Tim Hortons: Lovin' this newbie

          There's a newbie in the country's food scene and I'm already lovin' it! It's Tim Hortons - a cafe and bakeshop that was founded in Canada by hockey player Tim Horton in 1964. As of the end of 2016, it already had over 4,600 restaurants in nine countries. 

           Last February, the first Tim Hortons store in the Philippines opened at Uptown Mall in BGC. Shortly after, another one opened at UN Square along UN Avenue in Manila. Soon, branches will also open at Eastwood, One Central in Makati RCBC Tower, Venize Grand Canal, The Link Glorietta, Net Quad BGC, Insular Life -Ayala and Blue Bay.

            Fortunately for me, the UN Avenue store is almost just a stone throw away from our church on Taft Avenue, so I've visited it twice since it opened.

   These were my orders:

Italiano Grilled Bagel, P180.
Loved this one. Lots of meat and veggies in between halved grilled bagel. There's ham in there plus pepperoni, onions, and greens underneath. Everything makes this sandwich super! I just know I have a new favorite that's tasty and filling.

    Crispy Chicken Sandwich Ciabatta, P140.

This would have been good, too, if only the ciabatta bread was fresh that time. I suspected otherwise because the bun wasn't as soft as I expected. The fried chicken breast filling was delicious, however, -- perfectly seasoned and fried to a nice crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. Lettuce and tomato slices bring this 

healthy sandwich to completion.

  Vanilla Dip Donut, P40.

For the love of my diabetic self, I didn't eat this lovely thing but ordered it solely to be photographed. I gave it to my son back at home. Well, I did take one bite just to find out if it was good and it didn't disappoint. It was soft, chewy and delicious, only a bit

smaller than other donuts.

  Potato Wedges, P60.

Fries here at Tims are cut in wedges, making them more handy and delightful to bite and chew on. The potato slices are lightly salted and even herbed I think because I could see teeny weeny bits of greens sprinkled all over them. They tasted more natural than their counterpart in fast food chains, so I could say I like 

Tim Hortons fries better.

 Iced Original Blend Coffee (S), P70.

I've had so many glasses of iced coffee in as many coffee shops and I could honestly say this one at Tims is the best ever! I'm not sure what makes it stand out but I could taste a hint of malt giving it a unique and distinct character. And though this cup of joe is iced, the boldness of coffee is still present, enough to make me happy with my caffeine fix and needed afternoon jolt. My only regret? I should have 

upsized my iced coffee!

Cappuccino, (M), P105.
Love, love, love! Need I say more? Even just the aroma of this cup of joe was pure bliss and comfort. One of the best cups of 
cappuccino I've ever had.

Menu

Inside Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons at UN Square, UN Avenue corner San Marcelino St., Ermita, Manila

I know it's a bit late but welcome to the Philippines, Tim Hortons. My arms (and well, mouth. Hehe...) are wide-open for you and I'm looking forward to many weekend afternoons at your UN Square store. 
Folks, come try the food and coffee here if you haven't and 
enjoy the goodness at prices lower than in most 
well-known coffee places in the metro. There's a variety of savory sandwiches to fill you up and saccharine pastries and donuts to satisfy your​ sweet tooth. To quench your thirst, there's smoothie, lemonade and tea, aside from coffee.
See you at Tim Hortons, guys! 
Happy eating!

Exciting eat-outs at Tokyo Bubble Tea

Very early this year, I saw on Facebook Tokyo Bubble Tea -- a  casual and informal restaurant serving Japanese and Korean food with a number of branches in and outside Metro Manila. The very yummy-looking food picture in that post got me drooling and so wanting to go! So on the first Saturday of 2017, after watching a Metro Manila Film Festival entry at SM North Edsa, I had late lunch at Tokyo Bubble Tea there at The Block and ordered what got me drooling on first sight - the Teriyaki Chicken Doria. It was sooo good it made me resolved to be back soon. Since then, I've made three visits -- once with a friend, at the Trinoma branch and twice solo at the SM North Edsa. 
How I wish they have a store at the Taft Ave. area in Manila 
so I could go too before or after going to church. 
So far, these are what I/we have ordered at Tokyo Bubble Tea:

 Teriyaki Chicken Doria, P255.
This casserole is pure bliss! Delicious grilled chicken teriyaki tops a bed of cheesy cream sauce with baked rice underneath. A spoonful of everything could send the taste buds an awesome myriad of flavors -- sweet-salty, tangy and smoky all at once. I remember the muffled "uhmmm" that I uttered with each of the first few spoonfuls! I tell you, this rice casserole isn't easy to forget and could send you daydreaming 
long after the last mouthful. 

Ebi Yakisoba, P289.

Yakisoba is Japan's counterpart to our very own "pancit". It's a noodle dish with meat and vegetables and is quite comparable to pancit canton. At Tokyo Bubble Tea, yakisoba is good - meaty and with lots of veggies. Meanwhile, there are two pieces of ebi (shrimp) tempura drizzled with sweet tonkatsu sauce. This dish is yummy but not guilt-free for me because of the sweetness.

Gyutendon, P325.

This was my friend's order. Rice is topped with tempura 
and slices of beef, and served on a hot stone bowl.

Bibimbop, P288.

Bibimbap (also, bi him bap or bibimbop), is a Korean dish that is one of my favorites. I'm glad it's served at Tokyo Bubble Tea! However, I got a bit sad when it was served, seeing it lacking in vibrant colors because there's too little veggies :(  
Good thing there's enough beef and a whole lot of flavors to still make 
me happy with my bowl of bibimbap. 😊

Matcha Cappuccino cake, P105/slice

My friend and I shared this dessert that provided a nice ending to our lunch. There's just a hint of sweetness to this moist and delicious baked goody, thankfully. Lip-smacking fillings of what tasted like mocha cream, actually the "cappuccino", are tucked in between layers of green tea-flavored cake. This was amazingly good!

Matcha Japanese Cheesecake Cream (M), P125.

This was such an awesome drink I fell in love with it on first sip! It's a milk drink with green tea topped with cheesecake cream that was just a little sweet but overly delicious. The cream reminded me of "taho" without the sugary syrup, only it's thinner and with a milky consistency. Black pearls are at the bottom, 
completing this lip-smacking drink.

Coffee Milk Tea with Jelly (L), P135.
 I loved this one, too even if I asked for 0% sugar. Truth is, 
I love all things coffee!

Strawberry Fruit-C (M), P115.
My friend's drink of choice. She loved it for it's sourness.

Brewed coffee, P85. 
My all-time elixir that I chose to have that particular time as we were having cake 
for dessert. Yup, perfect pairing, it was!

Inside Tokyo Bubble Tea in Trinoma

I just think Tokyo Bubble Tea is one great foodie find that is quite unique, modern and exciting. It offers good, healthier alternative to the usual pasta, pizza and burger that most restaurants offer, which are oftentimes the lazy, no-brainer choice when we decide to eat at the mall. However, there's a downside : prices are a bit steep and they charge for service so be prepared to spend more or less P400 each. I promise you one thing, though. Burning a hole in your pocket won't hurt so much this time with the quality of food and drinks that you're having. That said, expect me to jump at every chance to be back at Tokyo Bubble Tea. 
See you there, folks!
Happy eating!

Today's Word: John 3:16

Jesus is alive! Hallelujah! Believers of God and Jesus celebrated Resurrection Sunday yesterday. If only all people knew the profound meaning and importance of Jesus rising from the dead, we would all have thrown bigger feasts yesterday than any other day of the year! The Lord is alive today and forever, and is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us. With His resurrection, He not only triumphed over death but also over sickness, poverty, and all other forms of oppression by the enemy, Satan. 

Because of this, He is able to help us rise above all troubles us human being suffer. We just have to ask and trust Jesus! What a happy day Resurrection Sunday indeed was! I hope you skipped the Easter egg hunt and read and reflected on how Jesus won against all forces of evil to give us eternal life, healing and prosperity. Praise and thank Him for His sacrifice on the cross that shows his boundless, immeasurable 

and unfathomable love for you and for me.

God bless you today.