The Aristocrat Restaurant Experience

The Aristocrat Restaurant has been around since 1936, serving well-loved Philippine dishes to us all.



This restaurant used to be my family's favorite place to go for a Sunday brunch. We all agree that their Aristocrat Chicken Barbecue is the best! We used to frequent their branch in SM The Block, but stopped going there since their service was (and still is) very slow. For our lunch today, my dad and my sister went to The Aristocrat Restaurant along Roxas Boulevard to celebrate her graduation.

Here's what we ordered:

Calamares (P165.00)

Tender calamares, breaded and fried and served with tartar sauce

This dish was supposed to be one of the best appetizers I have tasted (I first tried it at their SM The Block branch and I loved it). However, I hate how this branch always serves our Calamares cold. I think it was not freshly cooked and has been sitting in the kitchen for quite some time before it was served to us. It is the second time that our Calamares were served this way (it was cold and the breading was not crispy anymore) and I doubt that I would reorder this again.

Sinigang na Baboy (P281.00)
Pork spareribs in sour tamarind soup with native vegetables

This soup was good for 3 people. I loved how tender the pork spareribs were in this soup, and I like the tang of the sour tamarind soup. It goes well with their ever famous Aristocrat Chicken Barbeque.

Aristocrat Chicken Barbeque (P195.00)
Three pieces of marinated chicken on skewer, grilled

Gulaman at Sago (P55.00)
Gelatin cubes with tapioca in syrup and shaved ice

Did you know that you could get this for free when you present your SM Advantage Card to this branch upon a single-receipt purchase of P500.00? I just saw this promo in SM Advantage's website, and I tried asking the waitress about it and viola! Free Gulaman at Sago. I just wished they had a poster of this promo in their store to inform their customers, because what is the use of doing tie-ups when you do not announce it anyway?

Buko Pandan (P67.00)
Gelatin with tapioca and grated coconut in sweetened cream

Now this was very creamy and yummy. It was not too sweet; definitely a perfect way to cap off your meal.Though the food in this restaurant was delicious (except for their cold Calamares), I have a few things on which I would like this restaurant to improve on.

• First is how some of their food was served. If it is not freshly cooked, why serve it?
• I disliked the fact that their service again, was too slow - in all aspects that is. We waited for about 30 minutes before our orders were served. Upon ordering, we asked for water. It took countless follow ups and about 45 minutes before our glasses of water were served. We could have choked waiting for it.
  
• I also do not like how inattentive their staff was. They would turn away and go on with their business while you are still talking to them, which was rude.
• Another is that upon asking for the bill, we waited for so long that my dad was the one who approached their counter to ask if he could sign the charge slip already so we could get going. When we reached their counter, we found that the bill was already prepared, but there was just no one to bring it to our table.
• The bill had a discrepancy from what we ordered. An item was doubled, so it had to be revised. Upon seeing a lady approach the manager, she had the bill with her and had the same problem we encountered.

Unless they shape up, I doubt that my family would come back to any Aristocrat branch again. It is not only the food, but service is also a huge factor in this type of industry.

Just sharing my opinion,
Helen

Be Pretty Powerful with Bobbi Brown

Early this month, I received a beautiful gift from Bobbi Brown. It was their Pretty Palette, which was released last February 2011. This is actually the very first makeup palette I own.

Bobbi Brown designed this Pretty Palette to make it easy for any woman to feel her absolute, most confident best. This Pretty Palette was created with fairer skin tones in mind.

Image and Tips from Bobbi Brown Philippines

Here are some useful tips for using the Pretty Palette:

1. Cleanse, tone, and moisturize prior to makeup application.
2. Apply foundation (and concealer, if needed) to even out your complexion. I prefer liquid foundation as this looks more natural and dewy.
3. Apply Ivory Eye Shadow from the lash line up to the brow bone to brighten up the entire eye area.
4. Apply Pink Flannel Eye Shadow on the lower lid up to the crease.
5. Apply Pink Chiffon Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow in the crease to add sparkle to your eyes.
6. Apply Chocolate Caviar Eye Shadow on your upper lash line (using an eyeliner brush). This shade is a nice dark brown color that can also be used to fill in the sparse areas of your brows.
7. Apply 2 coats of your favorite mascara.
8. Brush on the Pretty Pink Blush on the apples of your cheeks for a healthy glow. Don't know where exactly to put on the blush? Smile, and pat on the blush in the area that pops up on your cheeks. Make sure to blend well.
9. Apply Sandwash Pink Lip Color on your lips. It is a muted brownish pink lip color that looks very natural. You may top it off with Bubble Bath Lip Gloss for a fresh, natural look; or you may use the Soiree Pink Glitter Lip Gloss for a playful, party look.

The neutral and pink shades of this palette are very lovely. I love Bobbi Brown's concept of creating shades of makeup that will truly enhance one's natural tones. This palette is all you will need to look pretty powerful in an instant. :) This Pretty Palette is available at Rustan's Makati and Shangri-La Mall for P3,000.00.

What is your favorite Bobbi Brown product?

Love,
Helen

Pond's Perfect Care Cold Cream

Could you be using a beauty product that has been around for 165 years? Pond's Cold Cream is that and more! I have seen small glass jars of Pond's Cold Cream sitting on my mom's dresser when I was a kid, and as they say, mother knows best! My mom is 51 years young now and she still looks radiant and youthful as ever, because she takes care of her skin.

If there is one product that I have kept on repurchasing months after months, it would definitely be this!


I started using Pond's Cold Cream in college, when I started to learn how to use makeup. I found that regular facial washes could not thoroughly remove all the makeup and Manila pollution on my skin so I decided to take my skin cleansing up a notch and added this to my beauty regimen. Way back, I used to buy this in the lemon scented variant because I found it to smell fresher than the regular variant. Now, only the regular variant is available in the market.


Pond's says:

Cold Cream
Clean skin that feels softer and smoother - that's the Pond's institute promise.

Pond's Cold Cream is a rich, deep cleanser that:
- Deep cleans - Special deep cleansing ingredients effortlessly take out deep-seated dirt and make-up, even stubborn mascara
- Keeps skin soft - Its natural moisturizers keep skin soft and supple, leaving your skin radiantly blooming.

I use Pond's Cold Cream every night when I get home to remove all the makeup and dirt that had accumulated on my face throughout the day.

Pros:
It has a thick, rich, and creamy texture.
It is dirt cheap! A 100 ml jar costs less than P200.00.
It easily removes all traces of makeup. No wonder this has been around for more than a century!

Cons:
I do not like the scent, but it is tolerable.
I wish this product would come on tube form. But I make sure to clean my hands thoroughly before dipping into it to get the cream out.

I never fail to repurchase when my jar is about to run out, and I can't even count how many jars I have finished. I got this in the supermarket for just P185.85, but prices may vary in different stores. This is certainly my favorite Pond's product!

What is you favorite Pond's product? You may share your thoughts in the comment box below. :)

Love,
Helen