arroz caldo – Jellybeans in the City

Pinoy comfort food at Goodah, Timog Avenue

Whenever I feel stressed or harassed, I always get a strong craving for comfort food. These are dishes that I usually associate with delicious home cooking, the kind that my mom would serve me whenever I was sick or sad.

For over thirty years, Goodah has been the has been the go-to place for people seeking fuss-free comfort food that appeals to down-home Pinoy palate. These include the traditional hot and quickly-served Filipino snacks like goto and lugaw, as well as the hugely popular silogs. Being so popular among all sorts of people, it soon adopted the monicker “ang pagkaing for every all!”

During the height of the lockdown due to the pandemic, I was able to enjoy Goodah’s comforting dishes with my fam while stuck at home through its Salo-Salo Set Meals (thanks to Rowena of TravelEatPinas for thoughtfully sending me this meal set!)

However, as the lockdowns gradually eased (but my work and life stresses did not) I wanted to experience Goodah’s down-home Pinoy dishes in a dine-in setting.

So off I went with my fellow unnies to the Goodah branch along Timog Avenue.

Here, we were able to sit down and take a break from our daily grind as we gossiped about our Hollywood idols and K-pop stans while we feast on Pinoy comfort food.

These include:

Batangas Lomi with Tokwa’t Baboy (Php134). A noodle dish made with thick yellow noodles in a thick and starchy soup topped with bits of pork meat, pork offal, pork rind and kikiam. It’s best enjoyed with a side dish made with tofu and pork bits in vinegar sauce.

Arroz Caldo Special (Php179). A porridge made with glutinous rice and accompanied by chicken pieces, hard-boiled egg and topped with crunchy fried garlic and chopped scallions.

Pork Bingoongan (Php319). A classic Pinoy dish wherein pork belly is stewed in shrimp paste (bagoong).

Kare Kare (Php345). A Filipino stew wherein ox and pork meat and offal are served in a thick and rich peanut sauce along with vegetables.

Supermeal A (Php150). A budget-friendly rice meal that includes tocino, lumpiang shanghai, pancit canton, kropek (prawn cracker) and leche flan.

Supermeal B (Php160). Another rice meal that’s light on the budget which includes tapa flakes, lumpiang shanghai, pancit canton, kropek (prawn cracker) and leche flan.

Ribsilog (Php195). Crispy fried pork ribs served with garlic fried rice, fried egg and atchara.

Leche Flan (Php39). The Pinoy version of creme caramel which is made of egg-and-milk custard with a soft caramel layer on top.

With such comforting dishes to be enjoyed, should there still be room in my psyche for stress and negativity? I guess not!

Dispel your own blues with Pinoy comfort food by dropping by a Goodah branch near you today!

This Goodah outlet is located at 57 Timog Avenue, Bgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily for dine-in and takeout from 8am to 8pm, and for delivery from 7am to 9pm via Pick*A*Roo, and 25-hours via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

Other Gooodah outlets are located in Alabang, Valenzuela, Pasig, Granada and Fairview in Quezon City, as well as in Sucat and Bicutan in Paranaque.

Know more about this much-loved Filipino food brand through its website. Stay updated on Goodah’s latest offers and promos by following it on Facebook and Instagram.

Ulam in a jiffy: Ka Tunying’s Frozen Goods

With the holidays coming up, home cooks will be in for quite a busy spell.

With all the food preparations for holiday feasts and virtual clan gatherings – not to mention the regular family meals – home cooks will surely have their hands full and will need all the help they can get.

Plus, despite the sheer variety of food options for the holiday spread, home cooke can count on their families to opt for the kind of dishes that are homegrown and possess familiar flavors.

At the Pinoy table, Filipino food does reign supreme.

Ka Tunying’s Frozen Goods

For those with #PanlasangMakabayan, Ka Tunying’s brings its signature dishes in frozen packs that can be easily reheated and ready to eat in a few minutes!

Ka Tunying’s Frozen Goods are MSG-free and additive-free, and come in microwaveable containers with reheating instructions conveniently printed on their plastic seals

Home cooks may opt to reheat these delicious heritage dishes on a stove or through a microwave, making food preparation very easy and fuss-free.

Here’s how easy they are to prepare:

Arroz Ala Tunying

Completely thaw out the pack and remove the plastic lid.

To reheat using a stove: Transfer the contents of the pack into a pan. On low fire, stir the arroz caldo for four to six minutes until thoroughly hot.

To reheat using a microwave: Place the container in the microwave or transfer the contents in a microwaveable bowl. Reheat on medium setting while stirring occasionally for three to four minutes until thoroughly hot.

Serve topped with cooked chicken, boiled egg or toasted garlic, or just sprinkle chopped spring onions on top and serve with patis and calamansi.

The resulting dish is a gingery porridge that will warm the tummy during a cold or rainy day, or make a great merienda for the fam.

Bangus Sisig.

Completely thaw out the pack and remove the plastic lid.

To reheat using a stove: Transfer the contents of the pack into a pan. On low fire, stir the arroz caldo for five to eight minutes until thoroughly hot.

Serve topped with a sunny side-up egg.

I’m glad that there’s healthier version of my daughter’s favorite dish. While it may be drier than the regular sisig, you can add a small dollop of mayonnaise to add some creaminess.

Beef Caldereta.

Completely thaw out the pack and remove the plastic lid.

To reheat using a stove: Transfer the contents of the pack into a pan. On low fire, stir the arroz caldo for five to eight minutes until thoroughly hot.

Serve topped with grated cheese and enjoy white steamed white rice.

The resulting dish features melt-in-your-mouth beef in a hearty serving of rough-chopped veggies in a rich tomato sauce.

I bravely volunteered to whip up the fam’s weekend lunch all by my lonesome, knowing that it’s going to be done in a jiffy, thanks to Ka Tunying’s Frozen Goods..

Home cooks, if you want to have a tasty yet effortless addition to your holiday spread, or want to serve your fam a delicious meal you won’t have to slave over in the kitchen, Ka Tunying’s Frozen Goods may just be your best bet.

Get this set of Ka Tunying’s Holiday Heats (250g Bangus Susig, 400g Arroz Ala Tunying and 450g Beef Caldereta) for only Php895.

Other Frozen Goods sets include:

Ready to Cook Set (Php1,390): 6 sticks Pork BBQ, 250g Chicken Tocino, 8pcs Longganisa Recado, 12 pcs Lumpiang Shanghai, 8pcs Longganisa Batutay)
Heat & Eat Set (Php2,590): 370g Bilo Bilo, 250g Pork Sisig, 250g Bangus Sisig, 250g Beef Caldereta, 450g Classic Kare Kare, 400g Arroz Ala Tunying, 450g Chicken Caldereta, 300g Roasted Lechon Belly)
Complete Frozen Set (Php3,890): combination of Ready to Cook Set and Complete Frozen Set

Stock up on Ka Tunying’s Frozen Goods for your family meals or as holiday gifts to your loved ones by calling +63 995 2376684.

Ka Tunying’s also operates physical restaurants open for dine-in, takeout and delivery located at:

88 Brgy. Vasra, Visayas Avenue, Quezon City
UG Level, Mega A Building, SM Megamall,Ortigas, Mandaluyong
4th Floor Food Hall, NAIA Terminal 3, Pasay City

Follow Ka Tunying’s on Facebook or Instagram to know more about its latest offers and promos.

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

Have #YourDailyBird at Chicka Chicka Chicken House, Libis

Sped away from your desk for your precious lunchtime? Out for dinner with the fam? Or just looking for somewhere to sate your craving for grilled chicken?

Well, if you’re in the Libis area in between Pasig and Quezon City, you’re in for a treat because there’s a new chicken joint in town!

LA-born and raised Matt Fong decided to bring his restaurant business know-how to the Philippines. With his wife’s family owning a poultry business, he figured that it was only logical that he start a chicken restaurant.

And so, earlier this month, Chicka Chicka Chicken House opened its doors at Robinsons Zeta Tower in Bridgetowne Business Center to bring to the metro’s hungry denizens the best grilled chicken in town, and affordably priced too!

Chicka Chicka’s grilled chicken’s taste and pricing definitely make it #YourDailyBird.

Case in point: for just Php160, you can satisfy your lunch craving with a Breast + Wing or a Leg + Thigh with White Rice and Drink.

Add Php20 and you can enjoy your chicken meal with a tasty side dish such as a Macaroni Salad or my new favorite Cream Corn which has a bit of a spicy kick to it.

If you prefer wings, eat your heart out for just Php140 with 2-pc Wings with White Rice, 1 Side and Drink.

No worries if you’re in the midst of #PetsaDePeligro: you can just opt for one of Chicka Chicka’s Daily deals such as a 1pc Leg + White Rice combo for Php80, a 1pc Thigh + White Rice combo for Php90, or the resto’s version of the chicken lumpia, the 2-pc Chicka’n Rolls + White Rice combo for Php65.

The grilled chicken pieces are flavorful enough in themselves. However, you can also choose among four sauces – honey mustard, garlic pepper, chili chili or classic chicka – to add a tasty twist to every bite.

Want something quick and cheap for breakfast before heading off to the office? How about warming your tummy with a steaming bowl of Arroz Caldo (Php70) made more flavorful by its broth made from chicken bones, a tasty bowl of Chicken Pares (Php65), or a filling bowl of Chicka Chicken Rice (Php110)? Add Php20 to enjoy these Chicka-Chicka Bowls with a drink or a side dish.

If you want to snack on something during the workday, you can go the healthy route with a Chicken Salad Bowl (Php135) or indulge yourself with some Loaded Fries (Php90 for regular | Php120 for large).

Going as a group? Get a Chicka Bundle (Php775) and feast on a whole chicken, 2 white rice, 2 large fries, 1 large side and 4 drinks.

No time to drop by the store? Well have your chicken meal delivered via Grab, quick and easy! Get a discount on your first food order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

Plus, Chicka Chicka’s offerings all come with an Always Fresh Guarantee. Since all the chickens are sourced from their family’s farms outside the metro, and all the chicken are marinated, brined and grilled in small batches on-site by Chicka Chicka’s in-house chefs without the use of pre-mixes, MSG or preservatives, Matt and his crew can guarantee diners a fresh and tasty chicken meal.

I may have just found my new favorite chicken place.

Many thanks to Matt and his team at Chicka Chicka Chicken House for the wonderful meal and to James of Recommend Eat for extending the invitation!

Chicka Chicka Chicken House is located at the Ground Floor, Robinsons Zeta Tower, Bridgetowne Business Center, Libis, Quezon City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 10am to 11pm. For inquiries, call +63 2 77522927 or +63 917 1763026.

Disclosure: Together with fellow foodies, I attended a good tasting held in this establishment wherein the items mentioned above were served to enable us to sample the fare to facilitate an honest review and were not paid for by the participants including myself.

Check out my posts on other chicken places in the metro:

Say hello to a great summer with Ombu Kusina’s Flavored Ice Halo-Halo

Summers are for great times with great food, and spent with great friends.

Together with my fellow foodies, I experienced what certainly seems to be the start of a great summer.

In a recent Foodie Event hosted by Ombu Kusina, it launched its newest and coolest offerings: three new scrumptious halo-halo flavors!

The halo-halo is a favorite Pinoy dessert made of crushed ice, evaporated milk and other sweet ingredients such as nata de coco, beans and coconut strips, served layered on top of each other, but then mixed together so that each spoonful is a mixture of sweet ingredients and the crushed ice. Ombu does its own take on this classic icy treat, with three flavors, available only during the summer, at only Php160 each. These include:

Milk Tea. The milk tea craze has surely hit the country and how! Now this exotic drink which originated from Taiwan flavors the Pinoy halo-halo through the use of brewed Earl Grey black tea.

Mango. Fresh ripe mango are pureed, mixed with milk then frozen to create mango-flavored crushed ice, served with the usual halo-halo ingredients and toppped with succulent mango cubes.

Tres Leches. As the name implies, the crushed ice is flavored with three kinds of milk and topped with creamy leche flan. This is my favorite among the new halo-halo variants.

Ombu’s Chef Griffin Oraiz explained that what sets Ombu’s halo-halo treats apart from similar offerings from other restaurants is the use of flavored ice: the flavors are infused into the ice, resulting to a more intense taste and creamier mouthfeel.

Ombu also showcased some its signature dishes which are well-suited for the summer, such as:

Suzi Wong Sandwich (Php270). A three-layered sandwich made of ham, cheese and pickles between four slices of butter-toasted crusted bread and served with house-made deep-fried purple camote chips.

Tinapa Croquettes (Php240). Tinapa (smoked milkfish) is combined with a creamy bechamel sauce and sauteed onions, then coated with breadcrumbs, deep-fried to a crisp golden brown and served with a house-blend special garlic mayo dip.

Three-Cheese Pizza (Php420). Mozzarella and cheddar cheeses are combined with the local kesong puti, a home-grown cheese made of carabao’s milk, on top of a crisp oven-baked pizza crust.

Tokwa’t Baboy (Php260). Tokwa (tofu) are cut into cubes, fried and served with hearty pork chunks in a house-blended spicy soy vinegar sauce. This is actually a great complement and a traditional companion to the next dish which is the…

Arroz Caldo (Php130). The traditional Pinoy version of rice porridge with chicken pieces, it is highlighted by the use of cured, soft-boiled “ramen-style” eggs that adds a different dimension of flavor to the Pinoy merienda staple.

These dishes and the seasonal halo-halo flavors all adhere to Ombu Kusina’s modern take on Filipino cuisine: infusing classic Pinoy dishes with new and exciting cooking styles and influences. These help to make Pinoy cuisine fresher and more relevant to a growing number of foodies, who are looking for their next food adventure.

And if that isn’t reason enough for you to hie on over to Ombu for a taste of its innovative and flavorful dishes, how about this: use my code – VIPBeingJellybeans – when you dine in and get 10% off your food bill!

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Say hello to a gastronomically fantastic summer with @ombu_resto’s refreshing halo-halo blends (milk tea, tres leches and mango) and their new merienda menu. Plus!!! Use my code VIPBeingJellybeans when you dine in until May 11 and get 10% off your food bill! Thanks for this summer treat, Ombu! . . . . . #foodieph #foodph #pinoyfoodie #yummyph #foodiegram #foodgasm #whattoeatph #saansaph #welovetoeatph #foodbloggerph #manilaeatup #beingjellybeans

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Mar 16, 2019 at 6:39am PDT

Check it out and let me know what you think!

Ombu Kusina is located at the Ground Floor, Sequioa Hotel, Mother Ignacia corner Timog Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 6.30am to 10.30am. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 441179.

Read my review of a previous visit to Ombu Kusina here.

Disclosure: Together with other 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.

Check out my reviews of other Filipino restaurants: