What’s on the Menu? Red Ribbon opens at Market! Market!, TriNoma

MANILA, Philippines - Red Ribbon recently redesigned its stores at Market! Market! and TriNoma to make family moments even sweeter. These two new stores highlight designs that reflect happy bonding shared with family. Its use of wood elements creates a warm interior finish, evoking comfort that’s unmistakably home. Its spacious interior design gives customers a sense of personal space in choosing their favorite Red Ribbon products. More, a special Dedication Cake counter is mounted “so they can see how their very heartwarming dedications are inscribed on their cakes.”

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Firehouse Pizza at Shakey’s

Shakey’s introduces its Firehouse Pizza, a spicy medley of Italian pepperoni and spicy sausages over a serving of cheese and chili flakes. Enjoy these spicy new flavors on top of the signature thin-crust pizza.

For more information, like Shakey’s Pizza on Facebook and follow @shakeysph on Instagram.

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Holiday dinner buffet at Manila Pavilion Hotel

Manila Pavilion Hotel and Casino offers its holiday dinner for P999 every Friday and Saturday at Season’s Lifestyle Restaurant. Dishes include vegetable samosa, vegetable burgers, chana masala, chicken tikka, kasmiri pullao and curry. Dinner is from 6 to 10:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Children under five years old are free of charge.

Manila Pavilion Hotel and Casino is at United Nations Ave., Ermita, Manila.

For information, call 526-1212 local 2326, visit www.waterfronthotels.com.ph or follow @WaterfrontMNL.

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Chef Cuts at Chili’s

 Chili’s introduces six new dishes: the Southwest Shortrib Steak, topped with a second layer of short-rib meat and served with skillet of mashed potatoes on the side at P875; the Glazed Shrimp Steak, sprinkled with queso fresco and fresh cilantro, served with skillet mashed potatoes at P895; the Chipotle Bleu Cheese Steak, made with melted bleu cheese-spiked chipotle and served with skillet mashed potatoes at P865; the Texas Trio of salmon, chicken and ribs on one plate with creamy mashed potatoes at P875; the Chocolate Chipotle Cheesecake with a hint of chipotle, layered with crumbled graham crackers and topped with a generous swirl of whipped cream at P365; and the BlackBerry Smash (P350), a mix of tequila, Cointreau, blackberry syrup and house-made fresh lime sour, shaken and served with a fresh lime wedge. For a non-alcoholic spin, the drink is made with lime juice, agave and blackberry syrup and a splash of 7-Up at P195.

Chili’s is at Greenbelt 5, Makati City, 729-3022; Greenhills, San Juan City, 727-2959; Morato, QC, 372-5017; Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City, 659-6527; Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City, 846-2647; Mega Atrium, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, 631-0380; and Fairview Terraces, Quirino Highway, Fairview, QC, 720-9934.

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Fruitcake, Chewy Chewkies and coffee fruitcakes at Ju.D Lao

In 1975 when Ju.D Lao started selling fruitcakes, a two-pound loaf of fruitcake at the time was P50. Her classic recipe, which took six months to develop, was inspired by a trip to Switzerland, where she was introduced to fruitcake she enjoyed. In the 1980s, Ju.D came out with fruitcake cookies, which she called “Chewy Chewkies.” In the ’90s, she worked on different flavors of fruitcakes, giving birth to Ju.D Gold, which is a honey-based fruitcake; Ju.D Blue-Blue Mountain Coffee fruitcakes; Ginger Cranberries and Ginger Apricot Fruitcakes; and even a coffee-flavored Prune Fruitcake.  Today, a box of mini fruitcakes offers a sampling of the different flavors. Ju.D Lao offers assorted premium nougat in cookies and cream, espresso, cranberry-almond and cheese.

For orders and inquiries, call 633-1188 or 633-0260.

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 Win a lunch buffet for 365 days at Crimson Hotel

Crimson Hotel will raffle off a whole year of complimentary lunch buffets to a lucky, full-paying guest who will stay for an overnight accommodation for two on Dec. 25 at any of the guestrooms of Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila. For December, for every full-paying Sunday brunch, lunch and dinner buffet at Café Eight, Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila will share nutritious meals with the children of the Social Service Department of Muntinlupa and others through a series of feeding activities. Café Eight Sunday brunch is priced at P1,600 with unlimited juices and P2,100 net with unlimited mimosas, local beers, house wine and juices, while the lunch buffet is P1,226 per head and dinner buffet is P1,557. For P1,532.50 per person, enjoy the holiday buffet fare, live band entertainment and party favors plus buy-one, take-one on ice-cold beers, cocktail drinks and wines on Dec. 11,12,18 and 19. The Crimson Hotel Lobby Lounge offers holiday sweets and treats like the Filipino traditional puto bumbong and bibingka; Cake of the Month – December Blush, a moist chocolate sponge cake with creamy chocolate mousse, vanilla creme brulee, then glazed with pure dark chocolate for only P1,200; Holiday High Tea for P650, a selection of petite sandwiches, pastries and flavored tea; December Kiss, the drink of the month, a blend of Tequila Rose, white wine and grenadine, garnished with a fresh strawberry; Wednesday Wine Unlimited — unlimited French, Italian, Chilean and Californian wines for only P599, all Wednesdays of December. From Dec. 15 to 22, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the hotel grand lobby, listen to Christmas carols sung by school choral groups such as the Elizabeth Seton School on Dec. 15, San Beda College Alabang on December 16, OB Montessori Center Las Piñas on Dec. 17, De La Salle Santiago-Zobel on Dec. 18, Veritas Parochial School-Grade School on Dec. 19, Veritas Parochial School-High School on Dec. 20 and Muntinlupa Science High School String Ensemble on Dec. 21 and 22. On Dec. 24, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., at The Galley of the grand lobby, spend a minute or two with Santa Claus for a photo opportunity together with your kids, family or peers. Kids get Christmas goodies from Santa.

Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila is inside Entrata Urban Complex, 2609 Civic Drive, Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

For information, call 863-2222 or visit crimsonhotel.com/manila.

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Cochinillo, chicken relleno and paella at Vask Tapas Room

Vask Tapas Room offers its Holiday Brunch Buffet every Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The buffet includes an unlimited spread of chicken relleno, cochinillo, paella, queso de bola, honey-glazed leg of ham and an authentic selection of tapas perfectly paired with free-flowing sangria. The Holiday Brunch Buffet is priced at P1,395+ per person.

For information, call 0917-806-5292 or email ask@vaskmanila.com.