February 2020 – The Jellybeans Edit

Z Hostel and Makati’s Tourism Office offer a different kind of walking tour to the public

The late artist, tour guide and cultural activist Carlos Celdran described Manila as “can be chaotic and spiritual, dirty and divine, gritty and gorgeous all at once.”

The same can be said about the area in Makati known as Poblacion.

Long saddled with the reputation of being the red-light district hiding in the shade of the soaring skyscrapers of Makati’s Central Business District, Poblacion has slowly but surely been shedding its seedier veneer to reveal a place with its own character. It may be crowded and wornout in some places, but it has its own vibrance and local flavor.

Z Hostel, known as “one of the hippest hostels in Makati,” itself stands on what used to be the site of a brothel. Today, it is the place where young travelers and backpackers stay for a few days of comfort and relative luxury.

Z Hostel recently partnered with Makati City’s International Relations Department in offering its Poblacion Walking Tour, not just to the hostel’s guests but also to locals who want to see another side of Poblacion, all for free.

Together with my daughter #ExhibitA, I took part in the tour to check out Poblacion’s happenin’ places.

An alternative to the usual walking tours wherein museums and heritage sites are the destinations of choice, this is essentially a pub crawl which takes its guests around the immediate radius of the hostel to check out some of the establishments they can hang out in (and have a drink or two) during their stay.

Tour guide Jian Miranda, himself a Makati resident for twenty-one years, shared his knowledge and love of the place by picking out spots worthy of note (such as the former drug den turned events venue, where to get the best barbecue in Poblacion and the names – and ingredients – of the streetfood being hawked on street corners) and the stories behind the various joints featured in the tour.

The first stop in the walking tour was Agimat Foraging Bar and Kitchen. With the branches of an old Balete tree serving as the shelves of the bar, Agimat serves up magic and mystery with every drink. Prior to presenting you with your concoction of choice inspired by the four elements apoy (fire), lupa (earth), tubig (water), hangin (air) and buhay (life), the crew would perform a ritual complete with ethnic masks, drums and chants. Being a foraging kitchen and bar, Agimat takes ingredients and culinary influences from various parts of the country to come up with unique and memorable dishes and drinks. It’s definitely worth a second visit.

The second stop of our walking tour was Julyan Coffee Spot, a newly opened coffee shop that also showcases artwork by the owners’ son, Julyan. More than a quiet place to sit and relax while enjoying artisanal coffee, Julyan Coffee Spot is also a social enterprise: it provides training and employment to persons with disability (PWDs). In fact the baristas serving coffee are deaf and communicate by sign language. I’d love to spend more time here with just my laptop and my cuppa joe, to work on my blog, or maybe get around to writing the Next Great Filipino Novel (yeah, I can dream, right?).

Kartel Roofdeck Bar, the next stop in the tour, offers a scenic view of the Makati skyline from the towering buildings in the CBD to the hotels and night spots in the surrounding the area. Here, we were given free shots to help us loosen our reserve and get to know our fellow tourists. I wouldn’t mind a return visit where I can leisurely enjoy a light mocktail along with the cool evening breeze.

The final stop in the walking tour is Kondwi. Set in a big, black, boxy type of building, it actually houses a vibrant cocktail lounge at the ground floor and an exhibit space for artwork on the second floor. The last time I was here was when the upper floor was occupied by the Johnnie Walker Highball Arcade earlier this month. I’d love to see the next exhibits, take part in the salsa dance lessons, as well as taste more of Kondwi’s artistic takes on food and drink.

After the tour, the group was treated to cocktails at the Z Roofdeck. Too bad I wasn’t able to join as #ExhibitA and I had the rush home for our dinner date. Oh well…

The walking tour is primarily geared towards tourists looking for places where they can tipple, but it can also be the springboard for a local foodie’s rediscovery of the gritty and gorgeous Poblacion area.

The Poblacion Walking Tour is offered to Z Hotel guests and, recently, to locals as well every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday T 4pm with Z Hostel as the meeting point. Want to take part in the next Poblacion Walking Tour? Sign up here.

Here are the locations of the places we visited today:

Z Hostel: 5660 Don Pedro St. Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City (Tel: +63 917 8898531 or +63 2 88560851)
Agimat Foraging Bar and Kitchen: Second Floor, 5972 Alfonso Corner Fermina Street, Poblacion, Makati City. (Tel: +63 917 8904039)
Julyan Coffee Spot: 5936 Gloria Street, Poblacion, Makati City (Tel: +63 917 6860895)
Kartel Rooftop Bar: 5921 Algier Street, Poblacion, Makati City (Tel: +63 917 5638811)
Kondwi: 6109 Albert Street,Poblacion, Makati City(Tel: +63 917 7771633)

Padi’s launches Barkada Bar Tour with Gloc-9, Shanti Dope and other Asintada artists

The Party heats up at the country’s widest and number 1 Restaurant & Bar Chain, Padi’s.

Padi’s Point, now simply called “Padi’s”, undoubtedly remains at the top of the industry as the premiere party place in town, with twenty-six branches Luzon-wide.

It has long carried the distinction of being the favorite gimik venue for barkadas, with nightly entertainment of live bands, DJs that play hype dance music and party hits, plus food and drinks served for the barkada appetite such as the Party of Six, Barkada Feast and the signature three-liter Padi’s Cocktail Towers!

This year, Padi’s is taking it to the next level asnit once again shows its appreciation to the millions of “kabarkadas” who come to celebrate at its branches, as it welcomes Asintada promotions to the party for the Padi’s Barkada Bar Tour 2020! The tour invites barkadas to catch the country’s hottest artists headlined by Filipino rap icon Gloc-9 and rap phenom Shanti Dope, as they visit Padi’s branches from May to June 2020 for a total of eleven gigs.

Also bringing the heat are rap-acoustic princess, Lirah, the artist behind the popular single “May sahod na ba?”, and the smash hit alternative band Sandiwa. They will be bringing the house down on nineteen schedules stops in the bar tour from February to June 2020. Lirah will also be lying solo in Padi’s Baguio on March 21.

Former Tawag ng Tanghalan contender JKris will also be hitting it as Shanti Dope’s front act and will be joining Lirah at Padi’s Binan on February 29.

Tara na to the barkada’s top choice for the best parties, dancing and music – Padi’s Restaurant and Bar!

For the complete schedule o the Barkada Tour 2020, visit Padi’s website or Facebook page.

Details and cover image provided in a recent press release. All other images are mine.

Fun feasting at Lido Cocina Tsina, New Manila

Chinese cuisine has left an indelible mark on the Filipino palate.

Step into any Pinoy celebration and you will be hard-pressed to avoid dishes such as the pancit, lumpia, asado and lechon Macao or the use soy sauce and soybean products as well as produce such as pechay (Chinese cabbage) and mustasa (mustard greens).

This strong influence is rooted in the trading relationships between the Chinese and Filipinos before the Spanish era, and the waves migration among the ethnic Chinese to the Philippines.

This mingling of culinary influences is celebrated in Lido Cocina Tsina, established in 1936 by Mr. Lido, a Cantonese chef. Aside from classic Chinese favorites like noodles, dimsum and siopao, Mr. Lido would also roast porkloin in his wood-fired brick oven every morning. It has since then become Lido’s signature dish that customers kept coming back for.

Together with fellow foodies from #WeLoveToEatPH, I visited. Lido Cocina Tsina’s E. Rodriguez Avenue branch where sampled some of Lido’s much-loved dishes which include:

Chunky Pork Siomai (Php121). The traditional Chinese steamed pork dumpling is best enjoyed dipped in soy sauce with calamansi juice and a bit of chili-garlic paste. This is always a winner with me, more so here at Lido because the siomai pieces are packed with meat without extenders.

Shrimp Foo-Yong (Php446). This saucy egg dish with a healthy serving of plump shrimp folded in is one of Lido’s best-sellers.

Lumpiang Shanghai (Php255). This Filipinized version of the spring roll is always a hit with the kiddies. Ground pork mixed with finely chopped carrots, onions and shallots is wrapped in lumpia wrapper to form cylinders which are then fried to golden brown. It is great as an appetizer or as a viand paired with rice.

Yang Chow Fried Rice (Php121 for solo | Php297 good for two to three persons | Php605 good for eight to ten persons). This fried rice is arguably the most famous Chinese rice dish in the Philippines. Char siu (barbecued pork) is chopped and sauteed along with shrimp, peas, onions and eggs in a wok together with cooked rice. The reason for its enduring appeal seems to be in the way it complements the other viands.

Spareribs in Salt and Pepper (Php285). Simply seasoned with salt and pepper and lightly coated with an egg and flour mixture then deep-fried until the pork attains a slight crispy exterior surrounding tender meat. This dish is usually served tossed with sauteed peppers, garlic and green onions.

Manchurian Wings (Php374). Tender fried chicken wings doused in savory-sweet soy ginger sauce. This is one of those dishes that are so good they make you reach for another serving of rice again and again.

Chami Special (Php176 solo | Php292 good for two to three persons | Php726 good for eight to ten persons). Asian wheat (miki) noodles sauteed in a flavorful sauce with pork bits, shrimp and crisp vegetables, this is a welcome break from the usual pancit guisado.

Pugon-Roasted Asado (Php391 for one-fourth kilo). This cured pork loin freshly roasted every morning in the restaurant’s pugon or wood-fired brick oven which adds smoky flavors to the already flavorful meat. Its flavor meshes well with the Yang Chow Fried Rice but is also a good filling for Lido’s hot pan de sal.

Buchi (Php110). These deep-fried sesame balls with lotus cream filling are staple desserts in many Chinese restaurants and are a fitting end to this Chinese feast.

Want something to perk you up after a heavy meal? Check out Lido’s Siphon Brewed Coffee, available hot and iced.

So if you want a taste of Chinese food that captured the hearts and tummies of Pinoys, drop by your nearest Lido Cocina Tsina branch!

Many thanks to Elaine and John of Lido Cocina Tsina for the warm welcome and the fabulous feast and to EJ of #WeLoveToEatPH for extending the invitation!

This Lido Cocina Tsina branch is located at 1014-1020 E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, New Manila, Quezon City, open daily from 7am to 10pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 34145436 or +63 2 84776878.

Other branches are located at:

Shaw Plaza One Building, 561 Shaw Boulevard, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City
Quezon Avenue corner Examiner Road, West Triangle, Quezon City
16 Visayas Avenue, Vasra, Project 6, Quezon City
Block 8 Lot 9 Commonwealth Avenue, Batasan Hills, Quezon City
43 Mindanao Avenue (beside Phoenix Gas Station, Project 8, Quezon City
Upper Ground Floor, Z Square Mall, Banawe, Quezon City
Unit 6-7, La Fuerza Plaza, Chino Roces Avenue corner Sabio Street, San Lorenzo, Makati City
Ground Floor, Radiance Manila Bay, Roxas Boulevard, Buendia, Pasay City
Avenue Garden Building, 532 UN Avenue corner Bocobo Street, Ermita, Manila
35 Dona Soledad Avenue, Betterliving Subdivision, Don Bosco, Paranaque City
Ground Floor, Puregold Sucat, Dr. A. Santos Avenue, San Isidro, Paranque
South Park High Commercial Complex, 262 Alabang-Zapote Road, Talon, Las Pinas City

No time to drop by a Lido branch? Have your favorite Chinese dishes delivered to you by calling +63 2 8888-LIDO (5436) or visit lidodelivery.com.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a food tasting 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.

Check out my reviews of other Chinese restaurants:

Delicious home-cooked meals from The Happy Kitchen

There is something magical that happens when family and friends sit down together over a home-cooked meal.

When people get together at the dinner table, an array of freshly cooked dishes spread before them, good conversation, good vibes and good times are not far behind.

However, with today’s hectic lifestyle and busy schedules, not everyone would have the time to constantly slave over the stove to come up with mouth-watering meals.

Enter The Happy Kitchen.

And by enter, I mean invite it to your home to bring you and your loved ones the flavors you love and grew up with.

The Happy Kitchen (or THK) is the brainchild of Risa Cirineo, a full-time food entrepreneur based in Cainta, Rizal.

She originally operated a canteen in her home to take advantage of a new business opportunity presented by a new school opening nearby, as well as an office canteen in a car dealership.

When she had to close down the office canteen, she jumped on a new and more practical business opportunity: selling party trays online.

In 2018, she started doing exactly that: selling party trays of comfort food such as Beef Caldereta, Kare-Kare and Sisig on Facebook to anywhere in Metro Manila.

Today, her product lines include include party trays, packed meals and “paluto” requests of comfort food and party favorites, some of which were sent over for me and my family to sample:

Beef Caldereta (Php650 good for 6 | Php1,100 good for 10). A mainstay in many family gatherings and fiestas, the caldereta is a showcase of Spanish influences on Filipino cuisine. Named after the caldera – the cauldron where the ingredients are stewed in – this dish combines simple ingredients such as marinated beef, rough-chopped vegetables and a bit of liver pate to bring about a comforting and hearty dish. In THK’s version, the meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender while the tomato sauce was rich in beefy flavor with a bit of cheese and just a hint of spice.

Special Pork Sisig (Php500 good for 6 | Php850 good for 10). This Kapampangan dish is actually one of my daughter’s favorite viands and would usually order it whenever we dine out. She took a liking to THK’s rendition of this classic dish as it was not overly oily and the crunch chicharon bits gave it added texture and flavor. This dish is great as an appetizer or as bar chow.

Chicken Cordon Bleu (Php600 good for 6 | Php980 good for 10). Another party classic, this dish is made of chicken breasts thinned and wrapped around pieces of ham and cheese, then breaded and pan-fried to a golden brown. It’s great as a viand accompanied by rice or by itself as a finger food during cocktails, and is usually a hit with the kids because – duh! – cheese and chicken. 🙂

Korean Chicken (Php520 good for 6 | Php880 good for 10). With all things Korean being a hit in the Philippines these days, it’s no wonder that THK began offering Korean-style braised chicken to its clientele. Risa built on her mom’s recipe – a family favorite for years – by adding gochujang to this dish made with tender chicken pieces in a flavorful sauce of aromatics and herbs. This fresh take on a chicken-based viand is a hit with my son.

These dishes from The Happy Kitchen showcase the care and pride that Risa puts into her cooking. They feature meats that are tender to the bite, veggies with some crisp freshness and flavors that appeal to everyone in my family.

Many thanks to Risa for sending over these THK best-sellers!

Here’s how you can get these delectable dishes for your family dinner or clan gathering:

Visit The Happy Kitchen on Facebook to check out its menu of available dishes.
Text the following details to +63 922 3057613 or +63 917 5493643 at least three days in advance: your name, contact number, your orders and your preferred delivery date, time and address or your preferred date and time of pickup
Pay via bank deposit or online fund transfer to BPI or BDO: 50% downpayment at least three days before pickup or delivery and the remaining 50% one day prior to pick up or delivery

Aside from party trays, THK’s dishes are also available as packed meals good for meetings or as crew meals, with sets priced at Php110 for 1 viand + 1 rice, Php135 for 1 viand + 1 vegetable side dish + 1 rice, Php165 for 2 viands + 1 rice and Php195 for 2 viands, 1 vegetable side dish and 1 rice.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to enable an honest review.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

What’s new at Geonbae, Tomas Morato

Unli Korean BBQ joints abound in the metro. So much so that one may be challenged in distinguishing one resto’s offerings from another’s.

Well, Geonbae Modern Korean Bar & Grill will make sure that you remember it well.

Geonbae translates to “empty glass” which has the same meaning as the expression “bottom’s up.” The name is quite apt because here, you and your friends can eat and drink to the good times.

Last year, I had lunch at the Geonbae branch in the Tomas Morato area together with my officemates, during which we took advantage of a Buy 3 Get 1 Deal on its Php499 set. Then, I praised Geonbae’s ambiance, variety of offerings, great service and value for money.

After taking part in a Zomato Foodie Meetup at the same Geonbae branch, I’m happy to report on some new things for K-BBQ fans to enjoy.

1) A hyped up Php649 set

With the Php649 set (50% off for kids 10 years old and younger), you can eat your fill of:

9 kinds of appetizers: includes buldak (chicken) kimbap, yachae (vegetable) kimbap, fried and steamed manju, japchae, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), kimchi takoyaki as well as yoen yeo (salmon sashimi) and chamchi (tuna sashimi)

11 Entrees: includes saewoo twigim (shrimp fry), galbi jjim (beef stew), ramyeon (Korean ramen), bibimbap, chicken bibimbap, salmon bibimbap, spicy salmon ramen and Korean wings.

Soups and stews: includes doenjang jigae (seafood stew), kimchi jigae (kimchi stew) and galbitang (beef rib stew)

Side dishes: includes odeng (fish cake), pajeon (green onions pancake), hobak jeon (pumpkin pancake), gyeran jim (steamed egg), napa kimchi, gamja jurim (potato marble), myulchi bokkeum, lettuce, kimchi bokkeunbap (kimchi fried rice), bap (plain rice) and cheese for dipping

21 kinds of meat: includes samgyeopsal (pork belly), spicy yakiniku samgyeopsal, ginger samgyeopsal, gochujang samgyeopsal, smoked pork belly, spicy yakiniku pork ribs, spicy yakiniku moksal, herb pork jowl, herb pork belly, pork bulgogi, pork intestine, sausage, woo samgyeop (beef belly), oyster woo samgyeop, gochujang woosamgyeop, chadolbaegi (beef brisket), galbisal (rib finger), oyster hoshisal (hanger steak), beef bulgogi, ginger chicken breast and assorted odeng.

The Php649 set (maximum of 3 hours staying time) is available for dinner Fridays to Sundays from 3pm onwards. Price is exclusive of VAT. Leftovers will be charged Php649.

2) A high-tech ordering and requesting system

When dining at unli Korean BBQ places, you sometimes get frustrated at the slow fulfillment of refill requests or changing of grills, right?

Well, not here. By connecting to Geonbae’s WiFi network and scanning the QR code provided per table, you get redirected to an online menu of dishes and refills, as well as service requests such as “change charcoal,” “change grill” and “check out.”

As soon as you select the dish or service you require, a wait staff immediately comes along to fulfill your request.

Pretty nifty, huh?

3) The entrance to a hidden bar

At Geonbae’s dining area, you will see a doorway marked with a neon sign. This door is the entryway to Alibi, a speakeasy where you can enjoy cool tunes, refreshing cocktails, yummy bar chow, and get this: an oyster bar!

Japan’s MOS Burger aims to take a bite out of the PH fast food market, opens first store on February 27

In a market dominated by western-style burgers, MOS Burger will introduce a distinctly Japanese flavor to burger-loving Filipinos as it opens its first branch in the Philippines this February 27, 2020 in Robinsons Galleria.

“We heard that Filipinos love burgers as much as they love Japanese food. In introducing MOS Burger to the Philippines, we are giving them two of the things that they most love. We can’t wait for them to try our Japanese-style burgers,” said MOS Burger Philippines president Araki Masahide.

During a pop-up store event last month, MOS Burger introduced its version of a signature cheese burger with meat sauce and the original yakiniku rice burger. Some of the items on the menu for the first Philippine branch are the following: yakiniku rice burger, MOS cheese burger, wagyu burger, seafood tempura rice burger, and natsumi, a lettuce wrap burger.

As a way to welcome the dining public to its first store in the country, MOS Burger will give out gifts to its first 50 customers on opening day. In-store surprises also await customers every hour on February 27. The store’s operating hours will be from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

Founded in Tokyo in 1972, MOS Burger is ranked number two in sales among all burger chains in Japan. It has around 1,300 stores in Japan and almost 400 stores overseas.

MOS stands for mountain, ocean, and sun—three elements that symbolize the company’s commitment to good service and how it trains its employees to approach their work. The mountain symbolizes its thrust to “stand tall and firm as a mountain.” The ocean, meanwhile, symbolizes its aim “to have a heart as big and generous as the ocean”, and the sun stands for “undying passion.”

MOS Burger also adheres to the old Japanese proverb “ishoku dogen”, which means food and medicine come from the same source so we could maintain our health through a balanced diet.

MOS Burger Philippines was formed in 2019 to oversee the local operations of MOS Burger. The company is the result of a joint venture agreement between MOS Food Services Inc. of Japan and Tokyo Coffee Holdings of the Young family of General Milling Corporation.

Its aggressive expansion plan in the Philippines will see the opening of several branches in Metro Manila this year. Apart from the one in Robinsons Galleria, MOS Burger stores will be opened in SM Megamall in Mandaluyong, One Eastwood Tower 2 and Robinsons Magnolia in Quezon City, O-Square in Greenhills, San Juan, and Robinsons Manila.

For more updates about MOS Burger Philippines’ opening, follow its Facebook page and Instagram account.

Image and details provided by MOS Burger in a recent press release.

Sweets to the sweet from Inang Charing

Everyone who knows me is probably already familiar with my sweet tooth.

I’ve always had a strong affinity for desserts: cakes, cookies and creams. My belief is that there’s always room for dessert. In fact, the dessert at the end is what I usually look forward during meal time.

And the sweet treats from Inang Charing’s are definitely worth the anticipation.

Former BPO employee Mylene Capili had a love for sweets and a skill for baking. Dreaming of having her own cafe someday, she studied Hotel and Restaurant Management in college.

When she was gifted with an oven, her passion for baking was rekindled.

Her first foray into the baking business began in 2013 under the name Dress Up Brownies, with her lucky BPO coworkers as her first customers. They were the first to get a taste her revel bars and brownies. In a burst of inspiration, Mylene and her partner offered dressed-up brownies, bars custom-decorated similar to cupcakes according to their customers’ request.

Her drive for both her job and her side business was challenged a year later when her grandmother, who raised her and her siblings, passed away. She resigned from her job to focus on Dress Up Brownies but her grief over her grandmother’s passing contributed to her business going on hiatus for two years.

A big order for her mini chocolate chip cookies for her sister’s high school reunion in 2018 spurred her to revive her business.

Wanting to pay tribute to her beloved grandmother, she rebranded her business, adopting the name her grandmother was called by neighbors when she was growing up: Inang Charing.

Thus, Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries came into being.

With her grandmother serving as her inspiration, she was motivated to create more baked goods for people to love.

Today, she operates Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries with her partner, Bem, who oversees sales, marketing and procurement of ingredients, while she handles the baking and pricing of the finished products.

They expanded their product line from brownies, revel bars and custom pastries to include cookies, cakes and cheesecakes, some of which I was able to sample.

The Triple-Flavored Cheesecake (Php785) presents three mouth-watering toppings on a three-inch tall cheesecake. The cheesecake itself is rich and compact, mildly sweet with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Its toppings of Mango, Blueberry and Nutella add different dimensions to the dessert. Also available are single-flavor (Php735) and double-flavor (Php755) variants.

The Chocolate Truffle Liquor Cake (Php265), on the other hand, is a decadent 5-inch diameter confection of layers upon layers of chocolate goodness. A moist chocolate cake flavored with chocolate liquor serves as the base layer covered by a thick and creamy ganache and a generous sprinkling with cocoa powder.

Lastly, the Salted White Chocolate Almond Cookies (Php50/pc) are delightful treats with complex flavors and textures owing to the white chocolate chips and toasted almonds scattered on top of moist and chewy cookies.

So if you’re looking for a showstopping cake for your party or just want to stock up on desserts to give your meals a wonderful ending, check out Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries.

Many thanks to Mylene for these scrumptious sweets.

To get your hands on these and more from Inang Charing’s, course your orders through its Facebook page or Instagram account with a three-day lead time and pay via BPI bank deposit a day before the delivery.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to enable an honest review.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Gerry’s Grill, restaurant and bar pioneer turns 23

What comes to mind when one thinks of the number 23? Is it Michael Jordan, the G.O.A.T. of basketball? Is it the age of real adulting for some, a point in one’s life where he realizes he’s a full-grown adult with all the responsibilities that come with being one?

For Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar, more widely known as Gerry’s Grill, the number marks the years it has successfully catered to the discriminating palate of the Filipino people. Twenty-three years ago, on February 14, 1997, the first Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar opened its doors on Tomas Morato, Quezon City. And the dining landscape has never been the same since. Gerry’s Grill pioneered the resto-bar concept that continues to appeal to the Gen X, its original clients, as it does the Millennials of today. Many have followed suit but Gerry’s maintains its uniqueness for a good number of reasons.

Touted as among the few preferred go-to restaurant–bars in the metro, Gerry’s boasts of over a hundred stores thus deserving to be called the “sari-sari store” of resto-bars by virtue of its being found in every major dining and entertainment hub in Metro Manila. And in each branch, one is surely never short changed.

Gerry’s has proven time and again to withstand food fads like the grill wars, i.e., shawarma, samgyupsal (Korean Grill), lechon manok/baboy and numerous experimental and fusion cuisines. This means that their Filipino-themed menu has become ingrained in the food psyche of Filipinos, a tradition no less. Their variety of dishes and beverages represents the whole Philippine cuisine. Its flavorful Sizzling Sisig, Beef Kare-Kare and Inihaw na Pusit have been legendary food staples at every Filipino customer’s dining table. The rest of the menu caters to almost any craving.

Even the beer gulping culture of the country has been shaped and influenced by Gerry’s Grill being a top-of-mind watering hole through the years. Its wide food selection is considered the holy grail of pulutans (hors d’oeuvres) that is perfect for inumans (benders).

Bert Santos, an engineer, waxed nostalgic when he said that he literally grew up with Gerry’s Grill as his tambayan (bar/beer joint) for unwinding during his college years. Today, Gerry’s is a favorite lunch place for his family after hearing Sunday mass. While Buddy Sanchez, a doctor, said Gerry’s holds a special place in his heart because this was where he bonded with his work buddies after a stressful day and where he eventually met his future wife, Sally.

Gerry’s has recently opened its branches in San Diego, California and Houston, Texas, a good addition to its overseas chain which includes branches in Singapore, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Avenida, a modern Filipino restaurant and bar, inspired by the Avenida Rizal (Rizal Avenue) of the post-war era, is another Gerry’s Grill-owned restaurant that opened in San Mateo, California. With these developments, our overseas kababayans have every reason to celebrate Gerry’s 23 years of great food and great service.

Craving for sumptuous food after reading this? Go to the nearest Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar branch; visit www.gerrysgrill.com.ph to view the complete list of their branches, as well as all the food entries on their 2020 menu. You can also visit their Facebook page, @gerrysgrill.com.ph for more info.

Details and images provided in a recent press release.

The Jelly List: Top Metro Manila Restaurants for your Valentine’s Day Date

What? It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow you haven’t decided on where to take your beloved yet?!?

Oh, honey…

Let your Tita Jellybeans share with you my top picks among the metro’s restaurants to serve as the romantic setting for your intimate get-together for two.

How did I come by this list? Well, to narrow down the choices, here are the criteria I used:

The resto should be away from the madding crowd so it can sustain an intimate and romantic mood. I recommend establishments situated away from the crowded malls frenetic with the Valentine’s Day (and payday) rush.
The resto should have well-appointed interiors, because special moments deserve special settings.
Most importantly, the resto should offer great food. I’m sure you know that food is oftentimes used as the language of love (it is one of mine!). Nourishing our beloveds with something that pleases their senses makes for a memorable time together. (And if the resto has a special Valentine’s Day offer, all the better.

Valentine’s Day is the time to go all-out on romance and spoil that special someone with good food and a good time. Check out the restos that made it to this month’s Jelly List for your date on Valentine’s Day.

Bistro Manuel, Poblacion

Bistro Manuel was opened in 2016 by Chefs Ariel and Mia Manuel of Lolo Dad’s. It is a quiet establishment, almost hidden being situated away from Poblacion’s more casual (and noisier) bars and restaurants.

Here, diners can look forward to a fine-dining experience featuring award-winning culinary masterpieces.

A real treat to the taste buds is the Lolo Dad’s Baked Oysters in which each oyster is accompanied by delicate angel hair pasta under a layer of melted cheese, and accompanied with a cube of foie gras.

This week, diners can enjoy a special five-course Valentine’s menu featuring the resto’s signature takes on European cuisine for just Php1,980 per person (+10% service charge).

Bistro Manuel is located at Second Floor, Six Axis Center, 4347 B. Valdez Street, Poblacion, Makati City, open daily from 11am to 2pm and from 6pm to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 88718566, +63 926 7341067 or +63 998 3423566.

GrabFood unveils the first GrabKitchen in the Philippines

It is the best of times; it is the worst of times to be a foodie.

It is the best because of the sheer number of dining choices and cuisines available in the metro.

It is the worst because all these infernal traffic jams deter people from making the trip to explore new restaurants or discover new favorites.

Well, mobile app-based delivery services GrabFood have proved to be a boon to Metro Manila’s dining public by eliminating the need to traverse the city’s congested streets just to dine out. Thanks to GrabFood, a whole slew of cuisines can be delivered to be enjoyed by consumers wherever they are.

Today, GrabFood introduced another innovation: the first ever GrabKitchen in the country.

GrabKitchen offers users in a particular geography a variety of curated food selections from one central kitchen. By leveraging data from historical orders to address cuisine gaps, and working with its merchant partners who want to expand their delivery footprint, GrabKitchen bridges consumer demand and availability of food selections. For merchant partners and MSMEs, GrabKitchen is a cost-efficient way to expand the geographic area they serve and reach more consumers using technology. Cloud kitchens can also lower the cost of operations by eliminating high capital investments like rental costs, which is one of the most expensive expensive expansion constraints for merchant partners.

Bringing together some of the most sought-after food brands, and the ability to mix-and-match orders, GrabFood through its GrabKitchen innovation is guaranteed to make group ordering more exciting.

Together with my fellow foodies, I witnessed the grand opening of the country’s first GrabKitchen in Glorietta 2, featuring its merchant partners Omakase, Mister Kabab, 24 Chicken, Recovery Food and Frank & Dean – all of which do not have a physical store in Makati City, and CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice that has seen a significant increase in sales, prompting it to expand its delivery-only operations in GrabKitchen.

The Philippines’ first GrabKitchen offers on-demand delivery and in-store dining through a unique digital experience via a self-order kiosk. GrabFood users who order through the app will also be able to mix and match orders from all partner merchants.

To support more shared moments, exclusive food bundles as Awesome Twosome Bun-deal offer, which has 24 Chicken’s Boneless 7 pieces chicken, Coco Fresh Tea & Juice’s 3 Buddies Milk Tea and Omakase’s California Maki are also available for online delivery for a limited time.

Consumers can also score discounts on all GrabKitchen bundles by using promo codes GKBUNDEAL60 and GKBUNDEAL100 from February 12 to 29.

GrabKitchen was first introduced in Indonesia in 2018 and has since become the largest regional cloud kitchens operator in Southeast Asia. GrabKitchen has over 50 branches in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines.

During GrabKitchen’s grand opening, GrabFood Head EJ Dela Vega shared some of the company’s plans for this new venture.

“Within the next six months, hopefully, we can do two to three more. We are definitely working on opening a few more locations,” he shared. “We want to go where the demand is, where we can fulfill, where we see the gaps in what people are looking for versus what’s available.”

Mindful of the important role that food plays in bringing more shared moments, GrabFood, through its campaign called ‘Masarap ‘pag sama-sama,’ offers consumers a more accessible and affordable way to enjoy group dining.

This season of love, GrabFood has partnered with 150 merchant partners to offer specially-curated food deals, as well as additional Php100 discount for orders purchased using GrabPay. Just use the promo code SAMASAMA before checking out. (More details on the promo are available here.)

Grab is the leading everyday super app in Southeast Asia, providing everyday services that matter most to consumers. Today, the Grab app has been downloaded onto over 166 million mobile devices, giving users access to over 9 million drivers, merchants and agents. Grab offers the widest range of on-demand transport services in the region, in addition to food, package delivery, digital payments and financial services, across 339 cities in eight Southeast Asian countries.

GrabKitchen details provided in a press release.