BLK 513: Love it at its Darkest

Sweet and healthy is becoming a thing nowadays and the activated charcoal infused yogurt rides the trend.

The black yogurt caught my curiousity the first time I saw their stall at Megamall. It was a day before their opening so I wasn't able to try it then.

Several months later, we went to BLK 513 on their opening day at S'Maison and got coupons for a free treat since we were part of the first 100 customers.


Dark Skim Cup

Black version of yogurt. Activated charcoal doesn't really have a flavor. It's a bit more sour compared to the one served in Llao llao, another yogurt place in MOA. The concept is similar to other yogurt places. You get to choose fruits, crunchies, chocolates and syrup as toppings. Actually the overall taste and health value depends on your toppings so choose wisely. I liked this better than the other option below.



Super Skim Cup

Imagine DQ but healthier. Maybe it was just because of the smores toppings I chose, but I found this yogurt too sweet with no hint of sourness. I had some bitter coffee afterwards to neutralize the sweetness. It would be good for those who want a healthier (mind your toppings) cold dessert option without losing the taste of sugar. Also there's no charcoal in this one so it really resembles a Blizzard with healthier toppings - if you chose the fruits and grains.

Price is quite high for a yogurt cup but the size is good enough for two. Or you can have one all for yourself if you are feeling extra special or having a bad day.



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Llao llao: Newest Froyo in Town

The newest frozen yogurt place is in town! Llao llao (yao yao) frozen yogurt has opened its first store at Mall of Asia. I was lucky to be one of their first customers for the day and got coupons for a free medium size yogurt, one for each of the coming three months!

I think they only have one flavour of yogurt but there are a whole lot of options for toppings. Syrup, crunchies, and fruits are available.

My order was simple – a small sized tub with Lotus caramelized biscuit as toppings (Php 99). Small size wasn’t so small at all! Unlike other yogurt servings which were hollow in the middle, this one was very siksik! It kept me full for around 3 hours.

I bet their medium and large size is good for sharing. They also have shakes, smoothies, and other froyo variations.

Although satisfied with my order, I kinda wish I ordered the Sanum (Php 199) to try 3 fruits, 2 crunchies, and 1 syrup together with my froyo. No to mention the layers created by the mix look good on photos. Maybe I’ll try on my next visit.

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Potts Point: Mother's Day 2015 - Australian Organic Lunch

--------- Happy Mother's Day!!!!!!! ---------

Potts Point has recently opened a branch in Mall of Asia. What's good about their food is that it is organic. What's better is that we got online discount coupons (again) that gave us 40% discount. Yay! Just in time for an advanced Mother's Day celebration. We had our lunch here the day before Mother's day.


Organic Roasted Chicken Fillet with Salsa Verde, Mango Cream, Garlic Yoghurt Sauce, and Quinoa-Red Rice Salad

I liked the way they presented this with the sauces forming patterns on the side.

This one is perfect for rice-people who want a healthier alternative. A little salty outside tender and simple inside.


Australian Grass-fed All Beef Burger with Australian Cheddar, Pickled Beets, Olive Oil Aioli and House-made Brioche Bun with Baked Sweet Potato Wedges

The patty was made of pure beef, a little crumbly in texture, but juicy and tender. The patty itself was a little salty compared to other burgers where the saltiness comes from the sauces and other burger toppings (like the Cowboy burger of Village Tavern where its saltiness comes from the bacon topping). Pickled beets, cheese, lettuce filled up this burger. You could also add an organic egg if you want for additional Php30. It comes with sweet potato fries generously sprinkled with Parmesan cheese on top.


Baked Prawn Thermidore Shepherd's Pie with Garden Salad

A thin layer of cheese covered the prawn pieces resting on top of mashed potato at the base of the "pie". This was a little spicy. It also came with a salad and 2 pieces of bread. It had two of my favorite food items - prawns and cheese.

You get cheese, prawns, potatoes, and spice with almost every mouthful.

Old Fashioned Grass-Fed Meatloaf - for sharing

Another pretty sauce pattern.

For more beef, we had meatloaf for sharing. We were hesitant at first to order meatloaf. But we were glad we did. The sauce was what I liked most about this dish. Sweet, just the right sweetness. The loaf itself was tender and the mashed potato was lightly seasoned.


Branch visited located at: 2nd flr, Veranda, Entertainment Mall, Mall of Asia, Pasay City

Backlog Post: Green Pastures

Off to the healthier side, we went for something organic and headed to Green Pastures at Shagri-la East wing.

Stracciatella Cheese was first on the food list. Being a cheese lover, I liked this immediately. It was made of buffalo milk and indeed tasted fresh. It was also served with arugula and toasted bread.

Their sliders set was a sampler of three burgers: 80/20 Burger, Blue Ribbon Burger, and Vegetarian Burger That Doesn’t Suck (yes, that is the name).

True to its name, the vegetarian burger really tasted good! The patty was made of organic vegetables. Too bad we only ordered a sampler with slider-sized patties. I wanted more.

As for the two meat burgers, I preferred the 80/20 Burger over the Blue Ribbon Burger perhaps because I am not much of a fan of blue cheese.

The 80/20 burger had 80% wagyu beef, and 20% pancetta, topped with stracciatella cheese (fan of this cheese now) while the blue ribbon burger was made of Wagyu shortrib, chuck, and brisket, topped with blue cheese.

The Miso Tapuy Glazed Lapu Lapu was a slab of tender fish on a bed of asparagus. Sweet-saltiness of miso glaze paired well with the seafood. And the seafood itself was of good quality, “hindi malansa”. Sauce was also served at the side for added flavor if desired. The buckwheat noodles provided carbohydrates and made the dish a complete meal.

I chose Milk Eggs Honey as dessert because I was curious at what honeycomb tastes like. I first tasted each component that provided distinct flavors. The lemon curd was generally sour with hints of sweet but it was not like some lemon sauces that just tasted like melted citrus candy. The greek yogurt was smooth and a good contrast to the texture of the honeycomb. The honeycomb tasted like sugar in a chewable form. I tried eating the honeycomb on its own, sipping out the sweetness, then what was left was something dried and tasteless. I then learned that it was better to chew the whole thing and not sip out the sugary goodness. When I ate the components together, along with the almond slivers toppings, it was a carnival of textures and flavors. Sweet, sour, smooth, something with a bite.

Branch visited located at: Edsa Shangri-la East Wing, Ortigas Center


*This is a backlog post. Actual food expedition was made a few months before publishing of this post.