Le Reussi | Happiness in a Cake

I love cakes, whether it's a special occasion or just a casual dessert. They bring a sense of completeness after every meal and put that cherry on top. Now there are a lot of cafes who serves cakes, but never have I seen and tasted a mini cake like this!

We all know Banawe is one of the places you have to go when you are on a food trip, it has a variety of Asian and Western cuisine and some dessert place as well. Now even when we're already full, we know there's always room for dessert and I'm sharing with you this new store which serves their novelty mini cakes that's heavenly! Le Reussi just opened its doors this year and they are located at 808 Banawe, right next to Gears.

Inside Le Reussi you can see Mid Century modern interiors with big windows to let the natural light in. The place is a little small but feels intimate, which I like. Since they are on their soft opening, you can see bare walls on one side but this place will soon be filled eventually. On the right side of the cafe, you can see a simple but elegant wall decal with the name Le Reussi which means successful in French.

With this soft opening, they are currently serving cakes and hot and cold beverages. Oh and by the way everything is on 30% off until their grand opening! On their menu, they have 6 flavors of cakes and each is so heavenly and mouth-watering!

CARAMEL MINI CAKE - 268PHP

The Caramel Cake is one of my favorites because it's not too sweet and the icing is not overwhelming. If you've tried Estrel's, the taste is almost similar to that.

*recommend

CHOCOLATE MINI CAKE - 268PHP

I'm not the biggest fan of Chocolate cake because most of the time it's too sweet for me, however, this one is not! The ratio of their cake and icing is great and it's perfectly balanced.

*recommend

MOCHA CAKE - 268PHP

Mocha cake is one of my go-to cakes because you can never go wrong with this one. As much as I love the cute design it did not give me the wow factor, it's just like any regular mocha cake but with an upscale design. It still tastes good!

MANGO CAKE - 268PHP

I love mango cheesecake and I was excited to try their Mango cake! The taste was very subtle, however, you won't taste the mango flavor that much if you won't take a piece of the toppings.

MATCHA CAKE - 268PHP

Their Matcha cake is a great one, although I really don't lean into that flavor, it has that subtle taste that everyone would like. If you're a hardcore matcha lover this is an option.

UBE CAKE - 268PHP

Surprisingly their Ube Cake is one my favorite! The taste is spot on and it's really not sweet. The center does not have that Macapuno bits on top, which is iconic but the Icing in the middle makes up for it.

*recommend

Their cakes are really small but it has one of the most fluffy and moist cakes I've had! Every bite is really heavenly that you'd want to slow down and take small bites with their cakes. The great thing is their mini cakes are also the exact same as their regular cakes which are priced at 1388PHP! If you plan on buying the regular-sized cakes they advise to have an advanced order of 1-2 days so they can prepare and make the cake fresh. The cakes can last up to 1 week chilled and 2-3 hours outside the ref.

Now if you are gonna dine for dessert, whether you order drinks or cakes you'll get a complimentary cookie! They have 3 flavors at the moment, regular chocolate chip, dark chocolate chip and ube cookie. Try them now because soon they'll be offering this separately.

HANDCRAFTED SODAS - 138PHP

One of my favorite refreshment drink is their handcrafted sodas! They have the lemon and blueberry (my favorite!) It's very fresh, sosyal and a real thirst quencher!

*recommend

SPARKLING ICED TEA - 168PHP

There are 3 flavors for the sparkling iced tea, lemon, peach and passionfruit. The one we have here is the lemon sparkling iced tea. I think for this one there's no middle ground, you love or you just don't. For me it was a miss, but there were some people with me who tried it and they loved it! maybe I'd go for a different flavor next time.

LATTE DRINKS - 198PHP

Their latte drinks I liked so much! I'm not sure tho if they should call it latte because there was no hint of coffee in it, but I still love it! There are 6 flavors, ube, matcha, cacao, strawberry, blueberry, mango. My favorite is the strawberry and ube! Really loved this one among others, well this and the blueberry handcrafted soda too.

*recommend

HOT BEVERAGES - 168PHP

They also serve hot beverages like brewed coffee, hot chocolate tablea, hot dark chocolate, jasmine green tea and assam black tea.

COFFEE - 168PHP

Their cold coffees are also a hit. They have 3 flavors at the moment, ice, latte and mocha.

What I also like about this place is they use tapioca straws! They heard us guys and they are not using the paper ones, which doesn't last that long. I love how they wanted to lessen the trash and used organic ones. They don't actually taste like anything, but I enjoyed biting the straw so for those who enjoy biting their straws this is for you!

I'm glad I've tried their cakes because I was really looking for a new place to buy cakes at a reasonable price that is top quality and then I was introduced to Le Reussi. It's a good place to have your dessert, get a birthday or any celebration cake. Soon they will be expanding their menu, have wifi so you and your partner or friends could chill, date and catch up.

Overall
Food - Really good, I love their cakes! Very soft, fluffy and moist.

Price - For a mini cake it's alright, I mean with the taste and design I can say it's reasonalbe.
Ambiance - The interiors are simple at the moment, but it's relaxing and chill. Malamig sa loob perfect for summer!
Parking - Good thing, even it's in Banawe they have at least 2-4 cars that can park in front of the dessert cafe.

Le Reussi

808 Banawe Street Quezon City

Hours:

Open daily from 10:30am - 10pm

Facebook: @lereussiph

Instagram: @lereussiph

THE BEST ALOE VERA HYDRATING GEL | Grace Cosmetics

When it comes to skincare products, we always want the tried and tested ones. They are usually the ones who are in the market for years and are continuing to thrive. As a skincare junkie we want all the good ingredients and if possible all-natural ingredients. Grace Cosmetics has been in the industry for over 35 years, originally from Australia where they also manufacture the products, to help every Filipina achieve that beautiful skin.

I have been very lucky to be introduced to Grace Cosmetics and witness how their products work.

From skincare to makeup, they have it all! What I really like about them is they use the best natural and botanical ingredients, and they incorporate organic aloe vera as well. Aloe Vera is one of the most sought after ingredient in moisturizers or any product as they are great humectants, soothes the skin and is easily absorbed. One of their famous product is the Aloe Face Lift Activator and Firming Face Lift Powder. They showed us a demonstration of how it's used and how the person looks before and after.

The two products are to be mixed and applied on a clean face. then after 30 minutes wash it off and you can see the face is tighter and visible wrinkles that were used to be there are now gone!

This can be used I think once a week until you can see visible changes after how many uses.

Now a product I rave about, my ride and die is their 95% aloe hydrating gel! I was not exactly sure what this one is at first and when to use it, eventually I gave it a shot as my night moisturizer. I have been using this one for months already, as you can see the logo's already washed out. Now I can give this a proper review!

According to the website, it's a daily high-potency balancer that instantly hydrates and locks in moisture, awakening a natural, healthy glow.

What to expect:
- Skin looks visibly hydrated and healthy
- Absorbs deep within the skin's surface
- Essential moisture is locked in
- Oil and perspiration is controlled
- Irritations and blemishes are soothed
- Can be used right up to the eye
- Instantly reveals firmer, poreless looking skin

It also consists of natural ingredients and the number one ingredient Aloe Barbadensis Leaf juice, this particular ingredient soothes the skin and serves as an anti-inflammatory, it can also protect the skin from UV damage and many more benefits to the skin.

MY EXPERIENCE:
For those who don't yet I have combination to normal skin, and I'm not acne-prone. The first time I used this consistency was new to me. It's watery and not transparent, but after distributing the product it's completely transparent. Application is also very easy, it may seem too watery at first but the skin will soon absorb the product. I use one pump for my whole face, pat it in then half a pump for my neck. When it comes to smell it has that strong eucalyptus menthol smell that you'll eventually get used to, but it won't be noticeable after how many minutes. 

I have been using this for I think 6 months already and I've seen changes after 2 weeks only. I can see my skin glowing, it's clearer, smoother and I was not irritated. I was really surprised by how this product worked well with me. If I will be having only three products in my skincare regimen, this would make the top three for sure! #realtalk I really love this product, wherever I go I always bring this with me. People also noticed how clear and smooth my skin became! If you aim for glass skin, this is the product for you!

If you want to avail Grace Cosmetics products click here.

Let me know what skincare products you'd want me to try out!

Eatogether Food Hall | Your Favorite Dishes In One Place

I know how hard it is to choose what to eat for lunch or dinner. There are lots of choices when you're inside a mall. Most of the time it's hard to decide, or when you get to it's not usually a unanimous decision. Food courts were the first places you can easily dine where you get to choose from a lot of fast food stalls, however most of the time food courts are overly crowded and sometimes have limited choices. I was really glad when food parks, and food halls were made so customers won't have that dilemma of choosing from limited choices or can dine in better surroundings.

Eatogether Food Hall is one great example where you can get to choose from a lot of food selection and cuisine, from Pinoy to Japanese to Chinese and many more. Eatogether Food Hall is located at 2L, Mega A, SM Megamall which can house at least (maybe) 500 people. They have 12 different food stalls you can choose from and tons of places to seat.

Diners are required to purchase a Vikings Reward card with a minimum load of 200php, since this is the only mode of payment inside. It's actually cool because you can also get to earn points! I think it's 1 point for every 100 peso purchase. Ordering is also made easier, just go to the screen next to the stall, choose your order then tap the card and get the receipt and wait for your order!

What I really like about this place over food courts is that it's not overly crowded plus the interiors are well thought to cater to more customers and make their dining experience better. Plus everything is so instagrammable! They have tables good for a large or small group, there's also a long table for those who opt to order hotpot. Altogether they have 13 food stalls you can choose from! I'm sure you can pick one ;D

We visited Eatogether as a small group so we can try more of the dishes here, I was glad to be with my friends from Hungry Herl and Takaw Tikim! We ordered at least 3 dishes per person hahaha and it was actually sulit, most of the meals range from 200 - 300 pesos only. They have unlimited water as well plus it's Alkaline! Personally, I spent at least 600 pesos for 3 dishes!

Here are the dishes we ordered.

CHICKEN KARAAGE - YATAI

The Chicken Karaage here is actually good, the chicken is tender and the sauce has the right amount of flavor. Sulit din siya for one serving, one can finish this dish!

*I ordered this one, I forgot if this is 140 or 160 pesos :)

SOY GARLIC BUTTER SHRIMP - 198PHP BAG OF SEAFOOD

I'm happy about this dish, it's 198 pesos with rice already! I think this has at least 5-6 pcs of shrimp with corn and lemon. They cooked this one PERFECTLY, the sauce and spices used is so good! You can get full on this one as well, the rice served is a little sticky and I think it's at least a tad bigger than the normal cup of rice. I really recommend you trying this one or other dishes from Bag of Seafood

CHICHARON BULAKLAK - 158PHP FRITUEN BATSOY

If you want a good pulutan or something to munch while chatting with friends, this is the one! This chicharon bulaklak is a little different from the ones I have tasted from Lechunans. It's not very salty and it's not oily at all, as you can see from the photo. They also serve it with vinegar that compliments the chicharon very well. I swear you need to try this one!

MALAYSIAN PRAWN LAKSA NOODLE - 248PHP MIEN BAO

If there's one dish I would recommend, it's this one! I know I like all the dishes we ordered, but this one really stood out! The flavor in this Laksa is superb! It's really good when served hot, the texture and firmness of the noodles is perfect! It has a good amount of ingredients and served well. It may be on the higher-than-my-budget-price, but I wouldn't think twice in ordering this one when I get back to Eatogether! 

TONG YANG SHABU-SHABU EXPRESS

I'm not 100% sure about this one dish from Tong Yang. I think this one is a little underwhelming, or we didn't order the best ones. I may have to give this one a chance again when I get back.

PENNE ROSA - 198PHP L'ITALIANO

I love pasta, it's one of my comfort food! However, the Penne Rosa from L'Italiano let me down. It's underwhelming and I really don't know what's special about this dish. I may have to try a different dish here. I'm sorry :(

CHEE-Z - 229PHP SECRET CHICKEN

Thick cut and large chicken are in in the market as of now, just like Hot Star and Monga there are other places you can try these big and thick-cut chicken! Secret Chicken serves 4 types of flavor and we got their signature Chee-z, it's actually good and you can see how the cheese is melting and is making you hungry right now! It's also served with rice so it's already a win. 

PARES

The last dish I ordered is this Pares! Pares is one of my go-to dishes as well and my favorite is from the Original Pares Retiro and Goto Tendon! I think this one costs 120-150 pesos including the rice. I may have been expecting a lot from this one, however, it didn't reach my standards but it was ok. Although I like the garlic rice :)

They sell Puto Bumbong and Bibingka here too!  

Eatogether Food Hall is really a great place for all types of people, as you can see there are a lot of choices here plus the place looks clean, spacious and well maintained. The system of ordering here is also very easy to follow! They have 2 branches as of the moment, located at Capitol Commons and here at Megamall, but I hope they expand soon!

They currently have promos too! If it's your birthday you can get 500 pay credits! Just load with a minimum of 500 pesos. 

Overall
Food - Most of the dishes did not fail! I also found hidden gems here that I might go back to every time I visit Megamall.
Price - The dishes range from 200-300 pesos, but some are also 150 pesos without rice
Serving - Serving size is actually good, you get the size of what you paid for!
Ambiance - I love the interiors here, very clean, spacious and the design is well thought! I also notice there's a nook where you can charge your phone or even use your laptop. If you work from home or you want to try working outside this place is great as well!

Website: https://www.eatogetherfoodhall.com/
Facebook: @eatogethermega

Pay With PayMaya This 11.11!

Now is the best time to have a PayMaya account because you can enjoy up to P5,000 in discounts and cashback deals as the holiday shopping season kicks off with the various 11-11 online and in-store sale events happening nationwide.  

Whether you prefer to shop and stay at home or troop to the nearest malls to do all your shopping, PayMaya is your trusted payment buddy for a more convenient and rewarding shopping experience this holiday season.  

With PayMaya, you can easily score up to 100% cashback (maximum of P500) when you use your PayMaya card or PayMaya QR for shopping this 11-11. Just make sure to spend at least P100 to get your cashback.   

The more you shop, the more you earn because you get an additional P250 cashback when you spend an accumulated total of P5,000* with your PayMaya card, and another P250 cashback on top of that when you spend the same amount with PayMaya QR!   

And if that’s not enough, you can also enjoy more discounts when you start your gift-shopping at Lazada by simply redeeming the PayMaya voucher in the Lazada app. Get 25% off (maximum P300) on your purchase of at least P1,000–so make sure to add items to your cart early to snag the best deals!  

If you’re planning to check out other gift ideas, you can also get a 10% discount on Rustans.com using the promo code PAYMAYAMONDAY10 when you shop all Mondays of November and December. You can avail of this promo when you spend at least P1,000, and get up to P2,000 off of your purchase. How’s that sound for great holiday deals?  

Giving gifts to your loved ones is great but there’s no better feeling than treating yourself with a shopping spree. Start picking out your outfits perfect for Christmas parties and reunions on Zalora and take advantage of a 25% discount of up to P2,000 on your purchase! Just use the promo code PYMYONLINEFEVER when you shop for your holiday wear with a minimum purchase of P1,500.  

With all these discounts, on top of cashbacks and promo deals, it’s safe to say that paying for all your 11-11 shopping with cash won’t get you as far as PayMaya will. If you don’t have your own PayMaya account yet, now is the best time to have one so you can enjoy amazing convenience and rewarding perks for your holiday purchases.   

Just download the PayMaya app for Android or iOS, register an account, and find out what it’s like to shop with the fastest, safest, most rewarding and hassle-free way to pay. Be sure to use the code PAYMAYALOVE when you register for an account to instantly earn P100 until November 15. Remember, this holiday season don’t pay cash, PayMaya!  

To find out more about how you can make the most of great deals, promos, and offers with your PayMaya account, visit www.paymaya.com/deals or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.    

PayMaya, the digital financial services arm of Voyager Innovations, is the only financial technology company in the Philippines offering integrated consumer and merchant payment solutions with the widest on-ground branch network. It is the first to give millions of Filipinos an e-wallet that allows them to pay cashless transactions at any time of the day, anywhere in the world, and from any device. It is the financial technology arm of Voyager Innovations, the leading technology company in the country backed by PLDT, KKR, Tencent, World Bank’s IFC and the IFC Emerging Asia Fund.

  

*minimum of P500 spend  

Visit paymaya.com/refer for more details.