Holiday cakes at Cravings

MANILA, Philippines - Cravings introduces My Holiday Cakes, four cakes created using your favorite Mars confectionery. These include the Total Decadent Mars Fudge Cake, Twix Cheesecake, Snickers Caramel Cake, and the M&Ms Mudslide Cake. For every purchase of My Holiday Cakes, proceeds will go to Operation Smile Philippines for the repair of childhood facial deformities. This is the Cravings Group’s humble way of helping improve the lives of affected kids.

The CCA Kitchen Bakeshop also offers blueberry, strawberry walnut, and almond and chocolate cookies; and a chocoholic’s delight with chocolate revel holiday bars and chocolate-banana holiday cupcakes. These sweet desserts come in boxes of eight and 12 for as low as P120. The My Holiday Cakes edition is available until Jan. 15, 2011.

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Limited-edition Christmas cake at Häagen-Dazs

Häagen-Dazs offers its limited-edition Christmas Cake. Aptly named Yuletide Charm, this luscious holiday ice cream cake creation is festive with white chocolate and raspberry ice cream surrounded by snowflake-patterned chocolate, swirly chocolate décor, strawberry stars, kiwi wedges and mango sorbet on top of strawberry coulee. As a special Yuletide in-shop promo, every P1,500 purchase of Häagen-Dazs products with at least one Christmas creation gets you a free Häagen-Dazs 2011 calendar packed with irresistible monthly freebies and discounts.

Häagen-Dazs has branches at the second floor, Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia, 556-2143; second floor, Mega Atrium, Megamall Complex, Ortigas Center, 638-2971; and at the ground floor, Midtown Wing, Robinsons Place, Ermita, 353-2972.

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Weekend yum cha at Mandarin Oriental

Tin Hau, Mandarin Oriental, Manila’s Chinese restaurant, presents a tempting Weekend Yum Cha menu. Diners can choose six of their favorite dimsum treats from 10 of Tin Hau’s most popular selections. These include steamed pork and shrimps dumplings, siomai topped with caviar, steamed shrimps dumplings (hakao), steamed shark’s fin dumplings with Chinese parsley; steamed Shanghai xiao long bao, steamed barbecued buns, deep-fried Vietnamese spring rolls, deep-fried scallops and chives samosa, pan-fried radish cake, deep-fried seafood dumplings with mayonnaise, and deep-fried shrimp taro puffs. The Weekend Yum Cha is available for lunch on Saturday and Sunday, excluding holidays. The menu is priced at P880+ per person, for a minimum of two persons. Children ages 12 and below dine for half the price. Privilege Card members enjoy unlimited pouring of iced tea.

For reservations, call 750-8888, or e-mail tinhau-momnl@mohg.com.

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Christmas party packages at Hyatt Hotel and Casino

Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila restaurants offer an early Yuletide treat with special Christmas Party Perk packages. Guests can choose to hold a Christmas gathering at Market Cafe, Li Li or The Fireplace.

With a minimum of 10 people, guests can have lunch or dinner in any of the hotel’s dining outlets and receive holiday add-ons such as a bottle of sparkling wine, a Christmas cake, and a holiday hamper worth P1,000. Guests receive more holiday treats when dining in groups of at least 20 people, among them two bottles of sparkling wine, a Christmas cake, a stuffed toy, and a holiday hamper worth P 2,000. For a minimum of 40 people dining together, diners enjoy the same benefits, this time with three bottles of sparkling wine plus a complimentary overnight stay in a guestroom with breakfast buffet for two at Market Cafe. 

For more information, call 245- 1234.

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Cranberry walnut, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies at The Cookie Jar

The Cookie Jar has unique holiday offerings such as the new Cranberry Walnut (P260) and Crispy Chocolate (P220), as well as the beloved classics — Chocolate Chip (P220), Triple Chocolate (P220) and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip (P220). Cookie mixes are placed in spacious jars lavishly adorned with festive holiday accents. The Cookie Jar can also arrange goods in gift baskets with embellishments for corporate giveaways or group presents. Those who prefer getting their cookies already baked and prepared can opt to order homemade cookies in stylish packaging.

For information, call 964-3947 or 0917-8301965, or e-mail thecookiejarph@yahoo.com. 

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Corniche buffet restaurant opens at Diamond Hotel

Diamond Hotel Philippines opens Corniche at the hotel lobby. Corniche, which can accommodate upto 210 persons, offers a buffet spread composed of culinary selections from the Asian, Western, Japanese, salad and dessert stations. All dishes are meticulously prepared by culinary experts headed by executive chef Nickolai Stoyanov. At the Corniche entrance is a cake shop for takeout orders.

For information, call 528-3000 local 1121.

Diamond Hotel Philippines at Roxas Boulevard, cor. Dr. J. Quintos St., Manila.