White asparagus season at Old Manila
EMPERORS and kings put a high premium on white asparagus, which is why it has always been referred to as the “Food of Kings.” King Louis XIV of France, the Sun King, was so enamored of the tender young spears of white as-paragus, harvested as soon as they appear above ground, that he built special greenhouses so he could have a ready supply year-round. “Fortunately, these days you don’t have to be a king to enjoy white asparagus,” said Gaël Kubler, Old Manila Chef de Cuisine, in a statement. The White Asparagus Festival returns to The Peninsula Manila’s Old Manila restaurant starting April 26. “Old Manila’s seasonal menu will feature white asparagus which we have flown in fresh from France’s Landes region. They are a true celebration of springtime,” said Mr. Kubler. For inquiries or reservations, call The Peninsula Manila at 8887-2888, ext. 6694 or e-mail diningPMN@peninsula.com for Restaurant Reservations, or visit peninsula.com.
Lobsters at Solaire’s Fresh
ENJOY the feast at Fresh which has a seafood cascade of steamed lobster claw, citrus-poached lobsters, lemon sweet shrimp, ginger-steamed blue swimmer crab, and poached New Zealand black mussels in its buffet. But there is more. Three international chefs have created special lobster dishes for Fresh. Xu Fan, the chef behind the Michelin-starred Xujia Cuisine in Chengdu, created a Szechuan Boston lobster adorned with a Szechuan spicy umami dress-ing. Cristina Bowerman, Chef Patron of Glass Hostaria, a one-Michelin Star restaurant in Rome, created a poached lobster salad featuring Boston lobster with mixed lettuce, celery, and green apples in seaweed mayo. And Goh Fu-kuyama, the chef behind La Maison de la Nature Goh, which secured a spot in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list and boasts a Michelin star, prepared a twist on the classic Boston lobster dish with Homard Tom Yum sauce. These lobster creations by chefs Xu Fan, Bowerman, and Fukuyama are available upon request and for dinner any day of the week at Fresh. For inquiries, call 8888-8888 or e-mail restaurantevents@solaireresort.com.
M&S Foodhall adds tea and coffee varieties
JUMPSTART mornings and make afternoon breaks more interesting with new Fairtrade teas and coffees from the Marks & Spencer (M&S) Foodhall. New treats include unique shortbread flavored M&S Luxury Gold Shortbread Biscuit Teabags and M&S Sticky Toffee Rooibos Infusion Teabags. For a refreshing, naturally caffeine-free and tropical tea, try the M&S Mango Pineapple & Lime Infusion Teabags. Meanwhile, the M&S Defence Teabags is a warming blend of citrus, manuka honey, and turmeric and ginger (which comes with a boost of Vitamin C). M&S Dreamy Infusion Teabags are there for bedtimes with its cozy blend of chamomile, valerian root, elderflower, and rose. On the coffee side, M&S Lazy Weekend Ground Coffee has notes of lemon and hazelnut, while M&S House Blend Ground Coffee has notes of caramel and berries. M&S Jump Start Ground Coffee is a little bit punchier. Shop in-store through the M&S Philippines Viber Community at bit.ly/MSPH-VC, or shop selected lines online on www.marksandspencer.com.ph. Marks & Spencer has 20 stores in the Philippines.
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Jollibee launches Iced Mocha
JOLLIBEE is releasing its new Iced Mocha drink. Their freshly brewed coffee, made with 100% Arabica beans, is now mixed with creamy chocolate. The Iced Mocha is available in both regular and large sizes. A new Iced Mocha Float is also available. “More than that kick of caffeine, we now usually drink coffee for that mood-boosting feeling, and Jollibee’s new Iced Mocha is all about giving you the two contrasting experiences of rich, freshly brewed coffee and creamy chocolate, blended perfectly for that much-needed coffee break vibe,” says Luis Berba, Marketing Director of Jollibee, in a statement. Jollibee Iced Mocha is priced at P60, and P75 for the Iced Mocha Float. Available for dine-in, takeout, or delivery via the Jollibee App, JollibeeDelivery.com, #87000, GrabFood, and Foodpanda.
Sprite throws a party
Sprite is throwing “the freshest party of the season” on April 27 and 28 at Flotsam and Jetsam, San Juan, La Union. Sprite has a lineup of activities for the party that will blast your “init meter” (they made one). Highlights include a giant 30-foot bottle of Sprite blasting water, inflatable Sprite slides, and a Sprite Cooling Chamber. Celebrity Joshua Garcia will also be there. The details are available on Sprite Philippines’ official Facebook and Instagram pages or visit www.coca-cola.com/ph/en.
