Dean & Deluca, A Second Time Around

After trying out Dean & Deluca in Rockwell, we immediately went back the week after.  There is just no possible way we were going to miss out on trying out the other dishes!  Besides, the parents were away when we first dined in Dean & Deluca, and we wanted them to try out the pizzas too.  So... here's our Dean & Deluca experience part 2.  Enjoy!  

Creme Brulee Croissant

Flaky goodness with the right amount of creme brulee filling.  

Banana Wheat Muffin

I didn't like the Apple Cider Blueberry Muffin last time, so I was a bit hesitant in ordering this.  But it turns out, it was quite moist and is bursting with banana flavors!

Kougin Amann

Ahhhh... Kougin Ammans have always been my weak spot.  And Dean & Deluca's version hits right on the spot.

Butterscotch Sticky Bun

Too sweet, but expectedly so.  Reminds me of the cinnamon rolls I've loved as a child.  It was a gooey, sticky, happy mess.

Grilled US Duroc Pork Chop with Chorizo-Corn & Apple Salsa

The pork chop was tender, but not as tender as I've imagined it would be.  The chorizo-corn and apple salsa was too much for me.  Would've preferred a less festive accompaniment.

Pesto Pasta with Shrimp, Calamari, Dried Tomatoes and Piquillo

When it comes to pastas, our family prefers it to be cooked well done and not al dente.  We like our pastas really soft.  And this pesto pasta was perfect for us.  It was soft without being mushy, and the sauce was prefect!

Truffle Parmesan Steak Fries

Ugh.  I hate it when I order something with truffle and it comes out either completely void of truffle smell, or with an extremely faint truffle smell.  Dean & Deluca's truffle parmesan steak fries was the latter.  I could barely detect the hint of truffle in the fries. 

Braised Beef Stew with Mushroom, Vegetable and Mashes Potato

The beef was tender, but the serving size was too small.  Not so impressed with this one.  The mashed potatoes, on the other hand?  De-li-cious!

BBQ Braised US Beef Short Ribs, Roasted Garlic, Bechamel Sauce, Caramelized Onions, and Chimichurri Sourdough Pizza

As with last time, the BBQ Braised US Beef Short Rib Pizza was thin, crisp and chewy.  A bit lacking on the the meat though.

Not in photo:  Parma Ham, Rocket Leaves and Parmigiano Sourdough Pizza, which we inhaled and completely forgot to take a photo of.  The parma ham was sooooo good!  And unlike the BBQ braised US beef short rib pizza above, the amount of parma ham was just right.

Dutch Apple Pie

Huge, huge chunks of apples in this Dutch Apple Pie.  I found the crust to be a wee bit thicker than my liking, and it was a tad too sweet too.  But then again, I'm not much of a fan of apple pies.

So... on the second try, there were also hits and misses at Dean & Deluca.  But overall, it was more hits than misses.  There's still a few more things on the menu that I'd like to try, so that means I'm definitely going to be be back sometime soon.  4 out of 5 stars!

Dean & Deluca is at the G/F, Rockwell Edades Tower, Poblacion, Makati City

Make Your Own Havaianas (MYOH) 2015

When I say summer, what's the first thing that comes to your mind?  The sun and the beach?  Well yes.  But let me add one more thing to that list:  The Annual Make Your Own Havaianas (MYOH) Event!  Yup, it's that time of the year again to spruce up your flip flop wardrobe and kick up your creative juices!  This year, the theme is everything and anything Hawaiian!  Before I start shaking my bon-bon and do the hula, let me show you what happened during today's private selling event:

The MYOH 2015 Commemorative Pair

MYOH 2015 Entrance

Choice Sheet (Front)

Choice Sheet (Back)

MYOH 2015 Pins

Assembly Area

Assembly

And finally...

Every purchase comes with this adorable mesh tote!

Curious about my pair?  Here's what I chose:

Ta-dah!

Don't miss your chance!  The MYOH 2015 will be open to the public starting tomorrow (May 7) till Sunday (May 10) at the Glorietta Activity Center.  It will also be available at select Havaianas retailers nationwide! 

Perfect timing too!  If you're still at a loss and couldn't figure out what to give Mom for Mother's Day, then why not go grab a pair (or two) and show her how special she is?  Aloha!

Dean & DeLuca, Now Open in Rockwell!

Dean & DeLuca, which first started as an upscale grocery store, was established in 1977 in New York City.  They've grown ever since, diversifying into cafes and opening in a number of international locations.  Admittedly, I've never had a chance to try out Dean & DeLuca when I visited New York a few years back.  Never got to try them out in other countries either.  But what got me so excited was because I seem to always see this store in a number of movies and TV series, so this definitely made me wonder what made them so famous.

Fast forward to late last year, a sign for Dean & DeLuca was put up in Edades Tower right across the Powerplant Mall.  I silently made a thank you to whoever was to bring it here.  

Finally, last month, Dean & DeLuca opened to the public!  Thanks to Instagram, and a few very up-to-date friends, I found out about it and dragged Hubby and the Brother to try it out for Sunday brunch. (sorry, delayed post!  We were able to try D&D on their first week of operations)

Dea & DeLuca from the outside

Inside Dean & DeLuca

I am loving this clean, uncluttered interiors!

Assortment of Breads

With so much bread, it's really hard to chose just a few!  I wanted to try them all!

Cakes

...and then there's also the cake situation.  My mind says "control yourself" but my tummy says "go for it!"

Coffee/Tea/Smoothie Bar

Don't even get me started on the drinks!  They have tea, coffee, milkshakes, smoothies and New York sodas!

Apple Cider Blueberry Muffin

Since it was just the three of us, we decided to just order one pastry and a couple of light dishes.  The Apple Cider Blueberry Muffin was the first thing that arrived on our table.  I was expecting really moist, almost melt in your mouth goodness, but I found it to be a bit dry.

Sauteed mushrooms, pesto toast, goat cheese and salad greens in raspberry vinaigrette

Love, love, love this salad!  The sauteed mushrooms were ultra earthy and juicy.  My only comment is that I wish the vegetables didn't look so sad...

Shrimp and calamari with pesto and marinara sauce

Thin, crisp and chewy, all at the same time.  This is probably one of the best pizzas I've tried.  A definite must!

Smoked turkey breast with Brie de Meaux and cranberry in croissant

When I saw this on the menu, my heart skipped a beat.  I loved everything they've incorporated into this croissant, but the croissant itself lacked the flakiness I've loved in other croissants.  Needs improvement.

Overall, Dean & Deluca has lived up to the hype.  4 out of 5 stars!  We absolutely loved the pizza, and cannot wait to try everything else on the menu.  It's still on soft opening mode though, so can't expect them to be perfect.  We did, however, go back the week after.  Watch out for my next post!

Dean & DeLuca is at the G/F, Rockwell Edades Tower, Poblacion, Makati City