Rockwell’s 2nd Ultimate Taste Test

It’s that time of the year again where foodies have a chance to try out food from a lot of establishments in one day.  I really appreciate this rare chance considering it takes a lot of time and effort to go to a single establishment.

With Ultimate Taste Test, we don’t need to go to 40+ different places to try out their bestseller product/s.  All we need to do is to sign up for the event, pay a minimal fee and then go & enjoy the yummy specialties from home-based food businesses in one single venue.

I was pretty impressed with how organised last year’s Ultimate Taste Test event in Rockwell Tent was.  So when I got an invite for the 2nd Rockwell’s Ultimate Taste Test, I couldn’t say no.  I would imagine myself going through each booth sampling food and appreciating what I tasted.  I wasn’t able to try out all items last year that’s why I’ll be early this time so that I get first dibs!

For those who heard about Ultimate Taste Test just now,  it’s a yearly event wherein we can be food critics for a day by sampling food products from different participating merchants.  We will be given a scorecard when we register for the event.  We will then get to rate the food on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest.  We will also get a chance to share our feedback to the food supplier/s.

Interested?

Take note of the ff. information below:

• Rockwell’s Ultimate Taste Test — Be a Food Critic for a Day!
• September 15, 2012, Saturday, 11:00 am to 9:00 pm.
• Rockwell Tent, Makati City
• exclusive to a maximum of 1,000 foodies with a limited sit-down capacity
• Php 585 per person
• Ticket covers (1) Food Taste Portions from a minimum of 40+ Home-Based Food Vendors & Power Plant Mall Restaurants and (2) A bottle of San Miguel Super Dry, Premium All-Malt or Cerveza Negra (for foodies 18 years old & above)
• Purchase tickets from Rockwell Customer Care (+63-2-8981702) during mall hours or Creative Juice Office (+63-2-5707827) during office hours

UPDATE:

I spent almost the whole day at Ultimate Taste Test X!

We tried to split our visit into two.  First 20 stalls on our first 2 hours in the event and then we tried the rest of the food after we spent some time shopping.  Guess what?  In spite of the one-hour break, we just couldn’t eat anymore!  The non-stop food tasting was tiring but it was very enjoyable!

Just like last year, each participant was given a passport.  The passport served as a score sheet.  Guests were asked to rate each of the dish that they tried out.  Comments were also encouraged.  I put several notes in there (not just how the food tasted but also the experience itself).

My friend Maus experienced UTT for the first time.  She told me that it was a great bonding event and I do agree!  The three of us even participated on a chicken dance game and got ourselves a box of yummy Villa del Conte chocolates! <3

Without further ado, here’s a list of my foodie finds at UTT X (I rated them all with a 5!):

• Maria’s Ilocos Empanada

More commonly known at the event as the orange empanada, this yummy piece of Ilocano dish was unforgettable!  I enjoyed every bite of it!  The ingredients inside were cooked and stuffed perfectly inside the crispy wrapper.  I did notice that they missed the egg though.  I had to try Maria’s Ilocos Empanada in its normal serving so that I can appreciate it better.

Maria’s Ilocos Empanada is located at 41 Regalado avenue corner Dahilia Fairview, QC.  They also has a stall in Mezza Norte every thursday-saturday, 6pm to 3am at UP AyalaLand Technohub.

• New Zealand Natural

New Zealand Natural is the leading ice cream brand in New Zealand and Australia.    I actually knew about it only during the event.  I was just glad that they offered Superfruit sorbet during the taste test.  I prefer sorbet over dairy ice cream not because it’s 99% fat free but it just tasted better.  This was a nice discovery and I shall be on the lookout whenever I go to a mall where New Zealand Natural has a stall in.

Branches:
Ground Floor, Annex 1, SM City Fairview, fronting Gerry’s Grill.
5th Floor, Building A, SM Megamall, near the Atrium. Also near SM Business Center.
2nd Floor, Taste Buds, Pedro Gil Wing, near Dencio’s Grill, Robinson’s Place Ermita

• Frisch Liquor Ice Cream

Fire & Ice… Satisfy your desire.

What a tagline!  I’m not a big fan of alcohol and I can’t even enjoy a bottle of beer!  However, Frisch Liquor ice cream is too unique that I couldn’t help myself but take a scoop and try it out.  I must say the combination of ice cream and wine was a nice one!  It was good!  I think this is one of the few products that has alcohol which I can take in.

Fischa Liquor Ice cream currently has eight flavors:  Wine Berries, Choco Rumboozle, Lemony Snickety Punch, Zhivago Coffee, Chili Manjaro, Copabanana, Russian Winter, and Carami de Cerveza (my choice!).

You can get your fix of Fischa’s ice cream at Soderno in Molito Alabang Lifestyle Center, 6:00pm-12:00am.

• Masatami Shave Ice

I was itching to try out Masatami Shave Ice when I saw several people eating and enjoying it.  When I finally arrived at the stall, I excitedly asked for the cheese flavour.  I loved how fine the ice was plus the flavored syrup was mixed perfectly in it.  It was super yummy!!!  I wish I could have more!

Masatami Shave Ice can be found at the ff. branches:
South Arcade, SM Mall of Asia
Robinsons Galleria (in front of supermarket)
Cinema level, Glorietta 4
Robinsons Magnolia

• Villa del Conte

I’m not fond of chocolates but I’m starting to like it!  I guess peer pressure is working now since everyone just loooooves chocolates!  Maus was telling me that Villa del Conte’s chocolates are uberly delicious and that we should try it out!  As soon as we arrived at Villa del Conte‘s stall, the owner jokingly told me to stop taking pictures and start indulging on the chocolates or else I’d regret it when I get home and review the pictures.  He was funny!  The blogger in me really had to take those pictures so I have something to share in this blog post about Villa del Conte.

From Villa del Conte’s brochure:

The cacao beans used in making our cioccolato are handpicked to ensure that only the beans of the highest standards are used in making our artisanal creations.  Each piece passes through our unique process, which we perfected throughout the years.  We believe that aside from our age-old practices, premium-quality cacao is the foundation of great chocolate.

Branches: 3/F Trinoma, 2/F Greenbelt 5, 3/F Shangri-La Plaza Mall & G/F Resorts World Manila

• Saint’s Alp Teahouse

The first item that I tried out at UTT was the blueberry double chocolate drink by Saint Alp Teahouse.  I was so impressed with how good it was.  There are tons of tea places in Manila but this kind of drink is unique to Saint Alp!  Also, Saint Alp Teahouse was generous with the chocolates.  With every sip, there were bits of chocolates!  I loved it!

Saint Alp Teahouse can be found at:
2/F Regis Center, Katipunan avenue, Quezon City
G/F Forbeswood Parklane, Rizal Drive, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
G/F Fox Square, Connecticut, San Juan, Manila

• Bayani Brew

It feels good whenever you see a product made by a non-profit organization such as Gawad Kalinga.  Gawad Kalinga helps out fellow filipinos by providing them business opportunities such as this product that was made from their farm, Bayani Brew.  There were two flavors available: lemongrass (calamansi mixed with lemongrass & pandan) and purple tea (made from camote tops).  Each bottle costs about Php 35 and will be available soon in Metro Manila.

For now, you can get the product from Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm at Brgy. Encanto, Angat, Bulacan.

• Carlo’s Kitchen

WOW!  That was the only word that came out of my mouth when I had my first bite of crunchy belly!  My golly!  It was too good but I know it was also unhealthy but what the fudge, I did not care!  Carlo’s Kitchen must have perfected the process of cooking pork belly!  I’ll surely get some more in the future 🙂

Carlo’s Kitchen branches:
Midnight Mercato – Fri and Sat 10pm to 3am
Distrito at the Makati Med Open Parking – Wed to Fri 9pm to 3am
Mezza Norte at the UP-Ayala Technohub – Thur to Sat 6pm to 3am

The eight items I listed above got a 5 rating from me!  If you stumble upon any of the establishments that serve those yummy food, do not miss the opportunity of trying out their food items.  You won’t regret it!  They were so good that I wish I got more servings.

Anton’s foodie notes was a good guide so I’m sharing with you my own thoughts after attending the event.

• Battle of the Empanadas: Which is the BEST for you, Maria’s Laoag Ilocos Empanada (Orange) or Mac Vigan’s Empanada (White)?  I liked the orange empanada (Maria’s Laoag Ilocos Empanada) better because it was tastier and had more flavor.  I had to say though that Mac Vigan’s owner was one of the friendliest suppliers in the UTT event.

• Is Villa del Conte the best chocolate in Manila?  It’s not a secret that I’m not a lover of chocolates.  I, however, would say that I respect the brand very much.  Considering how everyone would go back to their stall a lot of times to get more chocolates says a lot about Villa del Conte.  My friend was raving about it all day too!  Not to mention, our memorable chicken dance stint at the stage just to win a box of Villa del Conte.  It was well worth it!

• Bato Bato Pick: Baked Bites by ABC’s Nutella Rocks or Chow Fun’s Dark Chocolate Buchi?  Chow Fun’s Dark Chocolate Buchi! 🙂  You have to be careful while eating the buchi as the chocolate oozes out of the ball once you get a bite of it!

• Will Fruit Garden’s new flavors (Berry Dream and Tropical Paradise Jam) and Baked by Anita’s new flavors (Wild Mushroom Pie w/ Gruyere & Truffle Oil and Surprise Tart) win UTT X?  I think Fruit Garden has a chance to win because their jam stayed true to the original taste of the fruit.  While I liked Baked by Anita’s products, I think other suppliers might snatch the win from them.

• Foodies are raving about the Panchados (Mechado on Pandesal), do you like it?  Too bad Panchados was one of the items that we couldn’t try anymore.  We were too full! 🙁

• Battle of the Ice Cream: Pinkberry’s Yogurt vs. Frisch Liquor Ice Cream vs. Lulubelle’s Frozen Custardvs. New Zealand’s Premium Ice Cream vs. Masatami’s Shave Ice? Which is the best?  Among the 4, my choices are New Zealand’s Premium Ice Cream and Frisch Liquor Ice Cream.  Both tasted unique and memorable.

• Perfect Combination: Skew U‘s USDA Beef Tapa and Kusina Reyes‘ Aligue Rice.  I agree 100%!

• Battle of the Drinks: Will Gawad Kalinga’s Lemongrass Pandan Iced Tea and Purple Leaf Iced Tea or Swizzle’s Caramel Beer and Swizzle’s Rainbow Shots win the drinks battle?  Gawad Kalinga’s Bayani Brew wins for me!  Their Purple leaf iced tea was my favourite drink during the day!  I can’t wait for them to make Bayani Brew available on all leading supermarkets in the Manila.

For those who missed the Ultimate Taste Test events this year, don’t fret!  2013 is fast coming.  I’m already looking forward to the next UTT!

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Rockwell’s 2nd Ultimate Taste Test
September 15, 2012
admin@ultimatetastetest.com
Rockwell Tent, Makati City, Philippines