The Kenny Rogers Roasters I know is gone, together with it the face and voice of the restaurant. Few things have remained though like the colors of the brand, the chicken, some side dish and the abs of Marc Nelson and now the Younghusbands gracing the billboards in EDSA. Suddenly, the brand became “healthy” in Manila while the entire Kenny operations died in the US a long time ago.

So, instead of getting a peek of the celebration going on a few blocks away from the office, we have decided to go and have dinner somewhere out of the traffic’s way. We headed west to Hyatt Manila and had a sumptuous buffet at the Market Cafe. For 3 hours, we pigged out hopping from one counter to another, sampling every dish. Forget about food load and diet pills, our tastebuds were happy.

The verdict? I loved the Shepherd’s Pie and all of those Japanese entree. Not much on premium ribs. (Looks really appetizing though.)

Will I be back? Of course. As long as I can still secure that huge discount, why not?

Five to six men in black hoods kidnapped a statue of Ronald McDonald from a McDonald’s store and recorded it on video Al-Qaeda style. They threatened to behead the statue if no one from McDonald’s try to answer their questions. While the whole stunt does look cracked up, the Food Liberation Army (FLA) in Finland have valid issues concerning McDonald’s food – raw materials, processes and benefits.

What did McDonald’s say? “McDonald’s is always available to engage in constructive conversations with our customers, stakeholders and the media. This stunt is in very poor taste.”

LOL.

I was on my 6th grade when I saw this Coke commercial that featured Lilet. The commercial, “People of the World”, was shot in Liverpool, England together with 100 children from across the world. The multi-cultural commercial was such a big hit in the Philippines that most kids looked up to Lilet as their idol and probably drank more Coke. A Filipino version of this Liverpool commercial was shot a few years later with Lilet and a hundred kids singing minus those mini chandeliers and the “museum” look. The Banawe Rice Terraces, being a 7th wonder, provided the perfect spot for the commercial.

Here’s an example of probably one of the best-loved commercial. I liked the Karen (delos Reyes) here more than the annoying Karen I saw on Survivor. Well, people change.

Kita-kits.

I was in the mall waiting for a new set of calling cards to be printed and checking out an exhibit on business opportunities when I spotted this restaurant serving all kinds of pork ribs. I haven’t been back to this place for the longest time. I remember eating something else aside from their specialty on my first visit out of shyness because it was someone else’s treat.

Since I was already salivating, I went in. It was moderately packed with people on a payday so I was immediately seated and given a menu. Out of curiosity, I ordered for a quarter of classic pork barbecue ribs priced at P250. It came with rice and a side salad. The server asked me again if I can add more to my check. So I was like okay, did I look really that hungry? When I refused, she just said it’s okay, she just tried to convince me. Yeah, like I didn’t know. But good job by the way no matter how poorly it was delivered. The food was good, I wasn’t able to finish it. Too much for me.

There, I get to compare restaurant services again. I understand how hard it is to please the people they serve as some diners don’t seem to appreciate the effort. People act like Scrooge sometimes. But it’s altogether different when the service is severely lousy in all forms with no effort to rectify the errors in their part. That’s when I grow fangs. And bite.

Now, it’s exciting to have Twister back. Because I was a fan of those crunchy tasty potato curls since it came out many years ago. And when you’re a fan, it’s easy to notice how pricey it has become now, with specific portions like medium and large. I paid around P80 for just the Twister-Green float meal that made me go hungry after a few hours of gorging them. It’s something I won’t recommend if you’re on a weight loss diet program of sorts. And the price is insane. It’s overrated for a simple potato snack that got permed.

July 30 is celebrated annually as the National Cheesecake Day in the United States. Like any other food holidays, there are quite a number of stories behind the cheesy celebration. It was said that anthropologists discovered molds dated back in 2000 BC, an indication that people then had been making cheese.

I actually gorged down a whole pie of strawberry cheesecake before.

The cheesecake was believed to have originated from Greece, as part of the athletes’ diet during the first Olympics in 770 B.C. The Romans spread the dessert across the continent. Centuries later, European immigrants brought it to the United States giving birth to two world-famous cheesecake varieties – New York and Philadelphia cheesecakes. But no president has endorsed it the way they did the hotdog eating contest every 4th of July.

I’m a cheesecake fan. Well, almost everyone is a cheesecake fanatic, unless you are barred from eating one. While everyone is still reeling high from their cheesy cholesterol intake, grab the chance to check out restaurants for a slice. Every dessert hub in the US seemed to have been slashing their cheesecake prices down. Who knows you get to take away something too. Like personalized basketballs, shirts, gift certificates or a whole year supply of NY cheesecakes.

Bon appetit!

That very familiar spot along SM Megamall’s bridgeway is now home to a 250-seater hawker center whose often busy open kitchen draws in curious passersby. The thrill of flames and clanking woks of this place called Orchard Road are distinct reminders of Singapore’s hawker centers, along with a variety of authentic regional Asian dishes prepared right before your very eyes. The only difference is that Orchard Road is an improved version of a typical hawker center in Singapore – it’s comfortable and relaxing, clean, well-staffed and air-conditioned. There’s none like it around Metro Manila that makes dining experience unique and a bit more exciting at a price one can easily afford.

Orchard Road’s flavorful food offers are basically of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Western influences that represent the cultural diversity in Singapore. They have Singaporean chefs in the house that work with local cooks in making these dishes fit the Filipino tastebuds without compromising their authenticity. For starters, check out their appetizing deep-fried spring rolls or the White Carrot Cake made of diced and stir-fried radish with an egg mixture. Try their house specialties like the steamed Hainanese Chicken served with rice, chili sauce, dark soy sauce, and ginger paste, or their hot and spicy Laksa with shrimp, egg and chicken in coconut curry gravy. For dessert, order their Thai specialty called Iced Red Ruby. It is usually made by boiling pieces of water–chestnut covered in tapioca flour and red food coloring, served over shaved ice, rose syrup, and evaporated milk. The Kaya Toast (coconut jam-filled grilled toast) is perfectly paired with the classic “Teh Tarik” or “pulled tea”. These tempting offers could certainly make you forget about your calorie count, but let the most effective diet pill in the market take care of your dietary worries, or just simply jog the following day. That should solve your problem.

Ordering from their extensive tick-list of 60 plus food items can be quite a daunting task. But they have hosts that can assist you with your choices and take you to a self-serve counter where you place your orders, pay and get your number. While waiting for your food be delivered to your table, enjoy the sight of their classy Southeast Asian-inspired interiors and the fragrant smell of oriental flavors wafting through the air.

Orchard Road is the brainchild of Singaporean TV celebrity Vivien Tan-Vaca and her Filipino husband, Dudo Vaca. Together with local investors, they named this restaurant “Orchard Road” after the famous entertainment, retail and food hub of the country.