Food Review Archives | Mommy Plannerista

Review: Nature Earth’s M2 Tea Drink, Shing-a-Ling and Kamote Chips

May 9, 2018 · 2 Comments

Several weeks ago, I was presented with an opportunity to try some Nature Earth products so that I can review them on this blog. When I learned that one of their products is the M2 Tea Drink I got really excited because I have read good reviews about it as a breast milk booster.

So, the first time Nature Earth sent me a package they sent me a few 300 ml bottles of M2 as well as a pack each of their Kamote chips in Plain and in BBQ flavor.

The second time they sent me a package, I got a 1 Liter bottle of the M2 Tea Drink Concentrate as well as a pack each of their Shing-a-ling in Cheese, Sour cream, and BBQ flavors.

Let me tell you about each of these products.

M2 Tea Drink

M2 is actually a Malunggay, Okra, and Luya tea drink that’s available either as ready-to-drink or as a concentrate. The ready-to-drink bottles are 300 ml while the concentrate is available in 1L bottles.

It’s interesting to note that while malunggay, okra, and luya are the main ingredients, there is a difference between the ready-to-drink and the concentrate in terms of the sugar used. The ready-to-drink is composed of water, moringa, okra, ginger, citric acid, sodium benzoate (used as a preservative) and brown sugar. The concentrate is composed of the same ingredients except that it uses muscovado sugar. I’m not really sure why this is so though.

Below you can see the Nutrition Facts printed on the label. I like how healthy this drink is. It’s like eating veggies but made easier because all you have to do is drink it.

One of the things I really like about both types though is that they are really properly sealed, which means contamination will be avoided and I guess this also keeps the product fresh. As you can see below, aside from the outer cap, there’s a seal that you have to remove before you can drink or pour the tea.

Taste-wise, I was expecting it to taste like vegetables which I wasn’t really looking forward to. Surprisingly though, it has a light tea taste that does not taste like vegetables at all. I could taste a slight tinge of ginger but I was not at all put off by it. I also like that it’s not too sweet unlike the commercial iced tea drinks that you can find in the supermarkets, which are not even healthy either.

Another plus is that, with the concentrate at least, you can choose to prepare it hot or cold. I prefer to take it cold though especially during these hot summer months.

So, you breastfeeding mamas might ask if it actually helps with breastmilk production. Well, I drank M2 for several days and I feel like it really did help boost my milk supply. I direct feed my toddler so I wasn’t able to measure how much of an increase there was. But I say it helped because I felt my breast become fuller. Also, I experienced milk letdown on the unused boob whenever my toddler is nursing. I normally don’t experience letdown anymore since my toddler started eating solid food regularly. I don’t even wear breast pads anymore but since drinking M2, I had to wear them again. I can definitely say that this is a must-try product for nursing moms.

Nature Earth Kamote Chips

We were able to try the Kamote Chips in both plain and BBQ flavors. They’re made with just sweet potato. They only added BBQ flavor to the other one.

The plain one tasted a bit bland while the BBQ flavor only had a hint of spice on it, which is exactly what I like. Even my toddler liked it!

I definitely love this as a healthy snack that I wouldn’t feel guilty about giving to my kids.

Nature Earth Shing-a-ling

We were able to try the three Shing-a-ling flavors – cheese, sour cream, and BBQ. They’re made with wheat flour, salt, pepper, lye, food color and flavoring. Compared to the Kamote Chips though, the Shing-a-ling is fortified with moringa.

Prior to this, I’ve only ever tasted the plain Shing-a-ling. The flavors definitely make them more interesting to eat. I like all three flavors. But I gotta say that my favorite is definitely the cheese one. The Shing-a-ling is really crunchy. My toddler loves it too. I find it so hard to stop munching on them.

Overall, we are really pleased with all these Nature Earth products. They are products that we’d always love to have at home, especially the M2 Tea Drink. I don’t really have vices but I do like drinking iced tea. At least with M2, I’ll be drinking a healthier version that will also help with my breast milk production.

If there’s something I would suggest for improvement, it would be the packaging of the Kamote Chips and the Shing-a-ling. It would be nice to have a packaging that is resealable. That would be it.

For more information on Nature Earth products, visit www.naturearthphilippines.com or follow them on Facebook.

Experience Ribs Heaven (and more!) at Morganfield’s

December 17, 2015 · Leave a Comment

I am a certified meatlover. So when Zomato Philippines invited me to attend the launch of Morganfield’s in the Philippines, of course I couldn’t resist!

Morganfield’s is located at the 2nd floor of Uptown Mall, 9th cor. 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City. It’s the first branch to open in the country and is actually the first restaurant venture of a group of friends.

Morganfield’s serves American food, barbeque, burgers, seafood, Southern and Tex-Mex dishes. However, you’d be surprised to know that the brand actually originated in Malaysia.

The branch itself is very modern yet homey. There’s lots of wood, an open ceiling, large glass windows, and very cool furniture. Service is really good too. I don’t know if it’s just because of the launch but the servers were really accommodating and enthusiastic to explain what the dishes were all about.

So anyway, let’s get to the most important thing – the food!

Morganfield’s is known as the “Home of the Sticky Bones”, serving the biggest and juiciest pork ribs in town. Such an ambitious claim but you’d be happy to know that they don’t disappoint. All their meat actually came from Spain and so you know they’re really the best. Their pork ribs are really big too and are slow roasted to perfection.

The Pork Spare Ribs

Their spare ribs are available in four variants: Hickory BBQ Spare Ribs, Garlic BBQ Spare Ribs, Spicy Asian BBQ Spare Ribs and Smoked Peppercorn Spare Ribs.

Hickory BBQ Spare Ribs (Half Slab – P 750, Full Slab – P 1,395)

These are really tasty, sweet and has a smoky feel to it.

Garlic BBQ Spare Ribs (Half Slab – P 750, Full Slab – P 1,395)

This was served with a generous amount of garlic on top. It’s a great combination of sweet and spicy.

Spicy Asian BBQ Spare Ribs (Half Slab – P 750, Full Slab – P 1,395)

Those who love spicy food will really like this because it has Asian spices and chili flakes. It tasted good but this was my least favorite among the four.

Smoked Peppercorn Spare Ribs (Half Slab – P 850, Full Slab – P 1,595)

This was my most favorite among the four! I prefer the spiciness of the black pepper compared to the Asian spices. Plus you can still taste the sweetness of the sauce.

They were all perfectly cooked, didn’t need a fork to cut into them. In my opinion, all four variants are worth a try. To make it easier for you, you can get a platter!

The Sharing Platter

There are 3 kinds of platters: The Carnivore, Ocean Madness and Ribs Sampler.

Ribs Sampler (P 3,225)

This is what I like to call “Ribs Heaven”! Get to taste 3 of the spare ribs from this sampler. Just choose the 3 flavors you want and you’ll get 1/2 slab of each. That’s already a lot! It comes with sausages, garden salad, grilled corn on the cob, corn bread and fries. They have one of the best fries, by the way. And although I didn’t get to taste the corn bread, I was told they’re amazing too.

The Carnivore (P 2,995)

Here you get to choose a full slab of one flavor of pork ribs plus, 1/2 herb roasted chicken, Tequila Spiced Chicken, sausages, garden salad, grilled corn on the cob, corn bread and fries. I’ll let you know what I think of the chicken below as this was also served separately.

Ocean Madness (P 2,795)

For this one, you can also choose a full slab of one flavor of pork ribs plus, you get battered fish fillet, beer battered prawns, sausages, garden salad, grilled corn on the cob, corn bread and fries. I also didn’t get to taste the fish fillet and beer battered prawns so I’m gonna order those next time.

The Iberico Baby Back Ribs

You have to know that Morganfield’s does not just serve your ordinary baby back ribs. They serve Iberico baby back ribs. Iberico is the Spanish black pig traditionally fed with acorns. It has an evenly distributed marbling which contributes to the amazing taste and texture of the meat. I have to say this was my most favorite thing I tasted that day.

Jack Daniels Glazed Iberico Baby Back (P 950 per slab)

I was recently able to try Jack Daniels on Chicken Wings and I loved it. So I was super excited to try it on these ribs and I was so happy I did. It’s just the most delicious baby back I’ve ever had. It just has the right tinge of sweetness. Plus the ribs were tender with the meat easily falling off the bones. It is no wonder then why this is an award winning recipe. I will definitely come back for this!

Jim Beam BBQ Iberico Baby Back (P 950 per slab)

Now if you prefer the spicy variety this is your best bet. We were warned that it’s very spicy so I was surprised when it didn’t turn out to be as spicy as I expected. It was just right for someone like me who’s not into super spicy food.

Appetizers

Morganfield’s offers a lot of appetizers to choose from, from Russet Potato Skins, Chili Cheese Fries, Beer Battered Mushrooms, etc. We were able to taste the following:

Pork Sausage Platter (P 465)

For an appetizer, this one was very filling already with four kinds of grilled homemade pork sausages in different flavors – Spicy Devil, Smoky Bandit, Herby Hog and Cheesy Cheese. The Spicy Devil wasn’t as spicy as I expected. The Herby Hog is what you’d expect “herby” to be. It tasted like herbs, which I don’t really like. The Smoky Bandit is the one I like the best while the Cheesy Cheese was my four-year-old son’s favorite. I love that the sausages are very juicy. The coleslaw is a nice add on but it was the Garlic Aioli that was the perfect partner for the sausage. I loved it!

Awesome Threesome (P 495)

You can try three of their most famous appetizers with this dish – Crab and Spinach dip, Spicy Chicken Wings and Russet Potato Skins. Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t able to try anything on this plate so I can’t comment on them. But they all look promising.

Soups

There are four types of soups on the menu and we were able to try one.

Mushroom Soup (P 165)

This was hands down the best mushroom soup I’ve ever tasted! I think they served this on our table because we had a kid with us and I’m so glad for that. I love mushroom soup. This was so creamy, chunky and tasty. I imagine it’s especially perfect for a cold day. Comfort food at its best. They give a generous serving too so I really, really enjoyed this.

Salad

Morganfield’s has four types of salad on the menu and we were able to also try one of them.

Sesame Shrimp Salad (P 395)

I’m very picky when it comes to salad and that’s because some taste really bland, or worse, they taste just like plants would. But I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It’s so healthy because it has both fruits and vegetables plus shrimp. You can tell all the ingredients were fresh. The combination of textures was great, especially the crunchy strips on top (I think they’re made from wonton wrappers but I’m not sure). The oriental sesame dressing was light and refreshing.

Steaks and Chops

There are 5 different dishes under the Steaks and Chops menu and we were able to try one as well.

Pork Shoulder Chops (P 550)

I love anything with gravy so when I saw this I was immediately excited. There were two slices of pork shoulders on the dish, which makes it good for sharing. It’s very tasty and I loved the combination of it with the sauce. But mind you, it’s not your typical gravy. It has a different kick to it and tasted suspiciously like wasabi. Little did we know that the ingredient responsible for that kick was not wasabi but mustard grain! I really loved it because it was really creamy and went well with the pork. Unfortunately, the pork was too hard in my opinion. Though it was still edible, we had a difficult time cutting it. Aside from that though, I loved the mashed potatoes on the side. It’s the lumpy, grainy kind, which I prefer more than the smooth kind.

Poultry Farm

Among the 4 poultry dishes, we got to try one. It’s the one also included in The Carnivore platter.

Tequila Spiked Chicken (P 395)

This dish consists of a grilled halved chicken with a side of fries and smoky beans. I like that the chicken wasn’t dry. It was actually tasty even on the inside. I love the taste of the spicy tequila lime-paprika marinade. Actually simply smelling it already reminds you of Malaysian food.

Desserts

You can choose from 4 different desserts on the menu. This is what we got to try.

Chocolate Brownie (P 175)

You simply can’t go wrong with a combination of warm brownies, premium vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. The brownie was chewy and not too sweet. The ice cream was very creamy. Loved it!

Drinks

The Morganfield’s drink menu is pretty extensive offering different types of juices, milkshakes, coffee, tea, chilled and blended coolers, draft and bottled beers, red and white wines, cocktails and hard liquor.

We were offered to try four of their most popular chilled and blended coolers.

Mango and Lime Lassi (P 195)

This one has mango puree, yoghurt, freshly squeezed lime and ice. I normally love mango but I wasn’t such a big fan of this one. Maybe I just find the combination of mango and lime kind of weird.

Virgin Apple Mojito (P 165)

I love mojitos! This one though is non-alcoholic and consists only of fresh apple, lime chunks, mint leaves, brown sugar topped with soda. It’s very refreshing. You do feel like you’re having a real mojito.

Berry Easy (P 195)

Among the four drinks we tried, this one was my second most favorite. It has black grapes, blackberries, strawberries with pureed berries and ice. It’s very berrylicious! I love berries to begin with and this one is packed with lots of it.

Begonia (P 175)

Now, this one is my most favorite of all. It’s very fruity and refreshing with chunks of kiwi, strawberries and lime served with lemon lime soda topped with passion fruit syrup. The combination is just heavenly. It’s like drinking a fruity cocktail without the alcohol kick. Super loved it!

Suffice it to say that we were SO FULL after eating. There were just so much good food available. Yet, there’s still so much to taste the next time we come back.

The Morganfield’s menu is so extensive, you’ll want to keep coming back. For instance, they also have several pasta dishes, seafood dishes, burgers, sandwiches, and tacos.

It’s also worth mentioning that they also think of the little things. Our server, for instance, saw that we brought our son with us and so he offered him a children’s book to read.

I think that’s really nice. Other restaurants offer coloring materials. It’s the first time I’ve encountered a restaurant that actually offered books.

Also, our server informed us that we can borrow a powerbank too for our phone or gadgets in case we need them. One only has to leave an ID with the server then you can borrow a handy powerbank, which you can use right there and then on your table. Love this! That’s what you call great customer service.

The ribs are definitely special but Morganfield’s offers a lot more than ribs and I think they are also not to be missed. I very highly recommend that you guys try Morganfield’s soon. I assure you, you’re not going to be disappointed! We definitely had a BELLY GOOD TIME at Morganfield’s.

For more information about Morganfield’s, check out their website and follow their Facebook page. Also do read the reviews on Zomato!

Authentic Korean Food Experience at Mattna Kamjatang (and a Giveaway!)

December 8, 2014 · 30 Comments

I am always game to try new food experiences. That is why when my family and I were invited to dine in Mattna Kamjatang, I was really looking forward to it. I had tried Korean food before but most of them were not really authentic Korean food so I knew that we would be in for a treat at Mattna Kamjatang.

1924389_570372549755005_1368059931984229760_n — Mattna Kamjatang in BF Homes in Paranaque. Photo courtesy of Mattna Kamjatang.

Mattna Kamjatang is actually a famous restaurant in Korea. It has several branches in Korea but has already granted franchises in other countries as well. We were told that a lot of Filipinos have actually tried to acquire a franchise already but have never been approved. It was only now that they approved one and has granted the franchise to a Filipino couple, Reiner and Sheryl Matias.

Reiner, who’s also the chef, and his wife Sheryl, trained for several months in Korea, in order to bring back to the Philippines the authentic Korean food being served by Mattna Kamjatang. Their franchise, which had its soft opening in early September 2014, is located at 319 Aguirre St., Phase 3, BF Homes, Parañaque City.

Going in, I was really pleased to see what the interiors looked like. I love that they used mostly wood furniture that gave the place a really warm, inviting ambiance. At the same time, the simple, clean lines gave the place a minimalist and modern appeal. I love that the place doesn’t feel crowded at all and that there is plenty of room to walk.

Photo courtesy of Mattna Kamjatang.

As much as I love the place, I think the best thing about Mattna Kamjatang is the food. There aren’t an endless array of choices in the menu compared to some restaurants. However, what they do have is already more than enough to satisfy your Korean food cravings.

We were first presented with small dishes of various appetizers. Most of them are spicy while one of them, the baby potatoes, was sweet. I love the taste of their Kimchi. It is so unlike the bottled versions that hubby used to buy from the grocery stores.

You’d be happy to know that the servers replenish your appetizers as soon as they see that the plate is empty. I actually can’t remember how many times they replenished ours.

Obviously, as the restaurant name suggests, one of their main dishes is the Kam Ja Tang, which is a spicy pork bone stew that is considered as a traditional dish in Korea. This is a really hearty and flavorful dish, whose rich taste comes from boiled pork backbone. The pork neck is actually slowly stewed for 6 hours until the meat falls off from the bone.

The recipe makes use of authentic traditional Korean herbs and spices as well as the signature Mattna Kamjatang special sauce, which is used in more than 45 branches internationally. It is served in a hot pot with various vegetables, such as cabbage, mushrooms, parsley, green onions, bean sprouts, chili peppers and perilla seeds to compliment its flavor. This dish is served in a hot pot, which is placed on a built-in stove on your table, in order to keep it hot.

The Kam Ja Tang is traditionally eaten with Bukum Bap, which is a Korean style fried rice topped with vegetables and fried in Kam Ja Tang sauce. It is also served in a hot pot and placed on the stove where the server will help you cook it. We were informed that Koreans usually prefer their Bukum Bap to be really crispy and they even scour the pots to get crispy bits of rice off of it.

Here’s a quick guide on how to eat your Kam Ja Tang.

Wait for the soup to boil.
Get the meat from the soup.
Dip the meat into the special sauce.
Fry the Bukum Bap in the pan.
Enjoy!
Come back for more!

Going into this, I was a bit concerned that the food will be too spicy for my taste. I had only acquired an appreciation for spicy food (thanks to the hubby) in recent years. Honestly, you can expect the Kam Ja Tang to be really hot and spicy. But surprisingly, it wasn’t too spicy for me, or maybe it was because my taste buds have already gotten used to eating spicy food. What I really love though are the special sauce and the softness of the meat. Although the sauce was spicy, I couldn’t help but go back for more. The meat was also very easy to eat because it’s so soft that it really does fall off the bone. The Bukum Bap is also the perfect partner for the Kam Ja Tang, especially if you’re the type who prefers having rice with your viands.

I was also very excited to try the Hemul Pyo Jjim, which is a combination of pork neck (slowly stewed for 6 hours) and various seafood, such as baby octopus, shrimps, mussels and crabs, mixed with rice cakes and vegetables, simmered with Mattna Kamjatang’s delectable signature sauce.

I was excited to try this because 1) I love seafood and 2) this dish looks absolutely beautiful. Don’t you agree? But I warn you, if the Kam Ja Tang is spicy, this dish is even spicier but also flavorful and delicious too. You can eat this without rice. It actually goes well as a pica-pica dish paired with beer, such as this Max Korean beer, which was also served to us that day. Perfect partner, if you ask me!

For those of you who don’t really like seafood, you can have the Pyo Jjim. It’s similar to the Hemul Pyo Jjim but without the seafood.

pyo jimm — Pyo Jjimm. Photo courtesy of Mattna Kamjatang.

Now those of you moms and dads who might think that there’s nothing in the menu that your kids will like, you’d be wrong! Mattna Kamjatang offers the Yong Young Bap, which is a Korean fried rice dish that kids will surely enjoy. It contains crab sticks, sea weed and egg and is not spicy at all.

They can also have the Bulgogi, one of Korea’s most popular dishes made of thinly sliced grilled marinated beef.

Our kids, ages 13, 11 and 3, had both the Yong Young Bap and the Bulgogi and they all loved the two dishes. I also found that even my niece and nephew (ages 7 and 1), who came to try the restaurant with their parents, love these dishes too. So, I can say that Mattna Kamjatang is a place that the whole family can enjoy.

After you’re done with the main course, it’s time for dessert! Mattna Kamjatang offers a selection of cakes to delight your sweet tooth. We were served this really creamy and super delectable dessert called the Marshmallow Yema Cake paired with Dutch Coffee.

Marshmallow Yema Cake and Dutch Coffee. Photo courtesy of Mattna Kamjatang.

Dutch coffee is a rich and aromatic drip coffee with a full bodied flavor and is considered as the wine of all coffees. It contains the lowest acidic content compared to other coffees. As a certified coffee addict, you have no idea how happy this made me. It’s very light at the same time sweet and aromatic enough that you no longer need to add in sugar. It’s definitely best taken black. They actually give you a choice whether you want it hot or cold.

You also might find it interesting that you will immediately see this amazing and colorful display of drip coffee from right when you enter the establishment.

The Kam Ja Tang, Pyo Jjim and Hemul Pyo Jjim are available in different sizes depending on your needs. Here’s the price list for your reference.

Overall, we truly had a great and authentic Korean dining experience in Mattna Kamjatang. I honestly never thought I’d say this about Korean food but I really love, love, love the food! We will definitely be back there soon.

Now, here’s the good news. Mattna Kamjatang wants more of you to come try their dishes too so they’re sponsoring a giveaway here at Roller Coaster Ride. Yay!

There will be two (2) winners, who will each win a GIFT CERTIFICATE for PHP 500 worth of Kam Ja Tang and Bukum Bap (valid for use until January 31, 2015). Participants must be a Philippine resident with a valid Metro Manila address, wherein which I can mail the prize. Giveaway will run from Dec. 8, 2014 to Dec. 14, 2014 only. To join, simply follow the Rafflecopter instructions below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!!!

******************************

Mattna Kamjatang

319 Aguirre St., Phase 3, BF Homes, Parañaque City

Tel. # (632) 697 9884

Facebook: facebook.com/MattnaKamjatangPHL

Reuniting with Royal Caribbean Jamaican Patties

September 28, 2014 · 16 Comments

I’ve known about Royal Caribbean Jamaican Patties for years. In fact, I had the pleasure of meeting the company’s owners back when they first joined the Association of Filipino Franchisers, where I used to work.

That said, I’ve had my share of a lot of their Jamaican Patties. They were such a treat even back then but I have to admit that I haven’t had my fill of them lately. So, when I was invited to visit their Market Market branch for a review, I readily accepted.

For those of you who are not yet familiar with the brand, Royal Caribbean Jamaican Patties are meaty filling Jamaican snacks that are made from high quality ingredients. Over the years, the company has grown to include branches not only in Metro Manila but in the provinces as well.

The company also features a Caribbean Drinks beverage line, which are “irresistibly good brain-freeze ice cold drinks”. These drinks are said to have been a great come-on for customers who snack on Jamaican Patties because it truly satisfies their quench.

The Market Market branch of Royal Caribbean Jamaican Patties can be located at the 5th floor of the mall, right where the cinemas are. Their small store is hard to miss with their very colorful signage and facade. So, you can order to go and bring your food inside the movie theater or dine in.

There are a few tables and chairs both inside and outside the store with their counter easily accessible at the front right portion. The area was clean, brightly lit and full of the Royal Caribbean Jamaican Patties’ signature colors. What I love most, though, is this cozy seating at the back, which is where I sat together with hubby and Ziggy. When we arrived, only one outside table was occupied so we had the store practically to ourselves.

The staff were accommodating and immediately showed me the menu from which we were to choose our preferred Jamaican patties and iced tea drinks. These were the choices.

I was torn between the Beef Royale and the Cheeze Burst Royale but in the end, my desire to taste their all-beef variant won. So, I chose Beef Royale and a Red Raspberry Tea. Hubby, on the other hand, preferred something spicy so he chose the Beef Curry variant plus Four Seasons to drink. Unfortunately, they were out of Beef Curry that day so he ended up with the Beef Grenada instead.

The service was quite fast. They served our orders on a tray only a few minutes after ordering. The Jamaican patties were served hot and fresh.

The Beef Royale I had is exactly how I remembered it to be. I love how the crust seems to melt in my mouth. It’s very easy to bite into. Unfortunately, I can be a bit messy when eating Jamaican patties and so I couldn’t help but have some crumbs fall into the tray. I really think it’s just me though because my hubby didn’t have a problem with it. He finished his entire serving without making a mess.

The filling was very flavorful but at the same time the taste of the beef really stands out. I’m really happy I chose this version. Although I love cheese, I think it would have overpowered the taste of the beef. As for the serving size, it was more than enough to satisfy me. Note that we ate this for lunch.

As for hubby, he was expecting his Beef Grenada to be “extra hot” because that’s what the menu said. However, although he likes the taste of the Beef Grenada, in general, it wasn’t spicy enough for him. But you have to note that he’s the type who likes putting hot chili sauce or kimchi into everything. So, his idea of spicy is not like my idea of spicy.

I had a bite of his Beef Grenada and I had to admit that it wasn’t as spicy as I expected it to be but it was just right for me. I had to have a sip of my iced tea after that bite. So for those of you who don’t like spicy stuff, order something else.

As for the drinks, they were both served ice cold. They were very frothy on top. My Red Raspberry Tea was a tad too sweet for my taste but hubby and I both loved his Four Seasons. It wasn’t too sweet at all and was really refreshing. It was the perfect companion to the Jamaican patties, if you ask me.

It was a pleasant surprise to find out though that Royal Caribbean Jamaican Patties also serves side orders such as Baked Macaroni, Hash Brown Potatoes, Twister Fries and Cookies. They also have other drinks such as the Berbenia Iced Tea and the Caribbean Frap that comes in four flavors – Chocolate, Mocha, Caramel and Strawberry. We gotta try those next time.

Overall, we had a pleasant experience in the store. It’s nice to know that the Royal Caribbean Jamaican Patties I used to love, is still the same. They have definitely maintained the quality of their food. We are looking forward to trying the other variants in the menu.

For more information about Royal Caribbean Jamaican Patties, please visit www.royalcaribbean.com.ph.

Disclosure: I was invited by Royal Caribbean Jamaican Patties to dine in for free for this review, but all opinions in this post are my own.

Yummy Sweet Treats from Sweet Bunch

June 26, 2014 · 28 Comments

A few weeks ago, I received an email from someone who said that her mom has an online business, called Sweet Bunch, selling all sorts of pastries such as brownies, cupcakes, cookies and more. She said she would like to send me samples to try if I am willing to review the products on this blog.

She had me at cookies. Everyone in our house is a cookie monster. I took a look at their store’s Instagram account to see photos of their products and saw this below. How can you not drool? So, of course I said yes!

You can just imagine our excitement when this assortment of yummy-looking goodies arrived at our house via Xend. Oh my gosh, we wanted to devour them right there and then but I had to take photos first of course, so everybody had to wait! Haha!

SweetBunch1

Now before I tell you what they taste like, let me give you some information about the shop.

Sweet Bunch is a pioneering home-grown enterprise and is online based for the moment. We offer a wide range of homemade goodies like cookies, crinkles, brownies, cupcakes, donuts, chocolates and other sweet delights! Every delicious treat is baked freshly by my mom, Mrs. Joey Gaspar.

Every delicious treat is baked freshly upon order from high quality ingredients with passion and love to satisfy all our customer’s sweet tooth for a very reasonable price. Best for gifts, souvenirs, addition to your dessert menu or giveaways at birthdays, christenings, weddings, Valentines Day, Halloween, Christmas and other occasions.

Our products are prepared in a clean environment and made of excellent quality ingredients bringing its distinct delicious taste, full satisfaction is guaranteed.

The owner, Joey Gaspar, is a loving wife to Francis and a mother of six. The eldest being 23 years old and the youngest is one year old, namely: Mark, Michel, Mariane, Moira, Matthew and Morgan. She is a full-time mom and has been a home baker for over 20 years. She actually started at a very young age considering she is just in her early 40’s.

SweetBunch10

I love the fact that the owner of Sweet Bunch is a mompreneur. The fact that she is taking care of 6 kids and is running a business is admirable.

Now here’s what we think about their goodies.

Chocolate Crinkles (Php 100 per pack, 8 pcs.)

SweetBunch2

The Chocolate Crinkles are fudgy cookies with a white chocolate medallion inside. You know how some chocolate crinkles in some stores are hard and tastes bland? That is so not how Sweet Bunch’s Chocolate Crinkles taste like. They truly are fudgy and very chewy. The chocolate is also not too sweet and just right. All three of my kids love Chocolate Crinkles and they definitely loved this one. It’s just too bad though that we had to share only 2 pieces!

Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies (Php 100 per pack, 8 pcs.)

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What I hate about some choco chip cookies is the fact that some of them don’t really have enough chocolate in them. With this one though, there is no lack of that chocolate goodness. Sweet Bakes definitely put in a generous amount of semi-sweet chocolate in these cookies. They are also soft and chewy and they melt in your mouth. If you’re looking for a classic chocolate cookie, this one’s for you.

Ghirardelli Choco Oatmeal Cookies (Php 120 per pack/ 8 pcs.)

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These cookies consist of a combination of two kinds of chocolates: dark sweet choco chips and 70% cacao Ghirardelli chocolates. Apparently, this is a fave among chocoholics and I can understand why. I’m a big fan of dark chocolate so this was actually the first one I tried. First of all I love choco oatmeal cookies. The fact that this one has dark choco and Ghirardelli is a plus!

Choco Oatmeal Cookies (Php 100 per pack, 8 pcs.)

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Now if you don’t want some fancy chocolates and prefer the basic choco oatmeal cookies, then you gotta try this. This is hands-down the favorite of all five of us in the family. The Sweet Bunch Choco Oatmeal Cookies are puffy looking cookies with semi-sweet chocolate cookies inside. Like all the other goodies, these are also soft and chewy but what I love most about it is the perfect combination of chocolate and oatmeal. I will definitely get a lot of this when I order next time.

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies (Php 100 per pack, 8 pcs.)

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These are actually Oreo cheesecakes transformed into cookies with chocolate chips in the mix. You’ll like this if you like Oreos. Plus they added more choco chips! They’re also soft and chewy with a crunch. I like them but prefer if had a more palpable cheesecake taste because I love cheesecake!

Oreo Choco Chip Cookies (Php 100 per pack, 8 pcs. or Php 150 per pack for regular Oreo size)

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Here’s another one for the Oreo-lovers! This version is a pillow like chocolate chip cookie with Oreos inside. What we received are the small ones and not the ones with the regular -sized Oreos. They look and taste like the chunky choco chip cookies but with the additional taste and crunchiness of the Oreos. Try this if you want more than your basic choco chip cookie.

Brookies (Php 125 per pack/5 pcs.)

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Now this one is a Sweet Bunch hybrid original. Brookies actually have a brownie on top and a cookie underneath. I was really curious about this when I first saw it on their IG page. They look so yummy. Well, they definitely did not disappoint. I loved it! The brownie part was choco-heaven, melt-in-your mouth goodness. Add the chewy-ness and chunkiness of the cookie made the sensation similar to that of eating cheesecake. Will definitely order these too!

Overall, we truly loved the Sweet Bunch products that we got to try. I can assume that they were delivered freshly-baked because all of them were still really soft and chewy and delicious. We had our favorites though and for sure, you’ll have yours too. We loved them so much that we finished the entire box in less than 24 hours. We would have devoured them all in one sitting if I wasn’t too concerned about the kids eating too much sweets.

We also actually want to try all the other Sweet Bunch goodies. Aside from the ones I mentioned they also sell Cookie Smores (OMG!), Cream Cheese Cinnamon Roll, Chocolate Banana Loaf, Sugarless Banana Loaf and Yema Loaf and more. OMG! I am seriously salivating already.

To those of you who are interested to order, you can send them a message via Viber or SMS to #0915-6635555. Sweet Bunch accepts rush orders, wholesale and resellers. They are currently located in Pasig but can deliver via meet ups (in Pasig only ) or courier nationwide via Xend. Payments can be made thru BPI, BDO or GCash.

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Sweet Bunch

Instagram: instagram.com/sweetbunchbakes

Viber/SMS: 0915-6635555

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