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Showing posts with label ultimate taste test. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ultimate taste test. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 2019 X THE CHOICE #THEKTG

 Just this Saturday, another event unfolded for the Filipino Foodies. The ULTIMATE TASTE TEST year 10 happened. In the SM AURA's SMX convention hall, different booths showcased their products in order to promote their brand. With over 40 stalls, you should have been present to see how delicious the experience was.
 Aside from the UTT 2019, the Choice Awards was presented. Here, different winners from the Food industry were chosen. The Filipino community voted the best in their respective category.
 This year, MARGARITA FORES was awarded best chef. She too was joined by other industry leaders in accepting their awards.
 While this was ongoing, visitors got a chance to try different products and become a critic for a day. I wasn't feeling that well so I only tried a few that caught my fancy. One of them would be this KAIEN BUFFALO. Their sauce just hits you. It has the right amount of kick but it leaves you with nothing more than an itch that needs to be taken care off (by getting more sauce). This is really good.
 Another must try would be CHIP's DARK NIGHT. Headed by Trixie and Chef Ed, the cookies speak for themselves. The Dark Night had the perfect texture and flavor to make me want to munch on them on and on with milk of course.
 Another savory dish that caught my fancy would be JONI and SUSAN AGROSHOP. They were able to make a traditional dish vegan. The Mushroom dinakdakan was the bomb. I was actually looking for a cup of rice when I tried it. The dish reminds me of chicharon but without the guilt. They really made this pretty good.
 Aside from the different food stalls, this time around there was a beverage lineup known as AGOS. The back part of the SMX was filled with different beverage purveyors. Some were offering coffee, liquor, and others like AURO. They created the iced tablea horchata. A gluten free drink that made use of chocolate. Impressive enough, they added adlai and cashew milk in the mix to make it more healthy. If you're not into that, there were locally made juices and even craft beers.
Food In The Bag is now in Facebook. Click Here to follow and like.
If you are into INSTAGRAM Follow me @foodinthebag.

I believe that the event was a success. Ultimate Taste Test 2019 #UTT2019 was the best of the best. It was well curated and  guests had a lot of fun. There were even games done for both the kids and kids at heart. Too bad, we weren't able to join the beer pong at the back. I think I'm getting too old for this.




Disclaimer:wrote this based on my experience. was invited to this event.
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Sunday, September 3, 2017
ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 2017: The Best One Yet

 Where else can you try a number of dishes for just 550Php? It's like a tasting buffet and you get to rate each one of them. That's the concept behind the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST. It's like a number of vendors and home cooks gather together to showcase their dishes and other tasty stuff.
For this year, the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST PRO edition was held in Glorietta on September 2-3, 2017. As many as 30 stalls were set up. Starting 11am, foodies could enter and try out each of the dishes they serve in tasting portion for just Php 550. At around 5pm, each stall has the chance to sell their dishes full size to the public as well. Here are a few of the must try dishes.
Go for CHARLIE'S PRITCHON. A whole pig is deep fried and prepared ala pecking duck. Charlie's has been the forefront of this idea since the early 2000's. You could pair this dish with a number of San Miguel premium beers available at the venue.
 This time around, Charlie's prepared flavored wraps to try out. Be sure to try each one of them and put the sauce based on your liking.
 A rich yet savory dish that one might enjoy would be from CONNOR'S CHICKEN and WAFFLES. Deep fried chicken bits are thrown on top of waffles and drizzled with 3 types of sauces giving it a unique flavor. I was pretty impressed with the set up granted this was their first time going at it.
 The flat bread from PIZZA GRIGLIATA MANILA was something unusual. The crust is really thin and the toppings created perfect for the dish. One could try out the margherita or even the one with prosciutto.
 Something different would be the gyozas from KIRUNCH served with laksa ramen, these babies are of different flavors that would make them stand out.
 A personal favorite though would be JAM FOODS newest creation. The BACON TOCINO. The meat is imported from France and is cured right here at home. It's like Bakwa but it gives off a bit more of that Filipino Flavor. This would go well with Jam Foods tapa and of course garlic rice and egg.
Food In The Bag is now in Facebook. Click Here to follow and like.
If you are into INSTAGRAM Follow me @foodinthebag.
There are a lot more dishes to try at the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST. Broken Oven's Sisig and Truffle balls were pretty good. Home grown comfort food from AUNTIE MAY'S (get more of the Salpicao) were also perfect to partner with rice. A foodie favorite such as the Satay and the Beef Rendang from BAKMI NONYA is a must try as well. Chips and unorthodox baos from DON BAO in Kapitolyo.
There was even a refreshing BLENDED FRUITS and HERBS that gave interesting juice mixes to try over and over again.  Gawad Kalinga was well represented with their PUTO which I personally liked.

I wish all of these establishments luck and hope that the foodie public get to enjoy everything that they offer. This year is definitely the Best Eddition of UTT.

RELATED LINKS:
Ultimate Taste Test 2015
Ultimate Taste Test 2016

Disclaimer: Went here on my own accord. Paid for my ticket.
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Monday, August 22, 2016
THE CHOICE AWARDS 2016: THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE


 The KAIN TULOG GANG has been my family when it comes to enjoying good food and amazing company. Over the years, we have learned to appreciate and be thankful for a lot of things.
As a way to give back, Our Awesome Planet and the Blogger Collective known as the KTG (Kain Tulog Gang), and World Food Expo (WOFEX) have partnered to conduct the one and only People's Choice Awards for their Favorite Food, Restaurants, Bars, and more~ or simply, "The Choice".

However, we'd like to emphasize that this is NOT a "Best of..." list. Our good friends and respected colleagues from The MBKRS are doing an excellent job of recognizing the restaurants and restaurateurs in their prestigious bi-annual awards.

The MBKRS are rightly regarded as the Oscars of our ever growing foodie community. So we'd like "The Choice" to be the Golden Globes~ a bit more irreverent, surely less formal, and yes, it ought to be greatly biased. After all, YOU will be voting for your favorites, this is YOUR CHOICE!!!

Vote Now!


You can vote your favorite restaurants here:

The 2016 People's Choice Restaurant Awards!

The Choice 2016 Voting is open for 2 weeks starting from August 15 and ends on August 31, 2016 12 midnight.





The Choice Restaurant Awarding will happen on September 17, Saturday during the Ultimate Taste Test 2016! Here's a quick look as to what to expect in UTT . (Click Here)

Last year, it was an amazing treat. Here are 5 tips you may want to read about (Click here) on how to attack UTT.




The KTG are:

The KTG is a group of friends who all just happen to be some of the top food and lifestyle bloggers in the Philippines; every one of their individual blogs ranks among the highest ranking and most influential online publications dedicated to food, entertainment, and travel.

The KTG is composed of some of the more senior food bloggers in the country, including Richie Zamora of "The Pickiest Eater in the World', Spanky Enriquez of "Manila Boy", Jill Bantang of "The Food Scout", and  representing the younger generation are "The Hungry Kat", "Food in the Bag", and "Nines vs. Food". And from the world of showbiz, Mr. Chuckie Dreyfus, a dedicated foodie who's also a respected tech blogger.

The KTG's objectives are not limited to discovering the best restaurants, however. While it's affectionately called the "Kain Tulog Gang", it's officially participated in relief efforts in Tacloban and Iloilo after Yolanda; and in Metro Manila, this "Kapatiran sa Tulong at Ginhawa" is on a constant mission to contribute in providing joy and comfort to the less fortunate.

The KTG Blogs:

http://www.thepickiesteater.net/
http://www.rinasrainbow.net/
http://www.frannywanny.com/
http://www.thefoodalphabet.com/
http://www.chuckiedreyfus.ph/
http://www.thetummytraveler.ph/
http://www.talesfromthetummy.com/
http://ericjazfoodies.blogspot.com/
http://www.themommist.com/
http://dude4food.blogspot.com/
http://www.janedchua.com/
http://www.yedylicious.com/
http://heftyfoodie.com/
http://www.thefoodscout.net/
http://www.thepurpledoll.net/
http://www.lynne-enroute.com/
http://www.foodreviewsmanila.com/
http://bertoinbrogues.com/
http://www.foodinthebag.com/
http://thehungrykat.com/
http://rochkirstin.com/
http://www.ninesvsfood.com/
http://www.pepesamson.com/
http://babeforfood.blogspot.com/
http://www.anotsopopularkid.com/
http://www.coffeehan.com/
http://www.onebigbite.com/
http://www.pinasmuna.com/
https://manilaeatup.com/
http://spankyenriquez.blogspot.com/

our fantastic foodie friends from:
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/
http://www.clickthecity.com/

and
Philippine Star's "Let's Eat" monthly magazine and television show.

Special thanks to our partners from the World Food Expo:
http://www.wofex.com/
http://www.wofex.com/wofex-university/
Food In The Bag is now in Facebook. Click Here to follow and like.
If you are into INSTAGRAM Follow me @foodinthebag.
THANK YOU GUYS!




Disclaimer: I am Part of The KTG. Would be present in the awarding. See you guys there.
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Wednesday, September 30, 2015
ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 2015: 5 TIPS for the next one.

A couple of weeks back, I was able to attend the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 2015. 
For those that aren't aware, this food event is an amazing treat for the foodies of the metro. 

This time around, it was a host to 49 different establishments that served more than 80++ dishes, drinks, and desserts. I can't help but enjoy the whole event. 
You see, you pay 500 Php and you are treated to all the food that vendors have to offer plus freebies and a bottle of premium beer from San Miguel. To me, that sounds like a deal. 
I got a few tips for you foodies so that the next time, you won't be in the dark. 

1) BUDGET YOUR TIME. BE EARLY. The event usually starts at 10 am and ends around 8pm. I would suggest you go there early to scout and prepare yourself. Pace. Don't worry you could go out and shop or watch a movie and return afterwards. 

Here are some of my top picks that I enjoyed. 
Here they serve coffee in a different way. BOOM'S COLD BREW uses time to create coffee. Pretty cool.

Also, 2) BRING A BAG and other paraphernalia that you might need. With all the things that I had, like a camera, plate, spoon and fork, it was pretty difficult for me to move around. I suggest you bring a bag to put them in. A water bottle too since they have water dispenser around the place. Although paper cups were provided, later in the afternoon, they were all gone. 

Another booth I enjoyed was the CHIVY and CO 's Sari Manok. Here they let us try their version of the POLLO WRAP 
and the Haianese Chicken. I enjoyed the flavors as they were spot on and were not dull.

3) JOIN GAMES. You are here to make the most of your experience. One of them is that they have games every so hour for the hundreds of attendance. I suggest you go for it as it helps you get more freebies. It doesn't hurt to enjoy right?

4) GO FOR THE SAVORY first then the SWEETS!  Remember to pace yourself. If it becomes too much have a bite of a sweet dessert then go back to savory. Pacing pacing!

One of the breakthrough flavors in any dessert place is matcha. I was thankful that it was also present in #UTT2015 . GELATO LAB served its MATCHA CHOCO CHIP. It was heavenly. 

Another matcha flavored delight was the MATCHA BEIGNETS. These babies are from KAPENG MAINIT. A small resto from down south. Located in BF, it makes it a must visit during the off peak, no traffic day. 
It is just an amazing discovery to try out these babies. 
MATCHA fillings oozes out perfectly. 
Great job KAPENG MAINIT. 

And of course, KUMORI. Kumori is a Japanese brand brought in by the guys from Wee Nam Kee and Osaka Ohsho. 
They have this cannoli like desserts that have a lot of vanilla insides. The outside is crunchy and it must be eaten in one bite.

5) Of COURSE, ENJOY!  The best things in life are shared with friends and love ones. I'm just lucky enough to have amazing foodie friends that enjoy food the same way I do. Thank you very much ANTON and the OUR AWESOME PLANET team for bringing this amazing yearly event.

For more photos, check out ANTON'S Post on it. Click here.


ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 2015
September 12, 2015

Makati City, Metro Manila




Disclaimer: was invited to experience UTT. Wrote this based on my experience.
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Tuesday, October 7, 2014
UTT 2014: Amazing Food! Photos and more in ROCKWELL!!!

I was lucky to have been able to attend UTT at the Rockwell Power Plant Mall Recently. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and hungry tummies. 
Saturday. I was dead asleep when Boss S suddenly advised me to attend. At first I was a bit apprehensive as I had a date on. Thankfully, our driver was game and I was able to steal him for a couple of hours. Thus, I was able to meet up and check out the up and coming awesome food vendors and restaurants to eat at in the metro.
ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 2014 is a foodie event where everyone is able to try out and sample small sizes of excellent dishes, drinks, dessert and a lot more. You are given a passport where you write down your opinions and give them a score. Being able to try a lot of dishes for just 600Php is a steal!

Sadly, I wasn't able to try everything as I had only a few hours free. Here are some of the awesome goodies I was able to try out.
Right from the get go, I had a few cups of Nestle Juice Drinks. Different flavors and according to the guys manning the booth, these are the ones that some restaurant use. It is not for sale in the general public but rather they make if for the food industry. They can tweak the flavor and taste for you. Cool!
 Home Grown Organics is pretty neat and healthy. Fresh herbs are picked and is used to make awesome dishes. I was able to try out their mini pizza with organic arugula, kale and basil. SARAP!
 For something sweet, I went on over and tried Sweet Fevrier's KISSTACHIO which was a mix of oatmeal cookie, kisses and pistachio.
 I could eat this all day if only it wasn't sweet. LOL! #healthylivingkunyare
 A cheesy surprise awaited me with Bhe'st Lasagna.
 These gooey stuff are pretty darn good I tell you!
 I like this SEAFOOD SALAD MAKI from The KULINARYA KITCHEN.
 MARLYN SALVADOR of WISE EATS MANILA is definitely the person of the event.

 Her Lamb Ham was hands down my favorite!!!
 A little salty to make you want more! Definitely YUMYUM!
 DULCELIN's RED RICE with Shrimp Shiso & Qual Eggs was a treat. Wrap it and pop!
 BELLY BOB'S Boneless Lechon Belly de Cebu was the complete package.
 Served with sisig!!! The only thing missing is RICE!


TIPS: 
1) Suggest you get your tickets weeks before the event.
2) Try and make out a game plan. Go there early and walk or watch a movie in the mall then come back to cap the experience all off. Bring a pen!
3) Talk to the vendors. They may give you a bit of tips and tricks themselves when they make the products.
4) Make it a date. For 600Php per person, it pretty much is a steal.
5) Join the contest. Every few minutes, the organizers raffle off free stuff and even has some cooking and drinking games!
6) Enjoy the food and the company.

There were a lot of dessert booths, as well as drinks and interesting discoveries. Would definitely be back next year! I would like to apologize as I wasn't able to have a go at everything. There was simply a lot of vendors! Sulit ang 600 bucks :D
Food In The Bag is now in Facebook. Click Here to follow and like.


Congratulations to Sir Anton Diaz of OURAWESOMEPLANET.COM and to the  the awesome guys behind UTT! Awesome Emcee work Boss S! I had a wonderful time!


On a more personal note, I want to thank KTG for having me in their group. I can honestly say that this is a group of incredible people. I am not worthy of their presence. Naks =D. Seriously though, I am flattered and honored to call them friends and colleagues. =D. 
Maraming Salamat Po!


ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 2014
Power Plant Tent
Makati City.

Disclaimer: was invited to the event. Wrote this based on my experience.
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