Gel Jose

Bench Cafe opens newest branch in Trinoma

The clothing brand Bench has been around for as long as I can remember. One of the “proudly Filipino” enterprise success stories, it has been a major player in local fashion and has even expanded its sphere of influence to that of a lifestyle brand with its personal care producrs, skin care services and hair salons.

It even ventured into the food business, notably with the opening of the first branch of its eponymous restaurant Bench Cafe last year.

Fast forward to today and Bench Cafe has already opened its fifth branch at Trinoma Mall in Quezon City. Such speedy growth is proof that its concept of combining traditional and modern takes on Filipino food works and has found its place in Metro Manila’s highly competitive food scene.

The cafe held a special preview for bloggers the day before its Grand Opening. Together with my fellow foodies from #WeLoveToEatPH, I got a taste of how Bench Cafe’s Chef Carlo Miguel melds local flavors together and updates classic Pinoy favorites such as:

Binagoongan Ceasar (Php149). Romaine lettuce with dilis and croutons tossed in a creamy dressing made with bagoong (shrimp paste) and queso de bola.

Tinapa Cones (Php129). Homemade lumpia wrappers formed into crispy cones and filled with tinapa (smoked fish) mousse and salsa.

Gising Gising (Php195). A spicy dish of chopped beans cooked in coconut milk and chilis.

Sisig Skillet (Php249). Pork cheeks and belly cooked in two ways and served topped with calamansi foam.

Fried Chicken (Php480). Whole spring chicken fried to a golden brown with crispy flavorful skin and juicy meat served with a honey patis sauce.

Dancing Fish (Php400). Crispy butterfly tilapia doused in escabeche sauce.

Pancit Guisado (Php239). Stir-fried noodles with shrimp, meat and chopped vegetables.

Silogs (from sinangag or “garlic rice” and itlog “egg”) are breakfast staples for many Filipinos. Bench Cafe serves these with garlic rice, fried egg and homemade atsara. The silog variation we’ve tasted here is the Tendon Silog (Php199) made with melt-in-your-mouth beef tendon in pares sauce.

Bongalmusal (Php349). If you’re ever at a loss on what to have for brekkie, this hyped-up silog meal serves up everything you could want! Spam, US beef tapa, tocino, daing (dried fish) and corned beef. Best of all, this dish is good for two so do share it with someone special.

Bench Cafe also introduced Bench-Tos which are glamourized takes on the fare available at a Pinoy turo-turo. This small roadside eatery is where diners point out the food they want and a serving is placed on their plates. Bench Cafe updates this concept by merging it with the Japanese bento – the chosen viand is served on a tray along with vegetables, homemade salsa and atsara as well as steamed Ifugao rice. Variations of this offering that we tasted include the Bagnet Kare Kare (Php339) which has a rich peanutty sauce that has no need for bagoong to have flavor, and the Inasal Liempo (Php299) which is Bench Cafe’s take on the Visayan grilled pork belly.

To cap out meal, Bench Cafe serves up its own takes on dessert classics with the smooth and creamy leche flan it dubbed Flan B (Php185) topped with macapuno and Classic Turon ala Mode (Php49).

Bench also applied its own twists on the popular dessert called Halo-Halo, which consists of sweetened fruits and other fixings topped with shaved ice and served with milk. Its variations include White (Php85 for 12oz | Php129 for 16oz) made with coconut shaved ice with garbanzos, caramelized banana, leche flan, nata de coco and coconut ice cream; Mango Otap (Php90 for 12oz | Php109 for 16oz), mango shaved ice with crushed otap, mango puree, cream and fresh mango cubes; Ube (Php95 for 12oz | Php149 for 16oz), ube halaya and palm beans added to the White Halo Halo; and Mais con Hielo (Php60 for 12oz | Php100 for 16oz), corn- flavored shaved ice with milk and kernels of sweetcorn.

I had a great time discovering fresh ways to enjoy the food that I grew up with at Bench Cafe.

Many thanks to the management and staff of Bench Cafe for having us and to EJ of #ILoveToEatPH for extending the invitation.

This Bench Cafe branch is located at Ground Floor, MRT Wing, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pagasa, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 9pm.

Other branches are located at:

Second Floor, Bench Flagship Store, Bonifacio High Street, 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Level 2, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Greenbelt, Makati City
Ground Floor, Padre Faura Wing, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila

Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I attended a foodie meetup held here wherein food and drink items were served to allow us to sample the fare. These were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Clutter-free Christmas with Keepr Storage PH

After months of hearing all the popular holiday songs in the malls, Christmas is finally upon us. From securing the best gifts for our loved ones to digging up décor from storage, it can take a lot of work just to bring a touch of Christmas into the home. Luckily, Keepr Storage PH is here to declutter and make more space in your home!

The Hard Work Behind Christmas

There is no denying that a lot of hard work goes into each Christmas celebration. With so much to do on the days leading up to Noche Buena and Christmas Day, the only time to relax is usually at the end of the holiday itself. And this is something very familiar for the family-team behind Keepr Storage PH.

“Christmas is something we look forward to as a family,” shares Jay Buensuceso. “Anna decks out our home with lights and décor, and we’ll have Christmas Jazz and Classics playing through the entire house. We’re building fond memories for our children.”

“I really look at every detail when it comes to the holiday season- from how the house looks on the outside, to every garland we have inside, down to having that pine and mistletoe scent!” adds Keepr Founder, Anna Moncupa. “There are numerous challenges: from clearing out space to make room for decorations, then pulling stuff out of storage, and of course, putting it all together nicely and making it ‘Pinterest-worthy’. Some things stay and some things go, and I used to just stuff everything in a closet or our garage, which of course is basically kalat when not in use.”

Keepr: An Easy Solution to All Our Holiday Storage Needs

Keepr Storage PH is a full-service, storage solution that combines high-level security and strategic logistics into an easy-to-use mobile app. Simply download the Keepr Storage PH app, then schedule the pick-up and delivery of your items from the comfort of your own couch! This Christmas, allow Keepr to help you with all your storage needs. With Keepr’s multiple solutions, you have a safe space to keep time-honored Christmas décor before and after the holidays!

“We want families to have a clutter-free space and really enjoy their homes while making wonderful memories together,” adds Anna Moncupa. “Keepr allows them to safely store their items to create that warm Christmas environment. Even after the holidays, seasonal décor can be safely kept in our warehouse without worrying about deterioration, dust, and of course taking up unnecessary space at home.”

Why let something you use for a month or two take up space in your home all year long? Download Keepr Storage PH now on the App Store and Google Play! Keepr Storage PH provides you with a host of storage solutions combined with real-time and customizable storage management. Prices start at just ₱399.00 a month! Learn more here or call +63-917-KEEPRPH (0917-533-7774)!

Service images and details provided in a recent press release.

El Chupapi, Tomas Morato

The Philippines and Mexico have a lot in common: both colonized by Spain in the 1500s and linked across the seas by the Galleon Trade, linkages in the two countries’ culture and practices are bound to occur.

One such linkage is found in food.

Filipino and Mexican cuisines are both heavily influenced by Spanish culinary traditions but are still grounded on local tastes and ingredients.

It would take only a little leap, then, to add Filipino twists to Mexican food and come up with exotic viands made familiar and palatable to the Pinoy palate. And so we have Fil-Mex cuisine such as the food that can be enjoyed at the recently opened restaurant in Tomas Morato called El Chupapi.

A hole-in-the-wall taqueria along Scout Albano Street, El Chupapi offers a place where workers from nearby offices and local residents can enjoy a quick and easy lunch or some after-hours pica-pica with their favorite cerveza (which usually happens to be San Miguel Beer, and you can’t get any more Pinoy than that, hahaha!).

Step inside and you’ll be welcomed by vibrant colors that characterize Mexican culture, most notably the mural of Santa Muerte that occupy an entire wall.

I’ve experienced both kinds of dining opportunities at El Chupapi: first, when I joined my team mates in a post-work Anti-Burnout get-together; and second, when I grabbed a quick lunch here together with my office buddies.

Among the Fil-Mex dishes I have sampled here are:

Fries Overload (Php180). A mixture of ground beef and melted cheese poured over freshly made French fries. This is great for sharing and mindless munching (like I often do)!

Tacos Locos (Php149 for 2 pieces). My friends and I took advantage of an ongoing Booky Buy One Get One deal for these meaty and cheese hard-shell tacos so we got four tacos for the price of two.

Salmon and Cream Cheese Aioli Soft Tacos (Php175). Two pieces of pan-seared salmon fillets on top of shredded cabbage and onions, doused with garlic mayo to be rolled inside a lightly toasted tortilla.

Chicken Wings (Php195 for 6 pieces | Php360 for 12 pieces). Tender and juicy chicken wings flavored with your choice among four sauces: Mango Habanero, Garlic Parmesan, Salted Egg and Mexican Barbecue. Thanks to a lucky decision to have lunch here on a Wingsday Wednesday, my friends and I got twelve pieces of El Chupapi’s wings (6 pieces Garlic Parmesa and 6 pieces Mexican Barbecue) for just Php195. These go so well with steamed rice.

Dessert Quesas (Php180 each). Sweet takes on the classic quesadilla – Blueberry Cream Cheese and Himalayan Salted Caramel (which was quite salty) – topped with a hefty dollop of vanilla ice cream. Both serve as great bookends to a satisfying Fil-Mex meal.

My friends and I are quite satisfied with our El Chupapi experiences in terms of the quality of food and pricing. I also appreciate its Buy One Get One offers that help more people enjoy its offerings without being to heavy on the wallet.

So, how about popping by in Tomas Morato and giving this Fil-Mex resto a try?

El Chupapi is located at No. 7 Scout Albano Street, South Triangle, Quezon City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 11am to 11pm.

Jack’s Lemonade, Ayala Malls Feliz

I’ve been a been a believer in the health benefits of fresh lemonade for quite some time now.

However, I also used to think that it’s a one-dimensional drink: just lemon juice plus water and sugar… the end. It may be healthy but it’s, well, meh.

My eyes were opened to the drink’s myriad of possibilities when I was introduced to Jack’s Fresh Lemonade earlier this year.

During a foodie meetup at its kiosk in UP Town Center, my fellow foodie friends and I discovered many ways to enjoy lemonade. In fact, Jack’s Fresh Lemonade has thirty lemonade variants to choose from! Whether mixed with teas, herbs or fruits or made into a dessert, Jack’s Lemonade proved to be quite a versatile drink.

Aside from its homecooked sugar syrup, what sets Jack’s Lemonade apart from other lemonade iterations is the use of plum salt or kiamoy. It’s a salty dried plum in powdered form which adds another dimension of taste to the lemonade drinks. It’s readily available at the counter and can be sprinkled on any Jack’s Lemonade drink for free.

Recently, I attended another Jack’s Fresh Lemonade foodie meetup, this time at Food Choices in Ayala Malls Feliz.

There, along with my fellow foodies, I again had a taste of Jack’s Lemonade’s refreshingly tasty and zesty variants which included:

Basil Rich Tamarind (Php95 for regular | Php115 for large or hot). This lemonade incorporates a healthy blend of fresh tamarind puree and basil seeds.

Strawberry Mint (Php95 for regular | Php115 for large or hot). This lemonade combines the fruity sweetness of pureed strawberries and the cool freshness of mint leaves.

Lemon Cheesecake (Php95 for regular | Php115 for large or hot). If you ever wondered if lemonade can be turned into a dessert, well this drink is for you! This drink combines lemonade with powdered milk, condensed milk and grated cheddar cheese and a generous sprinkling of plum salt.

Strawberry Cheesecake with Poppers and Yogurt (Php150). One of the store’s newest drinks, it adds fresh strawberry puree and yogurt to the Lemon Cheesecake drink.

So if you want to experience lemonade in a variety of fresh ways, all you have to do is drop by your nearest Jack’s Fresh Lemonade kiosk!

Many thanks to Abby of Jack’s Fresh Lemonade for the drinks and to Apol of SaanSaPH for extending the invitation!

Wanna know how fresh lemonade is good for you? Well, this beverage helps in controlling blood pressure; detoxifying and cleansing the body; facilitating digestion, throat care, heart health and skin care; relieving heartburn; whitening teeth and treating arthritis and rheumatism.

This Jack’s Fresh Lemonade kiosk is located at Food Choices, Fourth Floor, Ayala Malls Feliz, Barangay Dela Paz, Pasig City.

Other kiosks in Metro Manila are located at:

Fifth Floor, Bridgeway, SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Lower Ground Level, Shangri-la Plaza, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Second Floor, Market! Market! Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Cinema Area, Third Floor, Phase 2, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Upper Ground Floor, Trinoma Mall, Barangay Bagong Pagasa, Quezon City
Third Floor, Glorietta 2, Ayala Center, Makati City

Disclosure: Together with fellow food bloggers, I attended a foodie meetup held here. The drinks mentioned here were served to enable us to sample the fare and to facilitate honest reviews and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out my previous blog posts on other lemonade kiosks:

Jelly G Thai Milk Tea, Ayala Malls Feliz

While Taiwan-style milk tea joints are popping up all over the metro, the Thailand-style milk tea is quietly building its base of aficionados.

Thai Milk Tea is easily recognizable due to its bright orange hue and distinct flavor brought about by the use of assam black tea, star anise and tamarind.

Jelly G Thai Milk Tea has been around since 2010, making it one of the pioneers in the country’s Thai Milk Tea category.

Serving authentic Thai milk tea steeped in small batches everyday from all-imported ingredients, Jelly G adds many fresh twists to the drink and introducing Pinoy milk tea drinkers to fresh and novel ways to enjoy their favorite beverage.

Thai milk tea also helps in delaying aging, improving digestion and fighting infection. So by treating your taste buds to these delish milky drinks, you’re also treating the rest of your body to some much-needed nutrients.

Together with my fellow foodies, I recently visited its Ayala Malls Feliz branch where I was able to sample some of its best-selling drinks, which include:

Cheesy Thai Milk Tea with Grass Jelly (Php125 regular | Php155 medium). A creamy foam tops a basic Thai milk tea with some grated cheese added to introduce some saltiness to the sweet drink. Instead of tapioca pearls, grass jelly, an antioxidant that aids in is added to the drink for some texture.

Pink Sala with Cream Cheese, Poppers and Pearls (Php160 regular | Php205 large). A fruity drink made from sala (a type of palm native to Thailand), black tea and brown sugar with strawberry poppers and pearls added in.

Oreo Coffee with Grass Jelly (Php135 regular | Php165 large). Made with strong freshly brewed arabica coffee mixed with condensed milk and topped with crushed Oreos. This is sure to appeal to both coffee and dessert-drink lovers.

Matcha with Grass Jelly. Made from powdered tea leaves, this has a rich herby taste and creamy texture that is well complemented by the grass jelly.

Now we know where to get a taste of authentic Thai milk teas!

Many thanks to Abby of Jelly G for the drinks and to Apol of SaanSaPH for extending the invitation!

This Jelly G Thai Milk Tea kiosk is located at Cinema Level, Fifth Floor, Ayala Malls Feliz, Dela Paz, Pasig City.

Other kiosks may be found at:

Food Choices, Second Floor, Main Mall, Ayala Malls Circuit, Carmona, Makati City
Third Floor, Market! Market!, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Ground Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City

No time to drop by a Jelly G kiosk? Have your Thai milk tea delivered to you via Grab delivery! Get a discount on your first GrabFood order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

Check out my reviews of other milk tea joints:

Two takes on beef shawarma at Sultan Mediterranean Grill, Kapitolyo

You’re familiar with the shawarma, right?

This Middle Eastern dish consists of meat shaved into thin slices and stacked vertically on top of each other and roasted on a slowly turning rotisserie. As the surface cooks, slices are further shaved off it and minced finely.

In fact, the name “shawarma” is an Arabic rendering of the Turkish cevirme or “turning” which refers to the turning rotisserie.

While the roasting of meat on a horizontal spit has been around probably since the first humans decided to use fire to cook meat, the practice of roasting vertically stacked meat that has been seasoned and marinated, and cutting slices off the outer layer as it cooks first appeared in Turkey during the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century in the form of the doner kebab.

This became the blueprint for similar Middle Eastern dishes such as the Greek gyros and the shawarma.

Recently, my daughter #ExhibitA and I decided have dinner while we wait for the traffic jams on our way home ease. We passed by the Brixton branch of Sultan Mediterranean Grill and decided to pass the time here.

Ever since I had my first taste of what Sultan Mediterranean Grill has to offer, I’ve been hankering to go back and experience it all over again.

This Kapitolyo branch is a bit smaller than its Makati counterpart but it also features the clean modern interiors with some Middle Eastern design elements such as tiles with geometric patterns and shelves lined with spice jars. The place has a cozy yet lively feel to it, with many patrons settling in comfortably in groups to chat as they eat their meal.

We started off with some warm pita bread which we dipped in Sultan’s Signature Hummus (Php130) which is a housemade dip made from chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, lemon and garlic all blended together.

Our cravings seemingly aligned for our impromptu dinner date because we ordered two variations on the beef shawarma.

Mine was the more traditional version of the Beef Shawarma (Php160), with meat served along with sliced cucumbers, onions and tomatoes and wrapped in a warm pita bread. I also added Cheese (Php30), simply because I’m a cheese lover.

#ExhibitA’s order, on the other hand, was the Beef Shawarma Rice (Php230), wherein the meat was served on a bowl of buttered rice.

Both variants feature Sultan’s signature beef shawarma, flavored with the restaurant’s secret blend of seasonings to produce tender and flavorful meat.

The beef shawarma was a kind of comfort food for us: filling yet not heavy on the tummy, and flavorfully exotic yet uncomplicated to eat.

We’d both love to come back and see what other exciting dishes await us on our next food adventure here.

This Sultan Mediterranean Grill is located at Victoria Plaza, No. 1 Brixton Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig City, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 83504300.

Other branches are located at:

The Corner Market, Second Floor, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Valero Plaza Condominium, San Agustin Street, Salcedo Village, Makati

Get up to 50% off the your bill when you book your table at Sultan Mediterranean Grill via Eatigo, a restaurant reservation app that offers time-based discounts everyday in its 2,000 partner restaurants. Use this link when you register and get rewards points that you can redeem for gift vouchers and restaurant freebies.

Check out my reviews of other restaurants serving Mediterranean dishes:

Cherry blossoms and tea at Sakura Hanami, Maginhawa

If you ever felt the need to flee from the hustle and bustle of the metro and escape to Japan so you can be surrounded by cheery cherry blossoms, well, here’s the next best thing: a tea sojourn at Sakura Hanami in the foodie haven area of Maginhawa.

Sakura refers to the cherry blossoms in Japan that come into full bloom in the spring. Considered as Japan’s national flower, the cherry blossom has come to symbolize a time of renewal and the fleeting nature of life.

Hanami, on the other hand, translates to “watching blossoms.” It is the tradition that grew out of the practice of holding parties amd get-togethers under cherry blossoms in full bloom.

Sakura Hanami seeks to recreate the experience of tea drinking under cherry blossoms. From the cherry blossoms that adorn its ceiling and walls, to its dainty tea sets and furniture, as well as its kawaii-themed merchandise and curios, Sakura Hanami aims to evoke a feeling of life in full bloom.

During a recent visit to this tea shop together with fellow bloggers, I discovered that even Sakura Hanami’s concoctions are unique and meticulously designed to give homage to the culture that inspired its name.

Check them out and see which one fits your mood today:

Blooming Ethereal Flower Tea (Php195). A hot tea infused with edible flowers which you can sweeten with honey according to your preference. It’s perfect for the times you want to pretend you’re a geisha performing an intricate tea ceremony.

Cherry Blossom Fizz Tea (Php115 regular | Php155 large | Php175 extra large). A clear, mikdly sweet and refreshing soda drink with some fizz and edible flowers.

Hanami Dream Tea (Php105 regular | Php175 large | Php195 extra large). A drink that bursting with color and flavor, especially with those yogurt pearls.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Milk Tea (Php115 regular | Php155 large | Php175 extra large). A drink that incorporates the richness and dessert quality of red velvet cheesecake into a drink.

Lava Pearl Latte (Php99 regular | Php140 large | Php180 extra large). A milky concoction that incorporates pearls cooked in rich brown sugar.

Matcha Creme Milk Tea (Php115 regular | Php175 large | Php195 extra large). For matcha lovers out there, this is the drink that will sate your craving.

Pink Rose Milk Tea (Php105 regular | Php155 large | Php175 extra large). Premium black tea infused young rose buds and a splash of rich creamy milk.

Sakura Signature Bubble Tea (Php99 regular | Php140 large | Php180 extra large). The store’s premium black tea accompanied by its signature black pearls.

White Sakura Milk Tea (Php105 regular | Php175 large | Php195 extra large). A light cherry blossom white tea which is heavenly when combined with delicate sakura pudding.

These drinks just go to show that the peace and joy that cherry blossoms bring can be experienced even by those stuck in the metro. All they have to do is find the time to drop by Sakura Hanami.

Many thanks to the crew of Sakura Hanami for the delish drinks and to Midz of GastronomidaPH for extending the invitation!

This Sakura Hanami branch is located at 168 Maginhawa Street, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 12 midnight.

Another branch is located at 1021 P. Ocampo corner Arellano, Sampaloc, Manila.

No time to visit the stores? Have your drink delivered to you via GrabFood! Get a discount on your first GrabFood order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

Disclosure: Together with fellow food bloggers, I attended a foodie meetup held in this restaurant. Food and drink items mentioned here were served to enable us to sample the fare to facilitate honest reviews and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out my reviews of other milk tea joints:

Have #YourDailyBird at Chicka Chicka Chicken House, Libis

Sped away from your desk for your precious lunchtime? Out for dinner with the fam? Or just looking for somewhere to sate your craving for grilled chicken?

Well, if you’re in the Libis area in between Pasig and Quezon City, you’re in for a treat because there’s a new chicken joint in town!

LA-born and raised Matt Fong decided to bring his restaurant business know-how to the Philippines. With his wife’s family owning a poultry business, he figured that it was only logical that he start a chicken restaurant.

And so, earlier this month, Chicka Chicka Chicken House opened its doors at Robinsons Zeta Tower in Bridgetowne Business Center to bring to the metro’s hungry denizens the best grilled chicken in town, and affordably priced too!

Chicka Chicka Chicken House, Bridgetowne

Chicka Chicka’s grilled chicken’s taste and pricing definitely make it #YourDailyBird.

Case in point: for just Php160, you can satisfy your lunch craving with a Breast + Wing or a Leg + Thigh with White Rice and Drink.

Add Php20 and you can enjoy your chicken meal with a tasty side dish such as a Macaroni Salad or my new favorite Cream Corn which has a bit of a spicy kick to it.

If you prefer wings, eat your heart out for just Php140 with 2-pc Wings with White Rice, 1 Side and Drink.

No worries if you’re in the midst of #PetsaDePeligro: you can just opt for one of Chicka Chicka’s Daily deals such as a 1pc Leg + White Rice combo for Php80, a 1pc Thigh + White Rice combo for Php90, or the resto’s version of the chicken lumpia, the 2-pc Chicka’n Rolls + White Rice combo for Php65.

The grilled chicken pieces are flavorful enough in themselves. However, you can also choose among four sauces – honey mustard, garlic pepper, chili chili or classic chicka – to add a tasty twist to every bite.

Want something quick and cheap for breakfast before heading off to the office? How about warming your tummy with a steaming bowl of Arroz Caldo (Php70) made more flavorful by its broth made from chicken bones, a tasty bowl of Chicken Pares (Php65), or a filling bowl of Chicka Chicken Rice (Php110)? Add Php20 to enjoy these Chicka-Chicka Bowls with a drink or a side dish.

If you want to snack on something during the workday, you can go the healthy route with a Chicken Salad Bowl (Php135) or indulge yourself with some Loaded Fries (Php90 for regular | Php120 for large).

Going as a group? Get a Chicka Bundle (Php775) and feast on a whole chicken, 2 white rice, 2 large fries, 1 large side and 4 drinks.

No time to drop by the store? Well have your chicken meal delivered via Grab, quick and easy! Get a discount on your first food order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

Plus, Chicka Chicka’s offerings all come with an Always Fresh Guarantee. Since all the chickens are sourced from their family’s farms outside the metro, and all the chicken are marinated, brined and grilled in small batches on-site by Chicka Chicka’s in-house chefs without the use of pre-mixes, MSG or preservatives, Matt and his crew can guarantee diners a fresh and tasty chicken meal.

I may have just found my new favorite chicken place.

Many thanks to Matt and his team at Chicka Chicka Chicken House for the wonderful meal and to James of Recommend Eat for extending the invitation!

Chicka Chicka Chicken House is located at the Ground Floor, Robinsons Zeta Tower, Bridgetowne Business Center, Libis, Quezon City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 10am to 11pm. For inquiries, call +63 2 77522927 or +63 917 1763026.

Disclosure: Together with fellow foodies, I attended a good tasting held in this establishment wherein the items mentioned above were served to enable us to sample the fare to facilitate an honest review and were not paid for by the participants including myself.

Teals & Tea Cafe, Santa Lucia

If we ever need proof that the milk tea craze is stronger than ever, we only need to look at the number of tea shops sprouting all over the metro, and not just in malls, mind you, but also in middle class neighborhoods such as mine.

As of my last reckoning, both entrances to my subdivision have a combined milk tea establishment count of eight.

One of these neighborhood milk tea joints is Teals & Tea Cafe.

Situated at the former location of my daughter #ExhibitA’s preschool, it stands out from the other milk tea joints in the neighborhood by having an actual teal-colored sit-in cafe. (Yep, the color theme is reminiscent of a Tiffany box.)

Here, milk tea lovers can hang out as they enjoy their tea-based concoctions in a comfortable and Instagrammable location.

#ExhibitA has been keen to try this place out for several weeks now so, recently, we dropped by this store while we were on out way home.

Teals & Tea’s drinks are all freshly made from brewed tea leaves (no powders here). My daughter and I brought these home as our milk tea treat.

Milk Teas with Black Pearls.

Classic Milk Tea (Php68 for 16oz | Php78 for 22oz). For my yaya.

Rocky Road Milk Tea (Php78 for 16oz | Php88 for 22oz). For my little boy #ExhibitB.

Milk Teas with Black Pearl and Cheese Mousse.

Hokkaido Milk Tea (Php98 for 16oz | Php108 for 22oz). For #ExhibitB.

Salted Caramel (Php98 for 16oz | Php108 for 22oz). For me.

I’m glad that my kids and I have more choices whenever we’re struck with a craving for milk tea!

Teals & Tea Cafe is located at No. 1 Sampaguita Street, De Castro Subdivision, Sta. Lucia, Pasig City.

Check out my reviews of other milk tea joints:

PhilPop partners with NQC on Quincentennial Celebration

As part of the multiple celebrations commemorating an important milestone in Philippine and global history, the National Quincentennial Committee (NQC) partners with PhilPop to mount music events and activities that mark the 500th anniversary of Victory of Mactan in 2021.

Under the partnership agreement, the country’s premier songwriting competition will be the screening committee responsible for curating a 9-track compilation album that pays tribute to the triumph of Lapulapu in the famous Battle of Mactan.

Underrated gems

Instead of relying on star power and mega-hits, Dinah Remolacio, the Executive Director of PhilPop highlights the importance of empowering underrated musical talents from all over the country whose artistic blueprint and songwriting talent stand out from the ordinary. “With guidance from our distinguished crop of industry professionals and award-winning mentors, this year’s selection strikes a balance between theme and form. I’m proud to say that the compilation record serves its function in discovering the future of homegrown music.”

National Artist and PhilPop Music Fest Foundation Board Member and Bootcamp Master Ryan Cayabyab feels the same way about the songwriters and interpreters behind the compilation record. “It’s an honor to discover promising new acts who are capable of writing compositions that could impact people’s lives. Not only are they defying and challenging trends; these songwriters are also finding ways to develop their own artistic stamp while making sure that the material adheres to specific requirements of NQC in terms of content and vision.”

As an esteemed institution that provides a world-class and sustainable songwriting curriculum, PhilPop has handpicked eight songs from the PhilPop Bootcamp 2019 that it hosted on various venues such as Batangas, Tagum and Lingayen. The final song, which will be a collaboration among PhilPop coaches, will be launched soon.

“PhilPop was one of the institutions that came to mind when asked who we want to work with in producing the Quincentennial songs,” says NQC Head of Secretariat Ian Alfonso. “This time, we want to come up with a streaming playlist that best represents the collective musical taste of this generation, while also taking into consideration the Filipino-ness of pop music and the celebration of the quincentennial.”

Future plans

Aside from the National Quincentennial Commemorations Playlist which will be out on streaming and digital platforms soon, NQC and PhilPop is currently looking into producing music shows and concerts as part of its efforts to promote the 500 years of achievement in circumnavigating the planet for the first time. “One of the objectives of the National Quincentennial Committee is to have multi-disciplinary activities, and to have PhilPop among our partners is also a way of support to OPM industry,” Alfonso points out.

Alfonso recently shared the partnership’s plans to join the international community in celebrating a 500-day countdown to the Victory of Mactan in Lapulapu City, Davao City and Manila. “As we approach 2021, expect activities that will elevate public’s interest to the World our ancestors had, debunking misconceptions and myths that they were savages and uncivilized. Our very own Lapulapu will be the heart of the celebration, for he was among the rallying Symbol which Rizal and the heroes of the Philippine Revolution evoked as our nation was being founded in 1898.”

PhilPop Bootcamp 2019 is an initiative of the PhilPop Music Foundation, chaired by Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan. This year’s PhilPop boot camp is co-presented by Maynilad and Meralco with Smart as a major sponsor.

Event details provided in a recent press release.