Gel Jose

Unli Japanese Hot Pot at Soru Izakaya, Tomas Morato

Nabemono (from the Japanese words nabe or “cooking pot” and mono or “thing”) is a variety of Japanese hotpot dishes. This is usually cooked on the table starting a flavored stock with diners adding pre-cooked and uncooked ingredients to the pot.

I seldom get a chance to eat at hotpot places so I got all excited when I heard that the newly opened branch of Soru Izakaya in Tomas Morato offers a hotpot dish. Dubbed the Soru Nabe Special (Php599 per person), it provides diners unlimited refills of:

Broth: choice of two among Tonkotsu, Spicy Tonkotsu, Sukiyaki, Curry, Chicken, Miso and Spicy Miso
Meat: beef, chicken and pork
Seafood: shrimp, clams, mussels, squid and fish fillet
Balls: assorted balls and kani
Noodles: vermicelli, glass noodles and egg
Entrees: gyoza, yakisoba, tempura, beef bowl, pork bowl, smoked pork bowl, chicken wings, vegetable tempura, takoyaki
Vegetables: napa cabbage, carrots, squash, white onions, enoki, bokchoy, corn, taro, kangkong and black fungus
Sides: kimchi, potato marble, kakiage, cucumber, steamed rice and chahan

You know what got me more excited? The fact that from December 11 to 18, the Soru Nabe Special is at 50% off!

So off my office friends and I went to Soru Izakaya to enjoy this offer.

This resto boasts of the same colorful and visually appealing decor which takes its cues from bishoujo (pretty girl) manga, traditional Japanese art, the colorful Tokyo night life and the emergence of speakeasies.

There’s a separate section for hotpot diners wherein two rows of four tables (total of eight tables) are equipped with table-top stoves which can accommodate the hot pots.

Each pot is divided in the middle to allow diners to cook using two different broths simultaneously.

We found the Soru Nabe Special very filling and satisfying due the variety of its inclusions.

What can be improved, though, is the spacing of the tables in the hotpot area. They were placed too close together that we had to stand to allow other diners to pass thru to their seats.

Also, the staff took some time to fulfill our refill requests.

Still, this ain’t bad for lunchtime adventure.

And here’s some good news: the unli hotpot is back from January 9 to February 9 with options for Php299 and Php399 packages, minimum of two people per table.

So what are you waiting for? Drop by with your friends and eat your fill!

This Soru Izakaya branch is located at Scout Torillo corner Scout Hernandez, Barangay Sacred Heart, Quezon City, open Sundays to Thursdays from 11am to 11pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 12 midnight.

Other branches are located at:

Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
140 Maginhawa Street, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City

Ramen Cool, Kapitolyo

Back when I worked in the Ortigas area, my officemates and I used to venture to the foodie-friendly Kapitolyo for our happy lunches.

One of our favorite haunts is Ramen Cool which was established in the area before the ongoing ramen craze.

It offers Japanese food lovers their favorite dishes, some with a few twists.

This branch now offers lunch sets which allow diners to enjoy a well-curated set of dishes which include solo servings of a main viand, soup, salad, drink and more all for under Php400. In this way, diners can have a flavorful variety of Japanese dishes while still staying on budget.

While out on field work in the area, my coworkers and I took advantage of these offers by ordering:

Karaage Lunch (Php219). Chicken karaage served with iced coffee, plain rice, pulled pork ramen, two pieces of California Maki and Kani Salad.

Tuna Ahi Poke Lunch (Php269). A yellowfin tuna poke bowl served with iced coffee, miso soup, yakisoba and kani salad.

Chirashi Lunch (Php379). A bowl of chirashi (sushi rice topped with various sliced and chopped sushi flavored with Japanese mayo, wasabi and spring onions) served with iced coffee, miso soup, yakisoba and kani salad.

Aside from these lunch sets, our group’s orders also included:

Seared Tuna Salad (Php315) and Spicy Tuna Salad (Php295). Both prettily served on a specialized bowl which kept the salads cool and the greens crisp.

Karaage Wasabi Mayo (Php195). Japanese-style fried chicken doused with wasabi mayo.

It was a delicious return to an old haunt and I’d love to revisit the place and its specialties again soon!

This Ramen Cool branch is located at 25 East Capitol Drive, Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City, open Sundays to Wednesdays from 11am to 10.30pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 12 midnight. For inquries and reservations, call +63 2 86360972 or +63 2 89984168.

Other branches are located at:

San Lorenzo Village Condominium, San Lorenzo, Makati
Westlife Building, West Avenue, Quezon City

Manam Comfort Filipino, Trinoma

Comfort food are fare that provide the diner with a feeling of consolation or well-being and are oftentimes associated with the food enjoyed at home or during childhood.

While these evoke nostalgia and sentimentality, they also excite the taste buds and stir anticipation.

After a typical morning at the office, my officemates and I opted to get some comfort and good eats at the newly opened branch of Manam in Trinoma.

We were welcomed by Manam’s friendly and accommodating wait staff as well as its well-appointed yet cozy interiors.

Manam was formerly known as NamNam, and it boasts of a menu that offers both the classic renditions as well as fresh twists on Pinoy cuisine.

That day, we feasted on these dishes:

Adobong Kangkong (Php98). Kangkong (water spinach) shoots sauteed in garlic and soy-vinegar.

Gising Gising (Php125). Sigarilyas and kangkong sauteed with pork and chilis in coconut cream and bagoong (shrimp paste).

Pinakbet (Php130). Okra, string beans, eggplant, squash and tomatoes sauteed in with pork bits and shrimp in bagoong.

Mangga at Bagoong (Php140). Sliced green mango and shrimp paste, this combo is famous for that sour-salty dynamic.

Caramelized Patis Wings (Php170). A twist on fried chicken, patis (fish sauce) flavors the zesty wings.

Crunchy Salt and Pepper Squid (Php280). Lightly battered squid pieces tossed in a crunchy mixture of stir-fried garlic and chilis.

House Crispy Sisig (Php398). Ranked as the No. 1 Sisig in Manila for two consecutive years, this dish features chopped pork jowl and cheek served sizzling.

Sinigang na Beef Short Rib and Watermelon (Php775 for family size). The sour broth of the beef sinigang is given a slightly sweet twist with the addition of watermelon.

Bibingka de Leche (Php125). A layer of leche flan (caramel egg custard) tops a pancake-like rice cake.

Kape, Sago at Gulaman (Php105). The samalamig (Filipino version of slushy drink) given a twist with the addition of coffee flavors.

Puto Bumbong with Muscovado Butter (Php80). The classic purple rice cake traditionally steamed in bamboo tubes accompanied by grated cheese, grated coconut and a bar of muscovado-enriched butter.

What a delicious way to get some comfort on a work day!

This branch of Manam Comfort Filipino is located at Ground Floor, Trinoma Mall Garden Wing, Bagong Pag Asa, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 79005750.

Other branches are located at:

Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, Makati
Net Park, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
O Square, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan
South Wing, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay
Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Entertainment City, Paranaque
SM North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
SM City Fairview, Novaliches, Quezon City
Ayala Fairview Terraces, Novaliches, Quezon City

Sourdough Cafe + Deli, Tomas Morato

Sourdough bread is a new food trend that gaining traction in the metro. It is made by fermenting dough using naturally occurring lactobacilli and yeast producing a sour taste compared to breads made with baker’s yeast. It also keeps longer, owing to the lactic acid produced by the lactobacilli.

For the health-conscious, sourdough may be used to improve the quality of gluten-free breads by enhancing their texture, aroma and shelf-life. Its glycemic index is lower than other types of bread which is good news for people watching their sugar intake.

It’s a good thing, then, that a cafe specializing in sourdough recently opened near my workplace.

With such an exciting item in its menu (in fact, the central item in it!) as well poshly designed yet comfy interiors ideal for quiet lunches or intimate dinners tucked away in an office building along Tomas Morato, Sourdough held an irresistible appeal to titas like me.

This is why during one of our lunchbreaks prior to the Christmas break, my co-titas in the office and I decided to have our meal at Sourdough Cafe + Deli.

This tita meal consisted of:

Complimentary Flatbread Slices. Dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar with some parmesan cheese, these gave our tastebuds a good preview of Sourdough’s offerings.

Prosciutto Arugula Flatbread (Php345). Sourdough flatbread topped with marinara sauce, mozarella, arugula leaves and bits of prosciutto.

Pasta Carbonara (Php395). Al dente noodles tossed in a creamy sauce made with eggs, pecorino cheese, parmegianno reggiano, guanciale (Italian cured meat made from pork jowl) and pancetta (Italian salt-cured pork belly).

Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Php295). Four cheeses – gouda, yellow cheddar, mozzarella and grana padano – sandwiched between sourdough bread slices lightly spread with mayo.

Basque Burnt Cheesecake (Php195). Also a trending food item, this cheesecake is an offshoot of Spain’s tarta de queso. Its top appears toasted but the center has a soft custard-y texture. Combined the top’s buttery taste to the tanginess of the cheesecake filling, and you have a winning dessert you would want to taste again and again.

After lunch, we also treated ourselves to Sourdough Cafe’s handcrafted coffee.

Not bad for a bunch of titas out for lunch.

By the way, since wine and titas go together so well, you might want to check out Sourdough Cafe’s unli wine at Php599 per person.

Sourdough Cafe + Deli is located at Ground Floor, JSB Building, 104 Tomas Morato Avenue corner Scout Delagado Street, Tomas Morato, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 85259463 or +64 917 1889463.

2020 Meet Up Meal Deal at Shakeys, Tomas Morato

Think the treats are done just because the holidays are over?

Well, here’s some good news!

You and the gang can come together to enjoy good eats for just Php2,020 thanks to Shakeys’ 2020 Meet Up Meal Deal.

I discovered this great offer together with my office buddies when we went out to lunch.

Truth be told, we were actually supposed to eat at the a newly opened resto nearby but we were told that serving time would take longer than usual. Having meetings or tasks already lined up in the afternoon, we opted to eat somewhere else.

That “somewhere else” turned out to be Shakeys along Tomas Morato.

This branch has transferred from its previous location across the street to this new location which affords it some added floor space and reinvigorated decor for its interiors.

At my coworker’s suggestion, we decided to take advantage of the 2020 Meet Up Meal Deal which allowed us to eat our fill from these Shakeys specialties:

Two Large Thin Crust Pizzas. We opted for Shakeys’ No. 1 flavor, the Manager’s Choice which is loaded with ham, beef, Italian sausage, green bell pepper and onions, and Hawaiian Delight which is topped with ham and – I-don’t-know-why some-people-make-a-big-deal-about-this-and-I-don’t-care – pineapple tidbits.

Two Pasta Platters. We opted for a platter each of Skiletti (spaghetti which was served in a skillet back when I was a kid and I guess the name stuck), and Carbonara Supreme.

Ten Pieces Chicken ‘N Mojos. Crispy and juicy fried chicken paired with Shakeys’ famous mojos – breaded and deep-fried potato slices.

Ten Pieces Mozzarella Sticks. Sticks of mozzarella coated in breading and deep-fried to a a crispy golden brown on the outside and stretchy and melty on the inside.

One Family Tuna Ceasar Salad. Tuna flakes, fresh lettuce, cucumber slices and crunchy croutons tossed in creamy Caesar dressing and topped with grated Cheddar cheese.

One Pitcher of Iced Tea and One Pitcher of Soda.

All these can satisfy the appetite of ten people but since we were only seven in our group, you can imagine how full we were at the end of the meal. We ended up getting the remaining few slices of pizza and a sizeable portion of the carbonara for takeout.

Plus, the 2020 Meet Up Meal Deal comes with some bonuses you can enjoy on your next visit: a free Shakeys SuperCard and Php450 worth of gift vouchers.

Shakeys’ 2020 Meet Up Meal Deal is available in all Shakeys outlets until March 31, 2020. The price is for dine in and carry out only. Add Php100 for delivery.

This Shakeys branch is located at Tomas Morato corner Scout Rallos Street, Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City, open 24/7. For delivery, visit shakeyspizza.ph, or call +63 2 77777777 (landline) or #77777.

A tonkatsu lunch at Fumizen, Tomas Morato

It’s the first working day of the year!

And do you know what I’ve been looking forward to since the day started?

A #happylunch with my office buddies, that’s what!

For today’s foodie adventure, we decided to give the newly opened Japanese restaurant along Sgt. Esguerra Street a try!

Located within walking distance from our office is Fumizen which specializes in premium katsu. It is a local franchisee of a long-established Japanese restaurant which was founded over 40 years ago and patronized by Japanese officials and celebrities.

It has a cozy atmosphere and a minimalist aesthetic with polished wood and gray upholsteried furniture set against clean white walls sparsely decorated with silhouettes of bamboo.

Katsu refers to “cutlet” in Japanese. It is usually a piece of meat coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried to achieve a bright golden color and a crispy outer layer which gives way to tender. juicy and flavorful meat inside.

At Fumizen, diners can enjoy Katsu Sets which consist of a katsu variant plus unlimited rice, miso soup, shredded cabbage and fruit slices. The katsus may be enjoyed by dipping the pieces in Fumizen’s secret katsu sauce, rock salt or the resto’s signature truffle salt.

Our happy lunch at Fumizen included:

Rosu Loin Tonkatsu Set (Php375). This is the richer cut of pork loin owing to a strip of fat along one side.

Hire Tenderloin Tonkatsu Set (Php405). This is the leaner, less fatty cut of pork.

Fumizen also has ongoing Lunchtime Deals that some of my companions availed of. These deals give significant discounts on selected katsu sets such as:

Chicken Karaage Set Meal (Php199 from Php255). Japanese-style fried chicken best dipped (as we’ve discovered) in Japanese mayo with a bit of wasabi.

Menchi Katsu Set (Php199 from Php350). Patties consisting of two-thirds ground pork and one-third ground beef prepared and cooked katsu-style.

The katsus are well-cooked with the panko-breading adhering well and providing a satisfyingly crunchy texture to the meat. I found dipping the katsu in truffle salt winderfully heightens the flavor.

What could use a bit of work is the rice which could be a little stickier to serve as a foil to the katsu.

The wait staff is polite and accommodating but could use some more training on product knowledge.

Still, with the quality and afforadability of Fumizen’s katsu sets, it sure looks like my officemates and I found a new favorite Japanese resto in our area!

Fumizen is located at 34 Sgt. Esguerra Avenue, Bgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 77931894

Lunch Buffet at Vanilla Cafe, Tomas Morato

The Tomas Morato area is definitely a foodie haven. At practically every corner is an old and familiar or a new and exciting food destination, something that will spark a foodie’s curiosity and appetite.

One such destination is Vanilla Cafe along Mother Ignacia Avenue. Formerly known as Vanilla Cupcake Bakery, it has expanded its repertoire from cupcakes and pastries to pastas and classic Filipino food.

Enter its doors and you will be taken to a place of fun and cuteness with pastel-printed walls, plush floral couches and dainty chandeliers.

Guess what: come around lunchtime and you can eat your fill at Vanilla Cafe’s Lunch Buffet where you can enjoy a delightful curation of Vanilla Cafe’s food offerings served with delicate country style flair.

Have a sampling of these dishes:

Prettily prepared canapes and veggie dips.

Freshly made pastas.

Binagoongan and Tinapa Rice.

Classic Pinoy Favorites: Sizzling Tofu, Sizzling Sisig, Bagnet, Fish Sarciado, Chop Suey, Chicken Adobo, and of course, Vanilla Cafe’s famous Kare Kare.

And since there’s always room for dessert, have a cupcake (or two… or more!) because, why not!

This buffet is best enjoyed with pals as a barkada lunch date…

Or as part of a festive celebration!

So check it out: the Premium Lunch Buffet is available at Vanilla Cafe Tomas Morato on weekdays from 11am to 2pm for only Php398 per person (+10% service charge).

This branch also has a Boomin’ Breakfast Buffet available everyday from 7am to 10am at Php228 for adults and Php114 for kids ages four to eleven (plus 10% service charge). Kids below four years old eat for free.

This Vanilla Cafe branch is located along Mother Ignacia Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City, open Sundays to Thursdays from 7.30am to 11pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 7.30pm to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 2 83743783 or +63 918 8264552.

Other branches are located at:

Second Floor, Garden Wing, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City
Second Floor, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari Road, Almanza, Las Pinas City
20 Villamor Street, Lualhati, Baguio, Benguet

Planning a get-together? Why not order one of Vanilla Cafe’s Party trays? Pastas, entrees, salads and rice trays are available for order at any Metro Manila branch.

Maximize your buffet restaurant visit. Read the tips in my buffet survival guide.

Return to my katsu love at Yabu, Ayala Malls Feliz

It’s been some time since I last had a taste of premium tonkatsu. I’ve been craving those flavorful pork cutlets, breaded with panko, deep-fried to a beautiful golden brown and accompanief by fluffy Japanese rice and its own katsu sauce.

But first, how about some trivia about one of my favorite dishes? For example, did you know that…

Katsu is a shortened form of katsuretsu which means “cutlet?”
The dish was introduced in Japan in the 19th century during the Meiji period when the country opened its doors to the West?
At first, beef was used for katsu bit was later eclipsed by pork as the meat of choice by the 1900s, hence the rise of the term tonkatsu with ton referring to pork

Well, what comprises tonkatsu anyway?

You will know that you’re enjoying good quality and authentic tonkatsu when these are present:

Thick cuts of meat. Expect generous cuts of meat of at least 0.75 inches, giving you a viand that’s flavorful and filling.
Premium pork. Only the finest pork from local farmers delivered fresh to the kitchen should be used to ensure meat that’s tender and juicy.
Fresh panko. The panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) that coat the katsu should be freshly made, resulting in long, light and crispy flakes that adhere to the meat and gives a satisfying crunch to the bite.
Heat. The katsu should be cooked at precisely 165 degrees C and allowed to rest properly to help it retain its juiciness and tenderness.
Bright and golden. The resultigg katsu should be served fresh with a bright, golden color and crisp coating.

With these to look forward to, I went to the Yabu House of Katsu branch at Ayala Malls Feliz for lunch for my return to katsu. My solo food adventure was a Hire (Pork Tenderloin) Set (Php375 for 80g) which consisted of a thick and juicy pork cutlet with no fat, plus refillable Yabu staples which include steamed white rice, miso soup, shredded cabbage and fruits.

I also got myself a glass refreshing Ripe Mango Juice (Php125) to go with my katsu meal.

What a happy return to an old favorite!

This Yabu branch is located at Ground Floor, Ayala Malls Feliz, Marcos Highway, Dela Paz, Pasig City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 9pm and Fridays to Sundays from 11am to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 82531746.

Other branches are located at:

Pasig: Ayala Malls the 30th
Quezon City: Robinsons Galleria, UP Town Center, Robinsons Magnolia, Ayala Vertis North, SM North EDSA The Block
Mandaluyong: SM Megamall
Taguig: SM Aura Premier
Makati: Powerplant Mall, Glorietta 2
Manila: Robinsons Place Manila
Muntinlupa: Alabang Town Center
Las Pinas: SM Southmall
Pasay: MOA Main Mall

Peri Peri Charcoal Chicken, SM East Ortigas

After hibernating at home since New Year’s Eve (and eating yummy leftovers!), the fam and I decided to go out for dinner on the second day of 2020.

So off we went to our neighborhood mall, SM City East Ortigas, where, as luck would have it, a new branch of Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken just opened.

Peri-peri (also spelled as piri-piri or pili-pili), is a type of chili that is grown in Southeastern Africa, taking its name from the Swahili term for “pepper.” Also known as the African bird’s eye chili, its cultivation and culinary use was spread by the Portuguese to their Indian territories.

When combined with salt, garlic, lemon, oil and vinegar into a sauce, called the peri-peri sauce, it provides a distinctive flavor to the chicken dish that also bears its name.

Peri-peri Charcoal Chicken prepares its birds by trimming excess fat and marinating for at least a day prior to grilling to achieve that tender and juicy meat that explodes with every bite.

Every order of chicken comes with your choice of mild or spicy sauce. Feel free to ask your server for their recommendation.

For our first dinner out of the year, we feasted on:

Sebastian Salad (Php210). A manifestation of Hubby’s resolution to eat healthier, this salad is made of lettuce greens topped with shredded crabsticks, wedges of hard-boiled egg and cherry tomatoes served with a roasted sesame dressing.

Chicken Group Meal (Php799, good for four persons). A fully loaded meal that includes a whole peri-peri chicken, four bowls of Java rice and four side dishes – we chose coleslaw, corn and carrots and bacon mac ‘n cheese.

Four Cheese Flatbread (Php315 family size). Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken’s version of pizza which my son immediately demanded, because, as everyone knows, he is a pizza monster.

Carafe of Iced Tea (Php130). Eating these flavorful viands work up quite a thirst so we get ourselves a family-sized pitcher of Peri-Peri’s house-blend iced tea.

As the branch is still fairly new, there were some operational hiccups such as the sudden unavailability of hummus (Hubby’s preferred side dish) and some billing concerns which were easily straightened out. That said, our family dinner here was still a yummy start to 2020!

This Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken branch is located at Ground Floor, SM City East Ortigas, Santa Lucia, Pasig City, open daily from 10am to 9pm.

Other branches in Metro Manila may be found at:

Las Pinas: Evia Lifestyle Center
Makati: Ayala North Exchange, Greenbelt 3
Mandaluyong: SM Megamall
Manila: Robinsons Place Manila
Marikina: SM City Marikina
Muntinlupa: Alabang Town Center
Paranaque: Ayala Malls Manila Bay
Pasay: Resorts World Manila
Pasig: Ayala Malls Feliz, Capitol Commons, Robinsons Galleria
Quezon City: Eastwood Mall, Gateway Mall, Robinsons Magnolia, UP Town Center, Tomas Morato, Trinoma Mall, Banawe, Brittany Square
San Juan: Promenade Greenhills
Taguig: Uptown Parade BGC, Market! Market BGC, Venice Grand Mall

J.CO Donuts, SM Megamall

I just love donuts! Those little circles of sweetness and joy never fail to perk up my mood.

That’s why I took advantage of a business meeting in Megamall to drop by one of my favorite donut shops.

J.CO Donuts, a donut brand that hails from Indonesia, continues the trend of offering premium donuts that feature fluffy dough and imaginative toppings.

Take my donuts for example:

J.Club Cheezy Rich (Php45). A donut sandwich that’s made of donut plus cheese, how heavenly can this get?

Alcapone (Php42). I’ve always liked the contrasting textures of the crunchy sliced almonds and the soft airy donut.

And, as if things couldn’t get sweeter, I got a free sugar-glazed donut, thanks to an ongoing promo. Sweet!

Hot Mocha Espresso (Php115). My donuts are best enjoyed with something hot and sweet so I got this mocha espresso for a dose of caffeine with some chocolatey notes.

This J.Co Donuts branch is located at the Upper Ground Floor (outside Building B), SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

Other branches may be found at:

Las Pinas: SM Southmall
Makati: Paseo Center Salcedo Village, Glorietta 2
Manila: HP Village Square Malate, UN Avenue corner Roxas Boulevard, Lucky Chinatown Mall
Muntinlupa: Alabang Town Center
Paranaque: SM City Bicutan, SM City BF Paranaque
Pasay: DoubleDragon Plaza MOA, Blue Bay Walk MOA, North Wing MOA
Pasig: SM City East Ortigas
Quezon City: Eastwood Ave Libis, Robinsons Galleria, SM City Cubao, Shopwise Araneta, Trinoma Mall, UP Town Center, Tomas Morato Avenue, SM City North EDSA, SM City Fairview, Ayala Fairview Terraces
San Juan: Promenade Greenhills
Taguig: Park Triangle BGC, Market! Market! BGC