Eat – Page 131 – Jellybeans in the City

Happiness Overload at Hanamaruken, Trinoma

I have been going through my #ramenphase for quite a while now. I seek out ramen joints in the hopes of tasting rich creamy broth, firm noodles and flavorful melt-in-your-mouth meat. The ramen that started this phase is actually the Signature Happiness Ramen I tasted during a Zomato Foodie Meetup at Hanamaruken, Ugong a year ago. (Check out my Zomato review here.)

Since then, I have been converted to a Ramen Girl. While I have gone around various ramen shops along my usual haunts in Pasig, Marikina and Quezon City, my thoughts would always go back to the ramen that started it all: the ramen that I measure all other ramen I tasted since against.

Imagine my absolute delight when one fine Friday, after a long and grueling meeting that extended to lunch time, my boss agreed to have a happy lunch with me and my work buddies at Hanamaruken in Trinoma. And oh, what a happy lunch it was!

Our group of four divided among ourselves:

2 bowls of Signature Happiness Ramen (Php580 each)
1 order of Gyoza (Php240)
Initially 1 order of Chocolate Lava Cake with Ice Cream (Php180) but it was sooooo gooood that we ordered another one!

The Signature Happiness Ramen lived up to its legend in my mind. One bowl was hearty and more than enough to satisfy two hungry and stressed office workers. The gyoza was also flavorful and whet our appetite for the ramen while the lava cake with ice cream was a decadent cap to the meal.

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I look forward to embracing this kind of happiness again when I eat at other Hanamaruken outlets.

This Hanamaruken branch is located at Second Floor, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City (call 02 7209283 for reservations). Other branches are located at:

The Grove By Rockwell, E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Ugong, Pasig City (tel: 02 695 3643)
Second Floor, Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City (tel: 02 869 9857)
Hole in the Wall, Fourth Floor, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Avenue, Poblacion, Makati City

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Mother’s Day Brunch at Jaytee’s Tagaytay

Wanting to avoid the Mother’s Day lunchtime rush to Tagaytay, the family decided to leave Manila early in time for brunch at Jaytee’s Home of the Best Bulalo and Kare Kare.

Named after the initials of its proprietors, husband and wife team Jessie and Tess Mojica, the restaurant is located at One Destination, along Aguinaldo Highway, affording its diners a scenic view of Taal Lake and Volcano.

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I recommend dining inside the resto as its interiors are clean and well-appointed. You can just take your requisite Taal Volcano family group pics outside while waiting for your meal.

The resto prides itself on its Special Beef Bulalo (Php650, good for 5-6 persons), which is what we drove all the way to Tagaytay for. It did not disappoint, the meat was tender, the soup flavorful, and the veggies crisp. (Of course, the sinful bone marrow is the star of the dish.)

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We also ordered veggie dishes Chop Suey (Php220) and Fresh Lumpia (Php190 – a real winner with crisp ubod inside, light wrapper and a peanutty garlicky sauce!). For variation of viands, we also ordered Crispy Tawilis (Php220) and Grilled Liempo (Php360). The oldies ordered Buko Juice (Php85) and Green Mango Shake (Php110) while the rest of the fam sipped on Cucumber Iced Tea (Php180 per pitcher). We also capped off the meal with a scoop of Chocolate Ice Cream (Php45 – a must for my little boy) and Leche Flan (Php180 – a little too sweet but that’s what desserts are for huh?).

The food were served family style by attentive wait staff, however, I found the tables too small to accommodate all the food we ordered. (They certainly made taking foodie shots a bit difficult.)

Since we arrived so early, we were able to avoid the traffic going to the resto-with-a-view places along this stretch of Tagaytay. We were also able to park our cars with no problem.

Jaytee’s Filipino Cuisine is located at One Destination Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay. For reservations, call:

(046) 443 1795
(0977) 745 8511
(0921) 319 3233
(0929) 613 0678

Mom-and-Daughter Dinner at The Chocolate Kiss Cafe

Despite the resto being a fixture in many an Isko or Iska’s memories of college days in the UP Diliman campus, I have, ironically, only eaten at The Chocolate Kiss Cafe twice in my life, and both times took place years after I graduated. This is probably because my student allowance can not accommodate a meal at the poshest (at the time) restaurant in the campus.

The most recent instance was after attending the #KahayupanSaDangal exhibit at the nearby Bulwagan ng Dangal. My daughter and I decided to have dinner at #ChocKiss (as the kids call it nowadays).

Although there was ample parking space around the UP Bahay ng Alumni where the resto is located, it was sparsely lit. Even the walk to the second floor lacked proper lighting.

The resto’s interiors, however, were amply lit and had a cozy atmosphere. Covers of popular music were played live by violinist Royce Aviguetero and guitarist Bobot Mabalot in the background as we dined. On the walls were displayed whimsical and colorful artworks by Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK) member Yas Doctor.

We split orders of Ceasar Salad (Php210), Beef Salpicao (Php315) and a slice of Chocolate Chip Cheesecake (Php145). The salad lived up to “the good stuff” positioning of the resto; the resto’s own-recipe Ceasar Salad dressing gives good flavor to the greens, bacon bits and croutons. The beef dish was passable: the cubes of ribeye steak were tender, well-seasoned and were well-complemented by the garlic rice and steamed veggies. The cheesecake, however, was a bit of a letdown: the chocolate chips distract from the rich flavor we expect from a New York-style cheesecake, resulting to a too-sweet cake.

We were supposed to order the Carrot Cake that ChocKiss is known for but the last remaining slice was already reserved for another diner. But hey, that’s what next visits are for, huh?

The Chocolate Kiss Cafe is located at the 2nd Floor of the UP Bahay ng Alumni along R. Magsaysay Street (across the UP Film Center), UP Diliman Campus, Quezon City. For reservations, call +632 433 1140 or +632 434 3577 or email goodstuff@thechocolatekiss.com.

The other branch is located at the 2nd Floor, Urban Turf, UP Town Center, along Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City. For reservations, call +632 946 3276.

Click here to visit The Chocolate Kiss Cafe website.

Bingsu treat at Hobing Korean Dessert, BGC Stopover

Bingsu treats have grown in popularity in the metro, especially now with the searing summer heat. Bingsu is a Korean dessert characterized by shaved ice sweetened with condensed milk and topped with fresh fruits, yogurt, ice cream and bits of yummy baked goods.

While the fam is exploring options for lunch in Bonifacio Global City during a particularly hot summer day, we came across this branch of Hobing Korean Dessert and couldn’t resist having our dessert here. After eating our lunch at nearby Tenya Tempura Tendon, and, eager for something cool and sweet to counter the hot and humid weather, we proceeded Hobing.

Despite being billed as the Korean halo-halo, bingsu is best enjoyed when the shaved ice and toppings are not all mixed together. This allows you to enjoy the varying textures and flavors that went into the bingsu.

We ordered a large serving of Mango Cheese Bingsu (Php320), thinking that a regular serving will not satisfy all of us. What we got was a delectable and prettily presented confection: finely shaved ice flavored with mango syrup, surrounded by huge cubes of ripe mango and topped with rich New York Cheesecake bits, vanilla ice cream and slices of roasted almonds.

We are definitely eager to try Hobing’s other bingsu offerings soon.

This branch of Hobing Korean Dessert is located at the 3rd Floor of BGC Stopover Pavilion, Rizal Drive cor 31st Street, Bonifacio Global City. Other branches of Hobing Korean Dessert are located at:

Lucky Chinatown Mall in Binondo
SM Megamall in Mandaluyong
Glorietta 4 in Makati
Jupiter Street in Makati
Eastwood City Walk in Quezon City
SM Aura Premier in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Ayala Malls the 30th in Ortigas Center, Pasig
SM North in Quezon City
Banawe Lifestyle Center in Quezon City
SM City Marikina in Marikina City
U.P Town Center in Quezon City
SM San Lazaro in Manila
Ayala Fairview Terrace, Fairview Quezon City

Check out my rundown of bingsu treats in the metro.

Tempura Overload at Tenya Tempura Tendon, BGC

Considered of the most successful tendon restaurant chains in Japan, Tenya Tempura Tendon opened its doors in the BGC Stopover Pavilion. Its goal, driven by the vision of its founder Mr. Yoshio Iwashita, is to provide diners with high quality yet affordable tendon and tempura.

Tenya prides itself on the quality of its ingredients – such as the sweet succulent tiger prawns, the heart-healthy canola oil, Japanese rice and secret dontare sauce for its tendon – and its methods to produce consistent and tasty tempura such as the specially designed infrared heat technology-powered fryer.

Tempura is one of Japan’s most popular dishes, characterized by seafood, meat and vegetables covered in a light batter then quickly deep-fried to produce tempura’s signature golden-brown hue.

During our family’s recent foray in BGC, we chanced upon this Tenya branch around lunchtime and decided to try it out.

We ordered a Yume Ooedo Set (Php1,295) which consist of 6 black tiger prawn tempura, 6 kani sticks, 3 squid, 3 fish tempura, 2 small kakiage (chopped vegetables and seafood), 3 battered green beans, 3 battered sweet potato, 4 rice and 4 miso soup. Aside from that, we also ordered a 5-piece Salmon Tempura (Php310).

The servings were hearty and the textures and flavors were varied enough that we did not experience umay (roughly translates to flavor-fatigue). The batter was light and adhered well to the fried seafood and veggies. Given that all four of us ate our fill, our orders were affordably priced indeed.

The service staff were friendly and accommodating, quick to assist us with our requests.

My only complaint about the experience was that the store’s airconditioning system was not able to counteract the summer midday heat.

This Tenya Tempura Tendon branch is located at the 2nd floor, BGC Stopover Pavilion, Rizal Drive cor 31st Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (Tel No: 02 – 512-4776). Other branches are located at:

Ground Floor, Market! Market!, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City (Tel No: 02 – 833-9682)
4F SM Megamall Bldg. A, Doña Julia Vargas Ave, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City (Tel No: 02 – 696-5996)
Food Street, Ground Floor, SM Southmall, Almanza, Las Piñas City (Tel No: 02 – 984-3872)
ASEANA Avenue cor. Diosdado Macapagal Blvd. Paranaque City (Tel No: 02 -370-5924)
GF Water Garden, Extension Site, Civic Drive, Festival Supermall Alabang, Muntinlupa (Tel No: 02 – 512-4862)
GF North Wing Entertainment Mall, Sunset Ave. cor. Seaside Blvd. SM Mall of Asia Pasay (Tel No: 02 – 810-2784)
GF Southpark Bldg. Paseo de Magallanes, Makati City (Tel No: 02 – 821-5797)

For more details on Tenya Tendon and Tempura food offerings, visit Tenya’s website.

Sweetly decadent dipped strawberries from Fruiquet

I came home to a sweet birthday surprise: a box of 12 Dipped Strawberries Supreme from Fruiquet, sent by the boss! (Note: what a way to make one feel valued, hint hint hint to other bosses out there!)

Each strawberry was huge, three times bigger than the ones we usually find in local groceries (I heard Fruiquet sources these from the US), and dipped in smooth semi-sweet or white chocolate with decorative swirls that give the berries a festive and appetizing presentation. Each bite produces a burst of sweetness in my mouth, luscious and fruity from the strawberry and rich and decadent from the chocolate.

And since great things become even better when enjoyed with loved ones, I shared the box of succulent goodies with my family during my birthday get-together.

Dipped strawberries are just a sampling of Fruiquet’s innovative fruit gift offerings. Its main products are fruit bouquets wherein fresh fruits are cut and moulded into visually appealing edible arrangements which have the bonus attributes of being edible, yummy and healthy to boot! The arrangements can be further customized by including fun accessories like personalized cards, plush teddy bears, foil balloons and even red, white or sparkling wine.

Fruit bouquets are great gifts for almost any type of occasion. For example, you can give an arrangement with a plush teddy to congratulate a couple on the birth of their new bundle of joy.

You can gift your special someone a bouquet of fresh and dipped strawberries, melon balls and pineapple flowers as an anniversary gift.

You can bring a big basket of cut fruits as your contribution to a potluck party.

Or you can have a mug of cheery cut fruit wedges delivered as a get-well gift to someone feeling under the weather.

You can order your fruity treats from Fruiquet’s stores, via phone or online.

Quezon City branch: 221-D Katipunan Ave., Project 4, QC (Tel: 02-7945999)
Makati branch: Bridgeway, 3F Dela Rosa Carpark 2 (beside Balai Pandesal) (Tel: 02-9459999)
Website: www.fruiquet.com

Try to place your order a day or two in advance to give the store ample time to prepare the arrangement.

If you are the lucky one who received a fruit arrangement, it’s best to consume it within a day since, as you know, fruits are best when fresh.

Note: Photos here (aside from the yummy dipped strawberries) were taken from the Fruiquet website.

Jelly List: Beat the Summer Heat with Bingsu!

Summer is definitely in full swing. The days are longer and hotter. One of the things I’m looking forward to this summer is cooling down with a bowl of bingsu.

Bingsu is a Korean dessert traditionally made with ice shavings, condensed milk and sweet toppings such as red beans, chopped fruit, cookies or candies and ice cream. While forms of this dish have been in existence since the 1300s, its modern form started with the introduction of patbingsu, featuring red bean paste, during Korea’s time under Japanese rule in the early 20th century. Foreign influence during the Korean War in the 1950s led to the inclusion of ingredients such as canned fruits, ice cream, cereal, nuts and syrups.

Bingsu shops and restos that offer variations of this yummy dessert have sprouted all over the metro. Here are some you might be interested to try:

Mango Bingsu at Jang Da Bang by Jang Ga Nae (Php199 for regular)

The sweet and succulent mango bits give this bingsu its dominant flavor but the tidbits of other fruits and the cereal provide a nice contrast of tastes and textures.

Jang Da Bang Cafe is located 8137 Plaza Ortigas, Jose Escriva Drive, Ortigas, Pasig City (behind the University of Asia and the Pacific)

Mango Cheese Bingsu at Hobing Korean Dessert (Php320 for large)

Mango seems to be an unbeatable bingsu variant. Coupled with large chunks of rich New York Cheesecake and topped with vanilla ice cream and sliced almonds, this delectable confection is a refreshing explosion of sweetness in your mouth.

This branch of Hobing Korean Dessert is located at the 3rd Floor BGC Stopover Pavilion, Rizal Drive cor 31st Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Rockmelon Bingsu at Gangnam Wings (Php280)

This dessert is prettily presented with melon balls served in the melon shell and topped with a big dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Gangnam Wings is located at the Megastrip Unit 1-114 Upper Ground Floor, outside Building A, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City.

Injealmee Snowflake at Coreon Gate (Php168)

This seems to be among the more traditional bingsu variants, flavored by bean powder and given texture by the sliced almonds and chewy rice cakes.

This branch of Coreon Gate is located in the Metrowalk Complex, along Meralco Avenue, Pasig City.

Korean Red Bean Bingsu at Bing Seoul (Php59 for regular)

Another more traditional and mildly sweet bingsu variant, this is a no-frills, no-fuss serving (quite cheap too!), with flavor driven by the red bean paste and the dollops of condensed milk poured onto the ice.

This branch of Bing Seoul is located at the Ground Floor of SM City East Ortigas, along Ortigas Avenue Extension, Pasig City. (Update: A week after I posted this, I learned that the Bing Seoul stall at SM City East Ortigas has already been pulled out. The nearest other branch is located at SM Center Pasig.)

Ube Macapuno Bingsu at Bon Chon (Php99)

This bingsu variants melds Pinoy flavors with the Korean dish. Ube (purple yam) powder drives the flavor while additional textures are provided by the macapuno (coconut jelly) strings, cubes of leche flan and rice crispies. It would be best to try this out soon as it available only for the summer.

This branch of Bon Chon is located at Il Terrazo, along Tomas Morato, Quezon City.

Infographic courtesy of Mica Jose (IG: @dragostea)

Chillin’ with chums at Chili’s, Tomas Morato

Fans of hearty Southwestern and Tex-Mex cuisine will not be disappointed with the fare offered at Chili’s. It is well-known for burgers, ribs and fajitas – basically items that go well together with beer and barkadas (friends).

In a recent dinner/get-together with friends held at this chain’s Tomas Morato branch, I was able to sample its offerings after nearly fifteen since my last visit to the exact same branch albeit with a different group of friends.

At first, I had trouble finding parking space as all the ones directly in front of the resto were occupied. I had to circle the block again to find parking space some distance away. I was supposed to call the resto to inquire about parking space (yes, in this area, this is a valid concern) but the number listed on Zomato was not working.

The resto has a casual, chill and cheery vibe, lots of seating room, with friendly staff who are quick to assist with our requests.

Of course we ordered Tostada Chips (Php395) which were crisp, fun to nibble on while chatting and, best of all, refillable. We partnered it with Skillet Queso (Php295), a rich and velvety cheese dip that went absolutely perfect with our chips and salsa.

Our hearty dinner consisted of Craft Burger Bites (Php495). These are four mini-cheeseburgers with flavorful American smoked beef bacon, sauteed onions and ranch sauce.l, which the group divided among ourselves.

Also for sharing is an order of the Ultimate Dipper (Php750), a sumptious sampler of Chili’s best-selling appetizers – chicken fingers, buffalo wings, egg rolls, calamares and onion rings – served with five dipping sauces.

The most health-conscious in our group ordered a Buffalo Chicken Salad (Php295), chicken strips tossed in Buffalo Sauce (so you know this dish has quite a kick!), with bacon bits, bits of bleu cheese and ranch dressing.

For dessert, we shared a Skillet Cookie (Php385), a confection consisting of a warm, enormous chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate fudge.

The whole meal was a feast of fresh and hearty flavors that complemented our group’s long talks and frequent laughter.

This Chili’s branch is located at the corner of Tomas Morato Ave and Scout Fernandez in Quezon City.

Buffet Survival Guide: All-You-Need-to-Know to Eat-All-You-Can

Family gatherings and get-togethers are best celebrated with food, lots and lots of it. Good thing there are all-you-can-eat buffets!

Originally, the term “buffet” referred to the sideboard table where dishes are served during family meals or parties. The word later evolved to refer to the format of serving food wherein diners generally serve themselves.

It’s no wonder that all-you-can-eat buffets have grown in popularity in recent years. Diners get to have their fill of whatever food they choose at a fixed cost, while being able to try out new dishes that they don’t normally order. And since the food is already served and just refilled, diners do not have to wait to enjoy their meal.

Savvy all-you-can-eat diners have come up with various techniques to make the most out of their buffet dining experiences Take these tips to heart to maximize your own buffet adventure.

Check for additional savings through discount promos. Some restaurants, like Vikings, offer promos wherein celebrants get to eat for free their birthday as long they are accompanied by a minimum number of guests paying the full rate. Other establishments offer discounted buffet rates to cardholders of partner banks such as BDO, or via restaurant booking apps such as Eatigo, or through deal sites like Metrodeal. Also, lunch buffet rates tend to be lower than dinner buffet rates so if you can schedule your meal during the lunch period, you can save a few bucks.
Make sure the food offerings are in line with your tastes. Whether you want to stick to classic favorites or you’re in the mood to be adventurous, make sure that the dishes served in your chosen resto are to your liking. An eat-all-you-can buffet of food that you don’t like is not a fair deal.
Get hydrated before eating but ease up on the drinks during the meal. Drinking some H2O, particularly lemon water, before starting your buffet quest will help in digestion while minimizing bloating and heartburn. However, drinking lots of liquids, especially fizzy ones, during the meal will use up some precious tummy room.
Don’t fill up on fillers. Pasta and grains can be quite filling so minimize the carbs to make room for dishes that would normally be expensive ala carte such as seafood, sushi, steaks and roasts.
Pace yourself. Take some time to savor each bites will let you maximize your dining experience while minimizing the feeling of bloating later.

Consider buffet dining a treat so don’t overdo it and make sure you enjoy the meal with great company.

Ultimate Katsu Experience at Saboten, BGC

I have been hearing a lot of good things about Saboten for quite some time. My predilection for katsu has led my family to its BGC branch one weekend as our lunchdate.

In keeping with the cuisine it offers, Saboten’s interiors have a Zen-like quality. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows and lanterns provide a mixture of natural and warm light that shows off the glow of the light pine wood and beige furnishings. Large slabs of black stones offset with white pebbles serve as elegant walkways. The area is clean and uncluttered, a suitable environment for feasting on our favorite Japanese food.

For appetizers, Hubby and I sampled the endamame (Php99), soybeans steamed while in still in their pods and served with a light dusting of salt.

The kids, on the other hand, busied themselves with preparing our katsu sauce by crushing the toasted sesame seeds, then mixing it with the prepared sweet brown sauce.

Our main dishes consist of set meals which are served with refillable shredded cabbage, pickles, rice and miso soup:

Tenderloin Set (Php450 for large)
Shrimp and Tenderloin Set (Php595)

The katsus are juicy with the crunchy panko breading providing a texture contrast to the tender meat inside. I especially liked the rolled cutlet with cheese; the melted extra salty goodness inside blends well with the tastes and textures of the katsu sauce and rice.

Saboten is indeed a special treat: its offerings are quite pricy so it’s not our standard weekend meal. That said, we would come back most probably to celebrate another family occasion.

This Saboten branch is located at Ground Floor, Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.