Robinsons Place Manila- Grand Manila Sale 2016 Bloggers Fashion and Food Crawl

Robinsons Place Manila celebrates the 445th founding anniversary of City of Manila by holding a 2-week long grand sale from June 24-July 3, 2016. Robinsons Place Manila, in partnership with its affiliate stores, Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Appliances, Handyman, Toys "R" Us, and select Robinsons Specialty Stores, will offer exciting promos and exclusive discounts to all mall shoppers during this period. Expect to enjoy up to 50% off on selected items from participating brands such as Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Daiso, and more!

The Grand Manila Sale 2016 promises mall goers an ultimate food and shopping experience with Robinsons Place Manila's wide selection of restaurants and lifestyle brands.

I was lucky to be part of The Grand Manila Sale 2016 Fashion and Food Crawl, wherein selected bloggers were able to fully experience what Robinsons Place Manila has to offer.

The food tour began at Tim Ho Wan where we enjoyed a sumptuous feast of the restaurant's signature Baked Bun w/ BBQ Pork, best-selling dimsum selections, and their new Chef Specials.

Thai Bistro: Authentic Thai Cuisine in Robinsons Magnolia

Just like what I mentioned before, I love Thai cuisine. I love it so much that I tried very hard to convince D to love it as well. I couldn't imagine going out on our dates and missing out on one of my favorite cuisine.

Good thing he easily developed his love for Thailand's Pad Thai and Bagoong Rice. He has yet to appreciate Tom Yum Soup and other Thai dishes with strong and distinct Thai spices and herbs though.

Ironically, he was the first to try this Thai place in Robinsons Magnolia called Thai Bistro. He was constantly raving about the dishes at Thai Bistro, and that I should try it out. Finally, the date was set. 

Of course, by default, we ordered for their Pad Thai (P350) and Khao Khluk Kapi (P315) 

Beautifully encased in an egg net, Thai Bistro's Pad Thai is definitely a catch! Taste was as good as its presentation, as we dug into the pile of soft and chewy noodles mixed with pork, shrimp and sprouts. Of course, don't forget to squeeze in some lemons to enhance the flavors.

Sweet Hunt- Taiwan Milk Tea, Snow Ice, Honey Toast and More in Robinsons Place Manila

Last Sunday, D and I went to Robinson's Place Manila and found ourselves in front of this cute dessert place called Sweet Hunt. It is located at the 3rd level of Midtown Wing right in front of Toy's R Us. We seldom frequent the area, so it was just the right place to be since we didn't want to try something we could also find elsewhere. 

The store was pretty simple and neat with quirky decors and chairs. Sweet Hunt is basically a dessert place that aims to bring Taiwanese sweet treats here in the Philippines. 

Their products include Taiwan milk tea drinks and smoothies, Snow Ice, Shave Ice, Honey Toasts and Taiwan's famous Salt Pepper Chicken.

We decided to try their Snow Ice offerings and ended up choosing two of their bestsellers- Full House (P130-medium) and Tiramisu (P100-medium) 

The Full House is basically a sweet and refreshing cup of their finely shaved milky snow ice topped with mangoes, kiwi, mixed berries, condensed milk and vanilla ice cream. 

YummySoy Philippines: Soy Craze in Singapore to Manila-Fort Strip

"Tahoooo!" A familiar chant we hear since our childhood days. 

With people gearing towards a healthier lifestyle today, more healthy products are being offered in the market. And Soy is one of them. Our family loves soy products like soya milk, tofu, taho and soya chips. In fact, we already have our suki taho vendor who visits us regularly at home. We've known him for more than 5 years already and until now, he gives us a special price of P10 for one big bowl.

But to be honest, I prefer drinking soya milk and munching on tofu chips than eating our local taho. It's just that taho is so heavy and filling to consume that one bowl is more than enough to fill my soy cravings.

Not until I was introduced to YummySoy!

YummySoy is an international franchise from Singapore, and finally, they decided to bring the soy craze here in the Philippines. Their flagship store is a kiosk located in Robinsons Place Manila, and just this June, they opened a concept store at the Fort Strip beside K-Pub BBQ and Modern Sichuan Restaurant.

Lombardi's Authentic Italian Goodness- Robinson's Magnolia

Just recently, The Foodies Circle were invited for an Italian food tasting at Lombardi's newest branch in Robinson's Magnolia. I just couldn't say no as Italian cuisine used to be my favorite back when I was a child. As much as I wanted to stay away from this carb-loading cuisine, it seems that it still has a soft spot in my heart. 

Located in the second floor al fresco area, the restaurant exudes this casual and laid back ambiance with dainty interiors and wooden walls for its open kitchen. 

We were initially served with complimentary bread and a glass of wine while waiting for our orders. 

Starters

Carpaccio Di Tonno (P390)- tuna, lemon, arugula, cherry tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil

The Magnolia Flavor House at Robinson's Magnolia

Remember the Old Magnolia Ice Cream House in Aurora Boulevard that we used to visit back then? Well, I certainly do. The memories are still vivid and fresh in my mind. I remember the place being crowded with kids, smiling and laughing while digging their spoons into their favorite ice cream sundaes, banana splits and parfaits. It was like a wonderland of desserts full of new surprises and sweet encounters. So, imagine the sadness I felt when the classic ice cream parlor closed down. 

August 13, 2012, Robinson's Magnolia, the latest lifestyle shopping center in Quezon City opened its doors to the public giving them a new place to hang out and rekindle memories with friends and families. 

Got a chance to visit the place and look what we found! The new Magnolia Flavor House located just outside the mall. We just couldn't pass the chance to try it out since we were already there.

Glass windows sheltered the place giving a spectacular view of the mall. The blue and white chairs gave a contemporary look that exudes a nostalgic vibe.

They are still on soft opening with limited menu offerings. I remember the last time we dined at Magnolia House, they had this huge menu board with extensive food and dessert choices. 

I just had to order our classic favorite- Banana Split (P240).