What's on the Menu?: Vicvic Villavicencio's winning formula prevails at Saisaki
MANILA, Philippines - First Foods president Vicvic Villavicencio hit upon a winning formula when he launched Saisaki years ago combining a No Leftover 50-percent-off system with topnotch service, generous portions, and fresh, quality food offerings. “Filipinos back then weren’t really into Japanese food, so we altered our restaurants and servings to suit their taste,” said Villavicencio. Part of keeping Saisaki exciting is constantly refreshing its lineup, regularly replacing 20 percent of the existing menu with new dishes to try. Saisaki also benefits from the creative minds and insights of the restaurant mogul’s talented children, whose ideas and contributions inject a young, hip and vibrant touch to the restaurant’s brand of service. “All of them help me with keeping our business current and relevant by voicing their own ideas on how to improve our operations,” Villavicencio shares.
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Fish be with you: The grilled gindara at C2 Classic Cuisine Guinataang munggo and bulanglang at C2 Classic Cuisine
C2 Classic Cuisine offers its Lenten Selections. New dishes include the bulanglang, a dish of vegetables like squash flowers, okra and others topped with dried fish or daing; the guinataang gulay, with its rich, creamy coconut milk (gata) sauce combined with slices of squash, string beans or sitaw, round eggplants and okra; chicharong munggo, a mung bean and moringa (malunggay) stew topped with crunchy chicharon; the seafood inasal, a combination of stewed squid, boneless milkfish and shrimps served hot on a sizzling plate and the Grilled Gindara. C2’s Lenten Selections will be offered in all of C2 Classic Cuisine’s restaurants until April 7.
C2 is located on Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, 426-6681; the Midtown wing of Robinsons Place Manila, 567-2402; The Ledge at Shangri-La Plaza Mall, 636-1510; Missouri St., Greenhills, 723-2347; and Atrium in Megamall, 470-1152.
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Two good: Häagen-Dazs’ new Secret Sensations collectionSecret sensations from Häagen-Dazs
Häagen-Dazs presents a first in luxury ice cream with its two new offerings. There is the Secret Sensations, a variant of the chocolate fondant made with rich chocolate ice cream and small, soft delicious brownie pieces at its chocolate sauce-filled center; and the Crème Brûlée, which features its namesake ice cream, bits of crunchy caramel pieces and a caramel-sauce center.
Häagen-Dazs has branches at SM Mall of Asia (556-1111), SM Mega Atrium (638-2971), and Robinsons Place Ermita, (353-2972).
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Eat your spinach: The spinach cannelloni at Craving’s Guiltless pleasures at Craving’s
Cravings offers Guiltless Cravings for Lent with dishes like spinach cannelloni with home-style tomato sauce for only P255. The Asian tofu salad is made with a sweet soy glaze with a combination of tofu and vegetables for only P225. The fish and chips are priced at P355. There is a gindara steak with Asian slaw and teriyaki glaze at P375.
Cravings is on Katipunan, Quezon City, 426-6681 to 88; Shangri-La Plaza Mall, 635-6672; Fraser Place, Makati, 815-4271; Tomas Morato, Quezon City, 426-9736; Festival Super Mall, Alabang, 850-4437; and Eastwood Mall, Libis, 470-3500.
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Shrimply delicious: Hipon sa gata at Aristocrat Seafood kare-kare at Aristocrat
Aristocrat offers dishes for Lent. The dishes include the sizzling pusit, camaron rebosado, crab foo yeung, seafood kare-kare, lapu-lapu in sweet and sour sauce, hipon sa gata, and bangus belly with black beans, to name a few.
Aristocrat is on Roxas Boulevard in Malate (open 24 hours), Jupiter in Makati, SM Mall of Asia, SM San Lazaro, The Block in SM North EDSA, Robinsons Place Manila, SM Manila, Subic Bay, and San Pablo, Laguna.
For information, call 524-7671 to 80 or visit www.aristocrat.com.ph. For delivery, call 894-0000.
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Here’s the beef: The Beach Hut Steak ‘N Bake at Fish & Co. Kani Chicken Toss Up at Fish & Co.
Fish & Co. offers Ranch and Reef Specials that include Chorizo Seafood Soup, a mixture of mussels, fish cubes, shrimp and chorizo chunks in tomato soup; the Kani Chicken Toss Up, a mix of Japanese crabstick and fried chicken poppers on a bed of greens; Ragin’ Chops & Shrimps, French-cut pork-loin chops topped with champagne-apple sauce and Cajun shrimps; and the Beach Hut Steak ‘N Bake, another meat and seafood platter for two to three persons. It is oven-baked fish paired with beef tenderloin and served with homemade mashed potatoes and buttered vegetables.
There is also the “Just For Me” servings of the Ragin’ Chops & Shrimps and the Beach Hut Steak ‘N Bake.
Fish & Co. is located in Greenbelt 3, Makati, 729-7432; SM Mall of Asia, 5769170; TriNoma, 916-2028; and Alabang Town Center, 659-3476.
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Here’s to rice: The paella at Blufish Paella at Blufish
Blufish offers its best-sellers that include paella, Moroccan sea bass stuffed with couscous, and served with roasted vegetables, oyster Rockefeller and Buffalo shrimps, among others.
BluFish and The Flying Pig are located at the ground level of the new Eastwood Mall. For more information, call call 900-0886.
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Burgers, fries and more: The “Burger Bonanza” at New World Hotel New World reinvents the classic burger
The New World Makati City, Manila Hotel offers a fresh approach to the classic burger. Savor seven flavors burgers inspired by the tastes of international cuisines. Sample the Pinoy adobo burger, Mediterranean grilled lamb burger, or the the falafel vegetarian burger, among others. The “Burger Bonanza” food promotion is avaialble at M2M Café, Cinnabar, Splash Pool Bar at P600 per order. For more information, call 811-6888.
