MANILA -- Check out some of the latest news in the local food scene.

LE SUCRE LAB KITKAT DREAMCAKE

What happens when dreamcake specialist Le Sucre Lab collaborates with Nestle? You get the limited edition Chocolate Dreamcake with Kitkat.

The shop takes its rich, chocolatey goodness of its signature Chocolate Dreamcake, then adds the irresistible crunch of Kitkat. It's a match made in heaven that will surely melt in your mouth and leave you wanting more.

The limited edition Chocolate Dreamcake with Kitkat is only available until May 14.

TAUSUG NATIVE CAKES AT PALM GRILL

ZambaSulTa restaurant Palm Grill shows the sweet side of Tausug cuisine with their Bang Bang Sug.

Bang Bang Sug is a collection of native cakes that are a contrast to the strong fiery flavors most people associate with the cuisine. These sweet bites go will with coffee, specially Kahawa Itum (Sulu coffee).

Miguel Cabel Moreno, the owner of Palm Grill, enlisted the help of their family cook affectionately called Babu, a native of Jolo and a guru in the kitchen, to come to Manila to see to pass on traditional and precise methods in preparing these delicacies.

The collection of cakes include the Pastil, deep fried empanada like pastry that is filled with bean sprouts and sundried hibi (shrimplets) paired with vinegar cooked along with lots of chilies, garlic, onions and dried shrimps; Pitis Patani, violet colored glutenous rice wrapped in banana leaves with hinti, the Tausug version of bukayo, then steamed; Palikambing, flour-based batter mixed with overripe green bananas that’s deep fried and tossed in white sugar; Pangi-Pangi, long U-shaped, chewy and soft deep fried donuts; Putli Mandi, glutenous rice balls with a filling of Hinti that are boiled and tossed over freshly grated coconut meat; Tabid-Tabid, braided glutinous rice cakes, deep fried then tossed over sugar hot sugar syrup; Daral, soft crepes rolled like a fresh lumpia with stuffed hinti; and Kitut, deep-fried glutenous rice with hinti filling shaped like half-moon to represent a crescent symbol seen atop a mosque or a masjid.

All of these are available now at Palm Grill on Tomas Morato.

SARIWON INTRODUCES BEEF GALBI JJIM

Premium Korean restaurant Sariwon adds Beef Galbi Jjim to its menu.

Unknown to many, this was an exclusive dish for royalty and aristocrats during the Joseon dynasty. Animals used in farm work are considered sacred and only the elite were able to dine on beef dishes such as Galbi Jjim. This is why this dish holds a special place in the Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year) table.

Sariwon slowly cooks its beef short ribs in a flavorful sauce made with grated pears, ginger, garlic, onions, honey, mirin and soy sauce together with Korean radishes, leeks, carrots. chili and jujube. The dish is best enjoyed with steamed white rice.

Sariwon’s Beef Galbi Jjim will be available starting May 18.

NOBU MANILA FRIDAY CHILL OUT NIGHTS

Nobu Manila at City of Dreams brings back outdoor party vibes with their summer sundown special and cool tracks.

Every Friday from 6-10 p.m, the Japanese restaurant’s cabanas, patio, and bar transforms into hip hangouts featuring selected Japanese gastronomic bites that Nobu is known for.

On the menu are Nobu’s Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño, Nobu tacos, Rock Shrimp Tempura; Black Cod Butter Lettuce, Sushi Ocean 8 and other premium sushi, sashimi, nigiri, and maki; an array of kushiyaki or grilled and skewered meat and vegetables served with Nobu signature sauces, along with the Miso Cappuccino and Nobu Halo Halo.

The drinks include sake, wine, beer, and mocktails alongside premium spirits such as top brewery Hokusetsu Sake and Nobu’s signature sake like Ginjo Nigori, Nobu Soju, Nobu Junmai Daiginjo ‘The Sake’; and Nobu Special Reserve. Featured cocktails are Japanese Sidecar, Japanese Bloody Mary, Papa Shichimi, Lychee Martini, Mango Passion Martini, and Champagne 95.

The Nobu Friday Chill-Out happens every Friday from 6p-10 p.m. until May 26.

'A TASTE OF SPAIN' AT TERRAZA MARTINEZ

With its endless vacation vibe and perfect beaches as a backdrop, the Spanish Mediterranean inspires a spirit of festivity. Dining is no different, of course; be it bacalao or squid with a side of escabeche, these coastal cravings are enjoyed best with sips of fine wine.

Through an exclusive tasting menu in collaboration with Faustino Wines, Terraza Martinez brings “A Taste of Spain” to Manila on May 18. For one seating only, chef Luis Martinez a prepares a six-course dinner of Spanish-Mediterranean favorites paired with Rioja wines from Bodega Faustino, awarded one of the “World’s Most Admired Wine Brands” of 2023.

From crispy jamon croquetas washed down with sparkling Cava to a steak platter elevated with a glass of 2012 Rioja, expect a transportive dinner to celebrate summer in the sexiest way possible.