Holy Kettle Corn Popcorns New Flavors Review

 Popcorns are said to be a better alternative for a healthy snack than the usual potato chips. For couch potatoes like me, nothing warms my heart more than the smell of freshly popped popcorns wafting in the air. It’s the perfect snack for everyone. With white cheddar popcorn having the most momentum in the cheese-flavored popcorn arena these days, I was surprised to find myself craving the caramel sweet and salty popcorn of Holy Kettle Corn while on my recent trip to Makati area. As I got off the MRT, I immediately smelled that undeniably sweet and salty popcorn goodness at the Holy Kettle Corn station in Ayala. 

Freshly Popped Holy Kettle Corn Popcorns

 My olfactory nerves had not given up on me until I got hold of its freshly popped Holy Kettle Corn bag. I learned to know they have new variants available aside from the usual or classic Sweet and Salty kind I’ve always loved. Holy Kettle Corn now has three new and exciting flavors: Sour Cream, Cheese and Smokin’ Barbecue! I figured I might as well make a review on these awesome popcorn flavors.

Holy Kettle Corn New Flavored Popcorn: Smokin Barbecue and Sour Cream.

 I eagerly bought bags of each, hoping to rekindle the memories of my childhood as a kid loving the cheese popcorn youngster devouring the bag of buttered popped corn my Mom used to make.  Here’s my Holy Kettle Corn Popcorn Review:

No preservative Holy Kettle Corn Popcorns

Cheese flavor: Holy Kettle Corn Cheese popcorn itself was good—fresh and crunchy—the cheese flavor or powder wasn’t too strong, nor too light, for me, it’s just right. The aroma smells great, nothing too cheesy unlike other local brands that smells really bad and had that’s way too tangy after taste. With Holy Kettle Corn’s Cheese popcorn, it’s really nothing fancy, but it’s fairly crisp, with a mild but a bit tangy cheese taste.

Sour Cream flavor: This popcorn has an even balance between popcorn and sour cream. I love the Sour Cream flavor. It bursts of exciting goodness in every bite. It’s a great companion to movie marathons in cinemas. This is the kind of popcorn flavor where I’d prefer to have my own bag or bucket as I wouldn’t want to share this with anyone, not even my own date! 

A huge bag of Holy Kettle Corn Barbecue flavored popcorn.

Barbecue—This one’s a bit strong for my taste, but is certainly good. If you’re up for a bit spicy and with stronger robust flavor, this one’s for you. It goes well with any beverages and it’s truly rich in flavor. My Mom enjoyed this so much, she kept bugging me to buy some more. 

Last but certainly not the least, Holy Kettle Corn’s Sweet and Salty variant—This is something I’ve always loved. It’s like experiencing the exciting taste of old fashioned popcorn goodness. And it’s always freshly cooked assuring you that the goodness will last up to three days. Very light, no cholesterol or butter and MSG free. The caramelized corn had a decent crispness, and the kernels were fairly large and nearly round, but the flavor was a toss between sweet and salty. The caramel sugar coating was more sparse than it could actually be but it’s really such a good thing—so you need not to worry about extra calories and all. After trying this, I can say I can snack on Holy Kettle Corn Popcorn for the rest of my life. I don’t think I’d ever get tired of it.

And for P40 a bag (small size) to about P70 (large bag)—no need to buy imported popcorn that costs twice its price. It actually costs somewhere between $6 to $12 in the United States. Holy Kettle Corn Popcorn is truly a must-try. Get yours at 7-11 stores nationwide or you could visit any of Holy Kettle Corn’s Kiosks for a dose of their delicious freshly popped popcorn. Truly, goodness in every bite!

Disclaimer: I am not paid for this blog post. Opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

Yoshinoya Introduces Eight New Signature Dishes

Yoshinoya's sample meal of Pork Tonkatsu.

Japanese cuisine is always a sensual treat for me. The success of a dish depends on the freshness of the ingredients and the subtle but technical approach to cooking.  One gets to taste the natural flavors of whatever ingredient you’re eating, and it’s presented in the most appetizing yet artistic way. It’s an art form that flirts with all our senses, balancing the taste, smell, texture, appearances and natural colors of food—skillfully presented on plates and in bowls.

Yoshinoya takes its dining delights to greater heights by revamping its menu and offerings, giving diners an even more satisfying meal. Presenting an exciting mix of innovative Japanese dishes and comfort foods, Yoshinoya brings delectable gustatory possibilities to anticipate the craving of any foodie.

Japanese foodies unite! Satisfy your cravings for delicious yet affordable Yoshinoya signature new dishes. Yoshinoya introduces eight mouth-watering array: Tokyo Beef, Veggie Beef, Shrimp Tempura, Chicken Tempura, Pork Tempura, Pork Tonkatsu, Tokyo Chicken and Yoshi Chicken.

Yoshinoya’s beef bowls or Gyudon bowls practically melts into your mouth, with the mind-blowing flavor exploding with each scoop or viand and rice. My fellow bloggers and I murmurs of happiness as we fell silent joyously shoveled bite after bite and spoon over spoon in our hungry mouths. Before long, we set our utensils and chopsticks aside; there was nothing that we didn’t finish off, so you can just imagine how stuffed we were after our meal!

Yoshinoya Owner & CEO Mr. Timothy Yang welcomes blogger guests.

We were lucky to have been given the chance to sample these awesome treats last week. And here are my thoughts on Yoshinoya’s eight yummy new treats:

Tokyo Beef—“Tender slices of beef with fresh sliced onions sautéed into perfection, garnished with sesame seeds and capsicum slices over steaming white rice.”

Security Blanket’s Verdict: If you have a hefty appetite and an insatiable zest for tender slices of pure beef, this treat is for perfect for you.

Sample serving of Tokyo Beef.

 Veggie Beef—“Tender slices of beef simmered with fresh sliced onions in a special broth of herbs and spices, served with mix vegetables on the side on a bed of steaming white rice.”
SB’s verdict: Imagine a flavorful of bowl with beefy goodness of tender beef strips coming together for a healthy meal! It’s a carbo-loading beef bowl meal for all ages.

A sample serving of Veggie Beef.

Shrimp Tempura—“Crispy golden brown white prawn and deep fried garnished with a special tendon sauce.”

SB’s verdict: This particular dish piqued my curiosity and started my love for Japanese food. Hands down, tempura is and will always be one of my favorites.

·      Also available are Chicken Tempura and Pork Tempura.

Sample serving of Shrimp Tempura with eggplant and potato.

A sample serving of Chicken Tempura

A sample serving of Pork Tempura

Pork Tonkatsu—“Deep fried breaded pork fillet topped with a special tonkatsu sauce, served with cabbage siding over steaming white rice.”

SB’s verdict: I wish they had more of the special tonkatsu sauce, because it felt of like “bitin” (read: we hope Yoshinoya people could serve this with a separate sauce), meaning the sauce wasn’t enough. I’ve always liked my tonkatsu and rice swimming in its sauce. 

A bowl of Pork Tonkatsu--an entire serving.

Tokyo Chicken—“Golden brown pieces of grilled chicken fillet marinated in ginger-based sauce, topped with a special sauce and served with mixed vegetables over steaming white rice.”

SB’s verdict: I adore the artful arrangement of broccoli florets, julienned carrots and other veggies on this bowl of rice and chicken. Each order is like poetry in every sense. I could eat Japanese every day and not get tired of it! Presentation is truly impeccable. This is both a healthy and tasty dish—you get full without feeling bloated. With a perfect blend of fresh ingredients, it makes itself known in every spoonful.

Sample serving of Tokyo Chicken is a bit different from Yoshi Chicken. Do not confuse yourselves foodie.

Last but definitely not the least, there’s Yoshi Chicken.

Sample serving of Yoshinoya's Yoshi Chicken--delightfully crispy with a savory taste you'll love.

Yoshi Chicken—“Deep fried, double coated marinated chicken dipped in a special sauce served with steaming rice.”

SB’s verdict: It actually tastes like one of the leading chicken international brand (I’d rather not mention the name, but just to give you an idea, it does start with the letters BC), only Yoshinoya’s Yoshi chicken is more affordable. And unlike its counterpart, it’s kid-friendly because it’s not spicy. (Although I wish Yoshinoya would make another variant for those people who prefer to have their chicken hot and spicy. Just a suggestion though.) This one’s a perennial favorite and I’m pretty sure people and Yoshinoya fans will love this. I bet in a few months time, it will become Yoshinoya’s best-selling menu item, next to their beef bowls, of course. 

There are still a lot of dishes to sample on Yoshinoya’s menu. But I am going to ramble on again. Go check it out yourself for more tasty surprises. You’ll be glad you did, I promise!

Beverages from Yoshinoya: Red Tea, Lime Green Tea and Apple Tea. Refreshingly cool!

These signature dishes will be initially available at the Robinson’s Galleria branch in Ortigas. 

xoxo,

Tourne Restaurant: Slow Food Healthy Meals

Tourne restaurant had an inviting and cozy ambiance. It’s clean white interior perfectly compliments the colorful cursive quotation writing on the wall. Its resident Chef and owner Sandralyn Hataway makes sure that her guests will enjoy not just good but healthy foods as well.

For starters, Chef Sandralyn Hataway serves Soyami Soya chips and sticks as free appetizers for her guests. Then, the foods are slowly cooked only upon your order so you can be assured of the freshest ingredients. This is indeed a pretty good alternative to our usual fast food fares where you could easily expect fried oily and fattening foods. At Tourne, Chef Sandralyn makes sure that you’ll be getting more than what you paid for. She’ll make sure that you’ll be eating healthier foods without having to suffer its taste. I bet most of us would say that if you’re on a healthy kind of diet, foods had to be quite bland but when you eat at Tourne you’ll be surprised that healthy foods could actually really taste good.

Chef Sandralyn explains the benefit of healthy eating.

Visit Tourne at The Fort Strip. And experience the magic of slow eating, enjoying the comforts of a very nice restaurant without the guilt of fast food. Your body will even thank you for dining here.

Lip-Smacking Jollibee Tuna Pie is Back this Lenten Season!

For most Catholics, the Lenten Season had just started which meant a time for fasting and repentance…Jollibee joins the Christianity in this light as they bring back the well-loved Jollibee Tuna Pie! 

The crusty tuna pie is filled with delicious tuna flakes, sliced button mushrooms, carrots, cheesy sauce and spices.  It is lip smacking and really good, perfect for those who practice fasting and avoiding all kinds of meat this Lenten.  For only P33, these tuna pie isn’t heavy on one’s pocket. Grab the Jollibee Tuna Pie now at all branches nationwide while you can, hurry because this offer's for a limited time only.

Filled with yummy filling.