[Review] Mad for Pizza: Toppings all you want!

a month back jeckie and i dined in this relatively new pizza parlour around Tomas Morato, which offers a very enticing option for food lovers and pizza lovers alike: CHOOSE YOUR OWN TOPPINGS. talk about Project Pie (which i haven't tried yet haha)! but it's not just that, it's TOPPINGS ALL YOU WANT too! and i meant standing in front of a buffet of toppings and commanding your personal pizza maker to put whatever you like, in whatever amount! cool beans.

aside for that signature offering they also serve an array of comfort foods like pasta, rice dishes, nachos, desserts, and drinks, so if you're not really into the entire DIY pizza craze, you can still enjoy the restaurant's other offerings. :)

Here's the menu :)

anyway, we came for the pizza so here it goes!

for only 285 pesos you get a customized 9 inch pizza with your choice of dough, sauce, and toppings! here's how our first visit went (yessss because i was craving so much for it that we had to try it for the second time haha!)

How to order your toppings all you want pizza!

3 steps only!

Step 1: Choose your dough

you start by ordering the type of thin crust dough you want, they have classic, herb, garlic parmesan, and spinach doughs.

Step 2: Choose your sauce

take your pick of the sauce. they serve house pizza, roasted garlic alfredo, frio diablo, and barbecue sauce. after deciding on those, they'll prepare your dough and sauce, then call you at the front to finally load your toppings on! :)

then comes the good part!

Step 3: Choose all the toppings you want!

They offer a super wide range of quality toppings, you'll go crazy about the possibilities!

on my first visit i chose garlic parmesan dough, and roasted garlic alfredo sauce. then i went crazy with the toppings!

i didn't take tabs on what i put in, but i asked for a lot of mozzarella, green and red bell peppers, all those sausages, chicken, garlic, beef, all the green herbs, olives, mushrooms, lots of tomatoes, bacon, parmesan, and another hefty loot of mozzarella. i had every intention to make this piece worthy of the restaurant's claim of toppings all you want so i didn't hold back! >XD

and voila! this was how my pizza looked before it was sent off to the oven. :)

and this one below was jeckie's pizza! 

he had more mozzarella, a handful of cream cheese, lots of beef, bacon, steak slices, sausages, tomatoes, etc. his pizza was almost all meat and no greens at all. a carnivore's heaven, yes. and i must admit, his pizza looks taller than mine! hahaha i was so impressed! he was the first one to be called in front so i watched him give orders on what to put, how much to put, and blah. you might think it's nakakahiya that we're putting so much on our doughs, but TIP #1: DON'T BE! the pizza makers were also very generous and obedient so there's no room for guilt! hahaha >XD 

we waited almost 30 minutes for our freshly baked oven pizza to arrive, but we didn't complain cos we knew we had to let every mass of that pizza cook evenly! and when it came...

foodgasm!

My pizzaaaaaaa

it smelled good, and the toppings towered over the crispy thin crust beautifully like some over garnished herb pizza! best of all, it also tasted awesome! >XD jeckie didn't like it though cos it's screaming herbs but i super duper love it! the smell of rosemary is intoxicating!

on the other hand, here was jeckie's super flavorful pizza!

Tips for your enjoyment, and the difference with our SECOND VISIT

i already gave you Tip #1 above which basically means don't be shy if you think you're putting too much on your dough. as long as you believe it's going to make your pizza experience more awesome, then go for it!

here's my Tip #2, and i realized this during our second visit. if you can, always request to do your pizza hands-on. that way you get to experience what we did, which is to choose all the toppings we want, in WHATEVER AMOUNT. #sugapaLungs

on our second visit which was 2 weeks after our first , we noticed they're giving out a checklist of toppings to customers. you can still opt to check everything you want, but by submitting to the checklist mode, you lose your chance to control the amount of your toppings on your pizza haha. this may be convenient to those who didn't want to stand up though! but i think it's their way of controlling their toppings inventory, and also to save preparation time.

sooo, if you're not really hungrybods like us. the checklist will still give you an equally great experience!

so on that day, we were offered the checklist but we declined and asked if we could still go in front to choose our toppings live, and we did! so there you go! what i'm telling is, they now offer 2 ways to prepare your pizza, via checklist and via uhm, live selection of toppings?

the difference...

i have pretty much the same preference in toppings so i picked the same stuff, but i noticed that they were really controlling the portions now. i asked for the usual rounds of mozzarella but my pizza maker remarked that it's going to be too salty already! aw! but that didn't stop me, sabi ko na lang, i like it salty! hahaha >XD

My verdict

even with their apparent efforts in controlling their inventory of toppings, i would say it's still worth the 285 pesos we paid for! i don't want them to go out of business just because some people couldn't control their hungry eyes (takaw tingin represent!) or simply wanted to stretch their marketing claim *ouch*. i have yet to bring my sister here cos this is her kind of food coma! >XD

magka-ganun man. YOU SHOULD TRY THIS OUT. i'm putting this review under the Must Try! category because that's where i put my awesome food finds!

Location, contact, and stuff

Mad for Pizza

2nd floor, Il Terrazzo Building

305 Tomas Morato Ave., corner Scout Madrinan St.

Quezon City

Hours: Mon-Sun 11:00 am to 11:00 pm

Facebook: http://fb.com/MadForPizzaPh

Twitter: @MadForPizza

Instagram: @MadForPizza

FYI Coming to Asia in Fall 2014

A+E Networks Asia Rebrands BIO Changel to FYI in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan

SINGAPORE, August 27, 2014 – On October 6, BIO™ Channel will rebrand to FYI™, a contemporary lifestyle network reflecting how people live their lives today, across Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Pacific Islands, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan. The announcement was made today by Alan Hodges, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, A+E Networks.

BIO was also rebranded to FYI in the US on July 8th.

For your inspiration, for your imagination or for your innovation, FYI will be a personalized experience for each viewer. The network embraces the way audiences really live their lives – proudly-hyphenated and not constrained by one passion or interest. Never an instruction manual and always an inspiration engine, FYI offers viewers a more adventurous, personalized and non-prescriptive approach to programming with a range of stories that reflect how people actually live their lives today, not defined by just one passion or interest.

“FYI’s mission is to inspire personal creativity that emphasizes improvised living, while reflecting our authentic slate of programming,” says Michele Schofield, Senior VP, Programming & Marketing at A+E Networks Asia. “And with its rich mix of inspirational content, the new channel’s Asian premiere is sure to bring its viewers a season of quality entertainment.”

FYI will feature over 300 hours of original content each year across four programming genres - taste, space, look, and journey. FYI will include locally-commissioned productions and local acquisitions.

FYI’s primetime premiere line-up in Asia includes:

• In Tiny House Nation, renovation experts and hosts, John Weisbarth and Zack Giffin, travel across America to show off ingenious small spaces and the inventive people who live in them. They also help families design, construct and prepare to downsize into their own mini-dream homes no larger than 300 square feet!

• Rowhouse Showdown featuring renovation expert, Carter Oosterhouse as he leads three teams who battle it out to transform dilapidated homes. The team that increases the appeal of their home the most, wins the grand prize of $50,000.

• Destination Flavour: Japan: From the frozen ponds of Hokkaido in the north to the southern multicultural island of Okinawa, we savour the cuisine from local legends and master chefs while watching Adam Liaw immerse himself in a vibrant food culture that embraces innovation and cherishes tradition.

• Destination Flavour: Down Under: Host Adam Liaw continues to unearth hidden flavours, this time those nestled in the Australian and New Zealand landscapes.

• Travels with the Bondi Vet features Dr. Chris Brown, a charismatic vet who leaves his practice in Sydney to begin his exploration of the world’s most beautiful and bizarre places, cultures and animals!

About A+E Networks Asia

A+E Networks™ Asia is owned by the award-winning, global media content company, A+E Networks™, which is dedicated to offering consumers a diverse communications environment ranging from television networks to websites, to home videos/DVDs to gaming and educational software. A+E Networks Asia is comprised of Lifetime®, HISTORY®, FYI™ (formerly bio.®), H2™ and Crime & Investigation™. A+E Networks Asia operates and distributes its portfolio in Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Fiji, Macau, Taiwan, Korea, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. Globally, A+E Networks’ channels and branded programming reach more than 330 million households in over 160 countries.

busy much

i've been meaning to blog about what's up lately like personally haha but it always gets crossed off by priority blog posts. HAHAHA andami dami ko ng pending na dapat isulat. SO LITTLE TIME.

anyhow. this month is probably the busiest month i've had this year, as in covering most aspects of my life. HAHA

as a blogger

// restaurant invite

last week i got invited to a restaurant for the first time! i feel like a legit food blogger!
here's my review + my very first giveaway. PLEASE JOIN. suportahan nyo naman ang ilusyon ng lola nyo na mag thrive ang blog na ito. oh yeah!

when i went there, i was clueless about what to do. i was waiting for my new found friend (yay!) dems, to get my prize from one of her blog contests (buti na laaang haha), and also to inquire about what to do! was the food free? how do i say good bye? #suchaloner hahaha it's good to know at least someone in the place. #OPmuch haha

dems and i with my prizes! Nail Cocktales GC's and grab taxi coupons! super thaaaanks! >XD the plan is to use these GCs during the 35th MIBF cos it's almost in one place, aaaand buy this deal from ensogo to maximize our savings and still get awesome mani-pedi's! haha

// product campaign

just recently i got involved in a campaign for Dial Coco Water line of products. it was fun and rewarding at the same time! i was hesitant about posting a fansign, pero keri lang. yaman din lamang na pinopromote ko tong blog na to. lulubusin ko na by annoying you goys with my fez.

// blogapalooza 2014

i'm excited for this, and so is my friend tinaaaa! oh come on Sept 20 come closerrr!

as a minstry worker

// superhero day at Kid's Church!


we held a superhero costume day one sunday and all the teachers dressed up in their most convincing hero attire! it was a day full of games and fun and honestly nakakapagod but it was all well worth it!

it feels heartwarming when you ask the kids who their superhero is and in unison, they all say "JESUS!" aww. Jesus is our superhero indeed!

// coming up!

a lot of things are also coming up for the team and i'm sooo excited! we'll be having a teacher's convergence next month, and another game night too! >XD waaaaahh

// finally into discipling

yeheyy! i'll be doing One2One with someone soon! i never thought i'd come to this point where i'll be willing to teach someone about Christ. jeckie knows how much i despised the thought before. ang galing how i'm so excited over it now. God works miracles talaga. >XD 

and the miraculous part of it was how God presented me with the opportunity to disciple. we were conducting our victory group meeting outside the cinema and while waiting for others, nagkwentuhan muna kami, our vg leader asked me if i was doing One2One with someone. i said no, but i wanted to already. and guess what, like an answered prayer, before our discussion started, the other group conducting their vg beside us introduced a new member to us kasi they're all male on the other side.

i was like. wow. Lord. iba ka talaga. <3

as a MARSIAN on her weight loss journey

MARS 9 (Milo R2-Apex Running School Season 9) has just started and it's only been 2 meetings but i'm already so wasak to the core. 

last monday was our first meeting and grabe lang the workouts. so intense. i woke up aching all over! until now i'm still not fully recovered but i had to attend our 2nd training day para bongga ang pagpapa-macho diba pero GRABE GRABE LANG! malapit na ko himatayin sa pagod like seriously. i had to skip TABATA earlier because after the extended 4min. workout, i was already feeling nauseous and my vision is starting to black out. good thing i didn't pass out cos ayoko hahaha.

with Coach Toni and Jim Saret

aw. they're now like one of my favorite couples! coach toni and jim saret are both gorgeous and super fit and suuuuper inspiring!

in fairness naman to their training program, HIIT and TABATA packed. overall workout time amounts to around than 30 minutes per session lang, including warm up and cool down. the remaining minutes are filled with motivation, waterbreaks and kwentuhans hehehe 

ang saya saya. sana kayanin ko pa!

as a woman in love (naks haha)

// we're nearing our 3rd yeaaar!

jeckie and i are celebrating our 3rd anniversary this month and we're still clueless on what do to, or where to go! do you have any suggestions? we're done with buffets and museums and we want to do something different this year. if we're gonna travel, we prefer day tours only! 

any suggestions? >XD

as an emplourghyee

emphasis on the urgh please. same old. but i'm finding my tasks more tolerable right now. for some reason. i just hope this feeling translates to deliverables cos i'm always always behind track. haha please pray for me! >XD 

See you at the 35th Manila International Book Fair!

one week to go! have you saved up for this? last year i came with a couple of my college friends and i took home a great haul! this year, i intend to do the same so mega tipid ako ngayon so i can buy a lot of great titles like before! >XD

Date, venue and time

The 35th Manila International Book Fair
September 17-21, 2014
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
SMX Convention Center
Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, Philippines

Website: click here for more details!

Tickets 

Last year, tickets were sold at 20 pesos each, right at the venue itself. so considering that, this year's ticket price might be as cheap (sorry, haven't asked). But if you're still worried, guess what... YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY! A lot of exhibitors are giving away free tickets, like Fully Booked, National Bookstore, PCBS etc. Just go ask them when you visit their stores.

But if you're tamad like me, Adarna House is giving away free printable tickets, just PRINT THIS PAGE. that's already 4 tickets per page, and you can print out as many as you want! the gate also accepts black and white prints, so srsly, how cool is that? Thank you Adarna House! one day i'll become one of your artists hihi #bucketList

See you there! >XD

the secret is out! i #ShoweredWithDialCocoWater because Natural is the way to Nourish

last week, the hashtag #ShoweredWithCoco trended the news feeds with selfies of random people holding a fansign saying they #ShoweredWithCoco. if you were following me, you might have passed over one of my shameless selfies and wondered what the hell have i been doing with my life. that, or asked the question "who the hell is coco?", or "ano nanamang pakulo ito?!", or "k. #deadmadela #movingOn".

so to everyone who got curious, here's the reveal!

it took me a lot of courage (and makeup HAHA) to post those selfies, and let alone that fansign, so pagbigyan nyo na ko okay? hahaha

simply put, the #ShoweredWithCoco campaign is an effort to promote Dial's newest line of body care products, Dial Coconut Water! :)

for the record, i hardly put on lotion nowadays because i find it too sticky, and ma-effort i-lather on my skin haha it takes time kasi and yung male-late ka na, maglo-lotion ka pa ba? nevermind na lang diba? haha. apprently, when i tried this body wash, i realized that this is as good a moisturizer you can get if you're not into lotion products (like i am right now)!

it smells clean and refreshing in the shower, but towel-dried and it only leaves off a very mild, and natural coconut scent that is great for everyday use! plus you'll find that it gives your skin ample moisture that is less dense, and therefore not heavy on the skin. :)

Have you ever experienced having dry skin because your soap or body wash was just too strong for your skin? Or have you ever felt icky and sticky after putting on lotion just to get your skin moisturized?

Having too much chemicals on your skin may not be the right way to take care of it. Being the most visible organ of the body, you need to take extra care of it. So, whether you have skin that is as tough as leather, or as sensitive as a baby’s, the proper care on your skin is important since it is always exposed to harmful elements that may damage and spell illness to your skin.

Bath soaps and body washes are essential to clean your skin from all the dirt and grime you get from your daily activities. However, some soaps and body washes can actually strip off essential oils from the skin that could lead to dryness. One way to address this dilemma is to go natural! This is the perfect way to have your skin clean and nourished for that healthy aura people will notice.

Filipinos are not new to cleansing using natural ingredients. Among others, oats and salts are used for exfoliation, honey for skin rejuvenation, milk for moisture, jasmine for its soothing properties, and flower petals for fragrance and indulgence. What could be new to Filipinos, however, is the use of coconut water in caring for the skin.

For many years, coconuts have been used in so many ways, be it for nutrition, in the household, or in other commercial industries. It is only now that coconut water is being used as an ingredient for body care. One of America’s most trusted body care brands, Dial, came up with the innovative idea of infusing coconut water into our daily body care products like soap and body wash.

The Dial Coconut Water line of body care products is the first of its kind in the market, having coconut water as its primary ingredient in cleansing and caring for the skin. With coconut water found in young green coconuts, complemented by bamboo leaf extract, the Dial Coconut Water soap and body wash are rich in anti-oxidants, which get rid of harmful free-radicals that make skin look old and unhealthy, while the electrolytes in it keep the skin ultra-hydrated and rejuvenated. To top it all off, Dial’s crisp, indulging scent leaves you feeling fresh all day long.

Dial understands that the only way to make your skin refreshed and revitalized from all the stress it takes from the modern lifestyle and environment is to go natural for better nourishment. Your skin is the most noticeable part of your body wherever you go, thus your skin health should be in its tiptop shape all the time.

It only takes one shower using Dial Coconut Water soap and body wash to have that much needed skin care – for a healthier aura people will notice.

Dial Coconut Water is available at all leading supermarkets and department stores in Metro Manila. To know more about Dial, visit www.dialsoap.com.

[Review + Giveaway!] A chill night at SF Bistro - McKinley Hill, Taguig [CLOSED]

if you're looking for a cozy place to hang out with your friends for a good drink, and a dynamic menu that offers sound gourmet fusion dishes, here's a chill place you might want to try out!

last week, terai and i got to experience SF Bistro (yup, that's san fran!) for the first time. it's located at the ground floor of Tuscany Private Estates, right in front of McKinley Hills Village, and just a good walking distance away from Venice Piazza. :) so if you work around McKinley or BGC, there's no reason to miss this place out!

honestly, i don't know what's distinct with san francisco's food offerings that are categorically different from the more commonly known american foods like burgers, steaks, and mashed potatoes. but looking at the menu, i figured that SF Bistro is generally an american fusion restaurant so i was excited how the food is going to come out!

Ambiance

the place is a bit small and could come off as pretty cramped, you know when you have to tip toe your way between chairs? haha i even knocked off a lamp. sorry! 

they have a bar counter, and a small space beside the stairs for a performer (preferably solo hehe). the lights are a bit dim for my own liking (and photos) though hehe. but anyway, the overall feel of the place is cozy and relaxed. and with that guy singing over there, there is totally no reason to not loosen up. his voice is amazing! upstairs is where the kitchen is and a function area :D yes, they accept reservations!

Menu

Here's a peek at their menu, they have a lot to offer specially with the drinks (just click to enlarge)!

Aaaaand, the food!

Here's what we ordered during our visit :)

Spinach Dip
Php 195.00

those are crispy tortilla chips, served with a special spinach dip. you could never go wrong with nachos talaga, and this dish is no different. we loved how the dip is so cheesy! simot sarap samin to! hahaha

Ginger Detox
Php 80.00

MY FAVORITE DRINK! i'm a sucker for ginger and anything with detox in it (i've caught the detox fad bug!). this is most probably cold water infused with lemon, ginger slices, and mild sweetener, at least. and the result is an extremely refreshing healthful kick. YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS. i will definitely do this at home since it looks so simple hehe

Portabello Truffle Pasta

Php 205.00

From the menu: Linguine pasta tossed in our creamy sauce in mushroom. Served with two slices of bread

it may look like a glammed up carbonara but it's more than that. the sauce is amazing and tastes very sosyal. hahaha ano ba. this is my favorite among all the dishes we tried! 

Beef Sliders
Php 245.00

From the menu: Grilled beef patty with lettuce, tomato, in cocktail buns. Served with our cucumber sauce.

that's two mini burgers served with drizzled onion rings. aside from being super cute, they also taste great! 

Chicken and Shrimp Chimichurri
Php 365.00

From the menu: Grilled chicken and shrimp in herbs and spices in creamy chimichuri sauce

we told ourselves not to eat rice so we won't gloat easily but the curious sounding dish caught us. we loved how the rice was specked with a lot of herbs but still didn't taste too overpowering. the chimichuri sauce was super creamy, and the lemon which we squeezed to death provided a great contrast to the dish. it could use some more salt and seasoning though, but maybe that's what the condiments are for hehe. >XD

Barbecue Ribs

Php 250.00

From the menu: Slow roasted pork ribs in our very own barbecue sauce. Served with a choice of rice or dirty mashed potato and buttered vegetables

The best seller for entrees! when we read the menu we were like, DIRTY MASHED POTATO? yung totoo? apparently it's a term used to describe mashed potato which isn't totally peeled. in short, may balat. so dirty daw. haha #amused

we enjoyed this a lot! the pork was tender, the barbecue sauce was strong, but was perfectly tamed with the mashed potato. perfect combo diba! at my buttered vegetables pa. 

Vanilla Ice Cream

Php 135.00

Mojitos

Classic Mojito - Php 150.00

Ginger Valley - Php 150.00

terai ordered the Classic Mojito, and i can't get over the ginger feels so i opted for the Ginger Valley! hahaha! she loved the ginger mojito better because obvious ba, GINGER IS OZOM!

aaaaand that's all! i hope you loved this feature as much as we loved eating there! i'm gonna be wrapping this up soon with their contact details aaaand MY VERY FIRST GIVEAWAY!  ma-excite ka, dali! HAHAHA

thanks for having us, SF Bistro!

Location, contact, and stuff!

San Francisco Bistro

G/F Tuscany Private Estates

Upper McKinley Road
McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio
Taguig

Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11am - 2am

Phone: 9492744

Email: reservation.sfbmckinley@gmail.com

Facebook: sanfranciscobistro

Twitter: @sfbistroph

Instagram: @sfbistro

Giveaway time!

hahaha welcome to my first ever giveaway! >XD the rules are simple! just key in your entries using the rafflecopter widget below and get a chance to win Php 1,000 worth of SF Bistro Gift Certificate and a surprise gift from me!

Note: Rafflecopter widget might not work on mobile

Terms and Conditions:

1. Open to everyone who has a Metro Manila mailing address, 

2. Contest will run from September 10 - 17, 2014

3. Winner will be announced within the week of closing date, and will receive a confirmation message via email

4. Prizes will be shipped to the winner's Metro Manila address

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We have a winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who joined! Congratulations to Joy Rebleza! I've sent you an email :)

Stay tuned for more giveaways! :)