Jellybeans in the City

Barkada Bundle of Filipino Food at Joliant, Tomas Morato

It’s the last work day of the week. By midday, my office friends and I are already looking for some respite… and maybe a little bit of comfort.

Thus, by lunchtime, we disappeared to one of the Filipino eateries along Tomas Morato; Joliant Restaurant.

I was initially attracted to the store’s very affordable pricing. (Imagine rice toppings served with iced tea for as low as Php69!)

However, by the time our group of five hungry coworkers entered the restaurant’s spacious and well-appointed premises, we found ourselves going for one of its Barkada Bundles. These are combinations of several classic Filipino dishes served with rice and iced tea enough for a group of five to eight people, packaged into affordable deals.

Also, since the dishes included in the bundle are already curated, we didn’t need to expend effort trying to figure out the combinations of tastes when we give our order.

Our group ordered the Barkada Bundle Meal D (Php1,299) which includes:

Kare Kare. A rich stew of tender oxtripe, green beans and eggplant in a peanut-thickened sauce and best enjoyed with white rice and bagoong (sauteed shrimp paste). While this version is pretty good, it does not compare to my mom’s kare kare. But then again, no other kare kare does either.

Lechon Kawali. Another favorite dish which consist of pre-seasoned and pre-boiled pork belly deep-dried to attain a golden brown color and crispy, crunchy skin. Together with the lechon sauce and a bit of white rice, it’s an explosion of flavor with every bite.

Buttered Chicken. Our group eschewed Joliant’s specialty Spicy Garlic Chicken in favor of this dish. Lightly battered and served with its own gravy, the chicken is tender, juicy and complemented the other inclusions of our meal bundle.

Sinigang na Salmon Belly. When we smelled the aroma of this down-home dish wafting towards us as it was being served, it was truly mouth-watering. I loved its steaming-hot, sour broth.

https://flic.kr/p/2ehvAgz

Buko Pandan. A dessert made of pandan-flavored gelatin tossed with grated coconut in a sweet cream. A fitting end to our group’s Filipino meal.

Joliant does live up to its promise of serving delicious Filipino comfort food in big portions at affordable prices.

The service crew was also prompt to serve our orders and facilitate our requests.

Check it out if you’re in the area.

Joliant Restaurant is located af 227 Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout Limbaga Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 1pm. For inquiries, call +63 2 8809812.

Other branches are located at:

155 Doña Soledad Avenue, Don Bosco, Parañaque City (Tel No: +63 2 8014427)
131-C Armstrong Avenue, Moonwalk, Parañaque City (Tel No: +63 2 8229443)
602 Boni Avenue, Plainview, Mandaluyong City (Tel No: +63 2 6370125)
39 Presidents Avenue, Corner Virginia Street, BF Homes, Parañaque City

Exotic Takes on Pizzas at Pizza Morena, The Podium

At the heart of Ortigas, in the Corner Market Food Hall of the Podium, is the new home of Pizza Morena. This is good news to its loyal customers as this pizza concessionaire previously can only be found in food fairs and weekend markets.

Pizza Morena’s offerings are not your run-of-the-mill pizzas. They are topped with choice fresh ingredients and, when ordered for dine-in, are baked in wood-fire ovens or packed frozen so that pizza lovers so inclined can enjoy it at home.

Together with other foodies and bloggers, I attended the opening of new stores in the Corner Market Food Hall of the Podium. One of the said stores is Pizza Morena.

There, our group was able to sample some of Pizza Morena’s signature offerings, cooked in a wood-fired brick oven, giving the pizzas a crispy golden crust that frame the flavors of their exotic toppings.

Pizza Morena (Php350). I liked the store’s eponymous dish for its nutty and slightly sweet flavor (owing to the pistachios and honey), further enhanced by a bit of truffle oil amidst a mixture of mascarpone and mozzarella.

Margherita (Php300). I found this pizza light and classic with its tomato base topped with mozzarella and parmesan, dried oregano and olive oil.

Pepperoni and Hot Honey (Php350). Hot honey gives the familiar pepperoni pizza got a slight boost of sweetness.

Spinach and Artichoke (Php350). My favorite among the pizza variants I tasted wherein the popular dip flavor is given a pizza treatment. A creamy spinach, parmesan, artichoke and olive base is topped with microgreens and edible flowers.

If you’re concerned about your diet or prefer not to consume food without animal products, you would be happy to know that Pizza Morena’s Pesto with Mushrooms, Margherita and 4 Cheese all have vegan options (yes, cheeses used are vegan too).

We also sampled its newly launched Burrata Salad (Php250 for regular | Php300 for large). The burrata cheese made from mozarella and cream adds some heartiness to this salad of organic greens and edible flowers, all sourced from a local farm.

I’m so glad that Pizza Morena has expanded its reach beyond weekend markets. With this store, easily accessible to Pasig, San Juan and Mandaluyong denizens, more pizza lovers looking for more exotic takes on their favorite will get their cravings sated.

Pizza Morena is located at the Corner Market Food Hall, Second Floor, Podium Mall, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. It is open daily from 11am to 10pm.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a Blogger Event held in the Corner Market. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Exotic kaya breakfast at Kopi Roti, Tomas Morato

Ever since I was introduced to kaya toasts, I have developed a taste for these exotic sandwiches.

Kaya toast is a well-known snack in Singapore and Malaysia, prepared with kaya (coconut jam) sandwiched inside warm, butter-toasted bread. It is oftentimes accompanied by a shallow dish of runny soft-boiled egg, soy sauce and white pepper which serves as the kaya toast’s dipping sauce. When served together with kopi, strong hot coffee that’s been laced with condensed milk, it makes for a breakfast of champions.

That’s what happened when an officemate treated our team to an early meal at the Kopi Roti branch along Tomas Morato. It has long been a favorite stop of his on the way to work, but this time, he chose to linger there with our group for company.

Kopi Roti is essentially a kopi tiam, a coffee shop. The place has a nondescript, no-nonsense feel. Its premises are clean and a bit spartan. Even its kopi, which would have been more aesthetically pleasing if served in transparent cups, were actually served in paper cups.

I got myself a Set B (Php200) which is composed of a kaya toast, soft-boilef egg and kopi. I love the interplay between the mildly sweet spread in lightly toasted bread when dipped in the savory egg.

Others in our group breakfasted on Kopi Bun (Php55), Kaya Toast (Php65) and Soft-Boiled Egg (Php50), Kaya Cheese Toast (Php80) and Peanut Butter Toast (Php55) along with their kopi.

This breakfast of exotic kaya toasts and kopis made for a fun celebration among friends and coworkers before we went ahead to face another day at the office.

How would you like to start your workday?

This Kopi Roti branch is located at 186 Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout De Guia, Sacred Heart, Tomas Morato, Quezon City, open daily from 7am to 1am.

Other branches may be found at:

226 Katipunan Avenue, Blue Ridge, Quezon City
38 Mayaman Corner Mahinhin Street, Diliman, Quezon City
Casual Dining Area, Level 4, Terminal 3, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Ninoy Aquino Airport Area, Pasay City
Second Floor, Arrival Area, Terminal 1, Santo Nino, Parañaque City

Family Korean Food Feast at Soban K-Town Grill, Eastwood Mall

Whenever the fam is in Eastwood Mall and is in the mood for Korean BBQ (which is quite often), Soban K-Town Grill is our go-to place.

This resto boasts of clean and modern interiors, warmly lit and giving that casual yet cozy vibe.

We were ushered to a table that can seat our family of four, but had trouble accommodating all the food brought to our table.

Since we prefer unmarinated meats over flavored ones so we ordered a Classic BBQ Combo Set (Php1,780). Good for our group of four, it is composed of 180g fresh beef belly, 180g pork belly, 180g boneless fried soy garlic chicken chops, one japchae (stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables), one pajeon (savory Korean pancake), half a serving of gimbap (Korean version of sushi rolls) and four refillable cups of either plain or kimchi rice. Adding to our table’s load are the refillable side dishes which include my favorites: egg cakes and sugared peanuts.

The meats that we grilled were of good quality, and I loved dipping slices of them in salted sesame oil and ssamjang paste, then wrapping them in crisp lettuce leaves together with some kimchi rice before taking a bite.

The soy garlic chicken, on the other hand, was tender and yummy; it suited the tastes of my little boy just fine!

Plus, since I presented one of their flyers from one of the take-one boxes at the parking area, we were each given a free coffee jelly dessert!

It was a wondrous feast for our family of four, one dining experience we wouldn’t mind repeating.

This Soban K-Town Grill branch is located at Second Floor, Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 10pm, Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 11pm and Sundays 10am to 10pm.

Other branches are located at:

Ground Floor, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila
Level 3, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Greenbelt, Makati City
Level 2, One Bonifacio High Street Mall, 28th Street Corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Ground Floor, ATC Corporate Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Upper Ground Floor, Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
Third Floor, Bridgeway, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City

Gelato Treat at Morelli’s, Powerplant Mall

We Pinoys love sweets, and with a tropical climate such as ours, we won’t say no to frozen treats even in December.

While ice cream is more prevalent, gelato desserts are also growing in popularity in the country.

Gelato is a frozen dessert which originated in Italy. It has a much creamier and silkier texture than ice cream, given its increased use of milk rather than cream compared to ice cream. Gelato also does not make use of eggs, unlike ice cream, and is usually served using a small spade instead of a scoop.

That’s what I treated my family to over the holidays. After Christmas lunch at nearby Fireside by Kettle in Rockwell, we headed straight to Morelli’s Gelato for dessert. (Thanks to Jen of SandUnderMyFeet.com for sharing her GCs!)

The Morelli’s gelato brand started in Scotland in 1907 when father-and-son Giuseppe and Mario started selling the ice cream prevalent in their native Italy. The brand expanded to UK in 1932, and then went on to establish its presence in other countries, where its gelato offerings are made fresh everyday using natural ingredients.

My kids, mother-in-law and I enjoyed our scoops of truffle, chocolate, pistachio and vanilla gelato which served as a great cap to our Christmas lunch.

This Morelli’s Gelato branch is located at Second Floor, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City. Another branch is located at Level 3, East Wing, Shangri-La Plaza, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City.

Bro-recommended Sincerity Cafe & Restaurant, Banawe

I belong to a family of foodies, albeit I’m the only one who’s online all the time!

While I have a knack for finding places to get great desserts, my brother, on the hand, has a gift for finding tasty quick and cheap eats.

The restos he usually recommends are no-frills but are known to have paticularly delish specialties.

Take for example Sincerity Cafe & Restaurant in Banawe.

While we were running errands in the area together with my mom, we realized that we needed to go somewhere we can eat and run. He suggested this resto because of its famous fried chicken.

This resto does have a no-frills look and feel typical of Chinese eateries. Its color scheme is composed of reds, oranges and yellow. The furniture used are a bit aged but still functional.

The wait staff are present on the floor but getting their attention for orders or requests may take some time.

We went with my brother’s recommended dishes as well.

Spinach with Garlic (Php225 for small)

Sincerity Fried Chicken (Php180 for half)

Sincerity Chami (Php120 for small)

Makot Bola Bola Soup (Php140 for small)

The Sincerity Fried Chicken was quite tasty and it went well with the very flavorful Sincerity Chami noodles.

Since I unlocked my Zomato Gold Privilege in this resto, we got the Chami for FREE. (Note: we were informed by the wait staff that Sincerity Fried Chicken is not included among the Zomato Gold perks.)

Want to score a similar discount? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

This Sincerity Cafe & Restaurant branch is located at Second Floor, RBL Building, Banawe Street, Santo Domingo, Quezon City, open daily from 9.30am to 9.30pm.

Other branches are located at:

497 E.T. Yuchengco Street, Binondo, Manila
Ground Floor, Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo, Manila
Food Court, Lower Ground Floor, Robinsons Magnolia, New Manila, Quezon City
Food Court, Level 1, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas, Ortigas, Quezon City

Nomiya Izakaya, Tomas Morato

An izakaya is the Japanese equivalent to the Western pub or tavern: a place where people can hang out and drink after work.

The origin of these establishments can be traced back to 18th century Japan, at the time when sake – the Japanese rice wine – was also growing popular. In fact, the word izakaya is rooted on i (to stay) and sakaya (sake shop), because, in contrast to the previous practice in sake shops to drink alcohol while standing, patrons of izakayas can sit down, and even eat some finger food, while drinking.

In the foodie-friendly Tomas Morato area is situated Nomiya Izakaya.

It veers slightly away from the traditional izakayas in that it serves full meals, which is quite fortunate as it recently served as the venue of a happy lunch among my officemates and myself.

Walking into the establishment, we were quick to appreciate its minimalist and industrial themed decor.

For our lunch, we took advantage of its donburi – Japanese rice bowls.

Chirashi Don (Php345). Chirashi means “scattered,” so this dish is basically a rice bowl with fish, vegetables and other ingredients.

Gyudon (Php320). This Japanese beef bowl boasts of thin and tender beef slices on top of steaming hot rice and doused with mildly sweet sauce.

Katsudon (Php290). This bowl of rice is topped with a deep-fried pork cutlet, eggs, veggies and doused with sauce.

Spicy Salmon Maki (Php250). Slivers of spicy salmon rolled in rice with some crunch from the tempura flakes.

It certainly looks like we have a new go-to place when we crave for Japanese food!

Nomiya Izakaya is located at 36 Scout Tobias Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open Tuesdays to Sundays from 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6pm to 11pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 9547055.

Ice cream indulgence at Indulge, Novotel Manila Araneta

Novotel Manila Araneta is located in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Cubao.

Despite this busy location, it offers its guests and visitors a welcoming haven to relax and rest for a bit.

Take for example its dessert bar Indulge.

Situated at the hotel’s lobby, Indulge can be a dessert stopover on the way to one’s hotel room, or before going out of the hotel.

It offers a variety of sweets – from premium ice cream and gelatos, shakes and floats to bread and cookies – that can serve as a yummy cap to a meal or as a snack treat to sate one’s sweet cravings in between meals.

Take for example the avocado ice cream I recently treated myself to. Imaginatively named Green with Envy, it is rich, creamy and not too sweet, with some crunch to it thanks to sprinklings of chocolate chips.

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It’s time to INDULGE in some luscious ice cream, yes? This cup of #avocadoicecream has some added texture thanks to the yummy dark chocolate chips mixed in. This is just one of the luscious artisanal ice cream flavors available at @novotelmanilaaranetacenter’s pastry shop, Indulge. . . . . . . #sweetdreamsaremadeofthis #alwaysroomfordessert #sweetstothesweet #justdesserts #sweetsph #dessertph #dessertsofinstagram #sugarcoma #sugaraddict #sweetcraving #sugarrush #sweetfix

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Dec 6, 2018 at 12:00am PST

I would definitely welcome another opportunity to try its other offerings, particularly its spiked ice creams.

Indulge is located at the lobby of Novotel Manila Araneta Center, General Aguinaldo Avenue, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City.

Tenya Tempura Tendon, Tiendesitas

The Tiendesitas area (now becoming known as the heart of the new Ortigas East) is enjoying quite a bit of revival particularly for foodies, with more and more concept restaurants opening shop inside the compound.

A recent addition to these foodie destinations is Tenya Tempura Tendon, a chain of Japanese restaurants specializing in tempura.

What sets Tenya Tempura Tendon apart from other sources of tempura is the sheer amount of effort the resto and its staff put into their signature dish:

Black tiger prawns grown from the most sanitary aquaculture practices are used, ensuring the freshness and succulence of its ebi tempura.

Specifically formulated flour coat the tempura before it is cooked in a specially developed automatic infrared heat technology poweref air fryer, guaranteeing tastiness and consistent quality among its tempura dishes.

Each tendon is accompanied by a secret dontare sauce, a sweet dipping sauce that enhances the flavor of the tempura.

During a visit to Tiendesitas over the holidays, I treated the family to lunch at the newly opened Tenya Tempura Tendon branch. It occupies a sprawling area in the ground floor, making it accessible to those coming from the outdoor parking and those coming from Tiendesitas’ retail shops in the upper floors.

Its decor is light and airy, with both dark and light wood used in furniture and on the walls giving the place a clean and minimalist yet homey feel. The staff are warm and welcoming, immediately seating us at an available table.

For the family’s meal, we ordered the Ooedo Kagayaki Set (Php1,025), a basket of tempura composed of 4 black tiger prawns, 4 kani sticks, 2 squids, 2 fried fish, 2 sweet potatoes, 2 eggplants and 4 green beans, accompanied by 4 cups of rice and 4 steaming bowls of miso soup.

Knowing that we will be wanting some more tiger prawns, we ordered some additional Ebi Tempura (Php295/3pcs) to supplement the Kagayaki Set.

Hubby ordered Spicy Salmon Maki (Php315), spicy bits of salmon rolled in fish roe and topped with crunchy batter, shichimi and spicy Japanese mayo.

For the little boy, we got some Karaage (Php185), a Japanese-style variation to his down-home favorite chicken nuggets.

To comemorate a festival being celebrated in Japan during our visit, we were each given a free bowl of steaming hot Soba!

It was another tasty and filling family lunch, another happy holiday memory for all of us.

This Tenya Tempura Tendon is located at Ground Floor, Tiendesitas, Frontera Verde, Ugong, Pasig City

Other branches are located at:

2nd floor, BGC Stopover Pavilion, Rizal Drive cor 31st Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Ground Floor, Market! Market!, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
4F SM Megamall Bldg. A, Doña Julia Vargas Ave, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Food Street, Ground Floor, SM Southmall, Almanza, Las Piñas City
ASEANA Avenue cor. Diosdado Macapagal Blvd. Paranaque City
GF Water Garden, Extension Site, Civic Drive, Festival Supermall Alabang, Muntinlupa
GF North Wing Entertainment Mall, Sunset Ave. cor. Seaside Blvd. SM Mall of Asia Pasay
GF Southpark Bldg. Paseo de Magallanes, Makati City

8 Reasons you’ll want to take your familly aboard Anchor Point Diner, San Rafael

Ahoy there, mumshies!

Feel like you might want to take a break from always running a tight ship and treat the family to some tasty burgers, pizzas and pastas?

Well, then… When you dock at the newly opened eatery along San Rafael Street in Mandaluyong’s Barangay Plainview, you will find plenty for the family to love.

One: The resto’s interiors leading to a seaside adventure.

The resto is situated in a converted two-story house festooned with nautical-inspired furniture and artwork, inspired by Chef Junjie Templo’s stint as a seaman chef and further refined by the San Rafael branch co-owner Cathy Donato – Miaque’s design sensibilities.

The best thing about the resto’s design is that diners can interact with the decor. Take a pic of yourself as a ship captain in the outdoor deck, make-believe you’re climbing up waterfalls in the hallway, or let your kids have a go in the rocking horse. If you let your inmer child out, there won’t be a dull moment here.

Plus, check out the washroom with a wall-to-wall painting of a seaside dock! Who would have thought going to a resto’s restroom would be so entertaining!

Two: Yummy munchies while waiting for your meal.

Start of your meal with some appetizers – platters of fries or nachos with oodles of cheese, peppers, onions, meat and other toppings!

Three: Its Burger Varieties.

Pinoy families have grown to love burgers and here, there’s enough variety and affordably priced items to have you and your fam coming back for more. Check these out: the crunchy chicken sandwich Captain’s Crave (Php109), fresh veggies and all-beef Anchor Point Burger (Php129), burger-with-bacon Quarterdeck (Php139) and so much more!

Want to prove your burger mettle? Take the Black Out Challenge (Php450 with fries | Php480 with nachos). Finish this monster of a triple patty burger and its accompanying sides in five minutes and it’s free. You will also have the honor of joining Anchor Point Diner’s Hull of Fame!

Four: Its Chicken Meals.

There’s nothing like chomping down on a juicy piece of chicken and at Anchor Point Diner, there’s plenty to choose from: from its original recipe Chicken Fritoz (Php99), savory Garlic Parmesan (Php119), spicy Texas Wild Wings (Php109) and my new fave Teriyaki Chicken (Php109).

Feeling extra hungry? Get a Bucket of Ten for only Php250! That should fill up the fam’s tummies!

Five: Pizzas and Pastas

Hearty and filling, these crunchy-yet-chewy thin-crust pizzas (made with hand-kneaded dough and baked fresh everyday) and yummy pastas will sate the fam’s hunger while making your taste buds happy!

Choose from two pizza sizes – Sailor at 9 inches and Captain at 12 inches – and from four yummy flavors – English Margherita (Php149 | Php199), Hawaiian Sunset (Php169 | Php219), Vegan Garden (Php179 | Php229), and of course, my absolute fave, Triple Cheese (Php189 | Php239).

Pastas come in two flavors: Shrimp Olio (Php129) and Italian Bolognese (Php99).

Six: Best value combo meals!

Despite the ala carte dishes being priced quite affordably already, these are further mixed and matched into combo meals with iced tea that not only give you a variety of flavors in one complete meal, but also super savings. Prices for single-person combo meals range from Php129 to Php259.

Plus, a family of four can dine on a combo of chicken, pasta, pizza, rice and drinks for only Php550, while a group of six can do the same for only Php859.

There’s so much food variation when I dined here, I nearly went into a food coma! (Special thanks to my fellow foodies who pulled me back from the brink, hehehe!)

Seven: Cap off your meal with decadent dessert frappes!

There’s a special treat for the family member who has a sweet tooth: dessert drinks in your choice among three yummy flavors at only Php95 – Rock & Load for chocolate lovers, Strawberry Kiss for strawberry fans, and the frappe that truly captured the taste of summer at sea with its zesty sweetness and refreshing cucumber juice, Sweet Innocence.

Eight: It’s home-grown.

Anchor Point Diner is all-Filipino, originating from Mataas na Kahoy in Batangas. It has since expanded further in the region to include branches in Sto. Tomas, Dagatan and Tanauan.

This first branch in Metro Manila is located in Barangay Plainview, Mandaluyong City. It will also serve as the commisary for all Metro Manila branches.

Interested in taking part of its further growth as a franchisee? You will benefit from the use of trademarks, staff training, procurement program, opening assistance, operations manual and more already developed by the team. The first step to getting on board is to contact Mr. Junjie Templo or Ms. Eds Lamela through the touchpoints below:

Tel. Nos: +63 977 8877708, +63 43 4612634, +63 917 8641297 or +63 2 7192691
Email: franchise.apd@gmail.com, templrm15@gmail.com, eds.bgmcorp@yahoo.com, Exec.Assistant@bgm-corporation.com

There are just so many reasons to hie on over to Anchor Point Diner and go on a voyage of good food and good company with the family. So what are you waiting for?

Anchor Point Diner is located at 43 San Rafael corner Buenconsejo Streets, Plainview, Mandaluyong, open daily from 11am to 12 midnight.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.