Wednesday, December 28, 2011

On Becoming The Big Bad Wolf

 "What big hands you have!"
In most retellings, this colloquy eventually culminates with Little Red Riding Hood saying, 
"My, what big teeth you have!" to which the wolf replies, "The better to eat you with" 
Okay, don't be confused, I'm not going to review a book or re-tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood or insinuate the character of the ravenous Big Bad Wolf who ate the girl's grandmother.
Rather let me tell you how I have bent  the folktale in a degustative way.
It all started with the resto bar's name.   I wonder  why it was named as such.   It may sound ludicrous to many but it see it as interesting as their menu.
Fresh Tuna Wraps w/ Wasabi Mayo is basically Sushi wrapped in lettuce.  Eating raw fish  is a very healthy though some may find it unworthy (of course not for Japanese), but I must advise you that it is an acquired taste to those who do not eat much Asian food.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

DepEd Strengthens Awareness for K to 12 Basic Education Program

 Prologue:
 For some reason I have been having issues with my other blog site.  I have practically wasted precious time fixing it, so do kindly excuse for breaking up with my food blogging for this post.   Though I don't have food pictures, I'm sure everyone would find this post particularly straightforward information that matters most to our school children and the Philippine nation for that matter.   Do kindly excuse me for being serious in this matter for I do intend and find it pretty serious for my kids' future are at stake here.  

The Issue:
 DepEd stated their  challenges in handling Philippine education as follows:
  • Poor quality of education
  • Poor internal efficiency
  • Weak system of governance
  • Shortages in educational Inputs
  • Concern over Quality of teachers
Having said all these, Br. Armin Luistro, Secretary of  Department of Education and his constituents posed

Monday, December 26, 2011

Giant Lantern Festival at Pampanga , Huhu, Without the Sisig

 My kids and I were shouting, "sisig, sisig," as hubby was patiently driving  along the friendship highway going to Marquee Mall, which was so heavily lined up with vehicles in slow-pace.     We all were so disappointed seeing all the places we planned to visit were all closed, of course they also need to celebrate  Christmas, DUH!   But I kind of expected it but hope was alive, till we kept on passing by each places, such as Aurely's Bakeshop (for the famous upside-down brazo de mercedez),  Jun Jun's Barbeque,  Razon's and what was worst was we made it to the fork road where it led us to the way going to Marquee Mall without having to spot Mely's Sisig and Everybody's Cafe.   Such places were foodies goes for a Pampanga's food trip and bloggers  brag about how exceptional  Filipino Cuisine is.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Le Bistro D' Agathe, A Diner and An Art Gallery in One



There is nothing too fancy about this place, except  a comforting food on the table, a quiet place to sip glasses of wine and artistic impressions on the wall beckons as you go inside through an elementary door. Situated at the corner where cars re-route avoiding the gas leakage along South Super Highway.
If you 're on a gastronomic tour in Manila, this part of Makati would be considered last in line, for a French dining even.  For sure, foodies would flock Bonifacio Global City, Eastwood or Timog. But think again!
Since the time it was being refurbished, we would always drive by slowly, taking closer looks at Le Bistro D' Agathe. Since we live just across EDSA, Evangelista St. is always our quick trip to Bulalo house. It somehow saddened me thinking there weren't enough good restaurants in Pasay or the outstrip of Makati , such as Bangkal and Evangelista, except in Mall of Asia.
Till finally a French chef decided to bring the famed French bistro from Puerto Galera.
The corner looked a bit artsy from the graffiti outside the building. We thought of it first as an art gallery or "tambayan," since the place is tucked away from traffic and main street.
Then we found out, when the signage were finally placed, that it was a bistro.  
For everyone's knowing,  a  bistro is a small, casual eating establishment known for serving hearty, simple fare along with wine.   Bistros originated in France and the United States has adapted the French bistro idea into American bistros.    An American bistro is likely to have not only French food, but basic filling foods inspired from other cuisines such as Asian and Italian.
The origin of the word, bistro, to mean a certain style of restaurant is debatable, but is widely thought to date back to when Russian soldiers fought with the French in France during World War I and would demand food quickly, as bistro means "fast" in Russian. But, bistro food is home cooking rather than typical American fast food or fancy, fussy fare. In Europe, bistro cooking was developed as a way of using up foods such as making fresh vegetables and leftover meats into hearty stews. Bistro fare may also be as basic as baguette, or French bread, served with pate and a glass of wine.



At that time they were offering a set menu for a good value dinner for P580.   We didn't order wines to cut out on the budget for the price on the is a bit not this side of town, pricey for short.  We started with the sliced baguettes and butter.  Again to keep up with our budget, (to be honest we did not expect the cuisine to be that authentic) we ordered one set menu and order another main course from the  ala carte.   Then, Terrine came, which Chef Patrice himself was served.   A  well-seasoned, pork meat  combined with egg, whole cream and brandy for added richness and flavor,  baked in a container called a terrine, which is basically a long, thin loaf pan. If a terrine sounds familiar even though you aren’t well-versed in French cuisine, then you might be thinking instead of a terrine’s distant cousin, meatloaf.   Meatloaf is like the lazy man’s terrine. Meatloaf takes less time to make, is eaten hot right out of the oven and has a texture closer to a hamburger than a smooth, dense pâté. Think of a terrine as the ultimate meatloaf: more meat, more fat, more flavor.
The Chicken Mustard Cream (P 390) with fried potatoes, was initially for me , then Bhogs made the switch because he did not find the tarragon sauce to his liking.   The chef doesn't put too much salt, or even none at all, however I found the fried potatoes fried nicely without any salty after-bite.  The same goes with the chicken dish.  The light mustard taste of the sauce didn't overpower the whole dish.   The sauce being creamy was perfect with the potatoes.
The fresh tarragon leaves gave the licorice and strong aromatic  kick to the Pork Tenderloin.   known to be the "king of herbs" by French, is the main flavoring in many of the sauces that form the foundation of classic French cuisine.  Good in itself, made better paired with our staple, rice.  Pure French goodness.   Remind me to check out a recipe for this, for I never really tried using tarragon in any of my own dishes.
Now the perfect endings for a sumptuous French bistro  try-out.   The Chocolate Mousse!  The rich and silky texture, which is not too sweet but simply chocolatey, corrected my tastes buds from the spices and all the other flavors  that was churned in my mouth.   Sure it would be great with coffee.
Chef Patrice Delobbe was so kind enough to give us a sampling of an authentic French Apple tart.  Not only does it taste beyond lovely, old-style frangipane on a flaky thin crust topped with tenderized thinly sliced fresh green apples and sprinkled with cinnamon made my night.    But I think the simplicity of this made it really delicious, and take note that Chef didn't put sugar on it, the apples being caramelized on its own sugar levered the sweetness.    So never leave the place without having this tried out.


While enjoying a fine lunch or dinner, you'll also be dazzled by the artworks on the walls of the bistro, indeed, it also stands to be a gallery, helping the Chef's artist friends to temporary home arbitrary works of arts and find buyers for them as well.


Le Bistro d'Agathe
 1154 A Lacuna St. cor. Rodriguez Avenue, Bangkal, 1233 Makati
(former location of Fat Michael's)
Operating Hours:
Mon - Sat: 11:30 am - 3:00 pm
Mon - Sat: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Email: lebistrodagathe@gmail.com
Telephone: +63947 519-2148 
FacebookLe Bistro D'Agathe 

My Christmas Food Trip Friday entry:

Monday, December 19, 2011

Chocolate Bark for Noche Buena


Hey!  It’s Christmas and here in Manila, traffic jams since the December month came  really kicked up like hell.   By the mid-month all the mall have been like some kind of a safari!  And just days before Christmas, only then can the feast be planned.  The Noche Buena…and everyone lines up the cashier awaiting to be served after hours spent picking the right ingredients said to be part of the list from a roll of paper.  Hoohh!

I used to remember the holidays when I was a child.   Anticipating about Christmas school-parties, Simbang Gabi, new clothes and stuff, gifts opening on Christmas Eve and of course, Noche Buena.   Those times when fire-crackers start cracking and houses smelled heaven, each home cooking up storms of their heir-loomed recipes.   And our house would have boxes of imported chocolates from Saudi Arabia, and US.  Ahhh…the chocolates.  
I could forever be a kid with my favorite chocolates…

I could never get tired of gnawing on these cubes of goodness.   May it be milky sweet, uber bitter, semi-sweet, coarse, melted, hot or cold, hard as a gravel or whatever form it may seem to acquire.   All those chunks stylishly wrapped in gold or silver is what completes my Christmas!   Well you’d say, you can have it everyday not only during Christmas.   And I’d say, well that would make everyday choco-indulgence a Christmas day for me.

As a matter of fact, with the love I had with cocoa, I learned to bake, and with that I immersed myself studying more on how to sell chocolates in my own simple ways and thus I became a Chocolate Concessionaire.   Molding chocolates and giving so much attention to details that it took over my whole being and forgot how it can also be bad to your health.   Yes the insanity that drove me to delving in too much to it, hahaha… Actually everything that is too much is bad, though there has been a lot of news in the past year about how chocolate is actually (maybe) good for you.  Well, no one can deviate that it is sweet, thus may contribute to the raising issues of diabetes.  No, I don’t have diabetes but my daughter has but not because of chocolate, primarily because she was born with it.  Not until she was five when it really manifested and had almost took us under. 
So there’s dark chocolate, make sure it is not lower than the 40 % dark. I am however taking the concept one step further by combining the miracle food that is chocolate with other beneficial all-natural ingredients to make what I would tend to think of as holistic health chocolate. 
When I was a kid, well until now as well, I would always receive this as gift, handful of toblerones, Mayfairs, Goya and Hersheys to name a few, and this is my gift for you…
Thank you Kulinarya and fellow foodies of the group, for having us, together with Sherilyn of  Senorita Sisa's Blog  , as this month’s hosts.   What I initially thought of was having everyone in Kulinarya share a dish using one of their favorite ingredient.   But alas, well since everyone had been up to decorating their homes well this could also be a good time spent thinking how we can get our table for Christmas more embellished through the menu everyone have designed and with of course the star dish.
As you can see I’ve been clamoring a lot about chocolates, but my first thought was on dried fruits, like the ones we have for Fruit Cakes. 
picture from Chocolate Fire's FB page
It was my plan to do Chocolate Barks as my gift for my kids’ teachers.  I first encountered this at Naci Comfort Foods and Dessert Bar, a newly-opened restaurant at Greenhills.  Then I saw this next during Facebook airtimes of Chocolate Fire, a chocolate café in Salcedo, Makati.  I’ve never actually tried making this nor have I seen a demo on this, but then my kitchen is always up for an experiment.   So of we went to Chocolate Fire to check out their Christmas barks and of course to try out the foray on their menu.  Here is what I got, Belgian Hot choco, Bhogs had the regular cappucino...
Australian Style Hot Dark Chocolate ( P 120)
Cappucino served with shaved Belgian Chocolate (P 95)
We did not buy the barks since I got to think that I might be able to imitate them and I was  prepared since I had my parents buy me  a few packs of dried fruits from Milan, Italy.
The five assortment of dried fruits- Macedonia (mix  of the ff with cherries and pears), dates, apples, peaches , prunes
Well, I did it!  It was as easy as pie...No gadgets to buy, no ovens, and you can actually play with an array of mixins, so if you're not into dried fruits you can just put nuts, rice crispies, marshmallows and many more,
To make it extra special I used chocolate molds with teddy bear and angel design, but you can also use plastic lids or any small trays that would fit your freezer.

It wasn't the look that I've expected though coz I don't have a dried fruit that's red, like cranberries or strawberries, but I'll do better on Christmas eve.
Yes!  I don't have to spend that much to have me and my family enjoy chocolate in a healthy way, since chocolate barks in Christmas packages are sold a bit pricey here in Manila.  But before I give you the full detail on how to make them, let me give you my pre-planned Noche Buena menu, well we don't actually do Noche Buena per se, we eat an extravagant dinner at 8 o'clock on the 24th, since by 10 pm my kids would have gone to bed and would hardly eat at midnight.  They just wake up and open their gifts and go back to sleep afterwards, then they will enjoy their opened up gifts the next day.
My 2011 Noche Buena menu:
Appetizer
Canapes with cream cheese and caviar
Oriental Crab Cake Salad
Entree
3 Cup Chicken (Chef Bruce Lim's Lee Kum Kee recicpe)
Ribbon Pasta with Pesto Sauce
Dessert
Chocolate Java Truffles
Dark and White Chocolate Barks 

While waiting for the Eve...Hot Tsokolate eh, using pure chocolate blocks from Bohol.

This year has really rocked my world, as in...so I don't want to complicate my life in preparing our festive dinner, just the six of us and a few visits from relatives nearby.   It may not be as festive as anybody's but as long as you offer your cooking skills to your loved ones it becomes the best dinner for them!
Hoping that my daughter, Danielle pitch in and bake brownies or cupcakes!!!   (Huwag sana unahan ng katamaran).
Pardon me for the picture, the barks were already in plastic boxes
Recipe for Chocolate Barks
Things needed:
1/2 K dark chocolate bar
1/2 K white chocolate bar
1 cup mixed nuts (i used chopped walnuts and slivered almonds)
2 cups mixed dried fruits 

To make the Chocolate Barks:
1.   Do the white chocolate first.   Chop the white chocolates and set aside.
2.   Chop the dried fruits in small pieces , as in 1 cm thick.  Depends on how thin or think you want your barks to be.
3.   Prepare a double boiler or two pans, one bigger pan or aluminum bowl on top of the other.  Put boiling water on the bottom pan at least 2/3 of the pan.  Put the chocolate on the pan or bowl on top of the pan with boiling water.  For the double boiler, just do the same.  
4.   Once the chocolate is melted thoroughly, and the consistency is flowing when you put up a spoon with it, dump in the nuts and the dried fruits.   Mix well to completely cover the mixins with chocolate.
5.  Spoon slowly on the molds or plastic lids, then put inside the freezer. 
6.  You can remove the molds when you see that the bottom of the plastic is frosty already.
7.  Bash it on a tray carefully to remove the chocolates on the mold.
8.  Leave it there for a few minutes, be careful not to touch it with bare fingers for your marks will be left on them, the shiny look will not be be achieved.
9.  Do the same with the dark chocolate.
10.  You may or may not break the barks up, but if you want the fruits to show off on the edge, you may want to break it, either with a knife or with hands, but put on  plastic gloves first.

Sorry, but due to excitement and time constraints I was not able to take shots of them not on the boxes.  Oh! I think I had at least one, that's on the top in white chocolate though. 
As you can see, these are not only good to munch on all by yourselves, their as good as any gifts worth of expensive gourmet chocolates, you may also want to spruce it up a bit by adding your fave alcohol drink, but put it on the fruits not on the chocolates.   Other chocolates may be used as well such as semi-sweet choco-chips, milk chocolates and others.
Let me have the honor of greeting everyone an early Merry Christmas!


Saturday, December 17, 2011

Animal Wonderland at Star City

Are your family tired and fed up with the usual fare or do you need to travel a far down to South to enjoy an enchanted amusement?
Are you one of those looking for new avenues to explore this Christmas?

Are you one of the parents whose being badgered by own kids so that they be bought pet animals for Christmas?

Wahaha...I am all of the above!
Good thing  I got an invite from a friend during the launch of Animal Wonderland which is inside Star City.   It offers a new jungle inspired attraction with a petting zoo and animal shows,  now open to be explored.
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Feel a bit of love from the nature, as you walk through Animal Wonderland where real farm animals delight you while having to feed and cuddle them around the area.   The cowboy and Indian-inspired theme brings more fun to the whole park.  It is designed to educate the young and the “young at heart” about the importance of taking care of animals.
IMG_5336
The newest addition to Zoomanity Group’s theme parks, in line with Zoobic Safari in Subic, Zoocobia fun Zoo in Clark, Residence Inn mini zoo in Tagaytay, Paradizoo Theme Farm in Mendez Cavite,  Zoocolate Thrills in Loboc, Bohol.   The Group of theme parks under this company envision the Philippines to be One Big Green Park- with world class, innovative and enjoyable attractions and facilities.
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This December, Animal Wonderland offers “PETS-TIVAL” which is a new show for well-trained animals.   Watch them perform live as they show off with their amazing tricks.   Bantay of the GMA 7 show, Bantatay, a labrador will give you some of his amazing Math doggy skills and have him jump over rings of fire, as how you’ve seen him made stunts on that show.
Here are just some of the animals you can find, you can touch them, feed them, take pictures with them and watch them do their thing…


Also, enjoy other activities such as gold rush, zip line thrill, photo op and stuff-it.  The tour welcomes guest and also ends up on the store where you can bring home memories from the visit with a vast selection of items from the souvenir shop.

More from Zoomanity Group…
Zoomanity
Come and visit Animal Wonderland located inside Star City in Pasay.   To inquire more, do call 899-9824;  8957142 or  text them at 0917 8351111.
Visit their website at www.zoomanity.com.ph and at  please like their Facebook page also.

Hi guys!

It's about time...or not...I need your help!
I'm on the process of having this site revamped.   I am kind of thinking of making this a food and travel.   This is however a family blog though  couldn't be classified as a mommy-blog, which by the way I also have at Wordpress.
But do excuse me for posting non-food blogs for the moment.   This is in time for everyone's family Christmas bonding anyway so, might I be excused for posting relevant and up to date issues.  
Will be posting important news and updates on DepEd's K to 12 information.   With these, for me to find out also whether or not non-food post can also be welcomed here.   So please, everyone is welcome to comment and suggest whether or not I should merge food and travel.
Hoping you could also check out my other site which carries relevant family issues, health and beauty reviews, hotel/accommodations and travel.

Cheers to a Merrier Christmas season and blogging!
God bless you and thanks for everything....

NTBN:  Christmas Give-aways not yet finished...  After my last GC give-away, I am still planning to have more just in time for the season of giving and sharing...so just drop by often and check it out!

Monday, December 12, 2011

A Christmas Preamble


HAIKU FOR HOT CHOCOLATE

Snowy winter night.
Cups of sweet, hot chocolate
comfort like a hug.


(over8t's comment from Serious Eats)



This was for me the highlight of our Baguio tour.  I've read several well-written verses about it and if you google it, you'll find fascinating facts about it.   So when we planned getting there, I put it in my heart that I will search for this in Baguio and a must for a newbie, wannabe good food blogger to relish this.   Though Camp John Hay has lots to offer for a wonderland of  epicurean experience, a walk in the "neo-Cordillera" garden can not be exchanged with any picnic or seat-down dinners inside the camp or in any place in Baguio, should I say.

Right in the heart of Camp John Hay is a marvel to be discovered.   Chocolate aficionados would agree when I say that a Philippine treasure is just a sip away from a humbled cup and this might be the vice that would end all vices.   Choco-Late' de Batirol prides itself with the finest "tsokolate blend," prepared in a traditional Spanish way.

After a sumptuous Filipino lunch, we trekked the camp nearest the place we rented for three days.  The long and winding trip uphill made our stomach grumble and we prepped up for Baguio's cuisine.    A short visit gave way to a filling snack, and my Papa needed to have his regular afternoon coffee-break and so do we.   But no coffees for me this time, for I now know where to have mine.   This also gave way for me to practice with taking nature pictures such as macro shots with hard-to-find flowers.

When that day ended...


An enchanting evening waited for us after the Camp John Hay round up.   It was the opening, the second night actually, of the  Christmas Village which the people from the camp have put up for the hotels's guest and sight-seers.   What was so attracting was the fact that they pushed a very eco-friendly and environment friendly affair.   


The decorations were carefully hand-crafted from used bio-degradable materials.   Not a pine tree was harmed....Barks and birches were affixed together to form a withered-tree and coated with bubbly soap-suds which created a snow-cap effects.   No styro's that looked liked snows this time!  Haha...  But fresh laundry smell on the Snowman.

Christmas tree ornaments fascinated us all.  My kids were the one who recognized first, paper cups, used soft drink bottles, soda cans and paper mache'd houses and of course, acorns and tons of it,  All  turned into lovely work of arts.   This actually gave me ideas on our Christmas-themed arts and crafts at our Sunday school classes.

With a mere cost of P60  for adults and P30 for kids, cold semi-winter feel with all the Christmas lights and sounds can be such a sight not only for kids but more so for lovers.
Though it was still on the late days of November, the feel of December beckon here already.
What joy, truly a great preamble to our family's Christmas days. 

Friday, December 9, 2011

The Winner of Chef's Table GC

AND THE WINNER IS....!
Before I give out the name and the link of the one who will be getting the gift cert, let me just let you in for a sec on what I have shared so far through this blog.
My very first give-away was a box of my Chocolate cupcakes and a  voucher for a dozen of Chewy Junior's Cream Puffs.
Here is the link for that:
Ning Buning of won the cupcakes and 
someone who liked my fan page got the Chewy Juniors
Then, for my first blog anniversary, on my Gastronomyby Joy Turns 1.   I hosted a mini dine-out with bloggers who won through their comments as well.   Gave them Kashi Maki's from My Pink Wasabi  and a bottle each Glass Gastronomica, an Italian salad dressing and my chocolate cupcakes.
My kids (as usual) picked Yedy Caluguas of  Yedylicious Food Blog and Peachy Valderama-Adarne of The Peach Kitchen and another blogger who wasn't able to come.
Check out their chronicles for our celebration:

*Thanks also to Raymond Anthony Quisumbing for the picture...

Now let me introduce the "Super-Mom Blogger" who cared enough to check out this write-up and took time to comment though her hands ached due to household chores...Nuts!  She is the writer of More Than Just a SAHM...Thanks so much Nora!  Hope you enjoy together with your kids the food at Chef's Table.   Chef Bruce Lim would be there to definitely entertain you!

YEY!

Thank you so much for all your comments and with that I'm sure the Lord is pleased with your thanksgiving.  He first of all will be the one to double up even more the blessing you are getting!



Thursday, December 8, 2011

Feeling Like 'Everyday Italian' - Easy Risotto Recipe


Do you know Giada De Laurentiis?

She is an Italian American chef, one of my favorite chef from Food Network.   She somehow makes cooking Italian easy and fun.  That's one reason, why I love preparing Italian dishes at home, which my kids and husband have grown to be fond of.

Last month, when my mother was here, for a short one-month vacation, she took time to cook for us Porcini Risotto.  Both my parents and my two siblings are living and working at Milan, another reason why I knew Italian cuisine and have lots of their products in our pantry.  

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Experience Christmas at Pan Pacific Manila


As with all things we do, it's one thing at a time with twenty other things running through our brains simultaneously. But that's the way we work best. Concentrate on one thing, whilst thinking about other goals needing to be reached.
A few more days and it will be Christmas, Bhogs and I have been checking our savings account to spend on buying gifts, for our own kids, our church's kids (being the head of Sunday School), friends' kids with god-kids included and more.  I'm not thinking yet of what to give to friends, relatives and customers, if all those could be summed up it might blow you away.   Only a few decor embellish our home yet, the Christmas tree isn't up...and the list goes on...We did had options of moving away just for the holiday season.   Ssshhh!  We're kinda thinking we might not have enough for everybody so we planned to stay in some hotel or resort.  Well we haven't decided, and I'm sure the Lord will provide, as He always does in amazing ways.
However, I was treated (sort of an early Christmas gift for myself) by friends from hotels as they celebrate the joyous season and count down till Christmas, welcoming friends and clients with gorgeously-ornamented Christmas trees, lobbies trimmed in the reds, greens and gold...festive cocktails and intermingling with illustrious people.
I'm done with Manila Hotel, I still owe Marriott Hotel Manila a substantial write up on  this year's Christmas tree lighting.  And well, Pan Pacific is up!
The first and finest Butler hotel in the Philippines marked the start of the holidays with its annual tree lighting ceremony with guests, clients and partners last December 1 at the Lobby.
The hotel's General Manager, Richard Masselin, started the event with a brief welcome message. An inspiring message from the guest of honor, Mayor Alfredo Lim, then followed.  The hotel’s singing ambassadors, the Butler Chorale, serenaded the guests with their favorite Christmas carols.  The lobby, as would all hotel, was decorated with beautiful ornaments.  What differs them though is their  2012 theme: “Save Energy, Save Lives”, another go green initiative of the hotel. 
Before the turn of the hour, food preparations are done, and what's left of the one who prepared is a tired and sleepy bod,  since we as Filipinos  mark the Christmas eve with  the table full of festive forage. Which is always true about me.  
However, if you are away from your home or feeling like giving yourself a break from the hustle and bustle, Pan Pacific has these to offer...

***Savour the warmth of the season with Pan Pacific Manila’s luxurious rooms and suites with My Christmas Getaway Program.  Book now and receive twelve gifts from your Butler for 2012, buffet breakfast and pre-dinner cocktails for two at the Pacific Lounge and discounts on in-room massage, and food and beverage items at the Lobby Lounge, Pacific Lounge and My Pool.   Book on December 24 and get complimentary Noche Buena for up to two guests at the Garden and Gazebo after the 11:00pm Holy Mass.   Rate starts at Php 6,500 net per night.  Valid from December 1, 2011 to January 15, 2012 with block out period of December 30 and 31, 2011.
***Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with your loved ones over a sumptuous four course Christmas Dinner while enjoying the breathtaking views of the Manila skyline and the Manila Bay.  Offered at Php 1,500 net per person.  December 25, 2011, 6:00pm to 10:00pm at the Pacific Lounge.
***Let the hotel’s singing ambassadors serenade you as the Butler Chorale perform your favorite Christmas carols at the Lobby from December 16 to 24, 2011 from 5:30pm to 6:00pm.
***Give in to your sweet tooth or give the most wonderful gift during the Holidays with our Christmas Goodies and Hampers.  Try their delicious and mouth watering treats from December 1, 2011 to January 15, 2012 at the Lobby Lounge.
 If however, you want this this kind of ultimate family or self pampering holiday treat, but is not possible at Christmas, you can have it on New Year.   Here is how Pan Pacific Manila, as the first and finest Butler hotel in the Philippines, have perfectly planned it for you and your loved-one/s...
 Relax and rejuvenate as the year ends and welcome the new year with  Pan Pacific Manila’s “My New Year Weekend”.  Book now and get overnight accomodation with buffet breakfast for two at the Pacific Lounge, with 12 gift vouchers, discounts on food and beverage at the Lobby Lounge, Pacific Lounge, and My Pool Bar, and one ticket to the hotel’s New Year Countdown party on December 31.  Rate starts Php 8,500 net.  Valid December 30 and 31, 2011. 
 Welcome the new year with a spark with Pan Pacific Manila’s New Year Countdown Party.  Enjoy International buffet dinner with one round of welcome drink while dancing to the funky beat and high energy of Soul Republiq. With countdown toast with one round of sparkling wine and a chance to win exciting prizes.  Tickets are available at Php 2,500 net per adult or Php 1,250 net per child (7 to 12 years old). December 31, 2011, dinner starts at 7:00pm at the Pacific Lounge, countdown and viewing of fireworks display at 11:30pm at the Rooftop.



For enquiries and reservations, call 318 0788 and ask for the Butler, of course!  Terms and conditions apply

Photos courtesy of Pan Pacific...tsk, tsk...I could have been there and take photos myself...

Pan Pacific Hotel Manila
M. Adriatico corner Gen. Malvar Streets, Malate, 
Manila City 1004 Philippines
Call them at 632  318-0788