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Sugar Rush Alert: Gillian Gail Dessert Buffet

Due to some unfortunate events, trip to Antipolo did not go as planned. To make up for it and to officially end the summer vacation, my college friends and I decided to go hang out and bond over desserts.

Our good friend Anna once mentioned Gillian Gail's, a not so new desserts place in Katipunan that serves buffet-style. Since we've been in another desserts place and we really enjoyed it, we decided to give it a go.

First things first, I really did not expect the area to be that small. The shop is located in a hotel/residential building so I could estimate that it is the size of one suite. But really, kudos to the management for keeping the area very chic and tidy. Its chill and very relaxing interior is perfect for an afternoon hangout with friends.

We arrived at around 4pm so I expected the place to be jam-packed or something, knowing how Filipinos love their merienda, so it was really surprising to see some unoccupied tables -- probably it's because we came in a weekday or because the shop is still a few inches away from the mainstream, yet to be discovered. Soon.

Aside from their dessert buffet, they also serve rice meals at an affordable price, ranging from P100-150. I forgot to ask if it should ONLY ordered as an add-on for the P299 dessert buffet as the sign says, or could be ordered ala carte. Though it may seem absurd to go to a desserts place and not get desserts, right? But I think it could be ordered ala carte. Meh. Go there for the desserts!!!

They have the panna cotta, which I think is kinda overrated by the reviews that we saw prior to coming. Of Course we did our research. The top part of the cream was almost too dry for me. I at least want my panna cotta to be fresh or at least refrigerated and not drying up.

Though, what I really like to give the spotlight to is the crème brûlée. Upon having us seated, the one in charge of us (Carol, I think. She's really nice!) proactively offered to serve us each or ask for it whenever we want because they will have go torch some sugar on top. Standard crème brûlée protocol.

Yaaaaas. I would have preferred some more burnt sugar, but this one that came in a cute little ramekin has enough sugar for that crème brûlée cracking. P.S. I hope Anna was with us because she will definitely love this.

They have a vast selection of desserts - candies, mini-cakes and cupcakes, cookies, chocolates and ice cream (they carry the label Selecta so you can never go wrong) among other stuff.

Let me just rave about the mini red velvet that they served that day for a while. First, they are served in a cupcake ferris wheel. So cute. It was the first thing that caught my attention.

And of course, red velvet is red velvet. I loved that it has just enough strawberry filling and is topped with whipped cream cheese. Legit stuff.

Clockwise - starting from the panna cotta (3/5), blueberry cheesecake shot (4/5), chocolate chiffon (4/5), red velvet mini-cupcake (5/5) and chiffon cake, I think, (2/5 - too dry)

Carol also *proactively* asked us to taste their fried palitaw. I grew up with my lola cooking palitaw all the time, and it surprised me that it was prepared this way. I mean, what's its difference with buchi or carioca if they all are fried ground sticky rice, right? Well, it worked. Huhu. Instead of coconut and sesame seeds, their fried palitaw was topped with peanut sauce, sesame seeds and brown sugar. Glorious, you guys.

They also have other desserts not on display, things that you have to ask for because they have to be prepared of course:

I wanted crepe and ice cream so I asked for it. I had the banana. Mango filling is also available. Yummers!

After our first hour, we are almost ready to give up on the sweets. Keyword: almost. Happy tummies, of course!

Shoutout to my sweet buds -- Ryan, Kaw and Joy :)

The good thing about dessert buffets is that they also offer pantanggal-umay food. They serve savory snacks, as picture above -- NACHOS! Cheese dip and jalapeño, yes? Even though the nachos are left in the open, they're not stale and makunat.

And yes, after our nachos fest, we attacked on the sweets. Again.

Sansrival, mini cake slices, gummies, chocolate truffles and more ice cream!

But then the siomai are ready. Yes, they have siomai. So siomai party it is! There are also other pantanggal-umay like fishballs, chicken balls, squid balls and kikiam. The sauce is okay.

Two ours into our stay and we decided to just ask for tea and coffee to wrap up our day and rest ourselves before we head home. My three buds had tea. I took a sip and guessed that they serve Twining Earl Grey Green Tea. I asked for coffee for myself, and damn nothing's better than coffee and sweets. They serve legit brewed coffee, not the instant kind.

All in all, I say that the experience was a good one. The ambience really brought it home. The staff is very accommodating. The food was good but not exceptional, but for the reasonable price of P299, one can no longer complain.

Definitely giong back!

They have a promo going on for their anniversary month of June. Check it out for a free pass!

You can visit Gillian Gail Dessert Buffet at

3/F, #317 Oracle Hotel & Residences, Katipunan Avenue, 1108 Quezon City, Philippines.

For inquiries, you may reach them via

telephone: (02)2946429

email: ggdessertbuffet@gmail.com

http://facebook.com/gilliangaildessertbuffet

http://twitter.com/GGdessertbuffet

Menstrual Cramps, FML.

     Today marks the day of my week-long battle with dysmenorrhea, for the 123654789th time of my life. I hate it. I freakin' hate it. I hate people when I'm having it. The world probably hates me when I'm having it, because apparently, I turn into a monster. My mom even told me, "Para kang naglilihi," because I am like a woman in her early stages of pregnancy who eats a lot and lies down and gets angered and irritable easily.

     At exactly 2:34 pm today, I discovered that I got my period. First thought was: "Heyyy you are a tad bit early," #IrregularGirlProblems. Then came "Damn, my classmate asked for my emergency pad yesterday." So I had no choice but to go out and buy one from the nearest convenience store.

     Then I had to still go to class. I was feeling very very uncomfortable because (1) I was not able to wash properly, and the wet wipes just won't cover the uncomfortableness of your first day. (2) The room was soooo cold with its full-blast air conditioning. Home girls will understand me. (3) The cramps are starting to claw their way out of my abdomen. #exagg

     After class, I figured that I should probably buy coffee to at least make me feel better. It worked for a short time. Coffee is my life, so yeah. Drinking my coffee to-go, I started heading home. It's a Saturday, so I was hopeful that the traffic in U-belt is much more forgiving than the regular school days. It's not. The traffic was merciless. So was the dysmenorrhea.

     I live in Pasig, so the commute from U-belt was quite long. Half-way home, I started to feel uneasy. At first, I thought it was brought about by the cramps. But then it's like the cramping feeling is moving from my lower abdomen to my whole abdominal area. It could probably be because of the period, and then it dawned on me that I had a huge cup of coffee. With milk.

     I felt kind of gassy, but of course, grace under pressure (after all I was sporting a good MAC lipstick color a while ago so it would be very wa-poise and dyahe if i farted like a man). I was sweating beads and I swear deep inside I was panicking because the pain form the period was intensified and I was scared that i cnnot control the urge. Lol, I survived. It was very hard.

     Bottomline, I hated this day. I am writing about it because I am setting the bar on the FML moments. I hope it won't go any higher than this.