A global food adventure

Imagine the lights of the Eiffel Tower gently illuminating a spread of baguette, cheese, grapes, and a large charcuterie board, all accompanied by several glasses of bubbly. This scene transports you to the City of Lights, feeling right in the heart of Paris.

My sister Michelle and her husband Benny Soliven and I found ourselves addicted to the warm, flaky croissants and buttery pastries at Paris Baguette in the upscale SM Mall of Asia. It was an irresistible indulgence that captured the essence of Parisian charm.

One rainy Friday night, Grace Magno of SM Supermalls joined us for a delightful food crawl. Defined as a journey to four or five restaurants sampling their varied cuisines, it was an evening filled with warmth and joy as we savored gastronomy at its finest. The first stop on our food crawl was Paris Baguette.

Paris Baguette boasts a menu of 123 items offered daily — with plans to add more. The bakery offers a wide selection of open-faced sandwiches to a variety of pound cakes. Take-home items are individually wrapped for freshness, and well-lit displays make browsing the selection a breeze.

Their brunch menu includes other scrumptious offerings like truffle mushroom soup in crusty bread. My sister Michelle kept exclaiming how this was the best she had ever tried. We savored Bulgogi Cream Pasta, which is a daelectable masterpiece one should try. Other offerings included Smoked Salmon Toast, amazing French Toast with Sausage and Eggs, and perfectly Baked Chicken.

We gulped down refreshing iced yuzu lemon tea. Open-faced sandwiches, fresh salads, and healthy grain bowls will leave you craving for more. Would you believe that Paris Baguette has been a winner in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most sold-out roll cakes? Paris Baguette also offers boxed pound cakes, cookies, madeleines, kouign-amann, tarts, croissants, and more.

The best hotpot: Haidilao’s assorted meat, fresh seafood and vegetables and a variety of sauces

A delicious hotpot experience

Next, we headed off to Haidilao for the most delicious hotpot experience. Fresh seafood, meats, veggies, fruits, and a wide array of desserts awaited our discriminating palates. It was a culinary adventure that added a flavorful experience to our gustatory preferences.

While waiting for your table, you can have a manicure or some cocktails from the bar. A novel idea, many diners availed themselves of this treat as they enjoyed waiting their turn.

Hotpot’s appeal is undeniable, offering a unique combination of interactive dining and soul-warming flavors. The flavors of the food and sauces seemed to dance a graceful medley as their delicious aroma filled the private room, which is incredibly affordable.

The private room serves as the perfect backdrop for bonding with friends and family over a communal pot at the center of the table. My nieces and nephews swayed to the beat of the ingredients sizzling in the soup stock that featured mushrooms, spicy vegetables and beef broth.

The experience of cooking various meats, veggies, and other ingredients in a hot, flavorful broth adds to the enjoyment. They even served refreshing ice cream in several flavors like melon and corn on top of their special desserts.

A novel concept is pampering yourself with a manicure while waiting for your table in Haidilao SM Mall of Asia.

China boasts a plethora of hotpot spots, but one name stands out among locals: Haidilao. Founded in Sichuan, this hotpot chain has garnered great recall thanks to its exceptional dining experience.

It has over 1,300 branches in China, Macau, and Hong Kong. London and Bangkok have existing branches as well. We asked the servers which branch they came from and were amazed they were specially chosen from branches all over the world. One can just imagine the international training and service offered here.

We enjoyed Haidilao so much that we returned immediately to celebrate the birthday of my sister Michelle Soliven. My best friend Bum Tenorio even led the dancing as the Haidilao staff sang and played their neon-light contraption. It was simply an occasion and event to remember. Michele shared that from now on, all our special occasions would be celebrated here.

We will never forget the experience as we headed for the ultra-luxurious Conrad Hotel to witness the most amazing pyrotechnic show. Fireworks of all shades and shapes exploded dramatically right in front of us. Music accompanied the multi-hued lights. Through the wall-to-wall glass of the C bar in the Conrad Hotel, we enjoyed the synchronization of lights and sounds, which was simply mesmerizing. One can sip wine, spirits and cocktails while watching the fireworks here that surround the Ferris wheel you can ride.

Everyone knows the popular tagline of SM Superstores, which is “We’ve got it all for you.” Just recently, they launched “Your Everyday Store” tagline, which focuses on having a constant choice for your varied lifestyle. We celebrated life and laughter in Paris Baguette and Haidilao. No need for your passport or international documents to savor such delicacies.  SM Supermalls simply offers everything, every day.

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Paris Baguette is located on Level 1 near Ocean Drive, while Haidilao is located in the Entertainment Mall, also on Level 1 of SM Mall of Asia. Follow @themallofasiaofficial for updates.