The Manila Hotel’s Culinary Showstoppers this July

This July, The Manila Hotel invites guests to savor an enticing selection of culinary experiences across its renowned dining outlets.

Fresh Offerings at the Lobby Lounge and Tap Room

In celebration of World Chocolate Day, the Lobby Lounge presents a mouthwatering Chocolate Afternoon Tea available from July 7 to 13, between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm. Guests can delight in an elegant array of chocolate-infused bites including Chocolate Scones with Raspberry Syrup, Chocolate Bibingka, Tart au Chocolate, Pralines, Chocolate Madeleine, Banana Chocolate Turon, Tablea Chicken Adobo Sandwich, and Eggplant-Chocolate Napoleon. Each set is served with a choice of freshly brewed coffee, premium tea, or the hotel’s signature hot chocolate.

Chocolate Afternoon Tea

Also available throughout July is the Dark and Stormy cocktail, a bold and refreshing blend of rum, ginger beer, and lime—perfect for sipping through the rainy season.

Bastille Day at the Champagne Room

Celebrate Bastille Day with a taste of France at the Champagne Room from July 9 to 15. A specially curated French set menu, available for both lunch and dinner, includes Country Pork Terrine, Onion-Wild Mushroom Soup, Lamb Rack in Herb Crumble, Ratatouille, Brie de Meaux, Cherry Clafoutis, French Macarons, and a choice of coffee of tea. This menu is priced at Php 4,688 nett per person.

Delicatessen Specials

Discover new favorites at the Delicatessen, featuring freshly baked delights and decadent sweets. Enjoy the soft, pillowy Brioche and Shokupan ideal for breakfast or gourmet sandwiches. For a luxurious bite, try the Dubai Pistachio Chocolate, a decadent fusion of pistachios and fine chocolate.

Dubai Pistachio Chocolate

Vegan-Friendly Offers

The Manila Hotel also unveils a lineup of vegan offerings, catering to plant-based lifestyles and wellness- conscious guests. At the Lobby Lounge, the Vegan Burger featuring a hearty Portobello mushroom patty served in a vegan bun, accompanied by sweet potato fries. This dish is available at a special rate of Php 600 nett per order.

Vegan Portobello Mushroom Burger

The Champagne Room presents an elegant Vegan Degustation Menu that includes Duo of Chickpea Purée and Eggplant Salad with Tortilla Chips, Tuscan White Bean Soup with Vegetables and Kale, Mixed Mushroom Potato Ravioli, Vegetable Sofrito sautéed in Truffle Oil and Herbs, Green Mango Sorbet, Strudel of sautéed Vegetables and Tofu in Curry Cream Sauce, and fresh seasonal fruits.

Over at the Delicatessen, guests can also enjoy the Vegan Chocolate Almond Cake, a rich and moist dessert made without dairy or eggs, ideal for health-conscious chocolate lovers.

Vegan Chocolate Almond Cake

Mid-Autumn Festival Early Bird Offer

To celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, The Manila Hotel offers and exclusive early bird offer on its Mooncake Box of Four. Guests can enjoy 30% off the regular price of Php 3,888 nett, now available at Php 2,721.60 nett per order, valid until September 15. Each set is crafted with the finest ingredients and presented in an elegant commemorative box that pays tribute to the iconic façade of The Manila Hotel, making it a delectable gift and a timeless keepsake. Pick-up of orders starts on September 16. The early bird offer is subject to terms and conditions. Per DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-229154 Series of 2025.

For more information, call +632 8527 0011 or +632 5301 5500, email restaurantrsvn@themanilahotel.com, or visit www.manila-hotel.com.ph.

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Say it with Chocolate Cake! Choco-Loco at SM Malls in the East Metro

This January 27, Chocolate lovers, unite to celebrate the National Chocolate Cake Day! Indulge in the ultimate sweet escape with the most decadent chocolate cakes at SM Malls in the East Metro. Whether you crave a classic slice or a fancy twist, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Let’s take a delicious tour through SM Marikina, Masinag, San Mateo, and Antipolo Downtown for the best chocolate cake finds.

Heartfelt

Goldilocks’ Round Dedication Cake at SM Center Antipolo Downtown. This is also available in Goldilocks SM City Marikina, Masinag and San Mateo.

Celebrate the day with Goldilocks’ iconic Round Chocolate Dedication Cake. Soft, moist, and topped with a rich chocolate frosting, this cake is perfect for sharing heartfelt messages or simply enjoying with your loved ones. Personalize it and make this sweet moment even more special!

Chocolatey Treats at SM City Masinag

At SM City Masinag, it’s a chocolate lover’s paradise. Relish the Chocolate Bliss and Chocolate Mousse from Red Ribbon—a heavenly duo of velvety textures and bold cocoa flavors. For a touch of elegance, savor Mary Grace’s Chocolate Truffle Cake, a decadent masterpiece that’s perfect for any celebration.

A Symphony of Chocolates at SM City San Mateo

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake from The Taste of Czaczacza in SM City San Mateo

This baby Chocolate Cake from Mary Grace Café is ready to be taken home today

Indulge in Mary Grace’s Chocolate Cake, a Belgian Chocolate filled cake that is crowd favorite that never disappoints. Or discover the unique delight of The Taste of Czaczacza’s creations—a chocolate cake experience that will leave you craving more. Head to SM City San Mateo and let these cakes redefine decadence.

SM City Marikina: A Chocoholic’s Wonderland

Chocolate cake from Dulcinea at SM City Marikina

Chocolate cake and macarons on this crowd favorite Boston Chocolate Cake from BreadTalk SM City Marikina

Dainty buttercream flowers on this rich chocolate cake from Hearts & Bells SM City Marikina

From the luxurious creations at Dulcinea to the premium selections at Bread Talk, SM City Marikina’s chocolate cakes are nothing short of spectacular. Don’t miss the dainty designs and indulgent flavors of Hearts & Bells—perfect for both celebrations and everyday treats.

Don’t Just Dream It, Eat It!
Celebrate National Chocolate Cake Day by treating yourself and your loved ones to these irresistible chocolate cakes. Head to your nearest SM Mall in the East Metro and take your pick from these rich, creamy, and oh-so-chocolatey options. Your sweet escape awaits—grab a slice of happiness today!

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Snack Exchange gives the chocolate experience from around the world

What is your favorite type of chocolate? For me, I like it dark but I also like milk chocolate, with fruits, nuts. Nothing goes to waste with chocolate. The food of the gods that was discovered 5000 years ago was initially used by the Aztecs for medicinal purposes rather than a delicacy.

To celebrate the goodness of chocolate, SM Snack Exchange provides a variety of chocolate confections from around the world -- cream-filled bonbon to praline; from signature melt-in-your-mouth chocolates to the single-source dark chocolate bar; and from colorful chocolate candies to fruit-dipped chocolate.

• Switzerland is known for its cheese, mountains, and its smooth and creamy milk chocolate. In 1887, after many attempts. Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter created the original formula of what was to become the first successful milk chocolate. Before this, chocolate was not considered a delicacy but was more of nourishing medicinal food. Two ingredients, milk and cocoa butter, which make the chocolate melt at body temperature, are a big part of the reason why Swiss chocolate is so famous.
  
  One can find premium Swiss chocolate brands at Snack Exchange - Lindt, which started in 1845 and has 370 shops around the globe; and Toblerone, the unique triangular shaped chocolate bar inspired by the Matterhorn, with its heavenly taste of Swiss milk, filled with natural honey, finest cocoa and almond nougat.
  
  
  
  
  
• Belgium has been called the “Chocolate Capital of the World" and you can’t go to Belgium and not go to a chocolate shop. There are more than 2,000 around the country. Belgian chocolates are known to have a higher cocoa content, and filled Belgian chocolates such as truffles and molded pralines are very often in a fanciful shape and filled with buttercreams and ganache.
  
  
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• Italy is passionate about its cuisine as it is for its art and culture. What makes Italian chocolate so good is that Italians care so much about the purity of ingredients, and have amazingly combined the sophistication of dark chocolate and all the decadence of milk chocolate.
  
  Discover this with the Ferrero and Nutella lines at Snack Exchange founded in 1942 by Pietro Ferrero, a Turinese milkman. He created the famous Ferrero Rocher, crunchy chocolate with hazelnuts on the outside of a wafer and a chocolate and hazelnut filling, wrapped in gold paper.
  
  
  
  
  
• Britain has been a nation of chocoholics since the 19th century, considered the golden age for cocoa-based creativity in the UK. It was during this time that Fry & Sons produced the first solid chocolate bar in 1847, and Cream Sticks, the first filled chocolate sweet in 1853; and Cadbury introduced Dairy Milk in 1905 using a higher proportion of milk. Soon, other brands like the Mars bar in 1933; Milky Way and KitKat in 1935, Maltesers in 1936, and Aero and Smarties in 1937, made the UK a chocolate lover’s haven.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• American chocolates are sweet and delectable, and in the US, are a way of saying “I Love You”. Chocolates were even considered comfort food for the masses when Milton Hershey produced large masses of chocolate milk bars known as Hershey’s Milk Chocolate or “The Great American Chocolate Bar” at an affordable price. during World War, chocolates were being rationed with the soldiers.
  
  
  
  
  
• The Philippines was the landing point for cacao in Asia, making consummate Filipinos chocolate lovers. For generations, they enjoyed a piping hot chocolate drink with the tableya is a small chocolate tablet. Through the years, the government’s initiative to rehabilitate the cacao industry started in the emergence of small-scale chocolate makers like Auro Chocolate who created world-class bean to bar chocolate rooted in Filipino Heritage and traditions, and can be found at SM Snack Exchange.
  
  
  

Other Asian countries have since developed their own chocolate treats Japan has Meiji, with its bean-to-bar and organic chocolates for the health-conscious; while Korea has Lotte’s Pepero, a thin cookie stick dipped in chocolate. More treats and snacks from Japan and Korea can also be found at SM Snack Exchange.

Shop at home and celebrate Chocolate Around The World as The SM Store Snack Exchange is now available online at https://www.thesmstore.com/collections/snack-exchange or order via The SM Store Call to Deliver services at #143SM (#14376) and have a personal shopper assists you. For more updates and exciting deals, follow The SM Store Snack Exchange or check out their online Catalog in Viber https://bit.ly/3aXdXax.

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Heart-crafted chocolates from Red Hat Cacao

What makes a great chocolate? While I am a fan myself, my favorite will always be dark chocolate. It was a luxury before in Europe and was a currency in Central Americas in ancient times. But with all the different kinds of chocolate that we see in stores, hotels, and more, it is always a privilege to know more wonders about our favorite dessert, especially if we discover that we can make a variety, locally.

Gladys Hernando, a head writer for a TV network, happens to own a cacao farm in Quezon and also a chocolate enthusiast. Learned to make chocolate from scratch as a passion also opened doors to venture into business. A heart-crafted chocolates has gained the attention of celebrities like Janno Gibbs, Phillip Lazaro and her colleagues while bringing samples on set just for enjoyment. She wasn't prepared for the attention but an endeavor that she wouldn't complain, she says.

Red Hat Cacao, a trademark by accident just by wearing a red hat while harvesting her cacao. Now she's exploring different kinds of products she can make. One of which is her slab of dark chocolate topped with nuts and dried fruits. Bittersweet combination that you can't stop eating when you start at first bite. Almost a kilo of chocolate costs around Php 2,950 but it is very good for those in diet because there's not much chocolate fat. Of course, we know that dark chocolate is better than milk chocolates.

She does everything on her own and a whole chocolate bark is almost 12 hours to make. The hardest part is tempering, Gladys says, as chocolate requires a very specific temperature to achieve such consistency. Soon, she will be flying to the US to study more about chocolate properties that she can bring back home and try on her products as well.

Red Hat Cacao is also an ideal Christmas gift. You can get packs from the slab and give it to your loved ones. It is perfect to pair with coffee or wine and you can eat fruits on the side too for a healthier snack.

Did you know that she also makes ginger chocolate? She loves putting chocolate to whatever and ginger chocolate is one amazing product also made by accident. A cure for cough and colds with the lovely taste of chocolate.

For more information about Red Hat Cacao, you may check out redhatcacao.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram (@redhatcacao_ph). You may buy their products every weekends of October at the Chocolate Fest in Eastwood City.

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M&M's chocolate can take you to Japan with Screenbite Promo!

Movie nights or binge watching is made more fun and can be your ticket to Japan with M&M's Screenbite Promo. A short video or photo while you enjoy your favorite movie and eating M&M's chocolates can be your entry to win exclusive M&M's merchandise, movie tickets or a trip to Universal Studios Japan.

Visit www.screenbiteawards.com and just follow the simple 3-step method and you'll be able to enter easily. Select the category that best suits your entry. Choose M&M’S® Red, the leader of the gang, strong-willed, fierce and daring represents all the ACTION. One of Red’s mottos is, “Never underestimate the power of chocolate and M&M’S®!”

M&M’S® Yellow, the friendliest and funniest of them all, loves Comedy and enjoys seeing his friends laughing like crazy. Yellow says, “Life is better when you’re laughing…and eating M&M’S®!” And finally, it’s no surprise that the beautiful and passionate M&M’S® Green, represents ROMANCE. This confident gal also has an emotional side that can get teary-eyed while watching a good love story. Ms. Green affirms, “All you need is love. But a little M&M’S® now and then won’t hurt!”

The biggest treat is for the lucky grand winner who will win a trip for two (2) to Universal Studios Japan. “No guts no glory! Let’s get this show on the road!”, says Red.
Be sure to capture your or your group’s reaction while watching videos and consuming M&M’S® – after all, sharing the screentime experience makes it even more fun. Multiple entries are allowed so keep on posting to get more chances of winning! Promo will run for 7 weeks starting on August 1, 2017 at 12:00AM until September 21, 2017 at 11:59 AM. For full contest details, visit www.facebook.com/MMsPhilippines.

I am excited to upload my entry and at the same time catch up with the movies and TV series that give LOL, WOW and XOXO.

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Casa Vallejo's HILL STATION

After we are done with the short photo session at Mt. Cloud, I got a bit hungry and I don't have to trod longer because Casa Vallejo offers another surprise within its doors. The Hill Station serves more than just the ambiance of Baguio City, it also provides delectable desserts that we have to try.

Stepping into the cafe gives a very homey feeling. The shiny wooden floors reminds you that you are in a great country getaway. Welcoming us at the counter is a shelf of yummy desserts and I said to myself that I have to stay and try one of those.

Exit Mt Cloud to the right and enter Hill Station's Cafe Area

The dining area is a great ballroom overlooking Session Road and when you turn around is a huge staircase leading to the quarters also available for tourists. Its walls are decorated by old photos by which if they can talk, you will learn more of the history of the place and appreciate the heritage it offers.

We stopped in Hill Station longer and ordered yummy desserts. It is not too pricey and I was really satisfied with my Chocolate Lemon Tart. The citrus kick at every bite is very interesting and smooth. Perfect to match with a steaming Cordillera Coffee.

Clockwise from top right: Chocolate Lemon Tart, Lemon Meringue, Cordillera Coffee and Chocolate Cake

After this break, we went back to Azalea Residences and we formally started our itinerary for the next 2 days. Please click here.

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CADBURY DAIRY MILK unveils largest chocolate fountain

a first in the world, Cadbury Dairy Milk in partnership of Mondelez and Ace Saatchi and Saatchi Philippines, is another musical and creamy chocolate experience for everyone. the first chocolate fountain that combines music, great visuals and the smoothness and creaminess of Cadbury Dairy Milk stand from July 6 to August 5 in SM Megamall Activity Center.

launched yesterday, the set up of full Cadbury colors, attended by Mondelez, the makers of Cadbury; press and online media people gathered around the giant creamy chocolate fountain as it was unveiled for everyone. the chocolate fountain stands high up to 2 levels of SM Megamall and an area covering the whole activity center. the fountain is divided into 2 parts, piano keys that resemble like Cadbury Dairy Milk, and pipes that ooze out Cadbury goodness for every tune that you make.

the launch also featured sweet serenades by The Company, Jessy Mendiola and Jake Cuenca who captured audience smiles just like the happiness delivered by a bite of Cadbury Dairy Milk. the actors also got the chance to try the chocolate fountain first hand mixing some lively tunes made by the chocolate fountain. an orchestra also accompanied the guests with soulful and pop music.

The Company

Jessy Mendiola and Jake Cuenca

for people that who'd like to try the great chocolate fountain structure, line up at the Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Fountain at SM Megamall, purchase your favorite chocolate that is Cadbury, and you'll be able to test your musical skills at the fountain itself for 2 minutes. operating the fountain is very easy:

1. Hold the steel bar at the piano
2. Touch the chocolate piano keys
3. Listen to the great music you make and watch the chocolate fountain rise and fall at the pipes.

experience the creamy and smoothness of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Fountain. visit it today until August 5, only at SM Megamall.

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irresistibly delicious CADBURY DAIRY MILK

it is rare that some people would be sharing chocolate just for the sake of sharing. i was very thankful and lucky when a friend told me that he will be sending a chocolates over courier for me. i said, who can resist chocolates? i immediately said yes and this humble favor for that nice person is to write about it.

i was really surprised when the package came over and even got more excited when i found out that it was Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolates inside. not one bar, but 6 smooth and creamy chocolate bars in 3 different variants: Dairy Milk, Cashew and Cookies and Fruit and Nut. while some people save the best for last, i opened my first Cadbury Dairy Milk bar and shared it with my officemates.

many studies that chocolates help release a special hormone that makes us feel happy or in love but for me, true happiness is the moment when you share it with your loved ones. no rocket science that can explain the pleasure of biting into the rich creaminess and smoothness of chocolates, especially if it's Cadbury Dairy Milk.

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Proactiv says it is OK to eat more chocolates

Any time of the year, I experience breakouts on my face. I don't know why but I have been trying different facial washes and even scrubs. They work in the mean time but they come back. I tried to avoid fatty foods but there is one guilty pleasure... CHOCOLATES.

Chocolates, milk or dark, are my favorite. Now with emergence of any ingredient added to it, I can't resist my cravings for chocolate. As a result, there are more and more breakouts which isn't really good anymore. But how can you resist to such a very sumptuous and sweet treat? My cravings haunted me until I found out that chocolates are not the cause of pimples or acne. Now I am relieved.

It is with the exposure to pollution and dirt that gives me the ugly effects. With a very mobile lifestyle, I definitely won't escape the smoke and dust from outside. And wash it off with soap and water. However, a sensitive skin is no match with just any soap. The solution should not only take out the impurities but also take care and protect your skin. With Proactiv® Solution, you can see the good benefits. Before, I have the same problem with Nolin:
Proactiv® Solution is well researched and developed by Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields and suggests that proper diet and lifestyle will decrease acne or pimple outbreak. And these experts save us from avoiding chocolates because now we can enjoy the pleasures of sweetness and have healthy skin.

By every P1500 purchase of Proactiv® Solution set, you will receive free Ferrero Rocher chocolates. And this promo is already ongoing from October 15 to November 15 2011! A very special Trick or Treat. Wear your angel face, not a grouchy witch. You can find Proactiv® Solution branches at any mall just like this one at Tomas Morato's Il Terrazo.

You can purchase your beauty set in kiosks in these following branches:
a. Glorietta 3, Ground Floor - (02) 388 2848
b. Trinoma, 2nd Floor - (02) 380 3801
c. Robinsons Galleria, 3rd Floor - (02) 380 5506
d. Marquee Mall, Ground Floor - 0915 385 3103
e. Alphaland Southgate Mall, 2nd Floor - 915 6660

Or you can have it delivered to your doorstep. You can call the Proactiv Door to Door Delivery Hotlines: 02-729-2222, 1-800-8-729-8888, 1-800-10-889-4444, 0917-801-8888.

Again, as you buy your Proactiv® Solution set, you will get your Ferrero Rocher Chocolate by 5's. BUT if you were not happy with the results, they guarantee to give your money back.

Now that's my pimple story and it would interest me to try the Proactiv® Solution. You can share your stories too by commenting on the space below.

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