March 2020 – Page 2 – Jellybeans in the City

Makati is a pretty bustlin’ place during weekdays but come the weekend, many of its happenin’ venues turn into relatively quiet spots where you and the fam can go for a meal.

Take 121 Restaurant at Allegro Center for example. After hours during weekdays, it may be a watering hole for Makati’s young urban professionals.

During one Saturday, however, it was the setting for a nice family-style lunch where my fellow foodies and I enjoyed 121’s take on down-home Pinoy dishes, such as:

121 Pork Sisig (Php289 solo | Php1,029 barkada). The staple of any Filipino dine-out experience, 121’s version is meaty and crunchy.

Empanada (Php39 per piece | Php159 for 5-piece sampler). Available in vegan steak picado, ham and cheese, chicken pastel, pulled pork and beef picadillo flavors.

Lumpiang Shanghai (Php219 solo | Php839 barkada). Remember those lumpias that are practically all wrapper? Well, these are overflowing with minced pork, surrounded by a thin layer of golden brown crispy lumpia wrapper.

Pork Sinigang (Php279). The Pinoy’s go-to soup dish!

Grilled Liempo (Php249) and Grilled Porkchop (Php249). We Pinoys sure are fans of inihaw! These are juicy, smoky pork belly and pork chop pieces that go so well with good ole’ steamed rice and 121’s very own secret sauce!

Champorado Cheesecake (Php119). The Pinoy’s favorite breakfast cereal is now in cheesecake form! Need I say more?

These specialties are best enjoyed surrounded by your nears-and-dears during a boisterously happy lunch, just like we did!

Many thanks to Daryl and Issa of 121 Restaurant for having us!

By the way, with Zomato Gold, you get a dish free when you dine at 121 Restaurant with a friend. Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 (Buy 1 Get 1) deals on food or 2+2 (Buy 2 Get 2) deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use the code JELLYB to get 45% off the membership fee.

This 121 Restaurant branch is located at Second Floor, Allegro Center, Pasong Tamo Extension, Magallanes, Makati City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 9am to 1am. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 88560529.

Other branches are located at:

121 L. P. Adamson building, Leviste Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City
Ground Floor, Venice Piazza, McKinley Hill, Taguig
Third Floor, BGC Stopover Pavillion, Rizal Drive corner 31st Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Eastwood Citywalk 1, Libis, Quezon City

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.

MOS Burger, one of the leading burger chains in Japan, is about to give Filipinos a different kind of burger dining experience.

“We have brought our well-loved burgers to the Philippines. Now, you don’t have to go all the way to Japan to have your fill of our best-selling yakiniku rice burger and other burger selections,” said MOS Burger Philippines president Araki Masahide.

Among the MOS Burger top-sellers that have been included in its Philippine menu is the MOS Cheeseburger (Php149). This Japanese-style cheeseburger comes with MOS’ special meat sauce poured over a pile of beef patty, tomato, onion, and cheese.

Not to be missed is the yakiniku rice burger (Php169), the burger that has been strongly identified with the brand since it was introduced in its Japanese stores. It comes with perfectly marinated yakiniku beef with green lollo rosso (lettuce) and onions in an equally delicious rice patty. MOS also offers the natsumi yakiniku (Php189), which is yakiniku wrapped in fresh lollo rosso instead of being sandwiched in a bun or rice patty.

Another popular choice among its diners worldwide is its wagyu burger (Php299), which likewise comes in two options—one with the buns and the other with the rice patties or wagyu rice burger (Php309).

For chicken lovers, a must-try is the teriyaki chicken burger (Php189) with its own version of chicken teriyaki sandwiched with green lollo rosso, sliced onion, and mayonnaise. For those who prefer to have it with MOS’ signature rice patty, there’s the teriyaki chicken rice burger (Php209). Diners can likewise have it with just greens as it offers the natsumi teriyaki chicken (Php209) as well.

MOS also has something for seafood lovers—the seafood tempura rice burger (Php169). It consists of delicious seafood tempura drizzled with flavorful kakiage sauce and sandwiched between MOS’ signature rice patties.

“We only want the best for our Filipino diners. We encourage them to try each burger when they visit our store,” Araki said.

Guests at MOS Burger’s VIP Night, an event held prior to its official store opening at Robinsons Galleria, were treated to this sumptuous array of Japanese-style burgers.

Distinguished guests during the event included Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Koji Haneda, and his wife, Madame Ihoko Haneda; MOS Food Services Chairman Atsushi Sakurada; MOS Food Services Inc. Executive Officer and General Manager of International Headquarters Jun Takifuka; MOS Food Services, Inc. General Manager Hironobu Maehara; and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.

They were welcomed by Araki, MOS Burger Philippines CEO Hubert U. Young, and MOS Burger Philippines Vice President Tateishi Hiroshi.

MOS Burger’s first Philippine store is located at Robinsons Galleria (near the ADB Avenue entrance). It is slated to open branches in SM Megamall, Robinsons Magnolia, Greenhills, Midtown, and Eastwood in the coming months.

Month: March 2020

Family-style dining at 121 Restaurant, Allegro Center

MOS Brings Its Most Popular Burgers to PH Market