June 2019 – Page 3 – Jellybeans in the City

Comfort food and whimsy at Pookaberry Cafe, Tomas Morato

If you venture into one of the more out-of-the-way streets near the foodie-friendly haven Tomas Morato, you might chance upon this colorful little cafe.

Called Pookaberry Cafe, its facade and interiors are marked by whimsical depictions of a baby alien named – you guessed it – Pookaberry, who just happens to be the imaginary friend of Ollie the Octopus.

Photo Credit: Jocen of BoodleBearPH

These drawings and characters are works by renowned New York-based pop artist Peter Marco, co-owner of the cafe along with his wife Jeanette.

While the cafe’s wall-to-wall artworks will stimulate you to flights of fancy, its menu, developed by Jeanette from the family’s own recipes and mirroring their cosmopolitan tastes and Pinoy roots, will comfort your tummy and spirit. Check them out:

Jams: Chili Mango and Chili Orange. Great to spread on buttered bread for that bit of extra sweetness that will put a smile on your face.

Paninis: Adobo (Php220), Bacon (Php240), Pork Loin (Php240) and Avocado (Php230). Grilled breads stuffed with flavorful filling, my fave was the savory avocado panini which veers away from my usual avocado fare which tend to be sweet.

Breakfast: Breakfast ni Juan (with beef tapa and scrambled egg – Php290), Uncle Sam’s Big Breakfast (with bacon, sausage and scrambled egg – Php310) and Vegetarian Option (with mushrooms – Php320). A hearty way to start the day is to have a bit of fried rice, a bit of vegetable salad and your preferred proteins to fuel you up. I was surprised to find that I actually love the Vegetarian Option: the sauteed mushrooms were flavorful, savory and went well with the rice.

Cakes: Very Pookaberry (Php130 slice | Php1,300 whole), Walnut Carrot (Php140 slice |Php1,400 whole), New York Cheesecake (Php140 slice | Php1,680 whole) and Matcha Green Tea (Php140 slice | Php1,400 whole). Delectable desserts to indulge the sweet tooth! My fave was the rich and creamy New York Cheesecake.

Cookie Shots (Php125). Cookie cups to hold your preferred shot among espresso, fresh milk or chocolate milk options. Cheers!

Photo Credit: Diane of Fried and Prejudice

Cosmic Cookie (Php80). Cookies baked in fun cosmic-shaped muffin cups.

Choco Walnut (Php120). A humongous piece of chocolate chip and walnut cookie to give you your sugar fix for the day.

Ice Blended Drinks: Very Pookaberry Ube, Jurassic Milo, Strawberry Cream Cheese Oreo and Matcha Oreo. Refreshing icy drinks, perfect for a hot summer’s day!

Aside from its fun and whimsical ambiance and the yummy treats on its menu, Pookaberry Cafe also has its own advocacy project. Proceeds of the cafe go to the Basilia Women’s Foundation which helps women and children who are victims of domestic abuse.

Check out its gift shop for fun merchandise and bags of its locally sourced coffee beans.

So the next time you’re in the Tomas Morato area, drop by Pookaberry Cafe, for fun times and yummy treats.

Thanks to Aileen of AileenLFoodAdventures for extending the invite!

Pookaberry Cafe is located at 36-B Scout Ybardolaza corner Scout Rallos Streets, Bgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City, open daily from 7am to 9pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 917 9685414.

Disclosure: Together with other foodies from #AileenLFoodieEventBuddies, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Manila’s affogato is here at Affojeans, SM North EDSA

You would think that with the onset of rainshowers that announced summer’s end we would be feeling a lot cooler by now.

Not so, apparently, if the sweltering heat that continues to pervade Metro Manila is anything to go by.

So how to cool our bodies and our tempers despite the mercury rising?

How about a sweet frozen treat like an affogato?

The affogato is an Italian dessert which is made of a scoop of ice cream or gelato, poured over or “drowned” with a shot of hot espresso, resulting in the combination of creamy sweetness and a strong coffee flavor. It is a perfect item for lovers of dessert and coffee.

Recently, affogato specialty brand Affojeans set up its first-ever dessert station at SM North EDSA, providing foodies up north with their sugar and caffeine fix in one delectable cup.

During a recent foodie meetup together with my #SaanSaPH foodie buddies, Affojeans’ co-owner Megs filled us in on what makes Affojeans special.

According to Megs, many premium coffee shops already offer affogato but these are usually priced high. Given the relative ease in producing the dessert, Affojeans’ affogatos are priced affordably (with cheekily named variants shorts for regular-sized and jeans for large-sized cups). These flavors include:

Affoshot (Php89 shorts | Php120 jeans). Classic affogato.

Cinna-Bun (Php89 shorts | Php120 jeans). Cold cinnamon bun.

Black Panda (Php99 shorts | Php130 jeans). Made with mocha and oreos.

Caramello (Php99 shorts | Php130 jeans). Made with salted caramel and nuts.

Tiramisu (Php99 shorts | Php130 jeans). Made with chocolate and cheesecake.

Avococo (Php109 shorts | Php140 jeans). Made with avocado and coconut.

Matchago (Php109 shorts | Php140 jeans). Matcha affogato.

The espresso shots poured into the affogato are made made fresh in small batches using a mocha espresso percolator, guaranteeing freshness.

When enjoying these desserts, you will notice that even when fully melted, the ice cream (house-made by Affojeans) remains creamy. Too bad these ice cream flavors by themselves are not available on retail.

Affojeans’ beverage menu also includes Cold Brew floats. Cold brew is a process of steeping coffee from ground coffee beans at cool temperatures for an extended period of time, around 12 to 24 hours. Because the beans never come into contact with heated water, the resulting brew has a different chemical profile from coffee brewed via conventional methods. This includes a lower acidity and caffeine content than regular coffee which makes Affojeans’ cold brew floats suitable for those suffering from acid reflux or caffeine sensitivity. We were served Affo Cold Brew (Php155 shorts | Php175 jeans) and New York Cheesecake (Php165 shorts | Php185 jeans) floats.

Got a fellow caffeine addict or a sweet tooth buddy? Why not take advantage of Affojeans’ Buy 1 Take 1 offer on cold brew floats and treat yourselves to these yummy drinks? Get two short floats for Php199 or two jeans floats for Php249.

Affojeans is a great new concept store that’s sure to satisfy the sweet and caffeine cravings of foodies up north. I hope a branch opens nearer to my neck of the woods.

Thanks to Kian (@kainventures) for extending the invite!

Affojeans is located at the Upper Ground Floor, Main Building, SM North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City (in front of National Bookstore), open daily from 10am to 10pm.

Disclosure: Together with other foodies from #SaanSaPH, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.Check out my reviews of other dessert places in the metro:

Quick snack time at Turks, SM North EDSA

So, here’s the deal: I’ve got some Turks GCs and my friends from #SaanSaPH and I are in the mood for a snack.

What to do???

Why, share the wealth and #MakeItATurksDay for everyone, that’s what!

At 10am and waiting for our first foodie meetup for the day, yes, we’re feeling just a wee bit peckish. So, off we went to the Turks stall at the SM North EDSA Foodcourt to get ourselves a small Beef Pita Doner each.

This tasty little snack is made of 100% pure beef, infused with Turks’ signature doner recipe and grilled to juicy goodness, served with freshly cut cucumber, tomatoes and onions, doused in cheese, garlic and hot sauces and wrapped with a slice of cheddar cheese in a warm, freshly baked pita bread.

You might think that there’s only one way to enjoy your Beef Pita Doner, but no! You can have it with all the bells and whistles (that is, all the veggies and sauces it usually comes with) like I did, sans onions, sans the sauces, or just all meat wrapped in the pita. Really, how you enjoy your wrap is your call.

With our hunger pangs chased away by our quick snack, our merry group went about our merry way, merrily tasting, noting and picture-taking what the day had to offer.

Photo Credit: Russell Vargas

Photo Credit: Shishi de Leon

Thanks to Turks for the GCs!

Turks is one of the country’s most successful and fastest growing brands in the food industry with over 400 branches nationwide.

This Turks branch is located at Food Court, Lower Ground Floor, Main Building, SM North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City.

Another branch located nearby is located at Second Floor, SKY Garden, SM North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City.

Check out my reviews of other restaurants serving Mediterranean food:

The Cafe Mediterranean, Rockwell Power Plant

Noor, BGC

Holy Shawarma, Marikina

Heritage of flavors at Pamana, Tomas Morato

Pamana in Tagalog means “heritage.” It is a legacy passed down from generation to generation taking with it the hopes and dreams of forebears for their descendants. For many Filipinos, this heritage takes the form of family traditions and stories that provide them with roots and backgrounds.

For third-generation restaurateur Happy Ilagan Ongoauco – Tiu, her heritage rich with heirloom and secret recipes of Filipino dishes is a point of pride. It signifies a hundred years of delicious and authentic Filipino food arising from her family’s passion for cooking and love for family.

She brings this heritage to life with her restaurant Pamana, a Filipino restaurant located in foodie-friendly Tomas Morato area in Quezon City.

On my first day back to work from my overseas vacation, I headed to Pamana’s homey restaurant together with three coworkers for a spot of good ole’ Filipino comfort food for lunch.

Our repast of Pinoy fare included:

My Adobo Rice (Php220). Nearly two decades ago when I started working in the Tomas Morato area, I enjoyed some yummy rice toppings at World Topps then located along Timog Avenue. Well, guess what! World Topps was Happy’s first restaurant and this dish is what made it famous. This rice meal of adobo pork bits, scrambled eggs and freshly cut tomatoes on top of steaming hot rice doused in adobo sauce is already good for three so we just supplemented it with a cup of garlic rice.

Pampanga’s Sizzling Sisig at Aligue (Php320). It seems that any Filipino reataurant meal won’t be complete without sisig. This version had the indulgent addition of aligue (crab fat). Treated during this meal as a viand, it went well with the Adobo Rice.

Crispy Adobong Pusit Calamares (Php325). My coworkers discovered this menu item while I was on vacay. And what a discovery indeed! It combines the sour-savory flavors of adobong pusit and the crispy and chewy texture of calamares. Similar to the sisig, this tasted so good paired with the adobo rice.

This was a lovely lunch that welcomed my tummy and my heart back home, and got me ready for the rest of the workday.

This Pamana branch is located along Mother Ignacia Avenue, Barangay South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 10pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 3743798.

Another branch is located at 1315 Aguinaldo-Highway, Silang Crossing East, Tagaytay City, open daily from 10am to 10pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 46 4132461 or +63 922 8592703.

Flavorful Latin dishes at Cocina Peruvia, Podium

The South American country of Peru is home to a cuisine that is a melting pot of various influences: from European (Spanish, Italian and German), to Asian (Chinese and Japanese) and West African. With the culinary inputs from other cultures arising from colonization, trade or immigration, Peruvian cuisine has grown in flavorful and inclusive diversity that it has been cited by food critic Eric Asimov as one of the most important cuisines, being a model of fusion fare.

This much-vaunted fusion of flavors came into play when I had lunch together with fellow foodies from #SaanSaPH at the Cocina Peruvia branch in The Podium in Ortigas Center.

The place had a colorful and festive feel to it, highlighted by greetings of “Buenas tardes!” from the staff. The dining area was spacious and airy with window seats offering a chill view of the Ortigas commercial district.

Cocina Peruvia’s menu was developed by Chef Him Uy de Baron, with Peruvian chef Andres Higa as consultant, to bring Peru’s grand fusion of tastes to Filipino diners such as those included in our tasty lunch repast:

Anticuchos de Corazon de Vaca (Php320). Skewered grilled cubes of ox heart, accompanied by aji anticucho (mayo-mustard) sauce and chimichurri (garlic-parsley) sauce. Definitely one of the restaurant’s more exotic offerings, it exemplifies the types of meat dishes that became popular as inexpensive street food in Peru.

Patacones Salmon (Php320). Flavorful slices of cooked salmon covered by a parmesan cheese and mayo mix on top of a patacon or a twice-fried slice of plantain banana and served with sofrito sauce. If you ever need to satisfy a craving for cheesy baked salmon, try this out!

Adobo Peruvia (Php400 | Php1,190 grande). It’s the first time I’ve heard of Peru having its own version of adobo. Well, I shouldn’t have been surprised considering its similarities to the Philippines when it comes to having a colonial past. Tender, slow-cooked pork belly slices are place on a bed of cream sauce and accented by sliced tomatoes and onions.

Arroz Verde con Pollo (Php320 | Php790 grande). Chicken slivers sauteed with rice, mixed veggies and cilantro, great when paired with the Adobo Peruvia.

Pollo a la Brasa (Php380 | Php750 grande). Roasted chicken served with fried potatoes, aji green (mayo-cilantro) sauce, chimichurri and salsa creole.

Linguine con Carbonara (Php280 | Php520 grande). Peru’s version of seafood carbonara with shrimp, squid and mussels in a creamy garlic butter sauce tossed into linguine pasta.

Galera de Chocolate (Php350). A exotically decadent dessert of dark chocolate ganache served with candied figs and tortilla chips.

Banana Shakes (Php120). Both choices offer a fresh take on the banana shake: the Banana Pineapple has a more tropical taste while the Banana Mint features a cool, refreshing taste.

These dishes gave me and my fellow foodies an awesome taste of Peru’s fusion cuisine! On my next visit, I look forward to trying out more of Cocina Peruvia’s parilla line and desserts.

This Cocina Peruvia branch is located at Fifth Floor, The Podium, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 10pm and Fridays to Sundays from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries or reservations, call +63 2 9073958 or +63 9176351862.

Another branch is located at Level 3, Ayala Malls Vertis North, Bagong Pag-asa, Quezon City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 9pm and Fridays to Sundays from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries or reservations, call +63 2 9892752 or +63 9176315797.

Disclosure: Together with other #SaanSaPH foodies, I was invited to attend a foodie meetup held in this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

New kiddie show “Snail Trail” coming this July on BabyTV

Far from being just a boob-tube, TV presents a lot of learning opportunities for its viewers.

For instance, growing babies and toddlers can benefit from the BabyTV’s round-the-clock shows adapted to their needs and abilities, and developed with the help of content and childhood experts.

This July, BabyTV brings a brand new show for the little ones to enjoy:

SNAIL TRAIL

A friendly snail explorer ventures outdoors to investigate the wild. On his journeys he meets different animals and makes important discoveries about their lifestyle and habits by asking some very funny questions.

The kiddies can also continue to enjoy their favorite show aired daily on BabyTV:

BILLY AND BAM BAM

Billy and BamBam never get bored – they manage to find creative and fun ways to play with everything – leaves, bowls, socks and even oranges! This cute pair are sure to put a smile on your child’s face with their contagious laughter and cheerfulness. Each episode ends with a fun song written especially for Billy and BamBam!

BabyTV is the world’s leading baby and toddler network for children ages four and under and their parents, airing 24 hours a day and completely commercial-free. It features top quality, original and exclusive shows, created by child development experts and designed for for children and parents to enjoy together. Each hour on BabyTV is an enriching journey full of stories, songs, rhymes and lovable characters.

If you’re a SKYcable subscriber, you can add BabyTV to your cable TV subscription plan for only Php20/month. To subscribe to BabyTV and other kids channels, click here.

Until June 7, watch BabyTV’s fun kiddie learning programs for free along with other channels with a deluge of shows as SKYcable opens up its HD and standard definition channels to its subscribers. For more details, visit mysky.com.ph/allaccess.

Show details and images provided by BabyTV.

Check out my other posts on mom life and raising kids:

Bring out the popcorn for these international movies on CinemaWorld this June

Rainy days are upon us!

With the onslaught of the wet season, going out to watch a movie might be more of a hassle than a treat.

Why not stay inside, and get your movie fix right at home?

With CinemaWorld’s releases this June, curling up in your comfy sofa with a tub of popcorn is a great movie date!

Mondays need not be manic with these highly entertaining rom-coms.

A SONG FOR MIA

(June 3, Mon, 9pm)

In this German film, Sebastian’s life of wanton indulgence comes to an abrupt stop when he gets blinded by an accident. Mia, a nurse unlike his usual women, enters his life and shows him the beauty of a life he can attain if he follows his true passions.

ROMANCING THE JUNGLE

(Jun 24, Mon, 9pm)

While doing an investigative piece on sea piracy in Thailand, rookie journalist Eva is kidnapped for real by pirates. She bands together with hunky smuggler Nik, and together, they fight for their survival in this German movie.

Explore the world while curled up in bed on weekends with these top movie picks from CinemaWorld:

THE FATHER AND THE FOREIGNER

(Jun 15, Sat, 9pm)

In this Italian-language flick, Diego forms an unlikely friendship with Arab businessman, Walid. When Walid and his son go missing and the secret service enters the picture, Diego embarks on a dangerous search for them.

DEAR LEMON LIMA

(Jun 30, Sun, 9pm)

In this coming-of-age comedy described by Variety as “Juno meets Napolean Dynamite”, 13-year-old Vanessa discovers her Eskimo heritage. She bands together with her misfit friends to compete in the school’s notorious winter competition to impress her crush.

CinemaWorld is a 24-hour, movie channel that premieres the world’s best and award-winning movies, box-office successes, critics’ favorites from all around the world. These films are aired in their original language with English substitles.

In the Philippines, SKYcable subscribers can add it to their channel line-up for only Php150/month. To subscribe to CinemaWorld, click here.

Until June 7, watch CinemaWorld’s movies for free along with other channels with a deluge of shows as SKYcable opens up its HD and standard definition channels to its subscribers. For more details, visit mysky.com.ph/allaccess.

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.

Check out my previous posts on CinemaWorld:

Header photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash