Food & Recipes

Welcome to the 3rd Grade + Baon Plan #1

June 13, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 27 Comments

The little boy and I are so ready to conquer the 3rd grade. Same as last year, I’ve prepared myself for lots of early mornings in the kitchen. This year, we adjust our time a little bit earlier because school starts half an hour earlier as well. The good news is that the FIFA World Cup starts on the first week of school, so I have more than one reason to wake up way before dawn.

I know some of you have been looking forward to these lunchbox plans, and I’m really so happy and thankful for the appreciation and support. I’ve decided to make just a few changes this year to my posting, too. First, instead of a weekly plan, this is going to be bi-monthly. I think it makes for easier grocery shopping and meal planning (and blog posting, actually). I will also include at least two featured recipes per plan – one mine, and another I’ve found on the internet or from a cookbook. Disclaimer, most likely the recipe from the net is something I’m also only trying for the first time, so this has sort of an adventurous feel to it. At the same time, I promise to be sure to post feedback on the following week’s lunchbox post.

One last thing. I don’t have a shopping list yet this week because I still have a bunch of things from the summer that I need to use up. I also am pretty sure that what I’ve purchased from my trip to the supermarket this week is missing so many things, but I’m not sure what they are yet. Winner. Promise to make it up to you.

So, anyway. Featured this week is my ever-reliable chicken adobo recipe. Why? Because it’s the first batch of baons for this school year and I need to go for something familiar, reliable and comforting, that’s why. I also decided to try this Cheesy Tuna Mac recipe from one of my go-to references for make ahead meals, Once A Month Meals. I’m excited about this recipe coz it looks so easy! Another new recipe I’m trying out is one for a garlicky Beef Tapa that I found in the Breakfast! book special of Yummy. I actually marinated some already yesterday and split them into two batches, ready for freezing. Can’t wait to tell you how these two new recipes turn out.

Download the baon plan HERE, and I’ll be back with another one in two weeks.

What have you guys been packing for your kids? I’d love to get new ideas from you!

Recipe: MrC’s Birthday Roast Beef

June 5, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 14 Comments

First of all, I have to apologize to those of you who were waiting for this week’s baon plan. I just found out at school orientation this morning that classes will only run for half the day on the first week of school, so the little boy will actually be eating lunch at home. Toinks. So, since there won’t be any baon preps this coming week, I’ve decided to push back my lunchbox plan posting by a week. Thanks for understanding, you guys!

I will share a recipe today, though, one that I know some of you have been waiting for. I got super rave reviews from our family for the roast beef that I prepared for MrC’s birthday last May. It’s a really easy recipe, to tell you the truth. Still, it was the first time that I had ever made roast beef, and I was a little worried that I might kill the expensive piece of beef that we had purchased. Well, it turned out amazing. The photo below says it all.

It’s all in the ingredients!

If there’s one super crucial thing I have to stress about achieving roast beef success, it’s this – buy quality ingredients. This is one of those dishes that you will really want to splurge on, and it all begins with an excellent cut of beef. You don’t necessarily need to go imported and super expensive here, too. The piece of meat I used actually came from Tenderbites in Makati Supermarket. Try to get fresh and not frozen meat, and yes this will make a big difference in the tenderness and juiciness of the roast beef.

One more thing you need to remember to do is be generous with your seasoning. Remember that everything just sits on the utside of the meat, and that there is a chance that none of the flavor will really seep through all the way to the core. So, best to be certain that the surface of the meat is completely covered in the dry rub, and that you don’t scrimp on salt, pepper, garlic and butter. It may seem like a lot, but trust me, it’s just right.

Start by prepping the beef

Washed beef with slits for garlic slivers

The first thing you need to do is wash your meat. You will want to get whatever slippy slimy stuff there is off of the surface. You will also want to trim off any excess fat and litid off as well. Don’t take all the fat off, though. That will help keep the roast beef tender. After washing, take a thin, super sharp knife and poke slits into the beef. This is where you will insert your garlic slivers. Make sure that the slits are deep enough – about an inch into the meat, and evenly spaced out. It’s totally up to you how much garlic you want to put, but in my opinion, more garlic = more fun.

I actually let the meat sit in the fridge for about half an hour after I put the garlic in. I really don’t know if it made any difference in the taste, but I will do that again next time to check. While the meat is (literally) chilling, I mix up the rub. The inspiration for this rub came from this roast tenderloin recipe by The Pioneer Woman.

Again, this may look like a lot of salt, it really was just enough to season the nearly 2-kilo piece of tenderloin that I cooked. Next time I think I will measure out an extra batch of this, because I can totally use it as seasoned salt for things like pork chops and fried chicken.

With your hands, rub the seasoned salt into the meat. Don’t squeeze the beef so that none of the juices and garlic bits come out. Instead, just make as if you are giving your tenderloin a body scrub. Make sure you cover the entire surface of the meat.

At this point, you will need to sear the beef. This gives it a nice brown color, and also helps to seal in the yummy juices. Honestly, I could have been smarter about how I did this step. See, the tenderloin we bought was pretty long. I could have opted to cut it into two or three smaller pieces to make it easier to manage. But no, I decided I would keep it whole, and would just adjust its position inside the pan to make sure that the meat is seared evenly.

As you can see, that is a pretty big piece of meat. It didn’t fit into any of our pans and skillets, so I used a paella pan. This is seared in olive oil and butter, with the butter idea coming from Pioneer Woman as well. The butter gives the beef a golden brown color, and also adds a whole lot to the flavor of this roast.

After searing, it’s time for the meat to rest. Put it on a plate and cover it loosely with a tinfoil tent. The resting allows the juices inside the beef to redistribute themselves evenly. I suggest that you take the opportunity to rest as well. 15 minutes is enough time for a quick shower, and I’m pretty sure you’ll be wanting one by now if you are cooking in the crazy Manila heat.

Time to Roast

After resting for 215-20 minutes, the beef is ready for roasting. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. Transfer the beef into an aluminum or glass baking pan. I use glass so that I can see what’s going on. Smash up some peppercorns and press the bits onto the beef. Then, top the meat with cubes of butter. I know, it doesn’t sound very good for you, but it is good.

Finally, stick a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. This matters, because the internal temperature will determine the doneness of your roast. If you like yours on the more well done side, then you can totally skip this part and just time your cooking. But, if your aim is to have it perfectly pink inside, you need the thermometer. Fair enough?

Take your meat out right before it hits 140 degrees. Do not slice this right away. Yes, you will need to let it rest again. If you slice now all of its juices are gonna end up on your cutting board and you will end up with dry, tough beef. Cover the meat with foil while it sits.

When you finally cut this up and put a piece in your mouth, it will totally be worth the wait. Remember to cut with a sharp knife. Nothing ruins a good roast better than a dull knife. I always turn to my brother for cutting and carving. Not only is he good at it, he loves doing it, too.

I served this up with a spaghetti aglio olio. We also had warm french bread, which was perfect for mopping up the peppery butter and drippings that were lying at the bottom of the baking pan.

Sharing the recipe for this light and fresh pasta dish soon

We also prepared a platter of cold cuts and some of MrC’s favorite cheeses for everyone to munch on while we were cutting up the beef. Since it was a celebration, we also had a nice bottle of red wine. It was such a nice dinner, and I’m pretty sure I outdid the meal I prepared for MrC’s birthday last year.

I love that I get to prepare these labor of love meals for my husband’s birthday. He loves to eat, and he enjoys the food, so I’m all the more encouraged to come up with a yummy feast. Honestly, with the way this spread turned out, the pressure is so on for next year.

Of all things, what we forgot to get was a birthday candle!

MrC's Birthday Roast Beef

2014-06-05 06:56:19

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Ingredients

1.5-2kg Beef Tenderloin
Half a head of garlic, peeled and cut into slivers
2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
Olive oil for frying
1/2 stick + 2 tbsp Salted Butter
1/4 cup Whole Peppercorn

Instructions

Wash the meat and pat dry. Trim off any excess fat and muscle from the beef's surface.
Slice 1" deep, evenly-spaced slits into the meat. Insert a garlic sliver into each slit. Let the meat sit in the refrigerator for half an hour.
Prepare the dry rub my combining 2 tsp salt with the remaining spices in a bowl. Rub the mixture all over the surface of the beef, making sure that it is completely coated.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add 2 tbsp of butter into the oil. Sear the beef on all sides. This should take anywhere between 8-10 minutes, just until the meat is brown on the surface. Do not overcook.
Transfer the beef to a plate and let it rest for 15-20 minutes under a tinfoil tent.
After the resting period, transfer the meat to a glass or aluminum baking pan or a roasting pan. Pound the peppercorn to crush, and press them into the meat. Top the roast with 1/2 stick of butter, cut into cubes.
Roast the beef in a preheated oven at 475 degrees for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer gives a temperature reading of just under 140 degrees.
Remove the roast from the oven. Let the meat rest wrapped in foil for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

This beef is good for sandwiches, or served with rice.
You can opt to make a gravy out of the drippings left in the pan after searing the meat, and in the baking pan after roasting.

By MrsC

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

At Home With MrsC https://blissbysam.com/

Food, Friends and Fun at Sweet Bella Molito

May 29, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 26 Comments

It has happened. I am becoming old(er) and forgetful. Those of you who are my friends and followers on Facebook know that, earlier this month, I went to a restaurant to do a food review and forgot to bring a camera. That would have been okay if my phone was nice and high tech, but no. I have a BlackBerry and a very, very, very, VERY low-end Samsung. Basically, I sat down and realized that I was toast.

But, because I was with amazing friends that day, this post won’t be a boring, wordy account of what the food looked and tasted like. My new-found friend Jane of Sugar & Spice, and my neighborly neighbor Michelle of Momma ‘N Manila decided to save me by sharing their photos with me. Thank God for these two, because trust me, one look at the photos and you will want to come to Sweet Bella for lunch or dinner.

With wonderful friends at Sweet Bella - Michelle, Kathi, Patty, Cai, Jane, and owner, Veron — With wonderful friends at Sweet Bella – Michelle, Kathi, Patty, Cai, Jane, and one of the owners, Veron

All the other ladies were there when I arrived. I was really rushing that day because we had football in the morning, and then I was scheduled to enroll Little MrC at school in the afternoon. Yes, that’s my excuse for forgetting my camera at home. The other mommies actually brought their kids with them, but mine was too tired to go out for lunch. It was too bad, because they served all of his favorite things at the kids’ table.

Four Cheese and Rustica Pizzas, and Penne Carbonara

I got to try some of the Rustica Pizza (Php395), which is topped with Italian sausage, Hungarian sausage, frankfurter, pepperoni, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Yum. I could even eat this for breakfast. There was also a Four Cheese Pizza (Php395) with fontina, mozzarella, bleu and parmesan cheeses, and Penne Carbonara (Php350) served to the kids. Like I said, all of my little boy’s favorites.

Now that I think about it, a lot of the dishes served to us mommies are faves of my kiddo as well. I swear, I need to take the boys here real soon. For sure, MrC would love the Seafood Chowder (Php250), which is one of the super winner dishes in my opinion. It’s loaded bits of seafood, a definite plus considering that most restaurants have more soup than meat in their chowder. The zigzag bread stick that comes with it is a perfect complement. I also truly enjoyed the HUGE Rockefeller Oysters (Php395) served to us.

Beef Salpicao, Rockefeller Oysters and Seafood Chowder

One dish that deserves special mention is the USDA Beef Salpicao (Php450), which is served with steak rice. The rice has bits of crispy beef and bits of crispy fat in it. So, so, so good. This is perfectly flavored, very garlicky, and an absolute must-try. You won’t regret it, I promise. So worth the calorie splurge.

Gambas with Foccaccia Bread, Grilled Salmon Steak and Capellini Pomodore e Salsa Verde Pasta

Michelle says that she likes to order the salpicao, plus an order of Gambas al Ajillo (Php270) for an instant surf n turf meal. Sounds like a good idea, for sure! The best way to eat the gambas is to pop a piece of shrimp in your mouth, whole if you can, then soak up some of the oil with your bread and pop that into your mouth right after. Mmm, good.

If you’re craving for pasta, you need to try the Capellini Pomodore e Salsa Verde (Php395). It has truffle oil, pomodoro sauce AND pesto sauce, plus crunchy balsamic-glazed eggplant on the side. This goes really well with the Grilled Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce (Php495). I have to tell you, I don’t normally like cooked salmon. I don’t like the rubbery texture that comes from overcooking the fish. Sweet Bella’s though was cooked perfectly. It was tender, flaky and just melts in your mouth.

Actually, everything we ate that day was perfectly cooked. Even the salpicao cubes were a little bit pink inside, imagine that? Now, if the beef cubes were perfect, you can just imagine how amazingly perfect this piece of wagyu beef was.

Sweet Bella is actually the pretty, pink sister of Melo’s and House of Wagyu, so you can be sure that the steaks they serve are superior-grade. I can totally eat an entire Rib-eye Steak (Php995) all by myself, coz I’m takaw like that. But, I was smart enough to only have a small piece because the best part of our meal was yet to come – DESSERT!

As you walk into Sweet Bella, you are greeted by a display of gorgeous cakes. I was so happy when I heard that we were going to be given six different mini cakes to try. I love cake! Oh, note that the prices for the cakes below are for the personal size.

First, there’s the Mangotier (Php275), an oven-baked cheesecake with mango mousse and fresh mango coulis. The Chocolata (Php220), which has been voted as best dessert, is a chocolate cake layered with ganache and topped with chocolate glass and butterflies. So pretty! They warmed this for us before serving, making it all melty and delicious. The chocoholic in me is happy.

Just when I thought that it couldn’t get any better, I had a bite of the Trio (Ph275). It has layers of coffee mousse, and dark and white chocolate mousse, and just literally melts in your mouth. This, along with the Mi Camille (Php295) are my favorites. The Mi Camille dome is made of a delicate Belgian milk chocolate mousse on top of hazelnut praline on top of French biscuit on top of an almond praline crust. Chocolate plus nuts, for the win.

These last two cakes win simply because they are pink. The Strawberry Shortcake (Php275) is a tower of vanilla cake layered with strawberry cream. This is so good with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. And oh, the Hot Chocolate at Sweet Bella is a must-try, too. If you want something unique, try the Pearl (Php295), a pink guava mousse filled with flambeed mango. This one was voted best dessert as well.

I’m really so glad that I got to borrow photos for this post! It wouldn’t be the same without them, right? I’m even happier that I actually made it to this lunch. I almost missed it because of my nutty summer schedule, and I’m glad I made an effort to be there. I know what I would have been missing, and really, it would have been a lot.

Oh, one last thing. Sweet Bella has AMAZING sugar free ensaymadas and cheese rolls. We recently got some for my lola, and she loved them. She had them as a snack, as dessert, as breakfast, and I think as lunch also, once. You have to order these in advance, though, and it takes 2-3 days before they are delivered to the branch.

Thank you, thank you, Michelle for inviting me, Michelle and Jane for sharing your photos, and, of course, Veron for having us. I will definitely be back soon with the family!

SWEET BELLA CAFE
Cluster II, Unit IIB
Molito, Alabang
(02) 556-4247
sweetbella_alabang@yahoo.com
sweetbellacakes@yahoo.com
#/sweetbellacafe

Yes, Marky’s Chicken Deserves A Space On This Blog

May 24, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 12 Comments

I like junk food. I like fried chicken. I like friend chicken that tastes like junk food. Actually, I believe that fried chicken should taste like junk food. Not saying that it’s junk food, just that fried chicken has this magical way of warming the heart while warming the tummy. Am I making sense, or am I the only one who feels this way about chicken?

Fried chicken makes me happy.

Yes, it does. And last April, I got to try a new friend chicken brand, Marky’s Chicken. Honestly, I don’t know how new Marky’s is, but it is most definitely new to me. It is also a new addition to the food stalls within Savemore Supermarket in Festival Mall. Oh my goodness, it is so good. The pieces are really big, juicy and perfectly cooked. The classic fried chicken is crispy, and the soy garlic variant is bursting with flavor.

I have actually put Marky’s Chicken to the test three times, just to make sure that it’s not just me and my friend-chicken loving taste buds that find their offerings awesome. When they had just opened, Mitz, my mommy blogger friend, and the mompreneur behind Marky’s, offered to bring some over to the house for us to try. That first lunch, I was home with Little MrC, my mom (Lola Terry aka LT, from now on) and my brother (who will, from now on be known at TN or Tito Ninong). Yes, codenames.

De Castro-Cuyugan seal of approval.

All four of us who got to try Marky’s that first time agreed that it was really yummy. The three adults loved the soy garlic variant. I personally liked that you could actually bite into little bits of garlic stuck to the chicken skin and the sweet-salty sauce. Meanwhile, my brother who does not eat chicken breast because he finds it dry, actually ate white meat portions that day and said he enjoyed them because they were moist and juicy. Little MrC loved the crispy, classic friend chicken, as I’d expected. He is a kid after all.

Because our trial was such a hit, we decided to order a second batch on the weekend of Little MrC’s birthday. There was also a Pacquiao match that day, and MrC’s sister and her hubby were coming over for lunch. We ordered a dozen each of the two variants. Not only was it super super affordable, but the taste and quality was exactly the same as the first time. Some of the guests at home that day aren’t really big eaters, but I think everyone had at least two pieces of chicken.

Perfect for Parties

We ordered Marky’s Chicken again on Mother’s Day weekend. This time we requested for 30 pieces. Now, mind you, we had them delivered to the house by 5:30 PM. Mom transferred the pieces to an aluminum tray, in preparation for a supposed 6PM dinner. We ended up eating at a little past 7PM. Guess what? The chicken was still juicy and tender. So yes, Marky’s is perfect for parties, too!

And that, my friends, is why Marky’s Chicken deserves this blog post. Bow. For more info, check out Marky’s Chicken on Facebook or call +632 949 9869. For franchise inquiries, email franchise@markyschicken.com.

Recipe: Chicken Menudo Made With Love

May 8, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 22 Comments

I went to the kitchen mid-morning to get water, and I saw ingredients laid out. I asked my mom what she was planning to make and she said Chicken Menudo. I stopped her right there and said that I was gonna take care of preparing lunch.

No one, and I mean no one loves menudo in this house more than I do. I believe that the most important ingredient that goes into any successful dish is love. Because I have lotsa love to give for this dish, I knew that it had to be me in that kitchen. I mean, I don’t think that you could look at the finished product and tell me that I’m not right. I know you can’t because the love just totally shows.

It’s actually a really easy recipe to make, and I can say that because to tell you the truth, today was the first time that I ever made menudo. I asked my mom how she used to make it, then I looked for other recipes online. I saw this one, and sort of just combined it with my moms, made a few adjustments on my own, and the rest is tasty history.

I started out with a kilo and a half of cubed chicken breast, plus 1/4 kilo of chicken liver. Even if you don’t like liver, add some. It does wonders for the sauce. Marinate the meat for at least half an hour in soy sauce, vinegar, tomato paste and black pepper.

Chicken pieces that have been chilling in the fridge

While the chicken is marinading, you might want to start sauteing the cubed potatoes and carrots in a little bit of oil. Cook them just enough so that they begin to become tender, but not too much that they get too soft and fall apart in the sauce later on. This significantly cuts the cooking time of the menudo so that you don’t overcook the chicken.

After 30 minutes in the fridge, the chicken is good to go. So you saute garlic and onions in the same pot or wok you used to precook the other veggies. Add in the chicken and the marinade and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until all the pieces are completely cooked. Stir this occasionally.

Lots of garlic and onions – a must for me when cooking

Add carrots, potatoes, bell peppers and peas. Mix, mix. Throw in some red hotdogs, sliced so that they look like coins. This is optional, but in my world menudo makes no sense without hotdogs in it. Then, add the tomato sauce and water. Finally, add 2 tablespoons of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir up everything in the pot and simmer until the sauce thickens.

Once the sauce is as thick as you like, which is most likely around the time that the chicken liver starts to melt into it, you are done. All you need now is some fluffy steamed rice.

I’m so glad I made a big batch coz that means that we can have this again for lunch tomorrow. Yay!

MrsC's Chicken Menudo

2014-05-08 07:22:18

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Ingredients

1.5 kilos chicken, cubed
1/5 kilo chicken liver
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 tbsp black pepper
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large carrot, cubed
1 large potato, cubed
1 red bell pepper, sliced into squares
1/2 cup green peas
3 jumbo sized red hotdogs, cut into circles
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking oil

Instructions

Combine tomato paste, vinegar, soy sauce and pepper. Pour over chicken cubes and liver, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Fry cubed potatoes and carrots in a little bit of oil until tender, but still firm.
In the same pot or wok, saute garlic and onions.
Add the marinaded chicken and liver pieces, as well as the marinade. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are completely cooked. Stir occasionally.
Add potatoes, carrots, peas, and bell peppers. After a few minutes, add the hotdog slices.
Pour in the tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of water. Add sugar.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Then, allow to simmer until the sauce thickens.
Serve menudo over steamed rice.

Notes

You can also opt to add raisins for a little bit of sweetness, but I would rather not have them in this dish.

By MrsC

Adapted from Lucky Mom's Recipe

At Home With MrsC https://blissbysam.com/

I would love to hear how this recipe turns out for you, in case you decide to try making it at home! Hope your family loves it as much as mine did.

Feeling Like A Kid Again At Movie Stars Cafe

May 3, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 19 Comments

The boys and I have had a really long, super fun week. I realized this morning that we actually kind of started and ended it with Spiderman. Our first Spiderman encounter happened at Movie Stars Care where the boys and I had dinner last Sunday.

The boys already dined here before, but it was lunch time when they went and so they weren’t able to catch any of the shows. It’s definitely a lot more sulit to eat here at dinnertime because of the added value of great entertainment and the opportunity to have your picture taken with your favorite movie icons.

I was really impressed with how nice the costumes and memorabilia in the restaurant were. I honestly wasn’t expecting it to be as nice there as it was. I think that it was a good thing that I had absolutely no expectations because it helped me enjoy the place even more. Really, I felt like a kid all over again.

Here’s what you will see as you enter Movie Stars Cafe

From the moment we arrived, I knew that we were in for one big photo op.

Here’s a tip

If you’re visiting Movie Stars Cafe for dinner, come early. The cosplayers start coming out in their costumes as early as 6pm. You have a better chance of having your photo taken while there aren’t that many people at the restaurant yet. Also, I’ve been told that the place can get really packed especially if you’re coming on a weekend. Yes, there are nights when there is a long queue to be seated, and to think the restaurant can seat 300 persons! So, either come early or make sure to call ahead to reserve a table.

We arrived right before sunset. Apart from not having to deal with icky traffic and being able to choose a table that we liked, we were also treated to an amazing view of the sun sinking into Manila Bay. Told ya, come early!

Little MrC meets Iron Man and a Jawa. Plus, the sunset as seen from the restaurant’s bay side entrance.

I was really hoping to see Batman characters there, but there were only statues, no cosplayers

Buffet or Ala Carte?

At Movie Stars Cafe, you can choose to either order ala carte or go for the Dino Buffet. There are advantages to choosing either one, actually. With ala carte, your food is cooked fresh so everything is nice and hot, pasta is al dente, meats are soft and veggies remain firm. You can also take home the food that you aren’t able to finish. As for the buffet, if you have a huge appetite, you can really eat to your heart’s content, especially if you end up staying for all of the shows. There’s also a good selection of items available, so you will get to try a variety of dishes.

The dinner buffet is open from 6pm to 10pm. Here are the rates:

Adults – P699
Kids 6-12 years old – P499
Kids 3-5 years old – P299
Kids 0-2 years old – FREE

On Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and days before holidays, buffet prices are more expensive by P100 per head. You can also upgrade to bottomless drinks by adding P99 to the buffet price. This drink-all-you-can option is only available to those eating at the buffet, and not for ala carte diners. Oh, one more thing. There’s a no leftovers policy for the buffet.

I don’t have any photos of the buffet offerings the night we were there. If you wanna see what they have, you can check out the posts of my mommy blogger friends, Janice, Levy and Millie.

We chose to order ala carte because we knew we wouldn’t be able to eat a lot at the buffet anyway. All in all, our bill was about P2,300 for the three of us, and at that rate we ordered quite a lot. The servings are really big, so with just 2 starters, a pasta dish, a dessert and a round of drinks, we were super stuffed. We were even able to take home some food for my brother to try.

Four Cheese, Overload and Strawberry Float

We started with an Overload (P490), which is a platter of blue, yellow and red corn chips topped with chili con carne, bacon, jalapenos, shredded lettuce, olives, cheese and salsa. This was really good.

Little MrC ordered a Four Cheese (P420), lasagna with ricotta, cream cheese, cheddar and mozzarella. I loved how the lasagna noodles were firm and perfectly cooked. Most restaurants here tend to overcook lasagna, ending up with a soggy mess. This one was just right, and piping hot too when it arrived.

So many drinks to choose from! Next time I want to try their cocktails. And their coffee drinks too!

For our drinks, MrC had two rounds of canned soda, the little boy ordered a mango shake, and I chose the Strawberry Float (P195), which our server said was one of their best sellers. It was like a Sprite float and a strawberry milkshake combined. So good. So fattening!

In the middle of our meal, I saw Atom walking outside through the window. The boys immediately got up and ran out for a photo op. Little MrC also stopped to take a picture with Darth Vader.

Picture, picture with Darth Vader and Atom

While the boys were off taking photos, I decided to order a Jackson Five (P465), which was a chicken appetizer platter. It had chicken lollipops, buffalo wings, almond chicken tenders, and chicken sate, served with honey mustard sauce, buffalo sauce, bleu cheese dip and thousand island dressing. So, so, so good. I really loved this one.

Jackson Five, Wonder Woman and Princess Leia, I think

I remembered to save room for dessert this time, so we ordered some before we left. We had the Memory Lane (P240), a layered cheesecake – vanilla on top, Toblerone at the bottom – served with strawberry syrup. The menu says that it’s supposed to have cream aglaise too, but ours didn’t have any. Oh well, it was still really yummy. The boys and I love cheesecake. This one was crumbly but soft and fluffy, just the way I like it.

Cheesecake! It’s so crumbly that a piece fell off before I got to take a photo

Sights, Sounds and Shows

Don’t forget to charge your camera before coming to Movie Stars Cafe. Trust me. I thought that my camera was fully charged, but I WAS WRONG! It conked out before the night ended. Huhuhu. And I was really having fun taking pictures. Oh well, lesson learned.

It isn’t hard to go crazy taking pictures, after all there are musical performances each and every night! Shows begin at 7pm, Mondays to Saturdays. On Sundays, the first show is at 6:30. Every half hour, there’s a performance, and each number lasts for about 15 minutes. Fun!

Watch your favorite characters dance, or join them onstage for a number

In between performances, we walked around and took more photos with the statues on display all over the restaurant. There were no dull moments for us the whole night, and it wasn’t hard keeping the little boy occupied. This is really a great place for families.

Oh look, Little MrC fits right in with his stormtrooper shirt

Each night, there are featured performances. When we were there, the main show was Beauty and the Beast. Other highlights were Spiderman and Iron Man. We caught the Beauty and the Beast and Spiderman shows, but by the time Spidey took the stage, my battery was already long gone. Thank goodness MrC was also taking pictures with his phone.

I love how they were able to compress the entire Beauty and the Beast movie into 15 minutes. This is one of my Disney faves, and back when we were in college, I remember MrC took me to see Beauty and the Beast on Ice in Araneta. That was so much fun! I was really glad that this was the featured show when we were at Movie Stars Cafe. I was so giddy that I actually went onstage for a photo with Mrs. Pots and Cogsworth after their performance.

And no, we didn’t leave the little boy alone at our table while MrC and I went to take that photo onstage. We actually found the perfect guy to watch him for a few minutes.

We didn’t get to see the Iron Man show coz it was scheduled pretty late and there was work the next day. But we really hope to catch it the next time we come back.

One of the highlights of the night for me was meeting the other mommy bloggers who were there, too. I rarely get to attend these events, and whenever I do, it excites me that I get to finally see these online friends in person.

The boys and I cannot wait to go back to Movie Stars Cafe. I also hope that you guys get to experience the fun there, too. So, as a super special treat, I am giving all of you a special 10% discount whenever you dine at Movie Stars Cafe. Really, really. All you have to do is use this promo code when you ask for your bill!

Thank you, Movie Stars Cafe and Mommy Bloggers Philippines for this amazing experience! The boys and I super appreciate it. 🙂

And thank you, MrC’s iPhone for this photo!

MOVIE STARS CAFE
By The Bay, Seaside Blvd.
SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City
reservation@moviestarscafe.com
+632 550 1234
#/MovieStarsCafe
#/MovieStarsCafe