HERE’S TO A YUMMY 2026

Another year has ended, and as we face the New Year that has just begun, it pays to reflect on the blessings that the past year has bought us and the new learnings that we have yet to receive. But it does not hurt to continue celebrating the divine occasion that was Christmas and enjoy the many glorious flavors that it has uniquely brought to the table.

Some of the special treats to welcome the New Year with…

DELICIOUS EGG TARTS

Kaokee Belamy House, which serves delicious Singaporean dishes at Jupiter Street, Makati City, first introduced its egg tarts in early 2025 and intended them to be an exclusive treat for Valentine’s Day. But diners loved them so much that they kept coming back for more, ordering the tarts for dessert when they dined at the Kaokee Belamy House, as an afternoon snack, or as a take-home treat to enjoy with family and friends. Thus, egg tarts became a permanent item on the menu.

People love these delicious egg tarts not only for their flavor but for their texture as well. Freshly baked, they have a flaky, lightly crispy pastry shell filled with a soft, custard center that stays rich and smooth.

For this season (and beyond), they come in gift-ready boxes of six (P450), making them an easy yet thoughtful option for gift-giving or just for moments when you want to bring home familiar yet special to share with your loved ones. The egg tarts are also available per piece at P80 for those who want to enjoy them even when they are alone.

FESTIVE PARTY TRAYS

For post-holiday gatherings, Gringo still offers festive party trays and holiday sets designed for potlucks and feasts. Made for sharing, each party tray serves six to eight people, making it easy to bring hearty, crowd-pleasing dishes to the table, particularly small gatherings for those who refused to be caught in the Christmas season mayhem and instead chose to get together when everything has quieted down.

Among the premium choices is the Angus Bolognese Linguine Party Tray, a savory and meaty pasta featuring rich tomato sauce and premium Angus beef, priced at P950. For those who prefer white sauce pasta, the Bacon Cream Fusilli Party Tray offers a creamy dish topped with smoky bacon for P970. Seafood lovers also have their option — the Shrimp Bisque Pasta Party Tray, known for its distinct shellfish aroma and flavor, available for P1,250.

Gringo also offers its well-loved comfort food classics in party-sized portions. The BBQ Southern Boneless Fried Chicken with Mac and Cheese Party Tray combines crispy southern-style chicken with a barbecue drizzle and creamy, cheesy mac and cheese for P980. The Char-grilled Chicken and Ribs Party Tray, a Gringo signature, features tender smokehouse barbecue ribs paired with lemon herb chicken and is priced at P1,280. Another crowd favorite is the Chicken Tenders with Fries Party Tray, which are golden buttermilk chicken tenders and crispy fries, for P1,200.

Then there is the Garlic Calamari Party Tray that delivers crunchy, deep-fried calamari, best enjoyed with salt and lemon, priced at P1,050. Plus the Grinchos Party Tray, Gringo’s all-new deep-fried potato dish that feeds six to eight people and is also priced at P1,050.

The restaurant also offers convenient bundles in specially curated holiday sets, whose prices range from P3,280 to P6,450, with all sets including two liters of soda to complete the meal.

These party trays and holiday sets are available through gringo.ph, all Gringo branches nationwide, and delivery via GrabFood and Foodpanda.

CAKES GALORE

Talk about cakes and one of the institutional sources of real good cakes, Cravings, is one of the first options that come to mind, especially for special occasions such as the holiday season, which, in the Philippines, isn’t over until the Feast of the Epiphany and the Feast of Jesús Nazareno.

Always on the top of the selections are Cravings’ whole cakes, which include its signature Chocolate Caramel Cake, Devil’s Food Cake, Cherry Walnut Cheesecake, and Carrot Walnut Cake; as well as its Cakes Specials (which need to be ordered one to two days prior to need), such as Polvoron Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Dayap Cake, and Mango Cashew Torte.

For this holiday season, it made available special limited-edition cakes, including Puto Bumbong Cake, Bibingka Soufflé Cake, Orange Mocha Rhum Cake and Christmas themed cakes.

There are also boxes of cookies and bars, S’mores in different variants, as well as party trays, bento boxes, Christmas bundles,

and Create Your Own Hampers to indulge in or gift family and friends with.

These are available in all Cravings branches.

LECHON AND CHEESECAKE

Tatatito Filipino Home Kitchen is offering two special treats — Crispy Roast Lechon and Ube Burnt Basque Cheesecake — this season. Inspired by pag-anyaya, the gracious Filipino tradition of welcoming others, Tatatito gives its own sophisticated takes on Filipino festivities with an elevated touch.

Leading the festive offerings is the Crispy Roast Lechon, which is slow-roasted to for tender, flavorful meat within an irresistibly crispy skin. It comes with three artisanal sauces — classic liver, tangy tamarind and bold chili.

For a sweet treat, the Ube Burnt Basque Cheesecake takes the spotlight. It is a contemporary classic reimagined, as it marries the creamy indulgence of burnt Basque cheesecake with the delicate sweetness and nostalgia of ube, thus creating a luxurious treat that is both familiar and new.

For orders or reservations, check out https://book.bistrochat.com/tatatito or visit Tatatito, which is located at the ground floor, OPL Building, 100 Don Carlos Palanca, Legazpi Village, Makati City.

Have a happy and truly blessed New Year!