Do you love desserts?  Do you have favorites in each of your favorite food place?  Have you ever wished to have those best-selling desserts from different stores in just one place?

Don’t fret because I just found out recently that there is indeed a place!  And it’s called ‘Parvati‘.  Yes, Parvati Home-Made Dessert Shop is a one-stop shop for the best-selling products of home bakers!  It’s truly a wish come true for dessert-lovers like us!!

I’m just so lucky enough that one of the owners of this awesome shop is my colleague!  He invited me to sample the different desserts being offered in Parvati together with other bloggers.  It was probably the first time in my life that I almost just had to say n0 to dessert.  It just continued to keep coming over at our table, I think almost each and every dessert that they had, they were able to let us taste.  Good thing, I brought my mom with me or else I would not have been able to sample everything.  We shared each piece of desserts served to us.

Let me share with you some of the desserts that we tried out that day.  Take note that I didn’t put everything here, or this post would turn into a book!!  However, I’m sure some of your favorite desserts are here.

• Monster Cookies by Monster Cookies PinoyCravings

“These cookies are made from the finest ingredients!  If you want a semi soft and chewy cookie, then these cookies are for you!”

If you love those homemade, fresh out the oven, type of cookies, I really suggest these cookies.  You can really feel and taste the difference that these premium chocolate chip cookies have over the ordinary cookies.  I definitely think this must be one of their best sellers since it’s really just a classic.

Tub of 6 – Php 138, Box of 8 – Php 215

• Custaroon Poppers by Gigi’s Custaroons

“Bite-sized custaroon balls coated with a premium chocolate powder concoction”

Actually, from their description you would think that they only do chocolate powder, but they actually do different times of concoctions.  I bet the coffee lovers out there would love to try their coffee powder one.  This dessert is definitely one of those sinful, can’t stop, type of desserts.  It’s convenient, and I really believe a perfect alternative to the coffee and donuts!

Tub of 22 original – Php 200, Tub of Green Tea – Php 330, Tub of Coffee – Php 330

• Original & Cheese Custaroons by Gigi’s Custaroons

“Smooth, creamy, melt-in-your mouth custard topped with a chewy buttery crust”

I couldn’t believe just how delicious these custaroons were.  It’s rich and sweet, yet just enough to satisfy your sweet tooth.  I can’t stress enough just how perfectly baked these little custaroons were.  It was so very moist, soft, and indeed buttery!  This is yet another one of those desserts where a few just won’t cut it.. you may have to grab a whole handful! hahaha :p

Regular Box of 4 – Php 170, Regular Box of 12 – Php 350
Bite size box of 15 – Php 200, Bite size box of 30 – 300

• Russian Cookie House Classic by The Russian Cookie House

“Russian, Black Russian, Pistachio, Black & white almond, Jan Hagel.  Also available.. Sugar-free.”

Their description just doesn’t do this medley of wonderful confections any justice.  Oh my was I amazed at how you can get this all boxed up.  This is most certainly a holiday gift, or for any occasion, especially for those who just love mixed chocolates of any kind.  The pistacchio variety is also tasty!

Window Boxes regular – Php 280, half-size – Php 180, Trial-size – Php 90
Window boxes sugar free regular – Php 380, half-size – Php 240, Trial size – Php 120
Minis in Canister big – Php 280, small – Php 180
Sugar free Minis in Canister big – Php 380, small – Php 240

• Pistachio Sans Rival by Tajabel

“Three layered Meringue with Pistachio Cream Filling, top with roasted Pistachio”

This has got to be one of the most delicious variations of San Rival there is out there.  If you are  not familiar, sans rival actually means “without rival”.  layers of sweet crust/pastry upon layer of creamy meringue.  The added pistachios really do make this such a wonderful treat.  For those who love anything pistachio flavored, you will not want to miss these most delicious dessert!  The toasted pistachio really give this dessert that subtle and added dimension when it comes to flavor.  What a great recipe whoever thought of this specific dessert!!

Whole cake – Php 900, Slice – Php 115

• Triple Decker Chocolate Cheesecake by Kusina Torre Desserts & Pastries

“Cheesecake between two layers of chocolate cake”

This has got to be one of the most sinfully created dessert that has been made.  It’s like having a cheesecake sandwich!!  For those who truly love both chocolate cake and cheesecake, now you can have both!  And it’s not just any ordinary chocolate cake, or any ordinary cheesecake.  It’s really a premium slice of both cakes in each bar.  From the picture itself, you can already tell just how dense and rich it is.  And yet, each cut into it with a fork is almost like slicing butter, it still is very creamy and soft.

Per square – Php 130, 5 inches – Php 600, 7 inches – Php 1,100, 9 inches – Php 2,000, 9×13 inches – Php 2,500

• Gourmet Polvoron by Postres del Cielo

“Kiwi, Cranberry, Lavander, Rose, Cafe, Pineapple, and Classic”

When I first saw this, I was at first hesitant if this even belonged with the rest of the wonderful desserts, but tasting it, realizing just how above standard these certain variety of polvoron were, it made sense all of a sudden.  I’ve eaten polvoron before, many times, as I assume many of us have.  But this polvoron, I kid you not, is just so much more buttery, more dense, and packed with so much more goodness than the normal kind of polvoron.

And to think that they didn’t stop at their wonderful original flavor, but they added other interesting flavors, it just makes this certain dessert really stand out.  Rose flavored!  I mean, honestly, WOW!!  It’s almost like comparing a Honda to a Ferrari, it’s just way above the normal standard.  Great concept and delivery on this specific dessert item!

Box of 4s – Php 90, Box of 12s – Php 250.00

• Coffee Indulgence by M Cheesecakes & Pastries

“Cappuccino Cheesecake”

I think you must be noticing a trend here when it comes to the desserts at Parvati.  It truly is a place where only the best of the best can be found.  They really did a great job with which desserts are popular, just by the taste and the varieties of their desserts.

This specific cheesecake truly belongs here.  The great flavors of cappuccino, the rich and bold flavors of roasted coffee beans infused into this cheesecake is almost something I cannot describe.  Wow!! soo soo yummy especially for those who love cheesecake.  Each slice into each cheesecake is such a great harmony of flavors.  Smooth and silky cheesecake, the sweetness of the filling, and the contrast of the bitter and bold flavor of cappuccino.  This is a must try for coffee lovers too!

Slice – Php 120, Whole – Php 600

• Frozen Brazo de Mercedes by Desserts by Fiona

No need to go in depth about this, most Filipinos have tasted Brazo de Mercedes before, but this is where the comparison ends.  Again, as with the other desserts at Parvati, their Brazo de Mercedes seems to just blow the rest of the normal ones out of the water!   Wonderfully fluffed up egg whites with browned outer or top layer.  The delicious cream filling and the rich bottom cake layer really is such a treat.  One good thing that I like about this dessert is that it really is not that too rich, and is definitely one of the lighter desserts that is being offered at Parvatti.  I would recommend this for a light snack any day.

Mini – Php 180, Half size – Php 330, 8×8 – Php 600

• Cream Caramel Bread Pudding & Panna Cottas from Christine’s Kitchen

Here’s a great trio of desserts coming from Christine’s Kitchen.  The first one is their “Leche Flan”, which is much more balanced in flavor, not too sweet, yet very very tasty still.  Here’s Parvati’s description of their Leche Flan: “From an old family recipe, “leche flan” goodness in every bite, and yes, there is bread in it!” I think it was very wise of them to emphasize that there is real bread in their flan, because if you are into baking, and you’ve made leche flan before, then you know that it usually does not contain any bread in it, and is mostly egg and cream.  Which is why I think their leche flan has such a nice balanced sweetness to it.

Now both the Mango Panna Cotta and the Blueberry Panna Cotta really turned out to also be a nice treat for many of us.  What separates these panna cottas from the rest is just how rich the flavors in each one was.  The panna cottas were perfectly cooked, firm and not soggy, and the flavors came through.  Sometimes, panna cottas can become watery, and the sweetness and flavors seem to be watered down.  This is definitely not the case with these panna cottas!!

Cream Caramel Bread Pudding, Regular – Php 140, Mini – Php 75
Blueberry Panna Cotta, 1’s – Php 80, 4’s – Php 320
Mango Panna Cotta,, 1’s – Php 70, 4’s – Php 240

• Brownie Cashew Bars & Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies by Vine’s Bakeshop

The oatmeal bars you see above (the ones with the chocolate center), really were moist.  But this specific dessert is definitely for those who love oatmeal cookies but need it to be rich as well.

The brownie cashew bars are a great balance of both texture, tastes, and sweetness.  Don’t get me wrong, this bar is definitely sweet, but I like the combination of flavors in this bar the most.  Cashews is a great choice of nuts for this bar.

Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies (box of 22) – Php 125
Brownie Cashew Bars (box of 5) – Php 120

• Mochi Ice Cream by Dezato

“Mochi ice cream is creamy ice cream wrapped in a fluffy sticky rice doug and are best eaten with your fingers.  There is an explosion of textures and flavors in each bite of these unique treats.  It comes in six mouthwatering varieties: chocolate, strawberry, green tea, mango, vanilla, and coffee.  These fun treats are a sure fire hit anytime and anywhere.”

Box of 6 – Php 275

I just love a lot of things at Parvati.  Even the way they store the desserts was very impressive!  Here is the frozen desserts put in a freezer and as you can see, it was neatly labeled by product (with pictures & price details).  When you open the freezer, the desserts are actually in the shelves where they were labeled in.

These are desserts to be stored in normal room temperature.  When I first saw these, I thought they were only pictures.  But actually, they were drawers!!!  I was in total awe when it was opened.  I felt like a child for a short while there as I kept opening some drawers and peeking at all the delicious dessert inside.

Too many good things that I have to say about Parvati and this is not because 1 of the owners is my friend.  I love how warm and friendly the staff are.  We can easily call on them for our orders, they were eager to answer any questions we asked of them about Parvati and they kept checking up on us too if we wanted more water, etc.  They also wore cute uniforms too, totally matched their cute personalities.

The owners weren’t just entertaining us bloggers.  Whenever there were customers looking around, they would readily approach the customer and start explaining the concept of the store and the products they’re selling.  No wonder why in such a small amount of time (they opened last May 2010), they are successful.  I’m sure we’ll see more branches in the future.

Good news!  Parvati can sell desserts in bulk, perfect for Christmas time right?  You just need to inform them 3-5 days in advance and you’ll be able to get your orders fresh and right in time!  I believe this is the best time to share such a treasure find!  Now, you can cross off one research item in your list because there’s Parvati.  Best-selling desserts from different home makers in just one place.  No need to run around different places or call different numbers for separate deliveries!  Isn’t it uber cool?

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Parvati Home-Made Dessert Shop
Mindanao Lobby, Trinoma Mall, EDSA cor. North Ave., Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
(02) 901-1428

I always hear about Tao Yuan Restaurant from my mom’s friends.  They highly recommend the restaurant and keep on raving about it.  I do appreciate feedback but I make sure that I try it out myself before I judge.

Finally, we were able to try it last week.  I admit I had high expectations of the place.  When I entered the restaurant, it was pretty obvious that it was a Chinese restaurant and gosh, too many people.  Almost all tables were filled up!  It was almost evidence enough that they serve good food.

I love that they designed the place well.  It’s rare that I see restaurants in Manila that has a great awesome interior design.  The gold and red combination truly works for Tao Yuan Restaurant.  Even the carpets are colored as such.

Tao Yuan is a Singapore-inspired restaurant.  They serve mostly Singaporean dishes.  I wanted to try out cereal prawns (which is the most popular Singaporean dish for Filipinos) but my cousin doesn’t like cereals so we ended up ordering their salted egg prawns.  Worth a try, read my comment on the dish later on.

While waiting, we were served free nuts.  Their nuts were unique, I must say.  It was definitely not fried, if I may guess, I think it was boiled.  It tasted so good but I just cannot figure out how they prepared it.  I heard my mom raving about it too.  My first taste of a Tao Yuan’s dish was very pleasant, so  I had a good feeling  that I would enjoy the rest of my dining experience.

Here is a list of our orders:

• Sze Chuan Hot & Sour Soup (Php 388)

Tao Yuan’s Hot & Sour soup is just okay for me.  Nothing really special that would make me want to go back for more.  As I’ve said in a previous article, I really do have high standards when it comes to hot and sour soup.  In almost all Chinese and Asian restaurants that I have gone to, I almost always end up getting the hot and sour soup, so I definitely know how it’s supposed to taste like.  With Tao Yuan, their Hot and Sour soup wasn’t bad, but again I have to emphasize that it really wasn’t something to rave about.

• Special Prawns with Egg Yolk (Php 488)

I was hoping that we would get to order cereal prawns but my cousin who ordered the dishes for us isn’t really fond of cereals.  So we ended up with Tao Yuan’s prawns with egg yolk.  I’ve tried a similar dish in another restaurant and thinking that Tao Yuan is a bit popular these days, I was expecting it to be better.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t something to rave about either.

• Hainanese Chicken (Php 880)

The Hainanese Chicken is really to die for!  You haven’t dined and ate chicken until you have tried Tao Yuan Restaurant’s specialty.  And when I say specialty, I mean it!  It’s the BEST I’ve ever tried.  If ever I do get a chance to go back to the restaurant, it will solely be because of their famous Hainanese Chicken!

The chicken was tender and tasty!  A simple presentation also made the dish stand out, including those flowers too.  I believe the secret was the flavors of the broth plus how the chicken was cooked.  The flavors of the broth really penetrated the chicken, and you could just tell that the chicken was definitely slowly cooked because of just how tender and almost falling off the bone it was.

It’s best to eat the Hainanese chicken with the sauces served which was soy sauce, chili sauce & garlic sauce.  Really try to enjoy each chicken piece with these sauces and don’t be shy in really adding a little extra for the flavor that it imparts to the chicken 🙂

• Hainanese Rice (Php 50)

Everyone ordered plain rice but I really wanted to try out their Hainanese rice.  I know we ordered Hainanese chicken but I wanted to have the “complete” experience.  I was really glad I stuck with my order.  Just imagine incorporating all the wonderful flavors of that chicken broth that comes form the Hainanese chicken and then cooking your rice with it!  It truly was a wonderful dining experience enjoying both the dish and the rice itself.  The simplicity of Hainanese chicken, the subtle flavors, a little sweetness, deep chicken flavor, and yet light enough that you just wanted more each time.  I could have kept eating more of this combination, and I honestly forgot about my diet at this point in the meal hahaha :p

• Steamed Angel Shells w/ Garlic – 400g (Php 360)

This reminds me of the elephant shell we had eaten at Dampa a few weeks back.  I somehow think that they are similar just cooked differently.  I thought it tasted good, it was a bit messy though in terms of presentation, the flavors were good, but again it wasn’t balanced because of the presentation and plating of the dish.

• Singapore Mango Lapu Lapu – 500g (Php 850)

Another dish that I loved in Tao Yuan.  A very unique way to cook fish.  Definitely a wonderful twist to the sweet and sour, or even the escabeche type of way we cook our own fish.  Mango, is a hard ingredient to incorporate into any dish, but when done right, it really gives many dishes that extra dimension of flavor.  This is exactly what you get with this dish.

And do you see how good the presentation was?  The taste is really good too.  Again, it’s basically fried fish on a bed of chili sauce, with mangoes & peppers on top.  Fish meat was kinda crumpled together though, very easy to get.  No need for some grueling effort to get fish meat.

• Hongkong Choi Vegetable with Garlic (Php 620)

I wasn’t able to get the name of this dish right but this is just normal polunchay cooked with garlic.  A very good balance to our yummy Hainanese chicken & mango lapu lapu.

Glad that Tao Yuan Restaurant is actually giving out free dessert!  We finished our meal with their almond lychee dessert and we loved it!

One more thing, do not forget to ask for a 10% discount when getting your bill.  Because in our case, it was given to us 🙂  I feel the prices are a bit steep but their Hainanese chicken is definitely unforgettable.  It’s the best in the market right now.  I shall always tag Tao Yuan Restaurant with Hainanese Chicken and their rice if you had to ask me at this moment.

If you haven’t tried Tao Yuan, I highly suggest you go visit and order their famous Hainanese Chicken.  Couple it with their Hainanese Rice, and I promise that you will get your money’s worth and so much more 😉

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Tao Yuan Restaurant
508-512 General Malvar St. cor. A Mabini St., Malate, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
(02) 522-7009