The Jelly List: The best of my foodie adventures in 2019

As we enter into the new year, it’s nice to look back on what made it so special.

I was lucky enough to take part in foodie meetups and special events that opened my eyes to new ways of enjoying good food.

Here are ten that are especially memorable:

1. Teavana TEA-volution Seminar at Starbucks, SM East

Starbucks is always associated with coffee but I learned that it also has a lot to offer when it comes to teas.

Last February, I joined the Teavana TEA-volution Tea Tasting Seminar, a Tea 101 if you will, where Starbucks Tea Master Jonas Velgado took my fellow foodies and I on guided tour through the history of teas, the tea-growing regions of the world and three flights of tea tasting which included full-leaf brewed teas and tea lattes.

Read more about it here.

Starbucks branches may be found all over Metro Manila.

2. Summer Menu Launch at Ombu Kusina, Tomas Morato

Ombu Kusina has a modern take on Filipino cuisine: infusing classic Pinoy dishes with new and exciting cooking styles and influences. These help to make Pinoy cuisine fresher and more relevant to a growing number of foodies, who are looking for their next food adventure.

Last March, it launched its summer menu which included new takes on the Pinoy classic halo-halo, which made use of the use of flavored ice: the flavors are infused into the ice, resulting to a more intense taste and creamier mouthfeel. I’m glad that my favorite among the three halo-halo flavors – the Tres Leches – have been included in the regular menu.

Read more about it here.

Ombu Kusina is located at the Ground Floor, Sequioa Hotel, Mother Ignacia corner Timog Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 6.30am to 10.30am. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 84411789.

3. Sunset Dining at Padi’s Point, Antipolo Sumulong

The original Padi’s Point along Sumulong Highway in Antipolo is known for its magnificent sunset views. It has long been considered a landmark in the area, with families, barkadas or even couples, making the trek up from all over the city to this restaurant to enjoy the chill ambiance, the homegrown food served here and, of course, the amazing scenery.

Padi’s Point offers a wide array of homegrown dishes that are best enjoyed family style.

Read more about it here.

This Padi’s Point branch is located at Alpha D Compound, Sumulong Highway, Santa Cruz, Lower Antipolo, Rizal, open daily for 24 hours. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 83443028.

4. Breakfast at Sammy’s Restaurant, Cainta

Sammy’s serves a carefully thought-out curation of Asian cuisine influenced, no doubt, by the seventeen years the couple spent in Jakarta where the chef obtained his diploma at the Jakarta Culinary Center in between gigs as singers in the Hotel Mulia Senayan Jakarta.

Sammy the Singing Chef and his wife Dorothy even serenede diners during dessert!

Read more about it here.

Sammy’s is located at 14 Raspberry Bend Street, Valley View Executive Subdivision Phase 3, San Juan, Cainta. The restaurant is open Tuesdays to Saturdays for breakfast from 7am to 11.30am and for dinner from 7pm to 10.30pm, and on Sundays for breakfast from 7am to 11.30am. Seating is strictly by reservation so call +63 939 1483960 to book your table.

5. First taste of isaw at Mang Ding’s, Marikina

The Filipino street food scene is quite storied and vibrant, a showcase of the Pinoy’s creativity and resourcefulness.

At Mang Ding’s Pinoy BBQ, diners can rediscover Pinoy street food, touted as MASARAP, MALINIS and MURA, in a pleasant al fresco setting.

Here is where I had my first taste of isaw (grilled pork and chicken intestines looped in skewers).

Read more about it here.

Mang Ding’s Pinoy BBQ is located at Block 3, Lot 13, C. Buenviaje Street, Santo Nino, Marikina City, open Mondays to Wednesdays from 4pm to 11pm and Thursdays to Sundays from 4pm to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 917 1659872.

6. Brunchin’ at the Beach at Saltitude, Anilao

Anilao in Batangas is home to all sorts of fun beach activities: swimming, diving, snorkeling and windsurfing, just to name a few.

Aside from their proximity to the clear sparkling sea, those activities have another thing in common: they do work up quite an appetite.

Fortunately, Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort recently launched “Brunchin’ at the Beach,” a brunch buffet experience that takes place every Saturday, from 6am to 12.30pm at its Mingle restaurant.

Read more about it here.

Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort is located along Manini Road in Mabini, Batangas. To book your stay or reserve a table at the restaurant, call +63 43 4101857, +63 927 4220428 or +63 939 9088843, or email info@saltitude-anilao.com.

7. #ZomatoXListerine Foodie Meetup at Kusina Moderne, Poblacion

Kusina Moderne offers classic dishes we grew up with but prepared using French cooking techniques and presented in a deconstructed manner, adding a veneer of sophistication and excitement to familiar viands while still remaining affordable for families and friends to enjoy.

During a foodie meetup hosted by Zomato and Listerine where my fellow foodies, I tasted Kusina Moderne’s unique take on Filipino food and I also learned the importance of mouthwash, especially among foodies.

Read more about it here.

Kusina Moderne is located along Caceres Street, Poblacion, Makati, open Sundays and Tuesdays to Thursdays from 11am to 10pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 927 0830688.

8. Foodie Meetup at ICHO Japanese Restaurant, Greenhills

ICHO is named after the gingko trees in Japan. Known to be highly resilient as they can withstand pollution and salt in their native environment, they also beautify their surroundings and as well as provide nourishment and medicinal benefits.

ICHO brings the metro’s diners a piece of the serenity that gingko trees have come to symbolize through its calm and peaceful premises with which to enjoy the restaurant’s flavorful food creations.

Read more about it here.

ICHO Japanese Restaurant is located at 6 Annapolis Street corner Purdue Street, Greenhills, San Juan City, open daily from 11am to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 85350020 or +63 917 1346027.

9. Night out at Tiyo Craft Kitchen & Bar, Tomas Morato

Tiyo serves a thoughtfully curated menu of local fare which takes the best representations of Philippine regional cuisine and painstakingly uses traditional ingredients and cooking methods, and yet has reinvented and served these dishes with a modern flair.

And the craftsmanship does not stop with the food. Tiyo’s bartenders also whip up exciting craft cocktails for the thirsty but exacting diner. These concoctions are designed around local spirits, highlighting their unique flavors while demonstrating their versatility.

Read more about it here.

Tiyo Craft Kitchen & Bar is located at Second Floor, CKB Centre, Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout Rallos Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open Sundays to Mondays from 4pm to 1am, Tuesdays to Thursdays from 4pm to 2am and Fridays to Saturdays from 4pm to 3 am.  For inquiries or reservations, call +63 932 8642593.

10. Foodie Meetup at Bistro Charlemagne, Ayala Malls Manila Bay

I introduced my immediate and extended fam to the joys of dining at Bistro Charlemagne in Ayala Malls Feliz and the in-laws at its branch in Solenad, Nuvali early last year. Since then, we have enjoyed its Asian fusion cuisine time and time again, making this resto our go-to place for intimate family celebrations or get-togethers.

And now, with the opening of its third branch in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, it just got easier and more enjoyable to meet up with family and friends in the South for great food and great times.

Read more about it here.

This Bistro Charlemagne branch is located at Lot 2, Third Floor, Cinemas Building, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Entertainment City Paranaque, open Mondays to Thursdays from 10am to 10pm and Fridays to Sundays from 10am to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 79149082.

Many thanks to all the restaurants that hosted foodie meetups and my fellow foodies who extended their invitations!

Looking forward to more exciting foodie adventures in 2020!

What’s your “best of 2019”?

Check out my other Jelly Lists:

• HBO Original Productions premiering in October 2019
• Book adaptations to stream on Amazon Prime Video
• Healthy eats in QC
• Instagram-worthy restos east of Manila
• Crazy cocktails of QC’s top bars for #ThirstyThursday