Spending a Friday Night @ T.G.I. Fridays!

There are days when I crave for good ol' American food and the first restaurant that always comes to mind is Fridays, also known as T.G.I. Fridays ("Thank God It's Friday!"). I like the ambiance of the place cuz it's always so upbeat and lively. It's just a really nice place to unwind and relax with friends and family after a long day. Plus, the service is great. Waiters are always so cheerful and checking on their tables.

They offer a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. They have some really great shakes and cocktails but on this particular day, I ordered the Mojito. I like the extra kick this drink has to offer although it was a tad too sweet for me.

Mojito Php160.00

We also got the Triple Chicken Sampler. It comes with Sesame Jack Chicken Strips served with the Jack Daniel sauce (more on the sweet side), Buffalo Wings complete with marinara sauce, celery sticks, and blue cheese dressing, and the Parmesan Crusted Chicken Quesedilla served with marinara sauce. This dish is a great way to sample some of their famous dishes and big enough to share.

Triple Chicken Sampler Php785.00

We also ordered the Cajun Shrimp Chicken Pasta. It was so good! The spices and the creamy white sauce just blended so well together.

Cajun Shrimp Chicken Pasta Php475.00



T.G.I. Fridays' Branches:

1. Alabang Town Center
2nd Level, Alabang Town Center, Alabang Muntinlupa City
Contact No - 8429355 | Fax No - 8429372

2. Bonifacio High Street
Quadrant B3, Bonifacio High Street Taguig City
Contact No - 8562996 | Fax No - 8562997

3. Glorietta
3rd floor, Glorietta 3, Ayala Center Makati City
Contact No - 7527685 | Fax No - 8928910

4. Mall of Asia
North Wing Entertainment Mall, Mall of Asia
Contact No - 5564456 | Fax No - 5564390

5. Robinson's Galleria
Level 2 East Wing Robinsons Galleria, Quezon City
Contact No - 6379274 | Fax No - 6379274

6. Robinson's Place Manila
Ground Floor, Robinsons Place, Perdo Gil Street, Ermita, Manila
Contact No - 5265334 | Fax No - 5265369

7. Sta. Lucia Grand East Mall
The Brickroad Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall, Cainta, Rizal
Contact No - 6827047 | Fax No - 6827040

8. Tomas Morato
Ground floor, Hotel Rembrandt Tomas Morato Extension, Quezon City
Contact No - 3728539 | Fax No - 3728497

9. Trinoma
Level 4, Trinoma Park
Contact No - 9432163 | Fax No - 9015626

Jipan, a Japanese Bakery

I learned about Jipan through a friend last year. She kept raving about their Walnut bread and since I love bread, I decided to check it out. And true to her word, the walnut bread is really good and healthy too. It's made of whole wheat and has bits and pieces of walnut. Their bread is always freshly baked and very filling too. They also have a wide variety of breads, from sandwiches to pastries and loaves and they also have a dining area for those craving for Japanese food.



The walnut bread - Php100.00


Wide assorment of breads


Jipan, Japanese Bakery:

1. #220 Pilar St., Mandaluyong City
T: (632) 723-5517 / 718-3891

2. Upper Level, SM Megamall, Building A (near Toy Kingdom)
T: (632) 633-5990

3. 2nd Level, Glorietta 4
Ayala Center, Makati City
T: (632) 728-9442

Painted Red & Red Kimono: The Best of Two Worlds

Out of all the restaurants in The Atrium, my kids and I decided to try Painted Red & Red Kimono. Why? Because it's actually 2 restaurants with 2 very different cuisines offering 2 separate menus. BUT just one dining area so we were able to satisfy our cravings. In my opinion, whoever thought of this is a genius. Painted Red serves modern American cuisine from salads, soups, oysters, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, ribs, steak, pork chops, and non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. Red Kimono serves modern Japanese cuisine. My daughter wanted pizza and the other wanted tempura so we were all pleased and happy. Kudos to the owners of these 2 restaurants!



I love the concept of these two restos. Really modern, urban, and chic.


Classic Cheese Pizza Php195.00 from Painted Red


Check out the menu of Red Kimono...They have one whole page dedicated to all the veggie lovers out there.


Ebi Tempura Bento Php225.00 (includes 4 pcs of tempura)


If you order a bento set, add Php25.00 and you'll get Miso Soup.


If you order a bento set, add Php45.00 and you'll get 3 pieces of Gyoza.


If you order a bento set, add Php75.00 and you'll get Crunchy Tuna Maki.

Painted Red and Red Kimono:
2nd Level
SM Megamall Atrium
SM Megamall
EDSA cor. Julia Vargas Avenue
Mandaluyong
T: (632) 899-2753

New Restaurants @ The Atrium, Megamall

SM Megamall, already known for being one of the more expansive and huge malls in Manila, has just added a more upscale area called The Atrium. It houses some of the more upscale brands such as All Flip Flops, CMG, Aldo, and the like. I was even more ecstatic to discover a whole new range of restaurants that I have yet to try. Because of my delight, I took pictures of all the restos on all the floors. Hope you guys enjoy the pics taken with my cellphone =)









Restaurants on the 2nd Floor:









The Kebab Factory


Painted Red & Red Kimono (or as the signage says paintedred & redkimono) - We ate here today. It's actually one combined dining area but 2 restaurants that offer 2 totally different cuisines. I'll be featuring this on another blog when I have more time to write.

Restaurants on the 3rd Floor:













Restaurants on the 4th Floor:

Shang Palace @ Makati Shangri-La Hotel

Shang Palace
Makati Shangri-La Hotel, 2nd Level
Ayala Avenue corner Makati Avenue
Makati City 1200
T: (63 2) 840 0884












Shangrila-La is well known around the world for their world class luxury hotels and impeccable service and when it comes to food, they also live up to their reputation. We ate at Shang Palace in Makati Shangri-La for lunch last Sunday. Everything about the Shangri-La made the dining experience very memorable. The intricate design on the walls and ceilings and the lighting of the restuarant made the ambiance really lovely. It was all very Chinese inspired yet modern and chic. Service, of course, was top notch. I wouldn't expect it any other way when it comes to Shang. The waiters were always on guard and changing our plates and refilling our tea cups.

And the food was absolutely heavenly!...Word of advice though, make sure you check the prices of the dishes that you plan to order. In our case, we just ordering the suggestions of the manager so when we got the bill, let's just say we were quite taken aback.


Lovely ambiance at Shang Palace


We started off with a couple of appetizers (from top to bottom): Fried Wanton, Fish Fillet, and Breaded Squid. These three cost Php450.00.


Sharksfin Crabmeat Soup Php1010.00/per bowl


Taro Puff Php195.00


Hakaw Php210.00 (It's 4 pieces, not 3 )


Deep-Fried Spareribs Php1315.00


Fresh Scallops with Vegetables Php2228.00 - The scallops were so tender and plump. One of the best that I've ever tried.


How Prawn Salad Php1470.00 - Crispy and oh so yummy!


Seafood with Crispy Noodles Php540.00 - Very generous servings of seafood


Steamed Red Lapu-Lapu Php4172.00 (for 700 grams) - LOVED this one! The fish was so soft, fresh, juicy, tender and sweet. It was soooo good...like literally out of this world but so was the price..hehehe...


Yang Chow Fried Rice Php505.00 (the waiter divided it into small bowls) - The chef could have used more seasonings since it was a little bland for me.

I love, love, LOVE dining in Shangri-La hotel. The service, ambiance, even the smell of the whole place, presentation of food, and most especially, the QUALITY of the dishes are excellent. It makes eating a truly delightful and memorable experience.

California Berry Now @ Greenhills

California Berry:
Madison Square, Ortigas Avenue.,
cor. Madison St. North Greenhills
San Juan

I know that the frozen yogurt craze has been going on for a while but it was only last weekend that I finally had the chance to try it at California Berry located in Madison Square, Greenhills. I think it's a nice change to the usual sweet kinds of desserts, especially since it actually makes dessert healthy for a change (of course it also depends on the toppings), and the wide selection of toppings can really jazz it up.





My kids' version - with chocolate-coated candy and marshmallows



My version - with almond flakes, granola bits, and cereal...I love the extra crunch!


My hubby's version - chocolate bits, mangoes, and peaches