Last month, I got this close to Ming Tsai:

Who would’ve thought that this month, I’d be thisclose to Bobby Chin?

Please pardon the big smile. I was that kilig!

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Being a dad is not always a fairy tale, but for a man who sells one of the world’s favorite doughnuts, his brand of fatherhood is surely a lot sweeter.

Mark Gamboa, Marketing Manager of Krispy Kreme Philippines and father to two boys, believes that fatherhood is like a special doughnut you never get tired of eating everyday. “My sons are very special to me that no matter how tired I am when I get home at night, I still make it a point to spend time with them,” he says.

Though still very young, his sons, Marcus who’s nine and Marco who’s five, makes his role as a dad very fun and enjoyable for they are both quite energetic and playful tots. Especially during Father’s Day, Mark’s kids never fail to give him a colorful greeting card. Afterwards, the whole family goes to their favorite restaurant to celebrate the occasion.

Although fatherhood also has its challenges, Mark with the help of his wife, disciplines their kids when needed but still remain a friend who loves them and cares for them.

Mark is also proud to say that even though he works full-time, he still prioritizes family over everything else. “It is hard to achieve work-family balance so I give my family more weight,” he explains.

Staying true to his name, Mark does his best to make a mark in his children’s lives by teaching them to put God first, to respect and love their neighbors and to be responsible for their actions. “But I also tell them to remember to do well in their studies and have fun with the things they do.”

Being an expert on fun himself after working in such a dynamic company as Krispy Kreme, Mark makes bonding moments fun by often treating his kids at Krispy Kreme. Luckily, this Father’s Day, Krispy Kreme encourages fun and memorable times among fathers and kids–just like what Mark, Marco and Marcus have in mind to celebrate the occassion. That’s why from June 9 to 30, families can celebrate Dad’s special day with Krispy Kreme’s latest offering—Classic Peanut Butter & Stripes doughnut. This yummy treat is made with peanut butter kreme and the classic Reese’s Peanut Butter that definitely adds “dad-pleasing” factor to this decadent doughnut. Topped with graham cracker crunch and striped with caramel or chocolate, no kid, or dad, for that matter, can resist. Krispy Kreme’s Father’s Day sweet offering goes best with Krispy Kreme Signature Coffee and is available in all stores nationwide.

“This is in line with Krispy Kreme’s belief of making today special. With an occasion as important as Father’s Day, a sweet celebration over doughnuts and coffee should be in order,” enthuses Gamboa.

Via: Krispy Kreme Philippines

After months and months (it’s already summed up to almost two years) of procrastination, I finally had the opportunity to take Old Manila Walks‘ The Big Binondo Food Wok with Ivan Man Dy. For the uninitiated, Ivan’s also the guy who took Tony (close?) around Binondo.

After lunch at Fely J’s Greenbelt 5, my group together with my toy for the day, a Samsung WB500 compact high zoom digital camera, drove to Plaza Calderon dela Barca in Binondo to join Ivan’s famous street & food tour. To start things off, he gave us a quick review of our elementary lessons on Indios and Mestizos:

Peace tayo Ivan!

We crossed the street and went inside the Basilica de San Lorenzo Ruiz:

I’d love to walk you through the tour but I suggest you book yourself and your friends for a rather animated version, Ivan Man Dy style.

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I had my first serving (Php 80 for a 4 oz cup) of Red Mango (Megamall Building A) frozen yogurt a week after I got back from Dubai. I ordered the original variant sans toppings so that I can judge the frozen yogurt itself. After my first spoonful, I wish I ordered some toppings. The frozen yogurt was a big NAY. The texture was icy and the yogurt was too sweet, far from how it’s supposed to taste like. I guess it would be safe to say that to date, if you’re looking for authentic Italian frozen yogurt, The White Hat is (still) definitely the best.

When you checkout The White Hat in SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Place - Manila, SM North EDSA (Annex), Rustans Supermarket (Makati), and SM Clark (Pampanga) do checkout their current promos as well:

Coming home unexpectedly + meeting a culinary guru = Twist of Fate

Before the programme started, M asked me if I was a fan of Master Chef Ming Tsai. I told her that I can’t really consider myself a fan (just a believer, the most) because to begin things with, I rarely enjoy Asian fusion. On top of that, I only caught him on tube probably thrice (including his infamous battle with Bobby Flay).

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11:32 snacks:

Savoury Cocktail Crackers and Apple Juice

12:12 lunch:

Roll with Butter and Cheese
Shrimp, Carrot, and Cucumber Salad
Lake Hayes Chardonnay
Tapioca Pudding with Strawberry Sauce
Al Ain Mineral Water
Traditional Chicken and Vegetable Tagine with Steamed Rice

I passed on the beef because it might be similar to what I had in flight two months ago. Save for the salad (which was very tasty) and the silver utensils, I think meal’s worse. The Moroccan tagine was very disappointing. It tasted so much like cheap chicken curry (sorry, it was really that bad).

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Burger heaven facade, DFC branch

Caesar Salad with Shrimp, 39 AED

Are the shrimp toppings awesome or what? This is probably the best Caesar salad I’ve ever tried.

Unlimited garnish and sauce bar

Burgers shared by three ladies:

1/2 lb Hotrock, 1/2 lb Southwest, 32 AED each

I’m a huge burger person and these babies are just so damn good! I would definitely trade salmon canapes over these on any day. How I wish I can take the burger and the experience for my brother (who’s also a burger guy) in Manila to try!

Oat biscuits with dark Belgian chocolate. Best enjoyed with cold milk or hot tea. Available at the Swedish Food Market inside IKEA (I heard it’s available worldwide). 25 AED for 600g in IKEA Dubai.

Some snaps from our brunch before I left Manila:

Lemon wedge, a shot of honey, and mini cup for the hot tea

Cheese Salad, Php 200

The greens were very fresh and the vinaigrette was nice and fruity. This salad was so good but overpriced IMHO.

Princess and the Paupers, Php150

The soup above was very tasty yet not overwhelming.  I loved the mushroom dumplings and silky tofu cubes. Quick tip: finish your soup ASAP once served.

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NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM! It’s very moist, almost cake-like and just slightly sweet. The cream cheese frosting’s extra delish too! 12 AED at Sugar Daddy’s Bakery.

Sugar Daddy’s Bakery
The Village Mall
Jumeirah Road, Dubai, UAE