This post marks another first for us here at EATSplorations. Believe it or not, it’s our first time to ever EATSperience the Ultimate Taste Test by Our Awesome Planet and we are extremely excited to share it with you. Before we proceed to our whole EATSperience, we would like to give you guys a little background information about Ultimate Taste Test: Pro Edition 2017. First things first, why Pro Edition? Well, this year’s Ultimate Taste Test winner will receive a whopping financial investment and business support package worth FIVE MILLION PESOS from FOODEE Global Concepts led by Mr. Eric Dee. That once in a lifetime package will be of great help to the winner for launching a guaranteed food stall, kiosk, or even a restaurant in an Ayala establishment. 30 food vendors and startup food entrepreneurs all competing to make their food business dreams a reality. A lot is definitely at stake here so without further ado, we present to you the EATS We Enjoyed at the Ultimate Taste Test: Pro Edition 2017!
Ultimate Taste Test: Pro Edition 2017!
Held at the Glorietta Activity Center in the Ayala Center – Makati, the Ultimate Taste Test is from Saturday to Sunday, September 2 and 3, 2017 from 11:00 in the morning until 9 in the evening. For the first day, September 2, there was a taste test fee of Php 550 per person which was inclusive of at least 30 different tasting portions, a glass of San Miguel Beer for guests 18 years old and above, and a food critic ballot. Being food critics for a day was so much fun but it was also pretty tough knowing that the success of the food vendors were partly in our hands.
The EATS We Enjoyed at the Ultimate Taste Test: Pro Edition 2017!
Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm
Situated right in front of the entrance, the Gawad Kalinga Enchated Farm products were such a delight to see. We loved all the GK vendors but favorites were First Harvest’s Cashew Butter, Puto ni Papa’s fluffy and moist puto, Karabella’s creamy carabao milk ice cream, and Calaboo’s Boolala Bootter. We would like to commend each and every individual for making these products a success. Great job, GK!
Don Bao – Japanese Bowls + Buns
Known for their army of buns and bowls, Don Bao present one pretty tasty starter that’s neither a bun nor a bowl. Yes, you read that right. For an eatery that’s all about tasty buns and bowls, Don Bao serves up really good nachos. Kani Nachos. Their homemade chips with chopped kani and cheesy Japanese mayo was more than enough for us to put them in this EATSperience. Well done, Don Bao!
Charlie’s Pritchon
The fried lechon that revolutionized that Filipino food scene a decade ago is now back with a vengeance. Ladies and gentlemen, Charlie’s Pritchon is back to remind us of how good life was during their heyday. Instead of the wrap that made them famous, Charlie’s now have pita pockets of different flavors and colors to house and complement their crispy-licious fried lechon skin, juicy lechon meat and sauces. It was great eating you again, old friend!
The Beef Barn
Beefing things up! The Roast Beef of The Beef Barn was a mouthwatering treat. Their tender and juicy slices of roast beef paired with their homemade gravy made it to our list of favorites in this EATSperience. Their weekend market loyalists will definitely agree with us. So if you love roast beef, try The Beef Barn’s and thank us later.
Ted’s (People’s Choice)
What’s an EATSperience without having dessert? The Bibingka Cheesecake of Ted’s got us craving the moment we laid eyes on it. After going around trying out different savory dishes, we knew that we had to come back and have some of it, and… we were right. It was as good as it looks or even better. Ted’s Bibingka Cheesecake was smooth, rich and creamy, thanks to Laguna’s kesong puti and salted egg. The addition of toasted desiccated coconuts was a pleasant surprise. As it was a good complement to the richness of their cheesecake. Impressive Filipino take on a cheesecake, Ted’s!
Bakmi Nyonya
The stall that became famous in Mercato Centrale and Buendia Food by the Court. Bakmi Nyonya is the brainchild of a husband and wife tandem. The wife, who is an Indonesian, works her magic to serve up traditional Indonesian dishes. Talk about being authentic! They serve dishes like Beef Rendang Jawa and Sate Ayam. Sate Ayam is the Indonesian version of chicken skewers. It is marinated in different spices paired with savory peanut sauce and sambal. If you want to have a taste of authentic Indonesian food without flying out, just drop by Bakmi Nyonya’s stall and they will handle the rest!
Pizza Grigliata Manila (UTT Champion)
Pizza done right. That’s what Pizza Grigliata Manila is all about. Thin-crust pizza loaded with cheese, tomatoes and basil, and of course, prosciutto. We started off our UTT Pro Edition 2017 EATSperience with their pizzas and we had no regrets. Everything we tried out from their stall was pizza perfection. Calling out all the pizza-lovers out there, try out Pizza Grigliata Manila’s great line of squid ink and regular thin-crust pizzas, ASAP!
The Broken Oven (Judges’ Choice)
The Broken Oven, one of our favorites from the Industrie Food Loft, made it to the UTT Pro Edition 2017 because of their amazing Sisig Kanin Balls and Lechon Truffle Balls. Thanks to Marco Olives’ grit and innovation, these amazing balls made up of rice and porky goodness were born and in our honest foodie opinion, The Broken Oven has a great chance at making their food business dream a reality. That’s why if you haven’t had these balls yet, you are most certainly missing out.
Jam Foods & Co.
Jam Foods & Co.’s Angus Tapa is already an established item off their menu but this time around the husband and wife tandem behind this successful brand has come up with another winner. Just one bite out of their Bacon Tocino and we knew we just had one of the best creations of this competition. The quality of their imported pork belly from France matched with their impeccable taste truly paved the way in creating one hell of a bacon with a local twist. Awesome job, Jam Foods & Co.!
Oink Oink Lechon Bagnet
Witty as it may sound, Oink Oink Lechon Bagnet won our pork-loving hearts. They started making a name for themselves at a stall in Forum Robinsons, thanks to their original and spicy Lechon Bagnet. Their Lechon Bagnet is packed with all the good stuff and of course, it was uniquely crispy because of their cooking method. Their homemade vinegar-based sauces were the ideal partner to their already succulent lechon bagnet. It was also a pleasure to meet the quirky owner behind Oink Oink Lechon Bagnet, now we know where the wittiness came from. Forget about being healthy for a day, visit Oink Oink Lechon Bagnet and satisfy your craving.
Auntie May’s (Foodies’ Choice)
Nothing beats homecooked goodness with lots of love! Yes, you read that right, lots of love from the owner showed great passion in giving customers how it is to have a hearty meal. Auntie May’s will make you want to just sit down and enjoy your meal as slowly as you can because of its extremely comforting feel. All three dishes (Callos, Angus Beef Salpicao, and Adobo sa Gata) we tried at this stall surely won our tummies over but the star for us was the Adobo sa Gata. It was just perfection from every angle and it made us want to ask Auntie May for a cup of rice. If you are looking for a great-tasting EATSperience to share with your loved ones, visit Auntie May’s and they will take care of the rest!
After all the eating, please remember… CLAYGO!
Before we end our UTT Pro Edition 2017 EATSperience, we want to remind everyone who would like to drop by this wonderful event to please “CLAYGO” or clean as you go. Since it’s a public event that involves lots of plates, cups, and utensils, each every one of us must be mindful of our waste. Garbage bins and cleaners are all over the place, so please take care of your own mess. Please have some courtesy to others during and after you enjoy your meal. Thank you!
Congratulations to Our Awesome Planet, FOODE Global Concepts, all the sponsors, and of course, all the innovative and hardworking vendors! As cliche as it may sound, whatever happens you are all winners in the name of food and beverage. To whoever wins this and the FIVE MILLION PESO package, congratulations in advance, enjoy and make the most out of it! This wraps up our first-ever Ultimate Taste Test EATSperiences and amidst all the eating and roaming around, we had so much fun seeing familiar faces, meeting new ones, and of course, eating our hearts out. It was surely one hell of an EATSperience that we would gladly look forward to every single year. That’s it for this edition of EATSplorations! Till next time!
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Ultimate Taste Test: Pro Edition 2017
September 2-3, 2017
Glorietta Activity Center, Ayala Malls, Makati City
EATSplorations 
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