Gel Jose

Affordable Japanese Meals To Go at Izakaya Flame, BGC

Personally, I consider my weekday lunch hour sacred. It cuts right at the half of my work day, giving me a few precious minutes of respite from daily grind, so I can escape into my next foodie adventure before I get back to work in the afternoon, refreshed and energized.

It also serves as time for bonding with work colleagues who also happen to be good friends. Our brief #HappyLunch outings give us an opportunity to catch up and relate with each other, not as coworkers, but as friends, fellow parents or just fellow nerds. 🙂

Central to our #HappyLunch experience is the discovery of good food – discoveries that become our new favorite places. Sometimes, during weekends, we find ourselves taking our families and friends to the places we discovered during our lunchtime jaunts.

Sometimes though, morning meetings spill over to lunch time, or a report needs to be submitted at precisely 1.30pm. During times like these, when we can’t go out, can #HappyLunch adventures still be possible?

Fortunately for corporate denizens of Bonifacio Global City (commonly referred to as BGC :-)), Izakaya Flame recently launched a line of affordable rice meals exclusively for takeout. Dubbed as Power Meals to Go, the line is comprised of five tasty yet fuss-free Japanese viands packed with premium Japanese rice. They are served in microwaveable (and reusable!) plastic containers for easy reheating.

These include:

Gyoza (Php109)

Dory (Php119)

Tori Karaage (Php129)

Pork (Php139)

Katsudon (Php149)

Izayaki Flames’ Power Meals to Go are an excellent option for those who are craving for their Japanese food favorites but are not able to dine at the restaurant. That’s such as shame as the restaurant’s swanky premises sure are easy on the eyes. For those who can, I do recommend to visit the resto to take in the novel experience that it has to offer.

Building on the concept of izakaya – a type of informal Japanese pub where people can enjoy small-sized meals together with a drink – it has a modern Asian-inspired decor and both table, bar, and outdoor seating to cater to the diners’ preference. The bar, in particular, is where the teppan is masterfully prepared right in front of dinners by a trained cook.

Among the tasty representatives of Japanese izakaya cuisine you can sink your teeth into are:

Spicy Beef Roll (Php245)

Takoyaki (Php95)

Beef Teppanyaki (Php305)

Ice Cream Tempura (Php125)

Plus, watch out for a fusion of Japanese and Pinoy flavors: the Dulong Maki.

Izakaya Flame innovates on classic Japanese flavors and brings them to lovers of Japanese food to be enjoyed whether inside or outside the restaurant. Well, I know what I’m going for the next time I’m in a meeting that spills over to lunch at BGC. I know I can still have a #HappyLunch with Izakaya’s Power Meals to Go. 🙂

Izakaya Flame is located at the Fourth Floor of the Uptown Place Mall, 36th Street corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. It is open daily from 10am to 10pm. For queries and reservations, call +63 916 2519922.

Disclosure: I attended the Bloggers’ Day held at Izakaya Flame. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

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New Cheesy Doughnut at Krispy Kreme, Rockwell Business Center

There’s something about the combo of sweet and salty: these flavors tend to provide a god counterbalance to each other, giving the taste buds an interesting sense of contrasts. A great salty element to add to most sweets is cheese as can be seen in one of Krispy Kreme’s newest offerings: the Cheese Ring Filled Doughnut.

Imagine Krispy Kreme’s signature Original Glazed Doughnut but with a melted cheese filling that oozes out whenever you bit into it. The sweetness of the fluffy doughnut and the richness of the gooey melted Cheddar cheese, especially with the Hot Chocolate I ordered with it. just gave me a warm happy buzz.

I bought a Half-Dozen Original Glazed Doughnuts to bring home to Hubby and the kiddies, but this cheesy sweet treat is just for me (#SorryNotSorry).

This delightful doughnut break took place at the Krispy Kreme branch located at the Ground Floor, Tower 1, Rockwell Business Centre, Ugong, Pasig City. As it is just a few steps away from the Medical City, I was able to drop by and enjoy some quiet time after running some errands. The store is open to serve the office workers in the Rockwell Business Center as well as the visitors of Medical City 24 hours from Mondays to Fridays, and 7am to 12mn on Saturdays. The seating area inside is quite limited but people can opt to sit outside and enjoy the park-like view.

Do try this new sweet treat from Krispy Kreme!

A Matcha Treat at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Tomas Morato

The last among The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s limited-edition matcha line that I tried is the Matcha Affogato.

On one of my lunchbreaks, I headed on to the CBTL branch in nearby M Place along Mother Ignacia Avenue to try it out. This branch offers coffee and tea addicts like me a place where they can relax and just hang out while getting our caffeine fix. Its open concept layout and floor-to-ceiling glass windows give the place a bright and airy feel that provides an interesting contrast to the vibe provided by dark wood furniture and colorful accents.

Did you know that CBTL invented Ice Blended drinks over 20 years ago? In 1987, an employee brought a blender to the Westwood, LA store and mixed together ice, coffee extract and chocolate powder. This paved the way for countless coffee lovers to enjoy their favorite drink cold.

This new addition to CBTL’s Ice Blended drinks, the Matcha Affogato (price starts at Php185), basically brings a caffeine, dessert and matcha fix in one delicious concoction. With the addition of frothy cream and a shot of espresso to its Matcha Green Tea Ice Blended drink, CBTL serves up an energy boost from the caffeine and the sugar rush. The icy drink also provides a welcome refreshment during the hot midday.

While my favorite among the three new drinks in the matcha line is the Matcha Raspberry Latte, the Matcha Affogato Ice Blended still is a welcome addition to the arsenal of icy drinks that I can beat the heat with.

This Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf branch is located at M Place, Panay Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City and is open daily from 6.30am to 1am. For queries, call +63 2 7539372.

For more details on Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s limited edition matcha line, visit CBTL’s website, Facebook and Instagram pages.

Disclosure: I was provided promo codes that I can present to CBTL branches so I can sample the featured drinks for free.

Luxurious Buffet Lunch at HEAT, EDSA Shangri-La

HEAT (Healthy Eating, Amazing Tastes) serves a showcase of the hotel’s Asian and continental culinary specialties. It long had the cachet of having delicious and beautifully presented dishes amidst an elegant dining environment.

As a special treat for my mom on her birthday, I decided to take her to a buffet lunch at HEAT. Fortunately, I was able to book our table via Eatigo weeks ago, which gave us a 50% discount on the food bill. Our booking was scheduled at 2pm but the buffet closes at 2.30pm. Fortunately, we arrived at 1.45pm and the hostesses allowed us to come into the restaurant and dine earlier, thereby giving us more time to select our food and eat our fill.

The trick we try to follow when eating at buffets is to make a beeline for our favorites as well as the dishes we don’t get to eat frequently. We also do not linger on carbs that will make us feel full. Thus, among the kitchen stations we headed straight to were:

The Cheese, Bread and Cold Cuts Station. This station showcased a range of cheeses from mildly- to strong-flavored, savory spreads, as well as wraps and handmade breads from the pastry kitchen.

The Japanese Station. A showcase of sushis, sashimis and tempuras. Unfortunately, my favorite salmon sashimi was not available.

The Carving Station. We were able to get generous slices of prime beef rib, cooked to medium doneness, made even more flavorful by its well-marbled fat. We also sampled the Salmon en Croute, delicious salmon wrapped in flaky puff pastry.

The Western Station. This features an array of Mediterranean and continental main courses, of which the Greek Lamb Moussaka offered the most exotic taste.

The Filipino Station. This showcases traditional favorites, of which we selected the lechon. Sadly though, the lechon skin was not as crispy as we preferred.

The Dessert Station. Being a sugarholic, the highlight of my dining experience is no doubt the dessert station. Here, all manner of treats from cakes, tarts, creams and more from EDSA Shangri-La’s pastry kitchen to satisfy one’s sweet tooth abound. Standouts include the nutty chocolate bark, the tiramisu, the pecan tarts, the raspberry panna cotta, the flourless charcoal truffles (which stained our teeth black, hehehe), and the Orange Cardamon Gateux.

We also washed our meal down with a Passionata and Dalandan Lemonades.

Considering the sheer quantity and variety of food, the elegant and well-appointed surroundings, the warm service of the wait staff, and the sizeable discount of the buffet bill, my birthday treat for my mom was happy indeed.

She is already planning to ask my dad to take her here for Lobster Night, hehehe!

Heat is located at lobby level of the EDSA Shangri-La Manila, 1 Garden Way, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City and is open daily from 6am to 12mn. For reservations, call +63 2 6338888.

Regular Buffet Rates:

Breakfast (6am to 10.30am | Mondays to Saturdays): Php1,985
Lunch (12nn to 2.30pm | Mondays to Saturdays): Php1,985
Lunch (12nn to 2.30pm | Sundays): Php2,400
Lunch (12nn to 2.30pm | Sundays with overflowing beer and soda): Php3,275
Dinner (6pm to 10.30pm | Mondays to Thursdays, Sundays): Php2.425
Dinner (6pm to 10.30pm | Fridays to Saturdays): Php2,715 (Mad for Lobster Night on Fridays and Wagyu Night on Saturdays)

Speakeasy-type bar scene at Don’t Tell, Tomas Morato

Don’t Tell is a bar tucked away in a building along with other dining establishments along Scout Rallos Street in foodie-friendly Tomas Morato area. Taking its cue from Prohibition Era speakeasies in the US, this bar serves as a haven for young professionals, a place where they can unwind after their work day or party it up during the weekend to hip-hop and R&B tunes.

Together with fellow Zomato foodies, I was invited to its exclusive #KeepItHush party where we were treated to free-flowing drinks along with performances from celebrity DJs.

The free-flowing drinks consisted of one’s choice between Jack Daniels whiskey or vodka, with option to add either Coke or Sprite. I then opted to sample a Jack-with-Coke and, the drink I used to have during my college days, Vodka with Sprite. And since I’m in a bar, I thought I might as well order my favorite drink: so I got myself a shot of Bailey’s as well. 🙂

The bar chow that we ordered were pretty standard and were served immediately:

Chicken Tenders (Php299). Chicken tenders glazed in a spicy sauce.

Truffle and Parmesan Fries (Php289). Large wedges of fried potatoes seasoned with truffle oil and parmesan crumbs.

Chili Beef and Cheese Nachos (Php450). Crisp nacho chips topped with jalapenos, chili beef, shredded lettuce and salsa.

Beef and Mushroom Salpicao (Php389). Beef tenderloin and button mushrooms sauteed with garlic confit in olive oil.

I had to pull a “ninja move” and disappear before the party really got going as this bar scene, with the constant music and dim lighting, isn’t really my thing. However, those who like to party will surely appreciate the youthful energy of the place.

As for me, I got some good chow and a couple of great photo opps, so I’m not really complaining. 🙂

Disclosure: Together with other Zomato foodies, I was invited to attend a party held in this bar. The food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself. The exception to these are the Chicken Tenders and Bailey’s shot which I paid for.

HBO Original Documentary “Jane Fonda in Five Acts” to premiere September 25 on HBO Go

Girl next door, sex kitten, activist, fitness tycoon: Oscar-winner Jane Fonda has lived a life marked by controversy, tragedy and transformation, and she’s done it all in the public eye. Directed and produced by award-winning documentarian Susan Lacy, JANE FONDA IN FIVE ACTS, an intimate look at her singular journey, premieres in Asia the same time as the U.S. on Tuesday, September 25 at 8am, exclusively on HBO GO.

Jane Fonda has been vilified as Hanoi Jane, lusted after as Barbarella and heralded as a beacon of the women’s movement. This film goes to the heart of who she really is, a blend of deep vulnerability, magnetism, naiveté and bravery, revealing a life transformed over time.

The documentary draws on 21 hours of interviews with Fonda, who speaks candidly about her life and her missteps. She explores the pain of her mother’s suicide, her father’s emotional unavailability, 30 years of an eating disorder and three marriages to highly visible, yet diametrically opposed, men. JANE FONDA IN FIVE ACTS also includes interviews with family and friends, as well as rare home movies and verité footage of the 80-year-old Fonda’s busy life today at, as she puts it, “the beginning of my last act.”

Where “girls” of her generation were raised to be passive and compliant, Fonda has always seemed like very much “her own woman.” But her memories reveal the extent to which she was defined and controlled by the desires, ambitions, and fortunes of the powerful men in her life, and how much her own secret insecurities, unresolved anxieties and impulsive actions often prevented her from being the person she aspired to be.

Featuring interviews with Robert Redford, Lily Tomlin, producer Paula Weinstein and former spouses Tom Hayden and Ted Turner, among others, the first four acts of Fonda’s life are named after the four men who shared – and hugely influenced – her personal and professional ambitions. The fifth act is named after Fonda herself, as she finally confronts her demons, reconnects with her family and resumes a successful career as both an actress and an activist, entirely on her own terms.

Fonda recalls growing up “in the shadow of a national monument” in the form of her father, Henry. One of the most beloved actors of his time, the elder Fonda was a distant father in private, neglecting his family and having an affair while her mother descended into mental anguish that led to tragedy.

Fonda’s name and good looks brought her modeling gigs and a chance to study acting with Lee Strasberg, but “it never felt real,” she recalls. She impulsively went to France to experience the cinematic revolution of the French New Wave, and married director Roger Vadim, agreeing to live a “heady and hedonistic” life and reluctantly allowing herself to become a sex object with films like “Barbarella.”

Fonda’s proximity to leftist politics in Paris inspired an awakening about America’s role in Vietnam. Despite being a new mother, she threw herself into anti-war activism, eventually earning the nickname “Hanoi Jane” and a place in the crosshairs of the Nixon administration, and meeting her second husband, activist and organiser Tom Hayden.

“I’m proud of most of what I did,” Fonda recalls of the period when she became a divisive political figure, “but very sorry for some of what I did.” While her acting career soared in films like “Klute” and “Coming Home,” she lived a deliberately stripped-down life with Hayden and their son, Troy Garity (who recalls the family arriving at the Oscars in a station wagon), funneling just as much energy into Hayden’s career and ambitions as her own. She produced an exercise video to raise money for their political work, only to see “Jane Fonda’s Workout” become the best-selling home video to date.

With a newfound sense of purpose, Fonda began to confront her chronic discontent, leaving Hayden, going “cold turkey” on a lifelong eating disorder, learning more about her mother’s life and death and fostering an emotionally creative reunion with her father on the film “On Golden Pond.” Buoyed by the affection of third husband, billionaire mogul Ted Turner, she went into semi-retirement, until she recognised that she still had more to contribute and finally struck out on her own.

Today, still challenging herself creatively and still active politically, Jane Fonda continues to demonstrate that there is no limit to the possibilities in a life full of self-determination, honesty and hard work.

Susan Lacy is the creator and former executive producer of the celebrated WNET series “American Masters,” which is shown on PBS in the US. She has won countless awards, and has produced and directed a broad library of acclaimed films exploring the lives of America’s most enduring cultural icons. Her previous HBO documentary, “Spielberg,” debuted on the network in October 2017 and was recently nominated for an Emmy® in the category of Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.

HBO Documentary Films presents a Pentimento production; produced and directed by Susan Lacy; produced by Emma Pildes and Jessica Levin; edited by Benjamin Gray; co-edited by Kris Liem; director of photography, Sam Painter; music by Paul Cantelon.

Show details and image provided by HBO in a recent press release.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

Check out my posts on other HBO shows:

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Want to check out some of Jane Fonda’s impressive filmography? Check out these movies on Amazon Prime video. Watch them and more with a 30-day free trial.

Agnes of God (1985). Fonda plays psychiatrist Dr. Martha Linvingstone who has to uncover hidden aspects of a young nun’s personality.

On Golden Pond (1981). Fonda plays the estranged daughter to her real-life father Henry Fonda.

A Vietnamese Experience at Saigon Corner, Tomas Morato

Saigon Corner is a newly opened restaurant situated at the corner of Esguerra Street and Eugenio Lopez Drive within the vicinity of foodie-friendly Tomas Morato.

It has a bright and airy interiors, helped by floor-to-ceiling windows that let in lots of natural light. Various design elements and bric-a-bracs serve to bring the feel of Vietnam to diners such as straw-covered walls, colorful shelvings, and even a vintage bike!

Vietnamese cuisine is characterized by fresh ingredients, aromatics and balances of various flavors. It is also heavily influenced by its local terrain that sustains bountiful harvests of rice, coconuts, jackfruit and herbs; the cuisines of its neighboring countries particularly China that brought stir-fries and noodles; as well as influences from its colonizer, France, that contributed the baguette to the Vietnamese banh mi and meat broth to the pho.

These flavors and influences came into play when I brought a friend over to try out Saigon Corners offerings. We split a hearty and healthy lunch which consisted of:

Goi Cuon | Summer Rolls (Php135). Fresh rolls filled with pork, shrimp and lettuce, accompanied by a peanut sauce. Vegetable rolls are usually the first course of a typical Vietnamese meal.

Banh Mi Thit | Traditional Banh Mi (Php185). The Vietnamese took the French baguette and made it their own by adding to the usual cold cuts and mayo/butter spread the distinct flavors of local ingredients such as cilantro, chilis, daikons, carrots and cucumbers.

Pho Bo | Beef Brisket Noodle (Php265). The pho is the soul of Vietnamese cuisine. Some say that when the French colonizers slaughtered cattle to feed their appetite for steak, Vietnamese cooks resourcefully took the scraps and other rejected bits to add protein to the pho. This pho consists of a flat noodle soup with bits of beef and other flavorings such as star anise, cardamon and cinnamon bark, among others.

Banh Da Lon | Scotch Brite Panna Cotta (Php100 for 3 pieces). I did a double take when I read the name of this dessert. Come to think of it, it does look like a Scotch Brite scouring pad. It is a steamed layer cake that has a sticky and chewy texure and tastes slightly of pandan.

And since I took advantage of a Metrodeal offer which gave me Php500 worth of food for only Php299, we were able to get a significant discount on our bill!

It was a filling lunch that also transported us to Vietnam, thanks to fresh flavors of the food and the friendly assistance of the wait staff. In fact, they let me while away the waiting time for our meal by playing around the place!

Saigon Corner is located at 40 Sgt. Esguerra Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City, open Sundays to Thursdays from 11am to 11pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 3680795 or +63 998 8491763.

It also delivers via Honestbee! Register using this referral link and get Php500 off for a minimum spend of Php2,500.

Check out my review of another taste of Vietnam nearby: Banh Mi Kitchen in M Place.

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Want to prepare Vietnamese dishes at home? Check out these books from Amazon.com.

Eat Real Vietnamese Food: A Step By Step Guide to the Classic Cuisine of Vietnam. With over ninety delicious, classical Vietnamese recipes, some of which may not be available elsewhere as Vietnamese chefs are notoriously secretive concerning their recipes, readers are treated to clear, easy to follow, illustrated step-by-step directions as well as the historical background of the dish.

Lemongrass, Ginger and Mint Vietnamese Cookbook: Classic Vietnamese Street Food Made at Home. From phở and spring rolls to bánh mì and rice porridge, authentic Vietnamese food is as rich as the culture from which it comes―and replicating these dishes at home is easier than you might think! With the clear-cut guidance in this Vietnamese cookbook, you’ll enjoy cooking Vietnamese food just as much as you enjoy eating it.

Vietnamese Home Cooking. In his eagerly awaited first cookbook, award-winning chef Charles Phan from San Francisco’s Slanted Door restaurant introduces traditional Vietnamese cooking to home cooks by focusing on fundamental techniques and ingredients

Want to try some recipes today? There’s no need to leave home to shop for ingredients. With Honestbee, just order your groceries online and you’ll get them delivered right at your doorstep at your preferred time. Use this referral link to sign up to Honestbee and get Php500 off for a minimum spend of Php2,500. You can download the Honestbee app on iTunes or Google Play.

If you’re in the US and an Amazon Prime member, sign up for a free trial of Amazon Fresh to get your groceries delivered to you.

Stylish and tasty burgers at Pound by Todd English, Eastwood City

While most of the burgers I encounter tend to be on the laidback and downhome in terms of ingredients and aesthetics, every once in a while, I get to encounter a few of these which are more of the trendy and stylish variety.

The burgers in Pound by Todd English are of the latter kind.

An offshoot of the burger station of the Todd English Food Hall in Bonifacio Global City, Pound by Todd English, follows brings a simple menu of reasonably priced burger hits that are sure to interest burger enthusiasts out there, while offering a cozy and stylish nook in which to indulge their burger cravings.

Its branch in Eastwood City Mall, in particular, follows the Prohibition Era aesthetics of of its other branches. Distressed white bricks on the walls provide a gorgeous backdrop to dark brown-upholstered seats, marble-topped tables and brass mugs. Copper lanterns and tea lights provide warm lighting for the diners and the food masterfully presented in wooden trays.

Hubby recommended going to Pound by Todd English branch for dinner during our family #Saturdate at Eastwood City with #ExhibitA, having already tried out its MOA branch with his officemates.

Our stylish burger dinner consisted of:

Onion Cube (Php90). Crispy battered onion rings shaped into an Instagram-friendly cube.

Amsterdam Burger (Php280). Pound’s house ground beef patty accompanied by fried onions, pastrami, Gruyere cheese, sauerkraut, mustard relish and T.E. Sauce.

Portobello Mushroom Sliders (Php280). Juicy mushrooms accompanied by caramelized onions, fried onions, lettuce, tomato and cilantro aioli. I don’t usually go for a resto’s vegetarian options but I found this quite flavorful and quite a welcome break from the heavier meals I’ve been indulging in lately.

Backyard Double Cheeseburger (Php380). Two ground beef patties accompanied by cheddar cheese, crisp iceberg lettuce, tomato and onion.

All the burgers were sandwiched inside Pound’s lightly toasted, soft burger buns which were marked with the resto’s signature pound sign (or should I say hashtag sign?). 🙂

I wouldn’t mind returning to get myself more of these luxe burgers.

This Pound by Todd English branch is located at the 2nd Floor, Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 10pm.

Other branches are located at:

B3, Bonifacio High Street, 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
2nd Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Ground Floor, Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
Level 1, Ayala Malls Vertis North, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila
Corte de Las Palmas, AlabangTown Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City

Matcha Good Time at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, SM East Ortigas

Matcha seems to be one of the trendy food items these days. A fine green tea powder, it was originally produced and consumed in Japan. A BBC Good Food article even relates that matcha was used by Buddhist monks to help them stay calm and alert during meditation. Its health benefits are well-known too; its bright green color comes from high levels of chlorophyll produced when the tea leaves were initially grown in the shade, a process that also boosts antioxidants.

Today, matcha flavors a lot of trendy foods – from mochi balls to ice cream. To satisfy the matcha cravings of its avid coffee fans, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf recently introduced three new matcha-flavored drinks, two of which I was able to sample together with my daughter, #ExhibitA, during a visit to the nearby CBTL branch in SM East Ortigas. This is thanks to a batch of promo codes I was given to try the drinks out. 🙂

Since I want my post-dinner coffee drink hot, I ordered a Matcha Macchiato (price starts at Php155). It is a blend of matcha green tea, steamed milk and espresso that features the richness of the macchiato with the herby taste of the matcha.

As #ExhibitA needs her beauty sleep in preparation for her exam the next day, she opted for the decaf among the new match drinks: an Ice Blended Matcha Raspberry (price starts at Php185). In this drink, the sweet fruity taste of raspberry serves as a foil to the earthy taste of the matcha.

The drinks were served promptly by the servers and my daughter and I were able to while away the post-dinner hours in peace and quiet in CBTL’s sprawling and well-appointed store.

I look forward to trying out the third matcha-flavored drink: the Matcha Affogato (price starts at Php185). It is CBTL’s classic Matcha Green Tea Ice Blended drink combined with cream and a shot of espresso.

This Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf branch is located at Ground Floor, Main Atrium, SM City East Ortigas, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Santa Lucia, Pasig City and is open daily from 10am to 10pm. For queries, call +63 2 6356715.

For more details on Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s limited edition matcha line, visit CBTL’s website, Facebook and Instagram pages.

Disclosure: I was provided promo codes that I can present to CBTL branches so I can sample the featured drinks for free.

A quiet place to work and eat (and even study!): Quarks & Quills, Banawe

Technology has enabled many changes to the way we work: with mobile devices, wireless data access and internet-enabled communications and file-sharing applications, we now have the option to work outside our offices. In fact, doing so might even make us more productive: it takes us away from the stress of commuting and a lot of workplace distractions.

However, when working from home is not an option, remote workers are faced with a conundrum: where to work in comfort and still be productive? And for foodies like me, where to get good food to fuel the day’s work.

Fortunately, Quarks & Quills Study Center and Work Cafe offers both a quiet and comfy space to work, as well as healthy comfort food to keep tummies satisfied.

Located in one of the suburbs of Quezon City, the cafe boasts of quiet and cozy nooks for studying or working, free WiFi access, as well as power outlets for charging laptops and mobile devices (essential for the “always-on, always-connected” peeps like me).

It also has function rooms upstairs for group meetings that can be reserved for a consumable amount (Php800 for up to 6 people and Php1,500 for up to 20 people). Reservations just need to be made a day in advance.

It also offers after-school tutorial services and enrichment programs in Math, Science and English for students. Those who want to learn Chinese can benefit from Mandarin and Fookien held upstairs.

And thanks to a Zomato Foodie Meetup, I was able to sample its homey and hearty food offerings, of which I recommend:

Monte Cristo (Php125). French toasted sandwiched with a hearty filling of cheese and homemade ham.

Tinapa Wontons (Php105). Smoked fish flakes in wonton wrappers fried to a crispy golden brown and accompanied by a Spicy Tamarind Vinaigrette.

Gyoza (Php105). Dumplings filled with minced pork and aromatics which are steamed then seared for a crisp bottom.

Breakfast Bubble Waffle Set (Php195). Unusually styled (bubble!) waffles served with slices of homemade ham and scrambled eggs.

Its versions of Omurice, the fusion of omelettes and fried rice, also pack quite a punch: the Pork Katsu (Php195) with its fork tender pork bites drenched in tonkatsu sauce and the Miso Salmon (Php255) with flavorful salmon pieces drenched in the resto’s signature Miso glaze. These would go a long way towards satiating a hungry worker or student.

Sisig Silog (Php150). The combo of the slightly spicy sisig, egg and fried rice make for an energizing meal.

For those who brought a big appetite, the best bets this resto has to offer are its Executive Meals: the BSS Pork Chop (Php335) – BSS means Big, Soft and Savory, by the way!) – and the Angus Hanger Steak (opening promo price of Php388). Both are quite good bargains considering the portion sizes, althought I would suggest specifying that the steak be cooked medium instead of well done.

If you’re carbo-loading, you have quite a number of options among its pasta dishes: from its Creamy Alfredo (Php180), Fresh Tomato Pomodoro (Php190) and Fusili Pesto (Php205), all of which come with a cheesy twisty sourdough bread stick.

You can also cap off your meal or gift your family for special occasions with the resto’s decadent sweet treats that come in slices and whole cakes. These include the Triple Chocolate Mousse (Php110 for slice | Php880 for whole) and Mango Graham Cake (Php135 for slice | Php1,050 for whole).

You can also opt for a S’mores Bubble Waffle (Php140). Apparently, at Quarks & Quills, the usual grid-style waffle is so basic. 🙂 This comes with some toasted mallows, a big dollop of vanilla ice cream and drizzles of rich chocolate syrup.

Now, how to wash all those goodies down? I chose a light yet creamy Hot Jasmine Milk Tea (Php70), which I messed up during prep, hehehe!

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How I failed at preparing my #jasminemilktea. Thanks for taking the video @rockyrhodz21!. . . . . . #drinkstagram #drinkersofinstagram #drinkpic #drinksmnl #drinksome #drinkstime #drinkspecials #drinksofig

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Sep 14, 2018 at 5:50am PDT

I’m also intrigued by the Hot Chocolate (Php80) which involves pouring the hot chocolate over a grid of solidified chocolate and toasted mallows.

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#HotChocolate makes any day a holiday. Especially if served with flair such as this concoction at @quarksandquills. . . . . . . #drinkstagram #drinkersofinstagram #drinkpic #drinksmnl #drinksome #drinkstime . . . . . . Follow me on IG/FB: @beingjellybeans. And do check out my blogs beingjellybeans.wordpress.com (for #foodiefinds, updates on #TVshows and #movies, and #fictionbook reviews) and thelearneratlarge.wordpress.com (for #businessbook reviews, #motivationalquotes and #trainingtips).

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Sep 15, 2018 at 3:54am PDT

Whether you’re here to study, work or just go on a gastronomic adventure, Quarks and Quills definitely has something for you. My only beef is the resto’s exhaust that didn’t quite accommodate all the smoke from the cooking that’s going on. Still, all the food and drink options will make your visit worth it.

And guess what! You can book a table at Quarks & Quills via Eatigo and enjoy 20% off your food bill. Not yet on Eatigo? Sign up here, book your table and attend your booking before January 31, 2019 for a chance to get Php500 Eatigo cash voucher.

Quarks & Quills is located at 43-H N. Roxas corner Apo Streets, Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City and is open every day from 7am to 11pm. For queries and reservations, call +63 908 3719060, +63 956 0998913 or +63 2 8719502.

Disclosure: Together with other Zomato foodies, I was invited to attend a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.