Last Saturday my mom and I went to The Podium mall to check out the good eats at Pinoy Eat World’s 3 day Manly Eats food fest.
There weren’t many food concessionaires but there were lots and lots of temptations. I wasn’t able to shoot and try all the products since I already had an idea what I wanted to have for lunch. Asides from freshly cooked food there were several tables selling goodies perfect for taking home.
I went straight to the table of Mr. Delicious for the food I wanted to buy.
I didn’t succumb to Mr. D’s version of S’mores using handmade organic graham crackers, homemade Bourbon marshmallows, Malagos 65% dark chocolate (which I wanted to buy but they weren’t selling it) and Mr. D’s own applewood smoked bacon to top it all. You think I made a critical error not buying it right? I have to agree.
I follow Mr. Delicious in Instagram and I saw pictures of him making the bacon lollipop that’s why this was the first thing I bought. I was really curious what bacon candy tasted like.
I ate the bacon candy at home that’s why it had it’s own photo shoot. Can you believe I’m not a big fan of bacon but after I tried Mr. D’s bacon in several restaurants I am hooked. My first bite was a full blown medley of sweet, smokey, spicy flavors in a chewy candy with lots of bacon bits. I tried licking it to make it last but I couldn’t help take another big bite and chewed slowly savoring all the complex flavors. I wanted to go back the next day to buy more but I had to stop myself for indulging too much.
My mom and I split a Reuben sandwich made with Mr. D’s corned beef, imported sauerkraut and thousand island dressing. It was an easy decision since we both love fresh corned beef. I actually ate my share the next day since there were more food I had to eat. Needless to say this sandwich was delicious!!!
I bought a pack of applewood smoked bacon. This was the first time I bought bacon in decades.
Whatever food I planned to buy was ignored as soon as I saw the word NACHOS. They’re one of my most favorite things to eat.
Yes it was a good as it looks. There was more super tender Kitayama ground beef than crunchy tortilla chips! The best part was the green chili bomb which added a smooth heat to the nachos. Even my mom loved it.
I just couldn’t believe how much oil came out of the beef specially when you look at the picture above.
Remember the mooncakes I posted a while back? Those came from Spring by Ha Yuan and the mastermind behind those creations is Suzy in the blue dress.
Instead of the usual pork belly as filling for cua pao they had choices like pastrami or 10 hour braised Kitayama wagyu shank. Based on Suzy’s suggestion I chose the Lucky Duck made with braised Peking duck, shiitake mushroom, preserved champoy (dried plum), duck crackling in a steamed bun. Wow!! The combination of duck and shiitake mushrooms was really delicious specially with the crunch from the duck skin and sweet sour taste of the champoy. How creative!!!
We washed all the food down with Bayani Brew a local drink made from only lemongrass and pandan leaves. It was good and refreshing and surprisingly low calorie.
I had to have coffee from The Curator.
My coffee was described as “caramel, cites and hints of cacao.” Caturras from Las Mercede and La Esperanza, El Salvador. I was advised to drink my coffee without sugar and I was surprised to enjoy it. I could taste the natural sweetness of the coffee. I may rethink my adding sugar to coffee in the future.
I used to sell food in bazaars ages ago and people would just try my samples over and over again without buying. When I tried a small sample of Bucky’s I immediately bought a piece. I don’t know anyone who can try this without buying.
Bucky’s is not a brownie or chocolate cake. Whatever it is it’s one of the best ‘not brownie’ I’ve ever eaten in Manila. It has a fudgy yet chewy texture that I look for. It’s not too cakey or too fudgy but it’s somewhere in between. It had a super dark chocolate taste with an obvious presence of salt. I bought the Grumpy’s which had chunks of chocnut inside for an almost chocolate peanut butter bar. This would make a great birthday or Christmas gift. I don’t mind receiving this over and over again. A++++
The prices below are for a box containing two slabs of Bucky’s.
I also bought El Greco Philippines’ Greek yogur and their halloumi. 
Ritual’s chocnut butter was the most tempting of all since I love chocnut. I didn’t succumb to temptation but I think this will taste better than cookie butter. 
After all that chow I went down to the ground floor for a scoop of Bono’s 70% dark chocolate gelato. Finally real good quality super dark chocolate gelato in Manila.
Mr. Delicious
website
Facebook
Kitayama Meat Shop
2292 Chino Roces Avenue (formerly Pasong Tamo), 1700 Makati
telephone: (02) 887 5848
Facebook
Spring by Ha Yuan
Facebook
Bayani Brew
Facebook
The Curator
134 Legazpi St. corner C. Palanca St., 1229 Makati
telephone: 0917-585-9005
Facebook
El Greco Philippines
website
Ritual’s Chocnut Butter
Unit A, The Collective, 7274 Malugay Street, San Antonio, 1203 Makati
telephone: (02) 400-4326 website Facebook
Bono Gelato
Ground Floor The Podium Mall Facebook
Shoot First Eat Later 