Must-try mushroom soup

One rainy weekday, my sister and I decided to stop by Icings and have some soup to warm our stomachs. Icings is one of the restaurants located at SM Supercenter Pasig (beside Tiendesitas). Although it's neatly tucked in the corner of Hypermart and although its interiors seem unassuming, don't be quick to judge the place and doubt the exquisiteness of their meals. With its name and its prominent displays, Icings really is primarily a cake/bread shop but people have also discovered the wonder that is their soup.

Whenever we go here, we usually order soup, pasta and cake from Icings. But since we still had to have dinner at home, my sister and I opted to just get some mushroom soup.

The first time we tried their mushroom soup, oh my gosh, we instantly exclaimed "Ang saraaap!" Their version of mushroom soup is creamy and thick because it has mushroom bits and cheese in it. I'm not sure (because I'm no food expert ) but I think it has mozzarella cheese in it. Its taste and texture is just superb. Ack, just looking at the picture makes me want to have some more soup again.

This delectable soup influenced me to search for some cream of mushroom with cheese recipes. I did find some recipes but I still have to try if the ones I got online taste anything like it. So I guess I'll be going back to Icings until then.

Current LSS: We'll be a dream

I am so in love with this song right now!

So okay... maybe I'm a little bit biased because it's no secret, I LOVE Demi Lovato. But honestly, just listen to the song! It's so amazingly good!

PK tip: Try listening to it while driving, it has this sort of "roadtrip-y" feel to it :)

Share my outfit day: Black and blue

 Decided to wear the oxford shoes I got a few weeks ago to mass and then to the mall. Only noticed my outfit's color scheme after taking pictures.

Dress with front pockets and blue spandex tank dress (worn underneath) both from Topshop,
Gap white cardigan,
Denim-ish Oxford shoes from Pill The Ramp Crossings,
Cameo gold necklace from Accessorize

  

Oh, it happens to be Mama Mary's birthday today. She's also well known for the blue and white color combination. Coincidentally, my post focuses on that color combination too. Haha. I just felt the urge to mention that.

Stuff to tame the crazy curly!

Even before I got my hair permed, I've been hearing and reading that the number one issue girls have with curly hair is the unmanageable volume due to frizz. So, aside from researching about where to have my hair digipermed, I simultaneously searched for products to switch to. Here are some of the stuff I bought within the past 3 months.

(Clockwise from left to right)

Bed Head Foxy Curls Shampoo (Php 1,540.00) and Conditioner (Php 1,605.00)
Being in such noticeable metallic violet bottles, I bought these instead of the initial products I intended to get from Basement Salon. Bed Head Foxy Curls boasts of its Frizz-Fighting Sulfate-Free qualities. The first time I tried the shampoo and conditioner, I loved its gummy bears-ish scent and the fact that it helped keep my hair looking smooth and relatively frizz-free. Unfortunately, I think my scalp and the products do not get along very well so I decided to buy another brand for curly hair so I can occasionally switch shampoos.

Gatsby Wax (Php 91.25)
After getting my hair digipermed, this is the brand of wax that the stylist used on my hair. There are different levels of wax's hold and I went for the Natural Hold. 
Things I love about this product: the scent,  leaves my hair bouncy and not crunchy, and its price!

L'oreal Studio Curl Power
My sisters and I bought this product way before I got my hair digipermed. We initially purchased this for whenever we curled our hair via the trusty curling iron. I haven't seen the Shine Curls Mousse in groceries for some time. Does anyone know if L'oreal still carries this product or not?

VO5 Obey! & Play Gel Wax (Php 204.75)
I've read from some sites that this brand's products for curly hair are exceptional. However, this fell short of my expectations. Not only does the wax smell icky, it also leaves your hair feeling crusty. I know it's wax and you should sort of expect it to make your hair flat but as its name suggests, it should make your hair obey and (still) PLAY.

Body Shop Cottonseed Curl Booster (Php 695.00)
This is another product that has been getting great online reviews. I guess I purchased this because I got too excited with the reviews. The curl booster is not a leave-in conditioner but is more of a serum. What it does is it helps keep your hair look shiny and bouncy. Several people are debating over its scent though. Some like it (they say it smells fresh), some don't. I, sadly, don't like its smell.

VO5 Extreme Style Mousse (Php 204.75)
This product is also from the well reviewed VO5 line. Although I didn't like their gel wax, their mousse I adore. This weightless and volumizing mousse lives up to its name. After I used this product, several friends noticed that my curls and waves became more prominent again.

Kerastase Bain Oleo-Curl (Php 1,240.00) and Oleo-Curl Intense (Php 2,160.00)
The moment I tried these, I knew that I should've stuck with my instincts and got these first. My hair feels soft and clean and not all tangled up (even without the conditioner). The conditioner, Oleo-Curl Intense, is exceptional. Even if it's quite expensive for a jar of conditioner, I think you get the most out of your 2,000 bucks. I use this daily as my conditioner (leave it on for 5mins and rinse) and I also use it to deep condition (leave it on for 10-20mins and rinse) my hair.

How about you, curly haired PK girls? What are your tried and tested hair products?

Restaurant Review: The Tasting Room SOCO Private Dining

There's an ongoing rise in the number of Private Dining Places in the Metro nowadays. Last weekend, I went with my family to "The Tasting Room" SOCO Private Dining in San Antonio Village. The Tasting Room is a by reservations only restaurant owned by Mr. Dennis Gan. The way private dining places work is either they let you tell them what you want them to cook for you or, like The Tasting Room's, they offer set menus.

When I called their office two weeks before our planned dinner date, I got so dissatisfied with their system. It seemed like their receptionist kept on forgetting to write down my reservation (they actually asked me about the details of my reservation three separate times). Also, when I asked for the directions to the place, the same receptionist said she'd email me the sketch. I also had to remind her several times to email me the sketch but that never materialized. They did, however, text me how to go there from a certain area after I texted them for directions (I gave up on asking for the sketch). Lucky I didn't let that stop me from confirming our reservation because from what I've heard, SOCO is one of the best private dining restaurants in the area.

When we arrived at SOCO, all my dissatisfaction vanished. The place is an old residential home converted into a tasting room. Upon entering the gate, you'll be greeted by a candle-lit cocktail area. For me it was already a pretty sight but I wasn't aware that I needed to prepare myself for something more captivating. Behind the sliding door, a table for six was in the middle of the room patiently waiting for our arrival. It just instantly felt so special, so enchanting. Now  I understand why romantic movies usually feature empty restaurants reserved for the guy who's about to propose to the girl he loves.


As we got comfortable in our seats, our server introduced herself and offered us some drinks. Then our journey of the 6-course meal began. The Tasting Menu Number 1 started with some Baked Brie Phyllo with Raspberries as appetizer. Followed by the Tuscan Mushroom Salad.

Despite disliking fruits, I enjoyed the appetizer with raspberries.
The salad was interesting but a bit too bitter.

If there's one word to describe the Baked Brie Phyllo it would be YUMMYYYYY. Even though we gobbled it within seconds (yes, it was THAT good!), it helped to set the mood for the entire experience. The Tuscan salad had interesting textures and there are a lot of things I liked about this salad. I loved the Raclette cheese, Tuscan mushrooms, the pan-seared foie gras in carpaccio and the creamy sauce. But, sadly, the bitter vegetables ruined it for me. It was a different story for my sister and mom, though. Their portions of salad didn't have any (my sister's had a few pieces of) bitter veggies. Maybe the chef forgot to toss it before plating?

The third and fourth course were Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Goat Cheese Whipped Cream and Tiger Prawns on a pool of Squid ink sauce topped with Chorizo Fritto and Paella-flavored Risotto, respectively.

Soup Dish and Seafood Dish

My sisters and I love pumpkin soup. Whenever we go to Italian restaurants or fine dining restaurants, we order pumpkin soup as if we're on the search for the best pumpkin soup in town. Frankly, I was excited to try SOCO's pumpkin soup but it didn't meet my expectations. This is my least favorite dish among the 6. I even whispered to my sister that I want to ask for freshly ground pepper for the soup (because it was too bland for my taste) but of course, I didn't. The Tiger prawns course is an entirely different story. By this time, I already felt full but because the entire dish was so cohesive, I couldn't stop from stuffing myself. I tried my best to finish the 2 pieces of prawns (and I did!) but didn't finish the risotto anymore. I wanted to finish it because it was really good but as is the case with me and risotto dishes, I easily get full after a few bites.

Meat course and the dish that would make me go back to SOCO
(The picture doesn't do it justice, sorry)

The Wagyu flat-iron steak is my second least favorite from the six courses. Although the beef wasn't tough, I just didn't understand what flavors the chef wanted us to taste. I'm a fan of meat but I ended up eating the pureed potatoes more than the meat itself. Fortunately, the meal ended with a great note through the last course, dessert! The dessert was a Chocolate souffle with White Chocolate shavings served with Vanilla Bean sauce. The chocolate souffle was heavenly. It felt like it was melting in my mouth. I honestly didn't see the white chocolate shavings but I don't mind because I enjoyed it to the last morsel. To think that we were already full from the five other courses, all of us were still able to finish off the dessert. Yup, it's that GOOD!


I asked Joan, our server, about the minimum and maximum number of people they accept. She said they accept reservations for 2 as long as the food you'd order would reach the amount they require (Php 8,000) before they accept your reservation. The most number of people they've accepted is 25. So if you have a big group of friends or if you want your family to have a different kind of dinner, The Tasting Room is an excellent intimate set-up.

They also offer other Tasting Menus aside from the one we availed and those are:

Tasting Menu 2 (Php 800.00 per person)

Cocktails: Sundried Tomatoes & Pesto Dip with tossini

Dinner Proper: Assorted Bread with eggplant hummus and Olive tapenade butter; Mixed Green salad with creamy house dressing topped with julienne of carrots, turnips, broad beans, shaved eggs, parmesan cheese and cucumbers; Tiger Prawns cooked in tomato-cream vermouth sauce on angel hair; Baked Cream Dory with green beans and bacon; Chicken fillet stuffed with Parma Ham and cheese with red wine sauce served with Vegetable risotto; Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Sauce

Tasting Menu 3 (Php 1,000.00 per person)

Cocktails: Cucumber and Smoked Salmon roll with caper cream sauce

Dinner Proper: Assorted Bread with eggplant hummus and Olive tapenade butter; Edamame Beans Cream Soup Topped with grilled Tiger Prawns and bonito flakes; Arugula salad with glazed pili nuts, laguna cheese and shaved queso de bola with pan-seared chicken liver and raspberry vinaigrette; Zucchini Dory Papillote: Cream Dory wrapped in thinly sliced zucchini with fresh Italian herbs and pancetta served in a pool of white wine sauce sprinkled with lemon zest; Persian Beef Stew (using US Angus Blade Steaks) with Garbanzos served with couscous and grilled vegetables; Goat’s Milk Mango Panna Cotta

If you're interested, feel free to contact: 0922.869.78.37 or 910.07.24

The Tasting Room SOCO Private Dining is located at #6 General Segundo St., San Antonio Village, Pasig City

Share my outfit day: School is cool

Top: Bayo, Cardigan: Candy, Gray Skirt: Soiree, Brown strappy sandals: Parisian, Brown with leopard detail: Celine, Brown bag: hand me down

Lately I have been thinking a lot about going back to school. I just feel like I’m TOO young to be working already. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed I wish I was just back in college— hence, the outfit.

Since most people think I look really young, I went with their opinion and wore this outfit which looks very high school-ish. The top from Bayo is from way, way back in my youth. I think I got it when I was still in 3rd grade which is roughly about 10 years ago. It’s amazing how fashion moves in a circle, items are always revived. Lesson: don’t throw old clothes! Vintage is and will always be in!

Sanitary pads for dogs

My toy poodle, Cookie, is having her menstrual period right now and as much as I'd like to play with her, she's on compulsory "dog house" arrest for fear of her leaving bloody skid marks everywhere.

I looked for sanitary napkins for dogs and found these:

Apparently, napkins for dogs is just an improved form of our local "lampins". It's very reusable, as you can simply put regular sanitary napkins instead just like we girls do. To illustrate, here's my friend's dog wearing a DIY lampin:

So cute! I'm currently sewing Cookie's own lampin for the next time she gets her period. Fitting her is such a pain co'z she keeps pulling the fabric. How big she has gotten is making it so much harder too! Ugh! Will show you all what it looks like after I'm done with it :)

Cookie Doll says Hi! :)

Restaurant Review: Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt

Last week, a friend of ours introduced me and 2 other friends to a yoghurt store in Glorietta. Tutti Frutti is unlike your regular yogurt place wherein you place your order and wait by the cashier. Here you:

Get your own yogurt cup

Fill it with your chosen flavor

Choose your toppings

Weigh it and pay

So what did my friends and I get?

Clockwise L-R: Death by chocolate yoghurt with almonds, Taro yoghurt with almonds,
Original yoghurt with almonds, chocolate syrup and marshmallows,
Original yoghurt  with hard shell chocolate sauce, almonds and walnuts

One of our friends appreciated the flavors offered by Tutti Frutti because she can't seem to like the taste of regular yoghurt (a bit sour). So, I feel that that is a plus for this yoghurt place...more people get to appreciate it! Also, another friend pointed out that their flat rate of 20PHP per ounce is good because you can control how much you get. So this is good for those on a diet and for those who are just craving for the taste of yoghurt. If you wanna try their yoghurt, visit them at Glorietta 4, 3rd floor (near Italliani's and infront of Bizu).

How about you, what flavor and toppings have you tried in Tutti Frutti?