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Restaurants Manila

Our Orange Whisk #FoodTrip Field Trip

September 16, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 20 Comments

One fine Saturday, the ABC ladies (sans Jane, who was off enjoying a super fun weekend in Bohol) went on a quick lunch trip to Orange Whisk in Better Living. I’m sorry I can’t explain how to get there, but I can say that the restaurant is not hard to find, that is if you’re familiar with the area. Or if you have Waze.

 

Orange Whisk
You’ll know you’re there when you see the sign!

 

I always knew that there were these really good, homey restaurants and cafes hiding in that area. MrC used to live in Parañaque, and I’d see these establishments all the time when we’d drive around. After all these years, I finally got to try one.

One of MrC’s work friends had lots of nice things to say about Orange Whisk. He’s from Better Living, and my husbandry asked him for help with directions a few days before our visit. He says that the steak is a must-order. We didn’t have that, but we did get to try a version of steak. I’ll tell you more about that later.

 

But first, let me tell you about Orange Whisk

 

Orange Whisk Restaurant and Patisserie is owned by the award-winning tandem of Chef Isaiah Ortega and Pastry Chef Korinne Lirio (who are engaged in real life, yeehee). Honestly, you feel the chemistry between these two through their food. What stuck with me was how sophisticated yet simple the flavor combinations were. Remember that scene from Ratatouille where Remy was talking about how combining flavors created something new, with matching colorful visions and all? That’s what it was like for me at Orange Whisk.

 

Chefs Isaiah and Korinne, their wall of fame at Orange Whisk, and the restaurant’s super cute light fixture

 

Chef Isaiah whips up Filipino and international dishes at Orange Whisk. Chef Korinne is in charge of pastries and desserts. There are a lot of dishes to choose from, and they can even customize a dish for you, provided that they have the ingredients needed on-hand. Winner, especially for particular, picky eaters. They also recently started carrying Chef Anna Chua’s amazeballs Pink Wasabi Kashi Maki as part of their menu. Super yay for that! 

 

Starting off with bread and coffee

 

Chewy buns!

 

The boys and I had come from football before our Orange Whisk lunch, so we came hungry. While our gracious hosts were busy in the kitchen, we were served some pastries and coffee to start with. Seriously, I am not over these Chewy Buns. They are sorta like a cross between crusty rolls and mochi balls. These were really good while they were warm, and they were perfect with a cup of coffee. I regret not buying a few to take home. I also regret not trying the coffee buns.

 

Good news! They serve good, strong coffee at Orange Whisk.

 

We also shared a plate of Calamansi Chiffon. You know how I love calamansi-flavored pastries. These were the bomb. They were light, fluffy, soft and moist. They were perfectly tart yet perfectly sweet. My matakaw self wishes that they were bigger, but I feel that they really are just the right size. These go great with coffee, too.

 

Calamansi Chiffon

 

Finally, the kitchen was ready for us

 

Isol Salad

 

After a few minutes of snacking and chatting, we were told that we were ready to be served. First came the Isol Salad, which Joei and Mish were a little scared of. In case you didn’t know, isol is chicken butt. I’ve had it before, but never in a salad. I have to say, this is not your ordinary isol sa kanto. Chef Isaiah’s treatment is a bit more refined. This dish had crispy chicken bottom, heart of palm, cucumber, cilantro, key lime and Japanese mayo. Isn’t it so pretty?

 

Calamansi Sherbet

 

After the salad, we were given small portions of calamansi sherbet to cleanse our palettes. Afterwards, they put big bowls of rice on the table, and there was just no way we could skip rice with the dishes that followed. It was a “Diet? What diet?” kind of day. Here’s a rundown of all of the dishes that we got to try.

 

Aubergines in Char Smoked Coconut Cream Sauce

 

The Aubergines in Char Smoked Coconut Cream Sauce is pan-grilled eggplant slathered in a smokey coconut cream sauce. This cannot and should not be eaten without rice, in my opinion. I like eggplants but only done a certain way because I don’t enjoy them when they get soggy. These were cooked perfectly, firm but not tough, and sliced thick. The sauce worked so well with the eggplant! If you like coconut cream, you will enjoy this.

 

Steamed King Fish in Crispy Mashed Soy Bean Sauce

 

The one problem I had with the Steamed King Fish in Crispy Mashed Soy Bean Sauce was that the fish was bony. A bigger fish would have worked better for this, most likely. Absolutely no complaints as far as flavor goes, though. MrC really loved the crispy crumble on the fish. I’m guessing that’s the crispy mashed soybean? He mixed it in with his white rice, and it was just perfect.

 

Grilled Mustard Tuna Loin in Bacon Saffron Cream Sauce

 

The Grilled Mustard Tuna Loin in Bacon Saffron Cream Sauce was my favorite dish of them all. And no, it’s not because it has bacon. I’m not super gaga over bacon ya know. I really love tuna, and the bacon saffron cream sauce made everything so rich and flavorful. I could have finished this entire plate of mustard marinated tuna loin with rendered bacon, saffron and cream, but I had to share it with the rest. I am coming back for this one for sure.

 

Wagyu Saikoro Steak in Blue Ginger Sauce

 

Little MrC happily ate the Wagyu Saikoro Steak in Blue Ginger Sauce. You know how this kid loves his steak. He really has sophisticated taste buds for such a small boy. I’m just happy he loves to eat good food. They used Japanese beef for this dish, and it was melt-in-your-mouth soft. I love that it is lightly seasoned with bell peppers, garlic, blue ginger and soy caramel, so you could really taste the beef. 

 

Braised Butabara Steak n Blue Cheese Tomato Red Wine Sauce

 

Finally, another dish that must be eaten with rice, Braised Butabara Steak n Blue Cheese Tomato Red Wine Sauce. This was my second favorite, next to the tuna. The skinless prime pork belly was super soft with layers of melty fat in between the meat. So bad, I know. But that does make it yummier, right? I liked the combination of tomato sauce, red wine and blue cheese in the sauce. Though, being a super bleu cheese fan I would have asked for extra cheese in mine. Maybe I’ll do that on my next visit.

 

Of course, there’s always room for dessert

 

You know the boys were happy with their sweet treats

 

After the amazing chewy buns and calamansi chiffon, I was really looking forward to what Chef Korinne prepared for us for dessert. She surprised us by bringing out not just one or two sweet treats, but a sampler plate of desserts for each of us. Sweet tooth heaven!!!!! We each had a Chewy Choco Walnut Bar, a White Chocolate Spoon with Dark Chocolate Mousse (so cute!), and Sticky Date Pudding. 

 

Black Sesame Panna Cotta with Strawberries

 

There was also a Black Sesame Panna Cotta with Strawberries, which was my favorite among Chef Korinne’s desserts. It was light and delicately flavored. I love that the panna cotta wasn’t the Jello-ed out kind. I seriously wanted more.

 

Reggie’s Cheese Kashi Maki from Pink Wasabi

 

And of course, I saved Reggie’s Cheese Kashi Maki from Pink Wasabi for last. I’m biased because I already love them. And really, what could be a better combination than cheese and chocolate to end a meal with such an amazing mix of flavors? 

 

Our little lunch group – Timmy, Joei, MrsC, Little and Big MrC, Chef Korinne, Chef Isaiah, and Mish

 

THANK YOU for having us, Chefs Isaiah and Korinne! We really enjoyed Orange Whisk and we can’t wait to take the family there. Thanks also Chef Anna and Reggie for the invite, and Michelle for putting all this together for ABC. 

 
Orange Whisk
35 Michael Rua St.,
Betterliving Subdivision, Parañaque
(02) 501 6454
Open on Mondays, and Wednesdays to Sundays 11AM – 11PM
Closed on Tuesdays!

Filed Under: Food & Recipes Tagged With: Better Living, Food Trip, Orange Whisk, Paranaque, Pink Wasabi, Restaurant, Restaurant Review, Restaurants Manila

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.

Sunday Spiderman sighting
Sunday Spiderman sighting

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. 

Ala carte or buffet?

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.

They have party packages, too!

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.

See the movie memorabilia on the walls?

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. 

Beauty and the Beast!

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.

Even Spiderman approves!

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.

Best babysitter ever

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.

MrC cam

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. 

Mommy Bloggers Philippines, represent!

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!

Coupon Code: FLNQ 8612

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

Filed Under: Food & Recipes Tagged With: By The Bay, Family Restaurant, Movie Stars Cafe, Restaurants Manila, SM Mall of Asia


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