Eat – Page 53 – Jellybeans in the City

Summer at home? Grab makes it rewarding with Summer Steals: Bahaycation

Summer greetings from Grab!

Everybody looks forward to the summer season every year for all the fun memories and activities associated with it, be it for the refreshing beverages, the relaxing vacations, or lively beach trips. But while we have to stay in the safety of our homes for the meantime, Grab, Southeast Asia’s everyday superapp, gives us a chance to make this summer one to remember by bringing your summer vacation right to your doorstep with Grab Summer Steals: Bahaycation!

Until May 2, 2021, grab a bite of that exciting slice of summer with the chance to win BIG prizes through the Bahaycation Deals Wheel and sulit week-long deals and daily flash sales across Grab’s different services!

Amp up your summer and create unforgettable experiences with your loved ones with exciting prizes up for grabs just from spinning the Bahaycation Deals Wheel! Who knows, you might just be one of the lucky winners to take home a Dyson Airwrap, KitchenAid Mixer, Philips Air Fryer, Samsung Air Conditioner, Nespresso Lattissima machine, iPad Pro, or even a 50″ Samsung TV, perfect for enhancing your summer at home!

While you’re getting some exciting prizes from spinning the Bahaycation Deals Wheel, get your game face on for Grab’s Bahaycation Challenge just from making some purchases on GrabMart, and stand the chance to win a P120 off voucher for GrabMart’s Mega Sale from April 29 to May 4!

Last but not least, continue treating yourself to a fun and memorable summer that you deserve through thousands of deals from GrabFood, GrabMart, and GrabPay for the best summer-at-home experience yet! Beat the heat and have your summer staples delivered from your favorite restaurants like Yellow Cab, Taco Bell, Botejyu, and Coco with UNLI FREE DELIVERY today! To top this off, select merchants are offering you 50% OFF when you order from GrabMart stores like Assi Fresh Plaza, Zagana, Lawson, and Candy Corner. And be sure to complete that summer bahaycation OOTD and earn over P1,000 in cashback when you shop at Zalora, Shein, BeautyMNL, ShopSM, and more using GrabPay!

Get a slice of that summer experience— even from home— through the Grab Summer Steals: Bahaycation and make sure not to miss out on the week-long deals and exciting prizes available on the Grab app from April 26 to May 2, 2021!

For more details, check out the Grab app or visit the Grab website to learn more about Grab Summer Steals: Bahaycation!

Promo details provided in a recent press release

Get the best of both worlds with Zark’s Pizza x Burger series

Among us foodies, some would say that their food of choice are burgers while some would make a beeline for the nearest pizza joint when the hunger pangs strike.

For those that can go either way, Zark’s Burger has a special treat for you: its Pizza x Burger series!

Zark’s Burgers made its name by introducing burger innovations: fresh, crazy and sometimes over-the-top takes on the all-time favorite burger, and its newest line of burger creations is no exception.

For just Php229 per burger, your inner glutton can indulge in not one, but two (!) of your food cravings with these creations.

These filling burgers all consist of meaty and juicy char-grilled quarter-pound hunks of pure beef on a bed of seasoned fries sandwiched in fluffy and freshly baked brioche buns which are then topped with a tangy and savory pizza sauce, oodles of mozzarella and your favorite pizza toppings.

Check them out:

Pepperoni Overload.

Four Cheese.

Bacon and Mushroom.

Each pizza x burger would be more than enough to sate your cravings.

Still, for us foodies, we go big or we go home, right? So how about giving in to your super-sized appetite and adding these munchies to your order:

Hall of Fame Nachos (Php179).

Chicken Wings: Classic Buffalo (Php289) and Honey BBQ (Php289).

Those savory and spicy appetizers will sure work up quite a thirst so be sure to add a refreshing cup of Iced Tea (Php49) or Blue Lemonade (Php49) to your order.

So if you want to enjoy both of your food faves – pizzas and burgers – at one go, head to the nearest Zark’s Burgers!

This Zark’s Burger branch is located at Eastwood Citywalk 2, Eastwood City Mall, Libis.

Other branches are located at:

Pasig: SM City East Ortigas
Quezon City: Robinsons Galleria, Shopwise Araneta, SM City Santa Mesa, Fisher Mall, SM City North EDSA, SM City Fairview
Taguig: Food District Signatures on 5th BGC
Makati: Glorietta
Marikina: SM Marikina
Manila: SM City Manila, SM City San Lazaro
Pasay: Mall of Asia
Caloocan: South Caloocan
Valenzuela: SM City Valenzuela
Las Pinas: SM Southmall
Paranaque: SM City BF Homes

Zark’s Burger delivers via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

GrabFood Signatures family dinner from Cafe Mary Grace

I admit: having been “stuck at home” for more than a year has got me a bit tired of the usual home-cooked ulam.

Every once in a while, I want to treat the fam to something special: mouthwatering viands that go beyond the usual gisa–sigang–prito that comprise my business-as-usual cooking repertoire.

If you have the same problem, then we’re both in luck, because Grab recently launched its newest program, GrabFood Signatures. It partnered with popular restaurants to offer amazing deals on best-selling food and drink, exclusively for GrabFood users.

One such restaurant is Cafe Mary Grace.

While this restaurant is best known for its baked goods, particularly its ensaimada and cheese rolls, it also offers hearty comfort food good for sharing and perfect for family meals.

Together with my daughter #ExhibitA, I selected some dishes that were off-the-beaten-path for the fam:

Fried Kesong Puti & Calamansi Vinaigrette (Php393). Nuggets of kesong puti which are breaded, fried and tossed in with lettuce and grilled tomatoes, then drizzled with calamansi vinaigrette.

Smoked Salmon & Cream (Php438). Smoked salmon sauteed with garlic cream, tossed with pasta and garnished with caviar.

Dory & Saffron Cream (Php414). Linguini noodles topped with cream dory fillets and covered with a light cream sauce, subtly flavored with leeks and saffron.

Grilled Chicken Couscous (Php483). Chicken fillets marinated in rosemary and grilled before topping spicy steamed couscous, with a homemade tomato concasse and blance asparagus. This dish also has a 20% off deal, coming out at just Php368!

Parma Ham & Arugula (Php624). Freshly made pizza dough, generously topped with premium mozarella, homemade tomato sauce, slices of parma ham and arugula.

This meal was a welcome break from our run-of-the-mill ulam. And thanks to GrabFood Signature Deals, the total food bill for this meal amounted to just a little over Php2,000!

This Cafe Mary Grace branch is located at Ground Floor, SM City Marikina, Marcos Highway, Calumpang, Marikina City. Other Metro Manila outlets are located at:

Antipolo: SM Masinag
Marikina: SM Marikina
Mandaluyong: Shangri-La Plaza, SM Megamall
Pasig: Rockwell Business Center, Estancia Mall, Ayala Malls Feliz, SM East Ortigas, SM Hypermart Pasig, Ayala Malls the 30th
San Juan: Unimart
Quezon City: Trinoma, SM Fairview, Gateway Mall, Eastwood Mall, SM North EDSA, Ayala Fairview Terraces, Robinsons Galleria, UP Town Center, Robinsons Magnolia, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, Fisher Mall
Makati: Greenbelt 2, Century City Mall, Power Plant Mall, Steps Dance Studio, Enterprise Center, Makati Medical Center, Glorietta 4, Cash and Carry, SM Makati, Ayala Circuit, Waltermart
Taguig: Serendra, SM Aura, Venetian Mall, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Uptown Mall, One Bonifacio High Street, Rustans Central Square
Manila: Robinsons Place Manila, Lucky Chinatown Mall, SM Manila, SM San Lazaro
Pasay: NAIA Terminal 3, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Arena Annex, SM Mall of Asia Hypermarket, Resorts World Manila, Double Dragon Plaza
Paranaque: SM BF Paranaque, Okada, SM Sucat, SM Bicutan
Las Pinas: SM Southmall
Muntinlupa: Alabang Town Center, Fiesta Supermall

As a GrabFood Signatures restaurant, Cafe Mary Grace delivers via GrabFood and provides exclusive deals for GrabFood orders such as a Php100 discount for every minimum order of Php550.

Disclosure: A GrabFood voucher was provided to facilitate the ordering and delivery experience.

Guiltless snacking with Mom’s Haus of Mushroom

Spending all this time at home and going on TV binge-watching sprees sure do give us quite an appetite, doesn’t it?

If the thought of stuffing your face with junk food fills you with dread, you’re in luck! You won’t have to wallow in guilt when you indulge your snack cravings with treats from Mom’s Haus of Mushroom.

These appetizing treats are produced by Food For Thought Live Well Together Corp., a social enterprise that seeks to address unemployment in the countryside by providing jobs and optimizing the local agriculture.

It produces extremely snackable crispy mushroom chips, perfect for munching on while watching your favorite TV series, to fill the tummy with something delish in-between meals or a show-stopping addition to an appetizer spread.

These crispy mushroom chips are all made with wholesome and natural ingredients: freshly picked mushrooms, vegetable oil, wheat flour, egg whites and spices, onion, vinegar and natural flavorings (salted egg, garlic and chili). These chips are baked to yummy crispiness and are available in 25g and 100g packs in several flavors, which include:

Original. The honest-to-goodness taste of mushroom in every piece!

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Garlic. A well-balanced nutty mushroom flavor with a hint of garlicky spice.

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Salted Egg. The earthy taste of mushroom refined with the richness of salted egg.

Buy Now

Chili. Want your snack with a bit of a spicy kick? Well, this one’s for you!

Buy Now

So be bold and have good eats without the guilt. Stock up on Mom’s Haus of Mushroom Crispy Mushroom Chips today!

For more deets on Mom’s Haus of Mushroom, its products and its social enterprise initiatives, check out its website or follow it on Facebook, Instagram or Youtube.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Welcome the cherry blossom season with Starbucks’ Sakura series

In Japan, the advent of spring season is welcomed by the blossoming of sakura – more commonly known to us as cherry blossoms – from the last week of March to mid-April.

Widely considered as Japan’s national flower, these beautiful and delicate, pale pink blooms figure prominently in Japanese culture.

When the blossoming peaks, usually in the first week of April, it is a wondrous sight, prompting locals and visitors alike to hold tea ceremonies called hanami and other festivities to coincide with cherry blossom viewings.

We may not be able to travel to Japan to see these lovely blooms for ourselves but we can recreate the experience at home by having these Starbucks limited-edition Strawberry Sakura drinks delivered via GrabFood.

The Sakura Blossom Strawberry Frappuccino (Php205). Fresh strawberries are blended with whole milk and ice with sweet strawberry sauce at the bottom of the glass. Petal-shaped pink chocolate sprinkles garnish the whipped cream that top this drink.

Iced Sakura Blossom Tea (Php200). Starbucks’ Teavana Hibiscus Tea is combined with strawberry sauce and topped with cold foam sprinkled with petal-shaped pink chocolate sprinkles.

A perfect partner for these drinks is Starbucks’ Cherry Blossom Cake (Php215), a light yet moist and sweet cherry cake layered with creamy filling made with crushed cherries and finished with cherry cream.

Who says we can’t celebrate sakura season in the comforts of home?

This Starbucks branch is located at Mercedes Residences, Mercedes Avenue, San Miguel, Pasig City. For inquiries, call +63 2 82450773.

Photo Credit: Sakura blossoms by kazuend on Unsplash

Check out my other posts about Starbucks:

The Bistro Group launches Bistro Delivers, its on-demand delivery app

With the shift to instant commerce brought by the pandemic, The Bistro Group launched the Bistro Delivers app to help customers get their favorite food on their terms.

The Bistro Delivers app, which houses all 17 Bistro Group restaurant brands, aims to make life for urban dwellers just a little bit easier. Offering on-demand delivery and take-out options, the app bridges decades of the company’s food and operational expertise with the convenience of today’s technology.

For those who want to order in—whether it be to binge while watching the latest Netflix show or partake in an intimate dinner with family and friends, the Bistro Delivers app is the perfect way to get food anytime, anywhere. From pasta and wings to sushi and paella, the app allows customers to order their favorite food safely and conveniently from any of The Bistro Group’s wide roster international and homegrown brands.

To give customers even more options, customers can order from multiple brands in the same vicinity, so they no longer have to choose between two good things. With a delivery radius of 8-km, customers can also enjoy access to restaurants that have typically been out of reach.

For those craving savings, discounts and offers will be exclusively available for redemption within the app. “BFFs,” members of The Bistro Group’s loyalty program, can also expect to enjoy special privileges and perks.

Through the launch of Bistro Delivers, The Bistro Group hopes to elevate its high standards of customer satisfaction even further—giving customers a hassle-free way to get the food they love from the convenience of their phones.

Bistro Delivers can be downloaded in the Play Store/Google Play and App Store.

Chicken Galantina by Fira’s Kitchen

If you haven’t encountered the dish called Chicken Galantina yet, you’re missing on quite a lot!

This delectable dish is made with a deboned chicken stuffed with ground pork, hard-boiled egg and sausages with some pickle relish and spices which is then baked until cooked.

Its origins go all the way back to France with a dish called galantine which employs basically the same method and similar ingredients. Its name may have been derived from its elaborate preparation and presentation: deboning a chicken, after all, is pretty difficult and time-consuming, and the finished dish is lavishly decorated before serving. This leads to a spread of food on the table that is urbane and sophisticated – therefore gallant.

Given the effort that goes into making this dish, it usually makes an appearance during special occasions or holiday feasts.

I remember my mom trying her hand at making this dish back when I was young and I could attest to the difficulty and care needed in making it. No wonder then, that despite the appeal of the dish among our family members, Mom rarely ventured into making this dish since then.

To my reckoning, it’s been years since the last time I had a taste of Chicken Galantina, while my kiddos have yet to acquaint themselves with it.

As luck would have it, the family of my honorary daughter – my real daughter #ExhibitA’s BFF – sent a whole Chicken Galantina from Fira’s Kitchen to us.

Established in the early 2000s, Fira’s Kitchen specializes in Chicken Galantina, making use of a family recipe that had been passed down through generations.

Honorary Daughter and her mom swear by it, and I have to say that I agree.

From its flavorful browned skin to the succulent chicken meat and delicious stuffing – thankfully not overflowing with raisins! – it is a welcome highlight at our dinner table.

It came with its special gravy which my kiddos consumed quite liberally but I quite prefer my Chicken Galantina portion without it.

The remarkable thing about this dish is that it can be enjoyed hot or cold, so what few leftovers we had conveniently became sandwich fillings for our midnight snack.

Fira’s Kitchen sells its Whole Chicken Galantina with Gravy for Php850. Galantina Rolls (a version of the Chicken Galantina rolled in chicken breast) and Chicken Embutina (the same Chicken Galantina recipe but in embotido-style) are also available for Php150 and Php180, respectively.

To order, call +63 927 5192810 or send a message via Facebook or Instagram.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Filling Japanese lunch at Yoshinoya, SM Megamall

Back when my office was located in the Ortigas area, a lunchtime sojourn to SM Megamall was a frequent occurrence.

For one thing, it’s just a short cab (or FX) ride away; my officemates and I can easily grab a quick meal, enjoy the change of scenery, and be back at our desk usually before our bosses came back from their own lunch outs.

Another reason is the sheer number of affordable and delicious dining options available, which, sadly, far outnumbers those housed in our office building’s cafeteria.

One of our favorite SM Megamall haunts is Yoshinoya, the second-largest chain of gyudon restaurants in the world. It makes Japanese rice bowls and more easily accessible to Pinoys through its affordable menu items that don’t scrimp on fresh ingredients.

Sadly, our office moved locations and a lunchtime trip to Yoshinoya is no longer as convenient.

Plus, with the quarantine restrictions still in place, I really haven’t been going out much.

That is, until my daughter #ExhibitA and I went shopping for supplies at SM Megamall.

Giving in to #ExhibitA’s request for us to eat somewhere which offers gyoza, I decided to treat her to lunch at Yoshinoya. There, we refueled after a round of shopping with these dishes:

Gyoza (Php79). Pork and vegetable-filled dumplings steamed then pan-grilled for a satisfying mix of chewy and crunchy textures and served with a dipping sauce.

California Maki (Php79). A sushi roll containing cucumber, kani and mango bits.

Pork Tonkatsu Bento (Php189). Deep fried breaded pork served in a bento box with macaroni salad, tiramisu and served with Tonkatsu sauce.

Regular Gyudon Beef (Php159 ala carte | Php189 solo meal with with red iced tea and coffee jelly). Tender beef slices are simmered in a special herb and spice broth together with sliced onions and then served on top of a bowl of steaming rice.

Green Tea Ice Cream (Php50).

Well, with these flavorful Japanese dishes that don’t burn a whole through my wallet, I am quite satisfied with my return to Yoshinoya!

This Yoshinoya branch is located at Upper Ground Floor, Building A, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City, open daily from 10am to 9pm. For delivery, call +63 2 2882888.

Other branches are located at:

Food Court, Level 1, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas, Quezon City
Second Floor, Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
Second Floor, Annex Building, SM City Fairview, Novaliches, Quezon City
Valero Carpark 2, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City
Second Floor, Glorietta 1, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City
Fourth Floor, SM City Manila, Ermita, Manila
Ground Floor, North Wing, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City

To know more about Yoshinoya, visit its website or follow it on Facebook or Instagram.

Dr. Wine presents a sneak peek into new menu by Chef Alain Raye

There’s a place hidden in the Poblacion suburbs where discriminating foodies can savor delicious French cuisine paired with the finest of vin.

Dr. Wine Manila – also known as Le Bistro du Dr. Wine – situated in Algiers Street just off Kalayaan Avenue and a few minutes walk away from Rockwell in Makati, is known for its cozy and rustic yet vibrant upscale premises, its extensive and well-curated collection of wines as well as the gastronomically delightful French dishes that emerge from its kitchen.

For weekend brunch, for example, diners may enjoy plateau de fruits de mer – platters of local mussels, clams and shrimps, as well as escargot of bulots and bigorneux snails, oysters and razor clams imported from France, all served on a bed of ice. These platters are accompanied by freshly baked artisanal bread from the restaurant’s sister bakery, Dr. Bread, salted butter and assorted sauces (of which, I think the Red Wine Vinaigrette with Shallots brings out all the fresh goodness of the seafood). These platters come in different serving sizes: Couple (Php2,899 | good for two), The Queen’s Platter (Php4,899 | good for four) and The Dr. King’s Platter (Php8,599 | good for six).

Michelin-starred Chef Alain Raye recently joined Dr. Wine’s team, bringing his considerable talents to bear as he takes the helm in Dr. Wine’s kitchen. He takes the bistro’s French cuisine offerings up several notches by adding his signature creations to menu.

Fish Quenelle. Lapu Lapu shaped into quenelles accompanied by plump prawns in a Gratinee Lyonnaise preparation. Its texture is creamy and delicate but is full of flavor.

Beef Short Ribs. Beef ribs slow cooked until fork-tender in classic French pepper sauce with sauteed carrots, and accompanied by a side of creamy potato gratin.

These dishes are best enjoyed with a glass (or two!) of French wines such as this fruity Chateau Cap de Fer.

Excited to taste these delectable oeuvres from Chef Alain? Well, you won’t have to wait for long because these are launching today, March 15!

Chef Alain also has a special treat to cap special wine dinners: the Nougat de Montelimar. It’s a decadent dessert made with nuts embedded in the nougat which is drenched in mixed berry puree and cream sauce.

So take a break from your usual food haunts and get ready to indulge your tastebuds with French food and wine at Dr. Wine Manila!

You can also book your intimate gatherings at Dr. Wine’s elegant and spacious private function room which can accommodate up to twenty people (while practicing safety protocols and physical distancing).

Dr. Wine Manila is located at Ground Floor, 5921 Algier Street, Poblacion, Makati City, open for dine-in and takeout Mondays to Wednesdays from 5pm to 10pm, Thursdays to Fridays from 12 noon to 10pm and Saturdays to Sundays at 12 noon to 11.30pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 917 5638811.

Disclosure: Together with fellow foodie EJ of ILoveToEatPH, I attended a food tasting held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to elicit our honest feedback and as basis for this feature article.