Vargas Ave., Mandaluyong City

H&M - Now Open in the Philippines!

Hear ye, hear ye!  H&M is now open in the Philippines!  Hooray for them for finally recognizing the Philippine market, and hooray for us since we can finally shop without flying elsewhere!  Thank you, H&M!  

Last October 17, H&M finally opened their doors to the public. I wasn't able to attend the opening due to conflicting schedules (boo!), but I was finally able to step inside just this past weekend!  Here are a couple (ok, a LOT) of photos of what our local H&M looks like.  Scroll on to see :)  

Facade

What greets you at the entrance

Shoes on the first floor

Accessories

Basics

More basics

Undies

Second Floor:

Casuals

Active wear

View from the second floor

More shoes

And more accessories

Basics again

Loving the rightmost mannequin!  This is what I call layering at its best!

Third Floor

Little Boys' Section

More for the little boys

Little Girls' Section

For the not-so-little ones

Men's Section

Men's Accessories

Men's Casuals

T-Shirts!

Men's Basics

Men's Formal + a hot guy with a smoldering look.  Oh hello.  LOL!

So if you still haven't gotten yourself to see the first ever H&M store in our country, then I suggest that you troop over there, pronto!  Prices are reasonable, and stocks are aplenty.  Good for our sartorial future, but bad for our wallets!  LOL.  See you there!

H&M is at the UG/2F/3F, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, EDSA cor. J. Vargas Ave., Mandaluyong City