May 2019 – Page 3 – Jellybeans in the City

Unlimited Korean Barbecue at Samgyeopmasarap, SM Marikina

Apparently, my extended family shares my love for Korean barbecue. It’s no surprise then that, for my niece’s birthday, we all met up at the SM Marikina branch of Samgyeopmasarap.

The restaurant occupies a relatively large area at the mall’s third floor. As is the standard for Korean barbecue joints, it boasts of tables with built-in grills and exhaust pipes. The layout is comfortable and conducive to dining.

The number of diners queueing for their turn is proof of the resto’s appeal, owing largely to its unlimited Korean barbecue sets:

Unlimited Pork BBQ (Php399) includes pork belly, marinated pork belly bacon slices, six kinds of side dishes and rice

Unlimited Beef BBQ (Php499) includes plain and marinated beef bacon slices, six kinds of side dishes and rice

Unlimited Chicken BBQ (Pho349) includes boneless chicken, six kinds of side dishes and rice

Our party of eight ordered four unli beef, 3 unli pork and 1 unli chicken so there were enough varieties of Korean barbecue for all of us to enjoy.

I would have loved seeing more varieties of beef and pork given the price of the meal sets.

That said, the family still had a great time gathering to celebrate my niece’s birthday. I’m glad that there’s a Korean barbecue joint in SM Marikina where we can opt to go when the craving hits us.

This Samgyeopmasarap outlet is located at Third Floor, SM City Marikina, Marcos Highway, Calumpang, Marikina City, open daily from 10am to 10.30pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 908 7978868.

Other branches are located at:

Second Floor, Connecticut Carpark Arcade, Greenhills Shopping Center, Greenhills, San Juan
Ground Floor, Intelenet Building, Le Grande Avenue, McKinley West, Taguig
Calle Bistro, Ground Floor, Ever Gotesco Mall, Commonwealth Avenue, Old Balara, Quezon City
Second Floor, SM North Towers, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
Lower Ground Floor, Mall A, SM City Bicutan, Don Bosco, Paranaque
Second Floor, SM City San Lazaro, Santa Cruz, Manila
Second Level, SM City BF Paranaque, BF Homes, Paranaque

HBO’s Emmy-winning series Little Big Lies returns June 10 on HBO and HBO Go

HBO Emmy®-winning series BIG LITTLE LIES returns same time as the U.S. on Monday, 10 June at 9am, exclusively on HBO GO and HBO. The episode repeats on the same day at 10pm on HBO. New episodes premiere every Monday at the same time. The second season of this subversive, darkly comedic drama will explore the malignancy of lies, the durability of friendships, the fragility of marriage and the vicious ferocity of sound parenting. Relationships will fray, loyalties will erode…the potential for emotional and bodily injury shall loom.

The Monterey Five – Madeline (Reese Witherspoon), Celeste (Nicole Kidman), Jane (Shailene Woodley), Renata (Laura Dern) and Bonnie (Zoë Kravitz) – are joined by Celeste’s visiting mother-in-law, Mary Louise (Meryl Streep), and their husbands, Ed (Adam Scott), Nathan (James Tupper) and Gordon (Jeffrey Nordling), in this seven-episode season.

Created by David E. Kelley; teleplays by David E. Kelley; story by David E. Kelley and Liane Moriarty; based on the novel by Liane Moriarty; directed by Andrea Arnold; executive producers, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, David E. Kelley, Andrea Arnold, Jean-Marc Vallée, Bruna Papandrea, Per Saari, Gregg Fienberg, Nathan Ross and Liane Moriarty.

HBO is available on SKYcable Ch. 54 SD/Ch. 168 HD (For Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Lipa-Batangas) or on Ch. 402 SD/710 HD (For Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo). SKYdirect subscribers can watch it on Ch. 22 HD. HBO Original Series as well as live channels are also available for streaming on HBO GO which is exclusively available to SKY subscribers. To subscribe, call 418-0000 or your local SKY office or visit www.mysky.com.ph.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

Series details and image provided by HBO in a recent press release.

Check out my posts on HBO shows:

No-frills Pinoy food at Tapsi ni Vivian, Pasig

Finding ourselves yaya-less during the holiday break but with no desire to tire ourselves out cooking the family’s lunch, Hubby and I decided to take the family out to dine out instead.

We scoured our neck of the woods for a resto that will appeal to us and the kids, as well as open for business during the holiday. Fortunately, we chanced upon a branch of Tapsi ni Vivian along C. Raymundo Avenue in Pasig.

It’s one of the newly opened branches with ample parking space. We had trouble finding parking, though, due to the sizeable lunch crowd.

The resto’s dining area was pretty sizeable as well, with a play area for little ones to amuse themselves in.

Tapsi ni Vivian’s history dates back decades. Akin to the neighborhood carinderias we grew up with, it offers Filipino food with home-cooked flavors that are simple and familiar.

That particular day, the fam dined on classic Pinoy favorites.

Bulalo (Php430). Characterized by a light colored broth flavored by boiling the dish’s beef shanks and bone marrow until the meat is tender and the collagen has melted into the broth.

Chicharon (Php125). Pig intestines tenderized by boiling then deep-fried to a flavorful crisp.

Sisig with Egg (Php180). The Kapampangan delicacy made of pig cheeks, chopped onions, calamansi juice and peppers. This resto’s version has a bit more of spiciness than what I’m used to.

Laing (Php80). The Bicolano staple made of taro leaves cooked with meat and seafood in coconut milk and other aromatics.

Pinakbet (Php120). The Ilocano dish made of mixed vegetables steamed in flavorful shrimp paste.

Buco Pandan (Php60). A tasty dessert of pandan-flavored gelatin cubes, shredded coconut and nata de coco in sweetened cream. My son’s favorite!

Leche Flan (Php110). The Filipino version of creme caramel, sweet and milky custard with a layer of caramel on top.

Halo Halo (Php80). The Pinoy summer go-to dessert made of crushed ice laden with evaporated milk, sweetened beans, sweetened banana slices and langka, halayang ube and a bit of leche flan.

This Filioino food lunch did hit the spot! The next time the fam wants a home-cooked meal that I’m in no mood to cook at home, I know where to go. 🙂

This Tapsi ni Vivian branch is located at 1 C. Raymundo Avenue, Maybunga, Pasig City, open 24/7.

Other branches can be found at:

Ortigas Avenue Extension, Santo Nino, Cainta, Rizal
Ground Floor, HDR Building, Gil Fernando Avenue Corner Estrador Street, San Roque, Marikina City

6 Lauan Street, Project 2, Quezon City

993 Aurora Boulevard, Project 2, Quezon City
Lot 10, Blk 74 Commonwealth Avenue, Neopolitan Subdivision Phase 6, Novaliches, QC