arugula – Jellybeans in the City

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

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

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

One such restaurant is Cafe Mary Grace.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Check out my posts on other Cafe Mary Grace branches:

With all the restrictions from the lockdown since last year, my folks may have been nursing a case of cabin fever. Stuck at home for months, with only a few short trips out to break the monotony, I suspect they may have been feeling blue.

So with my daughter #ExhibitA as my co-conspirator, I set out to find a way to cheer up the parental units.

We decided to treat them to breakfast at a new breakfast joint I chanced upon on Instagram: Almusal Cafe.

The name says it all doesn’t it?

Almusal Cafe has has been serving comforting Filipino breakfasts – albeit with a New York or Aussie twist every once in a while because of its expat owners. It opened its doors just as the metro was loosening its restrictions on dining out and mobility and was transitioning to a general community quarantine. To me, this restaurant serves breakfast food that act as reminders of better days past and better days to come.

What better place to bring my parents for some breakfast and bonding, right?

For one thing, Almusal Cafe boasts of lots of greenery at its outdoor seating area that will surely excite, not just plantitos or plantitas, but also any suburbanite longing for a break from quarantine.

Its interiors are also well-appointed, sporting couches where you can lounge while having your coffee and dining areas where you can eat your breakfast in comfort.

Our group enjoyed Pinoy breakfast classics with a few welcome touches of the unusual. Check them out:

Kesong Puti Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Php370). The soft and un-aged white cheese made from carabao’s milk is partnered with sundried tomato pesto on sourdough bread and served with potato crisps on the side.

Beef Belly Tapa (Php380). Beef belly slow-cooked for a day then served chimichurri sauce on top of mixed red and white rice.

Ultimate Fried Chicken (Php450). Two fried chicken fillets served with elote, country-style gravy and hot honey.

Shrimp & Arugula Croissant (Php580). Fresh shrimp is tossed with arugula and cherry tomatoes in a light and creamy aioli and served in a toasted croissant with potato crisps on the side.

Long Black Coffee (Php100).

Strawberry Mint Iced Tea (Php120). Freshly picked strawberries blended with mint leaves and tea.

Peach Basil Iced Tea (Php130). Iced tea made with peaches, fresh basil and lime.

Cold Mocha (Php170). Malagos chocolate mixed with a double shot of espresso.

With great food, great surroundings and great conversations over our meal, I had a memorable breakfast experience with my folks; one, I hope, that ushered in some good cheer in their hearts.

Well, it certainly made for a brighter start of the day for me!

Almusal Cafe is located at The Pop Up Katipunan, Xavierville Corner Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9am to 4pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 917 1371510.

To know about its latest promos and updates, follow Almusal Cafe on Facebook and Instagram.