Sans Rival at SANS RIVAL!

San Rival Cakes & Pastries@Robinsons, Dumaguete City
Ask any person who has a sweet-tooth if he likes Sans Rival, chances are that it's one of the three top desserts on his list. Me? Well, it's up there with moist Chocolate Cake (with caramel sauce!) and Brownies (ala Mode!). 

My eldest sister used to make good Sans Rival. I remember salivating at the the butter cream she would spread on her very makunat (not crunchy, mind you!) meringue. When the cake freezes, she would slice me a slab and together with my other siblings would wolf down our individual shares like there's no tomorrow. Hay. 

Sans Rival Slice P26
Brewed Coffee P30

Anyway, it's my first time to be eating Sans Rival this thin and with this number (8!) of meringue wafers. My expectation of this place was really high because I felt that everyone in Dumaguete City ("Quality cakes since 1977") knows of it. Kaya dapat masarap ito. 

So, how was it? It was good (and cheap, at P26 a pop!). No wonder that it's this popular. I saw for myself how people line up to buy a whole cake while eating a slice. By the way, San Rival has a number of branches within the city. We went to the one in Robinsons and to their tastefully-decorated stand-alone restaurant located along Rizal Boulevard. 

Ryzza Mae, "Charotera???"

Ang Aleng Maliit ay napagaling nang mag-emote kaya nga leading na sa labanang Yahoo! OMG Child Star of the Year (please vote for Ryzza Mae! results will out on July 19) 2013! 

Anyway, watch this short video at see how the EB staff starting to worry when Ryzza Mae suddenly looked "sick" nang mabisto siya na umaarte lang pala. Sabi ng isa mga Floor Director, ang Aleng Maliit ay isang Charotera! At isa siyang magaling sa charotera! 

Ryzza Mae, The Young Artist!

Even before, she has been into writing and sketching. You can actually see in my past blogs how Ryzza Mae spend so much time writing and sketching with just about anything. Minsan, kukuha siya ng jumbo markers na ginagamit ng mga EB writers at mga nakakalat na Manila paper. But lately, she uses markers of different colors and a sketch pad. And one more thing na mapapansin sa kanya ang intense focus and concentration sa ginagawa niya (pero she never forgets to wave to her blog readers at magmano sa mga nakatatanda sa kanya sa studio). A mark of a future artist! Pareho na sila nina Tito Joey de leon at Tito Michael V. who are respected artists na magagaling ding mga artists! Why not! Watch the behind-the-scene videos taken backstage and see for yourself! 

Usapang Fried Chicken #23 : SERENITY!

Serenity, Binondo

These pictures were taken almost two years ago when my Tita Nelia's ex-husband brought some Binondo food to her house in Urdaneta Village one Sunday lunch. The food was unforgettable. There were 4-5 viands (and some appetizers and dessert) and typically of me, feasted on two of my favorite ones: Fried Chicken and Sweet and Sour which was a bit sweeter than normal (and the fish way too soft). Anyway, the cut up chicken was battered in a such a way that you wouldn't anymore distinguish which part is which. No problem with that. It's so good that you wouldn't mind getting the part you don't like. Okay lang talaga. 

Honestly, I really don't have any idea where this restaurant is located. I can imagine that it's one of those hole-in-the-wall eateries that sell really tasty food from a kitchen with timba and tabo and kusineros wearing yesterday's white shirt under an apron still with last week's stains. Of course, I may be wrong. I wish I'm wrong.  

Ryzza Mae with the Songbird: Backstage!

I went to the Broadway studio earlier than usual knowing that the Asia's Songbird ang magiging guest ni Ryzza Mae. Armed with a fully-charged digi-cam (and an Iphone as back-up) I waited for Ms. Regine. Yes, I was a fan that day. And I was doubly-glad that she had connected with our child-wonder. And was expected, the show was such a hit!   

Ryzza Mae Clowns Around with the Songbird and Nate!

Continuation na ng ating special blogpost with Ryzza Mae and Ms. Regine Velasquez and the adorable Nate taken during commercial breaks. It didn't take a long time for Nate to warm up to the young host at nakipag-lokohan na rin siya during the show. And Ryzza Mae acting as a big sister, clowned around much to Nate's (and everybody's) amusement! Here are four more videos from the center stage to the backstage!   

Ryzza Mae: New Post of an Old File!

I accidentally saw this short video of Ryzza Mae sitting sa document file sa laptop ko. Nakalimutan ko na ito until I watched it at bigla kong naalala na kinuha ko ito sa digi-cam patapos na ang taon last year. That was only a few months ago lang pero parang ang bata-bata pa ng ating Aleng Maliit compared sa ngayon! How time flies! Anyway, madalas gawin ni Ryzza Mae yan noon during commercial breaks... ang bigla na lang nakikipag-sabayan sa mga Jesters to keep the studio audience's mood high! At talaga namang high na high ang lahat makita lang sila ang child sensation!  

HEAVENLY Chocolate Overload (Again)!

Heavenly @ Roces Ave, QC

It's no exaggeration when I say that Heavenly really sell excellent dessert. I still have to hear of another branch but I'm sure that there's one somewhere. Sayang naman kung wala pa. My favorite? El Quatro. I'm biased to chocolate-overloaded desserts. Like this one... its chocolate times four! Hence, the name.  

El Quatro (P90)

Dark Belgian Chocolate Cake (P100)

Ryzza Mae, Addict sa Gadgets (Part 2)!

I have quite a collection of Ryzza Mae videos showing how she loves playing with her gadgets to the point dedma na siya to things happening around her. Nandyan yung nagche-check siya ng Instragam account niya sa Smartphone or playing games sa Ipad niya. It's her way of relaxing her mind and body from the stress of performing and yes, even from school. Sometimes, we forget that our Ryzza Mae is still a little girl who enjoys the things like all other little girls enjoy doing! By the way, the pretty lady is Ryzza Mae's stylist, the talented Ms. Colleen Gaviola, na in-charge sa over-all look ng ating Aleng Maliit. Do you like her work? 

Slimy, Gummy and Crunchy Oyster Cake!

Mann Hann, Greenhills

Sometimes, it gets to a point when I rather have my meal at a familiar place where I don't need to open the menu (or ask the servers about their best sellers), give my orders and just wait for my food. Stress-free... for everybody. Tita Nelia and I did just that when we were at Greenhills one time. We were on our way to the car when we passed by Mann Hann. We entered and ordered standard Chinese. Nothing can be more boring than Sweet and Sour Pork, Yang Chow and Oyster Cake. But hey, we l-o-v-e it! 

Mann Hann's Sweet and Sour Pork can never hold a candle to Summer Palace's but it will do. It might be a bit on the tart side but like what I said, okay na yun. And of course, there's the Oyster Cake. It was a little brown than usual but the texture (a deliciously slimy, gummy and crunchy!) I adore was still there.  

Oyster Cake (P250)
Yang Chow Fried Rice (P250)
Sweet and Sour Pork (P250)