Back in my college days, froyo is actually a pre-requisite to my skating sessions at MOA. In fact,…read moreI never not have froyo when I pass by a froyo place anywhere for that matter. It's the rule. White Hat has some real mouth-watering yogurt creations going on and you can probably tell that I am a huge fan of the said dessert. This is such a wonderful business to have opened in the Philippines, really. I'm actually thanking the Creator for this. It's my comfort food place, my refuge after a tough day back in my secretary days, and the reason why I survive CAW meetings (don't ask). This branch is just small and humble, but I cannot count the times I've stopped by, sat down and derped around, trying not to look barbaric as I consume the creamy frozen goodness that is sent from the above. Anything White Hat, I would probably finish in a matter of five minutes, and then I'll go for seconds. And with the heat of this recent summer? It's just the perfect thing to get my cool-down.

A large cup of their plain yogurt always hits the spot. Creamy and satisfying with just enough…read moretartness.

This one caught me by surprise. When my sister brought home a white box filled with cupcakes, I…read moreimmediately dismissed it as same with all the other cupcakes in the world. I was wrong though. It was better than the others. The cake itself was very soft, buttery and mamon-like while the frosting was flavorful. It didn't taste like it was just made of confectioner's sugar. Among all the flavors, my favorite was the matcha. The taste was very strong and the bitterness provided a good contrast to the sweetness of the cupcake. You can really tell they weren't cheap with the matcha powder. I also really liked the lemon cupcake. Like the matcha, the lemon taste was quite strong and sour. Lastly, I also liked the plain one (again with the plain). Try them yourself. I'm sure the other flavors are very good as well.

GiGi Coffee & Cupcakes. Time and again, there are newcomers that attempt to break into Manila's…read moreever-expanding food and restaurant scene. I love it. Keeps the regulars on their toes and gives us partakers the opportunity to try something fresh. GiGi is one of those newcomers and when my mom were walking through the shimmering halls of SM Fashion Hall, our sweet teeth decided to bare their fangs and let us know about their pressing need for sugar. Decided to give GiGi's cupcakes a try and I have to be honest -- my mom and I had to pinch each other so that we wouldn't burst out laughing in front of the salesperson. It wasn't good! Hoping we'll have better luck with the drinks selection next time around. Everybody deserves a second chance after all.

I like this branch. When a friend and I went here one weeknight, it was both spacious and quiet. We…read moreweren't able to have a proper dinner, but we were craving for pancakes so somehow our pancakes here ended up as our dinner and dessert. I've tried many of the other pancakes like cheese, walnut, blueberry, chocolate marble, and caramel banana walnut. I thought the last one was the most decadent of all also because of the number of ingredients, but I was wrong; it was the chocolate chip pancakes. These pancakes do not have only chocolate, but also peanut butter. My friend and I felt like kids again eating - somewhat messily because of the peanut butter - these delicious pancakes. It was one of my best Pancake House experiences, because of the food (the best Pancake House creation I've tried yet!), the ambiance of the place, and the company. We didn't have a proper dinner, but we were very much happy.

Fruits in Ice Cream is a great alternative to established favorites like Magnolia and Selecta…read more Given their name, they want to project that their quality is better and that their ingredients are more fresh and natural. I don't know about the ingredients being fresh and natural, but some flavors do taste better than Magnolia or Selecta. Fruits in Ice Cream grew from home distribution networks to having scoop stations in malls and supermarkets. If not vanilla, I do like their ube or the cookies and cream. It's always the basics for me. I wanted to try the avocado but the colors seemed too bright and artificial so it really put me off. Same with pistachio. Still, I do prefer their ice cream to Magnolia or Selecta given the choice. The latter brands' ube ice cream are even more artificial looking that FIC's. Make way for the new established favorite.

Before all the new popular new ice cream kiosks, there was Fruits in Ice Cream. I remember when I…read morewas younger I'd frequent this kiosk to always get my ice cream fix. Since I've always been there I can say my favorites are Ube Premium, Nangkasuy, Green Tea, Cookies N Cream, and Black Sesame! But my absolute favorite is Ube - I would get this all day everyday! No matter what season, I would choose this flavor on any occasion, on any season! Big tip: it's better to get your ice cream in a cup rather than on a cone. They give you more ice cream in a cup! Well that's if you want a lot of ice cream! The prices are not so bad - if you compare it to all the other new ice cream places in Manila now. So this could definitely your first shot into trying gourmet ice cream!

My lobster and I are big fans of Famous Belgian Waffles. It doesn't matter which branch it is -…read morethey serve breakfast waffles folded over and stuffed with whatever kind of stuffing you want! My lobster is partial to their classic chocolate, while I like to spice things up with their combination fillings like blueberry creamcheese and chocolate and hazelnut (tastes like Nutella, too). I can perfectly imagine biting into fresh-from-the stove waffle and filling your mouth with the explosive (and still piping hot) filling! Ugh. Now I want one. THIS IS YOUR FAULT GO GET ME ONE HUHU

Chef Tony's popcorn is the best! It's not your typical cheese or BBQ popcorn - it's affordable…read moregourmet popcorn with flavors like Creamy Parmesan, Mochachino, White Chocolate, Cinnamon, Jalapeno Cheese, and a whole lot more! They have flavors you wouldn't even think would go well as popcorn - Strawberry Cheesecake popcorn? Well, it actually did work! It really did taste like Strawberry Cheesecake, but still went well with the popcorn. I find that Chef Tony's is more like the popcorn for stay-at-home movie and TV marathons. :D My favorites? Creamy Parmesan and Original Caramel! I end up finishing half the tub before I decide which series or movie I'm going to watch, haha! Best of all, Chef Tony's is readily available at most groceries and malls. If you're curious, visit one of their stalls - they give out free tastes! :)

I'm a huge fan of Chef Tony's Popcorn and I always looking forward to picking up a tub or two…read morewhenever I'm within the vicinity of one. This is the epitome of gourmet popcorn and it reminds me of similar gourmet brands such as Garrett's from Chicago. Some of my favorite flavors are creamy parmesan, salted caramel, and white cheddar. It's so delicious that I always have to stop myself from devouring half of the tub in one sitting. I also do everything that I can in order to hide the tub from my family so that I can have it all to myself. I know, I'm a selfish little girl. This is perfect for gift-giving, to bring to a party, or just to snack on whilst watching a movie at home. Thank you so much Chef Tony's for creating another world-class Filipino product. Mabuhay kayo.

Before milk tea and all its variants became a craze, pearl shakes took the city by storm…read more Mall-goers would usually line up and patiently wait for their turn to get their hands on a refreshing shake of their choice with sweet black tapioca balls or simply, sago. The hype may have died down, but Zagu is here to stay. They still continue to innovate in order to keep the market they fought hard to obtain and sustain amidst all the competition that sprouted everywhere which offered the same idea. My favorite drink is their version of the Sago't Gulaman. It's really refreshing without being too sweet. Sliced nata de coco, or better crystals as they call it, and sago also add a more flare and excitement to the drink by giving me something to chew on. In the tropical heat, a refreshing drink in hand is definitely an essential and Zagu still somehow proves that the original is, to a certain extent, still the best.

Long before the bubble tea, milk tea, and artisanal coffee crazes, there was Zagu. I've been…read moredrinking Zagu since I was in the 3rd grade way back in 2005 (which I still can't believe was 10 years ago!), and I'm still a fan. Back then, I ordered their largest size of drink in the buko pandan flavor, which is still my favorite - light on the pocket, heavy on the belly. I like their pearls more than most milk tea joints' though; I think they don't take as much effort to chew, but I'm not so sure. They've added a lot more flavors now like Halo-Halo (which I found strange, because it was weird actually drinking halo-halo, but yummy), black forest (not for me), and Zagu't gulaman (fun to try!), but I still prefer the original flavors like ube and chocolate. They've added more sinkers too, like rice krispies, but there's not a lot to choose from. I think some egg pudding would go great with their drinks. Before, there was Zagu, and I like to that even after all these crazes, there will still be Zagu.

After a tough experience with bad customer service in a store in Podium... I told myself I deserve…read morea treat! Thinking about all those calories... still didn't make me care. I deserved to boost my spirits! My original love is really their Cinnabon Classic Roll. The Chocobon came into my life... thanks God they come in smaller servings! A tip when ordering: ask if you can have extra cream and chocolate on top. They will usually be more than happy to add them on to your chocobon! Cinnabon = (even if I know it will be on my hips forever!)

This is perhaps the most sinful, decadent, and delicious cinnamon roll I have tasted. Ever. And I…read morejust ordered the classic one, not even the special variants like caramel, which I assume must be sweetness overload. Cinnabon is a far cry from all the other cinnamon rolls I have tasted - the roll is soft and chewy, and the taste is absolute bliss. This is something you have to experience yourself to understand what I mean. Of course, Cinnabon is pricey for a cinnamon roll, and understandably so. This is an indulgence you will spend for but won't regret. I love the Podium branch as it is quiet - you can really savor your cinnamon roll in peace. And it's cozy and nice to catch up with a friend here, which I did back then on my first time at Cinnabon, in between heavenly bites. This is arguably one of the best branches of Cinnabon.