Cozy, Fun, Dining and Partying at Izumi Sake Bar and Lounge!

Tuesday, July 31, 2012


One quaint evening at the posh Burgos Circle, we were invited for dinner and a few rounds of drinks. The place was called Izumi Sake Bar and Lounge. It was all we need to have a great time. 

The 2 floor bar had this distinct upscale club feel. The dark interior and exterior was a welcome sight to crowds especially on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays where it usually gets packed! It's not my first time in the area but realizing how good the place looks like and the things I heard happening here, I realized that I was missing a lot!


The bar was nice. It was a mix of wood, bamboo, painted planks, stainless steel and glass. It was like a neo Japanese approach and they said they have changed quite a number of times since the place called for it. They also got DJ's on event nights and they take pride making this the place to be in BGC.


They've got a wide array of liquor and spirits on hand. I even saw sake bottles on the wall and in the rest of the palisades inside Izumi.


Starting off, we had a couple of glasses of Merlot. I loved it! This was the time for chilling and having this one right off the bat was perfect.


The bar's menu had a lot of pica pica style servings. It's perfect for groups and barkadas. This one is called Spicy Edamame. Snow peas slowly flipped around a hot griddle sprinkled with chili powder, salt, pepper and spices. It'll get you started and make you a little thirsty for more booze.


Their menu was special because it involves fusion dishes. This in particular is the Maguro Izumiyaki, a bestseller since they opened a couple of years ago. Even though they have changed menus this was always asked by the crowd. It was so nice to see a bar that also gives so much detail and attention to food than just their beverages. This seared tuna rolled in sesame seeds dipped in soy sauce and wasabe was sweet and a bit chewy. It tasted so fresh and filling. No wonder people love this dish! 


This is Salmon Poke, a concoction of coconut cream and fresh salmon sashimi seasoned and mixed together. It was a sweet savory treat more on the coconutty side. The leaves kinda give you something to wrap it on, it was cold and fresh. Yummy!


One of my favorites on their menu is this Soy Chicken and Mushroom Gyoza. It was so good and I love it dipped in dark Soy Sauce. It was sweet and savory. These pan stickers are a must try. If you had a choice of starters make this one part of it.


Chef Him Uy Debaron came out and explained to us the concept of his menu and how each dish was carefully prepared. He studied in the famous Le Cordon Bleu in Austrailia and I know how painstakingly hard it is to train there. I know a couple of chefs who came from that school and am quite impressed with their standards. This is no different. I congratulated him for preparing everything for us that evening.


Tori Karrage prepared with 3 sauces, tamarind with ginger, mandarin and barbecue. You get to change whenever you get tired of the sauce. It makes you play with your food a little. I had lots of this haha!


If you are up for something fresh, they've got this awesome Softshell Crab Harumaki. You'll feel that crunchy veggie goodness and a spark of crabby taste inside. If you don't like anything oily this is perfect.


We proceeded to the second floor for mains and they had this gigantic shelves that contain Sake bottles. Which reminds me, I haven't had sake yet (which I'm gonna tell you about later).


The second floor had more seating. It was wider and probably where most of the action is. We kinda got a clue why...


 Yes, it is what you want to see gentlemen. If you've got a date who wants to party and have fun, a stripper pole ain't that bad eh? :) No wonder ladies frequent this joint! Men would love to see this for sure!

 Feast your eyes on this! It's Salmon Steak marinated in Sake, Soy Sauce and Mirin. It's done over the grill so you've got that smokey flavor with it. I love the large bean sprouts that came with it since it's a bit chewy and more on the earthy side. It's a large serving so you should share this with someone.

 Butabara or Pork Belly on Skewers was a hit! It had that awesome Japanese flavor and the juicy meat just takes you to heaven and back. It's something filling and you can cut the fat with the side dishes that come with it.



 Aside from that, this made me really happy. I talked a lot after this. LOL! It's so good they have the obvious Sake in the menu. It completes the whole neo Japanese experience. It's like everything came full circle and I was in for more!




Another favorite was this Portabello Mushroom Steak. It was roasted to perfection. I could tell it was even meatier than real meat. It just satisfied me a lot. I wanted to go vegetarian after this one. But really, I'm kidding haha!




 After a long night of binging and drinking, Izumi Sake Bar had this on their menu. This is Curry Tonkatsu Ramen. You can either put the pork tonkatsu on it or have it eaten separately. It was something different and oh boy I love it! Maybe if we can have bread/dinner roll or something to break its thickness it'll be perfect. Not too spicy.




My ultimate favorite, (and I'll go back for more of this in Izumi Sake Bar soon) is the Mapo Tofu Ramen. I uber love spicy food and with this to eat after a long night of drinking or hangovers it'll be the perfect way to get you back into shape. In Japan, they go for Ramen in the evening so they won't have any problems the morning after (the hangover I mean!). I wanted more of this and for sure it'll be great comfort food for anyone, anytime, anywhere!

The owner Ms. Sarah Figueroa said they are open for events and parties. Most have actually rented out the top floor. Their food might look Japanese but it gets fusion inspiration from other dishes. It was authentic and bang for the buck. They are open from 6AM -1AM Mondays and Tuesdays,   6AM - 3AM on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturday and sometimes Sundays. You can also get 30 percent off on all items if u go to pwede.ph and print out their vouchers there. They've got wine, liquor, sake, awesome food plus a stripper pole :) Why in the world shouldn't you go and experience IZUMI Sake Bar and Lounge. It's something that you deserve after work! Make sure you also avail of their bottle promos; on drinks like tequila, vodka, jager etc, it wouldn't hurt if you ask! As for me, I'll be back there soon!


For table reservations and queries, call them at (02)8564090 | 09273489105

Keep checking their FACEBOOK PAGE/TWITTER Account for CONTESTS and PROMOS!



Izumi Sake Bar and Restaurant
Follow @IzumiSakeBar on Twitter
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No More Finger Painting with Awesome Stylus Pens like JOT!

Monday, July 30, 2012


It's so tough on people who have fat fingers or just the pure plain artistic, they get frustrated when drawing something on the ipad. I have an IPAD2. I feel the pain. It wasn't as nice as nice in apps where you need to draw something. You wanted to draw a horse but it always looks like an elephant. That's easy to solve.

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It's a promise of NO MORE FINGER PAINTING by +ADONIT.It's called JOT that's available in Pro or Mini sizes. It's the perfect thing to use for those hard detailed drawings you wanted to always see in your gadget. This can actually be used in all capacitive touch screens: iPads 1 & 2, iPhones, MacBook Trackpads, Magic Trackpads, HTC, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, Blackberry. It's the one thing that artists and art lovers definitely want!

JOT CLASSIC
(Turquoise, Green, Purple, Red) SRP 950.00

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JOT MINI
(Turquoise, Green, Purple, Red) SRP 1,050.00

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JOT PRO
(Gun Metal, Silver, Blue, Red) SRP 1,350.00

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There are also a lot of things happening in BEYONDTHEBOX like this one too!

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It's so exciting to see these items available from these stores. I'm sure you'll join one or more of these soon!

Here's where you can find these!

Beyond the Box
Digital Hub
Digital Hub - Limketkai Center
E-Central - Cebu
iBook - SM Clark
iCenter - Cebu
iCenter - Iloilo
Podworx
Podwrox - SM Calamba
Power Mac Center
Power Mac Center - Abreeza Mall
Technoholics
The Inbox Store - SM Clark




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Get Ready For BIGFISH MANILA's INNOVATION BLACK 2012!



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When it's a party you're looking for, you came to the right place. The biggest and grandest black party this year is about to happen at the World Trade Center on August 25, 2012. You just don't know how much we had fun during Innovation White a couple of months back and now this, we're just going crazy!

Who's up and spinning? That's easy.

2

Jerome Isma-Ae famed owner of the Jee Productions label based in Munich, Germany. He has played stints throughout Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the world.We can't wait to hear some of his new tracks plus the popular Underwater Love, Hold That Sucker Down, Trouble in the Red Light District and Speed among his other great hits!

3

Tritonal. Chad Cisneros and Dave Reed has become one of the most recognizable names on the modern trance and progressive world music.One of the greatest duos of all time.Their music much to the delight of their minions, stayed in a melodic, forward thinking dance music. It has been their goal since they put up Air Up There Recordings. It's something fresh and continues to evolve. They have been to Russia, Asia, the United States, Australia and the U.K. It's time they invade the Philippines and this will happen only on Innovation Black!


4



One of the top house DJ's in the Philippines Chris Raeuber and DJ John Paul Lee who's done tons of stints with Bigfish Manila will represent as they throw out their brand of music in the same night. Now if that doesn't convince you to go, we don't know what will. Make sure you get those tickets ready as we celebrate the grandest annual party called BIGFISH INNOVATION BLACK 2012! 

This is brought to you by CUERVO BLACK in cooperation with Power Horse Energy Drink "Free Your Energy", AXN, SONY BeTV and Diamond Hotel.

Their Media Partners : Magic 89.9, Focus Media, Killer Bee, Mellow 94.7, Wave 891, 99.5 RT, Myx, Velvet, People Asia, Where, Clavel, Garage, Metro, Maven, Adobo Magazine, The Philippine Star, Business Mirror, Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, Business World, Philstar.com, FemaleNetwork.com, SPOT.ph, StyleBible.ph, Focalcast, Media Magnet, ClicktheCity.com, and Cosmo.ph. Special thanks go to official residence partner Diamond Hotel, O Music and Video and Gold’s Gym. Bigfish Radio at Magic 89.9 & all Killerbee Stations every Saturdays 12 mindnight & Bigfish TV at Pldt Watchpad. Also supported by The Philippine Department of Tourism.

For tickets and reservations for VIP tables, please call 6327763 or 6348238. You can also log in to their official website www.bigfishmanila.com. It's time you embrace the dark, let's party hard at BIGFISH MANILA'S INNOVATION BLACK 2012!




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Authentic Like No Other: Segafredo Zanetti Espresso!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

 
Coffee. It might just be a word for you, or something that you drink every morning. Every time you are stressed, happy, sad or just chilling you know you want it - whenever, wherever. It's something Filipinos have grown to love. We have failed in some parts of it though; on how to spot an authentic cup of espresso. That's where Segafredo Zanetti comes in.


Segafredo Zanetti known throughout the world as the leading Espresso producer. Setting up shops in various cities bringing only the quality of the same espresso served in Italy. They have served millions of cups since their inception and since they are in Manila's shores, they made sure everything would be at par with the standards they have set throughout the world.This corporation belongs to the Massimo Zanetti Beverage group. It's one of 37 companies across the world with an annual turnover of $1.2 Billion represented in almost 100 countries. Segafredo Zanetti holds 4 brands namely Segafredo Zanetti (the brand for the wholesale market), Segafredo Zanetti Espresso (the brand they have exclusive for Espresso bars), Segafredo Coffee System (a brand for the retail market producing home and office coffee machines) and La San Marco (the brand for large scale espresso machines). In the Philippines, LVI or Liberty Ventures, Inc is the exclusive franchisee of the Segafredo Zanetti Espresso Bar. They also have the distribution rights for all the products of the Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group which includes Segafredo Zanetti Espresso Beans and La San Marco Espresso Machines. This quaint company that started shop on 1988 in Paris, France has already conquered Europe, The Middle East and various cities in the US including the Americas. They also have shops on our neighboring countries like Japan and those in the ASEAN. The goal is to spread the taste of true blue Italian Espresso in any part of the world.


Spotted with these guys from Segafredo Zanetti was Manila socialite cum butterfly Ms. Tessa Prieto - Valdez.She had awesome espresso specially prepared for her by Master Brewer Ilja of Segafredo Zanetti. He actually oversees Asian operations and if you see shops in this region he probably helped set that up. He also conducts regular quality control checks to make sure every espresso, cappuccino or beverage made in any country follows the strict standards of  Segafredo Zanetti.


Grand Chef Barista Ilija Naumovski shows that in Segafredo Zanetti they only have serious coffee machines and the next best thing they can brew other than the authentic espresso only comes out in pods from the same company. He's actually based in Japan now to oversee quality assurance throughout the Asian region. I even heard him telling instructions in Japanese. What an awesome Gaijin! Haha!


These pods from Segafredo Zanetti Coffee Systems come in different flavors. The Regular Blends Decaffinato and Espresso (photo above). Then there's Specialty Blends Brazil, Costa Rica and Peru. All of these are concocted in their own plant, harvested from their own farms too. In a nutshell, from the ground up you can only expect the best from Segafredo Zanetti. Nothing beats the best!



Segafredo Zanetti Coffee Systems believe that the machines you use are as important as the coffee itself. That is the same reason why they produce their own ones in Italy, maintaining the highest possible standard that only they can achieve - and they call it myespresso. They believe in being ecologically responsible too; that's why Segafredo Zanetti Coffee Systems have Ecopure capsules.


La San Marco as part of their company has been producing world class bar Equipments like Espresso Machines and Grinders. It's one of the reasons why they have everything authentic. 



They've also got in house beans like Espresso Casa which is a blend of Arabica and Robusta. It's intense and creamy, you can call it perfect for that original espresso taste.Horeca Beans on the other hand is a blend of the same beans from South America. It's got sweet tones compared to the latter. Cafe Mag Ground is something that their local Poland counterparts came out with. It's perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea, without the tea of course!

Cafesenza Decaffeinato Sachets (the blue one on top) is separately packaged with the same Italian espresso flavors. Full bodied, fragrant and got that same aroma you can't stop loving this brew even without that caffeine guilt!




He even taught us how to make the perfect espresso and the perfect capuccino. It was really nice seeing some things that other coffee shops in the country shouldn't be doing to get the perfect cup! I was schooled by this great guy!




Andrea Borghesan, born and raised in Italy. He's the current Export Manager of Segafredo Zanetti Coffee Systems. He emphasized the importance of the role Segafredo Zanetti plays in the market. They are not out just to have their products sold, but to provide the best Espresso experience their customers look for. They are the only one to offer the complete coffee solution, that's top grade quality. I've never seen guys that's so enthusiastic about Espresso like them. I didn't know I had to learn so many things about brewing, but now that they have Segafredo Zanetti Espresso in Manila then I could probably just take my time and visit their stores soon.

Here are their branches:

SZE Net Plaza
GF Net Plaza Building 31st Street
E. Square Zone, Crescent Park West
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
 ☺+6328363012

SZE Podium
2F The Podium ADB Avenue
Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
☺+6333421

SZE Greenhills
GF BDO Building, Phase 2
Ortigas Avenue, Greenhills
San Juan
☺+63272682

So if you are in search of that perfect cup of coffee, espresso or capuccino make Segafredo Zanetti Espresso your next destination! You'll never regret taking my advise this time! ☺

For more information

Please contact the numbers below or visit their office

LIBERTY VENTURES
2nd floor JM Bldg., S. Osmena Avenue corner Rockefeller St.,
San Isidro, Makati
☺ 8430661






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The Healing: Stars Vilma Santos, Kim Chiu Opens on Theaters July 25!

Monday, July 23, 2012


It was my first time to see her in the flesh. I was star struck!

This movie is all about faith. Filipinos have always gone to great lenghts just to get what they need. Health care is so scarce in rural areas and some resort to witchcraft, spiritists and other non earthly things. Director Chito Rono presents this suspense - horror movie starring the one and only Vilma Santos along with a powerhouse cast including Pokwang, Robert Arevalo, Martin Del Rosario, Janice De Belen, Mark Gil, Carmi Martin, Cris Villanueva, Allan Paule, Ces Quesada, Ynes Veneracion, Abby Bautista, Daria Ramirez, Chinggoy Alonzo, Simon Ibarra, Mon Confiado and the gorgeous Kim Chiu. This film also stars Joel Torre, Jhong Hilario, Ana capri and Ina Feleo produced by Star Cinema.

The stars alone would tell you that this is going to be a big hit. The cast really felt honored to be in the midst of Ms Vilma Santos and I could not blame them. The Director alone gave me goosebumps. You can't see how excited they are in this project because as Ms Janice De Belen said just to have one scene with the star for all seasons would immediately make this movie worthwhile. People are curious about cures and all that mumbo jumbo healing; and once there are people involved you can't discount their ability to believe in this since it's the only available way to cure people in the poverty line or those who are hopeless from a-z. Fan groups like Kim Chiu Global and Vilmanians even invited me to their block screening, imagine these guys spending for their idols... That's how much they love Ms Vilma and Kim! They love them back too. Ms Vilma Santos acknowledged all the help she's getting from her loyal Vilmanians and constituents in Batangas.


Did you see their guesting last Sunday on The Buzz? It was pandemonium. Ms Vilma Santos said she handpicked Kim Chiu because she is so good, and very raw, very natural. It would be a big mistake not to see that. Kim said this is really an honor for her to get to work and be in the movie with Ms Vilma. It's a dream come true for her! As with any other Vilma Santos film this will surely be part of Philippine cinema history and the chance alone to do this is huge for the cast.


Sir Rio the writer says that the film would only fail if Ms Vilma Santos didn't agree or accept this role. He also said without Chito Rono on the helm the execution wouldn't be also good because this calls for a huge vision, he was lucky to have been able to personally be asked to custom this role for the star for all seasons. Dicrector Chito Rono says there are a lot of other directors out there that have that spark or shine. He wouldn't name names but he is optimistic that there are a lot of them out there that's got promise. Ms Vilma also told us about her family and how proud she is of her boys. Each one is different and she has seen Luis Manzano do his own stuff and put his money where its supposed to be. Ryan Christian is doing good in school and he's grown so humble. They were worried about what his reaction would be with Senator Ralph Recto's defeat in the last elections but he stood up like a man and that takes a lot for a kid. It was heartwarming to see her kids grew up like she wanted to, and even more. She loves her family, and her youngest kid Senator Ralph Recto; and this is her secret why she was able to manage the province of Batangas since she became a governor.

I don't think I should spill the detils of the movie because that would be your responsibility. This is in celebration of Vilma Santos' 50 years in show business. You should watch it on Theaters on July 25, 2012. They are expecting you to be there!



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