Eat – Page 65 – Jellybeans in the City

New food delivery app DeliRush launched in San Juan and Mandaluyong

With a persistent drive in widening its food partner and customer touchpoints while adapting to the new normal and changing customer habits, DeliRush is determined to showcase the flavors of home kitchens and restaurants and to offer local food choices to customers.

Actively operating in the cities of Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Baguio, DeliRush, a new food delivery service app, achieves yet another milestone as it expands a branch in the prime areas of San Juan and Mandaluyong. Launched this September 2020, DeliRush San Juan-Mandaluyong is set to acquire and empower local and small foodpreneurs and offer a wide range of food selections to its residents.

As an innovative online platform, DeliRush offers an opportunity for food partners to share their menus and for customers to conveniently order food from an array of neighborhood-favorites and have it delivered at the comfort of their homes.

The DeliRush App

The DeliRush App is a food delivery platform that allows customers to discover an array of food choices and order them conveniently from the app found in Google Play for Android users and App Store for iOS users. Catering to the customers’ cravings, users can order meals or food products and have it delivered at their homes within San Juan and Mandaluyong areas.

Upon downloading the DeliRush App, with a user-friendly interface, the customers can register and activate their app accounts. The ordering process starts with the customer entering the delivery address, selecting meals or food products from preferred home kitchen or restaurant, and placing the order. The order will then be assigned to a rusher partner, the delivery riders of DeliRush. The food partner will be notified and will prepare the order to be picked up by the rusher.

DeliRush App Download Links

For Android: www.bit.ly/DeliRushPHonGooglePlay

For Apple: www.bit.ly/DeliRushPHonAppStore

The DeliRush San Juan-Mandaluyong Difference

DeliRush San Juan-Mandaluyong believes in the potential of every deli – from home kitchens to restaurants. In a tech-driven generation especially during the current pandemic wherein people are encouraged to stay at home, food delivery has been considered as essential. “Offering services in the spirit of empowering local foodpreneurs and supporting them amidst the pandemic, DeliRush is an enabler and supporter for small food businesses and riders in the localities of SJM,” Mr. Noel Lucas, General Manager of the San Juan-Mandaluyong Operations Hub, says.

With a number of huge competitors in the food delivery app services industry, DeliRush San Juan-Mandaluyong is focused on bringing local food choices to its customers. In this way, small food businesses are highlighted and customers have the opportunity to discover new eats and support local foodpreneurs.

Partnership with Jackie Lou Blanco

DeliRush San Juan-Mandaluyong has partnered with Ms. Jackie Lou Blanco, a veteran actress, fitness and wellness advocate, columnist and women’s health supporter. With DeliRush San Juan-Mandaluyong’s official launch last September 10, 2020, Ms. Blanco also launched her new peanut butter line, Jackielou’s Gourmet Nut Butter Artisan.

Like many Filipino professionals, Ms. Blanco, as an actress, has been affected by the pandemic. Given the current situation and with Ms. Blanco’s love for peanut butter, Jackielou’s Gourmet Nut Butter Artisan has been created with the help of her daughter-in-law. Handmade at home, Ms. Blanco sports four peanut butter variants – Sugar Free, Choco Nut, Cinnamon, and Cashew peanut butter.

DeliRush is the exclusive delivery partner of Jackielou’s Gourmet Nut Butter Artisan for San Juan and Mandaluyong. Residents from San Juan-Mandaluyong can now order Ms. Blanco’s peanut butter products through the DeliRush app. For orders from other areas in Metro Manila, customers may visit Jackielou’s Gourmet Nut Butter Artisan’s official Facebook page.

Chinese dinner feast from Eat Fresh Famous Hongkong Street Food, Maybunga

Back when I used to spend a lot of time in San Juan for work, one of the potential highlights of the day would be a visit to Eat Fresh Famous Hongkong Street Food along Jose Abad Santos Street.

This unassuming resto is famous for serving tasty and affordable dimsum, street food and claypot rice toppings.

Since my office moved locations a few years ago, I haven’t been able to go back there for a Chinese food trip, and when the quarantine was effected last March, a trip to San Juan became all the more unlikely.

Imagine my delight when I discovered that a new branch opened right in my hometown of Pasig City. Better yet, it delivers via GrabFood!

So I took advantage of GrabFood’s FREE delivery promo for my Friday night dinner with the kiddos, and we feasted on:

Salt and Pepper Spareribs (Php322). One of my favorite Chinese dishes made with pork spare ribs seasoned with salt, chili peppers and five spice powder, then deep fried until the outside is crispy to complement the tender meat inside.

Lemon Chicken (Php322). Crispy lightly battered chicken breast pieces doused in a sweet and tangy sticky sauce. For my daughter, a Chinese meal is not complete without this dish.

3 Kinds Mushroom (Php270). This dish is the answer to this mommy question: “How do I get my kids to eat more healthy food?” Well, this delectable dish made with three different kinds of mushroom braised in flavorful oyster sauce got my kids to expand their palates to non-meat dishes.

Special Fried Rice (Php138). Filipino comedian Jo Koy tells how his dad said “Rice is rice.” Well, I beg to differ. This rice dish is special: cold day-old rice is tossed with meat, seafood and scrambled in a wok and flavored with soy sauce, aromatics and other seasonings. It goes so well with almost any Chinese dish that I can’t imagine eating Chinese food with any other type of rice dish.

So foodies, if you’ve got a craving for Asian flavors, bring out your phone and check your food delivery apps. There might be an Eat Fresh branch that delivers in your area.

This Eat Fresh Famous Hongkong Street Food is located along C. Raymundo Avenue, Maybunga, Pasig City, open daily from 10am to 7pm. For delivery, call +63 915 5827695 or course your order through GrabFood.

Download the Grab App and get a discount on your first food order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

Other branches are located at:

691 Jose Abad Santos Street, Little Baguio, San Juan City
92 Jose Abad Santos Street, Behind Little Baguio City Hall, Little Baguio, San Juan City
32 General Ordoñez Corner Bayan-Bayanan Avenue, Marikina Heights, Marikina City
100-A Maria Clara Street, Santo Domingo, Banawe, Quezon City
48 President’s Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque City

Check out my reviews of other Asian restaurants:

Donut takeout from Krispy Kreme, SM Megamall

As some of you may have gathered from my previous blog posts, my kiddos are avid Krispy Kreme fans. Since the start of the quarantine, we have been relying on delivery services to get our hands on these donut treats.

However, when Hubby and I recently went shopping for school supplies at SM Megamall, our first visit to this mall since March, the opportunity to grab a box or two of Krispy Kreme donuts presented itself.

As required among all mall-based retail outlets, Krispy Kreme’s branch at SM Megamall adheres to safety and sanitation protocols such as requiring patrons to wear face masks and face shields, answer a contact-tracing questionnaire and sanitize hands prior to entering the store premises.

Dining in is no longer allowed, so unlike during my previous visits before the quarantine, there were no customers hanging out inside the store. In fact, only a handful of customers are allowed to be inside the store to maintain physical distancing.

All those restrictions are well worth following to keep ourselves safe. Plus, Hubby and I were still able to bring home a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts for the kiddos (which I paid for using GCash, again, to minimize physical contact).

I got a Box of 12 (Php425) which contains Krispy Kreme’s “light as a cloud, melt in your mouth, pillows of goodness” yeast-raised donuts. Since the fam fave is still the Original Glazed donut, the package included nine of those.

I just added a piece each of Red Velvet, New York Cheesecake and Kreme-filled with Gold Sprinkles for variety and to complete the dozen.

Needless to say, the kiddos were delighted with our pasalubong and the fam demolished the donuts in no time.

I’m glad that despite the pandemic and the restrictions brought about by the quarantine, we are still able to enjoy simple and delish delights such as these.

This Krispy Kreme branch is located at Upper Ground Floor, Building A, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City.

To get your box of donuts, call +63 2 88879000, order online or via GrabFood.

Buyers’ guide for charcoal grills on a budget

If the sight of dancing flames giving way to glowing red charcoals, the smoky aroma of the barbecue tickling your nostrils and the satisfying sound of sizzling food as they cook on a gridiron make your mouth water, then grilling is for you!

There’s something so primal about creating and tending a fire in the great outdoors to cook your food. It seems to harken back to when our cavemen ancestors would gather around bonfires to cook the spoils of their hunt. That prehistoric experience is mirrored in backyard barbecues, with people gathering around in a festive atmosphere while most of the action takes place on top of the grill.

Charcoal grills comprise the most popular category of outdoor grills, dominating pop culture images of barbecues from movies to TV ads. While some cooks would cite the time it takes to stoke a fire up to the temperature required for cooking as a disadvantage, expert grillers would argue that the authentic smoky flavor it brings to grilled food as its strongest appeal.

Even if you’re considering to buy a grill on a low budget, you still need to consider other factors to help you choose the right one for your needs, such as:

How many people you plan to grill for. This will help you choose the size of charcoal grill to buy. A small one (26 inches at the widest point or less) is suitable for grilling for two or for a small family. Medium-sized grills (between 27 to 33 inches) are perfect for grilling for larger families, while large ones (34 inches or bigger) are appropriate for large clan gatherings or neighborhood cookout parties.

Where you plan to use it. If there is a designated area in your patio or backyard for it, you can choose free-standing grill that can stay in a fixed position. If you don’t have a fixed spot for it or you plan to bring it along when you travel, you would need one that’s more lightweight and portable.

Royal Gourmet CD1824E 24-inch Charcoal BBQ Grill Outdoor Picnic Patio Cooking Backyard Party Weber 40020 Smokey Joe Premium 14-Inch Portable Grill , Black

Char-Broil 12201570-A1 American Gourmet Offset Smoker, Black,Standard

Buying a charcoal grill may be your first step towards many tasty food adventures so be sure to take the time and the effort to weigh your options and choose carefully.

This post contains affiliate links.

The Manila Hotel joins Manila Restaurant Week from Sep 20 to 27

Manila Restaurant Week is an event under the “Manila, Support Local” Campaign, which aims to promote local food establishments in Manila that have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Great food and great company are two of life’s simplest pleasures. So mark your calendars and get ready to feast on scrumptious food as The Manila Hotel’s famed Café Ilang Ilang participates in Manila Restaurant Week happening from September 20 to 27, 2020.

Indulge in a choice of starters like the savory Spinach-Ricotta Ravioli in light Parmesan Cream Sauce or Pomelo-Prawns Lumpia in Calamansi Honey Dressing; main course of sumptuous Beef Tenderloin in Balsamic glaze with marble potato and market vegetables or Pampano cooked in Tandoori Oven with Peas Pilaf rice and stir-fried Asian vegetables; and dessert of Fresh Fruits Salad with Ube ice cream or Mango panna cotta as dessert. The starter-main-dessert set is offered at only P980 nett per person, but cannot be availed of in conjunction with other promos or discounts.

Manila Restaurant Week is an event under the “Manila, Support Local” Campaign, launched by the Bureau of Permits and City Government of Manila. The city-wide project aims to promote local food establishments in Manila that have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis. About 80 restaurants will be offering prix fixe menus at affordable prices during Manila Restaurant Week.

Launched on September 15, The Manila Hotel played one of the hosts of the multi-venue simultaneous kick-off, which was livestreamed on social media platforms. The other hosts were Bayleaf Hotel, Lucky China Town Mall, and Robinsons Place Ermita. The virtual launch was marked by an online performance of Lea Salonga who sang her new single, “Dream Again,” the official theme song of the campaign.

“I believe we can do a lot in restoring the City of Manila back to its former glory under the leadership of Mayor Isko Moreno. We in the private sectors will always support you in this very worthwhile undertaking. Soon, Manila will be great again,” said Atty. Joey Lina, The Manila Hotel President, in his opening remarks during the launch.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuña gave their respective speeches before checking the 11 restaurants that showcased their dishes at The Manila Hotel’s Roma Salon—namely Café Ilang Ilang, Century Park Hotel, Scorched, Golden Fortune, Luneta Park Hotel, Ilustrado, Tanabe, Jus & Jerrys, Patio de Conchita, Pares Kimchi, and Harbor View—and visiting the other venues, which was watched by thousands via livestream.

The Manila Hotel and all its outlets operates in strict compliance to health protocols, so our guests are assured of the highest standards of food safety and sanitation measures in accordance with the government guidelines.

For more information, you may check us out on Facebook or Instagram (@TheManilaHotel), or call 85270011 or 09989501912. For reservations, email resvn@themanilahotel.com.

Image and details provided by The Manila Hotel in a recent press release.

Go loco as El Pollo Loco opens new Makati Branch

Without the flame, it ain’t the same!

Crazy over chicken? Look no farther than Makati because El Pollo Loco is opening its new branch at the 2nd floor of Glorietta 4 on September 15!

Known for its popular flame-grilled chicken, this fast casual restaurant offers young urban professionals and families working and livng in Makati and nearby areas the chance to enjoy a fresh new level of Tex-Mex goodness!

Who doesn’t love El Pollo Loco’s healthy flame-grilled Mexican Chicken? It’s been a staple in the Philippines for 25 years among the chicken-obssessed! The meat is marinated fresh in herbs, spices, fruit juices, and garlic, then grilled the healthy just as you like it for that delectable smoky flavor.

Chicken meals are served either ala carte or loco (with rice or tortilla) and are bundled with your choice of sides, salads, soups, tacos and quesadillas. Its famed and well-loved sides are fresh tomato salsa (hand-prepared fresh daily), Spanish rice, tortilla bread, potato salad, fiesta corn, loco fries, and coleslaw—perfect for friends and family, and ideal if you need a meal on-the-go, too. They also have the Loco Bowl with Asian Zing, a generous mix of chicken slices grilled to perfection, rice, and sweet corn, then drizzled with a special sauce, perfect for lunch and even dinner.

El Pollo Loco may be all about the chicken, but it also serves their signature Crunchy Tacos (with a choice of either chicken or beef filling), Beef Nachos, Spaghetti con salsa, Chicken Cheese Taquitos, Chicken Quesadilla, and Chips and salsa.

As they say in El Pollo Loco: “Without the flame, it ain’t the same”, so stoke the flame and check out its newest branch in Glorietta 4.
El Pollo Loco’s other branches are located at SM Megamall and Inside Italianni’s Bonifacio High Street. Follow El Pollo Loco on Instagram.

Image and details provided in a recent press release.

#QuarantitaTreats: Pinoy and proud bubble tea drinks from Boba Unibers

Rain or shine, it’s always a good time for a boba tea.

These delish concoctions can give us a much-needed sugar boost to get us going, or refresh us after a hot or grueling day.

Boba (“bubble”) gets its name from the chewy pearls made of tapioca soaked in sugar syrup that look like dark bubbles which add texture to your drink.

Boba teas originated from Taiwan in the 1980s when the smaller pearls were used for milk teas. An enterprising shop owner then decided to use larger pearls in a bid to make his offerings stand out.

Boba teas then made their way across the globe and soon established a foothold in the Philippines with new shops offering all sorts of bubble tea variants opening every month.

The newest of these boba tea shops is Boba Unibers, managed by twenty-seven-year-old Jacques Michael Buenviaje together with his partner, twenty-six-year-old Katrina Mikaela Laygo.

Both were working in a five-star hotel in BGC when the pandemic struck the metro. They decided to leave their hotel jobs and forge new paths for themselves, which, luckily for us boba tea lovers, includes launching Boba Unibers.

As you can discern from their business’ moniker, #PinoyPride infuses their business and product concept.

By incorporating local flavors and ingredients to their boba tea offerings, they bring milk tea fans like us fresh ways to enjoy our favorite drink while tapping into our sense of nostalgia (plus they also help local farmers by sourcing their coffee beans and muscovado from them).

Being good to the environment is also high on their list of priorities. Not only do they eschew the use of single-use plastics, they also made use of reusable glass jars and edible straws (made with rice and tapioca) which scored major points with my environmentally-aware daughter, #ExhibitA.

Now let’s talk about Boba Unibers’ drinks, shall we?

Wintermelon (Php75). Made with BU’s special tea blend, caramel-y wintermelon syrup, milk, house syrup and boba. #ExhibitA reserved this boba as soon as she saw it.

Taro (Php75). Made with BU’s special tea blend, taro, milk, house syrup and boba. A creamy masterpiece of a drink! (And cutely light purple too!)

Champorado (Php85). Made with BU’s special tea blend, tablea rice milk, house syrup, powdered milk and boba. Who would have thought that our favorite chocolatey breakfast item would taste so good in boba tea form? My son #ExhibitB snatched this up as soon as I was done taking photos.

Pandan Yema (Php85). Made with BU’s special tea blend, milk, pandan yema syrup and boba. A mix of the mild taste of pandan and the milky salted caramel-like taste of yema made for a candy-like sweet drink.

Salted Pistachio (Php110). Made with pistachio syrup, caramel sauce, caramel syrup, Kievit and Lipton Tea. This milky and slightly nutty drink will satisfy pistachio lovers.

Cold Brew Milk Tea (Php85). Made with BU’s special tea blend, milk, cold brew coffee and boba. This woke me right up from my mid-afternoon stupor.

These are just a sampling of the many possibili-teas that Boba Unibers has launched into the milk tea stratosphere, with more flavors to come as Jacques and Katrina continue to experiment with new flavors and ingredients.

So #quarantitas (or #quaranTEAtas?), let’s help these young entrepreneurs raise our flag and bring the spotlight to the unique flavors we Pinoys love by supporting Boba Unibers.

To order, call +63 906 3485071 or message Boba Uniberse on Facebook or Instagram. Cashless payments via GCash, Metrobank and BDO, as well as cash on delivery, are accepted. The jars of milk tea can be delivered from Cainta to Rizal and Metro Manila areas via GrabExpress, Lalamove, Mr. Speedy, Angkas and Joyride (to be shouldered by the buyer).

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate an honest review.

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

#QuarantitaTreats: Lasagna from Kuki’s Fudtrip

With the holidays just around the corner, we #quarantitas are already on the lookout for tasty dishes we can serve the fam for the bevy of celebrations this time of year.

While most of us can whip up a pasta dish or two with ease, lasagna is a bit harder to produce.

Lasagna originated from Italy (as many yummy things do!) and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is made with stacked alternating layers of flat pasta, ragu (ground meat in tomato sauce) and cheese. The dish is usually assembled in a deep baking dish and cooked in an oven like a casserole. The name lasagna is said to be taken from the Ancient Roman word lasanum or “cooking pot,” the cookware in which the dish is made.

I attempted to make my own lasagna a couple of years ago and I got rewarded for my efforts with hard noodles that the fam wouldn’t touch. Needless to say, I stayed away from my culinary kryptonite.

That doesn’t mean, however, that my family’s craving for this dish has abated.

This is why I’m so glad that I can just have a tray of delicious lasagna delivered to me – no effort required in the kitchen – thanks to Kuki’s Fudtrip.

The woman behind this new online seller has actually been in the food business since 2007. Forty-six-year-old Maria Victoria Buenviaje started by selling ihaw-ihaw, managing a carinderia and catering to small gatherings.

When the quarantine started, she began selling merienda items such as pancit, turon and halo-halo.

At her daughter’s suggestion, she offered food trays of lasagna and other specialties online which were met with high demand and lots of orders.

From single orders of merienda items, she has transitioned to selling food trays, of which, the lasagna is the best-seller… and rightly so!

The aroma of the rich beef sauce and cheese greeted me as I peeled off the tray’s aluminum foil cover. Upon slicing into the lasagna, I saw the appetizing sight of layers of al dente noodles, meaty beef sauce and thick béchamel. A bite of this dish resulted to an explosion of flavor in my mouth.

The fam and I polished off most of the half-tray during our merienda. (My baby boy requested for a portion to be set aside for him for dinner – and I couldn’t say no to my baby!)

This Lasagna Special Tray (good for four to five people) sells for Php400 while a regular tray sells for Php700.

Other food trays available include:

Pancit: Bihon (Php400), Canton (Php400), Malabon (Php500) and Sotanghon Canton (Php500).
Pasta: Baked Macaroni (Php500), Carbonara (Php500), Tuna and Mushroom (Php500)

Call in your orders to +63 906 4330991 or message Kuki’s Fudtrip on Facebook two days before delivery date. Cashless payments via GCash, BPI and BDO are accepted. Delivery is free within Village East, Cainta; for other parts of Metro Manila, delivery can be booked at Grab or Lalamove, to be shouldered by the buyer.

So #quarantitas, why don’t you treat the fam to a tasty meal and order a tray?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate an honest review.

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

#QuarantitaTreats: Winner wings from Clingy Wingy

Hello, quarantitas!

I know that all the inconveniences and restrictions brought about by the still ongoing quarantine can’t defeat your indomitable spirit.

Your search for tasty treats that sate your appetite and excite your taste buds continues.

And if you happen to chance upon one that from enterprising young ‘uns, then all then all the better, right?

Take Clingy Wingy, for example.

A partnership between twenty-two-year-old Gabrielle Carreon and nineteen-year-old Dana Amores, Cainta-based Clingy Wingy is one of the newest (and most welcome) entrants into the online food selling business.

Best friends Gabrielle and Dana decided to extend the reach of their family’s kitchens and offer their well-loved flavored chicken wings to stuck-at-home foodies at affordable prices. These include:

Classic Buffalo. Crispy chicken wings coated in a vinegar-based cayenne pepper hot sauce for an unbeatable mix of tangy and spicy.

Spiced Honey Garlic. A sweet-savory sauce made with a combination of honey and garlic flavors the chicken pieces.

Garlic Parmesan. Garlic butter sauce topped with parmesan cheese add flavor to chicken wings that kids love.

Hickory Barbecue. Smokey barbecue-flavored wings reminiscent of Southern-style barbecues.

You can munch on these pieces while camped out in front of the TV, while having an e-numan session with your buddies or you can serve them with lots of rice to the fam for dinner.

These chicken wings are available in boxes of four pieces (Php119), eight pieces (Php229) and twelve pieces (Php339).

To order, message Clingy Wingy on Facebook or Instagram. Payments via BDO and GCash are accepted, as well as cash on delivery. These wings can be delivered for free within three kilometers of Midtown Village, Cainta, Rizal, and to anywhere in Metro Manila and Rizal with a delivery fee.

So quarantitas, show some love to these budding entrepreneurs and get yourself of box of Clingy Wingy wings!

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate an honest review.

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

Affordable lunch at Komoro Japanese Dining, SM Megamall

While securing school supplies at SM Megamall last weekend, Hubby and I decided to have lunch at one of our old haunts here: Komoro Soba, now renamed to Komoro Japanese Dining.

Five years ago, when our offices are both located in the Ortigas area, this Japanese restaurant was our go-to place for affordable teishoku.

These are Japanese meal sets comprised of white rice, miso soup, tsukemono (pickled fruit or vegetable) and your choice of viand. While the rice serves the purpose of being filling, the miso soup provides the comforts of umami, while the tsukemono helps to cleanse the palate and counterbalance flavorful viand.

Komoro’s version of the teishoku is adapted to Filipino taste by replacing the tsukemono with seasonal fruit which almost serves the same function.

Mixed Tempura Teishoku (Php139). Shrimp, chicken and vegetable pieces dipped in batter and served with tempura sauce.

Tonkatsu Teishoku (Php147). A juicy piece of pork cutlet breaded and deep-fried to a golden brown and served with shredded cabbage, a salad and tart katsu sauce.

Prior to eating our teishoku, we shared a serving of Zaru Soba (Php98), chilled buckwheat noodles served with a light dipping sauce called tsuyu to whet our appetite.

It was a quick tasty meal to fuel us for a bout quarantine shopping.

This Komoro Japanese Dining branch is located at Upper Ground Floor, Building A, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City,

Another mall-based branchbia located at Lower Ground Floor, SM City Southmall, Alabang-Zapote Road, Almanza, Las Piñas City.

Komoro also delivers Japanese Bento meal sets in Makati and BGC. To order, call +63 2 9858240 or +63 917 5870809 or message Komoro Bento on Facebook.