Bubbly Girls’ Night Out at Sugar Factory
Girls just want to have fun, right? After a long day at work and a full week of meetings, chores, and activities, we all need to de-stress and let loose with our girls squad. Boyfriends and significant others are not so bad, but sometimes, we really need to have a Girls’ Night Out where we can throw away all our inhibitions and enjoy the evening with bubbly beverages and sweet concoctions. I have just the perfect spot for such occasions.
Sugar Factory is the place where all our sweet fantasies come true. With locations in some of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities including Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, Miami, and Bahrain, Sugar Factory Philippines opened its playful doors last September 2016 at the ground floor of Shangri-La at the Fort in Bonifacio Global City. The restaurant is a foodie wonderland for kids and families in the afternoon with its sweet offerings like pancakes, milkshakes, candies, and sundaes. But come evening, it becomes a playground for adults as well where they can enjoy delightful cocktails and luscious desserts in the company of friends.
I have visited Sugar Factory a couple of times in the past year, including its opening weekend (Read about it here) when I was first introduced to this one-of-a-kind dining environment. Leading the kitchen of Sugar Factory Manila is Chef Peter Ayson, who is known for his role with the Red Crab Group of restaurants. I usually dine at Sugar Factory in the afternoon, but I had never visited it during the evening until now, when it has a more energetic vibe.
Sugar Factory is not a restaurant, but also offers a retail section featuring all sorts of colorful sweets and candies for sugar cravings of all ages. These are all imported from the United States where Sugar Factory is always a popular destination of iconic celebrities such as Britney Spears, Drake, Nicole Scherzinger, Kim Kardashian, Eva Longoria, Carmen Electra and more.
The highlight of this section are its celebrity-endorsed Couture Pops, which have turned sweets into the latest designer accessory. These sparkly lollipops are endorsed by sisters Kylie and Kendall Jenner, who are probably the most popular celebrities on the planet. The chic lollipop accessories may be a bit expensive at ₱1,200 each, but that’s the price of being fashionable. The candies themselves are actually refillable, so just choose your lollipop casing and pair it with a jeweled handle.
The girls and I decided to drop by on a Friday night, which was great because DJ Brandon Jon was there playing some awesome hits. Sugar Factory has live DJ sets starting at 9:00pm during Friday and Saturday evenings, so the weekends are the best times to party.
This rubber duckie seems to be thirsty! Sugar Factory has an unbelievable lineup of beverages, cocktails, martinis, and goblets to make get-togethers truly special.
They actually serve Unlimited Flavored Margaritas for only ₱295 per person during Friday and Tuesdays, so we really chose the perfect date and place for our Girls’ Night Out. I ordered a glass of strawberry margarita for myself, but that was just the start of our bubbly evening.
Other cocktails on the menu include the Hubba Bubba Gum (₱320) which is a unique bubble gum-flavored cocktail garnished with bubble tape.
Red seems to be the color of the night because we also tried Peace, Love and Harmonie, an enchanting margarita with Hpnotiq Harmonie liqueur and other natural fruits. It has that explosive fruity flavor with a hint of rose.
If you happen to visit during the weekdays, you don’t have to worry because you can avail of their Happy Hour from 5:00pm to 8:00pm daily during Monday to Thursday. Enjoy Buy 1 Take 1 deals on their specialty cocktails like the Sexual Chocolate (₱360), a combination of strawberries and chocolate which will surely bring out your romantic side.
But the main attraction at Sugar Factory are the huge cocktail Goblets which contain 60 oz. of their signature concoctions. Girl bonding moments are best shared with a big Goblet and several straws.
The White Gummi (₱1000) Goblet is a fresh and fruity cocktail loaded with lots of gummi worms and gummi bears. These Goblets are also available in a non-alcoholic version (₱480) so even kids can have fun with their beverages and gummies.
One new Goblet flavor introduced to us that night was the Coconut Gone Bananas Goblet. This is a combination of coconut and banana flavors together in a sweet mixture then topped with worms and candies. Each Goblet can be good enough to share for a group of four girls, but we were in a party mood that evening.
Just when you think you have seen everything, Sugar Factory then brings out their unbelievably Insane Milkshakes! These monsters serve as your appetizers, main course, drink, and dessert all rolled into one giant work of art. On the right is the Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshake (₱795) which has a milkshake made with Vanilla ice cream blended with peanut butter. It is then literally topped with an actual peanut butter and jelly sandwich plus strawberry jelly, sprinkles, and Resse’s Peanut butter cups. The craziness doesn’t stop there because it is served in a peanut butter covered mug dressed with Nerds!
The Strawberry Bacon Cheeseburger Milkshake (₱795) is even crazier with its strawberry-flavored milkshake topped with a mini cheeseburger and candied bacon! Then add a few rainbow sprinkles with whipped cream and put it all inside a chocolate covered mug dressed in M&M’s and chopped pretzels. There is simply nothing else like it!
To celebrate the 1st Year Anniversary of Sugar Factory Philippines on September 19, 2017, they are offering Junior Milkshakes and Signature Goblets for only one peso with a minimum spend of P1000. Diners can also get a choice of Pizza and Pasta for only P365.
Of course, the girls weren’t just thirsty that night, we were also hungry! Sugar Factory is not just a place for sweet drinks and desserts, but also offers a savory lineup of mouthwatering dishes.
The Sugar Factory Party Nachos (₱420) is a great appetizer for everyone on the table. These warm nacho chips are topped with spiced ground beef, melted Cheddar cheese, Jalapenos, sour cream and tropical salsa. I was quite impressed with the beefy flavors of the toppings and I can honestly say that this is one of the best and meatiest Nachos I have tasted.
A healthier option would be the Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad (₱440). This comes with mixed salad greens, candied walnuts, and bacon bits topped with a blue cheese dressing and blue cheese crumble. The bacon gives its delightful salty notes while the candies walnuts provide the sweet crunchy flavors to make this a salad I would love to eat.
Sugar Factory is also introducing some new items to commemorate their first anniversary. The Jalapeno Poppers (₱420) are fried pickled Jalapenos filled with Mozzarella cheese and wrapped in bacon. They are then served with marinara sauce and a cute Gummi Chili for that added treat. The savory jalapenos are not too spicy because the oozing cheese and delicious bacon balance the flavors.
They are also presenting their lineup of pizzas including the 4 Cheese Pizza (₱365). This tempting combination comes with Mozzarella, Parmesan, White Cheddar and Blue Cheese which you can smell and really taste. Kids and adults alike will love this pizza.
An all-time favorite on the menu is the The Big Cheesy Burger (₱615) which has an Angus beef patty topped with melted white cheddar, creamy mac & cheese, and bacon then served with BBQ sauce on a toasted potato bun. This meaty burger can definitely rival all those others from dedicated burger joints. It also comes with a side of french fries.
Chef Peter Ayson has also included dishes to satisfy the Filipino palate, like the Paella (₱795) with its big sizzling plate of mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari, chicken, and pork loin. This serving is good enough for up to three persons and is packed with toppings and ingredients.
American comfort food can’t get more comforting that the Baby Back Ribs (₱895). These tender pork ribs are marinated overnight in their homemade barbecue sauce and grilled to perfection. The ribs were sweet and flavorful, a must-try when you visit. It is also served with fresh coleslaw and crispy french fries.
Dessert options also abound at Sugar Factory and diners can go for the White Chocolate Cheesecake (₱415), a thick cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries, cookie crumbs and white chocolate ganache. Another option is the Chocolate Cake (₱340) which is served with rich chocolate sauce. The night is always young and there’s no better place to spend a sweet and bubbly evening than at Sugar Factory. So call the girls and plan your next Girls’ Night Out! You will definitely love it!
Sugar Factory
Unit GF5, G/F Shangri-La at The Fort, 3rd Avenue corner 30th Street, Bonifacio Global City
958-5175 / (0916) 746-0716
www.facebook.com/sugarfactorymanila
www.sugarfactory.com
