Eat – Page 116 – Jellybeans in the City

Holiday brunch get-together at Bluesmith Coffee & Kitchen, Greenbelt

There are some friendships that endure despite great distances and changes in circumstances. Such is my friendship with Fetina, formerly an officemate who has since spread her wings working in Singapore. She usually comes home to the Philippines to visit family two to three times a year, and when she does, we make it a point to meet up at a restaurant in either Greenbelt or Glorietta.

In our latest meetup after Christmas, we opted for Bluesmith Coffee & Kitchen located in Greenbelt. An offshoot of Equatorial Coffee in Katipunan, QC, Bluesmith combines homey yet Instagrammable interiors with comfort food and its sound foundation in coffee, making it an great venue for weekend brunches, friendly get-togethers and, dare I say it, #TitaConferences. (Hahaha!)

Our get-together repast consisted of:

Flat White (Php150). This coffee beverage is characterized by the thin layer of microfoam (hence the term “flat” in “flat white) as opposed to the thicker foam layer in traditional cappuccino. I sipped on this while waiting for Fetina to arrive.

Fresh Lemonade Soda (Php150). Freshly squeezed lemon juice made into a sweet fizzy drink.

Tenderloin Beef Salpicao (Php420). One of Bluesmith’s bestsellers, this dish consists of cubes of beef tenderloin, cooked to medium doneness, and marbled potatoes sauteed in Worcestershire oil and toasted garlic and served mixed vegetables and rice. I found the beef tender and flavorful but the sauce a bit too sweet for my taste.

Creamy Pasta Tartufo (Php360). Another of the resto’s bestselling dishes, this pasta dish is characterized by the earthy aroma of black truffle, mixed with a creamy mushroom sauce and served with baguette chips.

The servings were quite large such that we had trouble finishing the two dishes.

And since I unlocked my Zomato Gold privilege, we got the Creamy Pasta Tartufo for free!

Some friendships are nurtured by constant presence and attention but some, like Fetina’s and mine, are maintained by occasional meetups over good food and long conversations.

Our thanks to Bluesmith Coffee & Kitchen for being our venue for this memorable get-together.

This Bluesmith Coffee & Kitchen branch is located at Level 3, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Greenbelt, Makati City, open Sundays to Thursdays from 11am to 11pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 12midnight. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 917 7053526 or +63 2 7524183.

Other branches are located at:

Second Floor, Corte Area, Ayala Malls The 30th, Meralco Avenue, Ugong, Pasig City (open Sundays to Thursdays from 9am to 10pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 9am to 11pm; Tel. No: +63 917 7099814 or +63 2 7553092)
Ground Floor, MJ Corporate Plaza, 2310 Pasong Tamo Extension, Magallanes, Makati City (open weekdays from 7am to 8pm and weekends from 7am to 5pm; Tel. No: +63 917 7101605 or +63 2 7290284)

Want to score a similar discount? 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 as soon as slots open. (They tend to get snatched up pretty quickly so be sure to sign up as soon as slots become available.) Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

New Japanese Food Haunt: Dohtonbori, SM Megamall

After a bout of running errands in SM Megamall, Hubby and I decided to have lunch at the Dohtonbori located in foodie haven Mega Fashion Hall. I found it funny that despite the restaurant being around for the past three years, I’ve only just gotten around to it recently.

Named after one of Osaka, Japan’s principal tourist destinations known for its rich and varied gastronomic options as well as its vibrant nightlife, Dohtonbori is driven by its philosophy of “Teppan Communication.” This philosophy strives to make the environment surrounding the teppan – the iron plate on which the restaurant’s signature dishes are cooked – enjoyable and fun, where diners can experience a sense of being connected with each other as they share a meal.

The restaurant’s premises is reminiscent of the streets of Osaka, with light-colored pine wood walls, brightly-colored streamers and even a vintage bike on display!

For our midday repast, we opted not to avail ourselves of Dohtonbori’s claim to fame: the okonomiyaki. These are savory pancakes popular in Japan but unfortunately unfamiliar to Hubby and myself. (Well, we’ll probably try them on our next visit.)

Instead, we decided on ordering dishes that are more familiar to us, which include:

Endamame (Php90). Served freshly steamed and lightly salted, this is Hubby’s go-to appetizer whenever we’re at a Japanese resto.

Ajitama Ramen (Php350). Firm ramen noodles in a steaming soup base (I opted for the rich Tonkotsu broth), served with a melt-in-your-mouth piece of chashu pork, aonori seaweed and the tasty soft-boiled egg tamago.

Tempura Zaru Soba (Php350). Cold Japanese soba noodles served with dipping tsuyu sauce, wasabi, spring onion, shredded nori, and sesame seeds.

USDA Angus Striploin Yakiniku (Php750). A 200-gram well-marbled piece of striploin expertly cooked by a wait staff on the teppan right on our table.

Our lunchtime foray into this piece of Osaka gave us a tasty and filling meal that fueled us up for the rest of our mall errands.

Did you know that Dohtonbori works with the Autism Society of the Philippines on its Autism at Work Program? This means that staff are trained and well-equipped to assist persons with autism who visit the restaurant. Furthermore, persons on the autism spectrum are trained, employed and accepted as part of the restaurant’s staff and the whole Dohtobori family. Being a mom of a child on the autism spectrum, I’m happy to support establishments like this that help to get differently abled people such as my son be more integrated into the mainstream and more productive members of society.

This Dohtonbori branch is located at Third Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City (open daily from 11am to 10pm). For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 4772066.

Other branches are located at:

Cullinan Prime Building, 8 Missouri Street, Greenhills, San Juan City
Second Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Upper Ground Floor, Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
Second Floor, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
Upper Ground Floor, SM City Fairview, Novaliches, Quezon City

Latin-style Roast Chicken at Senor Pollo, Tomas Morato

One fine day, my coworkers and I developed a hankering for a hearty lunch. We settled on the Senor Pollo branch in the nearby foodie-friendly Tomas Morato area.

Entering this resto is like stepping into a vibrant and lively Latin-inspired world. From its subdued lighting that highlights colorful artworks that adorn the brick walls to the flavorful dishes it serves.

Its Latin-style roast chicken offers a break from the usual Pinoy-style roasted chicken that we usually go for. It’s juicy and tender meat encased in flavorful herb-seasoned skin, accompanied by a piquant chimichurri sauce and paired with tasty side dishes, ignites an explosion of tastes in my mouth with every forkful.

Our party of three split among ourselves two orders of Half Roast Chicken with 2 side dishes each (Php499). Our side dishes consist of two cups of Cilantro Garlic Rice, a cup of Herbed Brown Rice and Senor Pollo’s famous Cole Slaw.

This Latin-style happy lunch turned out to be a tasty break from our usual haunts.

And since we unlocked a Zomato Gold Privilege in this resto, we ended up paying for just one order.

This Senor Pollo outlet is located at F7 Building, Scout Rallos Street corner Tomas Morato Avenue, Bgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City, open Sundays to Thursdays from 11.30am to 1am and Fridays to Saturdays from 11.30am to 2am. For reservations and inquiries, cal +63 2 3517235.

Other branches are located at

5767 Ebro Street, Poblacion, Makati City (open daily from 11.30am to 2am; Tel. No: +63 2 8316945)
27 Sapphire Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig (open daily from 11am to 12midnight; Tel. No: +63 2 5322266)
Eastwood Citywalk 1, Libis, Quezon City (open Saturdays to Tuesdays from 11am to 2am and Wednesdays to Fridays for 24 hours; Tel. No: +63 966 7014022)
Second Floor, Crossroads Building, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (open daily from 11am to 1am; Tel. No: +63 2 8214933 or +63 921 8066027)
Ground Floor, ATC Corporate Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City (open daily from 11am to 11pm)

Delicious Holiday Food Finds at Ilustrado

Make your holiday gatherings and gift giving more special with unique and delicious finds from Ilustrado Restaurant.

Ilustrado’s Holiday Tienda offers something for everyone. The cheese lover will surely love homemade cheese wheels in Boursin, Pimiento (a sure kids’ favourite!), Spicy Cheese – Edam with garlic and spices, varieties. You cannot go wrong with bottled Atsara, Bagoong, Moringga Pesto, Gourmet Tuyo and Chimichurri.

Tea Cookies come in boxes of 12 cookies in flavors of Double Chocolate, Coconut, Matcha Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Snickerdoodles. Brownies come in boxes of 4 bars with Cashew, S’mores, Salted Caramel, Pretzel and Cream Cheese flavors. Ready to serve for a party are Cake Squares in a box with these delectable selections – Baked Cheesecake, Chocolate Fudge and Sans Rival. Cheese Pimiento Wreath and Quezo de Bola Ensaimada Tree are both unique, festive and appetizing.

A new addition to their lineup are fun Artisan Holiday Boxes dubbed “Christmas Morning” – a selection of cookies, brownies, loose leaf tea and tablea chocolate while “Holiday Cheer” is a Graze Box with Jamon Serrano, Chorizo, Stuffed Lychee with Roquefort and Pistachio, Chorizo Puffs, Spicy Cheeseball, Boursin Cheeseball, Chocolate Dipped Dried Mangoes, Crostini and Pretzels, Mandarin Oranges, Marinated Tomatoes and Olives. These are the perfect hostess gifts to bring to a party or as gifts in themselves to those you hold dear.

To spruce up your Noche Buena table, choose from a long list of mouthwatering selections: the stellar Twice Cooked Angus Beef Short Plate is a must order along with Adobong Bagnet with Taba ng Talangka, Callos Madrilena, Kalderetang Kambing, Lengua con Setas, Hamon de Hacienda, Stuffed Chicken Ilustrado (ala Relleno), Pineapple Glazed Leg of Ham and U.S. Prime Rib.

Your meal will not be complete without Ilustrado’s Signature Paella. Choose from Paella Ilustrado (Meat and Seafood), Paella Marinara (All Seafood), Paella Negra (Squid Ink)or Paella Bacalao.

Those who like pasta and noodles can pick from Classic Carbonara, Espanyola (Spanish Sardines, sun-dried tomatoes in extra virgin olive oil) Filipino Spaghetti, Ilustrado (Shrimp, olive oil, Paprika) Machito (Tenderloin Bits and Mushroom) Palabok with Bagnet and Pata Pancit.

To know more offerings and other details visit Ilustrado at ‪744 General Luna Road‬, Intramuros, Manila (‪527-3674‬, ‪527-2345‬); Café Ilustrado, 4th Level SM Makati (‪818-6760‬) or Pasteleria Ilustrado, 2nd level, Alabang Town Center (‪0919-845-9503‬) or email caterings@ilustradorestaurant.com.ph or log on to www.facebook.com/ilustradorestaurant/.

Disclosure: Menu details and images provided by Ilustrado Restaurant in a recent press release.

Check out my previous post about Ilustrado Restaurant’s Degustation Menu here.

Holiday Froyo at Llaollao, Glorietta Mall

Frozen yoghurt lovers will have something to cheer about this Christmas: Llaollao’s Holiday Sanum Collection!

Recently, I was able to try one of the sanums in this collection: the Mango Brava (Php199). Cubes of succulent mango fruit and mango sauce interspersed with layers of black chocolate sauce, muesli lotus crunch and graham crunch balls, and Llaollao’s frozen yoghurt.

It was a decadent and delectable dessert snack that got me energized for the journey home from Makati amidst the holiday rush.

Other variants in the holiday sanum collection that I’m looking forward to trying are:

Toffeenut (Php199). Frozen yoghurt with muesli lascasitos, almond crunch, biscoff crunch, milk candy sauce and nocilla sauce.
Banoffee Pie (Php199). Frozen yoghurt with crushed oreo almond brittle, slices of banana, black chocolate sauce, milk candy and lotus biscuits.

Pronounced “yao yao,” Llaollao is a Spanish yoghurt brand recently introduced in the Philippines by Foodee Global Concepts. Dedicated to serving all-natural and healthy frozen yoghurt to froyo-hungry Pinoys, it offers several dessert and beverage options that incorporate this delectably creamy and tangy ingredient:

Petitllao (Php49). A cup of frozen yoghurt
Granillao (Php89 for small | Php109 for medium). Frozen yoghurt with orange, lemon or watermelon
Sensations (Php189). Frozen yoghurt with sauce and fresh fruit
Sanum (Php199). A combo of frozen yoghurt, three fresh fruit, two crunches and one sauce
Smoothies (Php179) and Smoothies with Frozen Yoghurt (Php199).

This Llaollao branch is located at the Ground Floor, Glorietta 2, Glorietta Complex, Makati City, open daily from 10am to 9pm. Other branches can be found at:

Ground Floor, Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City, open daily from 10am to 10pm
Upper Ground Floor, Building A, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City, open daily from 10am to 10pm
Second Floor, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 11pm
Food Court, Second Floor, Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, open daily from 11am to 10pm
Level 2, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 9pm

Check out my reviews of other frozen dessert shops:

Theo & Philo brings new flavors to local chocolates

Filipinos have long had a love affair with chocolates. Those richly dark treats were first brought to this country over four centuries ago by Spanish colonizers who introduced the growing of cacao to the locals. Today, the Philippine cocoa industry has grown to become the primary producer of cocoa beans in Southeast Asia and has brought about innovative local chocolate brands.

One such brand is Theo & Philo. Curious about the name? “Theo” is short for “theobroma cacao,” the scientific name for chocolate, while “Philo” comes from the Greek word for “love.” Theo & Philo therefore means “chocolate and love.”

With products made from natural ingredients sourced from around the Philippines, Theo & Philo built its advocacy for organic and fair trade practices that support scholarships and farming communities. It has also pioneered in the production of new chocolate flavors that feature tastes that are embedded in Filipino culinary traditions and pop culture.

Its bold-flavored chocolates have garnered international awards and recognition, most recently at the International Chocolate Awards – 2018 Asia Pacific Competition.

During the recent Crafts for a Cause exhibit at SM Mega Fashion Hall, I was able to buy some bars which include:

70% Dark Chocolate (Php119.75). With its use of high quality cacao for rich depth with notes of earthiness and cherries. Its great for a no-nonsense chocolate experience.

Net Weight: 45 grams

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Sugar, Cocoa Butter

60% Dark Chocolate with Ginger and Mint (Php119.75). With this combination of rich dark chocolate, warm ginger and refreshing mint, you can enjoy a sweet treat with a bit of a surprising feel in your mouth.

Net Weight: 45 grams

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Sugar, Ginger, Cocoa Butter, Peppermint Oil

Milk Chocolate Adobo (Php119.75). This novelty bar is among the three flavors that won Theo & Philo the Bronze award in the International Chocolate Awards – 2018 Asia Pacific Competition. With a unique flavor from the soy sauce toffee and black pepper adobo infusion, this milk chocolate will let you see two Filipino favorites – adobo and chocolates – in a whole new light.

Net Weight: 45 grams

Ingredients: Sugar, Cacao Beans, Cocoa Butter, Milk Powder, Butter, Soy Sauce, Black Pepper

Theo & Philo and its penchant for fearless chocolate flavors will make for great post-meal indulgences, dessert adventures or memorable novelty gifts.

Theo & Philo chocolates are available in the following retailers:

Human Nature: Alabang, Makati, Manila, Marikina, Pasig and its flagship store in Quezon City
Gourdo’s: Alabang, SM Megamall, Trinoma Mall and Greenhills
Echo Store: Makati, The Podium, Eton Centris
SM Kultura: SM Makati, SM Megamall, Mall of Asia, SM Aura

and more. For more details, visit the Theo & Philo website.

Chef Jessie’s Place in Makati soon to open

Chef Jessie Sincioco, Hotel Intercontinental Manila’s very first Filipina pastry chef and recipient of multiple international awards and recognitions in her field, never dreamed of having her own building.

The renowned restaurateur behind culinary brands such as Top of the Citi by Chef Jessie and Chef Jessie Rockwell Club, now has another feather in her cap (or toque blanche, to be consistent with her profession): a newly constructed building set within one of the Makati suburbs surrounding the Central Business District.

The structure is designed to house, not just Chef Jessie’s corporate offices, but various dining choices that showcase the chef’s culinary creations as well.

At the ground floor, which will house a bakeshop and a coffee shop, diners can relax and unwind with their favorite brew and Chef Jessie’s signature pastries.

The mezzanine will be the home of a restaurant that features intercontinal fare, while the third floor will be made available for rentals and events as a function hall that can cater to small groups or large gatherings (or the oft-maligned tita conferences :-)).

The upper floors will house the corporate offices of JCS Gastronomie, Inc., the company that manages her culinary establishments.

Given Chef Jessie’s religious bent, a small but beautiful chapel which will hold masses every Friday is also given pride of place in the building.

Anticipating that ample parking space will be a major consideration for her diners, she acquired another lot near the building to serve as a parking lot.

The new building, Chef’s Jessie’s Place is something that the chef can consider all her own, a significant portion of her solo ventures. She credits the acquisition and construction of the building to a special blessing, along with the honor of being tasked to prepare all of His Holiness Pope Francis’ meals during his celebrated visit to the country in 2015. This same year was coincidentally the year when the lot on which the building was erected became available.

Chef Jessie has definitely come a long way. From joining and winning the Great Maya Cookfest in 1983 with her now iconic mango cake recipe, to getting hired immediately after the competition by a top honcho of Intercon, to launching Le Souffle with expat partners, to now being the name behind top restaurants, she has proven, time and again, her strength, culinary genius and her mettle.

And with all that’s in store with the highly anticipated grand opening of Chef Jessie’s Place, slated to be in early 2019, we can look forward to more exciting things from Chef Jessie.

Chef Jessie’s Place is located at the corner of Pililia and Obrero Streets in Tanay, Makati City.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to an exclusive sneak peek of Chef Jessie’s Place prior to its official opening.

Flavorful and familiar dishes at Banapple, Tomas Morato

Eating out with coworkers who are not among your usual lunch companions presents quite a quandary: trying to find a restaurant that will appeal to the varied tastes and preferences of such a diverse group.

We solved this dilemma by going to the nearby branch of Banapple and took advantage of its various home-cooked style comfort food such as:

Soup of the Day (Php105). A freshly made, hearty and creamy mushroom soup to fill the tummy and warm the soul.

Sirloin Garlic Beef Tapa (Php280). Tender beef slices marinated in a sweet yet garlicky marinade and served with seasoned garlic rice and creamed parsley eggs.

Breaded Fillet of Cream Dory with Honey Thyme Mustard Sauce (Php255). Crispy herb-crusted fresh fish fillets drizzled with warm honey thyme mustard sauce and served with butter carrots and served with seasoned garlic rice.

Bacon Fried Chicken Steaks with Milk’Shroom Gravy (Php275). Creamy milk and mushroom gravy smother crispy chicken fillets and topped with bacon bits and served with corn relish and seasons garlic rice.

Pan-fried Pork Loin with Herb Mushroom Gravy (Php265). Tender pork slices and are seasoned with herbs, pan-fried, smothered with a thick herb and mushroom gravy and served with glazed butter carrots and seasoned garlic rice.

At over Php250 per order, these rice meals are not cheap. While quite flavorful and familiar, the dishes have a tendency to provoke a feeling of “umay,” there being so much of a particular taste that you just grow tired of it.

Still, these are not too shabby for a resto that started as a small operation, baking pies and cakes for family, friends and referred food establishments.

Also, as I’ve mentioned several times before, Banapple’s claim to fame, for me, would always be its desserts. The Banoffee Pie (Php135 per slice, Php965 for whole), in particular, is a delightful confection. I brought a whole cake home recently for my dad’s birthday. The graham cracker crust is well-formed and compact. The caramel filling is rich and decadent while the bananas inside are sweet but still has a firm texture. The cream topping is whipped stiff and in shape, allowing it to hold thick dark chocolate shavings.

This Banapple branch is located at the Second Floor, Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato Corner Scout Madrinan Street, South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 9am to 11.30pm. Other branches can be found at:

SM City North EDSA, Quezon City
Gateway Mall, Cubao, Quezon City
Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, Balintawak, Quezon City
Blue Ridge, Quezon City
Robinsons Galleria, Quezon City
Ayala Malls Feliz, Dela Paz, Pasig City
Tutuban Center Malls, Tondo, Manila
Ayala Malls Marikina, Marikina Heights, Marikina City
Ayala Triangle Gardens, Salcedo Village, Makati
Market! Market! Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Ayala Fairview Terraces, Novaliches, Quezon City
Tuscany, McKinley Hill, Taguig
President’s Grove, BF Homes, Paranaque
Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa

Plus, you’ll be happy to know that when you dine in at Banapple with a friend, you can get a free dish via Zomato Gold. Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks for dine-in guests. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here as soon as slots open. (They tend to get snatched up pretty quickly so be sure to sign up as soon as slots become available.) Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

We wanted it quick and cheap at Ersao, Tomas Morato

Sometimes, our food choices are determined by the limitations to our time and funds. One such instance drove me and a friend to have lunch at the nearby branch of Ersao.

Ersao is a Taiwanese restaurant offering affordably priced snacks and side dishes, rice toppings and hot noodle dishes. As we have meetings before and after our lunch break, a friend and I opted to get a quick and affordable meal at Ersao at M Place which is within walking distance from our office building.

The store occupies a small space with seating good for up to twenty people. Even though it was lunchtime, the place was still quite deserted and we were able to order and get a seat with minimum fuss.

My friend opted for the Taiwan Style Rice Porridge (Php180), basically a rice congee with meat bits and aromatics. Served hot, it can be quite comforting to the soul while filling to the tummy. She supplemented her meal with an order of Gyoza (Php110) for some added protein.

Given the relatively low price of the offerings in this resto, I decided to splurge a bit and got myself a Pork Steak (Php170) and a Pearl Milk Tea (Php99).

The meal sated our hunger but left me wanting in terms of taste. The pork steak, in particular, was too liberally seasoned, giving a sense of umay such that I wasn’t able to finish my meal.

Well, we wanted our lunch quick and cheap, and that’s what we got. Too bad we didn’t include flavor in our criteria.

Check out my reviews of other Taiwanese food restos:

Modern Filipino Cuisine at Ombu Kusina, Tomas Morato

Lately, restaurants touting “modern Filipino cuisine” have sprouted up all over the metro.

But what is modern Filipino cuisine?

Simply put: it is the flavors you grew up with but broken free of traditions surrounding them, even incorporating foreign influences. It is composed of tastes and textures familiar to you but applied and presented in exciting and novel ways. In short, this is not your grandma’s cooking.

Unless your dear Lola is part of the visionary team behind Ombu Kusina, of course.

Ombu is a modern Filipino restaurant located along Mother Ignacia Street in Quezon City. Having recently revamped its interiors, it also recently launched its special holiday dishes. And your friendly neighborhood Jellybeans is among the lucky foodies who were able to attend its exclusive food tasting event.

Ombu’s newly renovated premises are simply impressive. White subway tiles serve as an elegant backdrop for light-colored plush seats, darkwood tables and the feast laid out for us.

And said feast consisted of Ombu’s signature dishes such as:

Dilis Rice (Php80 per cup: Php170 for sharing). Your favorite sinangag (garlic fried rice), lightly flavored and topped with salty crispy fried dilis (anchovies).

Salted Egg Spaghettini (Php260). Al dente spaghettini noodles tossed in a sauce of salted egg yolks, sprinkled with tomatoes, diced cucumber and salted egg whites. The salted egg sauce was evenly spread throughout the noodles and the cucumber provided a fresh contrast to the sauce with every bite.

Sisig Pizza (Php520). The classic pork sisig and egg tops a thin-crust pizza drizzled with garlic sauce.

Binagoongang Talong (Php300). Fresh eggplant and lechon kawali served with a thick bagoong (shrimp paste) sauce. While I found the sauce a little too thick for my taste but the crispy fried pork belly is just yummy and went well with the Dilis Rice.

Seafood Mix Laing (Php290). Taro leaves wrapped around a mix of shrimp, crab meat, onion and lemon grass, slowly cooked in light coconut milk.

Also part of the feast are Ombu’s seasonal dishes such as:

Adobochon (Php440). Flavorful roasted pig with tender meat and crispy skin served with adobo sauce on the side.

Flaming Chicken (Php340). Tender and juicy chicken flambed right before our eyes.

For dessert, we had Frozen Brazo de Mercedes (Php180). Delightful layers of frozen soft meringue alternating custard filling, ice cream and graham cracker crust.

The dishes were expertly prepared and given a fresh twist by Ombu Kusina’s chefs.

So for a great taste of modern Filipino cuisine, check out Ombu Kusina.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a foodie meetup held at 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.

Ombu Kusina is located at Ground Floor, Sequioa Hotel, Mother Ignacia Street, Brgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 6.30am to 10pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 4411789 or +63 922 8149086, or email omburestaurant@yahoo.com.

Thanks to SandUnderMyFeet.com for extending the invite