Eat – Page 32 – Jellybeans in the City

Yummy baked goodies from The French Baker

I can barely remember a time when The French Baker was not around.

Since the early 90’s, it has been making affordable, premium-quality and freshly baked European-style breads available to more Filipinos, thereby broadening our food horizons beyond the neighborhood panaderia.

The French Baker was born out of founder Johnlu Koa’s desire to bring his Paris experience back to the Philippines in the form of French breads and pastries. Since then, the bakery-slash-restaurant has been churning out baguettes, croissants, sourdoughs and tarts alongside local bakery treats such as pan de sal and ensaimada, and cafe fare like soups, salads, pizzas and pastas.

If it weren’t for The French Baker, I might not have developed such a deep appreciation for the art of bread and pastry-making, and my family also would not be enjoying our favorite baked goods so easily.

These include:

Apple Crumble Danish (Php105). Layered and glazed pastry topped with cinnamon-infused apple streusel. While I usually gravitate towards The French Baker’s Blueberry and Peach Danishes, this is a welcome addition to my faves.

Choco Walnut Danish (Php105). Another variation of the delightful Danish pastries, this time with a chocolate cream filling topped by crunchy chopped walnuts.

Blueberry Muffin (Php72). A buttery quick bread with sweet and tangy blueberries mixed in. This is great for a fuss-free dessert after a meal, or a sweet snack.

Butter Croissant (Php73). A crescent-shaped viennoiserie made by layering the dough with butter, rolling it out and folding it several times resulting in a flaky textured roll with the same airy texture as a puff pastry. This goes so well with butter and coffee as a breakfast treat, and is my daughter’s favorite pastry.

Almond Croissant (Php115). A tasty expansion to The French Baker’s croissant possibilities, thanks to the addition of toasted and sweetened almond slices.

Beef Turnover (Php118). The French version of the empanada, this consists of savory ground beef filling encased in the flaky pastry dough. This is my husband’s go-to quick eats, whether for his coffee break or midnight snack.

What I love most about these baked goodies from The French Baker is that my family and I can enjoy them at home!

Whether with our coffee or hot chocolate in the morning, a sweet way to cap our lunch or dinner or as a delicious snack in between meals, these yummy pastries are always within easy reach.

You too can stock up on your favorite European-style baked goods from The French Baker by dropping by the outlet nearest you and ordering them for takeout. With over 50 branches nationwide, this shouldn’t be too hard. 🙂

You can also order for delivery from its website or via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

Deliciously healthy meal at home with Kenny Rogers Roasters’ Roasted Chicken Group Meal

If you want to treat your family to a delicious meal right in the comforts of your home, then a Roasted Chicken Group Meal from Kenny Rogers Roasters should be right up your alley.

After all, for over 25 years, Kenny Rogers Roasters have been synonymous with great-tasting roasted chicken. It is also known for serving deliciously wholesome and healthy food.

It’s not surprising, then, that I find it so convenient to just order from this chain during those times when I want to treat them to a nice meal without me having to slave away in the kitchen, or having to burn a hole in my wallet.

This is why I consider Kenny Rogers Roasters’ Roasted Chicken Group Meal an absolute steal!

It all starts with the Classic Roasted Chicken.

Considering the many flavors and dishes that Kenny Rogers Roasters has launched since its arrival in our shores in 1995 focus may have been taken from its OG roasted chicken variant.

For me, though, this is the building block of so many flavorful possibilities that Kenny Rogers Roasters have introduced since its launch in 1995.

Flavored through a citrus-based marinated then roasted to perfection and seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices, the resulting flavorful and juicy dish has become the preferred chicken rotisserie for diners with discerning palates.

A perfect companion for roast chicken is, of course, the gravy which enhances its flavor and texture.

Complementing the roast chicken are four regular side dishes, giving a variety of flavors and textures to enjoy with the meal. My family’s go-to sides are coleslaw – to add a fresh and tangy counterpoint to the savory chicken – and Mac ‘n Cheese – for a rich and cheesy addition to the meal.

Upgrading the four cups rice to Java rice for Php13.60 per cup is also a great way to introduce some variety to the meal and level up the flavor game of the roasted chicken.

Four corn muffins, offshoots of Kenny Rogers Roasters’ American Southern origins, bring new dimensions of enjoyment for the dish. To some, these muffins are a side dish; to me, they’re dessert!

And lastly, 1.5 liter soda completes the group meal.

This deliciously filling group meal can be enjoyed by the family for just Php1,060.

Order it now for delivery at kennyrogersdelivery.com.ph or through Kenny Rogers Roasters delivery hotline +63 2 85559000, as well as via GrabFood, FoodPanda and Pick*A*Roo.

For more details about its offers and promos, follow Kenny Rogers on Facebook, Tiktok, Instagram, Youtube and Twitter.

Check out my previous posts about Kenny Rogers Roasters:

Eggs-perience eggs-tasy with Kenny Rogers Roasters’ new Salted Egg Chicken line

Chimichurri makes a comeback at Kenny Rogers Roasters!

Enjoy great freebies with the ShopSM App during SM Markets’ Super Month this October!

October is not just a holding month as we wait for the mad Christmas rush in December. Thanks to all the fantabulous offers from the whole SM community, it’s actually a Super Month!

This whole month, SM Supermalls, the SM Store and SM Markets go all out discounts, promos and freebies, giving us shoppers not just a fantabulous time shopping, but awesome savings as well.

Thanks to SM’s online store ShopSM and the ShopSM App, we don’t have to leave home to shop to our heart’s content. We can simply go click-click-click on our computers or go tap-tap-tap on our mobile phones as we select and check out our purchases.

We can even earn points for our SM Advantage Card when we shop online, just as we do in-store. Plus, we could also look forward to exciting member’s only discounts and benefits.

This month, food shopping becomes super-sulit with SM Markets’ Super Month triple threat ensemble:

Super Tipid Deals which allows us to double down on discounts and savings
Super Sulit Grocery Shopping which allows us to stretch our budget and give power to our piso
Super Sarap Treats which gives us perks and freebies to make our shopping experience extra sweet

Simply shop online at shopsm.com/groceries with a minimum spend of Php2,000 to enjoy to enjoy these freebies!

*Duration*	*Free Gift*
Oct 1-3	SM BONUS SPAGHETTI 250G CENTURY TUNA FLAKES IN VEG OIL 155G
Oct 4-6	SM BONUS ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL 70% 250ML SM BONUS FACIAL TISSUE 2 PLY TRAVEL PACK 70PULLS
Oct 7-9	SM BONUS HOTCAKE MIX 500G TANG POWDER JUICE ORANGE 20G
Oct 10-13	SM BONUS MACARONI ELBOW 400G NESTLE CARNATION EVAPORATED 250ML
Oct 14-16	SM BONUS FISH BALL 200G
Oct 17-19	TURON WITH LANGKA SM BONUS MARSHMALLOWS 200G
Oct 20-22	SM BONUS PEANUT BUTTER 224G SM BONUS MARSHMALLOWS 80G
Oct 24-25	SM BONUS SODA WATER 330ML OISHI GRAB NUTS ROASTED CASHEWS 30G

Plus, you can take advantage of these perks for more savings!

*Duration*	*Online Promo*
*Oct 1-31*	*FREE DELIVERY:* Free delivery with a min. P1,500 spend. Use promo code SUPERMONTH to avail.
*Oct 1-16*	*SUPER BRANDS: UNILEVER* P90 off on Pick-Up orders with a min. P600 spend on Unilever items Free Delivery + discounts with a min. spend on Unilever items Virtual Bundling Up to 25% off on select Unilever items
	*SUPER BRANDS: SELECTA* P80 off on delivery with a min. P400 spend on Selecta Ice Cream items
*Oct 1-29*	*SUPER BRANDS: GARDENIA* Free delivery on P199 spend of Gardenia.
*Oct 1-31*	*SUPER BRANDS: ALASKA* Free 1PC of Lock & Lock 2.6L with a min. P1,000 spend on Alaska items
	*SUPER BRANDS: P&G* Up to 18% off on select P&G items
	*SUPER BRANDS: PHILUSA* Up to 25% off on select Philusa items
	*SUPER BRANDS: GRABMART* Oct 1-7 – Free 2pcs SM Bonus Paper Towel 2 ply with a min. P1,500 spend Oct. 8-13 – Free Quaker Oats Instant Oatmeal 400g with a min. P1,500 spend Oct.17-21 – Free Lay’s Stax Original 135g with a min. P1,500 spend Oct.22-28 – Jack & Jill Cloud 9 Classic 7g 36pcs with a min. P1,500 spend Oct. 29-31- Free SM Bonus Christmas Bag P350 with a min. P5,000 spend. Oct. 14-16 – Free delivery with a min. P1,500 spend Oct. 1-31 – 10k Voucher Raffle Promo Mechanics: Get a chance to win P10,000 voucher for every transaction worth at least P3,500. No. of Winners: 3

With such super deals – free gifts, free delivery and huge discounts – October really is a Super Month for shopping!

And we won’t have to leave home! Just visit shopsm.com/groceries or download the ShopSM app on Google Play or the App Store.

Planning to shop in-store? The weekend of October 14 to 16 is great time to do so as it is Tatang’s Weekend Sale! In honor of SM’s founder Henry Sy, whom the SM community affectionately refers to as Tatang, SM Markets will offer up to 50% off on participating items, free delivery on with a minimum Php1,000 single-receipt spend, plus a chance to be one of 10,000 winners of Php10,000 worth of shopping money!

Check out my previous posts about SM Markets:

Why not, ChocNut? Check out the limited edition #SMChocNutTuron

Australian brand Coles now available exclusively at SM Markets

Great finds to #TreatYourself with at SM Markets

Goin’ low-carb with Tito Jhay’s Almond Flatitos

With the holidays just around the corner and threatening our good intentions of eating and being healthy, it’s a good thing that we can now find sources of alternatives to carbo-loaded holiday fare that taste good while being actually good for you.

John Paul Titic, also known as Tito Jhay, owns and operates a Las Pinas-based online store to help people embrace a practical keto/low-carb lifestyle.

By showcasing affordable keto-based and low-carb versions of popular desserts, snacks, pantry items and ingredients, Tito Jhay’s Low Carb – Keto Panaderia demonstrates that it is possible to make eating low carb and keto meals part of one’s everyday lifestyle.

Take its Almond Flatitos, for example.

This flatbread is made using almond flour, which, aside from being low on carbohydrates, is also a good alternative for people with allergies to wheat flour or suffer from Celiac disease.

Almond flour is also a good source of manganese which helps the body heal after injuries through proper blood clotting, and assists in breaking down carbohydrates and cholesterol.

It is also rich in magnesium which helps regulate the body’s sugar levels, monounsaturated fat which keeps the body’s cholesterol levels under control and reduces the risk of heart disease, and prebiotic dietary fiber which leads to good gut health.

Would you believe that something so good for you can be part of a great meal?

It’s a great replacement for pita bread, naan or tortilla for your meat wraps, shawarma or burritos. You can even use it as a crust for your mini pizzas.

I used it as a replacement for pita bread when my family had beef kebabs for lunch. The texture may feel different at first but it still served as a good complement to the Mediterranean dish of savory grilled beef and roasted vegetables.

Check it out and see how you, too, can incorporate low carb and keto items into your meals.

Each pack of Almond Flatitos (priced at Php295) contains five pieces of 8-inch sugar-free flatbread. To store, keep the packs in the freezer. Allow to thaw for ten minutes before reheating using a non-stick pan, oven or air-fryer.

Order your Almond Flatitos and other low carb and keto items from Tito Jhay’s online store on Shopee. For more details and updates about Tito Jhay’s Low Carb – Keto Panaderia, follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate this feature story.

Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken & Sauce Bar, Gil Fernando Marikina

The city of Marikina is home to a lot of foodie destinations: some may be quite off the beaten path but some are endearingly familiar.

One of these familiar establishments is Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken & Sauce Bar located along Gil Fernando Avenue. Having opened in February this year, it’s conveniently situated to cater to residents of the surrounding areas.

In my family’s case, it’s the perfect stopover on the way to our staycation destination in San Mateo, Rizal.

During our several visits, we filled up on its delicious menu items, such as:

Create Your Own Salad Adventure (Php225) with Chicken Tenders (Php75)

We have proven that eating healthy need not be boring. With the Create Your Own Salad Adventure, we enjoyed fresh and crisp lettuce greens, pickled cucumber slices, tomatoes and crisp tortilla strips with our choice among three salad dressings (Caesar, Roasted Sesame and or Citrus Vinaigrette). We even made into a more filling dish by adding some juicy chicken tenders (alternative add-on proteins include shrimps or peri-peri chicken).

Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (Php150).

We can all be a little cheesy every once in a while. With a few mozzarella cheese sticks, we can be a lot cheesy! Biting into crispy breading that gives way to warm gooey cheese is a great way to start any meal!

Peri-Peri Chicken Grupo (Php1,049).

It’s often quite a challenge to find a group meal that will satisfy the appetites of everyone in the family. The Peri-Peri Chicken Grupo stepped up to this challenge with awesome curation of flavors.

It starts with the Peri-Peri Chicken, a dish that originated from South Africa characterized by its appetizing blend of flavors and juiciness. The restaurant brings this world-famous dish by marinating a whole chicken overnight in a special mixture of peri-peri (bird’s eye) chili, herbs and spices. The chicken is then charcoal-grilled until it reaches that gloriously golden hue, resulting in a peri-flavorful and juicy chicken with every bite.

Peri-peri Chicken is best enjoyed with one or a combination of the restaurant’s eight signature sauces. These represent various gastronomic preferences, ranging from mildly sweet (Cajun Remoulade, Hoisin Sesame and Sweet Soy), medium spiciness (Garlic Brew, Spiced Vinegar and Mesquite BBQ) and fiery hot (Chili Peppa and Harissa Exotica).

To complete the group meal, the Peri-Peri Chicken is served with four cups of java rice, four side dishes and a liter carafe of house-blend iced tea.

Half Chicken Plate (Php430 with 1 side).

At one time, our party included two more persons so we augmented our group meal with a serving of half peri-peri chicken served java rice and pastels de nata (Portuguese custard tart).

Our lunchtime stopovers at this Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken & Sauce Bar branch always bring a smile to our faces and satisfaction to our appetites!

This outlet is located at 6 Mayor Gil Fernando Ave, Marikina.

Other Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken & Sauce Bar outlets are located at:

Las Pinas: Evia Lifestyle Center
Makati: Ayala North Exchange, Greenbelt 3
Mandaluyong: SM Megamall
Manila: Robinsons Place Manila
Marikina: SM City Marikina
Muntinlupa: Alabang Town Center
Paranaque: Ayala Malls Manila Bay
Pasay: Resorts World Manila
Pasig: SM City East Ortigas, Ayala Malls Feliz, Capitol Commons, Robinsons Galleria
Quezon City: Eastwood Mall, Gateway Mall, Robinsons Magnolia, UP Town Center, Trinoma Mall, Banawe, Brittany Square
San Juan: Promenade Greenhills
Taguig: Uptown Parade BGC, Market! Market BGC, Venice Grand Mall

To enjoy this feast at home, order from Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken’s delivery website or call +63 2 73747374 for Metro Manila orders and +63 917 7747374 for provincial orders.

To know more about Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, browse through its website , or follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Check out my previous posts on Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken:

Peri Peri Chicken, SM East — Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, SM City East Ortigas

Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Tomas Morato

Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Capitol Commons

Delicious and nourishing goodness at Nono’s Comfort Kitchen, S Maison

Sometimes, we just need a little bit of comfort every once in a while, more so, I think, on weekends.

It can be because we’ve had a terrible week, or we’re feeling some trepidation for the one that’s ahead of us. Whatever the reason, we can’t begrudge ourselves a little bit of indulging comfort to either soothe our nerves or to bolster them.

Especially, if that comfort comes in such a delicious form as it does at Nono’s Comfort Kitchen.

After touring Lakbay Museo before it closed its doors in S Maison, my daughter #ExhibitA and I decided to have our lunch at this chic little cafe located at the Atrium. Despite being located literally in the middle of all the action, it had a cozy feel to it that made us want to spend some time there.

Nono’s is actually named after founder Chef Baba Ibazeta-Benedicto’s father. His moniker was first used to name the chef’s famous confectionery creation, Nono’s Chocolate Oblivion but the menu soon grew to include other deliciously heartwarming and nourishing viands such as those we enjoyed during our meal.

Fried Truffle Cheese Wontons (Php185). Crispy fried wontons stuffed with mozzarella and cheddar cheese then drizzled with honey and truffle oil.

Nono’s Home-Style Fried Chicken (Php365 solo | Php685 big plate). Crispy boneless chicken fillet served country style with gravy and honey along with a dinner roll, fries and corn on the cob.

Mac ‘n Cheese (Php395) with added Bacon (Php125). Al dente shell pasta baked with a sauce made with gruyere, sharp cheddar and parmesan and topped with crispy bacon.

Nono’s Chocolate Oblivion (Php175). This is the cake that started it all: moist chocolate cake layered with whipped chocolate cream and topped with walnut praline bits. No wonder it was named one of Spot.PH’s top ten chocolate cakes of 2019.

With this awesome blend of sweet and savory flavors, my daughter and were able to savor our comforting foodie haven.

Know more about Nono’s Comfort Kitchen from its website or get updates on its latest offers by following it on Facebook and Instagram.

This Nono’s Comfort Kitchen branch is located at Atrium, S Maison, Marina Way Seaside Boulevard, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay, open daily from 10am to 10pm for dine-in, takeout and delivery. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 915 7530819.

Other branches are located at:

Level 1, Phase 1B, U.P. Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Second Level, The Podium Mall, 12 ADB ave. Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Ground Floor, Three Central, Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati City
Upper Ground Floor, Expansion Wing, Festival Mall, Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Lower Ground Glorietta 2, Glorietta Complex, Ayala Center, Makati City
Ground Floor, Phase 1, Abueva Entrance, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Diosdado Macapagal Blvd, cor.Aseana Ave, Paranaque City
P1 Level, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Dr, Makati City
Upper Ground Floor, Uptown Mall, 9th Avenue corner 36th Street, Uptown Bonifacio, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Ground Floor, 26th St., High Street South Tower 1, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
G/F KL Tower, Gamboa, Legazpi Village, Makati
Upper Ground Floor, Crystal Corridor, Pearl Wing, Okada Manila, New Seaside Dr, Entertainment City, Parañaque City

Nono’s Comfot Kitchen also delivers via GrabFood, FoodPanda and Pick*A*Roo.

Delicious MEAT-up at Meat Depot, UP Town Center

Are you a certified carnivore like me?

Then, I’m sure you’re always on the lookout for juicy, flavorful and succulent morsels that you can sink your teeth into.

And where to find meats galore that you’re craving for?

Meat Depot, of course!

Meat Depot is both a butcher shop that carries a wide variety of meats, poultry and seafood, and a steakhouse. It is a place for meat enthusiasts to indulge their love for meat and meat products.

Whether locally raised or internationally sourced, its meat products are professionally handled from farm to plate as Meat Depot takes utmost care to comply with industry-certified procedures and employ industrial-grade facilities for meat handling, storage and cutting.

Socially conscious buyers can rest easy knowing that Meat Depot also champions conscientious butchery and helps to raise awareness for ethical slaughtering processes and food safety.

Over the years, the fam (and our extended family) have developed a liking for Meat Depot due to the quality of its meat products and the masterful grilling of its steaks.

After taking a break from dining in at our favorite steak place for over two years due to the pandemic, the fam was able to try out another one of Meat Depot’s branches, this time at UP Town Center in Quezon City.

Its chillers house various steak options to suit the tastes of all kinds of steak lovers, from the most basic to the most discerning:

Black Mountain: Ribeye, Striploin, Tenderloin, T-bone, Porterhouse, Tomahawk
Star: Ribeye
Clear River: Ribeye, Striploin
Lamb: Lamb Chop and Lamb Steak
Local: Ribeye, Striploin, Tenderloin, T-bone, Porterhouse

After selecting our steaks, the steakhouse’s expert griller set about grilling them to come out all juicy and flavorful and marked by those gorgeous grill marks, of course!

Newbie steak fans can take some pointers from Meat Depot’s cooking guide on various stages of doneness:

Blue: grilled for 30 seconds on each side.
Rare: grilled for 45 seconds to 1 minute on each side, resulting to a steak that’s seared on the outside while the inside is mostly red. This meat is soft and tender.
Medium Rare: grilled for 1 minute to 1 minute and 15 seconds on each side, resulting to a steak that’s seared on the outside while the inside is half-red. This is the recommended doneness of most chefs as it has the perfect texture.
Medium: grilled for 1 minute and 30 seconds to 2 minutes on each side, resulting to a steak with a rosy pink interior and slightly firmer texture. This is the preferred doneness of most steak lovers, my fam included.
Medium Well: grilled for 3 to 5 minutes on each side resulting to a steak with a mostly brown center and firm texture. This level of doneness is well-suited to people who may be squeamish and prefer not to see color in their meat.
Well Done: grilled for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, resulting to a steak a brown center with a very firm texture. Surprisingly, a lot of people prefer their steaks this way.

To make our steak meal complete, we opted to pair our steaks with mushroom sauce and side dishes that include steamed rice, mashed potatoes and marbled potatoes in balsamic dressing.

Wouldn’t you love to also MEAT up with your family and friends for a flavorful and filling steak meal at Meat Depot?

Then hie yourselves over to any of these Meat Depot branches located at:

2/F Ayala Malls Vertis North, North Avenue, Quezon City
815 Banawe Street, Brgy. St. Peter, Quezon City
283 Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque City
G/F Paseo de Magallanes, Magallanes, Makati City
2/F O Square 2, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan City
Corner Market, 2/F The Podium, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
3/F Robinsons Galleria, EDSA, Quezon City
G/F U.P. Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City

You can also shop for your steaks and other meat products online through Meat Depot’s website and enjoy free shipping for orders exceeding Php2,500.

Stay updated on Meat Depot’s products and offers by following it on Facebook and Instagram.

Check out my previous posts about Meat Depot:

Meat Depot, Greenhills — Steakin’ it easy at Meat Depot

Sawsaw-sarap ng Pinoy food, thanks to all-natural vinegars from Casa Lontoc

One significant feature of Filipino cuisine is the abundance of condiments.

We don’t consider a viand complete when it leaves the kitchen and is served on our dining tables. Nope, we still keep the option of further enhance its flavor or add some spice, zing or texture to it, through the use of condiments.

In his article The Psychology of Condiments: A Review, food scholar Charles Pence posits that “the existence of condiments is probably also an acknowledgement of the very different worlds of taste in which we all live.^”

After all, condiments allow us to personalize our food, adjusting its taste according to our individual preferences.

There’s little wonder then, that we Pinoys developed a wealth of condiments and dipping sauces that make our dining experiences all the richer.

Husband-and-wife team Juan Carlos Lontoc and Louwina Ann Balboa Lontoc grew their small enterprise of making and bottling sinamak into a fast-growing business they called Casa Lontoc.

Sinamak is the spiced vinegar which is aged with spices and aromatics, making it very flavorful. It is a perfect complement for the Ilonggo delicacy chicken inasal, as well as grilled and fried dishes such as liempo and seafood. Plus, it can also be used as a marinade for various dishes or as the acid in the local version of ceviche, such as the tuna kinilaw.

Casa Lontoc’s Mild Sinamak is the best bet for those who want a distinct Ilonggo flair for their grilled dishes. It is made from all-natural distilled cane vinegar and spices, inspired by a Lontoc heirloom recipe.

Similarly, the Spicy Sinamak, is made from the same recipe but has more heat to it, not only enhancing the flavor of the dishes it accompanies, but also bringing a lot more spice to them.

Casa Lontoc’s Sweet and Spicy Cane Vinegar, on the other hand, is quite distinctive thanks to its sweetness. This makes it quite a match to the Filipino penchant for sweetness and is a great salad dressing or vinaigrette for ensaladas, or a dipping sauce for finger foods.

Other Casa Lontoc products include:

Spiced Tuba Vinegar
Spiced Iloco Vinegar
Chili Garlic
Habanero Chili Garlic

Casa Lontoc’s all-natural vinegars and sauces certainly help to bring new dimensions of flavor to many Pinoy dishes.

Who knows? Maybe they can also introduce new sawsaw-sarap possibilities to foreign dishes as well!

Try them as dipping sauces for your everyday meals or as dressings or marinades for special dishes during your weekend family barbecues.

To know more about Casa Lontoc and its products, visit its website and follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate this feature.

Tong Yang Shabu Shabu Express, SM Megamall

If you think that treating your fam to a delicious shabu-shabu meal would be a costly and difficult endeavor, think again.

Especially as we are now in the midst of rainy season, a steaming bowl of soup can be quite a source of comfort.

The good news is that y’all can enjoy a tasty hotpot meal, quick and easy at Tong Yang Shabu Shabu Express at SM Megamall’s Eatogether Food Hall.

Choosing from these tasty selections, family members can build their own shabu-shabu experience:

Meats (120g): chicken fillet (Php140), pork belly (Php150), beef karubi (Php150), beef chuck eye (Php180), Australian lamb (Php250), striploin (Php250), Angus beef (Php420), Wagyu Beef (Php520)
Seafood (100g): squidflower (Php60), half-shell mussel (Php60), shrimp (Php120), cream dory (Php60)
Shabu-shabu balls: fish ball (Php80), fish cake (Php80), squid ball (Php80), crabsticks (Php80), mushroom ball (Php85), lobster ball (Php110), cheese ball (Php120)
Vegetables (50g): native pechay (Php25), Taiwan pechay (Php50), cabbage (Php25), corn (Php40), enoki mushroom (Php120)
Soup bases: chicken and pork (Php50), spicy mala (Php60), sinigang (Php55), laksa (Php60)m sate (Php60), pickled vegetable (Php50), Chinese herb (Php60)

Or they can select from the affordably priced individual sets the one that best suits their shabu-shabu preference:

dumpling set (Php200 solo | Php320 regular)
vegetarian set (Php190 solo | Php300 regular)
pork set (Php200 solo | Php340 regular)
chicken set (Php220 solo | Php350 regular)
beef karubi set (Php230 solo | Php350 regular)
seafood set (Php250 solo | Php590 regular)
beef chuck eye set (Php420)
lamb set (Php480)
beef striploin set (Php480)
Angus beef set (Php650)
Wagyu set (Php800)

But for a hassle-free group meal, a hotpot for sharing option would be the fam’s best bet:

Couple Sets:

mixed seafood and beef (Php350 solo| Php750 regular)
mixed seafood and pork (Php350 solo| Php750 regular)
premium meats (Php1,390)

Family Sets:

seafood feast (Php1,590)
premium meats for 4 (Php1,620)
combination set (Php2,150)

We opted for a premium meats for 4 set where each family member got a personal soup pot (with our individual choice of soup base – mine was laksa, Hubby’s was spicy mala and the kids opted for chicken and pork), a sizeable selection of premium meats, seafood, vegetables and shabu-shabu balls, as well as a conduction stove in which to cook their own hotpot, we each basically had full control of our delicious and very filling shabu-shabu experience.

If you’re looking for a reasonably priced shabu-shabu meal for the fam, Tong Yang Express is a great choice.

This Tong Yang Shabu Shabu Express branch is located at Eatogether Food Hall, Second Floor, SM Megamall Building A, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

Other branches are located at:

SM Center Pasig, Frontera Drive, Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. Avenue corner Doña Julia Vargas Ave, Ortigas Center, Pasig
SM Light Mall, EDSA corner Madison Street, Mandaluyong
SM Cherry Shaw, 514 Shaw Blvd, Pleasant Hills, Mandaluyong
The Rise Makati, 7248 Malugay Street, Makati
Eatogether Food Hall, 2/F Unimart at Capitol Commons, Meralco Avenue corner Shaw Boulevard, Pasig

Check out my previous posts about Eatogether Food Hall in SM Megamall:

3 Reasons to enjoy the creamiest halo-halo in the solar system from Bebang Halo-Halo

Just because we’ve entered the BER months, it doesn’t mean that it’s no longer the time to have halo-halo.

This shaved ice confection is considered the unofficial national dessert of the Philippines.

Its beginnings is said to be traced back to the pre-war Japanese-Filipinos in Quiapo who introduced a version of the Japanese kakigori called mongo-ya. It was made with minatamis na munggo (boiled and sweetened mung beans) served on top of crushed ice with milk and sugar. Over time, more native ingredients such as ube jam, sweetened kidney beans, rice crispies and leche flan were added, resulting in the development of the modern halo-halo.

The halo-halo got its name from the action needed to bring about its best qualities: it needs to be mixed (“halo“) again and again (‘halo-halo”) to bring various ingredients together with the sweetened and milky shaved ice in every spoonful.

Being an icy dessert, one would think that it is most popular during the hot summer months. However, I would beg to differ: any time is a great time to enjoy halo-halo, especially if its a Bebang Halo-halo.

Here are three reasons why:

1. “Ang iniiiiiit pa rin dito!” (It’s still hot in here!)

The hot summer season actually lasts year round in this country. We just get to experience a few bouts of rainy and windy weather in between sweltering heat spells. With the heightened temperature comes heightened tempers, don’t they?

We definitely need something cold to refresh us and take our minds of the heat, as well as something sweet to sweeten our mood.

A couple of Bebang Halo-halo can surely cool down our temperaments despite the hot weather!

2. “Maiba naman!” (It’s time for a change!)

If we want a break from the usual dayuhan desserts that abound in so many eateries and go back to our roots, why not do it in a yummy way with a icy cup of Bebang Halo-halo?

Given the Pinoy penchant for sweets, it’s no wonder that many versions of halo-halo exist. We keep on finding ways to make a good thing even greater, don’t we?

Just like Bebang Halo-halo: it has a menu of fifteen halo-halo variants so that every one can always go back to a halo-halo fave or switch to a new flavor, anytime!

You can also pair your icy dessert with one of Bebang Halo-halo’s hotdogs and fries. You can even switch it up again by trying one of its Taho (silken tofu with tapioca pearls and sugar syrup) series.

So many delicious possibilities, so little time. Sigh!

3. “Dasurb ko ito e!” (I deserve this!)

We have been through a lot, haven’t we?

With all the worries, anxiety and frustration that we have lived through in the past two years, we have certainly earned ourselves a respite.

Let’s make it a delicious one with the creamiest halo-halo in the solar system from Bebang’s Halo-halo.

So don’t worry if it’s a good time for halo-halo, because any time is a good time for it. Go ahead and treat yourself and your loved ones with a Bebang Halo-halo, just like I did.

Bebang Halo-halo is a homegrown brand which offers leveled-up versions of the classic Pinoy dessert: the halo-halo. It recently trended on social media, thanks to its news-making Limited Edition Royal Halo-halo.

You can enjoy your Bebang Halo-halo right in the comforts of your home, or wherever you are in the metro (especially if you’re RTO – returning to the office – you would need one to cool down after a long commute or a heated meeting). It delivers to most Metro Manila areas through its in-house delivery service or via GrabFood and Lalamove. To make sure your orders will arrive as fresh and icy as you like them, opt to get an insulated bag packed with ice for an additional Php60.

You may also opt to pick up your halo-halo from the Bebang Halo-halo store at the Wack-Wack Royal Mansion, 574 Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong City in front of PCSO.

Message your orders to Bebang Halo-halo today. To stay updated on its offers, follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate this feature.