Being an amateur home baker during my #BakingPhase, I’ve made my share of chocolate chip cookies. These kinds of cookies have almost universal appeal; I usually make them as gifts over the holiday season or as sweet snack treats for the kids.
(Well, back then, I had a lot more free time.)
When I baked these cookies, I sometimes give in to the urge to lick the baking spoon clean because the cookie dough just seems so yummy. The sticky dough is sweeter than the actual baked cookies (a weakness for a sweet tooth like me).
However, I have taken note of warnings against doing so: Homemade dough contains raw flour and eggs. Flour has not been treated to remove risks against E. coli and other germs. Raw eggs, on the other hand, may cause salmonella poisoning. Both of these leads to severe health problems such as abdominal cramps and other more serious digestive ailments.
So, how can we enjoy the same texture and taste of raw cookie dough without the risk?
Well, entrepreneur Alfred Ricafrente has the solution: Spookie, the cookie you eat with a spoon.
Leveraging his culinary training and his experience in a 1-hat restaurant (an establishment with the highest designation) in Australia, he conceptualized a way to keep all that we love about the cookie dough but render it safe for eating through sous vide.
Sous vide (“under vacuum” in French) is a method of cooking in which food is placed in a pouch or glass jar and cooked in a water bath for longer than usual cooking times. This method ensures that the food is cooked evenly and its moistness retained.
Alfred refined a recipe he found through his research and customized it to his taste, with the finished product retaining its dough-like appearance and texture despite actually being cooked.
A jar was delivered to my office where I enjoyed it during my coffee break and as a dessert with my officemates over lunch. Some of them found it too sweet, but that’s a matter of taste. In fact, some are already considering giving some jars away as gifts.
Spookie is available for home deliveries at only Php120 per jar containing 170g of cookie dough. Orders may be coursed through Spookie’s Facebook or Instagram pages, or via email at spookiemanila@gmail.com or via phone at +63 2 2962387.
Spookie keeps for three to four days at room temperature and up to seven days when refrigerated.
Disclosure: A product sample was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:
Tucked away in a quiet corner along Scout Rallos Street in Quezon City is a newly opened restaurant with something new up its sleeve.
Always change.
That’s the mantra of BOA Kitchen + Socials, which aims to be the destination of choice for the titas. Enter its doors and you will enjoy the same ambiance, food quality and hospitality as any top-of-the-line stylish Makati restaurant. The difference is, especially for people up North, you get to avoid the stressful Makati traffic to get there.
Plus, you get to enjoy an ever-changing environment as envisioned by owner Joey Marcelo and menu conceptualized by Chef Julius Necor, which makes your every visit a fresh and exciting experience.
Here’s how:
From 9am to 6pm, enjoy a Bali-inspired Australian brunch service in the light and airy surroundings of BOA Kitchen.
Here, you can sate your mid-day appetite with dishes such as:
Torched Salmon and Avocado Toast (Php245). A large piece of torched smoked salmon placed and mashed avocado on multi-grain bread.
Grilled Cheese with Creamy Marinara (Php245). Cheddar and mozarella in a grilled brioche loaf best enjoyed dipped in a creamy marinara sauce.
Tinapa Aglio E Olio (Php285). Pasta tossed in a mixture of tinapa flakes, olive oil and garlic.
Pasta Vongole (Php285). Spaghetti noodles tossed in a light sauce of clams and lemons.
Alfredo Pesto Pasta (Php285). Pesto farfalle coated with Alfredo sauce, served with ricotta and sun-dried tomato.
Kimchi Fried Rice (Php285). Bibimbap kimchi fried rice topped with carrots, bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, ground beef, spinach, zucchini and an egg cooked sous vide.
Pulled Pork Adobo (Php245). Strips of pork adobo, pickled vegetables and a fried egg topping garlic rice.
Tapsilog (Php245). The classic lunch staple of tender beef tapa and crispy fried egg on garlic rice.
Steak and Egg (Php495). A 200g grilled hanger steak served with fried eggs, house-made potato chips and mushroom gravy.
Full English Breakfast (Php325). Toast, links of breakfast sausage, bacon, roast herb tomato and potato hash served with fried egg.
Banana Pie (Php175). Caramelized banana served with buttery streusel crumbs and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Bibingka Microwave Cake (Php245). A deconstructed dessert of made-to-order-via-microwave bibingka cake on a bed of salted egg dulce de leche, sugar syrup, melted butter and desiccated coconut.
From 6pm to 12 midnight, when the neon lights are lit up, the place transforms to BOA Socials which serves Asian cuisine.
While you relax and unwind with your amigas, you can feast on:
Sisig Croquettes (Php225). Creamy mashed potato balls filled with sisig and served with toyo-mansi aioli.
Wonton Nachos (Php245). Crispy fried wontons topped with pulled teriyaki sauce, shredded cabbage, onions and parsley drizzled in Sriracha mayo.
Salmon Tartare (Php378). Salmon served with pork rind, wasabi mayo, urchin roe and Oriental dressing.
Pulpo (Php345). Succulent grilled octopus on smoked potato puree served with chorizo crumbs and paprika-thyme oil.
Tinapa Cream Cheese Toast (Php175). Open-faced sandwich of tinapa flavored cream cheese over toast topped with sliced cucumber, onion and halved cherry tomatoes.
Chori Burger (Php295). Chorizo patty topped with a fried egg, coleslaw and pepper sauce in a black brioche bun.
Char Kwaey Teow (Php365). Stir-fried Southeast Asian rice noodle dish with a smokey flavor.
Chicken Pad Thai (Php345). Stir-fried glass noodles with tamarind sauce, eggs, tofu, chicken pieces and bean sprouts.
Thai Fried Chicken (Php345). Crispy fried chicken served on top of curried mashed potato, garnished with grilled corn kernels and pickled vegetables and served with sweet chili sauce.
Beef Rendang with Coconut Lime Rice (Php425). A spicy Indonesian meat dish served on coco lime rice served with pickled vegetable and crispy shallots.
Crispy Pork Sambal (Php445). Crispy pork belly served with Asian slaw.
Deconstructed Anise Cheesecake (Php245). Anise cheesecake served apart from its ginger graham cracker crust.
House Blend Iced Tea (Php80). With choices among classic, mango and lychee.
Purple Potion (Pho320). One of the ever-changing drinks served at BOA, this blue gin changes to a purple hue when tonic water is added.
With these always changing elements, every trip to BOA Kitchen and Socials is something new to look forward to.
Many thanks to Joey, Chef Julius and the wonderful staff of BOA Kitchen + Socials for the amazing time and the great meal in each of my visits.
BOA Kitchen + Socials is located at the Mezzanine Floor, 45 ABDC Building, Scout Rallos corner Scout Tuazon, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open daily from 9am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 2903103 or +63 977 7078472.
Did you know you can get dishes for free when you dine with a friend at BOA Kitchen + Socials through Zomato Gold? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks.
You can also book your table at BOA Kitchen + Socials using Eatigo to get up to 50% off your food bill.
Disclosure: Together with my fellow foodies, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
So the workday is done and you and your friends are on the lookout for a reason to get together to relax and catch up.
Well, here’s an idea!
Why not hang out at the newly opened maiden store of Taiwanese tea brand Good Good in Tomas Morato?
This shop located along Scout Tobias Street boasts of comfy and Instagrammable interiors, great for chilling out in or getting those great photo opps, as well as a wide selection of beverage options. My friends from #SaanSaPH and I discovered these when it opened its doors to us the day before its Grand Opening.
What treats await you when you enter the shop? Here are some of the Good Good’s extensive selections for your beverage of choice:
Fruit Teas (prices range from Php120 to Php160). Made with fresh and locally sourced fruit, these teas light, refreshing and quite healthy.
Classic Milk Teas (prices range from Php95 to Php140). With options that include the Black Bubble Milk Tea (and its intensified versions called Double B and Triple B), as well as those known milk tea variants such as Hokkaido, Okinawa and Wintermelon, you can be sure your milk tea cravings will be satisfied.
Cream Cheese (prices range from Php120 to Php220). What is it about cream cheese milk teas that make me go crazy? Is it the richness of the cream cheese foam topping the contrasts against the light tea? Is it the slightly salty flavor that makes a great foil for the drink’s sweetness? Whatever it is, my drinks of choice here are the Berry Brilliant with Cream Cheese (Php220) made with fresh strawberries and raspberries and the Chocolate Milk with Cream Cheese (Php150).
Smoothies (prices range from Php180 to Php220). If you want to go the full fruit shake route, Good Good has fruit smoothie selections for you to soothe your craving. Choices incorporate fresh fruits such as banana, papaya, strawberries and mango among others.
If you think that going to a tea place means you’ll be starved for choice, think again, dearies. As Good Good has shown us #SaanSaPH foodies, choices abound and while you can always come back to enjoy your favorites, there’s nothing stopping you from trying out new drink options.
Many thanks to #SaanSaPH for the invite and to the wonderful folks of Good Good Philippines for the great time and the great drinks we had there!
Good Good is located at 49-C Scout Tobias Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City.
Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers of #SaanSaPH, I was invited to attend a foodie meetup held here wherein in drink items were served to allow us to sample the fare. These were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Amici has long been the home of great-tasting Italian food, ever since the restaurant got its start as a canteen of Don Bosco’s printing press ran by Salesian Italian missionary Father Gianluigi Colombo.
Today, the chain of restaurants that carry its name is recognized as the premier foodie destinations for authentic Italian dining experiences.
It’s therefore hardly surprising that the opening of Amici’s latest branch at One Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City was met with much excitement. This new outlet boasts of a spacious seating area inside the mall, and soon, a veranda where diners can eat their meal with an awesome view of the buildings surrounding the mall.
Add the introduction of new menu items crafted by Amici’s very own Chef Paolo during the event and you can bet foodies all over the metro will be wanting a taste.
This delightful repast consisted of:
Truffle Mushroom Dip (Php385). A medley of four types of mushrooms (truffle, porcini, shiitake and button) mixed together with caramelized onions in a rich creamy sauce. Served together with crisp pieces of pizza crust, the dip had us reaching for it again and again.
Chef’s Chicken Ceasar Salad (Php295 regular | Php560 grande). Here, Chef Paolo does his own twist on the classic Ceasar Salad by adding parmesan cheese crisps to the chicken, mixed greens and croutons tossed in Amici’s own-recipe Ceasar Salad dressing.
Shrimp Pesto & Pomodoro (Php365). Plump shrimp sauteed in garlic and tomato sauce with linguine and Amici’s house-recipe pesto sauce tossed in.
Salmon & Zucchini Pizza (Php525). Zucchini, flakes of smoked salmon, bacon bits and mozarella top an Alfredo sauce base on this crunchy oven-baked pizza.
Striploin Steak Salpicao (Php625). Tender strips of striploin steak simmered with garlic and mushrooms in Amici’s house salpicao sauce and served with rice pilaf.
Mango Magnifico (Php120/slice). Light chiffon cake in between layers of whipped cream studded with mango bits and cashew brittles, this is one of Amici’s classic desserts which served as a fitting end to our delightful meal.
With this tantalizing taste of Italy, I will definitely come back for more!
Thanks to Jen of SandUnderMyFeet.com for extending the invitation and to the wonderful people of Amici for the warm welcome and the delicious meal!
This Amici branch is located at Level 3, One Bonifacio High Street Mall, 28th Street corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, open daily from 11am to 10pm.
Other branches are located at;
Ground Floor, The Block, SM North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
Bellagio Square, Tomas Morato Avenue, Laging Handa, Quezon City
Ground Floor, UP Ayala Technohub, Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Ground Floor, 101 Missouri Square, Missouri corner Connecticut Street, Greenhills, San Juan City
Third Floor, Mega Atrium, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Ayala Triangle Gardens, Salcedo Village, Makati City
Don Bosco School, A. Arnaiz Avenue, San Lorenzo, Makati City
Second Floor, Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I attended a foodie meetup held here wherein food and drink items were served to allow us to sample the fare. These were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
With the proliferation of milk tea places all around the metro, how does a new player stand out from the pack?
By hingeing its bets on its sinkers – those little add-ons that you put into your milk tea.
Make Your Own Cafe’s unique selling proposition is its unlimited sinkers (at Php20 each) which include homemade boba pearls (in original, honey and espresso flavors), egg pudding, nata de coco and jellies (in grass, coffee, brown sugar varieties), Oreo crumbs and more.
Add these decision points on top of the drink options on the menu – which include milk teas, fruit teas, fizzy pops, blended ice, cheese + tea, coffee and hot drinks – and you’ll soon find yourself overwhelmed with all the choices before you.
During a recent foodie meetup at the cafe’s newly opened branch in Quezon City’s famous Maginhawa Street, my foodie friends from #SaanSaPH and I were faced with the same quandary: which drink to choose from such an extensive plethora of choices.
My advice for your first time at Make Your Own Cafe? Be adventurous and go for a flavor you’ve never tried before. That way, your MYO experience is as unique and memorable as the cafe itself.
My chosen drink was the Spring Jasmine Cheese (Php120 regular | Php130 large). The light, floral and fruity tea was given an added richness by a thick, creamy and decadent layer of cheese foam. Its taste reminds me of the freshness of spring, while the cheese foam provides a slightly salty contrast to the tea.
My friends and I enjoyed our chosen drinks while sharing the snacks provided by the cafe which included:
Wings (Php176 for 6 pieces; in garlic parmesan, buffalo, sweet and spicy, barbecue and sriracha honey flavors)
Cheese Quesadilla (Php105)
Cheese Nachos (Php105)
Backyard Barbecue Burger (Php180)
Bacon Cheeseburger (Php210)
Pastas (Php180 each, which include Aligue, Truffle and Longganisa Aglio Olio)
Dessert Cakes: Sans Rival and Blueberry Cheesecake
At Make Your Own Cafe, you get to choose from a wide selection of drinks and truly make it your own, plus you can enjoy it with such tasty dishes.
Thanks to Kian of Kianventures for extending the invite and the awesome people behind Make Your Own Cafe for the warm welcome and the yummy food!
This Make Your Own Cafe branch is located at Ground Floor, Maginhawa Street, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, open daily from 6am to 12 midnight. For food and franchise inquiries, call +63 2 9689696 or +63 917 6779696.
Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers of #SaanSaPH, I was invited to attend a foodie meetup held here wherein in food drink items were served to allow us to sample the fare. These were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
With the onset of the rainy season, don’t you sometimes feel the need to just snuggle up somewhere with a nice, hot cup of tea?
Well, why not?
For centuries, tea has long been known to give comfort to its drinkers, with stimulating mental alertness, increasing resistance to disease, cleansing and reinvigorating skin, assisting in proper digestion and easing joint and muscle discomfort.
But did you know that there is a proper way to enjoy your cup of tea?
Together with my friends from #WeLoveToEatPH, I discovered that there’s more to tea than meets the eye at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s recent #DiscoverTea event held at the 26th Street Bistro in Bonifacio Global City.
One of these discoveries is the process of tea cupping, which involves using multiple senses to appreciate and evaluate tea.
Here’s how:
With your sense of sight, visually examine the dry and unfurled tea leaves. Whole leaves with good color indicate tea of good quality.
With your sense of smell, take in the aroma of tea and try to distinguish the unique smell of each variant from the others.
With your sense of taste and touch, take in the flavor and mouthfeel of the brew as you slurp it using a stainless steel spoon.
Many things enter into the equation when it comes to enjoying a perfect cup of tea. Those that are stored in airtight containers and placed in a cool, dry and dark place will be able to keep their potency of flavor much longer. Those made of full and loose tea leaves would provide the finest taste, especially when steeped in freshly boiled water, and in the right proportion (8oz of hot water per 1 tsp of tea: or 12-16oz of hot water per tea bag).
Steeping time also plays an important role in producing your perfect cup. Steep it too briefly and you won’t maximize the tea’s flavor; steep it for too long and you scald the leaves, giving the tea a bitter taste.
Green teas require the shortest steeping time at 3 minutes, while black and oolong teas require a bit longer steeping time at 5 minutes. Herbal and fruit infusion teas require the longest at 7 minutes.
Also, be sure to pour the hot water over the tea, instead of dropping the tea bad into the hot water.
The #DiscoverTea event also served as the launch of CBTL’s new tea flavors which we enjoyed with some of the cafe’s pastry offerings.
Food-and-tea pairing is designed to enhance the flavor of the tea and the pastry by finding similar or complementary elements in both, as in the case of:
African Sunrise x Banana Chocolate Muffin. CBTL’s hand-crafted honeybush with a mild and sweet taste, and aromatic vanilla flavoring brought out the light sweetness of the cafe’s chocolate chip-laden classic banana muffin.
Genmaicha x Spicy Tuna Pandesal. The roasted flavor of from the Sencha tea and rice blend complemented the spicy tuna inside the hot pan de sal.
Apricot Ceylon x Blueberry Cheesecake. Definitely my favorite pairing, the light and fruity Ceylon tea is a great foil to the rich blueberry-topped cheesecake.
Pomegranate Blueberry x White Chocolate Berry Cheesecake. The bright and fresh yet exotic tea brought out the richness of the decadent blueberry-filled white chocolate cheesecake.
After our tea pairing experience, our team went on a new foodie adventure: blendingour own tea! We mixed Black Ceylon tea leaves with dried mango bits, pieces of orange peel and rose petals. After steeping in hot water, the resulting drink is fragrant and light, with a slight citrusy flavor. Who knew we could be tea masters for a day, eh?
The #DiscoverTea event showed us that there are a million ways to enjoy a classic.
Thanks to Harvard of AlwaysHungry.ph for extending the invitation and to the folks of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for the awesome tea rediscovery experience!
This Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf branch (26th Street Bistro) is located at Net Lima Building, 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Other CBTL branches in Taguig may be found at:
Ground Floor, Venice Piazza, McKinley Hill, Taguig
B8 Bonifacio High Street, BGC
32nd Street corner 11th Avenue, Park Triangle, BGC
Third Floor, BHS Central Square, BGC
Third Floor, Uptown Place Mall, BGC
Every Nation Building, 32nd Avenue corner University Parkway, BGC
Ground Floor, BGC Stopover Pavilion, BGC
Burgos Circle, BGC
Fifth Floor, SM Aura Premier, BGC
Shell Logcom, CP Garcia Avenue, Greater Taguig
Ground Floor, Vista Mall, Greater Taguig
Disclosure: Together with fellow foodies, I attended a tea tasting and pairing event held at 26th Street Bistro. Food and drink mentioned here we served as part of the program and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Check out my other posts on The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf:
Summer’s over so one would think that our predilection for ice cream would wane, right?
Wrong!
Not when Aqua S, Australia’s premium soft-serve ice cream, has arrived at our shores and opened its first Philippine store at SM North EDSA.
What makes this ice cream so special? Well, as my fellow foodies from #WeLoveToEatPH and #SaanSaPH and I found out, aside from the sweet-salty tastiness of Aqua S’ Signature Sea Salt flavor, it has also developed serving up its soft serve as an artform.
Here’s how:
First, you choose how you want to enjoy your ice cream.
You can go for one with a black waffle cone (Php160) or one in an Aqua S cup (Php130 for 5oz | Php160 for 8oz).
Second, pick your flavor.
Of course, you’ve got to try the Signature Sea Salt variant! You would know it by its bright, ethereal aqua color, reminiscent of the calm, tropical sea, and its sea salt flavor, a delicate balance between sweet and salty that tickles your tongue and has you reaching for more.
Every fifteen days, Aqua S launches new exciting flavors. Available from July 1 to 15 are the fruity Strawberry Milkshake and earthy-yet-sweet Matcha Frappe. You can enjoy these variants by themselves or twisted with the Signature Sea Salt (which I highly recommend!).
Finally, make your artwork.
Choose from a variety of toppings and add-ons at Php30 each that will not only make your ice cream a treat for your tastebuds, but a feast for your ice as well. For example:
Fairy Floss is a bed of delicate cotton candy that will make your ice cream seem to float on a cloud.
Sweet Popcorn adds more of that salty-sweet dynamic to your dessert.
Popping Candy adds some color and zing to your ice cream.
Grilled Marshmallow on a Peppero stick adds more of that gooey sweetness to an already indulgent dessert.
So if you’re looking for a new kind of sweetness, drop by Aqua S and check out its yummy and pretty ice cream variants. In fact, come back at least every two weeks to taste its new flavors.
Thanks to Mr. Vincent Aurelio, Mr. Stephen Chua and Ms. Vicky Chua of Aqua S for the wonderful ice cream experience.
Aqua S is located at Upper Ground Floor, Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, QC.
Aqua S is also looking for franchisees! Want to ride on the next wave of dessert innovation? Contact Aqua S through its Facebook Page to know more.
As the first Filipino pop literature imprint focused on championing LGBTQ+ narratives, Pride Lit stands proud as a great source of entertainment and inspiration to readers of all kinds.
But more than teaching us the value of appreciation and acceptance, the brand has been very consistent in creating a safe space for underrepresented voices to flourish and share their stories, whether it’s about finding love in many forms and shapes or discovering one’s sexual awakening with fleeting moments of kilig.
Now celebrating its third year in the publishing industry, Pride Lit is taking a huge leap by releasing five unique titles from its roster of seasoned and respected writers and contributors. From Alex Rosas’ gender-swap romance Gay’s Anatomy to Soju’s campy fantasy Ang Asul Na Buntot Ni Aquano, the new releases represent diverse genres that speak of uniquely queer experiences and imaginative premises. Other upcoming titles that will be released this month include John Jack G. Wigley’s ensemble drama Kadenang Bahaghari, Lush Ericson’s instant pleaser Agustin and Ariston’s Version of the Universe, and Angelica Sorreda’s romantic offering Over Time.
“Each book actually talks about different emotions, experiences and were written differently,” Pride Lit Brand Manager Aiko Clarizza Buduan-Salazar points out. “The upcoming new titles will open readers’ minds on the fresh possibilities of storytelling.” True to its vision, Pride Lit steps up its game by ensuring LGBTQ+ characters and its allies could be prominent figures in pop culture narratives, and serve as inspiration to the LGBTQ+ community whose vibrant lives are worth telling, and are now everyone’s stories. “We plan to release more books and become a staple in the community,” Salazar said. “Aside from providing feel good stories and erotic stories too, we plan to become more reachable to our target market and community.”
Details and images provided by Pride Lit in a recent press release.
Thanks to Jowell of FlingerosPH.com for attending the launch event on my behalf!
This season, leading online fashion platform Zilingo, released their latest trends selection, boasting different cuts and highlighting textures, vintage hues and an arresting foray of silhouettes.
The brand marries chic styles and street looks in this curated collection, featuring Utilitarian pieces in Khaki, Cream and Beige. Fashion fans will also be thrilled with the platorm’s take on deconstructed lace and 80s denim pieces in White, Black and Brown matched with modern Athleisure looks and snake textured sheets that accentuate style and attitude.
Zilingo will provide customers with coveted pieces suitable for all occasions. “We are ecstatic about this season’s trends that combine style and comfort, and the best part is that these fashion essentials are available at the click of a button,” says Ryza Dipatuan-Razo, Marketing Director, Zilingo Philippines.
Recognizing the continuous growth and potential of the online retail market, and the need to constantly provide its customers with new and exciting options, Zilingo aims to showcase a unique shopping experience to its customers and enable brands to expand their reach to fashion enthusiasts across the region.
“We would like our customers to have easy access to fashion, and as our way of saying thank you for all the support we’ve received, Zilingo is having a site-wide Zilingo Payday sale from now till 30 June that is sure to delight customers with up to 90% off on selected items,” Ryza added.
Fashionistas across the country can purchase the collection anytime and anywhere via Zilingo’s website and app, and have them delivered to their doorstep at no extra charge, with multiple payment methods including cash-on-delivery.
Zilingo is a commerce platform that is making the fashion and beauty supply chain more efficient through technology. With over 33,000 merchants on the platform Zilingo connects businesses across the entire supply chain and empowers them with everything they need to run a business – from design, product development, fabric procurement, manufacturing, cataloguing, marketing, inventory management, distribution, billing, customer service, working capital & trend forecasting. With over two million product listings on Zilingo.com, users can effortlessly shop from a selection of indie labels, local designers, international and celebrity brands – all in one place. Founded by Ankiti Bose and Dhruv Kapoor in 2015, the company has offices in 8 cities globally with over 600 staff covering 20 different nationalities.
Zilingo is available for download for free on the App Store and Google Play across Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand.
So you’ve just clocked out but are not yet in the mood to face the long commute home. What can you do and where can you hang out to while away the rush hour?
If you’re near the foodie-friendly Tomas Morato area, you’re in luck. Tiyo Craft Kitchen & Bar located along Scout Rallos Street, as my fellow foodies from #WeLoveToEatPH and #SaanSaPH and I have recently discovered, may just be your next favorite hangout spot.
Here are the reasons why:
1) Luxurious ambiance with a vintage charm.
Stepping into Tiyo’s interiors is akin to entering a time portal to the era of Old Manila where elegance and comfort take center stage from the Escolta-themed mural, muted lighting to the white marble tabletops.
2) Pinoy artistry in food and drink preparation.
Tiyo serves a thoughtfully curated menu of local fare which takes the best representations of Philippine regional cuisine and painstakingly uses traditional ingredients and cooking methods, and yet has reinvented and served these dishes with a modern flair.
During our fun-filled foodie meetup, we were presented with viands that are familiar yet decidedly different from our usual fare, and definitely a lot more exciting to dig in to.
Manila Ensalada (Php180). Crispy and golden-brown okoy (deep-fried shrimp fritters popular in the Ilocos region) served with green mango, unripe papaya and assorted greens.
Lengua Kaldereta Nachos (Php380). The ubiquitous Mexican bar chow has been upgraded with the addition of tenderized and finely chopped ox tongue and generous dollops of kaldereta sauce and kesong puti sauce, flavored by salsa and malunggay chimichurri.
Inihaw na Liempo Sinigang (Php420). Take your inihaw na liempo (grilled pork belly) and sinigang na baboy (pork in sour tamarind broth), put them together and you have this delightfully deconstructed dish. Take the pork belly and tamarind gravy together with the sour broth or separately, it doesn’t matter. Both iterations are equally good.
Corned Beef Caldereta (Php460). Here’s a new and leveled-up spin to the breakfast classic, corned beef! Combine fork-tender house-made corned beef with tomato puree, liver and grilled veggies and you’ve got yourself a filling and flavorful dish!
Dagupan Bangus Bistek (Php290). Deboned milkfish in soy calamansi sauce and garnished with red onion, suitable for those who want to eat light.
Maranao Piyanggang Manok (Php390). Chicken pieces served with sakurab – a vegetable mainstay in Maranao cuisine – along with coconut cream, lemongrass, turmeric, garlic, onion and ginger. Each bite is an explosion of flavor.
Palitaw Mochi (Php185). Instead of the usual flat kakanin (glutinous rice delicacy), these are cute dessert balls served with latik and bits of cashew crumble and coconut. Each bite is a surprise as your palitaw could be filled with either Malagos chocolate, Dulce de Leche or Ube (purple yam).
Turron ala Mode (Php195). My dad’s home province of Bataan produces one of the most iconic sweets of the region: gabi (taro) ice cream. That regional delicacy tops the turron (banana fritters) and caramel drizzle of this dream dessert.
And the craftsmanship does not stop with the food. Tiyo’s bartenders also whip up exciting craft cocktails for the thirsty but exacting diner. These concoctions are designed around local spirits, highlighting their unique flavors while demonstrating their versatility.
Pedro’s Uprising (basi, lemongrass, brandy and mint). It is named after the leader of the 1807 Basi Revolt which came about when the Spanish colonial government banned the private manufacture of this fermented sugar cane beverage. This just goes to show that you can’t keep the Pinoy spirit down!
Jai Alai (basil, white rum, brandy-infused cinnamon, tea, calamansi and honey). Named after the pastime of my own tiyo when I was growing up, this drink is sweet and heady, just like nostalgia.
Blame It on the Barako (coffee liquer, cream, coconut rum, syrup and orange wedge). If you find yourself lying awake at night, dreaming of the next time you’ll get a sip of this cocktail, you can always #BlameItOnTheBarako.
With its nine-tap craft beer system and the biggest collection of craft beer in the city, there is something from the seasoned brew connoisseur to a newbie. Opt for a Sampler Flight (Php150) of three sample glasses of different craft beers and discover your new favorite brew.
Not into alcohol? Don’t sweat it because Tiyo’s Houce Iced Tea (Php85) is drink that quenches your thirst and soothes your soul. And that straw is actually edible! It’s made of rice and tapioca so after finishing your drink, take a bite out of the straw.
3) It’s exciting promos and events.
Knowing the Pinoy penchant for spotting and pursuing a good deal, Tiyo has promos that lets its guests enjoy more for less.
Until the end of July, enjoy Buy 1 Take 1 deals on all craft cocktails.
Get 3 Gin & Tonic drinks for only Php280.
Every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, get all the wine you can drink for only Php799.
During Ladies Night Wednesdays, all ladies get a free craft cocktail drink of their choice.
Every Tuesday and Saturday night, groove along with live musical entertainment.
With all these elements coming together, it’s easy to see how Tiyo Craft Kitchen and Bar is #TailoredToGoodTaste. So make a stopover at Tiyo tonight. You’ll be glad you did.
Many thanks to Michelle and Mik de Guzman and Ed Salvador of Tiyo Craft Kitchen and Bar for hosting this foodie meetup.
Tiyo Craft Kitchen & Bar is located at Second Floor, CKB Centre, Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout Rallos Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open Sundays to Mondays from 4pm to 1am, Tuesdays to Thursdays from 4pm to 2am and Fridays to Saturdays from 4pm to 3 am. For inquiries or reservations, call +63 932 8642593.
Did you know you can buy two drinks and get the same two drinks for free at Tiyo Craft Kitchen & Bar through Zomato Gold? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks.
Disclosure: Together with my fellow foodies, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Jellybeans in the City 