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

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

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

eum•ma•ne

Korean food has always been one of my favorites.  Had my fair share of good and bad Korean food, ranging from the cheap fastfood ones to the expensive ones that can be found in places that you have to specifically go to.  So one random night in Capitol Commons where Hubby and I were looking for something different from the usual (no noisy crowd), we decided to try eum•ma•ne. 

Half Moon Mandu Dumplings

Four pieces of pan fried dumplings fried to a crisp with a juicy pork and beef filling

Never tried Korean mandu dumplings before.  And on the first try, I must say it tastes quite fantastic.  The outside was crunchy and the insides were a mix of ground meat and vermicelli, which were pretty good.

Baked Bacon and Cheese Mandu

Korean pork and vegetable dumplings smothered with a rich Mornay sauce and bacon then "gratinated" with more grated cheese.

Was not impressed with this one.  We had our hopes up after trying out the mandu dumplings, so we thought this was going to be even better.  Sadly, it wasn't.  There was just too much going on.  I felt that the flavors did not mix well.

Bulgogi Ribs with Sweet Potato

Slow baked and grilled Bulgogi pork ribs doused with miso barbecue sauce served with sweet potato and Korean pickle salad, fresh kimchi salad and seaweed dusted corn on the cob.

Now THIS, was a pleasant surprise.  When we ordered this I initially thought that this was going to look like the usual Korean beef stew.  I even thought they got our order wrong when this arrived!  eum•ma•ne's version of the pork ribs, was fall-off-the-bone-tender and really really flavorful.  2 thumbs up!

The verdict?  I'd give eum•ma•ne 4 out of 5 stars.  A fair warning though:  This is not your usual Korean restaurant.  They call it modern Korean, so don't expect the usual fare you'd find in normal Korean spots.  There is no banchan (free appetizers) here either.  But hey, if you're up for something different, go give eum•ma•ne a try!  

eum•ma•ne is at the Ground Floor, Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Pasig City

Ogetsu Hime

Early last month, Hubby and I were both craving for Japanese food.  It just so happens that he passed by Ogetsu Hime just a few days before and saw their advertisement for Matsusaka Beef.  Matsusaka Beef, as we have tried in Osaka way back in 2013, is the best beef in the world.  Well, at least according to our tastebuds.  So at the mere mention of Matsusaka, it takes very little to convince me to go.  Ogetsu Hime, as I have found out, is from the same owners of the Saisaki Group, but on the higher end.  Let's go to the food, shall we?

Otoro Sashimi

Like the Matsusaka Beef, the Otoro Sashimi was also one of the unforgettables we've tried in Japan.  It's really great that Ogetsu Hime serves the harder to find Japanese food for us here in Manila who are pining for it.  Sadly, Hubby finds Ogetsu Hime's Otoro Sashimi not as good as the one he tried in the land of the rising sun.  But hey, this was the next best thing.

Ogetsu Hime Roll

The roll was good, although the quality of the rice failed.  It was not as sticky and as chewy as the Japanese rice we've known and loved.

Gindara Teriyaki

Haven't had gindara teriyaki for a long time, so we opted to order this to counter the upcoming "evil" dish.  LOL.  Well I'm glad we did!  It was everything you could ever ask for in a fish.  Soft, moist and extremely delicious.  They cooked it perfectly!  The teriyaki sauce wasn't too sweet either so it complements the fish amazingly.

Matsusaka Atsui (Thick Cut)

I was disappointed when our Matsusaka Beef arrived.  Before cooking, we were showed a full piece and the marbling was glorious.  Sadly, when it was served, it was all chopped up AND overcooked.  Plus, it had more fat than meat.  So we returned this and asked them not to slice the replacement.

Matsusaka Atsui (Thick Cut, Part 2)

Looks far better, don't you think?  But wait, let me show you what the cross section looks like.

Cross Section of the Matsusaka Beef.

YES.  This was the Matsusaka Beef we've come to love.  Even when cooked, the marbling is still very obvious.  And it tastes exactly the same as the one in Osaka!  I have died and gone to Matsusaka heaven.

So the verdict?  I'd give it a 4 out of 5 stars because of the other two dishes.  But if it were just the Gindara Teriyaki and the Matsusaka Beef, then I'd give it a full 5 stars.  Finally, we don't have to fly all the way to Japan just to taste the best beef ever!

Ogetsu Hime is at the 5F, SM Aura Premier, C5 Road corner 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Fab Food Finds: Uncle Tetsu's Cheese Cake

A month and a half ago, before Hubby and I started our diet, I chanced upon Uncle Tetsu's Cheese Cake at The Podium.  Ok, ok,  Maybe not CHANCED but rather, I DEMANDED Hubby to drive me to The Podium because I wanted to try out Uncle Tetsu before we go on a monthsss-long diet.  LOL.  Dieting is like prison for me, so I ate pretty much whatever I wanted in the days winding down to D-Day.  Plus, I'm always a sucker for IG posts saying how good something is, so if whoever says it's good, then I gotta try it! 

Uncle Tetsu's Kiosk at The Podium

Taking a peek at the box

Ta-dah!  Look at Uncle Tetsu stamped in the middle of the cheesecake.  Cute!

A closer look.  Doesn't it look so fluffy?

So... did Uncle Tetsu live up to the hype?  Oh yes.  Very much so!  I ate it two ways.  First, fresh from the box.  It was moist, airy and fluffy.  Makes you feel like eating clouds!  Second way was warmed up 10 seconds on the microwave.  It was literally melt in your mouth!  I.  Can't.  Stop.  Eating.  Goodness, there are only two Japanese cheesecake shops that can make me forget my name and Uncle Tetsu is one of them.  I have no words.

It's sad that I only had the chance to try out the original flavor, but trust me when I say I will be back to try out the chocolate one once this annoying diet is over!  5 out of 5 stars!

Uncle Tetsu is at the 2F, The Podium Mall, ADB Ave., Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City

The Gourmade Happiemeal Diairies: Day 5

And finally, we get to Day 5.  Final day for my one week's worth of Happiemeal by Gourmade!  Lost another 1.2 lbs!  Wheeeee!  Loved the food so much that I'm actually sad that the 5 days had passed by so quickly!  

Friday's Menu

Friday's Food

Breakfast:  Chicken Embutido with Quail Egg

The real deal!  If you're a fan of embutido, then you'll surely love this!  Love the sweet-salty combination of this well-loved dish.

Lunch:  Beef Kebab

Happiemeal by Gourmade really know their meats.  I've raved about their meatballs yesterday, and today is no different.  The beef kebab is also as delicious.

Dinner:  Tuna Cheese Burger

Ooooh.  This is possibly my favorite of all meals.  I popped it in the microwave for 30 seconds, and out came the softest bun with a non-fishy-smelling tuna burger.  The portion was pretty big too!

Snacks:  Papaya and Banana Mini Muffin

I liked yesterday's apple muffin better.  The banana muffin wasn't as moist as I expected it to be. 

In the end, I managed to lose a sum total of 7 lbs in 5 days.  I say that's a very, very good thing - given that the food is mostly yummy and carbs are incorporated into the meals.  This goes to show that you actually can eat everything as long as it is taken in moderation.  Would I do Happiemeal by Gourmade again?  Oh yes!  In a heartbeat!   This is what I call dieting without feeling like you're on a diet.  In my opinion, it works way better than eating diet food that's bland and boring.  With Gourmade, you don't have to worry about that.  As a matter of fact, the only thing you'd have to worry about is when the next meal will be!  So guys and girls who want to jumpstart their diet, or who just want to eat healthy without worrying about gaining weight, I suggest you give Happiemeal by Gourmade a try!  You won't regret it :)

For more information about Happiemeal by Gourmade, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/gourmadeph

The Gourmade Happiemeal Diaries: Day 4

Day 4.  Lost yet another 1.2lbs from yesterday's weigh in.  I am still in awe as to how I could lose about a pound a day while eating great tasting food.  Not bad, I must say... not bad at all!

Thursday's Menu

Thursday's Food

Breakfast:  Mini Pancake with Choco Cream Cheese and Caramelized Banana

The pancakes tasted so-so, but I can't taste the cream cheese in the choco cream cheese spread at all.  The banana, on the other hand, tasted more like kamote (sweet potato). 

Lunch:  Chicken Teriyaki with Sauteed Mixed Vegetables

One of my favorites.  The chicken teriyaki was marinated nicely, and gives off a good flavor.  Sauteed mixed vegetables is also tasty.

Dinner:  Baked Meatballs Wheat Pasta in Tomato Sauce

The wheat pasta was dry and not so appetizing, but the meatballs more than makes up for it.  It was meaty and oh so flavorful!

Snacks:  Chebap and Apple Muffin

Chebap, as it appears, is Vietnamese corn pudding.  It's basically coconut milk with corn and tapioca pearls.  Tastes heavenly.  The apple muffin, on the other hand, was also really delicious.  I heated it in the microwave for 30 seconds, and it came out moist and a bit chewy!  

For more information about Happiemeal by Gourmade, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/gourmadeph

The Gourmade Happiemeal Diaries: Day 3

Day 3.  Lost a whopping 2.4 lbs from yesterday!  My initial reaction when I stepped into the scale was "Am I dreaming or is the scale broken?"  Turns out, neither.  I am 100% sure I'm fully awake when doing the weigh-in, and I weighed myself again to check - and yes, I lost 2.4 lbs! 

Wednesday's Menu

Wednesday's Food

Breakfast:  Tapa Breakfast Burritos

Loved the Tapa Burritos.  It's basically rice, tapa and a bit of cheese. The serving was just right too.

Lunch:  Marinated Blue Mackerel in Garlic and Olive Oil with Mung Bean

Again, hated the brown rice, but I liked the garlic.  It added the flavorful twist needed to spice up the boring brown rice (LOL, can you tell how much I hated the brown rice?).  Mackerel was a bit tough and dry.

Dinner:  Chicken Melt Sandwich

Tasted like nornal chicken sandwich.  Wish the chicken pieces were bigger though.

Snacks:  Cassava Cake and Shortbread Biscuit

My initial reaction when I saw the cassava was "are they sure this doesn't exceed the calorie count?"  It felt like cheating, because it tasted like normal cassava cake!  The shortbread biscuit was pretty good too!

For more information about Happiemeal by Gourmade, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/gourmadeph

The Gourmade Happiemeal Diaries: Day 2

Day 2.  Lost 1.8lbs.  Wow.  1.8 lbs overnight is a lot!  There's nothing more satisfying than seeing the pounds melt away before your very eyes.  So, bring it on!  Here's what I'm having for Day 2:

All stacked up and ready to eat!

Tuesday's Menu

Tuesday's Food

Breakfast:  Savory Oatmeal with Chicken and Poached Egg

Wow.  Tasted like arroz caldo, yet it's healthier since it's made of oatmeal.  They also cooked the poached egg perfectly.  A bit runny, yet not too raw.  Just the way I like it!

Lunch:  Coq Au Vin with Crushed Potatoes

Grrr... this was strike two.  The crushed potato was spoiled, kind of like what happened to the pad thai last night.  It was already sour when lunch time came around.   Shame, because the tomato sauce was quite tasty. 

Dinner:  Tuna and Chili Pasta and Garlic Bread

Didn't taste much garlic in the garlic bread.  As for the pasta, I'm usually afraid of tuna because of its usual fishy smell (AND fishy breath after!) but this one was not too fishy at all.  My only complaint was that the tuna wasn't enough to cover the whole serving of the pasta.

Snack:  Choco Oatmeal Cookies and Pineapple

Meh.  The choco oatmeal cookies was a real downer.  Tasted old, like it was baked a week ago.

For more information about Happiemeal by Gourmade, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/gourmadeph

The Gourmade Happiemeal Diaries: Day 1

After all the holiday pig-outs, all the restaurant hopping, and all the "trying-for-the-sake-of-trying" gluttony that happened...  hard as it may be to admit, but the pounds have piled on and it's time to jumpstart that diet.  AGAIN.  If you've read about my Lunchbox Diet Diaries last year, then you'd know that I've already tried this kind of diet.  Yes it worked, but the lazy me did not continue with it, happily went back to my wayward eating habits, and thus, hello unwanted pounds!  Well, this time I'm back with a vengeance and plan to go through with the diet no matter what!

With so much diet food delivery companies around nowadays, it might be hard to choose which one is for you.  This time around, I only had two things in mind.  First, is that the price must be budget friendly.  And second, is that they must come highly recommended by friends/acquaintances.  Guess who passed those standards?  Happiemeal by Gourmade!

So, what's Happiemeal by Gourmade?

Happiemeal by Gourmade is a diet delivery service that delivers calorie counted meals 5 days a week.  At 1200 calories a day, they give you 3 meals and 2 snacks for Php 2000 (plus Php 300 delivery charge for my area).  Need a higher calorie intake?  Gourmade can adjust to your calorie needs by offering meals at 1500 and also 1800 calories.  Plus, they also offer a pescetarian (only fish as meat) menu.

My Happiemeal!

Monday's Menu

Monday's Food

Breakfast:  Tortang Talong and Tinapa Fried Rice

Not much a fan of brown rice, but the tortang talong was delicious!  They managed to mash up the eggplant so finely that you could barely tell it's eggplant.  It's kind of like eating egg frittata.

Lunch:  Beef Salpicao with Garlic Rice

Just when I thought that the tortang talong would be the tastiest meal of the day, here comes the beef salpicao!  Again, couldn't say I liked the brown rice, but the beef salpicao blew me away!  It was very tender, and very flavorful!  The sweet-spicy flavors was a party in my mouth!

Dinner:  Pad Thai

Guess we should have put this in the refrigerator, because there was a certain smell to it when we ate it for dinner.  It was a little bland too.

Snack:  Banana Dipped in Chocolate

"Is this even diet food?"  That was my first reaction when I bit into the banana dipped in chocolate.  I was half expecting tasteless bland chocolate but nooooo.  It tasted like normal milk chocolate bars that melted.  Could not resist scraping the rest of the chocolates at the bottom of the container even after the bananas were long gone.

So how was my first day?  It was hit and miss.  With the exception of the pad thai, all the others were really delicious.  I mean, if diet food tasted this good, then sign me up for the next few weeks, or even months!  Looking forward to greater meals for the days to come!

For more information about Happiemeal by Gourmade, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/gourmadeph

Paparazzi at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel

"It's a surprise."  That's what Hubby said when I asked him where he was taking me on Valentine's Day.  "Nooooo... You have to tell me!  I have to wear something appropriate!"  was my reply.  "Just wear something nice."  He countered.  Hmpf.  Ok fine.  I gave up on the guessing game and just did as I was told.  The restaurant?  Paparazzi at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel. *insert wolf whistle* I was impressed.  Why?  First, I had a number of guesses as to where he was taking me on this day of hearts, but I never thought about Paparazzi.  Second, fine dining restaurants - on Valentine's Day nonetheless - is definitely not cheap.  So I prepared myself for a night full of gastronomic delights.

Valentine's Day Menu

As with other restaurants, Paparazzi only prepares one menu during Valentine's Day.  No ordering from the regular menu.  The only choice you have is whether to get Main Course A or Main Course B.

Moet & Chandon

Oooh, fancy.  Rose petals + Champagne.  Life is good.

Complimentary Bread

Served with balsamic and olive oil dip.  I took one bite but didn't bother with the bread.  I was too excited for the food to come!

Oyster

Crispy Fried with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Loved the presentation.  And it was the first time I've tried oysters with raspberry vinaigrette, which was delightful.  It takes out the fishyness of the oyster.

Tartare

Tartare of Marinated Tuna with Capers, Lemon and Primo Olive Oil

I tried.  But no.  Took one tiny forkful of this and pushed the plate towards Hubby.  Nope, still won't eat the raw stuff.

Soup

Zucchini and Basil Cream Soup with Ricotta Beignet

Cream soup, yet it was not heavy at all. 

Sorbet

Campari and Orange Granite with Candied Orange Peel

Refreshing!

Manzo Per Lui

Roasted Tenderloin of Beef with Pan Seared Foie Gras, Roasted Pumpkin, Spinach and Truffle Jus

The night was so far, so good.  That is, until this plate arrived.  There were a number of things that did not sit well with me.  Let me enumerate thee:  1.  The server failed to ask us how we would like our steak to be done.  It arrived medium to medium well, and Hubby had to return his because he likes them medium rare.  2.  The tenderloin, as pretty as it looks in the picture, sadly does not taste as good as it looks.  Contrary to the name, it was not tender at all.  In fact, some parts were what we would call "cottony".  3.  The foie gras.  Let's play a game of spot the foie gras, shall we?  No, it's not that thing perched on top of the tenderloin on the left.  It's actually hidden behind the carrots.  And let me tell you, it was thin as a potato chip (no exaggerations!) and as little as about 2 inches by 1.5 inches.  Way below industry standard.  It was served cold and overcooked too.  I spoke to the manager about it and they replaced it with a different one yet it was exactly as bad as the first one.  Sheesh.  As if that wasn't bad enough, we spoke to the manager again and expressed our disappointment with the food, and they promptly offered the replace it with a better one.  We took the offer, only to be disappointed again when the replacement looked and tasted exactly like the first plate.  They can do no right, can they? 

Cioccolato

Chocolate Cone filled with Iced Nougatine Parfait, Raspberry Jelly and Mango Pearls

Unlike the disaster of a main course, this was actually pretty good.  In fact, this was the only thing that saved the dinner.  The chocolate cone was thin yet holds up the cream inside, while the mango and raspberry gives off the sweet-sour taste to balance off everything.

Complimentary Chocolates

Nah, did nothing for me.

So the verdict?  I was actually pretty shocked when I saw the bill.  It was definitely not cheap, yet the food did not warrant the price.  At all.  "For Php 5000/person, I should get the whole freakin' foie gras.  Not a sliver."  I told Hubby.  And I made him swear never again to take me to a hotel on Valentine's Day.  Ever.  1 out of 5 stars.

Paparazzi is at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Mezzanine Level, Tower Wing, 1 Garden Way Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City