These food brands and restaurants understand that the holiday season is one of the most important moments for their market
Bacon, toffee, and dark chocolate? Yes please
It may sound like an unlikely pairing but Baken’s bacon and toffee dark chocolate is oozing with serious appeal. Crafted with bean-to-bar chocolate maker Theo & Philo, the chocolate bar is a year-end stunner that displays both brands’ strengths—Baken’s signature crispy, salty, and real bacon crisps, and Theo & Philo’s single-origin dark chocolate. That it’s finished off with a toffee makes this a holiday indulgence no one should miss. Snack on it as is or use it on your charcuterie board, this chocolate bar is a true holiday winner.—Eric Nicole Salta
Available at shopbaken.com, partner outlets (Brera Delicatessen, House of Cravings, Joel’s Place, and selected Kultura Filipino branches, One World Deli, Terry Selection, and The Seven Pantry), and at Holiday Fairs by Rockwellist (Dec. 9 to 15), Holiday House at Proscenium (Dec. 10 to 12), and Soirée by Retail Lab (Dec. 14 to 15)
Let them eat a Japanese-inspired tropical cake this holiday season
Kumori’s brand of a limited-edition holiday cake falls right into the category of a fail-safe stunner. Dubbed the Merry Berry Jelly, P899, this absolute delight of a sweet pleasure is a showstopping addition to any holiday spread. Coconut chiffon, strawberry cream cheese frosting, and a tart strawberry jelly layer? These wondrous flavors may not be classically Christmas but it remains more or less a fine work of food art. Our only gripe? That it will only last until Dec. 31. Get it together with the Merry Medley Bundle (coffee pan, red bean bun, soft milk bun, and melon pan) while you can.—Eric Nicole Salta
ChaYi is not your typical milk tea
People say coffee is meant to be drunk quickly for that caffeine boost to kick in. But drinking a cup of tea is different. The ritual of tea-making is quiet. Drinking a cup feels calming and introspective but ChaYi is different in its own right.
A new tea brand at Lucky Chinatown Mall in Binondo founded by Winchell Tan, who created it after being moved by childhood memories of her father brewing tea at home or in business meetings, ChaYi makes tea that is “a way to connect with our culture and traditions.” Honoring this tradition of tea-making, ChaYi features the essence of the brew in a range of tea lattes, lemon teas, and cold brew teas, all in attractive packaging that echoes designs of Chinese blue and white porcelain.—Lala Singian
ChaYi is located on the 2/F of Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo, Manila.
When in Manila for Christmas and New Year, go Brazilian Japanese
On paper, you’d think that Uma Nota Manila’s sense of fun couldn’t get any better. But it can, actually. When you take a serious look at its exclusive Christmas and New Year menus, you realize that this is a restaurant and bar at the top of its game. Its exciting menu matches the pomp and poise of the place as well as the celebratory attitude it espouses practically every night. The Christmas brunch (P4,800 per person) on Dec. 24, 25, and 26, and Christmas dinner (P6,500 per person) on Dec. 24 and 25 feature wide-reaching flavors that bring to mind an undeniably Brazilian Japanese energy.
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From the Ttuffle pão de queijo (Brazilian-style truffle cheese bun) and a trio of nigiris to its signature coxinha de caranguejo (crab and prawn croquette with homemade chili sauce) and a whole seasonal butterfly fish wrapped in banana leaf, Uma Nota Manila gets more and more overtly vivid in its festivity offerings.
Yet its New Year’s Eve “extravagance” menu (P8,000 per person) reveals it can still take it up a notch with an eight-dish spread—which includes a kasato maru platter of otoro sashimi, salmon, hamachi, eggplant nigiri, oyster, and ebi prawn; and Brazilian short ribs, among others—that bursts with layers of exciting references akin to Manila’s world-renowned fireworks displays.—Eric Nicole Salta
For inquiries and bookings, contact (0908) 899-2976 or (0917) 307 2766 or email [email protected]
A fine and festive Bizu feast
While the holiday season is all about family and friends, the food we serve on the table can make these important relationships even better. And when it comes to serving hearty and fantastic spreads then Bizu comes to mind.
This year, the French-inspired patisserie and cafe is pulling out all the stops with family sets meant for excellent celebrations. But, Bizu lets the food do all the talking: one is a 10-hour roast beef set served with classics like a spinach and mushroom ravioli and Parmesan mashed potatoes, among other delicious favorites; and a baked Norwegian salmon Rockefeller set complemented by sides dishes that include a beef bourguignon and chicken garlic ibérico.
A bold homemade ham and beautiful tres leches cake administer the final touches to complete the opulent Christmas experience that will be remembered until the next season comes around.—Eric Nicole Salta
To order, visit https://bizu.ph, call (0917) 627-3970, or drop by any Bizu branch
A holiday celebration honoring heritage favorite Pan de Manila
Twenty-five years in the food industry is a big deal. But 25 years as Pan de Manila is an even bigger deal for the simple fact that this iconic bakery chain has virtually warmed Filipino homes (and offices) with freshly baked pandesal made using traditional pugon.
So it’s little wonder that the chain has since expanded into more than 150 stores nationwide. The brand has also evolved past its penchant for pandesal, offering a plethora of products tied to childhood memories and nostalgia that includes various types of bread, spreads, and signature drinks.
To commemorate its silver anniversary in foodservice, the bakery chain is once again collaborating with Filipino artists to produce a dazzling selection of limited-edition plates and cups that have become part of the Christmas experience. Crafted in collaboration with Casa Juan and illustrated by artist Mia de Lara, the collectibles depict a slice of Filipino life that, once again, evokes nostalgia and “reflect the simple pleasures of life.”
It’s a suitable collaboration and celebration of a milestone that, frankly, conveys what Filipino Christmas is all about.—Eric Nicole Salta
The limited-edition plates and cups are available in select Pan de Manila outlets, Merienda restaurant branches, and select Kultura stores
