Welcome me on Nothing Charming!

Hi and hello to everyone who has been visiting this blog even with the lack of updates recently. Thank you for being so patient and still dropping cards on here. I appreciate it.

I would like to inform you all that I have combined Mara's Personal Bubble and this blog, Mara's Appetite to WordPress with my own domain. I know. It has been long overdue and I have been planning about it since last year. I finally pushed through with the move and the domain earlier this year and now it's ready!

I am so excited although I still have to make some changes and modifications on my old posts from my 2 old blogs to the new one. You know, make it more SEO-friendly and hopefully it will do good (and even better) like this blog.

I hope you still support me on my new and (still working on it) improved blog.
Please welcome me and change all the links on your blog roll to: Nothing Charming


See you all there!

Crazy for Milk Tea: Happy Lemon

First, let me say that I think the word "crazy" should just be "thirsty". You know, "thirsty for milk tea" but since I started with "Crazy for Milk Tea" I guess I'll just go with it.

Green Tea w/ rock Salt and Cheese | Roasted Milk Tea w/ Black Pearl Sago | Cocoa w/ Rock Salt and Cheese | Milk Tea w/ Black Pearl Sago | Yakult Green Tea

These are 5 of 7 Happy Lemon drinks that I've already tried, I wasn't able to take a photo of Milk Tea w/ Oreo Cookies and Cream, and Lemon Yakult. Next time. I promise!

Let's start with the Rock Salt series - I tried 2 out of 3 of the drinks, I don't think I'll be trying the Coffee w/ Rock Salt and Cheese anytime soon, and both taste pretty good. Basically I think it's because of the cheese. The Green Tea maybe a little "florally" for some but I prefer this over the Cocoa which tastes like your ordinary chocolate drink topped with cheese.

When I order the Green Tea w/ Rock Salt and Cheese I always have it in large and with extra cheese which cost P105 if I'm not mistaken.

The Milk Tea series - Happy Lemon's Milk Tea w/ Black Pearl Sago is probably the best and closest to authentic that I've had so far. I remembered telling my friend that it actually reminded me of that hot milk tea I've had in a restaurant in HongKong. Whenever I'm craving for an actual milk tea, I always order this. But because I always like to try out different things just for experience's sake, I tried the Roasted Milk Tea too. I felt guilty for not finishing it. It tasted....roasted. I didn't enjoy it. 

If you're looking for a safe order, Milk Tea w/ Oreo Cookies and Cream would be a good choice especially if you like your milk tea sweet or you're buying it for your kid, it has cookie bits and could satisfy as your dessert too.

The Yakult Series -  This drink is like Green Tea w/ Rock Salt and Cheese minus the Rock Salt and Cheese. I didn't taste or even felt the Yakult on my buds but it's actually a refreshing treat. Since it has green tea, it does have that floral-like taste. Steer away from anything green tea from Happy Lemon if you don't like having the feeling of drinking a flower-scented tea. ;) I'm sure you'll be able to order a drink perfect for you as Happy Lemon has a variety to choose from.

Happy Lemon drinks cost P75 to P120 more or less, not too pricey compared to others.

My most frequented Happy Lemon branch (and probably the only branch I ever go to after trying it out in Promenade before) : Powerplant Mall

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

May all of us remember to be thankful and enjoy this day with our loved ones. :)

- Mara

The Perfect Weather for Coffee

I think this is the second time or so this week that I'll mention how chilly it has been for the past days, weeks even. 

This is the perfect weather to grab yourself that hot drink to really savor this rare cold weather we have in this tropical country that we live in. With that being said, I'm debating with myself right now whether I should head out earlier than my 7PM date with friends and have some hot Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks.

Need A New Phone?

Hello guys!

Just a short commercial from my food-related posts.

Please check out my other blog, I'm selling a spare phone I haven't used.

Let me know if you're interested!


Thanks so much!




Regards,
Mara

Frozen Yogurt Craving

How much frozen yogurt can one have to satisfy his/her craving for it?

I know the weather these past few days do not call for frozen yogurt, or any cold food or drinks for that matter. It's been quite chilly and rainy the past days but my weird cravings choose no occasion, time, day, and weather. For some reason, my taste buds want froyo for dessert and I haven't given in to the craving for almost a week.

Yoh-Froz (with Kiwi fruit); Golden Spoon (with Mallows & White Chocolate); California Berry (Blueberry plain); and White Hat (Strawberry plain)

Any one of these frozen yogurts will do and I'll have a happy tummy and happy taste buds. I'm actually missing two photos here, one from Red Mango and Lulu Belle. Yes, I love frozen yogurts, desserts, and trying out different and all kinds of food from different places for comparison. If you're wondering, White Hat's on top of my list. I'm open for suggestions of any other frozen yogurt place other than these 6 I've already tried.

I WILL GET MY FROYO FIX...BEFORE CHRISTMAS. ;)

BonChon's Fish Rice

It has been a year since BonChon has graced Manila with its "no-need-for-gravy" chicken and people still line up every time a new branch opens up. I tried this Korean-based franchise restaurant when it opened up a store in Ayala Triangle, just to see (and taste) for myself what the fuss was all about. Fortunately, it appealed to my taste buds and I loved it! I love how the chicken doesn't need ketchup or gravy or any other sauce other than the flavor itself. You can choose to have soy garlic or spicy.

But even though BonChon is popular for their chicken, they have also added up new food to their menu including their fish tacos, bulgogi and my new favorite: fish rice.

The "combo" meal has 3 strips of fillet fish (with choices of soy garlic or spicy) with rice + drink. I love my food spicy so even when I had my fish spicy already, I still ordered an extra spicy mayo just to add taste. Spicy mayo can also be used for the chicken which I also do because I just can't seem to eat fried chicken without some condiments and BonChon's spicy mayo is just right with the chicken's flavor. Gravy or ketchup would be too eeky.

Next on my list is to try their fish tacos and bulgogi.

Visit BonChon in Shangri-La Plaza, Ayala Triangle, Greenbelt 1, Promenade Greenhills, Taft Avenue, and Eastwood.

Which Hot Drink Do You Prefer?

To be more specific, which hot drink do you prefer to have on a cold, rainy day? Coffee? Hot chocolate? Milk? Tea?

I woke up today and the first thought I had was that of a song from Maroon 5, Sunday Morning, because it was raining on a Sunday morning. Apparently, it has been raining the whole day and my urge to have Iced Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks ended up being a Hot Green Tea Latte instead.

Because I wasn't able to take a photo of my to-go drink, I got this from: Fabulouslybroke

I don't know if it's just me, but no matter what I want to drink, when it turns out to be raining I always opt for something hot to drink and usually when I'm just at home I'm limited to either coffee or hot chocolate.

Any other hot drink suggestions? What are your favorites?

Adsense problem

***A break from food related post***


I have been having problems with my blog's Google Adsense for the past couple of months and I have zero idea on how to deal with it and fix it.

Is there anyone here who can help me with it? I'll send you an email or IM. I've tried searching Google's FAQ but I don't have the patience and the time to sift through each of the hundred topics posted and find a specific solution or explanation to my problem.

It would be a huge help and I would really appreciate it.
I can link you back as a thank you. :)

Thanks in advance, guys!

Gelatissimo

Gelatissimo, a gelato retail chain from Australia has opened several branches here in the Philippines too and it's not just about the gelato as they also offer coffee, sundaes, gelato cakes and mostly dessert products.

Here's my first Gelatissimo flavor:

Gelatissimo: Rum and Raisin

The photo actually made it look big but I had the smallest size and it cost me around P100 or so. It may seem pricey for a small dessert but then again, it's sort of an imported product and it is actually worth it because I had a scoopful, not the usual small scoop ones.

I would love to give the other flavors a try especially Green Tea and Bailey's. Gelatissimo has 6 branches here in the Philippines including 2 in Cebu (Ayala Center and SM City), 2 in Quezon City (SM North and TriNoma), 1 in Taguig (Serendra) and 1 in Makati (Greenbelt 5).

Mr. Jones, Greenbelt 5

I had the chance to try out Mr. Jones in Greenbelt 5 when a good friend of mine was having her on-the-job training there. I've heard of the place before but haven't really tried it so I was not familiar with the menu. The night before I was to have lunch at Mr. Jones with my friend's girlfriend, I searched for their menu and familiarized myself with the food that they have.

Everything sounds and looks delicious! But the first thing I noticed was the price, I initially thought that it was a little pricey for my budget even for me who enjoys eating out and trying new restaurants. A single order of their soup and salad is somewhere between P195-P375 ($4-9) already and the rest of the menu, including drinks range from P200-P600 ($4-15).

"Good thing I'm with Trish tomorrow!", is what I said to myself. I saw several food that I wanted to order the next day that I don't think a P1,000 ($25) budget would be enough to cover it.

Here's what I had that day:

Mr. Jones' Wicked Truffled Mac 'N Cheese

Priced at P395 ($9) and is good for sharing, Mr. Jones' Mac 'N Cheese is a must-try for everyone who is a first timer at this restaurant. You really can't go wrong with mac 'n cheese and this one just tastes so good you can eat it all by yourself. I love the creaminess of the sauce, not too creamy or sweet, but not bland at all. it has mushrooms, pancetta, and green peas too. This is the first food I ordered while waiting for Trish and I was trying not to eat it all before she arrives.

Mr. Jones' Spicy Drumstick

I'm not sure exactly what the name if this food is but is spicy and they're drumsticks. I love spicy buffalo wings, and this one has made it to my list of favorites. It has fries on the side of the bucket, too. The drumsticks are huge compared to others, the sauce balances out its spiciness but not removing the spicy factor. It actually just makes it more....delicious.

Overall, we've had 4 different food and 1 milkshake. I think our total bill was around P2,000-P2,500 but it was totally worth it. I wasn't able to take pictures because we were already busy eating.

Visit Mr. Jones at Level 1, Greenbelt 5 in Makati.

Crazy for Milk Tea

Is there anyone who's also wondering why the sudden popularity of milk tea shops in every corner?

I remember having my first taste of "milk tea" in HongKong when I was barely a teenager. It was literally a tea with milk and it was from a restaurant, not from a milk tea cafe or shop. I loved the taste of it that's why every time I feel like having it, I just steep a tea bag and add milk. Homemade style.

But now, there are a lot of milk teas everywhere; Serenitea, Tea Tap, Gong Cha, Happy Lemon, Moonleaf Tea and believe me... a lot, lot, lot more!

I admit that I am an avid drinker but I still have yet to try the other places. So far, I have Happy Lemon and Serenitea crossed out from my list and I love them both that I just crave for these two every time.
Happy Lemon's Green Tea with Rock Salt and Cheese is a favorite of mine, so is Serenitea's Hokkaido.

This is why from now on, I will be making "Crazy for Milk Tea" a series. I will post and share with you my experiences, suggestions, and most importantly my reviews and ratings of the drinks.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions for me (I'm sure you have a lot!) and I will be more than willing to give it a try.

Watch out for the future posts about Serenitea!

Pepper Lunch's New Menu

Has it really been almost 6 months since my last entry post here? My, my, my.
Sorry for that. I know I've been extremely busy with work and social life that my body (and mind) just couldn't take it if I spend even my weekends in front of my laptop. BUT...that doesn't mean I'm not taking food photos. I still do. And every time I do, I still think about putting them up here.
I will do my best to update my blogs at least once a week.

Anyway, my first post for this year is dedicated to my favorite: PEPPER LUNCH. It's actually the reason why I felt the need to update Mara's Appetite. I think it is worth it to spend a few minutes of my self-imposed break to share with you guys that Pepper Lunch has a new menu! I don't know about you, but I am one excited gal when I read about it on Twitter.

Here's their new menu which you can also find on their blog (click Pepper Lunch):

I am looking forward to try their Angus and I read that they now have Yakisoba too. I have been craving for PL for weeks now and this Thursday is my Pepper Lunch day!!! :)

What to try? What to try?
I promise to keep you guys updated when I get to taste one of the new addition to the PL menu. Promise!

Kellogg's Pop Tarts

I went to a few grocery shopping last week and my eyes popped out when I saw Pop Tarts on the shelf. It's not really a regular product especially in an SM Hypermarket supermarket, I only get to buy Pop Tarts in Rustan's when it's available.

I sent my Mom a message on BBM asking her to send me boxes of Pop Tarts and the reply she gave me? "That's not healthy." It's not like I'm going to eat it 3 times a day everyday. It's just... I really have a sweet tooth.

If only it's a little cheap on the budget, for more than P150 I don't think I can add this on my regular grocery list.

Just sharing.

Spicy Fingers, Greenbelt 2.

If you are looking for a place that offers alcoholic beverages minus the rave light and entrance fees and good food without having to eat them in a crowded place then Spicy Fingers may be the one you are looking for.

For the past month, my friends and I meet at Spicy Fingers for drinks and some pica-pica.

Here's what we always have:

 Rhum Coke, Vodka 7 and Margarita (not in the photo)

Mozzarella Sticks

Oh, did I mention that they have Happy Hour for cocktails and draft beer for only P50? Yes they have! And it's from 12 noon until 8 PM. Talk about HAPPY HOURS. You can get buzzed within 2 hours with their P50 cocktails and they're not at all bad. Regular price ranges from P150-P200 so that's more than 50% off and it tastes the same. 

If you are feeling hungry, Spicy Fingers also have good food to choose from from starters to soup, salads, sandwiches, main entrees. One food that doesn't leave our table is the Mozzarella Sticks. They're good with cocktails. Or so we say. Mozza Sticks is a bestseller at Spicy Fingers, that means something. ;)

You can visit and try Spicy Fingers at Greenbelt 2 beside Bizu and My Thai. A P50 drink (before 8 PM) and food not priced above P500 (and you can share with your group) is worth a try!