Frannywanny

Cucina  is the all-day International dining restaurant of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila  and is one of my favorite hotel buffet restaurants in the metro too. While it may not have the widest array of dishes to choose from, I love how each dish is well-curated making it go very well with the rest of the line-up. I also love how they make it a point to change the themes every so often so I don't feel like I'm having the same old, same old in every visit. One visit, I had Italian , the next I had Thai, in another visit I enjoyed the best Filipino dishes and so on. There was even that one lunch wherein we had the most authentic British fare too . Despite the regular thematic changes, the top favorites are there to stay. I also love breakfast at Cucina ! I'll never forget that one memorable breakfast during our babymoon staycation at the hotel and I woke up so early because I was starving. I tell you, pregnancy hormones can sometimes just get so crazy. So there I was, part of th...

I was already based abroad when SM Megamall opened a new wing called the Fashion Hall. Despite it's name, this area quickly became a favorite of fellow foodies as in here you can find a number of international restaurant franchises and some cool local ones. Since I can't just hop on a plane and fly home on a whim, I would continue to grow my list of restaurants in hopes that I'll be able to visit them when I'm in Manila. So, last October, Paul and I decided to have a really belated birthday celebration with my in-laws. While planning for the said meal, I referred to my list and zeroed in on Alqueria  which is a Spanish restaurant conveniently located in SM Megamall. I miss having Spanish food as I haven't really fond a good one in the Lion City which would match up to my favorites here. As SM Megamall is forever crowded, it was a challenge to park most especially on a Sunday. That said, we got to the restaurant past lunch hour and everyone was feeling hungr...

Before anything, let me greet you and your family, 恭喜發財!!! I can't believe that January is over and we have officially entered the L♥ve Month. I've been away for more than a week and I apologize for not being able to update my blog during the said period. But..but I got a really good reason. I was back in Manila to spend time with my families and friends as we celebrated a couple of birthdays, a fun wedding and the much awaited entrance of the Year of the Wooden Horse. Forecasts say that this will be a good year for both Paul and I so... we're keeping our fingers (and toes) crossed as we do hope luck, happiness and a certain stork are on their way to our doorstep SOON! I do hope 2014 will be a prosperous and lucky year for all of you too! I'm back and I got a lot of stories to share. Let's begin, shall we? One reason why I went home was to celebrate the birthday of my dearest Mommy . Of course, how can I ever miss out on not celebrating the special day of that...

I always believe that the internet helps connect lives and build relationships. When used properly, strong and real friendships can be made. While I've been pretty much invisible in the local blogging scene since the start of 2013, I'm lucky to still keep in touch with a few of my fellow food blogger friends who would drop in a message via any social media platform to say hi and to check on us from time to time. They would also update me on the newest must-try restaurants in the metro which I would make sure to try whenever I get to go home for a visit. As Christmas is the must-awaited season for partying and lots of eating, we joined the K.T.G . for their 1st ever Christmas Party! While a number were old friends, we were also able to finally meet the faces behind the blogs that we've been following for months now. Boy, were they a fun and happy bunch! Of course, what's a KTG Party without yummy food, right? Let me share with you some of the dishes that we were ab...

If there's one mantra that my parents live by, it would be this: "The family that eats together, stays together." Given our busy schedules, we all make it a point to at least have dinner together. At home, dinner time would last for more than 2 hours as we would take this opportuntiy to update everyone how our day went and basically what's going on with our lives. I have to say that having these moments allowed us to stay very close as a family. I guess, this is the reason why I miss my family so much now that I'm miles and miles away. I think of them every single day and most especially during dinner time. A few months ago, I availed the Casa Marcos coupon from Deal Grocer . For only Php. 799 (from Php. 1,500++), we got a paella of our choice and a caraffe of sangria too! We all love paella so this dinner was definitely highly anticipated by everyone. When I told my parents that we made dinner reservations at Casa Marcos , Mommy got so excited as she reme...

This year, my friends and I are turning 31! I'm still in major denial that I'm no longer in my 20s and I'm getting inch by inch closer to the big 4-0! Oh nooooo?!?! Well, age is indeed just a number and what matters is you are still young at heart. Agree? Last January, we celebrated Estee's birthday by having an intimate dinner just us girls. We had it at the newly opened Beso Cucina Vinoteka at the Bonifacio Highstreet Central . Aside from ramen, more and more Spanish restaurants are opening left and right. I'm not complaining though as I loveeee good paella and a wide array of tapas. Estee's birthday celebration began with a carafe of Red Sangria to toast for a fun and fab year ahead for my dear friend. I'm no drinker but I liked the sweet and mild taste of the sangria. To go with our drink, we had a couple of tapas to get our meal started. Estee ordered the Gambas (Php. 380) and I have to say that this had to be the biggest gambas shrimp that I...

There's a new kid in town and she's a hidden gem ready to be discovered. Say hello to Calderon . A new Spanish restaurant located right at the heart of San Juan City . This is a town that has been dubbed as the modern Chinatown . With more than a dozen Chinese restaurants and delis scattered all over this tiny city, it was quite a surprise to see a restaurant serving tapas instead of dimsum perhaps hoping to add some colorful Spanish flair to this very Oriental community. Quite a bold step, if you ask me but hey, change is always GOOD. Take it from me, a girl who is about to embark on a new journey, I began the year with a resolution to be more brave in trying new things. Though I'm not a stranger to Spanish food, there I was together with Paul and a couple of dear friends ready to try what Calderon had to offer. Allow me to share with you the different dishes that we were able to try during the two consecutive visits that Paul and I had in less than a week. To say ...

Being Filipinos, our local dishes are highly influenced by a number of other cuisines. We have strong Chinese influence as seen in our Humba (stewed pork), Pancit (noodles) and Chopsuey (mixed stir-fried vegetables) to name a few. Americans have influenced us with our love for steak, ribs and burger. However, I think the most prominent and strongest influence came during the Spanish era. A number of well-loved restaurants that has been around for decades showcase a mix of Filipino-Spanish dishes. Even my family who would feast on a 12-course Chinese lauriat dinner during birthdays and weddings would celebrate with paella, cochinillo and gambas on super special occasions. I remember my last weekend as single girl before I tied the knot with Paul, my mom hosted dinner for our immediate family at Casa Armas in Podium. Both mommy and my Kongkong loves paella and for them, the best one left is Casa Armas as most of the restaurants that they used to frequent have closed shop years ago. ...

Don't you just love going out for lunch? Taking a short breather away from the office and having a really good and filling meal? That's what I did a couple of days ago. I was invited by my friends over at Discovery Suites to try their lunch buffet at Restaurant 5 and luckily, I was there on the day that they were highlighting a couple of Spanish dishes. Spell P-A-E-L-L-A !! My love affair with that orange, baked rice will go on for a lifetime! I love the flavorful Arborio rice cooked with the juiciest meats and the finest catch from the sea. The best part of course lies at the bottom of the pan. Socarrat , as they call it is the thin burnt layer that is so crunchy and good.

When I predicted that 2012 will be a busy year, I wasn't expecting for it to be THIS busy. I've been buzzing around like a busy bee ever since I returned back to work on the 2nd day of the year. Meetings conducted one after the other, reports growing by the number and a lot more! Don't get me wrong, I entered the year with an optimistic heart and I'm just so happy doing what I'm doing right now. In other words -- I. Love. My. Job. Still, after a hectic work week, what makes my heart flutter is the thought that the weekend is here! This is the only time when I can stay in bed longer, catch up on my favorite TV shows and go out and eat, eat, eat to my hearts content! Aside from Chinese and Japanese cuisines, I love Filipino food. How can I ever say no to that mouthwatering Lechon or that heart-stopping, oil-dripping Garlic Pork Adobo that goes perfectly well with steamed white rice? Oh the thought of it always puts a smile on my face. There are a lot of Filipi...

Every single time I dine at Mario's Restaurant in Tomas Morato , I can't help but reminisce about my childhood years. The time when I would dine there with my parents and we would order their Grilled Tanigue with Dill Sauce for starters, have our own plates of Caesar Salad and this immediately will be followed by our respective choice of main dishes -- on most occasions I would switch back and forth between the Lamb Chops or the Chicken Parmigiana. Our meals will never be complete without looking at their dessert cart where my sister and I would always choose the gelatin with fruit cocktail inside. Oh how I always feel like a grown-up woman every time we dine at Mario's as I would carefully slice through my lamb chops or fork through my crisp salad. Fast forward a little more than ten years after, I'm back at Mario's this time really as a grown married woman with my husband sitting beside me as we attended a special dinner hosted by Fil and Anton Benitez , the ...

After spending the entire afternoon trick or treating with my 3 year old Supergirl niece Julia and 1 year old Peter Pan nephew Jairus, I hurried home to get ready as Paul and I were to double date with.... my parents! It's funny that all throughout our 8 years of dating, I realized that Paul and I never really had the chance to go out with just my parents. Normally, my sister would join us or sometimes we'd even have the entire clan dining out with us. More than anything, I just want Paul to feel more at ease with my parents especially with Papa who, at times, thinks I'm still his 5-year-old daughter and is still in the process of realizing and accepting that I am a 29 year old grown woman who has been married for more than a year. I guess my story is nothing out of the ordinary as I'm sure most daughters, especially those who are really close to their dads, can totally relate with me. *nods slowly* Since this is a rare occasion, I made sure my choice of restaura...

"Hi, I'm Frannywanny and I'm a group buying site addict. *hic*" I have three favorite group buying sites that I frequent on a weekly basis. For me, they all have the best formula : good choices of restaurants + irresistible discounts and promotions All three sites offer the chance for me to either try a new restaurant or go back to an old favorite packaged with an amazing discount that helps me save and keep my wallet on a healthy state. How else can I say no? Recently, I bought two coupons from Deal Grocer that will enable Paul and I to partake in the daily buffet of Alba Restaurante Español -- a favorite Spanish restaurant of ours which we used to frequent with our families to celebrate certain milestones such as Paul's college graduation a few years ago. Admittedly, it has been a while since we've been back and when I bought the coupon, I wasn't even planning to make reservations as I thought the restaurant won't be full anyway. I'm g...

Lately, everyone has been crazy about Groupons which is actually a new term for group buying coupons. More and more groupon sites have been sprouting here and there offering various price-off packages for food, travel, beauty and more. Of course, being the food lovers that we are, Richard and I are always on the look out for food groupons. One latest deal that we availed of was the Timeless 4-Course Dinner for 2 at Ilustrado Restaurant from Deal Grocer . The package is said to be worth P2,500 but we only got it for Php. 1,250 or exactly 50% less than the normal rate. We arrived at Ilustrado Restaurant in Intramuros a little past 7 last Saturday. The place was packed as there was a wedding reception being held there that evening but it was a good thing we've made reservations thus we have a table waiting for us the moment we arrived. I love the olden Filipino feel of the restaurant with wooden capiz windows and vintage trinkets adorning the ceiling and surroundings of the r...

What I love most about the weekend is that I get to dine out with both families. Saturdays are normally devoted to my side while Sunday lunch is spent with my in-laws. It is the time when we catch up on each other’s lives while not thinking about our weekday activities a.k.a. work. Last Sunday, the choice was up to me. Wanting to try Chef Jaume Vinallonga’s Paella Valenciana Set at Barcino , I invited my in-laws for lunch and I’m glad that they were all very excited to give it a try as well. We arrived at the restaurant a little past 12 and we were assisted by restaurant manager JM who took care of our orders that day. The Paella Valenciana set consists of a llanera of Seafood Paella, a bowl of Ensalada Catalana and the yummy Crema Catalana. Of course, we were also served with a glass of Castillero del Diablo red wine. For starters, Barcino served us with their complimentary bread basket with tomato spread . My mom-in-law commented how fresh and sweet the minced tomatoes w...

I'm stuck at home today. Had to take a leave from work due to a nasty stomachache that kept me up all night. Was it something I ate or is it because of stress? Whichever it was, I'm just upset that I'm wasting a beautiful day doing NOTHING. Going through the folder filled with my favorite photos I came across a couple that made me smile... these things truly make me happy and so I'd like to share them with you. my favorite drink my comfort food a sweet surprise wish I can be a kid again :) a delicious discovery the best set of friends LOVE :) Tell me, what makes you HAPPY?

To be honest, I don't think I have ever tasted Portuguese food , except for those yummy Egg Tarts in Hong Kong that I just had to get before flying back to Manla .Thus, an invitation to try O'Sonho 's newest branch in Eastwood was definitely something I was looking forward to. O'sonho , which actually means The Dream in Portuguese, has a very beautiful story behind it. Owned by sweet couple Cris and Nik Barancik, we were told that it has been their long time dream to open a restaurant. Thus, after coming home from their honeymoon and searching for a Portuguese restaurant here in Manila and realizing that there was none, this couple decided to open one themselves and the rest was history. We were treated to an array of O'sonho's best-seller. Starting off with a soup called Caldo Verde I enjoyed the thick and creamy vegetable soup that tastes very much like spinach but as Cris explained, it's actually made of kale leaves which can only be sourced abro...