Eat – Page 107 – Jellybeans in the City

Sisig your heart out at Sisig Society, Fisher Mall

The Sisig. (bow)

It is a traditional Kapampangan dish made from parts of pig head and chicken liver – the livestock parts that are normally left behind by mainstream diners. Well, at least before this dish became popular.

It is a testament to the Pinoy cook’s ingenuity that meat from seemingly unpalatable animal are made into a savory and scrumptious dish.

Sisig Society – the establishment behind the cheekily controversial sisig lip balm – has made it its mission to proclaim the glories of this dish beyond the token inclusion in a Filipino restaurant’s menu.

To this end, the resto has crafted several ways to enjoy sisig which my officemates and I were able to sample during one of lunchtime forays using the GCs I received from Sisig Society. These sisig meals are served sizzling, together with rice, egg and sinigang soup.

These include:

Classic Pork (Php179 for solo | Php275 for sharing). The sisig that’s dear and familiar, with tender pork cheeks, crunchy bits of chicharon, caramelized onions and flavored with Sisig Society’s secret sauce.

Bacon and Cheese Chicken (Php179 for solo | Php275 for sharing). Chicken bits cooked sisig-style together with bacon pieces, sprinkled with grated cheese and a cheddar cheese sauce. Cheese, for me, is always a good bet; however, I found this dish just a tad too salty for me.

Suman Turon Ala Mode (Php89). The classic rice delicacies wrapped in lumpia wrapper, fried to a crisp golden brown, drizzled with mango puree then topped with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. This sweet treat is a great counter-balance for the salty-savory sisig variants we tried.

So the next time you have a craving for sisig, why don’t you drop by your nearest Sisig Society branch and get a taste of the dish from the resto that knows and loves it best?

This Sisig Society branch is located at Third Floor, Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue, Del Monte. Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 11pm. For inquiries, call +63 908 4693015.

Other outlets are located at:

East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Food Gallery, Third Floor, Ali Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Ayala Malls Marikina, Liwasang Kalayaan, Marikina Heights, Marikina City
Unit 12, The Fort Strip, 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Ground Floor, One World Square, Ma

East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Food Gallery, Third Floor, Ali Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City,

Calle Bistro, Ground Floor, Ever Gotesco Mall, Commonwealth Avenue, Old Balara, Quezon City

Ground Floor, One World Square, McKinley Hill, Taguig

Third Floor, Circuit Lane, Ayala Malls Circuit, Olympia, Makati

Ground Floor, Dela Rosa Carpark 2, Legaspi Village, Makati

Ground Floor, Fisher Mall, Navotas-Caloocan Junction, Longos, Malabon City

Disclosure: Part of this meal is sponsored by Sisig Society through gift certificates I received prior to the visit. The remaining balance of the bill was paid for.

Unli Premium Korean BBQ at Muhan Samgyupsal, Greenhills

My love affair with Korean BBQ has already spanned more than a decade and I welcome every chance to enjoy it, especially with my family in tow. Really, what’s not to love about it? Sizzling strips of tender beef or pork cooked right before our eyes, a proliferation of side dishes (called banchan) to munch on while the meat is cooking, the interplay of tastes from the meat wrapped in crisp lettuce accompanied by the complexly flavored ssamjang paste.

This past week, I was quite fortunate to try out one of the newer entrants among Korean barbecue restaurants: Muhan Samgyupsal.

This resto is situated in a newer buildings along Ortigas Avenue in the Greenhills area, and it boasts of ample parking space as well as expansive and well-appointed interiors.

As I have come to expect in all Korean barbecue joints, this branch of Muhan Samgyeopsal is equipped with exhausts to suck the smoke from the meats cooking on the table-top grills.

Its menu is refreshingly simple but packed with value. The choices consist of:

UNLI 1 (Php369/person for lunch available from 11am to 3pm and Php399/person for dinner available from 3pm to 2am): unlimited refills of 5 kinds of pork barbecue

UNLI 2 (Php399/person for lunch available from 11am to 3pm and Php449/person for dinner available from 3pm to 2am): unlimited refills of 5 kinds of pork barbecue and 3 kinds of beef.

UNLI 3 (Php449/person for lunch available from 11am to 3pm and Php499/person for dinner available from 3pm to 2am)): unlimited refills of 5 kinds of pork barbecue, 3 kinds of beef and shabu-shabu.

All these come with soup, unlimited banchans and steamed egg.

Plus, the resto currently runs a Lunchtime discount promo wherein a group of four diners get to enjoy, not just the discounted pricing on the Unli sets, but also a free 1.5 liter Coke. Now, isn’t that a great combination?

The fam opted for Unli 2 so we were able to enjoy various options of marinated and unmarinated pork and beef. Granted, our tastes veer towards the unmarinated kind.

The premiumness of the meat cuts was apparent in their flavor, juiciness and tenderness, which, together with the clean and comfortable surroundings and the warm and friendly assistance from the wait staff, makes the price of the menu items so worth it.

We all enjoyed our first dining experience at Muhan Samgyeopsal and we look forward to our next visit.

This Muhan Samgyupsal branch is located at the Ground Floor, Eton Square Building, Ortigas Avenue, Greenhills, San Juan, open daily from 11am to 2am. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 956 3912240.

Other branches are located at:

Second Floor, One Archers Place, Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila (Tel: +63 2 7175627)
830 Padre Noval Street, Sampaloc, Manila (Tel : +63 955 4957585)

Disclosure: Part of this family lunch is sponsored by Muhan Samgyupsal through free Unlimited Meals good for two people, the balance of which was paid for.

Barkada-oke at Padi’s Point, Antipolo

Have you ever had the urge to take a break from your busy work schedule and just break out into song? (Well, I have. Lots of times, in fact.)

Well, at Padi’s Point, Upper Antipolo, you can do just that and more with your closest buddies (who hopefully won’t judge you) in comfort (and more importantly, in privacy), thanks to the BKDA-OKE Room at this branch.

As the name implies, this room is best enjoyed by a group of friends singing to their favorite karaoke numbers.

One of Japan’s greatest contributions to the world, in my opinion at least, karaoke has surprising health benefits. Singing for recreation makes you feel lighter and less anxious, thanks to endorphins (the “happy” hormones) released when you participate in a fun activity.

Karaoke also helps you express your emotions. Those with pent-up frustrations can belt out Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” or Disney’s “Let It Go” to get that feeling of empowerment. If you want to pay tribute to your Significant Other, go right ahead with Stephen Bishop’s Classic “It Might Be You,” or grieve over a lost love with Adelle’s “Hello.” (But whatever you do, don’t sing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” at least not in the Philippines, ok?)

Singing karaoke also gives you the opportunity to improve your breathing. You hold yourself a little straighter (improving your posture), exercise the muscles in your diaphragm and abdominals as well as utilize more of your lungs.

In between renditions of your favored ditties, why not chow down some of Padi’s Point’s signature dishes such as the onesincluded in the Videoke Package 1 (Php1,599) which were served to our group? Check them out:

Fried Shrimp Crackers and Nacho Chips and Cheese. My favorite chows for mindless eating: kropek and nachos!

Sizzling Sisig and Sizzling Tofu. Enjoy them separately, or as Chef Jocen of BoodlebearPH suggests, mix ’em together for a new take on the Pinoy classic tokwa’t baboy.

Building up the courage to bust out your tunes and moves? Work up your confidence with two of Padi’s Points Cocktail Towers that also come with the package.

So the next chance you get, grab your gang and head off to Padi’s Point for a great rockin’ time.

This Padi’s Point branch is located at L Sumulong Memorial Circle, Dalig, Upper Antipolo, Rizal, open daily from 6am to 4am. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 6953207.

Other branches are located at:

Alpha D Compound, Sumulong Highway, Santa Cruz, Lower Antipolo, Rizal
Ground Floor, Century Imperial Suites, South Triangle, Quezon City
Second Floor, SKY Garden, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Coliseum Center, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City
Third Floor, Femar Arcade Philcoa, 34 Masaya Street, Diliman, Quezon City
375 Quirino Highway corner Tandang Sora Avenue, Sangandaan, Quezon City
Robinsons Nova Market, Quirono Highway, Novaliches, Quezon City
Exterior Second Floor, Star Mall EDSA-Shaw Boulevard, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong
Gil Puyat Avenue, Libertad, Pasay City
Second Floor, Empire Center EDSA Mall, Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, Libertad, Pasay
463 Remedios Street, Malate, Manila
A.H. Lacson Avenue across SM San Lazaro, Santa Cruz, Manila
Second Floor, The Grandz Commercial Center, MacArthur Highway, South Caloocan, Caloocan City
The Grills, Yellow Building Filinvest, South Station, Filinvest City, Muntinlupa
Alabang-Zapote Road, Pamplona, Las Pinas

Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Enjoy a sunset feast at Padi’s Point, Antipolo

“Sunsets are proof that, no matter what happens, everyday can end beautifully.”

– Kristen Butler

The original Padi’s Point along Sumulong Highway in Antipolo is known for its magnificent sunset views. It has long been considered a landmark in the area, with families, barkadas or even couples, making the trek up from all over the city to this restaurant to enjoy the chill ambiance, the homegrown food served here and, of course, the amazing scenery.

Recently, my friends from #WeLoveToEatPH visited this restaurant to sate our hunger after a rousing game at Lazer Maxx. After shedding our battle mode, we were in the mood to chill and eat our fill.

So how did we chill?

We amused ourselves by taking in the amazing view. Lit by bright sunlight, the greens and colors from nearby vegetation were made more intense against the wide vista of the metro. Lit by a softer light at the golden hour, however, the same view became gorgeous silhouettes of trees against a gorgeous sunset.

And with what did we eat our fill?

Well, Padi’s Point offers a wide array of homegrown dishes that are best enjoyed family style. These include appetizers like Cheesy Cheese Sticks (Php190) and Nacho Grande (Php399), merienda staples such as Pancit Canton (Php160) and Mexican Pizza (Php310), and classic main dishes such as Padi’s Original Sisig (Php299) , Sinigang na Baboy (Php270) and Crispy Pata (Php699).

And since we’re a big group with jumbo-sized appetites after our adventures earlier in the day, you better believe we went for jumbo-sized bundle meals such as the Barkada Supreme (Php850) – classic finger-foods such as onion rings, cheese sticks, french fries, chicken nuggets and mushroom poppers – and the Barrio Feast (Php1,150) – fried and grilled dishes that include tilapia, chicken, pork, bangus, liempo and squid.

Also taking center stage are the Tropical Threesome: Boracay Chill, Palawan Chill and Miami Chill, cocktail drinks at Php150 each that combine icy fruitiness with a slight kick of alcohol. As their names imply, these drinks are great for chilling and relaxing.

Want to have a chill sesh with the fam or your buddies? Do chase the sunset at Padi’s Point and feast on great Pinoy food. It will surely be worth the trip.

This Padi’s Point branch is located at Alpha D Compound, Sumulong Highway, Santa Cruz, Lower Antipolo, Rizal, open daily for 24 hours. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 3443028.

Other branches are located at:

Ground Floor, Century Imperial Suites, South Triangle, Quezon City

Second Floor, SKY Garden, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City

Ground Floor, Coliseum Center, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City

Third Floor, Femar Arcade Philcoa, 34 Masaya Street, Diliman, Quezon City

375 Quirino Highway corner Tandang Sora Avenue, Sangandaan, Quezon City

Robinsons Nova Market, Quirono Highway, Novaliches, Quezon City

Exterior Second Floor, Star Mall EDSA-Shaw Boulevard, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong

Gil Puyat Avenue, Libertad, Pasay City

Second Floor, Empire Center EDSA Mall, Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, Libertad, Pasay

463 Remedios Street, Malate, Manila

A.H. Lacson Avenue across SM San Lazaro, Santa Cruz, Manila

Second Floor, The Grandz Commercial Center, MacArthur Highway, South Caloocan, Caloocan City

The Grills, Yellow Building Filinvest, South Station, Filinvest City, Muntinlupa
Alabang-Zapote Road, Pamplona, Las Pinas

The Tita’s Guide to having a blast at Walrus, Katipunan

Admit it: we women past a certain age do have some limitations on what we can subject our body and our consciousness to on a typical night out.

Gone are the days when we can party until dawn, dance to reverberating music, drink until we’re wasted or whatever the young ‘uns are doing nowadays.

Nope, we #TitasOfManila are happy to sit in comfort in well-lit, well-ventilated restos, sipping our favorite teas or even wines, animatedly chatting with our girls.

You wouldn’t think that us titas will be caught dead hanging out at Walrus, would you?

Walrus Fil-Mex Cantina, that mecca where young college girls and boys can congregate and enjoy affordably priced and imaginatively prepared Mexican-Filipino dishes, is something outside the tita‘s comfort zone.

Or is it?

Read on, dearies. Here’s how you can survive, nay, own a night out at Walrus:

One: Dress light and stay cool.

Leave the blazers at the office and the wool scarves at home. There’s no air-conditioning here so it would be best to dress as light as possible and order a cool drink as soon as you arrive.

Two: Leave the car at home.

Parking is at a premium so save yourself the stress of driving and looking for parking space. Just book yourself a Grab Car going to and from the place. This way, you can indulge in some beers or cocktails with no worries.

Three: Let them hear the song of our people.

Don’t be afraid to request for your favorite songs from the DJ. Whether it be the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe,” Los Lobos’ “Macarena,” or Next’s “Too Close,” feel free to sing or dance along.

Who knows? You might catch some of the young ‘uns singing and dancing along, too. (A testament to remarkable taste in music, if so.)

Four: Forget counting calories.

Both Mexican and Filipino food are heavily influenced by Spanish cuisine, and are known for heartiness and flavor. It would be a shame if your diet will make you miss out on these affordable and tasty treats:

Sisig Nachos Locos (Php130). Heated tortilla chips smothered in melted cheese and spicy sisig.

Walrus Famous Chicken Skin (Php80). Crunchy and savory deep-fried chicken skin. You’ll keep reaching for more.

Chicken and Sisig Thrilla in Quesadilla (Php130 and Php120, respectively). Craving for cheese? Satisfy that hunger with these quesadillas.

Beef and Chicken Tacos of the Town (Php140 and Php130, respectively). Warm tortilla folded over cheese and sauteed beef or chicken.

Kare-Kare Fab-burrito (Php170). This hearty Mexican roll with that meaty and peanut-ty rice filling is all you need to satisfy your hunger.

Five: Quench your thirst.

With these sultry summer nights, you’ll need ice-cold drinks to cool you down. Check out Walrus’ beverage options:

Mad Amigo (Php80). Fruity apple plus rum. How could you go wrong with that?

Strawberry Fields Forever (Php250). A tall pitcher of strawberry and basil with a slight kick.

Horchata (Php60). Not feeling like imbibing alcohol? Try this intriguing concoction made of rice milk and flavored by vanilla and cinnamon.

Six: Have fun with your friends.

Aside from good food, a great time is assured by great company. So make Walrus the venue of your next #TitaConference. Show them young ‘uns how titas get down!

Walrus Fil-Mex Cantina is located at 3rd Floor, 318-A Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 11am to 2am. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 917 5931630.

Did you know you can buy two drinks and get the same two drinks for free at Walrus through Zomato Gold? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

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

Ramsbury Single Estate holds cocktail competition at Brewery at the Palace

Eight bespoke cocktails, four mixologists from the metro’s top bars, two signature spirits.

Last Wednesday, April 3, it all came down to this as Ramsbury Single Estate held a cocktail competition among four finalists, the winner of which will become the next Ramsbury Filipino Ambassador.

Together with my fellow foodies from #WeLoveToEatPH, I joined in on the fun and sampled the featured drinks.

Ramsbury Single Estate spirits hail from the open country and expansive rolling fields of the Northeast Wilshire, West Berkshire and North Hampshire in England. It is a land blessed with fertile wheat fields and chalk-filtered stream waters which are essential to distilling Ramsbury’s gin and vodka, an offshoot of its expertise in brewing beer and ale. Ramsbury also boasts of sustainable practices which include using a biomass boiler fed its own forest to produce heat for its distillery, filtering its waste water through a reed bed system that protect wildlife habitats and feeding its livestock with bi-products from its distillery.

Aside from showcasing the talent and artistry of the participating mixologists, the competition also displayed the flavors and versatility of Ramsbury Single Estate spirits. Each mixologist was tasked to create two drinks: one that incorporates Ramsbury Gin and another that incorporates Ramsbury Vodka.

Ramsbury Single Estate Cocktail Competition, Brewery at the Palace

These resulted to wondrous combinations of flavors and surprising ingredients as the mixologists presented their cocktail ouvres:

Ralph Allen Santos of Nokal

Martina, made with Ramsbury Vodka, pineapple vermouth, chocolate bitters and smoke with sun-dried pineapple leaves

Pharmaceutical Gimlet, made with Ramsbury Gin, Moringa pineapple cordial, fresh lime juice and malunggay leaves

Ian James Osillo of Mandalay

Julieta, made with Ramsbury Gin, white wine, freh lemon juice, maraschino liqueur, agave syrup, olive brine and (would you believe!) CO2.

Romeo, made with Ramsbury Vodka, cold brew syrup, Kahlua, cynar, orange-infused whipped cream float and grated dark peppermint chocolate

Claude Ansell Delima of The Gilarmi Lounge

Paraiso, made with Ramsbury Gin, dill syrup, red bell pepper infused vodka, sonic water and rose aromatic air

Ayala Martini, made with Ramsbury Vodka, Chamboro, roast pork pan drippings dry vermouth fat wash and chocolate bitters

Ruwi Buenaventura of Versus Barcade

Sip and Tell, made with Ramsbury Gin, juices of lemon and passionfruit, mango puree, Bianco Ambrato and mango tinture, garnished with a dehydrated lemon and with the glass rimmed with green mango peel and bagoong salt

Natsu, made with Ramsbury Vodka, lime juice, pipe syrup, pineapple reduction, Aperol and chocolate bitters and garnished with a dehydrated pineapple peanut

Among the vodka-based drinks, my favorite was Ian James Osillo’s Romeo. It is the closest to a dessert cocktail among the drinks and incorporates cream, chocolates and coffee flavors.

Among the gin-based drinks, I was leaning towards Ruwi Buenaventura’s Sip and Tell: I found the fruity drink flavors’ contrast with the Bagoong Salt garnish surprising and memorable.

However, the public has spoken that night and Nokal’s Ralph Allen Santos emerged the winner and the new Ramsbury Filipino Ambassador.

Congratulations to Ralph and other other participating mixologists for their display of creativity and fun while preparing the drinks.

Before I forget: you do know you shouldn’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach, right? Fortunately, we were served with yummy and filling finger-foods – pizza slices, sausages and meat skewers – catered by The Brewery at the Palace prior to the start of the competition.

The event was fun and exciting, a great way for lovers of food and drink to come together.

Thanks to Ms. Alma Cala of BC Marketing Concepts, Boozy.PH and #WeLoveToEatPH for the invite.

The Brewery at the Palace is located at 9th Avenue corner 36th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, open Mondays to Thursdays from 3pm to 2am and Fridays to Saturdays from 3pm to 4am. For inquiries, call +63 917 5073442.

Did You Know: When you dine in at The Brewery at the Palace, you can actually get some of the dishes for free because it is a Zomato Gold partner restaurant.

Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks.

Breakfast treats 24/7 at Cafe Tribu, Kamuning

We keep hearing that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The wholesome meals and that morning cup of coffee that our moms prepare every morning fills us with energy and good vibes for the rest of the day.

Now, imagine that you can enjoy your favorite breakfast food any day, any time you want to.

At Cafe Tribu in Tomas Morato, that’s exactly what you can do.

In this recently opened 24-hour cafe (well, it’s a cafe during daytime and a resto-bar at night), you can enjoy affordably priced All-Day breakfast and coffee drinks (like its Unli Macchiato which can be served hot or iced at only Php200 and its Unli Brewed Coffee at only Php90) any time of the day while enjoying the store’s chill and relaxing vibe.

One Saturday afternoon, I visited this cafe together with my foodie friends from #SaanSaPH to check it out.

While the cafe’s interiors are designed for comfort, it still has a lot of personality. Artworks by local artist @mayanneaise adorn the walls, depicting iconic local scenes such as a tribal woman from Benguet holding a cup of the region’s famous coffee and a relaxing tropical beach landscape. There’s a child-proofed play area under the stairs where the little ones can amuse themselves while the adults take a break and dine with ease.

Our meal consisted of freshly made All-Day breakfast items (served with rice and fried egg) and a selection of pasta dishes developed specifically for the store, which include:

Adobo Flakes (Php145).

Home-made Tapa (Php150).

Tocilog (Php135).

Creamy Seafood (Php230).

Chicken Pesto (Php230).

House Special Pizza (Php55 for slice | Php180 for solo | Php420 for whole).

The real stars of the show here are the drinks which were developed by the house barista and co-owner. These include:

Iced Caramel Macchiato (Php200 unli). Made with the barista’s own macchiato recipe.

Sea Salt Caramel Chip Blend (Php160). A java-based caramel frappe with salted caramel chips and caramel milk sauce.

Mango Graham (Php120). Mango slices worked into a creamy drink with crushed grahams and your choice between chocolate or caramel sauce.

Barista Blend Iced Coffee (Php130). An energizing shot of espresso blended into creamy sweetened milk.

Green Tea Matcha Freezee Blend (Php130). A cream-based blended iced drink incorporating green tea matcha powder.

Peach Lychee Tea Cooler (Php100). A refreshing blend of fruity lychee flavors in an ice-cold tea drink.

For diners seeking a little bit of alcohol to unwind after a hard day’s work, Cafe Tribu has developed refreshing or energizing cocktails just for you, such as:

Flaming Lamborghini.

Mojito.

With its delectable menu of comfort food and energizing drinks available at all hours, Cafe Tribu is sure to be a hot destination in Quezon City.

This Cafe Tribu outlet is located at E. Rodriguez corner Tomas Morato Avenue, Kamuning, Quezon City, open 24/7.

Grilled meats from all over the world at Skewered, Festival Mall Alabang

Grilling has long been associated with breezy summer nights and friends gathered to feast on good food while making new memories together.

That’s how I found myself spending a sultry Sunday afternoon down South in Alabang together with my fellow foodies.

The host of this lively gathering is Skewered, the nautical-inspired eatery that brings together grilling traditions from many parts of the world.

These traditions were exemplified in the feast they laid out for us, which include:

Shrimp Tacos (Php229). Marinated and grilled shrimp served in soft taco shells.

Oyster Gratin (Php229). Three large fresh oysters, grilled and topped with house-made aioli gratin.

Garlic Enoki Mushroom (Php149). Baked enoki mushroom served with house-made garlic sauce.

Grilled Talong (Php129). A whole eggplant, grilled then coated with house-made garlic sauce.

Singaporean Shrimp Satay (Php199). Skewered shrimps, marinated and grilled, then served with the traditional peanut sauce.

Torched Beef Salpicao (Php349). Beef salpicao served hanging, torched at the table and drizzled with butter sauce.

Veggies Skewer (Php169). Two sticks of mixed marinated and roasted vegetables.

Skewers: Chinese Beef (Php41), Chinese Lamb Php45), Chinese Pork (Php36), Chinese Chicken (Php36), Meat Balls (Php36).

Meat Platter (Php1,299). A carnivore’s dream come true: 200g Wagyu beef brisket, half of a roasted chicken, 150g Lechon Pork Belly, 3 pcs of Taiwanese sausages, and choice of 2 sides from among coleslaw, buttered corn, house salad, fries, mac n’ cheese and steak rice.

Skewered also laid out home-grown dishes served with international flair, such as:

Tapa Rice (Php299). Savory rice flavored by beef tapa topped with fried eggs and tomatoes.

Seafood Paella (Php439). The offshoot of the Spanish rice dish made with a creamy tomato base, fresh shrimp and clams, drizzled with aioli and served in a traditional shallow pan.

Sizzling Lechon Sisig (Php279). Classic Pinoy roasted pork cooked and served as a crunchy and spicy sisig.

Gambas al Ajillo (Php239). Plump shrimps sauteed in garlic and served sizzling.

Sinigang na Hipon (Php319). The sour soup dish of shrimp in a tamarind-flavored broth.

Beef Brisket Nilaga (Php329). Smoked wagyu brisket cubes served in a flavorful nilaga broth.

Kare-Kareng Lechon (Php399). Roasted pork served in a rich peanut sauce together with crisp vegetables.

Wagyu Corned Beef Kaldereta (Php409). The house-made wagyu corned beef prepared as flavorful caldereta with veggies.

Beef Hofan (Php239). Stir-fried and flambeed rice noodles mixed with beef bits and chopped vegetables.

Pad Thai (Php349). The classic stir-fried rice noodle dish served wrapped in a delicate egg omelette.

Spaghetti Aligue (Php319). Spaghetti noodles tossed in a rich crab fat sauce and served with a freshly grilled shrimp.

To cap our meal, cater to our craving for sweets and to quench our thirst, prettily designed dessert drinks were served (with reusable metal straws at that!).

Frappes (Php159 each): Caramel, Cookies and Cream Frappe and Chocolate

Strawberry Shake Special (Php189). Strawberry milkshake overloaded with a strawberry Pocky stick, marshmallows, strawberry pretzels and a scoop of strawberry ice cream.

Choko Shake Special (Php199). Chocolate milkshake overloaded with a chocolate Pocky stick, M&Ms, mini marshmallows, KitKat stick and a scoop of chocolate ice cream.

Halo-Halo Frappe (Php199). The all-time Pinoy favorite shaved ice dessert given a fresh twist.

Skewered does a good job in curating and putting its fresh takes in various dishes. While the pork dishes tend to be salty, the beef dishes are marked by juiciness and flavorfully tender texture.

Despite the plethora of food it served during this foodie meetup, there are more waiting to be discovered and tasted. I won’t mind coming back here for more foodie adventures with my friends.

Skewered is located at Ground Floor, Water Garden, Festival Mall, Filinvest City, Muntinlupa, open daily from 10am to 4am with Happy Hours at 3pm to 7pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 8216745, +63 928 1796025 or +63 945 2476249.

And guess what? Since this is a Zomato Gold partner establishment, you can get some of your food orders for free!

Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

Relaxing Sunday brunch at Noor, BGC

The day was warm with the sun shining down brightly from blue skies unmarred by clouds as I made my way to an area of Bonifacio Global CIty I seldom find myself visiting.

Megaworld’s Lifestyle Malls Forbestown Center (also known as Burgos Circle) is home to many new concept restaurants, cafes and dessert places. It is a wonder how I’m seldom here but that can soon be rectified. 🙂

This particular Sunday morning, I was headed to one restaurant in particular: Noor Modern Mediterranean. The place may look quite posh with its well-appointed modern interiors and the tasteful display of art and wine bottles throughout the premises but the overall vibe is one of freshness and warm hospitality. Its second floor dining area features a green wall as its focal point and floor-to-ceiling windows that affords a view of Forbestown Center as well as lots of natural light which will become quite handy when we do our food photos later on.

Yep, this hip and happening resto is to be the setting of a relaxed and banter-filled gathering among myself and my fellow foodie friends from #WeLoveToEatPH and #SaanSaPH.

Firstly, we were warmly welcomed by Noor’s Isreali-born Chef Or Hakmimi, who brings to the table the Mediterranean culinary influences he grew up with. The chef also espouses a friendly and casual dining atmosphere for his establishment; in between his adventures in the kitchen preparing Noor’s signature dishes as well as new ones he is experimenting on, he takes the time to chat with his guests and share more about his philosophy when it comes to food.

Foremost among his rules of thumb is the preference for having at least three flavors and textures in the food he serves, “so it won’t be boring.” He is right, too. Each bite of Noor’s dishes presented us with wonderful complexities: smokeyness, tartness, a hint of spice and more.

These complexities are in evidence in the brunch feast he and his staff laid out for us, which include:

Salmon Tartare. Not yet on the menu, this dish is made of thinly sliced chilled salmon topped with roe and served on crunchy black sesame seed-studded phyllo cones, an awesome start to the meal!

Cauliflauer (Php300). I read somewhere that this dish is life-changing and I can definitely agree! Cauliflauer are deep-fried and tossed in ceasar aoili and parsley.

Moroccan Shrimp (Php480). Succulent shrimps grilled then served on a bed of tatziki (a Greek yogurt-based side dish flavored by mashed vegetables, dill and olive oil) together with charred eggplant.

Lamb Baklava (Php470). Ground lamb sauteed in olive oil and spices encased in sheets of sheer phyllo dough baked to a lusciously crispy golden brown. Served with sesame dressing and a raspberry sauce, its combo of meaty savory and tart fruity flavors is a winner.

Chicken Skewers (Php590). Tender and flavorful chicken pieces, grilled together with onions and bell peppers and served with Syrian Basmati rice and seared tomato.

Shawarma Tacos (Php630). A triad of shawarma variants – roasted chicken with tahini, tomatoes and amba aoili; roasted fish with tsaziki, coleslaw and cilantro; and roasted mushrooms with garlic aioli, sumac onions and parsley – served open-faced on warm pita bread. These are best eaten by hand! (A bit messy but that’s part of the experience!)

Knafe (Php390). A classic Arab desert made of shredded buttery phyllo pastry, ricotta cheese, rose water syrup and yogurt ice cream topped with chopped pistachios. That interplay of warm and cold inside my mouth, together with the sweetness and rich buttery flavor is quite decadent. My only regret is that I have gone through forty plus years in life and I’ve only tasted this heavenly dessert today.

Almond Creme Brulee (Php330). A mildly sweet, creamy almond cream custard garnished with raspberry sauce and mint.

All of these dishes are made from scratch in the kitchen by Chef Or. Ingredients are locally sourced and the produce are organically grown in local farms.

Chef Or and his staff also served us with the resto’s signature cocktails to complement the dishes and to add to the day’s happy vibe.

Gypsy Mango (Php380). Rum mixed with organic mango liquor, fresh mango and cilantro. A perfect drink for this summer day!

Cinnamon Fashion (Php340). A version of the Old-Fashioned cocktail made by muddling sugar with bitters and adding some brandy, but here, it is garnished with a cinnamon stick.

Built to Spill (Php350). A blend of bourbon, ginger root and mint leaves.

Noor (Php390). The resto’s house-recipe cocktail made with gin, freh basil, cucumber, fresh lemon juice and tonic water.

Flavored Soda Water. Sparkling water flavored with juices of sweet fruits such as lychee, passionfruit and strawberry to quench our thirst and refresh our palates.

With such a lavish spread of good Mediterranean food, refreshing cocktails that kept us in high spirits and the company of great friends, it was a very enjoyable Sunday brunch!

And here’s some good news: did you know you can get free drinks at Noor, thanks to Zomato Gold? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

Noor is located at Unit F133, Forbeswood Heights, Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, open daily from 11am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 956 1563426.

HBO holds party for pay TV operators at Cove Manila

Every year, one of the most anticipated events during the week of the Philippine Cable Show is the party thrown by HBO for its local affiliates.

This year is no different, and HBO more than live up to expectations with the shindig it held at Cove Manila which I attended together with my coworkers and friends from SKY.

Cove Manila is one of the metro’s premiere party destinations. Opened in 2017, it offers a fusion of music, style and dining. The nightclub boasts of employing some of the most hi-tech sound and lighting technologies to put on spectacular shows or awesome parties.

Before entering the venue, guests have the option of having their photos taken while seated on the Iron Throne. Yes, that Iron Throne. With the most-awaited final season of the network’s monster hit original series Game of Thrones set to premiere mere weeks away, you can bet that many of the attendees lost no time in getting their Westerosi royalty mode on while pretending to survey their kingdom in all their majestic glory.

I know I did! 🙂

Inside, guests are treated to a lavish array of finger food and overflowing drinks, all while being entertained with rousing music from a live band. While there are fruit juices aplenty, I couldn’t resist having a taste of the wines: House Red is the Butterfly Ridge Shiraz Australia, and House White is the La Umbra Pinot Grigio Romania. Thanks to a recent wine tasting I attended, I knew enough about my preference in wines to get myself a white wine. (I didnget myself a taste of the red wine though.)

Then the buffet opened.

Ooh, what a thrilling feast for the eyes and the tastebuds! Stations for pasta and all sorts of meats were made available for party goers to get their fill. And, of course, what is a party in the Philippines without the quintessential lechon, huh?

The celebrations went on and on, especially when the guests of honor, the White Walkers, together with their Night Kin, graced the event with their chilling presence (well, thrilling for the GOT fans, that is!)

This year’s HBO Party at Cove Manila is truly one for the books. Now, if only I can wait patiently for the Game of Thrones premiere April 15!

Cove Manila is located at Okada Manila, New Seaside Drive, Entertainment City, Paranaque.

Did you know that you could enjoy spectacular discounts on food in Cove Manila thanks to Zomato Gold? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

Disclosures:

I was invited to a party held at this venue. Food and drinks mentioned in this post were party fare and were not paid for by the attendees including myself.

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.

Photo Credit: Mico Marco of SKY for the White Walker shots

Check out my posts on SKY’s ongoing activities for Game of Thrones.