This is one of the first places I'd ever encountered the sudden explosion of cupcake mania in…read moreManila. Like I said, I'm still not a fan of cupcakes. They're too tiny and often overpriced and why would I pay that much when I can get a full slice of cake for a few pesos more blah blah blah you get my argument. GIGI's however has managed to worm their way into my heart. I wouldn't say it's made me a believer but if I did have to pick a place with decent cupcakes, it would be from them. For one, their cupcakes are cheap. 200php-ish gets you around six cupcakes which is a pretty good deal. Definitely much cheaper than most places. They certainly don't taste cheap either. Their cupcakes are moist. Not at all dry or flakey or lacking in flavor. I also appreciate the graph-like infographic drink menu their Eastwood branch has. Would I go back again? *Maybe*. Like I said, not a cupcake fan. But if I did have to think of a quick gift for someone, maybe I'd grab a few cupcakes from this place. (Also, their hot chocolate is pretty good.)

I've been a fan of Cupcakes by Sonja for a couple of years now. In fact, the first gift I gave to…read moremy future in-laws when I first met them, was a box of their scrumptious red velvet cupcakes with cream frosting. This was about 5 years ago and this particular cupcake cost about P70 to P75 back then. I believe it's now P95. For the weight-watchers, they also have a sugar-free of version of this, FYI. Recently, we got to try Sonja's 8" Rainbow Fiesta Cake for my brother's birthday (Yes, he loves rainbow cakes) and it cost P950. It was not only adorable to look at but it offered just perfect level of sweetness unlike most rainbow cakes that tastes mostly like confectioner's sugar. The layer of marshmallow icing wasn't too thick and it was covered with a generous amount of crunchy rainbow sprinkles. Inside it had 6 layers of soft vanilla chiffon in purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. The chiffon wasn't too thick and heavy it was more on the fluffier soft side which I personally like. At 8 inches, the cake is quite large so two people can even share a slice. Overall, we were quite happy with Sonja's Rainbow Fiesta cake. Unfortunately, they forgot to give me the free candle I requested (hence the 4 star rating) but it's no biggie. If you love Rainbow cakes or cupcakes in general, I would definitely recommend Cupcakes by Sonja. They offer yummy pastries and the price isn't too hefty.

There's no better way to beat stress than to binge in tons of desserts. This place has always been…read moremy little hideaway if I'm burdened and craving for something sweet or I would just like to kill time while waiting for my friend to finish her girly errands.. Place is tucked under an escalator so I can enjoy my sweets in peace and without the chaos from all the passers-by. My personal favorite from their wide array of cupcakes and specialty desserts is the sexy Red Velvet Vixen. Topped with very luscious cream cheese, it never fails to make my mouth water with extreme anticipation. As soon as it reaches my table, there's no letting go. I sometimes try Vanilla Sunshine when I'm in the mood for something different but equally delicious. I always order my cupcakes with coffee so I would still have something to drink while doing my business because the cupcake won't last very long.

If you need a bright and comfortable place to hang your head, all while making chismis with your…read morefavorite titas, then go on and grab a seat. Their lunch options are surprisingly filling, which doesn't come too often with American appetites. Nevertheless, they act as the perfect pre-game for the slew of carbs you're bound to consume for dessert. Their buko (coconut) cupcake is the business!

I don't remember when Mom and Tina's opened, but I've been going to this restaurant for a really…read morelong time already. Then, I stopped going 'cause I thought I had enough of their really good food. When I went back just last Sunday, I was pleasantly surprised. They added more dishes to their menu, they now have breakfast and free WiFi. I ordered what looked good (tapa) and begged my friends to try the new dishes so I could taste their food. The tapa tasted like bacon. It was crunchy and filling at the same time. The rest of the breakfast dishes tasted good, but I was happy and full with my tapa. Because I was so stuffed with oatmeal cookies, rum butter cupcakes and their Toblerone walnut torte, I got the rest for take-out. Got a couple of rolls, bacon and cheese, white cheese and corned beef. Here's a trick, buy their rolls and freeze them. When you're in the mood to have one or two, heat them up in an oven. Another tip, if you like their rolls. .You know, the ones they serve when you order a dish, ask the lady at the counter if they're selling any. Normally, they don't, but there are times the lady decides to sell a bag or two.

I couldn't really care about how this particular store isn't as fancy as others of its kind. It may…read morenot have all the bells and whistles, but come on, the only reason why I would ever approach this sort of place is for the food. As its name implies, J. Cuppacakes sells cupcakes. They sell good cupcakes to be more precise. I always thought that any cupcake that's priced below a cupcake by Sonja's would be something that was mediocre. This one proved me wrong. Granted, it's not the first one to do so, but it is one of the few that has. In any case, my experience has taught me that once a store has sold me on one of their cupcakes, there's a very strong chance that everything else they have to offer is as good. Anyway, lemme know if you do give everything a try and if there are flavors that are better than the others.

I'm a regular department store shopper in Megamall, so J Cuppcakes is pretty hard to miss. I've…read moretried their macarons for several times already but I never really tried their cupcakes. That's mostly because my favorite cupcake shop was just one mall away. Also, I was kind of doubting the quality of the cupcake. it only costs Php 65 for a piece of their red velvet and most good cupcakes I tried cost around Php 85 and above. Well I'll be the first to tell you that I was wrong to judge. Their red velvet was actually pretty awesome. Reason number one is the price of course. Most of their pastries are cheap, without the quality being compromised. They have cake pops, cookies, and brownies available. Their macarons only costs Php 50, which is a pretty average price these days. I want to try other cupcake flavors when I can, because J Cuppcakes looks pretty promising to me.

My mom and I usually go to SM Megamall on weekends to go grocery shopping. There are a lot of food…read moreestablishments near the grocery but most of the time we just ignore it because there are better places in Megamall that we could always go to. Usually after our grocery shopping, I buy snacks for the ride home. I remember one time when my grandfather drove for us and he wanted to go home badly (typical lolo). We were in a hurry so I didn't have a lot of choices. My mom told me to just go to the nearest food stall I see and just buy whatever I want. When I went to the SM Megamall Bakery, I saw a small plastic container that has four pieces of Red Velvet Cupcakes. I love Red Velvet Cupcakes so I decided to buy it. It was also really cheap; I bought it for the price of 105 pesos. It tasted really good. It was moist and it had a gooey chocolate filling. The creamy cheese frosting was a little bit bland, but it had the right thickness and consistency. I was really surprised. I thought the cupcakes would be dry and tasteless, but it ended up being the complete opposite. Just because something is brand-less, doesn't mean it's not good.

Brownies Unlimited is great for satisfying your cravings for brownies that are chocolatey and…read moresweet. Their brownies are great for snacking and great as a pasalubong too. I'm not that much into cakes and pastries but the brownies they serve here are a big exception. The texture of their brownies are soft and moist with chocolate syrup or cream. Their brownies have plenty of designs and varieties. There are brownies that are covered with nuts, mini kisses-like chocolates and marshmallows to name a few. My love for brownies started when a friend of mine bought a box of 10 in Brownies Unlimited and shared it with me. At first I was hesitant to try since I'm not that much of a fan for sweet foods especially pastries. Hell! I was so wrong to think that I wouldn't like the taste of their brownies. Pricing for their brownies is fair or cheap even. You can get a box of 10 brownies for 150.00 pesos! Did I mention about their cute packaging as well? (Well, atleast for me I find them boxes cute! LOL). I always pick their box of 10 brownies whenever I buy here to satisfy my cravings or to buy some as a pasalubong for friends or housemates. If you haven't tried the brownies from Brownies Unlimited yet, I highly suggest you get a box when you see one of their stalls and don't forget to share! Brownies is love! LOL.

I've been eating Brownies Unlimited for nearly 10 years now, and I used to look forward to my aunt…read morealways bringing them to our family potluck lunches. I realize now that it's probably because a box of brownies is definitely cheaper than buying a whole pizza or chicken though, and that you don't have to wait long to get your order. In recent years, cupcakes have been making headlines and have inspired a lot of stores to sell their own renditions, and Brownies Unlimited has got their own "party cupcakes". I still prefer their brownies though, from the classic rocky road and kriss kross flavors to the more in flavors like red velvet and s'mores. The brownies are reasonably priced too, with nothing going higher than P30 I think, and you get some great deals such as a box of 6 classy brownies for only P120. It's a shame that you're not sure if the brownie you're getting is fresh, though.

I first found out about Sophie's Mom on Facebook. They have this pretty (but very common) pastel…read moremotif for their shop, which of course attracted me, a certified sweet tooth. I didn't know they had a branch in Mega until I started working nearby, but upon founding out, I really just had to try out their red velvet cupcakes. The cupcakes don't disappoint. They're soft and light and moist and velvety (no pun intended). And the cream cheese topping. Oh the cream cheese. The shopkeeper took out the tray and let me choose which cupcake I wanted, well of course they're all or red velvet so I was dumbfounded, not knowing what to "choose". She then suggested I get the one with the thickest dollop of cream cheese. I'm so very thankful for that. The cheese is of high quality and it didn't really taste of fillers to me.

Contrary to what the kiosk claims, Baked by Anita doesn't sell cupcakes at this branch. Instead,…read moreAnita sells a wide range of savory empanadas and bite-sized mini pies called "bocaditos." It was my first time encountering this treat and I was pleasantly surprised with what I ordered: wild mushrooms with Gruyere and truffle oil (P65). The surface of the pie is shaped with a cute heart, while the Gruyere filling is rich, and arranged compactly inside the pie so that it doesn't spill out even when you bite halfway into it instead of placing the entire thing in your mouth. One pie contains just enough to make you feel that you've had a particularly heavy snack. Wish they sold more than just empanadas and pies, perhaps to include sweeter pastry options or simply fillings on the sugary side, but I'll gladly take all I can get from Baked by Anita.

We used to just chance upon Baked by Anita only at food bazaars such as the one at the Rockwell…read morePowerplant Mall every weekend. It is nice to finally see that the pastry maker already has a permanent stall at the 5th floor of the SM Megamall (new mall area). Baked by Anita makes many things, from cupcakes to biscuits. What keeps us coming back though are the "bocaditos." Bocaditos are these small buttery pastries with a savory filling. Kind of like richer biscuits with a filling, or empanadas shaped differently. Do not let the size of these things fool you, as each bite is pretty rich with awesomeness. Really, they can be very addictive. I personally can't get enough of the wild mushroom and Gruyere variety. If mushrooms don't float your boat, they have other flavors such as chorizo, baby spinach with French goat cheese, and chicken with mushrooms and herbs in Marsala cream.

The Good: Best Cuapao in Town!…read more The Bad: No Seats, under staffed The Pro-tip: If there are alot of people when you get there, don't get discouraged. The turnover is pretty fast Now this is what my childhood tastes like! I have vivid memories of going to greenhills as a kid and having cuapao as a snack! Still the best game in town, chocfull of nuts hasn't changed much in terms of taste over the past 2 decades. If its your first time, you have to try the cuapao. My other personal favorites are the siomai and the moist chocolate slice. The downside of this establishment? The place is tiny, they don't have any seats (standing room only)! And they only have 2 people manning the booth even during peak hours. Don't let the long queue turn you off! The turnover is pretty fast and the food is definitely worth the wait!

Before I start this review, this will be another of my fave "eat-my-feelings" places! I have been…read moreeating at Choc Full of Nuts since I was 3 years old. Today, I still find time to eat here when I drop by Greenhills Shopping Center. My family used to live near Greenhills. So, when it was time for merienda, this was our go-to place! :) My recommendations or what I will ALWAYS order when I drop by is their Cuapao (open faced pork belly bun with preserved green mustard vegetable and sweet ground peanuts, Php47), Siomai (Php39) and Moist Chocolate Cake (Php37). This order combo will always always hit the spot! :D Try their Fresh Lumpia and Cupcakes too! I'm sooo happy that their foodshop has withstood the test of time especially in a place like Greenhills! Their prices have increased by the taste is still delicious and homey. :)