THE name of Teddy’s Bigger Burgers, Hawaii’s No. 1 burger chain, says it all. It specializes and serves burgers that are bigger than the usual. Its burgers come in Big, Bigger and Biggest sizes, and its smallest burger – called Big – boasts of a patty that weighs 5oz. or one-third pound. The Bigger burgers come with 7oz. patties, while the Biggest burgers have whopping 9oz. patties.
And that’s not all. Teddy’s Bigger Burgers is known for its Monster Doubles, which are double patty sandwiches, so the Big Monster Doubles total 10oz., with the Bigger burgers weighing 14oz. and the Biggest burgers a screaming 18oz.
All these burgers are made of 100% corn-fed U.S. ground chuck (taken from the shoulder and neck portions of cows, so the meat doesn’t dry out when cooked on high temperature) that is a combination of 80% lean meat and 20% fat, and are charbroiled upon order. The patty is topped with the restaurant’s famous sweet and tangy Super Sauce on a soft and delicate potato bun, garnished with crisp lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and onions.
Cheese Burger
Hawaiian Style Burger
Teri Burger
Cajun Burger
These huge, juicy and delicious Teddy’s burgers, which are served in 11 locations in Hawaii as well as in Washington, Iowa, soon in California and Texas, and in Japan, can now be enjoyed in the Philippines. Seasoned restaurateurs Marvin Agustin, Raymund Magdaluyo and Ricky Laudico, the same personalities behind such restaurants as SumoSam and Akira, brought Teddy’s Bigger Burgers to Manila and opened its first Philippine store at Greenbelt 3 in Ayala Center, Makati City.
It was Magdaluyo who serendipitously came across Teddy’s Bigger Burgers, a burger chain established by founders Ted Tsakiris and Richard Stula in Hawaii in 1998. Magdaluyo was biking in Oahu, Hawaii, during one of his U.S. trips back then when it suddenly rained and he sought refuge from the downpour at Teddy’s Kailua branch. He instantly became a fan of Teddy’s signature ground chuck charbroiled burgers, so he talked to his business partners Agustin and Laudico, and soon they were in a Tokyo store of the burger chain, talking to Tsakiris and Stula about the possibility of bringing the franchise to Manila. The rest, as they say, is history, and so Teddy’s Bigger Burgers opened at Greenbelt 3 on August 23, 2014.
Blue Cheese Bacon Burger
Bacado Burger
Monster Double Burger
Teddy’s serves a wide selection of burgers, including Hawaiian Style (which has grilled pineapple over a teriyaki sauce smothered patty), Blue Cheese Bacon Burger (which has blue cheese and bacon), Cheese Burger (with cheese), Teri Burger (basted with sweet teriyaki sauce), Bacado (with bacon and avocado), and Western Burger (topped with barbecue sauce).
Diners can also make their own burger creations by adding their choice of toppings among such interesting selections as bacon, avocado, jalapeños, onion rings, peanut butter (yes, peanut butter!) and pastrami.
Aside from its famous burgers, which have been awarded multiple times as best burger in Hawaii, Teddy’s also serves sides, super thick milkshakes and wings. Sides include extra crispy fries and tots and beer-battered onion rings. Milkshake variants, made from 90% ice cream and 10% milk, feature Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Peanut Butter, Rootbeer, Dreamsicle and Pineapple. As for the wings, there’s Tiki Wings and the other chicken alternative, Chicken Tenders.
(Teddy’s Bigger Burgers is located at Level 3, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City.)
HOW do you like your ramen – mild, spicy or very spicy?
At Ippudo Ramen, which opens its doors to the dining public via its flagship store at SM Megamall tomorrow, September 10, 2014, a Wednesday, you can have your ramen the way you want it. It serves its popular ramen in three variants: Shiromaru Motoaji (Ippudo’s original tonkotsu broth served with ultra-thin noodles, pork loin, beansprouts, kikurage and spring onion); Akamaru Shinaji (the spicy version of Ippudo’s original tonkotsu broth enhanced with special blended miso paste and fragrant garlic oil, served with thin noodles, pork belly, kikurage and spring onion); and Karaka-men (the extra spicy tonkotsu broth served with thin wavy noodles, pork belly and spring onion, with the special spicy minced meat, miso paste and fragrant garlic oil adding a kick to the senses).
Shiromaru Motoaji
The Shiromaru Motoaji (Php375) stays true to the original ramen with very flavorful pork-based broth created by Ippudo founder Shigemi Kawahara that earned him the title Ramen King and a place in the Ramen Hall of Fame after three consecutive first place wins in a Japanese TV program where ramen mavens competed to create the best ramen. It’s the same broth with delightful noodles that, in 1985, built for Ippudo a ramen empire that now counts 80 ramen stores in Japan, has a presence in Malaysia and Singapore, and has reached Philippine shores.
Akamaru Shinaji
The Akamaru Shinaji (Php390) is a little spicy, with the Karaka-men (Php390) touted to be the spiciest, but Filipino diners who got to taste it during a private tasting session held days before the formal opening swear it’s not too spicy at all.
These three variants of ramen are the signature ramen dishes of Ippudo, whose arrival in the Philippines is sending excitement to the food-loving community which is always on the lookout for new places to eat – and they’d be delighted to know that aside from the spice level, they can also choose the doneness of the noodles: Soft, Medium, Hard, Very Hard. Again, the “label” can be a bit of a misnomer because I had the Hard noodles to go with my Shiromaru Motoaji, as recommended by my server Marge, but it wasn’t Hard at all. It was delightfully firm.
At Ippudo, you can order extra toppings at minimal fees, depending on which toppings you want. You can likewise order Kae-dama, extra noodles, at Php70 as long as there’s soup left in your bowl.
Dashimaki Tamago with Mentaiko Mayo
Curry Cheese Harumaki
Ippudo Hakata-style Gyoza
Goma Q
Ippudo Pork Bun
Ippudo’s House Blend Iced Tea
Located on the Third Floor of Mega Fashion Hall in SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, Ippudo also serves a host of side dishes, rice meals and other dishes. Must-tries include Dashimaki Tamago with Mentaiko Mayo (Php150), fluffy Japanese omelette roll serve with mentaiko or spicy cod roe mayonnaise dip; Curry Cheese Harumaki (Php190), deep-fried spring rolls stuffed with curry, minced pork and cheese; Ippudo Hakata-style Gyoza (Php195), original pan-fried dumplings; Goma Q (Php140), Japanese cucumber sprinkled with seasonings; and Ippudo Pork Bun (Php100), steamed bun with juicy braised pork belly an Ippudo original sauce.
Ippudo Philippines operations manager Yota Shiiba in the kitchen with the staff
Shiiba showing how best to enjoy a bowl of Japanese ramen: Sip the soup, pick up a few strands of noodles and slurp, then take the toppings
The 79-seater, 200-square-meter ramen place, which formally opens September 10, 2014, is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. To keep the quality of its ramen and other food products consistent with Ippudo standards, Ippudo Philippines will be manned by Yota Shiiba as operations manager. Shiiba, who joined Ippudo in Fukuoka, Japan, in 2010, is experienced in all aspects of F&B and dining, having managed an Ippudo store in Namba, Osaka, and travelled across various international Ippudo stores in Malaysia and Singapore to help with their openings and operations.
(Ippudo Philippines is located at the Third Level, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City 1552; with telephone number 470-1837.)
IN the 19th century, an Italian named Raffaele Esposito owned a tavern called Pizzeria di Pietro e Basta Cosi. He whipped up what is now known as Margherita Pizza to put together the colors red, white and green of the Italian flag – using tomato, mozzarella and basil – for Queen Margherita of Savoy, who absolutely loved it. Today, Raffaele Esposito is considered as the Father of Modern Pizza.
Raffaele also happens to be the name of the new Italian restaurant of The Bayleaf Hotel in the walled city of Intramuros, Manila. It formally opened its doors to the dining public on June 14, 2014, and offers fresh Italian inspired dishes, combining traditional favorites and introducing new, modern takes on basically Italian flavors. The restaurant specializes in wood-fired pizzas using authentic Italian ingredients, such as Type 00 Italian flour, although as much locally available ingredients are sourced in the country. The pizzas are cooked in a wood-fired oven imported from Modena, Italy.
Raffaele Wood-fired Pizza Restaurant at The Bayleaf Hotel in Intramuros, Manila exudes a cozy and comfy ambiance
The Bayleaf Hotel GM Ed Vitug and Executive Chef Jose Carlo Santiago
Executive Chef Jose Carlo Santiago (extreme left) with his kitchen staff at Raffaele Restaurant
“We brought in the oven from Italy, where pizza originated from, because the Italians have mastered the pizza oven and know best,” explains The Bayleaf Hotel’s executive chef Jose Carlo Santiago.
Since the oven weighed 2 tons, the hotel building had to be restructured to be able to bear the weight of the wood-fired oven, which “runs” on aromatic fruit wood. Raffaele uses mango and langka fruit woods to fire the oven, and these are soured from a supplier approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
To fully maximize the wood-fired oven, Chef Carlo had to come up with the perfect pizza dough, using the right flour and other ingredients, to go with the oven. He worked on the dough, experimenting on many different recipes and blends, relentlessly until he hit the perfect formula and it came out of the oven crisp on the outside, soft on the inside and perfect for whatever toppings he put on the pizza dough.
Quattro Formaggi Pizze
Understandably, pizza is the single best-selling item on the Raffaele menu, and it comes in 12 different flavors. The basics – Quattro (four types of cheese: Gorgonzola, Provolone, Mozzarella and Parmesan), Tartufo Funghi (mushrooms) and Pepperoni (Italian salami) – are still the top favorites, although all pizzas on the menu are”moving” impressively. Other more indulgent flavors, such as Porchetta Pizze, which has roasted pork, Ricotta cheese, tomatoes, anchovies and pistachio as toppings, have also become favorites among diners.
Fresca
Bolognese
And when there’s good pizza, there must be good pasta, too. Raffaele’s pasta dishes can rival the best which restaurants that serve authentic pastas have to offer. Check out Fresca, which is pasta negra with mussels, sun-dried tomatoes and crab; and Bolognese, which combines meat sauce, mint pesto, goat cheese and tortiglioni.
Vongole Blanco
Lingua con Tonnato
Tuna Conserva
Tender and tasty Octopus
Aside from pizza and pasta, Chef Carlo has also lined up an impressive list of appetizers, salads and main entrées on the menu. Must-try appetizers include Vongole Blanco (clams, garlic, tomatoes, chili, white wine and bread), Gamberetti (shrimps, preserved lemon, garlic, chili and almonds), Lingua con Tonnato (ox tongue, tuna mayonnaise and roasted bell pepper), and Tuna Conserva (tuna, capers, roasted tomatoes and grilled bread).
All these dishes feature modern twists to make them more delicious and flavorful. For one, Chef Carlo added tiltilan, or fish roe, to flavor the clams in Vongole Blanco. He used smoked paprika in his Gamberetti and marinated the tuna in salted water before making Tuna Conserva. As for the Lingua con Tonnato, diners would notice how the lengua (ox tongue) look like foie gras (duck liver) on the serving platter. This is intentional on the part of Chef Carlo, who did so because, in his own words, “every time I look at Lengua, what comes to my mind is Foie Gras.”
Caprese Salad
As for the salad, diners who like their food simple and traditional would go for Caprese (slices of tomatoes and fresh mozzarella tossed in vinaigrette and aged balsamic on a bed of Romaine lettuce); while those who are more adventurous with their food would love Tritato (assorted vegetables with salumi, walnuts and croutons in creamy Caesar dressing with a soft-boiled egg).
Agnello
For the entrées, Chef Carlo recommends Agnello, which is grilled lamb ribs served with garlic potatoes, arugula and tomatoes, French fries and mint jelly. “This is cooked sous-vide for 10 hours. After the first two hours, I open the sous-vide bag, throw out the marination to remove the gamey taste from the lamb, replace it with fresh marinade, and continue cooking it for another 8 hours. Then I put it in the chiller and let the meat rest, and grill it only when ready to serve,” explains Chef Carlo.
Dolci al Cioccolato
Frutta con Ricotta
At Raffaele, diners usually order dessert because the Italian dessert selections are so good. The Tiramisu con Chocolat (lady fingers, espresso, Mascarpone cheese and chocolate) is to die for, and it comes in a serving that’s good to share. The Dolci al Cioccolato (warm chocolate cake served with Crème Anglaise) is another must-try. It is served warm, straight from the oven, and is so moist and melt-in-the-mouth, especially when Crème Anglaise is poured over each mouthful, that you’d keep eating until it’s gone. For diners who like their dessert light and fruity, the Frutta con Ricotta (macerated fruits with Ricotta cheese, citrus curd and honey comb) should be the perfect ending to a good Italian meal.
(The Bayleaf Hotel is located at Muralla corner Victoria Streets, Intramuros, Manila; with telephone number 318-5000.)
Holiday Inn & Suites Makati was the third and final stop in the recent Holiday Inn Experiential Tour
I FIND that, when travelling, one of the greatest conveniences is to be able to stay in a hotel that directly connects to a shopping mall. My first taste of such a travelling convenience was ages ago when my dad and I joined my aunt, uncle and cousin on a trip to Taiwan and stayed at the Asiaworld Hotel, which had a department store and supermarket right beside it. I felt the same “high” when I got to stay at Swissotel The Stamford in Singapore during a fam tour because the mall, complete with a supermarket, was right beside it.
It’s the same kind of convenience that Holiday Inn & Suites Makati affords its guests because it has risen right beside Glorietta in Ayala Center, Makati, and has direct access to it.
Holiday Inn & Suites was the third and final stop in the two-day, three-hotel Holiday Inn Experiential Tour that my husband Raff and I had the privilege of being a part of recently. From a hearty breakfast at Holiday Inn Manila Galleria in the Ortigas Business District, the group, composed of media people proceeded to Holiday Inn Clark at Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City, Pampanga, where we stayed overnight and enjoyed the food at its two dining outlets, and then headed back to Manila and straight to Holiday Inn & Suites Makati for lunch at Flavors Restaurant, its all-day dining restaurant.
Deluxe Room at Holiday Inn & Suites Makati
Flavors Restaurant is the hotel’s all-day dining outlet
Spillover dining crowds can be accommodated right outside the main dining room of Flavors Restaurant
Holiday Inn & Suites, the newest among Holiday Inn properties in the Philippines, is conveniently located at the Glorietta shopping complex in Makati City, which is just 20 minutes away from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), 10 minutes away from posh Bonifacio Global City, and only a short walk away from the Makati Central Business District. The 20-storey hotel has a total of 348 guest rooms and suites with generous spaces including a comfortable work space, connecting rooms and two-bedroom suite options. Each room is equipped with both wired and wireless Internet access, 40-inch LED TV, IDD/NDD telephone, and thoughtful touches such as child-friendly options inside the mini bar and activity kits for children.
The hotel has nine function rooms that offer flexible configurations for various conference, meeting and event needs. Guests may also choose to stay in the Executive Club floors, which gives them access to the Executive Club Lounge and its privileges, including express check-in and check-out, complimentary breakfast, high tea and cocktails plus a breathtaking view of the city.
Food is never a problem at Holiday Inn & Suites Makati. Not only are restaurants, coffee shops, dessert places and fast-foods conveniently located in Glorietta mall and the nearby Greenbelt mall. The hotel itself is mighty proud of its Flavors Restaurant, which offers buffet dining from breakfast to dinner.
During the recent Holiday Inn Experiential Tour, we headed straight for Flavors Restaurant for lunch from our trip from Holiday Inn Clark. Well, we didn’t exactly have lunch at Flavors Restaurant, because it had been booked on that day for a special function. Holiday Inn management, with director of communications Teri Flores making the arrangements for us, had prepared a special buffet lunch in one of the function rooms near the restaurant.
Apple, Celery and Walnut Salad
Tofu and Beansprouts Salad
Shrimp Papaya Salad with Lime and Cilantro
We had our own buffet set-up, with appetizers including Apple, Celery and Walnut Salad, Tofu and Beansprouts Salad, and Shrimp Papaya Salad with Lime and Cilantro.
Nasi Goreng
Stir-fried Beef in Black Peppercorn Sauce
Corned Beef Hash Stuffed Baked Tomatoes
Peanut Butter French Toast
Fritto Misto served with Pickled Aioli
For the main course, the chafing dishes offered Nasi Goreng, Stir-fried Beef in Black Peppercorn Sauce, Corned Beef Hash Stuffed Baked Tomatoes, Peanut Butter French Toast, and Fritto Misto with Pickled Aioli.
Tropical Fruit Granola Parfait
Assorted cakes
Dessert came in the form of Tropical Fruit Granola Parfait and assorted cakes and pastries. There was also a choice of cakes in glass jars, which could be “dressed up” with different crumb toppings. I picked a Red Velvet Cake in a jar and sprinkled the top generously with Oreo crumbs. Aside from Flavors Restaurant, Holiday Inn & Suites Makati also has other dining facilities, including Citron lobby lounge and bar and the ultra-trendy Oz Bar located at the hotel’s roof deck.
Holiday Inn & Suites Makati completes the triumvirate of Holiday Inn hotel properties in the Philippines, and all three uphold the global brand objective of providing today’s business and leisure travelers dependability, friendly service and modern facilities at a good value for money. Lunch at the hotel also completed the two-day, three-property Holiday Inn Experiential Tour, which succeeded in giving members of media a good, well-rounded experience of what Holiday Inn’s brand of hospitality is all about – and I happen to like it.
(Holiday Inn & Suites Makati is located at Glorietta 1, Palm Drive, Ayala Ave., Ayala Center, Makati City; with telephone number 909-0888.)
Holiday Inn Clark at Minosa Leisure Park, Clark Freeport Zone, in Pampanga
IT’S been ages since I last got to visit and stay at Holiday Inn Clark. I was still working for a weekly women’s magazine back then, and I was in Clark to cover an event. Back then, I remember staying in a two-bedroom villa, which I shared with a media colleague who ran a food column for a newspaper. So, when the recent Holiday Inn Experiential Tour brought my husband Raff and I, along with a group of other media people, to Holiday Inn Clark as the second stop of our three-hotel tour of Holiday Inn’s Philippine properties, it felt like a totally unique and different experience.
From a hearty breakfast at Holiday Inn Manila Galleria in the Ortigas Business District, the Holiday Inn Experiential Tour took us to Holiday Inn Clark, which we reached in an hour’s drive.
Located 90 kilometers north of Manila, Holiday Inn Clark can be found inside the Mimosa Leisure Estate within the Clark Freeport Zone. The hotel proper houses contemporary guest rooms and suites, and just across the main hotel is a cluster of two-bedroom villas that guests, particularly families, can also choose to stay in. Home to prestigious social events and high-profile conferences in the region, Holiday Inn Clark boasts of eight elegant function rooms, including a 1,100-square-meter pillarless meeting space.
Reaching Clark, which is located in Angeles City, Pampanga, close to noontime, our hosts led us straight to Mequeni Restaurant on the ground floor. Mequeni is the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, and it offers buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner with very diverse menu options. We got to sample its buffet lunch spread. Having skipped the Japanese corner in the breakfast buffet of Holiday Inn Manila Galleria that morning, I headed for the Japanese corner this time and got a small platter of assorted sushis and makis for starters. Then I had a bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup made so I could have warm soup in my tummy. The desserts looked inviting, so I succumbed to a piece of Linzer Torte from the dessert spread.
Welcome drink
Mequeni Restaurant is Holiday Inn Clark’s all-day dining restaurant
My platter of sushis and makis
Chicken Noodle Soup
Prawns!
Melba Puff from the dessert buffet
Linzer Torte
Mud Cake
Yet another interesting sweet treat from the dessert buffet
After lunch, we formally checked in and got to rest in our respective rooms for a good 30 minutes or so before it was time to all meet up in the lobby to set off on a rolling tour of Clark.
It took a bit of time to re-assemble everyone, after which we left for Zoocobia to look at the animals, especially the birds and owls, which came in awesome colors, feed the birds, make our way through the Garden Maze, and try the Zooc gravity ride. Other adventure activities included carabao rides, zipline, zing ride (like steady swings suspended from an overhead cable, much like in a zipline), giant fun slides and animal shows during weekends and holidays.
Holiday Inn Clark’s free-form swimming pool
Our room at Holiday Inn Clark
My work area in the room
Assorted pastries in the room, compliments of Holiday Inn Clark
Macaroons in the room for a good night treat
From Zoocobia, the group proceeded to Nayong Pilipino sa Clark Expo. It’s here in Clark that the former Nayong Pilipino in Pasay City, near the airport, was relocated. I could no longer find the mini Mayon Volcano that caught my fancy when I was still a kid, but there were a lot of other attractions that kept me busy during our visit. We went on a guided tour to look at the replicas of the houses of Dr. Jose Rizal, Apolinario Mabini and Emilio Aguinaldo; explore the Aeta Village, Maranao Village, Ifugao Village and Kalinga Village; visit the Museo ng Nayon; and watch a cultural show at the Teatro.
Having spent long hours at Nayong Pilipino, we afterwards had only time to drive by the Clark International Speedway before heading back to the hotel to freshen up in our rooms and then go up to the Rodizio Roof Top Grill for dinner with Holiday Inn Clark’s executive chef Jean Marc Veron.
Rodizio Roof Top Grill
Executive chef Jean Marc Veron welcoming us to Rodizio
Chefs getting ready to serve the Churrasco barbecues
Caesar Salad
Slicing the Mediterranean Baked Fish on the carvery
Mediterranean Baked Fish
Prawns and buttered corn wheels
L’Opera Cake on the dessert buffet
Mango Crepe with Chocolate Chip Ice Cream served at the table
Chef Jean Marc was already there at Rodizio when we got there by taking the dedicated elevator on the ground floor. Like other grills, Rodizio specialized in steaks that are grilled to perfection, which is complemented by an extensive wine menu.
We were having Churrasco dinner that evening. It’s giant skewers after giant skewers of different kinds of grilled meats, which servers bring to the tables and serve guests. The grilled meats included pork baby back ribs, chicken teriyaki, beef and pork sausages, roast beef, fish, prawns, and pineapple brushed with cinnamon before grilling.
There’s also a good spread of buffet selections for diners to enjoy with their Churrasco meats. I mixed myself a good amount of Caesar Salad, then had slices of Mediterranean Baked Fish from the carvery with buttered corn wheels, plus a few shrimps, before raising the white flag and calling it a night.
Back in the room after dinner, I sat down in front of my laptop to work for a while as Raff enjoyed watching TV on cable, then we hit the bed to rest our weary bodies and tired minds and get recharged for another busy day tomorrow.
Holiday Inn’s signature bed turned out to be most comfortable indeed, and of the soft and firm pillows that each room had, I opted for the soft pillows and snoozed almost as soon as I closed my eyes.
Fresh peach juice and Cappuccino for breakfast
My breakfast platter
Making interesting pancakes
Flower pancake
Teddy bear pancake
3D smiley pancake
Doggie — or rabbit — pancake
Breakfast the following morning was a truly satisfying affair. It is Raff’s and my favorite meal of the day. It is, after all, the most important meal of the day, and gives you the energy you need to last you through even the longest day. Raff and I began our breakfast with fresh fruits, then I had garlic rice with chicken adobo, tomato and mushroom omelette, and daing na bangus with a piece of baked tomato. Aside from the interactive egg station, where you can have your eggs prepared the way you want them, I found the pancake station interesting. A chef was making pancakes a la minute, but they weren’t just pancakes but interesting pancakes that came in flower and animal shapes. When I walked by the pancake station, I saw a stem of flower (made from pancake batter, of course) cooking alongside regular round pancakes. Afterwards, he started making animal shaped pancakes – teddy bear, a tri-dimensional smiley bear face, then a doggie (which can also be interpreted to be a rabbit) pancake. He served them to us, and I got the doggie pancake, whose ears Raff plucked out and then attached to the body to turn it into a turtle shape.
You shouldn’t play with your food, some people say, but at Holiday Inn Clark, you actually can play with your pancake and enjoy it, too!
The group left Clark shortly after breakfast to make it back to Manila in time to have lunch at Holiday Inn and Suites in Makati.
(Holiday Inn Clark is located at Mimosa Drive, Mimosa Leisure Estate, Clark Freeport Zone 2023, Angeles City, Pampanga; with telephone numbers (+632) 8451888 and (+6345) 5998000.)
