November 2017 – Jellybeans in the City

You said what?!? Fat Fook!

Despite the odd-sounding name, there’s nothing obscene about Fat Fook, except probably the amount of food you will end up consuming. In fact, the name’s meaning in Cantonese comes closer to “big blessing.”

This Taiwanese resto, managed by the same group that operates Ramen Nagi, opened its first store in the very busy SM North EDSA. The decor has quite a modern feel with touches of eccentric Asian aesthetic such as bright red architectural accents and porcelain bowls used as light fixtures.

After doing some field work in the morning, a coworker and I were treated lunch at Fat Fook at SM North EDSA. We were able to sample the unique tastes of Taiwan with these orders:

Taiwanese Sausages (Php288). The sweetness of the sausages were enhanced by the thin slices of raw garlic wedged into them.
Taiwan Style Fried Rice (Php258). Tiny cubes of Taiwanese sausages are mixed into rice with finely chopped carrots and green onions, sauteed with a savory brown sauce.
Salted Egg Shrimp (Php398). I would have preferred for the shrimps to be shelled so that I won’t have to scrape off that tasty salted egg sauce from the shells before eating the shrimp.

Fat Fook seems very promising and I look forward to tasting more of its offerings. The good news is: a new branch opened at Robinsons Galleria which is nearer my place.

This Fat Fook Taiwanese Kitchen branch is located at Upper Ground Floor, Main Buiding, SM North EDSA, North Avenue corner EDSA, Quezon City.

Sweetly Snacking at J. CO Donuts

One of the latest stores to open in SM City East Ortigas is J. CO Donuts and Coffee. You won’t be able to miss it; it’s facade will greet you as soon as you get through the main entrance. The resto is quite spacious with both high tables suitable for working and comfy sofas for talking with friends. Aside from the seats inside the store, additional seats are also available outside near the escalator. You will also find some merchandise for sale such as branded mugs and tumblers if you’re inclined to bring home a souvenir.

The donut variant I usually end up ordering is the AlCapone (see that clever wordplay? That happens a lot with J. CO). The soft-bite donut is dipped into creamy Belgian white chocolate then topped with roasted almond slices.

My daughter (and my usual companion during my snacking expeditions) prefers Heaven Berry: a donut dipped into strawberry cream with a garnish of white chocolate swirl.

I love the relaxing atmosphere of this resto, perfect for desserts and snacking.

This J.CO Donuts branch is located at Ground Floor, SM East Ortigas, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Pasig City.

Steak indulgence at Melo’s

My love for steak is well-known. Well-documented, even. Consider the steak escapes I blogged about here: Mad Mark’s in Glorietta, Mad Mark’s in BGC, Artsy Cafe and the steak spread at Marriott Cafe buffet. I even ask my relatives coming home from the States to bring home slabs of Stateside beef to be grilled here.

You can definitely consider me a carnivore. This is why I was over the moon when a credit card promo entitled me to up to 67% discount on selected steak sets at Melo’s.

And wouldn’t you know it: the stars aligned. I have officemates who are also certified steak fanatics and a Melo’s branch is right across the street from our office!

So I made a quick call to reserve our table (originally for just four but grew to seven), then we all trooped to Melo’s for lunch. We all ordered the Angus Lunch Set (regularly priced at Php1,500 but promotionally priced at only Php599; more than half off the price!).

The meal started with the bread, butter and soup. We all chose a creamy soup to go with our meal but the real star of the pre-steak lunching were those freshly-baked bread rolls! (And there we were, singing praises about bread.) We just had to request for some more. (And it’s a good thing our requests for seconds were granted).

Then came our steak plates which consisted of a thick slice of juicy and flavorful Angus beef, grilled medium-well, served with small servings of vegetables which let us savor our steaks with minimal distractions to our palates.

I heard that the promo is ongoing until end of December this year. Looks like I’ll be going back there!

Melo’s branches participating in the promo are:

Melo’s Quezon City: #58 Sgt. Esguerra Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City (Tel. Nos: 924-9194 or 924-9168)
Melo’s Burgos Circle: Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global, City Taguig (Tel. Nos.: 403-5968 or 403-5969)
Carmelo’s Greenbelt: Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City (Tel. Nos: 625-5954 or 625-5986)

Advanced booking is required so be sure to call before you go there.

Lunch Stopover at Pancake House, SLEX

Driving home from our getaway at La Luz Beach Resort over the All Saints Day break, we stopped by at the Total Gas Station for lunch. We decided on Pancake House because its offerings are safe bets, especially when your picky eater son with you.

The resto features Pancake House’s signature orange-themed furniture and decor, with cute Halloween accents adding a more fun and festive air to the place.

The wait staff were quick to assist us with our dripping umbrella (it was raining pretty hard when we arrived) and usher us to a table.

We took advantage of an SM Advantage promo that entitles us to FREE two-piece Classic Pancakes (Php146) when our bill reaches Php700.

To reach this amount, we ordered:

Almondigas Soup (Php112). Many Pinoys grew up with this soup of steaming flavorful broth with miswa (rice noodles) and pork meatballs. Perfect for a rainy day!
Best Taco in Town (Php120). And it probably is! A crispy taco shell houses ground beef, lettuce, onions, tomato and cheese until they all find their way to your mouth.
Classic Pan Chicken (Php255 for 3 pieces) that Hubby split with little boy. My baby especially likes the buttery gravy that comes with the chicken and douses his rice with it.
Pan-Grilled Pork Belly (Php260). A thick piece of Cajun spice-marinated pork belly served with mashed potatoes and corn and carrots.

Together with the free pancakes, we had a filling meal that fueled us for the journey home.

This branch of Pancake House is located at the Total SLT, South Luzon Expressway, Malitlit, Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Continental cuisine lunch at Eighteen Bistro

Along Scout Rallos in the Tomas Morato area in Quezon City is a small restaurant called Eighteen Bistro. “Hole-in-the-wall” restaurants may characterized by cramped spaces and dinginess but this joint is anything but.

Eighteen Bistro is known as an after-office hangout (with Php18 cocktails!) but I went there with friends for lunch. Its elegant modern interiors and food offerings are seemingly inspired by continental European haunts and cuisines.

The Portobello Mushroom Dip (Php285) served with thin slices of toasted French bread, and the Pumpkin and Walnut Ravioli (Php260) for example, are decadent appetizers that the group wasted no time in wolfing down.

Our lunch consisted of Chicken Parmigiana (Php340), juicy pieces of baked chicken fillets with zesty sauce of stewed tomatoes and mozzarella, served over mushroom rice pilaf; Roasted Pork Belly (Php365), a 3-hour slow-roasted pork served over potato terrine; and Mushroom Risotto (Php380), arborio rice topped with caramelized mushrooms and walnuts, all contributing to an upscale and satisfying lunch experience.

Eighteen Bistro is located at 51-B Scout Rallos Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City. Zomato users can book their tables online using the app.

Mad for Steak at Mad Mark’s Creamery and Good Easts, BGC

Mad Mark’s may be the go-to sandwich and ice cream place for some, but for me, it will always be a steak place. I do bless the day I discovered its Signature Steaks.

Oh, those slabs of tender, juicy and flavorful grilled beef! (served medium-well by my request, of course!) When partnered with Garden Grains (fried rice with bits of veggies thrown in), some corn and carrots and some dollops of homemade cream sauce, I already have a meal that I can (and do) look back on fondly.

I enjoyed this excellent repast at Mad Mark’s Creamery & Good Eats in Bonifacio Global City when hubby and I took our son to nearby Kidzania. Both hubby and myself ordered Signature Steaks (Php265 each; 150g USDA flat iron steak served with side dishes and your choice of sauce; he prefers his with plain rice while I like mine with Garden Grains) while the little boy preferred the Fried Yard Bird (Php170; fried chicken served with garden grains).

This Mad Mark’s branch is located at the 3rd Floor, Central Square, 5th Avenue corner 30th Street, Global City.

Check out my reviews of Mad Mark’s Glorietta and Mad Mark’s UP Town Center.

Why Lucifer Morningstar is Totes Adorbs

Charming. Charismatic. Devilishly Handsome. These are just some of the words that describe Lucifer Morningstar, erstwhile Ruler of Hell but currently owner of Luxe, the most happenin’ club in Los Angeles, and consultant for the LAPD.

Beyond these endorsements, Lucifer (naughtily portrayed by Welsh actor Tom Ellis) has so much more to offer, and here are some of them.

He has a wicked sense of humor. From his funny teasing quips (“You give your child money everytime she swears? Bravo, detective!”) to his wickedly arched eyebrow, Lucifer is in on the joke and more importantly, he wants to share it with it you.
He is loaded. As the owner of a successful night club, and judging from his spiffy attire and his luxury cars, he obviously has moolah to spare and he seems like he wouldn’t mind spending it on you.
He has great taste in music. Check out his playlist on Spotify. And wait ’til you hear him sing while plays the piano.
He knows your deepest and darkest desires. Or he can make you spill them.

Lucifer is based on the Vertigo Comics character created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg. Jerry Bruckheimer serves as one of the show’s executive producers.

Seafood Haven at Crab ‘n Crew

The folks invited us to try out this seafood resto in Project 6. It is located in a small building along Visayas Avenue. There is ample parking space but given the seemingly universal appeal of its #CrabAllYouCan for only Php699 offer, be ready to wait for your table like we did.

The resto’s interiors have an industrial feel to it with multiple hanging lights and black and white photos providing accents to the decor.

Our group ordered a Mussel Bag (Php420/100grams) and a Butter Bag (Php999, consists of seafood and corn on the cob bits), which we ate with our hands (making use of the bibs and gloves provided.)

I like how the mix of textures from the crabs, prawns, mussels and oysters and their respective sauces made for hearty meal.

The wait staff are also friendly and attentive.

Crab ‘n Crew is located at 77 Visayas Avenue, Quezon City.

Get-together at Homey Cafe Mary Grace

Cafe Mary Grace is best known for its baked goods, particularly the Ensaymada and Cheese Rolls. Stemming from its owner (guess the name!) Mary Grace’s passion for baking, Cafe Mary Grace aims to provide the homey delights of fun Sunday family lunches to its diners.

When a friend came home from Singapore, we decided on a whim to meet up at Cafe Mary Grace in Greenbelt, Makati for dinner.

True its homey roots, the place has a warm and inviting atmosphere, with trinkets and framed sayings and food shots dotting the walls. There were lots of diners there who -similar to us – are friends getting together to catch up or families out for a good meal.

We ordered a Smoked Salmon and Cream Pasta (Php330), a Pasta Amatriciana with Italian Meatballs (Php320) and capped our meal with cups of rich Mary Grace’s Hot Chocolate (Php157) and decadent slices of Chocolate Cake (Php120) and Mango Bene (Php198).

It was an enjoyable meal among friends enjoying the sights, sounds and tastes of home.

This branch of Cafe Mary Grace is located at Ground Floor, Greenbelt 2, Esperanza, Ayala Center, Makati City.

Affordable Kebab Meal at Mazza Shawarma

What do you do if your family is hankering for a meal of kebab and rice but you’re on a budget? Drop by Mazza Shawarma, of course!

Beef kebabs are a particular favorite for my family. We love the tender and smoky-flavored of the marinated and grilled ground beef, complemented by buttered rice, and garlic and chili sauces.

Our meal consisted of:

Four orders of beef kebab meals (Php130 each) which come with two kebab sticks, buttered, cucumber, tomatoes and onions
Grilled tomatoes and onion (Php20 each)
One order of ox brain (Php90), we consider this our indulgence
Red iced tea (Php30 each)

All in all, it was an enjoyable meal, made even more fun by the fact that we spent just a little under Php1000!

This Mazza Shawarma branch is located at the Eastwood City Walk 2, Libis, Quezon City.