The Anatomy of a Bibimbap

"Now that is a thing of beauty!"

That's exactly what I said when this gorgeous bowl of food was served on our table. Bibimbap is my favorite Korean dish and just by looking at it, you probably get why. It looks too good to eat! This colorful dish has a lot of components so I thought I'd break it down for you. I like getting my Bibimbap fix at Tokyo Bubble Tea. It's ironic that my favorite Bibimbap place is a Japanese restaurant but I don't care, it's so good! 

There are different variations but basically it's a big bowl of white rice topped with vegetables, beef, and egg. Though there are many versions, the Bibimbap in Bubble Tea has vegetables that are commonly used for this dish such as spinach, soy bean sprouts, mushrooms, zucchini and carrots, garnished with sesame seeds. 

Now what makes this dish special is the chili pepper paste that gives it a spicy kick. Korean dishes are known for their sweet-salty-spicy taste, and Bibimbap is a perfect example of that flavor combination.

Bibimbap literally means 'mixed rice' so you obviously have to mix everything together before you eat it. 

Once everything is mixed, all of the flavors come together making for this beautiful bowl of food. Just grab your chopsticks and enjoy! 

My Dinner Was Smiling Back At Me

These bunny-shaped fish cakes in my soup were just too cute to eat! 

Anniversary Dinner at Wildflour Cafe + Bakery!

Last Wednesday, my boyfriend Martin and I celebrated our first anniversary! My day started out with a surprise video from him which he uploaded on his Youtube channel. It was so funny and witty! (You can watch the video here.) I had no idea what he had planned next for the day but at the end of the video, he gave me a clue that since it's our first anniversary, he's going to take me a place that's going to be a first time for the both of us. He definitely knows me well because that night he took me to a restaurant I've always wanted to try -- Wildflour Cafe + Bakery! 

Scroll through Instagram or read food blogs, and chances are you'll see posts about this restaurant. After reading so many raves about this place, I've been dying to make a visit. We even went there one Sunday without knowing that they close early on that day so Martin taking me there on our anniversary was definitely a great surprise. 

I love how rustic and homey the place feels because of the wood furniture, tin can style utensil holder, wine bottle water dispenser and wall art but at the same time it's also very modern because of the floor to ceiling glass walls and minimalist interior design. It's like a fancy fine dining restaurant meets cozy neighborhood cafe! 

I'm one happy girl!

Their baked goods display feels like temptation calling out your name.

I love menus written on chalkboards in restaurants, and being a coffee lover, that coffee art on the wall definitely made me all giddy.

I had one of their best-sellers -- Steak and Eggs. Flat iron steak on a bed of kimchi fried rice topped with a poached egg. Most of the posts I've seen about Wildflour are usually pictures of this big bowl of orange rice. I can't blame them. This dish isn't only pretty, it's also delicious! The steak was very tender and the creamy egg yolk running all over the fried rice balances out the spiciness of the kimchi. 

Martin also wanted to have the steak and eggs (yes, it's that irresistible) but since I already ordered that, he went for another best seller -- Cripsy Duck Confit. True to its name, the skin on the duck was so crispy while still keeping the meat juicy. Duck can be a bit fatty so the freshness of the fuji apple slaw was a great contrast. It was so good Martin was trying to get every last strand of meat off the bone.

Just as our bellies were full, the night was filled with laughter as we reminisced the past year we've spent together. It's been an amazing year and it was only fitting to celebrate it with an equally wonderful evening. 

Thank you, Martin, for making me so happy that day just as you always have for the past year now.

Cronut Craving

I've been craving for a cronut since yesterday. As much as I've tried to stick to a healthy diet, I gave in to my craving today.

For those of you wondering what a cronut is, if a croissant and a doughnut had a kid, that's basically what this pastry is. It's a croissant-doughnut hybrid hence, the name. The dough is similar to that of a croissant but it's shaped and fried like doughnut. And as if that's not enough to make you want to sink your teeth into this crisp and flaky pastry, it also has a vanilla cream filling. Now you know why I've been trying to avoid this sinful treat.

There are several stores that sell these but I got my cronut fix at Le Coeur de France (they call their product croughnut). They have three variants: Double Belgian Chocolate, Mixed Berries with Cream Cheese and Parmesan Cheese. I chose the Parmesan because I like how the saltiness of the cheese contrasts with the sweetness of the cream (and simply because I love cheese). 

As much as many of us want to eat healthier, it's okay to give in to our cravings once in a while as long as you eat in moderation. When we deprive ourselves of our cravings, we sometimes just end up mindlessly eating more because we don't feel satisfied until we've eaten what we originally wanted. Even supermodel Miranda Kerr lives by the "eighty percent healthy, twenty percent indulgent" rule when it comes to her eating habits. So go ahead, indulge a little and have a cronut! It's definitely a twenty percent well-spent. 

Have a Happy Day!

My boyfriend loves citrus drinks and he's always been encouraging me to do the same. I'm honestly not fond of sour tastes (I usually make that sour taste face) but I can't argue that Vitamin C is good for you. So now, whenever I crave for a cold beverage, I go for fruity drinks.

However, drinks can be full of hidden calories and sugar. But if you're like me who has to have her tea (or milk tea) fix, a trick to keep drinks healthier is to opt for 0% sugar or sweetness. If upon ordering they don't ask you for your sweetness preference, don't hesitate to instruct them. Most tea places have this option anyway. If you usually take your drinks with 100% sweetness, this might taste bland at first but once you get used to it, you'll eventually find the regular sugar level too sweet. Plus, drinks with less sugar are actually more refreshing! 

P.S. 

The guy from Happy Lemon served this drink to me and said, "Have a happy day!" It made me smile. I want to pay if forward so this is me telling you to grab a drink and have a happy day! 

Goodles

Having your office in a mall has its perks. For one, you have a wide variety of restaurants to choose from come lunch time. In my case however, despite the many lunch options, I've been finding myself going back to the same place all the time.

Goodles is the Philippines' first pasta-to-go-concept store. I love pasta which is why my standards are very high when it comes to it. One of my all time food pet peeves is when pasta is overcooked. Pasta should be cooked al dente (literally 'to the tooth') which means it should still be firm and not soggy. Goodles cooks their pasta perfectly and you can definitely tell that their food is cooked fresh using quality ingredients. 

An Instagram post of me having lunch at Goodles.

One of my favorites is the Pumpkin Cream Penne. I love creamy pasta sauces but they can be too rich. Adding pumpkin makes this sauce absolutely creamy without making you feel too guilty (plus, pumpkin is good for your eyes!). The ground sausage also works so well with the pumpkin flavor, making this a hearty meal. 

Another favorite of mine is the Pesto Cream. Yes, I know, cream again. I told you I like creamy pastas. I like pesto sauce alone but adding cream to it just makes it more decadent. In Goodles, you have the option of adding chicken, shrimp or mushrooms to your pasta. I usually like my pasta with meat but this dish is so flavorful that I actually just eat it plain. If all no meat dishes tasted this good, I wouldn't be surprised if I turned vegetarian! 

Their pastas are served with a toasty garlic bread. They're serving size is also big that most of the time I can't finish one order. It's a good thing they're served in tubs which makes having it to-go very convenient.

I love Goodles so much it's been my go-to place every lunch time. I'd seriously eat here everyday if only I wasn't watching my carbs.

Soft Side

When it comes to my personality, I can't really say that I'm a girly girl. However, there are days when I do like getting in touch with my feminine side. 

An easy way to achieve a feminine look is to think light -- that goes for both color and material.

Aside from the usual pastel colors, beige and cream are perfect for achieving a soft, feminine look. Go for a monochromatic color scheme if you want to look more put together.

 It was pretty hot that day so I wore a thin white top and paired it with a short, cream-colored skirt. Girly looks usually involve fabrics with movement. Imagine skirts that have a tendency to be blown by the wind (just make sure that actually doesn't happen). For my accessories, I basically kept my watch and bag coherent with my color scheme and wore simple, nude strappy heels. 

At this day and age when it's easy for women to go for jeans as an everyday look, it's nice to channel your softer side once in a while. 

Plains and Prints top

Liberte skirt 

VNC heels

Nine West bag