Frannywanny

Do you still remember the time when I attended my first ever Mommy blogger event with Mothers Who Brunch  for Mustela ? The event began with us standing up to introduce ourselves and to share with the group one of our guilty pleasures. I was halfway through my pregnancy with the twins then and I remembered that I shared that carbs  and chips  were definitely my guilty pleasure. One thing that I also remembered is that a number of moms mentioned that online shopping  is their guilty pleasure and while I chuckled together with the group, I couldn't relate with them then. Yes. I wrote that in the past tense and it's simply because things have changed greatly since my twins were born. Being a new mom entails a lot of work, that's a given but with that temporarily goes your freedom. Forget being able to leave the house as that won't be possible for at least their first two months of life.  Then comes bidding adieu to 8 hours of sleep. Now, we're talking about short...

Next to Chinese and Japanese cuisines, my family also has a growing fondness for Korean food. For instance, we all love adding kimchi to our barbecued meats, the wide array of banchan never fails to excite us and pajeon, bibimbap and galbi jim will always be part of our order line-up. So, when I heard that a new Korean restaurant named Sibyullee recently opened at the relatively new Ayala Malls The 30th in Pasig, I took the opportunity to invite my parents out for lunch one day. It was all our first time to check out the mall and I got to say that I love the very relaxed, neighborhood vibe that it gives. The selection of restaurants and retail shops were quite impressive too not to mention that they even have a Rustans Supermarket available at the Ground Floor and a row of cinema at the top floor to complete the mix.

When it comes to hotel buffet restaurants, Marriott Cafe continues to stay at the top of our list ever since we first dined there back in 2010 . Since then, we've frequent Marriott Cafe to celebrate various milestones or whenever the craving for good buffet food hits. Even when we relocated to Singapore, I remembered dining at Marriott Cafe for our 5th Wedding Anniversary . I guess, one reason that makes us want to keep going back to Marriott Cafe is the good variety of dishes available all the time. Also, they always keep a conscious effort to keep on changing their menu making it so exciting to dine there every single time. Take this July for instance, it's all about greeting Annyeong-haseyo  as they're currently running a delicious Korean Food Festival  from the 11th of July up until the 31st.  Be ready to satisfy your oppa-tite (hehe sorry I can't help it!)  as they even flew in 4 Korean guests chefs so you can be assured that all the dishes offered...

Here in Singapore, it's pretty common to hear restaurants and cafes opening left and right on a weekly basis. Back when we first moved here, I really tried my darnest to keep up and to visit as many new places as possible. However, with the speed of restaurants opening all over the country, I've come to realized that it's pretty impossible to keep up and it's definitely not very financially and physically smart to do so too. We then resorted to relying on some of our favorite foodies here to point us to the places that we have to try and prioritize. Our friend D is one of the foodies whom we love and respect so much. We trust his taste and with the number of places that he has brought us to plus the different yummy baked goodies that he has sent our way, D and his amazing taste in food has never disappoint. So last year, we had our first taste of Masizzim with D . If you remember, this was the place where there's forever a long queue and people would continue t...

How many ways can you cook a chicken? Apparently, in Chir Chir Fusion Chicken Factory , there's more than the usual deep-fry, pan-fry, saute, boil, steam, roast, grill and even the fancy sous vide. In fact, they boast of having over 20 variations of fried and roasted chicken cooked and served in so many ways that I don't think it's possible to have exactly the same things every time you visit. After their grand opening at 313 Somerset  last year, they've expanded to two more locations namely Bedok Point and the latest outlet in Chinatown Point . I was so excited for this particular visit because of three main things -- I've been wanting to try Chir Chir Fusion Chicken Factory  since I heard about its opening last year but I never really got around to visiting their 313 Somerset branch, Chinatown Point  is so near my workplace so that means more lunch out options and lastly, they recently launched this mouthwatering Honey Butter Chicken  and being a huge fan of...

"Where to eat?" For those working in the Central Business District (CBD), I bet you can all agree that this is the most used phrase come lunch hour. Funny thing is, of all the areas in Singapore, I'd say that the CBD has the most food options from the quick and easy fast food joints to the very Singaporean hawker centres to the slightly classy restaurants and hipster cafes. Then again, with more options comes greater confusion on where to go for lunch every single day. Unless you're a create of habit like me who frequents her favourite places on a weekly basis to the point of being known on a first name basis by either the stall owner or the restaurant server, then choosing your lunch venue would definitely be a daily dilemma. 3rd branch? Wonder where's the first and second branches... Allow me to share one of my favourite restaurants with you in hopes that this will solve your problem. :) Hyang To Gol  is a traditional Korean restaurant located inside Ama...

For a food blogger, I have to admit that I can get quite picky too. Carrots, peas, corn, mussels, oysters and whipped cream are just some of the big no-nos on my dinner plate. Admittedly, I like leafy veggies more than the slimy ones. I know, I know... it can be quite challenging to get me to really eat all my greens. (sorry Mommy!) So, when I got an invite to check out the new menu of Do.Si.Rak. I initially had my fears. "Will I like the food?" "Will they be serving veggies that I don't like?" "Will it be tasteless and bland?" These are just some of the things that have crossed my mind and I'm pretty sure the minds of countless others who are not big veggie eaters. However, Do.Si.Rak. is a step above the usual salad bar as it offers something more than just x number of toppings on top of your mixed greens. Here, you choose your base (noodles, rice, tofu, cauliflower rice, etc) followed by your veggies and lastly some protein .

As the famous saying goes: "Birds of the same feather, flock together." Simply put, it's truly human nature for us to gravitate towards people who share the same ideals, belief and interest as we do. That is why Paul and I love hanging out with our friend D for many, many reasons! One of which is because D is such an amazing foodie and there's never a dull meal time shared with him. The three of us have been travelling in and out of the Lion City for the past 3-4 months for work and leisure so before anyone flies off again (that would be D who flew off the day after we met..), we agreed to meet up for dinner. Just like me, D keeps a running list of restaurants that he wants to try in Singapore. Lately, we both have been so intrigued about the newly opened Korean restaurant called Masizzim  ( pronounced as masi-jim )which is known for serving really good Korean stew. Being a new and popular restaurant means just one thing. Expect to wait in line for some time bef...

Annyeong Haseyo! Konichiwa! 你好 ! This just got to be one of the best culinary showdowns that has ever graced the kitchen stadium ! In corner we got the fiery hot, yet ever colorful Korean cuisine. On the other side, there's the fresh and always attractively-packaged Japanese masterpiece. Last but not the least, the comforting flavors from China which most of us grew up with. This was definitely one thing that I couldn't miss during my recent trip back home and I got my entire family to enjoy it with me. Running up until October 15, 2015, this buffet will entice your taste buds with the gastronomic flavors from the North Asian region. This is indeed the time when Bibimbap, Pajeon, Sushi and Dimsum takes center stage. You all know that Marriott Cafe is one of my favorite hotel buffets in Manila as I just love the wide selection of dishes available and it's presented in such as way that it doesn't overwhelmed you that you'll feel too full to really enjoy yo...

It's almost the end of the month and I'm still celebrating my birthday! I guess, the beauty of having your birthday on the 1st day of the month is you can actually celebrate it for the next 29-30 days that follow. Hahaha! For instance, the next working day following my birthday, I treated my closest colleagues out for lunch. We were actually supposed to head to a cafe for some brunch food but we spotted Twins , a newly opened restaurant along Craig Road in Tanjong Pagar. The interiors were simple, the walls painted in black but what caught out attention was that flashing sign from the bar that says "Korean Fried Chicken". Oohhhh!

Okay kids, listen closely. When it comes to choosing the right man for you, make sure..he spoils you like crazy! Hehehehe :)  Kidding aside, I do believe that the right man should only have two queens in his life -- his mom and you. That's it. In fact, how a guy treats his mom is actually a good indication of how he will be treating you. Luckily, Paul loves and adores my MIL unconditionally so that pretty much mirrors how he has been showering me with the same amount of love and affection too. :) So, on my birthday, Paul took me out on a special date. This may sound cheesy but even after being together for 12 (!) happy years, I still get that giddy, "kilig" feeling whenever we go out on a date. What made this date extra special was the fact that Paul took charge of choosing the restaurant and making a reservation too! It has been a while since we've had Korean bbq so he chose K.Cook Korean BBQ Buffet to be our lunch date venue that day. Boy, was I excited!

Finally I'm back with another entry for my Explore Singapore series! I'm terribly sorry for the long hiatus as I have been crazy busy to explore a new site here in the Lion City. Thanks to my friend D who gave me these tickets to the newly opened Trick Eye Museum  in Sentosa, Paul and I spent one weeknight playing around as we let our imaginations run wild! The Trick Eye Museum originated in Seoul, Korea as it features a number of 3D artworks where people can do a bit of role playing to get into the character or to be part of a certain scenario. There's no hard and fast rules on how to go around the museum. It's important to just have your camera, follow the correct angle and shoot away.

Over the past few weeks, my social media walls have been filled with photos of beautiful Korea where most of my friends and even some of my relatives went to for a nice vacation. These made me remember how much fun Paul and I had went we went to Seoul for a 5 day long trip two years ago. Almost everyday, we would have our favorite kimbap, Korean fried chicken and of course, beef bulgogi. Korean food is one cuisine that I don't think I'll ever get tired of having. I love it just as much as I love Chinese and Japanese food too. Since there's a small chance that we will go back to Seoul this year, we decided to just treat ourselves to a Korean dinner at the newly opened Chef's Noodle at Harbourfront Centre one evening. I've heard of Chef's Noodle back in Manila as they have a branch along Annapolis Street in Greenhills and they have expanded since then even tapping a couple of celebrities as endorsers. It's actually rare to have a restaurant open first in Ma...

Given my slight OCD nature, I rarely eat with my bare hands. Yes, somehow I've learned to eat everything with the use of a spoon and fork, fork and knife and at times even with a pair of chopsticks. Friends would watch in amazement (or more like amusement) as I would enjoy my fries with a fork or crabs with fork and knife. Back in high school, I would manage to finish my spaghetti lunch while using a pair of chopsticks without any stains on my white and blue uniform. This talent I've inherited from my equally neat freak Papa. It was when I married Paul that I somehow learned to "loosen up and enjoy life", as he would proudly claim. This simply meant me learning to use my hands to fully enjoy eating a piece of drumstick or to get the itsie-bitsie crab meat pieces out. It took a while, I tell you, but at present I've learned to control my OCD tendencies and to just enjoy my food to the fullest. Perhaps, I still have my hesitations but if there's one food i...

This week will be a happy one! More family members are coming to visit and I'm feeling all giddy all day. Speaking of family, let me tell you about this delicious dinner that I had with my in laws on our last day in Manila a few months ago. I have to tell you that my MIL has great taste in food. It need not be over-the-top expensive but she really has the eye (or shall I say the nose and the taste buds) in finding really yummy finds from weekend markets to hole-in-the-wall eateries in Chinatown. *sigh* no wonder I'll never achieve my 23 inch dream waist line. For as long as I'm home, I have both my Mom and my MIL force feeding me everyday. Hehehe... Dinner was held at Ginzadon Restaurant inside Resorts World Manila in Pasay. I've been eyeing this restaurant for almost 2 years now but since Resorts World isn't exactly what I would call accessible from my house, Paul and I never really found the time to purposely drive all the way here to eat. I'm so glad M...

Paul and I had so much fun during our trip to Seoul, South Korea ! We enjoyed our trip so much that we are actually planning for a return visit next year. This time, hopefully to see the pretty autumn leaves in Nami. I'm really crossing my fingers and toes for this. Our trip was just perfect. The cool weather, our very accessible hotel, the places that we were able to visit and a lot more. Our home away from home -- Hotel Skypark 1 was located at the heart of Myeongdong . It was a good choice given that we just relied on reviews posted in Agoda.com and luckily, what we saw up close was exactly what was mentioned in the said reviews. Our hotel was located right in front of a famous fast food chain called Lotteria making it so easy to locate and so convenient should hunger strikes. Initially, I thought Lotteria originated in South Korea but researching about it told me that this brand actually opened first in Japan by a South Korean and later on found its way back to its mo...

Finally I was able to cross out another restaurant from my growing list of restaurants to try for the year!! We have barely 4 months to go before 2013 rolls in and I am barely half way there! *pant pant* So little time, so many restaurants to try! After visiting an expo at the SMX Convention Center , Paul and I agreed to have dinner at Tajimaya Yakiniku Restaurant . I've been hearing about this restaurant from my cousin in law L who loves this restaurant and has been raving about their yummy grilled beef since last year! In fact, I still owe her a Tajimaya pig-out date together with ML . We mentioned our dinner plans to The Food Club and our initial table reservation for two was magically turned into a private room for 8 as they wanted to try it out too! Well, as they say...the more, the merrier! They have an Eat-All-You-Can promo where for only Php. 420 you get unlimited refills of beef, chicken, sausage, fish balls and pork. Add Php. 60 and make it Php. 520 then yo...

Who doesn't love rice? Well..I do! Born and raised here in the Philippines, we Filipinos are known to be avid rice lovers. Personally, I enjoy rice in all forms! You name it, I love em all! Paella, risotto, garlic rice (sinangag) , congee, brown rice, Thai Bagoong Rice, sushi and my one and only love -- FRIED RICE . In Korea, we enjoyed more rice options such as the ever-popular Dolsot Bibimbap which is somewhat like Fried Rice only it's not fried, Omurice and my long-time Korean favorite, the Kimbap . After traveling to Yeouido to see a line of pretty Cherry Blossom trees (hooray for Cherry Blossom Festival in April!) , we walked around the area to search for a place to have lunch. We saw a line of small eateries, some of which are filled with locals having their lunch break. It was then that we spotted Gimgane . Uncertain on what it serves, Richard, Rowena and I entered the restaurant to check the menu out. Thank goodness they have photos of their dishes on the wall ma...

I really miss Korea . The cool weather, the clean surroundings, the super organized transportation system and the FOOD! I miss the street snacks being sold in Myeongdong , the endless Korean barbecue and fresh unlimited refills of kimchi! Allow me to tell you more about my Seoul adventure next week. Every since Paul and I got back from our trip, we have been stuffing ourselves silly with all things Korean. Frequenting Korean barbecue places, filling our cupboard with Korean snacks and a lot more. This, I guess, was our way to happily reminisce on how fun Korea was. Do expect that we will definitely go back soon! One Sunday as Paul and I double-dated with my parents, we headed to Greenbelt 5 to have lunch at Bulgogi Brothers . It was upon an invite from the cool folks of BB as they wanted us to try their three new lunch sets which are available everyday from Monday to Friday. We went on a Sunday thus we were given a special preview. Thank you! Each set was good for two and sad...

Ever since I got back from my trip to Seoul, Korea ; I now share the same fascination and love for this beautiful country with my colleague ML. From the pretty cherry blossoms to the food...the FOOD! Every meal was truly a delight and every meal that we had from the corner street cart to the more upscale restaurant all left a wonderful memory for Paul and yours truly. I have yet to share with you my complete Korean adventure. I promise I'll have the out soon... Paul and I loved Korea so much that we are actually planning to go back again next year. Crossing my fingers on that! Meanwhile, I have to satisfy my sudden Korean food craving with what we have locally. Luckily, more and more Korean establishments and franchise have been coming to Manila making it easier for us to have some good Samgyeopsal or a yummy piece of Pajeon at any given time. ML and I headed to Kogi Bulgogi for a quick lunch one day. It was a good thing that we were at the Eastwood Mall for an event allo...