Merry Christmas to all!

Heard so much about it ~ their tasty and goody cakes, their fun-filled pies; and of course (who could ever not know) their infamous tapa which has delighted many of their customers because of its  sweet aroma, its tangy-to-sweet taste, and of course its serving size. It is not as cheap as any other tapa, but with its serving size, one would realize that it is much cheaper if taken by the gram. As a matter of fact, I can bet my life on it ~ that it could fill in your stomach enough for you to burp (I was a victim myself).

Nana, on the other, hand tried their lasagna roll ups. For a person like me who hates italians for not making pasta sweet (oh yeah.. I love Filipino Home-made Banana Catsup spaghetti), I could not give a fair treatment to this dishes. I’d leave it for her to decide (she loves them..). She says the pasta tasted great but the sauce with it wasn’t as much as they used to pour. It’s probably out of cost –cutting – I said.

She doesn’t buy it though. As a matter of fact, she’s been complaining over the change the resto underwent  According to her, the prices were not this high some months ago (Php10-15 were added). However, she couldn’t deny that taste stayed the same – perfectly fit! Also, the inflation would not mar the superb service and quality Banapple brings to the table.

For dessert, we had banoffee pie and blueberry cheese cake. It tasted normal. It is nothing surprising but not that bad. I could describe it as something deliciously normal.

Enough of the food, what I actually noticed in this resto is not how they prepare the food, nor how the food tasted. What I believe is the thing that they can boast most about is the type of service they give to their customers. The glass I used there was a pure proof of their good customer service. One of my problems whenever eating out is asking for a waiter to refill my glass of water. I’d usually opt to ask for pitcher so as not to tire myself screaming or raising my hand every once in a while. But in banapple, it’s all different. Honestly, I’ve not noticed my glass ever emptied. The waitresses were attentive enough to notice all the glasses and fill it in with water whenever it reaches to its last quarter. They were all smiles as they serve each customer. We also overheard a lady asking the cashier to change the cake because it looks too small – the cashier openly took the cake and changed it for a better size. As far as I could remember, it is the first time (not talking of fine dining resto’s that is) I’ve ever experience such a form of customer service. I felt important and taken cared of during my whole stay there. As a matter of fact, that very thing brought us back to Banapple and check if they actually do it this way. Guess what ~ they actually do.

Restaurants can all brag about their food and their plating. However, what is the use of making food taste better if you have bad service? One of my businessman clients at work told me that success in the restaurant industry was never pure taste. More customers prefer good service over it. As long as your customers feels at home when staying in your hub, they’d treat any of your meals as special as they treat food served in their very own dining room. (assuming of course that the food do taste like it’s one)

5 Stars for Banapple!

Food – 5 stars |Ambiance – 5 stars |Service – 5 stars | Value for Money – 5 stars

breakfast was the dessert – a Graham Cake layered with Oreo Cream (a combination of Oreo, Whipped Cream and Condensed Milk ~ we should know because we tried making one)

Alas, our topic for today is the oreo graham cake (ain’t it obvious from the title?). Anyhow, we reminisced that morning in her house and had a light bulb moment ~ we need to make one of those! Afternoon of the 24th of October, we rushed to the nearest shopping center to find the ingredients for our very own

Oreo Graham Cake. Here are the list of things we actually bought: (including the excess)

• 2 Packs of honey flavored Graham Crackers; 2 Packs of Regular Graham Cracker (we only made use 1 of each)
• 2 Packs of Crushed Graham Crackers (we only made use 1)
• 3 Nestle Cream
• 2 Condensed Milk
• 1 Pack of Oreo

We weren’t really sure how many of each ingredient was needed for our plan. So we went too impulsive and got excess of the ingredients ~ trying to rationalize that it is better to have more than less. First lesson for us, Check and estimate your planned dish properly. We had so many extra Graham Cookies that we simply hid it somewhere in the refrigerator (waiting for the next day we’d actually remember it~)

Instructions:

1. Put the Nestle Cream inside the Refrigerator. (this is to put the cream in the perfect consitency for whipping)
2. Whip Cream. (That is until the cream on top of the whipper can stand already)
3. Crush the oreo cookies into small bits. (our little technique : Crush the cookies while inside the pack ~ it lessens the things you have to wash and it does the work perfectly.)
4. Add the Condensed Milk and the crushed cookies.
5. Do the layering. (No need to explain this I guess. Probably watch a graham advertisement if your not very familiar with it)
6. Put the finished cake into the refrigerator for freezing. (it’s not a refrigerated cake if you don’t do this. Besides, the cream would be too saggy for eating ~ not really the kind that one would want to munch on.)

Judging the taste of our finished product, I could honestly say that it is successful. However, Nana disapproves of this and thinks that the cake was too sweet because we used 2 condensed milk for the filling. She says that 1 can would be enough ~ she’d constantly compare it to her lola’s recipe which only made use of 1. As for me, I am much of a sweet tooth like any kid could be,so, I have very little to say about it.

Some suggestions for your own cake experience (taken from our own experience that is), the cake tasted better after 2 days of freezing. The cake was more compact and the graham was soaked enough. Another good suggestion is to keep the layering of the cream a bit thicker so as to get as near as the ideal image seen in most graham advertisements.

Nevertheless, what is important in making one of this cake is having a time to share and bond with your friends or family. The little experiment is a great way of getting laughter at preparation faults or funny arguments over the product’s composition. What is most important in making your preparation more successful is to simply have fun. The taste is less a factor than the memory you build from making it.

YEHEY for us! HOORAY for our very own Oreo Graham Cake ala NanaBam.

Disclaimer for the Pictures:The cake doesn’t look as appetizing as it should (we think too as well..) But, it’s definitely palatable… and the pictures are devoid of her face because we actually forgot to picture it with her. I was more enthusiastic to pose stupidly wacky with the cake.

So how do you get invited to Philippine Fashion Week?

There are three ways in which you can be invited: via

1. Printed invitations which are very limited and given out by designers themselves (or their friends)

2. E-invitations which are sent to friends or posted by designers (and their friends) in their pages and websites. Upon receiving an e-invite, you are to mail your contact details to Runway Productions at pfwguest@gmail.com with the name of the designer as your subject. An e-invite looks like this:

3. Guest list which you can be registered to by contacting a designer or an organizer.

All of the  aforementioned are distributed and arranged by the organizers and designers of the shows. However, if you do not have a personal contact with any of the organizers or designers, you can go to philippinefashionweeklive.com and register. This method will not guarantee you a seat though. Another option is stalking (yes you heard it right!) the pages of the designers where they would most probably post their e-invites.

If you tried all of these and failed, do not worry! Philippine Fashion Week is held bi-annually (May and October) so there will always be a next time for you. Make sure you register earlier next time

What do I wear to the Philippine Fashion Week?

Fashionably Chic. That is the type of attire specified in the invitation. However, this description may be vague to many. Generally, you can wear anything so long as it is not too formal (no ball gowns please) nor too casual (I know you love your Havaianas, but definitely no slippers for Philippine Fashion Week). Ladies usually wear dresses, but pants and shorts are allowed too, so long as you look presentable and fashionable.

Here is what I wore at the Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2010 last May (Bam wasn’t able to come):

It is a haltered white lace dress from GalFit Japan. I brought a trench coat if ever it gets chilly inside. Here is a picture of our friends (Bam wasn’t able to attend):

Can I bring a camera and a video camera inside the venue?

You can bring a camera and capture pictures, but not a video camera.

How early should I arrive at the venue?

Each show specifies a time when it opens its gate (the time when guests can start entering). I recommend that you arrive 30mins before the gate opens, especially if you are attending via a guest list as you will need to register yourself at the reception area (do not forget to bring an Identification Card). Another reason is that guests are assigned to specific areas which are composed of several rows and named by letters and/or numbers, but not to specific seats. It is better to arrive early to get a good spot.

Lastly, do not forget to have lots of fun! \(^^)/

*If you have more questions, post a comment or e-mail us at nana.wonders@gmail.com

MECHANICS

• Follow our FB Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/NanaBam-Contests/122816454443095
• Post on our wall a photo of you featuring your favorite food. You can only upload 1 photo. Put a caption on it and tag friends.

• The winning photo will be chosen by us and 3 of our friends. The number of photo “likes” will also have a weight on the decision:
• 20% – friends judgement | 20% – number of “likes” | 60% – nanabam’s pick
• Winner will have a chance to go on a trip with us at BANCHETTO ORTIGAS

• Have a blissful time!

NANA SAYS:

It was a busy night when we (Bambam and my study group) decided to dine and hang-out at Ral’s – we were preparing for an exam and finishing a paper for our Philosophy of Law class. Staying in a restaurant to study is not that conventional, especially if the restaurant offers buffet and alcoholic drinks as it tends to get noisy -not to mention messy- as the diners flood in. Surprisingly though, the ambiance at Ral’s is conducive for studying. There is something about the structure of its interior that decrease the noise and makes you barely notice the chitchat of the diners. Also, most of the drinkers stay at the outer area of the place.

The Buffet, pegged at Php300 per head, is quite affordable. It consists of 4 kinds of appetizers, 6 kinds of viands, 3 kinds of desserts and rice. You also have the option of ordering ala carte meals if you have a small appetite. Ala carte meals start at Php150. From the buffet, I tried Bulalo, Adobong Baka, Fish Fillet, Ginataang Kalabasa, Ginataang Mais, Leche Flan and Ref Cake. Yes, I ate a lot..but it was in a duration of 5 hours since we stayed there till the end of buffet time. The food tasted good, but not exceptional save for the Adobong Baka which was really tasty compared to its chicken variant. The meat was soft and the sauce had the balance taste of saltiness, sourness and sweetness. I also loved the Ref Cake. It has the right sweetness and smoothness.

Better than the food was the service of the crew. They were very friendly and attentive. They were always eager to serve us and help us in case we need something. It felt like we were just at some friend’s house studying. The only difference is that there is an unlimited set of food we can always munch on.

Overall, I had a great experience at Ral’s. I will definitely return there – to study or just to hang out.

Food – 3 stars |Ambiance – 4 stars |Service – 5 stars | Value for Money – 4 stars

Notes: accepts credit card | adequate parking | accepts reservation | has a small private area

BAMBAM SAYS:

It is the first day I got my first job allowance. My hands are itching to burn it into stuff I want to have. But before anything else, let us fill in the most frantic of all our needs – APPETITE. After a walk around Quezon Avenue area, my tummy is aching to get a run through. I had to meet Nana somewhere in technohub because she is busy studying for her papers in school. With her study group, we went off to “Ral’s” Technohub for dinner. I’ve heard so much about it from Mags and Mia – they’ve eaten here for the past 3 days. Ral’s is a bar/restaurant enterprise whose most famous offer is their buffet (dinner 6:00-11:00 @ Php300.00; Breakfast 7:00- 10:00 @ Php175.00).

The buffet consists of 6 viands, 3 sets of desserts, rice and 4 sets of appetizers. The waiters shared to me that viands differ per day and there is no specific theme for the food they offer. Thus, I could only comment on the set that is being served to us. At the very least, I could give a little glimpse at the way how this restaurant defines the word delicious. Currently as I see it, it is more Filipino inspired with the ginataang gulay and the addition of two famous Filipino Dish – Adobo (with a twist) and Sarsiado. The fish fillet was a bit lost thinking that Dori is not even native from the country. Nevertheless, it doesn’t really bother me because the food set is not strictly made out of one concept anyway.

Now for the food…

Fish Fillet: I am actually torn between being positive or negative on it. Does the dish come with the sauce or do we consider the fillet as an ala carte? The fillet is crispy in the outside while melting soft in the inside – but, what actually bothers me is the taste or should I even ask if there is an actual taste at all. Honestly, I do not get any sensation from my taste buds as I munch on it. However, with the inclusion of the tartar sauce, the taste becomes vibrant enough to partner with the fish’ texture. Now, you decide – what actually counts as one fillet meal?

Crispy Liempo: It is actually nothing more than the typical liempo.

Ginataang Kalabasa: Of all that I ate for tonight, this comes as my top of mind choice for this set. The sauce was just right and the thickness slips in just right in my palate. The squash was just cooked right – not so hard but not so soft either. I did not really mind the other ingredients – I was too fond of the squash and the sauce that I don’t actually mind whatever other thing was placed there (assuming though that it was cooked cleanly).

Sarsiadong Manok: The name actually lacks essence because it is not chicken alone but also slices of pork. And comparing both ingredient – the pork comes better with the sauce than the chicken. Nevertheless, the chicken was nothing to take for granted for.

Beef Adobo: ALAS! The twist comes out from its main ingredient. It was my first time to actually see one that makes use of beef, and the tastes is much richer than any adobo I’ve tasted. Beef was tender and soft – eating it was a perfect combination of texture and Filipino “sarap.”

Leche Flan: It was not actually as good as they boasted it. I would have to think that the rarity of having to eat it counts more on others than what it actually tastes. It’s not as sweet as I want it and it’s a bit burned. But as I have said, it is good to have to eat it for an eat-all-you-can buffet.

Ginataang Mais: Simply tastes great. Enough said.

Graham cake (a.k.a. Quadratini): This frozen delight actually looks like quadratini (inspired from mia’s point of view). It tastes good. We had time trying to find out what actually comprised this special dessert. We end up realizing it was condensed milk + egg + cream + other stuff. Nothing too expensive, but the collection itself makes the dish special.

The food was generally good. Buffet for 300 is not that bad at all – besides they also have Wi-Fi which makes it a good place for people who wants to study and eat at the same time. The lights, with its dim yellow hue, makes it enough for a relaxing ambiance and the live performer adds up to create the proper mood for bonding or serious studying. The crew was also open and friendly. They welcome inquiries and were very enthusiastic in answering them.

Food – 4 stars |Ambiance – 5 stars |Service – 5 stars | Value for Money – 5 stars

FRIENDS SAY:

Mia: 3 Nights in a row! =) Love the ambiance and Wi-Fi. Food’s exquisite.. =) Live performance for the win!

Emil: First time! Super busog (full) and super conducive sa pag-aaral! Plus the Wi-Fi!

Ral’s | Ground Level, U.P. Ayala Land Technohub, Commonwealth Ave., Diliman, Quezon City