Just Desserts (Part 2): Morelli's Gelato at Shangri-la Plaza

Last Christmas (I gave you my heart) I blogged about this dessert place at the Power Plant Mall called Morelli's Gelato, a British gelato chain which opened its first shop here in the Philippines in 2012. After the new East Wing of the Shangri-la Plaza Mall opened in mid-2013, they opened up a second shop there as well, bringing this 106 year-old brand to another part of Metro Manila. 

We tried out their gelato last week and we loved it so much, we just knew we had to try them again in the future. After just a little over a week, we decided to give their gelato another try, but this time at their Shangri-la Plaza branch.

Morelli's branch at Shangri-la Plaza is definitely much bigger than the one at Rockwell. There were more tables and chairs, and the counter was much bigger, too. There was only one guy at the counter at Rockwell when we were there, while there were more employees stationed at Shangri-la. I also like how their branch is at the new East Wing of Shangri-la Plaza, where there are less people; the Power Plant Mall can be quite crowded at times. You can enjoy your gelato in peace.

Last week, I got a single scoop of their Tiramisu gelato. This time around I got two scoops--one was Banana and the other one was White Chocolate. As I already mentioned previously, getting "boring" ice cream flavors like Mango or Strawberry is a no-no for me. 

My parents and brother each got two scoops too, though they picked other flavors. I absolutely love their gelato! Both flavors that I got were really good; the Banana one was interesting but the White Chocolate-flavored one really stood out for me. There were actual HUGE chunks of white chocolate in my cup!

Yep, that's a huge chunk of pure white chocolate! That's not all of it though--there were smaller bits too, but this one was the biggest so I only took a photo of this one.

There are more tables and chairs on the other side of the counter. This branch is huge, compared to their other one at the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell.

Morelli's Gelato is absolutely amazing and I would certainly love to try them out again soon!

Morelli's Gelato

East Wing, Shangri-la Plaza, Mandaluyong City

Operating hours: Monday-Thursday: 11:00 am-9:00 pm; Friday: 11:00 am-10:00 pm; Saturday: 10:00 am-10:00 pm; Sunday: 10:00 am-9:00 pm

Other branch: Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City

Website: morellisgelato.ph

Facebook: Morelli's Gelato PH

Just Desserts: Morelli's Gelato

Christmas was a little bit different for my family this year. These last few Christmases were usually spent in Bohol, where we would spend the holidays with our relatives on my mom's side of the family. This year, however, it was just my mom and brother who were able to go, since I had to stay behind because of work (I started working for a corporation in Makati just last month). My dad, too, decided to stay behind to keep me company. So for Christmas Eve, my dad and I just had a simple dinner at home--no Cebu Lechon (which we'd always have in Bohol), no chicharon, no fruit salad, no nuthin'. 

Even before my mom and brother left for Bohol, we had already made plans to have lunch out after we pick them up from the airport on Christmas Day. After we picked them up, we headed to the Power Plant Mall in Makati for lunch, though I won't really be blogging about that anymore, since the restaurant we ate in wasn't anything really new for us, and I've already blogged about it in the past..

For dessert, we decided to try out Morelli's Gelato, which traces its roots to the UK where it was established in 1907 by an Italian immigrant named Giuseppe Morelli. Today, Morelli's Gelato is present in several countries including the Philippines, where it opened its first shop at the Power Plant Mall in late-2012. Morelli's was franchised by Global Restaurant Concepts Inc., the same company which brought foreign restaurant chains like IHOP, P.F. Chang's, and California Pizza Kitchen to the Philippines.

Morelli's first branch is located at  the Ground Level of the Power Plant Mall, at the same floor where the upscale shops are. It isn't that hard to find, really--the large signage of the shop can be spotted even from a distance.

They have a pretty decent selection of flavors, although many of their flavors (like Mango and Strawberry) are a bit on the safe side. I wish they had more quirky flavors to choose from, just like some other gelato shops. Still, their gelato looks great, and I couldn't choose a flavor right away. They all look so good!

My brother settled for a cup of Strawberry gelato. A single cup costs P120, which isn't so bad considering this is a European brand. I was honestly expecting it to be more expensive (like above P150).

My dad likes eating fruits so he chose the Melon-flavored one.

My mom choose a rather unique one: Bacia. This is a mixture of chocolate and different kinds of nuts. 

I ended up with the Tiramisu-flavored one, which seemed to be one of the more "unique" flavors they have. "Boring" flavors like Mango or Strawberry are out of the question for me, except maybe for ordinary ice cream which you can buy in supermarkets or convenience stores.

Overall, I'd give Morelli's Gelato a thumbs up. Though I wish they had more to choose from in terms of quirkier flavors, their gelato is still really good and of high quality, and at a (fairly) reasonable price, too. If you're looking to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings, then Morelli's Gelato is a good place to visit!

Morelli's Gelato

R1, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City
Operating Hours: Monday-Thursday: 11:00 am-9:00 pm; Friday: 11:00 am-10:00 pm; Saturday: 10:00 am-10:00 pm; Sunday: 10:00 am-9:00 pm.

Other branch: East Wing, Shangri-la Plaza, Mandaluyong City
Website: morellisgelato.ph
Facebook: Morelli's Gelato PH

The Sweet Life: Dolcelatte's Croughnuts

If there's one food item that made a huge impact this year, then that would have to be the cronut, a croissant-and-doughnut hybrid which was popularized in New York by Chef Dominique Ansel in mid-2013. Since then, cronuts have made its presence felt in numerous bakeries around the world, with many trying to come up with a unique twist for this popular pastry.

Dolcelatte, Cafe, Gourmet Restaurant, and Bakeshop, more popularly shortened as Dolcelatte, is one such bakery that has come up with their own version of cronuts, or croughnuts. I've been hearing quite a lot about them since the cronuts suddenly rose to fame, and I never thought they'd actually get to try their croughnuts since their only restaurant is located in South Triangle, Quezon City, which is a bit of a hassle for us to visit. Fortunately, they've recently opened a "pop-up" stall which only sells their croughnuts at the 5th floor of SM Megamall. After asking the staff, I also found out that this pop-up store is just a teaser for their newest branch, which will open early next year at the new building of SM Megamall, called the Fashion Hall. 

Their selection of flavors is quite impressive--it was certainly very difficult to choose what to buy; it's like we really wanted to try all of them! At P120 each, though, buying a lot of would be really expensive. 

My mom decided to buy three flavors for us to try, then she bought more to bring as pasalubong to our relatives in Bohol, since she and my brother were flying there the next day for the holidays. 

Behold (from left to right): Almond Caramel, Raspberry Creamcheese, and Nutty Nutella. We wanted to have a little of each so we could try all three flavors, so my mom cut them up into four. 

First up: Almond Caramel. This one was absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I love how flavorful it is. I want to have more of this!

Next up: Raspberry Creamcheese. Their croughnuts really have the same texture as a croissant, which is totally different from the cronuts of this other bakery chain. I'm not saying that the other bakery chain's cronuts are bad, though. It's just that Dolcelatte's are more croissant-y.

Third: Nutty Nutella. For all you Nutella fans, this one's for you,

Overall, their croughnuts are not to be missed. While they are most certainly pricey (you can get cronuts at  some other chains at almost half the price), the cronuts will certainly not disappoint. They have a wide range of flavors to suit different tastes, and there's always something different for you to try each time. What's more, they constantly update their selection by coming up with new flavors, so there isn't really a reason for you not to try them again and again and again.

I can't wait to try all the other flavors!

Dolcelatte Cafe, Gourmet Restaurant, and Bakeshop

5th Floor, Mega Atrium, SM Megamall (temporary store)
Other branch: Quezon Avenue
Website: www.dolcelatte.ph
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Dolcelatte

Cooling Off: Bono Artisanal Gelato

I love ice cream. For me it's the perfect dessert to cap off a satisfying meal. Luckily, you're never too far away from ice cream here in the Philippines, and there are a lot of places where I could go to satisfy my cravings. There are also a lot of ice cream or gelato shops that are popping up everywhere, and I have yet to try some of them.

A recent visit to SM Aura led us to this new gelato place called Bono Artisanal Gelato, which, judging by the information I've gathered online, opened shop just this year at SM Makati. Since then, they've managed to open up two more shops, the second one at Podium and the third one at SM Aura.

Here's a bit of information I gathered: The co-owners, Rea Gomez-Harrow and her friend Zarah, got their training in gelato-making at Carpigiani University, under Giacomo Schiavon, who is widely known and respected in the gelato-making world. Ms. Rea Harrow jokingly refers to him as the "Bono of gelato" (after the lead singer of the band U2), and that's where they got the name for their shop.

Bono's SM Aura shop isn't even fully opened yet. The lack of a bigger space, however, did not stop many people from trying out what they have to offer.

This is only a temporary stall until a bigger stall with, I'm guessing, seats and tables would open in the near future.

Based on the tarps posted around the stall, you can immediately see that the owners of Bono put great emphasis on the quality of their gelato. Their gelato is also made from all-natural ingredients, which means that they don't put artificial flavorings or preservatives. They also use as little sugar as possible, so those who are more health-conscious don't have to worry about anything.

Bono keeps their gelato hidden from public view and are placed on Pozzetto Cabinets to preserve their freshness and to prevent contamination. So far, this is the only gelato shop I know that does this. Other gelato shops would usually put their gelato on rectangular containers and put them on display for everyone to see. Very impressive.

They only had a few flavors available, because their stall at SM Aura is only a temporary one. Their Facebook page shows a lot more flavors, with some pretty unique ones too, like Chili Tamarind, Taho, and Lemon Basil. Too bad they didn't have at least one of these flavors at SM Aura--I would have been more than willing to try them out!

My dad and brother each got a scoop of their Milo Dinosaur gelato. Each single scoop costs P130, which is competitively priced vis-a-vis the closest competitor that I can think of. Milo Dinosaur is a popular beverage "invented" in Singapore, made from Nestle's famous brand of chocolate milk.

My "health conscious' (emphasis on the quotation marks) mother got a scoop of their Cioccolato gelato, which is 70% pure dark chocolate. She says it tasted bitter--but what else do you expect from dark chocolate, really? Oh, mom. 

Bono Artisanal Gelato is in on the whole speculoos-and-cookie-butter craze as well, so they also offer Speculoos gelato, which was what I got. Since I was still too full from lunch, however, I did not get to taste what my family ordered so I was only able to try this one.

My verdict? Well--incredible (and I only got to taste one flavor, mind you).

Bono Artisanal Gelato really gives justice to the word "artisanal" that they use. You can really tell that their gelato is of very high quality. It stays frozen longer and doesn't easily become runny once it's been out of the freezer for a while. Each bite is also very flavorful, with bits of speculoos cookies mixed in. Also, because they use as little sugar as possible, their gelato isn't too sweet, which is a plus for people like me who can't stand very sweet food.

It's a shame, though, that they don't have as many flavors available compared to their other branches. I guess it's only a matter of time before their SM Aura shop fully opens--I can't wait to try out their other flavors (I mean, Chili Tamarind? Really?).

I think I've just found my new favorite ice cream/gelato place.

Bono Artisanal Gelato

Branches: SM Makati, Podium Mall, SM Aura Premier

Website: http://gelatobono.com

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/BonoGelato

Twitter: http://twitter.com/bonogelato

Instagram: http://instagram.com/bonogelato

Making New Memories: The Magnolia Flavor House at Robinsons Magnolia

For the young kids of the 80s and the 90s, the Magnolia Ice Cream House in Quezon City was a place full of fond memories, as weekends were spent here with the family enjoying desserts. Likewise, it was also a place for teenagers to hang out, or for couples to go on a date over a banana split. Many were sad to see it go, however, when it closed down more than a decade ago, and when the whole factory itself closed down  (and relocated) later on.

Many were delighted with the news that the iconic ice cream shop would make a comeback in 2012, this time named the Magnolia Flavor House, at the new Robinsons Magnolia Mall, built at the site of the old Magnolia Ice Cream factory. The young kids of the 80s and 90s, who are now old enough to become parents, as well as the teenagers and the dating couples back then, would surely return to reminisce as well as to make new memories over their Peach Melba or Banana Split, their iconic desserts.

The Magnolia Flavor House standalone store at the garden of the new Robinsons Magnolia Mall

True enough, as we entered the place, I noticed a lot of forty-something couples there. There were also some children there, who were most probably brought along by their parents who did have fond memories at the old ice cream house. Of course, there were also people like my family and I who simply wanted to try out a different place for desserts. 

A look inside the shop

As we sat down at our table, we were immediately given menus. While the place specializes in desserts, they also added more stuff to their menu such as burgers, pizzas, pasta, sandwiches, and some others to keep the people interested (they didn't really offer these things back in the day). What many people came here for was, of course, their desserts, and their dessert selection certainly wasn't disappointing. 

The store was filled with forty and fifty-somethings who were probably reminiscing about the old days

The whole did feel inviting, with large glass windows surrounding the whole place, and with paint and furnishings that were mostly blue, yellow, and white. They also had this cool-looking "waiting area" where people could wait for an available table, that had a really comfy-looking pod chair as well as some stools that added an overall "modern" feel to the place. 

The dessert menu

They added more stuff to their menu

I ordered their famous banana split (P240), while my brother had a Peach Melba (P240). My parents decided to share a Mango Royale (P240). My mom also decided to order some snacks too; we had their  Nachos Overload (P185) and some of their Potato Wedges (I forgot how much it cost). 

When my banana split was laid out in front of me, I was a bit unsure of whether I would be able to finish everything--we did have a nice lunch at the Shangri-la Plaza Mall food court just a few hours prior. As the Nachos Overload and the Potato Wedges got to our table, I became more overwhelmed. Their servings were HUGE! I looked over to the other tables and noticed how huge their burgers and pizza were. I think this isn't necessarily a bad thing, though--I've read numerous blog posts complaining about the small serving sizes in some other restaurants. You can always take the food home if you can't finish everything.

Their famous banana split

At first glance, their banana split just seems like any other banana split. If you look closely, however, you will notice that the bananas are actually coated with chocolate, so there's actually more chocolate on their banana split, with the chocolate-coated bananas, the chocolate ice cream, and the chocolate syrup on top. This is really great for all chocolate lovers out there. One can never have too much chocolate!

Peach Melba, another one of their "iconic" desserts

Mango Royale--scoops of Mango Ice Cream topped with cream, cherries, nuts,  and caramel (?) syrup, all sitting on top of crushed grahams. 

Nachos OVERLOAD. Emphasis on OVERLOAD.

Who says we couldn't finish the nachos?

I will most probably be back again to try out their other desserts--they all seem so good! Despite the presence of so many other ice cream shops in the country (particularly, the foreign ones like Swensen's), there's still something about the classics like Magnolia that just brings back the fondest memories, whether at the old ice cream house (which I never really got to try), or those weekends or birthday celebrations at home with the gallons of ice cream shared with everyone. I'm happy to see that Magnolia is able to stand their ground against the competition, and they're expanding too--I heard they'll be opening a second shop at SM North Edsa soon!

The Magnolia Flavor House is located at the garden area of the Robinsons Magnolia Mall, located at Aurora Boulevard corner Dona Hemady Street in New Manila, Quezon City)

Sweets for my Sweet: Sprinkles and Crumbs Cupcakes

If you happen to be at the Shangri-la Plaza Mall, then you might have probably noticed a new cupcake place at the ground floor, outside National Bookstore and right beside Le Ceour de France. It's called Sprinkles & Crumbs. 

It seems pretty new--I don't really remember seeing it there before, and there doesn't seem to be much information about it online. No Facebook page, no blog posts, no website, no nuthin'. Well, I did come across a UK (or Ireland?) based bakery of the same name (I saw their website and Facebook page), though I'm not exactly sure if it's the same one, because their logos seem to differ a bit.

The Europe-based bakery's logo. Spot the difference(s).

Since it was my mom's birthday a few days ago, I decided to surprise her with four red velvet cupcakes. At P62 each, their cupcakes are actually a bit pricey. They have other cupcakes too, with varying prices. I didn't get to look around much, but I did see Oreo cupcakes which did look quite promising. 

Cute little "house"

Their cupcakes weren't really too sweet, which is a plus for someone like me who isn't really into sweet stuff. There wasn't too much icing either, unlike some other cupcakes I've tried which didn't really go easy on the icing. Icing with cupcake, anyone?

Four delicious red velvet cupcakes ready to be eaten

This place actually looks quite promising. Would anyone happen to have any more information about the place? 

A Dessert Lover's Paradise: Chez Karine Bakery at Serendra

Chez Karine Bakery, located at Serendra in Bonifacio Global City, is owned by pastry chef Karen Yang (daughter of the George Yang of McDonalds Philippines), who earned her Diplome de Patisserie from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She then spent some time working at the Marriott Hotel right along the famed Champs Elysees, where she assisted the pastry chef. Having spent 15 years in San Francisco, the Stanford University graduate recently came home to Manila to pursue her passion in baking.

The store facade

At P50 each, Chez Karine Bakery's French Macarons are considered their specialty. Compared to other Macarons that I've tried, theirs is actually softer and chewier. Other Macarons are crunchier and a bit flaky, which are therefore a bit more messier to eat. Chez Karine's Macarons taste really good, too.

Holiday decorations--I wonder if those are real Macarons

We bought two boxes of seven macarons. At P50 each, the two boxes therefore cost us P700. It's definitely a bit pricey compared to other Macarons (Bizu sells their Macarons at P47 each, while one of the stalls that have them at the weekend bazaar at the Eastwood Mall was just around P35-P40 each). I would say the premium price on Chez Karine Macarons are definitely worth it, though. 

On display

The counter

Aside from the Macarons, they also sell other desserts such as pudding (which, based from other blog posts I've read are also really good) and cakes. They also have coffee which, compared to those famous coffee shop chains are actually quite reasonably-priced. 

The drinks and their prices

Their Macarons are really, really good! We devoured everything really quickly.

(Chez Karine Bakery is located at Serendra at Bonifacio Global City, right beside Cupcakes by Sonja.  You may visit their website at www.chezkarine.com or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/chezkarinebakery. They are open from 10am to 10pm from Sunday to Thursday and 10am to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.)

A Sweet Deal from Ensogo Philippines and Secret Recipe

If you've never visited the Ensogo Philippines website, then you've probably been missing out on a lot already.

Ensogo is a social commerce website that offers huge deals on restaurants, hotel accommodations, spa services, etc. and allows its members to purchase coupons at a huge (and I mean HUGE--some are as high as 90% off!) discount. Originally started in Thailand in 2009, these hard-to-resist Ensogo deals are now available in the Philippines and in Indonesia.

Just recently, I came across this sweet offer from Ensogo--50% off discounts on selected cakes from Secret Recipe! 

A Mango Delight cake at 50% off!

We've already availed of a similar deal in the past--and we were most certainly satisfied. Secret Recipe cakes certainly do not disappoint. This time, we decided to try their Mango Delight cake, which we got for P450 (originally P900). 

Their Mango Delight cake is certainly a "winner". Every single ingredient definitely complemented all the others--not a single one out of place. The mango puree that topped the soft chiffon cake did not overpower everything, and it wasn't too sweet either. Every slice had generous amounts of mango slices and cream filling, and on top were tiny chocolate toppings that somehow resembled tiny and ready-to-attack the dessert ants (nothing to worry about, though). The cake also came with a neat-looking cake cutter that could be washed and reused--very cool indeed.

This Mango Delight cake will certainly not be my last--I can't wait to try what else Secret Recipe has to offer!

Secret Recipe is a Malaysian cafe chain. Since it was founded in 1997, the chain has since expanded to several countries in Asia. In the Philippines, you may visit their branches at SM Megamall, Robinsons Place Midtown, Shangri-la Plaza, and Bonifacio Global City. You may also visit their website at www.secretrecipe.com.ph.