Kimpura offers Christmas party set menus

MANILA, Philippines - Kimpura offers traditional Japanese cuisine to spice up the Yuletide season. The Kimpura Christmas party set menus make dining easier for big groups with its upgraded selections. Set 1, which is good for 10 persons at P12,100+, includes kani mango salad, salmon sashimi, nigiri sushi, choice of prawn teppanyaki or shrimp tempura, grilled chicken, gindara teriyaki, Angus rib-eye steak with fresh bean sprouts, mixed fried rice, asari miso soup and coffee jelly for dessert.

Kimpura’s party set menu 2 is good for 10 persons at P11,500+. It consists of kani kyuri salad, tuna sashimi, California rolls special, all-shrimp tempura, grilled oysters, lapu-lapu teppanyaki, US prime steak teriyaki with fresh bean sprouts, mixed fried rice, clear soup, and almond jelly with fruit cocktails for dessert.

Good for 10 persons at P7,000+, set menu 3 has agedashi tofu, tuna sashimi, California maki kani, mixed tempura, tonkatsu, chicken teriyaki, beef yakiniku, steamed rice, miso soup, and buko sherbet.   

Kimpura, which serves lunch and dinner on Christmas Day and dinner on New Year’s Day, is located at Greenhills Shopping Center (beside Uni-Mart). For reservations, call 721-8816 or 721-8869. Kimpura will open its TriNoma branch soon.

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P145 chicken fingers on Dec. 11 at T.G.I.Fridays

T.G.I.Friday’s turns 15 years old tomorrow. On that day, chicken fingers will be priced at only P145. From 6 p.m. to closing time on Dec. 11, enjoy hand-battered chicken tenders — fried and served with flavorsome Friday’s fries and your choice of barbecue sauce or honey mustard dip — for only P145. That was the introductory price when this classic Friday’s dish was launched 15 years ago.

“We remain committed to giving our guests great food and great times. A dining experience with that ‘wow!’ factor is what we strive to give them every time they visit Friday’s. Overall, the ambience is casual and fun, the food is delicious and the service is efficient and friendly. That’s the Friday’s promise,” said Robert Santos, VP for operations.

T.G.I. Friday’s, recognized as one of America’s greatest brands, took Manila by storm when it hit local shores in 1994 and revolutionized the casual dining sector in the country. There were long queues of people wanting to be a part of Friday’s “fun, food and cheer” experience when its first branch in Glorietta was launched. Fifteen years later,   Friday’s phenomenal success continues to be felt by loyal guests who dine in its branches at Glorietta 3, Robinsons Place Manila, Alabang Town Center, Tomas Morato, Sta.Lucia, Robinsons Galleria, Bonifacio High Street, TriNoma, SM Mall of Asia) and Ayala Center, Cebu.

For information, visit www.fridays.com.ph

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Pastries and gourmet gifts for delivery at Bizu

For a minimum delivery charge, indulge in Bizu’s gourmet treats without even leaving your home. Try its Christmas chocolate croquembouche (a tower of French éclairs and profiteroles with chocolate and vanilla cream fillings on top of an almond nougatine base); Bizu’s majestic crown roast of pork (with apple, sausage and chestnut stuffing served with roasted vegetables, mashed potato, haricot verts and pan gravy); the whole roast turkey, and the 10-hour roast beef belly.

The champagne peach yule log is a combination of champagne sabayon, panna cotta and almonds with fresh strawberries and peaches rolled in genoise sponge. Get the Bizu Fanatique gift set with one box of 14 pieces macarons de Paris, two cookie tubes, one box of orange cardamom madeleines or strawberry vanilla financiers, six pieces cheese, almond and chocolate ensaymadas, one pecorino and sundried tomato lavosh, one Cinnamon raisin bread, one sweet jam, one savory spread, one box of four pieces chocolate truffles, one bottle of loose leaf tea and one bottle of sparkling Lambrusco wine.

Other gift sets are also available. Bizu Christmas bars and tea cakes come in boxes of eight. Try the Lemon Squares with fresh lemon curd, Carrot and Fruit Bar, Strawberry and Vanilla Financier (a delicious tea cake made from ground almonds), and Madeleines dipped in orange cardamom.

Bizu has branches at Greenbelt 2 (957-0220); The Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center (724-BIZU); third floor, Glorietta 4 (757-2086); and ground floor Corte Delas Palmas, Alabang Town Center (809-BIZU).  For Bizu private caterer, call 812-6451 or customer service at 957-0231, or visit www.bizupatisserie.com.

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Bibingka smoothie at The Coffee Beanery

Tired of the generic fruitcake? At The Coffee Beanery (TCB), it’s time to get creative with its “Christmas Offerings.”

A box of cookies is available in ube, mangga and brittle flavors. For pasalubong, there’s flavored meringue, coffee cluster, brittle pulvoron , choco pulvoron , cookies and cream pulvoron, biscochi, and flavored ensaymada with a choice of ube, salted egg or yema. 

For coffee lovers, get the Coffee Beans & Pasalubong treats pack which combines the rich flavor of coffee in a luscious dessert such as barako and meringue, barako and biscochi, barako and pulvoron, barako with cookies and cream pulvoron, barako and coffee clusters; and barako and ensaymada.

Try TCB’s Christmas drink — the bibingka smoothie — at P259. For every cup, you get to help build a better world for 21 kids through the Operation Smile. This holiday offering is available until Jan. 6, 2010.

For inquiries, call TCB Shangri-La at 635-6672; West Avenue, Quezon City at 343-2933; and Summit Ridge, Tagaytay at (46) 483-0114 or e-mail tcb@cravingsgroup.com. Visit its new branch at the Interior Zone, SM North-EDSA, Quezon City.

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Four new Christmas packages from Yellow Cab

Sit back, relax, and enjoy a great night of fun, family and friendship this Christmas with Yellow Cab Pizza Co.’s Yuletide offerings. Yummy and filling, each pizza package promises a delightful treat for your taste buds. Package A is good for four people at P620. It consists of a 10-inch pizza (choose from Manhattan meatlovers, corona chicken salsa and barbecue chicken salsa, one creamy chicken Alfredo pasta, and one tortilla chips and dip with tomato salsa or Jalapeño cheese).

Those who prefer soup for appetizer can opt for package B. For only P680 (same as package A), enjoy two bowls of tomato cream soup.

Package C, which is good for a group of six at P930, is a delight for Yellow Cab lovers. Enjoy two 10-inch pizzas (select a flavor from each group: Group A has NY classic and Hawaiian pizza, while Group B boasts New York’s finest, four cheese, roasted garlic and shrimp and four seasons), three bowls of tomato cream soup, and one tortilla chips and dip (tomato salsa or Jalapeño cheese). At P990, Package D consists of two orders of a 10-inch pizza (from Group A or B), and tortilla chips and dip (tomato salsa or Jalapeño cheese).

The “Great Fun, Great Pizza” packages is offered until Jan. 31, 2010.

For inquiries, call 789-9999 for 24/7 Great Pizza Delivery (within Metro Manila only), or visit www.yellowcabpizza.com.