barbecue – The Jellybeans Edit

A festive feast of Kenny Rogers Roasters Smokehouse BBQ Roast & Ribs

The holidays are already upon us, and within this festive season, get-togethers among families and friends are sure to be popping up all over your calendar.

If you’re stymied over what to serve during your gatherings, why not wow your guests with a show-stopping spread that’s filled with both new and familiar flavors?

Fortunately, Kenny Rogers Roasters is serving up fresh additions to its fresh and healthy menu: Smokehouse BBQ Roast & Ribs!

Did you know that smoking meat has likely been a practice since the Paleolithic era? It looks like our forebears discovered that food stored and preserved in their smoky dwellings (due to the absence of chimneys) acquired a distinct flavor.

Over the centuries, the practice of smoking meat evolved from its original intent of preserving food for storage or transport, to enhancing its flavor.

Smokehouse barbecues arose from this tradition. The southeastern region of the US became known as the barbecue region, where cooks adopted the practice of slow-roasting cuts of meat over fire pits to make them tender. This culinary tradition grew alongside the practice of families and communities coming together to share a meal of deliciously smoked meat along with popular side dishes.

Kenny Rogers Roasters makes that delicious tradition even more accessible to Filipinos with its newest limited edition menu items.

Let’s start this flavorsome food journey with its Smokehouse BBQ Roast, Kenny Rogers Roasters signature roasted chicken marinated in a special blend of barbecue flavors and spices and served with skin slightly crispy and charred.

Make this a centerpiece of your feast by ordering a whole chicken ala carte (Php825)…

… or make it a filling solo meal (Php310 Solo A | Php335 Solo B), complete with rice, sides and a corn muffin.

Then you can immerse yourself in the barbecue tradition with Kenny Rogers Roasters’ Smokehouse BBQ Ribs. This dish consists of tender and juicy fall-off-the-bone pork ribs infused with a spicy savory rub that gives it that extra kick.

Order a whole slab ala carte (Php920) to feed the whole fam…

… or enjoy it solo with rice, sides and a corn muffin (Php495).

This tasty food trip is made even more delicious with three new sauces that add new dimensions of flavor to the Smokehouse BBQ Roast & Ribs:

Applewood. Fruity and smoky with a slightly sour bite.
Alabama. Tangy sauce made with mayonnaise spiced with pepper and special spices.
Roasted Garlic. Sweet and nutty blend infused with garlic.

A Kenny Rogers Roasters meal wouldn’t be complete without those yummy corn muffins (Php105/box of 6), wouldn’t you agree?

Round up your festive feast with some delectable sides (Php55 regular | Php83 large) such as Corn & Carrots, Mac ‘n Cheese and Fresh Fruit Salad.

Make your get-togethers extra special this holiday season with these deliciously smokey dishes by meeting up with your fam and friends at your nearest Kenny Rogers Roasters branch.

You may also order your Smokehouse BBQ Pork & Ribs for delivery right to your doorstep at kennyrogersdelivery.com.ph or through Kenny Rogers Roasters’ delivery hotline +63 2 85559000, as well as via GrabFood, FoodPanda and Pick*A*Roo.

For more details about its offers and promos, follow Kenny Rogers Roasters on Facebook, Tiktok, Instagram, Youtube and Twitter

Check out my previous posts about Kenny Rogers Roasters:

Eggs-perience eggs-tasy with Kenny Rogers Roasters’ new Salted Egg Chicken line

Chimichurri makes a comeback at Kenny Rogers Roasters!

Deliciously healthy meal at home with Kenny Rogers Roasters’ Roasted Chicken Group Meal

Chicken lovers unite for Chicken United

The Pinoy’s love for fried chicken is well-known.

This love has extended to fried chicken various forms as well. From the stripped down and unbreaded variety, to the more elaborate glazed and sauced up versions, we have embraced practically all of the taste and texture possibilities that fried chicken has to offer.

Well, chicken lovers have a new outlet for their obsession: Chicken United!

This online fried chicken shop unites both well-loved fried chicken varieties and exciting new flavors, plus sides, dips and appetizers.

Check them out:

Dynamite with Cheese (Php129). The well-loved pulutan made with cheese-stuffed peppers encased in lumpia wrapper.

Crispy Fried Chicken.

Chicken United’s signature fried chicken wings or fillets, served with the store’s specially curated sauces on the side.

Drunk BBQ (Php219/6pcs | Php419/12pcs). The store’s take on smoked BBQ with a splash of brandy.

Pineapple Spice (Php219/6pcs | Php419/12pcs). Pineapple on pizza may be debatable but you’ll love it on your fried chicken!

Korean Gochujang (Php239/6pcs | Php439/12pcs). Fried chicken the way your K-pop idols would have it!

Dinakdakan (Php229/6pcs | Php429/12pcs). The creamy and flavorful Pinoy dish dinakdakan is given a new form in this appetizing new variant.

Sauced Up Fried Chicken.

Chicken United’s signature fried chicken wings or fillets, coated with the store’s specially curated sauces.

Osaka Takoyaki (Php219/6pcs | Php419/12pcs). Inspired by Japan’s takoyaki capital, this fried chicken is flavored with Japanese mayo and bonito flakes.

So whether you and your pals go for this kind of fried chicken or that, you know that your preferences unite at Chicken United!

To order, visit burpcentral.com or message +63 919 0779670. Chicken United currently delivers within Metro Manila from its cloud kitchens in Mandaluyong and Quezon City but will soon establish its presence east of Manila to serve chicken lovers in Marikina, Cainta and selected areas in San Mateo, Taytay and Antipolo.

To stay updated on its products and offers, follow Chicken United on Facebook and Instagram.

The Jelly List: Tasty food options available for delivery

While many of our old dining haunts have (thankfully!) re-opened for business, they are doing so at just thirty percent capacity for outdoor dining and ten percent capacity for indoor dining, catering only to customers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

That leaves many of us members of the dining public still with little recourse for our foodie adventures but to have them at home.

Fortunately, great food is only a few phone taps away with these food shops!

SaladStop!

Veggies are front and center at Salad Stop!, a salad-centric shop that espouses “Eating Wide Awake.” Its salad creations are not only fresh, nutritious and flavorful, their ingredients are also sustainably sourced.

Hubby likes to add some greens to our meals by ordering his favorite salad trays which consist of up to six servings of fresh salad variants.

Hail Caesar Salad Tray. A variation of the classic Caesar Salad with romaine lettuce, shaved parmesan, sliced cage-free eggs, croutons and bacon bits tossed in Caesar Salad dressing.

Man-Go Wild! Salad Tray. A salad that makes vibrant use of the tangy green mango, with crabsticks, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, white turnip, yellow raisins and fried garlic tossed Mango Vinaigrette.

Salad Stop delivers via GrabFood.

Juliano’s

While its menu are mostly made up of ready-to-eat meals, this Antipolo-based enterprise also curates its own grazing spreads such as this Sampler, which consist of two kinds of cold cuts, two kinds of cheese, nuts and chocolates prettily and conveniently arranged in a 3×2 can.

While this sampler gifted by my brother-in-law is perfect for solo nibbling while watching TV or for sharing with a special someone over a glass of wine, Juliano’s also has bigger grazing spread variants for family dinners or parties.

Juliano’s accepts orders and bookings via Facebook.

Slow Burn MNL

Chef Chryso Morales crafts platters and food trays that highlight the enhanced flavors of food grilled to burned perfection through the business set up with his brother Dale: Slow Burn MNL.

Mother-in-law has the delicious habit of marking special occasions by sending us a tray of Slow Burn MNL’s Surf and Turf Tray (without shrimps) which features fall-off-the-bone tender Smoked Ribs over Umami Rice served with cherry tomatoes and French beans.

To order, call +63 956 0270730 or send a message via Facebook or Instagram.

Naked Bones

Barbecue is really close to our hearts, and appealing to our tastebuds because those barbecued ribs are always a hit with the fam.

Naked Bones’ Feast, for example, is portioned just right with a full slab of barbecued ribs, four cups of rice and four side dishes, all in one box, ready to serve!

Naked Bones accepts orders via Facebook and Instagram.

Let’s Get Litson

The roast beef has expanded its horizons beyond hotel buffets and is now in-demand as a food delivery item, particularly in its Pinoy iteration: the litson baka.

Cloud kitchen Kraver’s Canteen houses Let’s Get Litson which offers litson baka that’s been marinated for twenty-four hours, smoked and slow-cooked for six hours to tender and flavorful perfection.

It comes in an All-Meat Tray (all-meat, no rice), which contains roast beef slices good for up to four people accompanied by its own dipping sauce.

It’s perfect with rice and leftovers (if there are any!) can be added to salads. Yum!

Let’s Get Litson accepts orders through the Kraver’s website or via GrabFood.

Baked Sushi Manila

One of the top quarantine food trends – the Sushi Bake – has evolved into many delicious varieties such as the ones offered by Baked Sushi Manila.

Salmon Kani Avocado Bomb. Loaded with fresh toppings and premium Japanese spices, it’s a healthy and savory spin on the dish.

Cheesy Beef Gyudon. Thinly sliced beef cooked in a sweet and savory mixture of mirin and soy sauce and torched to smokey perfection.

Baked Sushi Manila accepts orders via Facebook.

These online food shops make it easy for us epicures to sate our cravings and discover new favorites.

Foodies, as you can see, you don’t need to venture out of home to enjoy great food. Just keep your phone handy and get to tapping for those orders!

Header photo created by freepik – www.freepik.com

Chef Edmond Dannug brings back-to-basics comfort food via Heavenly Spiced

You would think that after honing his craft through stints at upscale hotel restaurant Amber in Hong Kong and as head chef of Enderun Events in Davao, Chef Edmond Dannug will bring his considerable skills to bear in whipping up complex French dishes when he decided to go into business.

But no.

Instead, he opted to offer comfort food – his personal favorites, actually – through the online store that he co-manages with his fiancee Jasmine Guillarte. They named it Heavenly Spiced.

“My cooking mentors always taught me that the best food are the simplest,” he shares.

Still, the dishes on offer at Heavenly Spiced are no run-of-the-mill viands. Their flavors have been enhanced through careful preparation and cooking techniques ingrained into culinary professionals, such as Chef Edmond. They come in large party trays that can serve six to eight people and are perfect for small gatherings or for a special family meal that you don’t want to slave over in the kitchen.

He started out with the Hainanese Chicken and Rice (Php850), widely considered as one of Singapore’s national dishes. Based on the Wenchang Chicken, a well-known dish in South China dating back to Qin Dynasty, this dish is painstakingly made by poaching a whole chicken in sub-boiling temperature, with some of the resulting stock combined with ginger, garlic and other flavorings to cook the flavorful rice that will accompany the dish. Chef Edmond completes this platter with bright green bokchoy and the three traditional dipping sauces for Hainanese Chicken: a red chili sauce, a thick and dark soy sauce, and a paste of freshly ground ginger.

Another of the chef’s comfort food faves is the Bourbon Glazed Barbecue Pork Ribs (Php1,400). Meat lovers would love to get a hold of this dish! Slow-smoked, falling-off-the-bone meat flavored with a sweet-savory bourbon glaze and partnered with umami corn cobs made for a finger-licking dish! It’s messy eating but there’s really no better way to enjoy it.

Chef Edmond recently expanded his menu to include Chicken Wings (Php900). Inspired by his favorite chicken chicken place Frankie’s, this dish is made with large pieces of chicken wings which are deep-fried then coated with a vinegar-based cayenne pepper glaze. They are then served with bleu cheese dipping sauce which made for a well-balanced combination of sweet, spicy and tangy flavors.

The chef’s newest creation which also joins Heavenly Spiced offerings is the Angus Burger (Php1500). Six hefty quarter-pound patties made with ground Angus beef are lightly seasoned and then grilled to medium doneness to bring out their beefy goodness. These are then placed in grilled brioche buns along with lettuce, tomato, battered onion rings and cheddar cheese then coated with the chef’s Bourbon Barbecue Glaze and served with a side of umami fries.

Aside from these party trays, Heavenly Spiced can also cater your Zoom parties via its gift boxes made with solo servings of especially curated dishes from Filipino, Chinese, Japanese and Western cuisines. Prices range from Php450 to Php600 per box.

Now we know where we can get tasty and wholesome comfort food that’s been meticulously prepared by a professional chef!

To order, text or call +63 939 2373383 or Viber +63 929 4514998. To know more about Heavenly Spiced’s latest offerings, follow it on Facebook or Instagram.

Disclosure: I attended a food tasting of Heavenly Spiced dishes together with fellow foodies. Items mentioned here were served to let us sample the fare and elicit our honest feedback.

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

#TheBistroGroup Trinoma Food Crawl: TGI Friday’s

Don’t you sometimes have those days when you’ve got a monster-sized appetite and only big slabs of meat or platters of pasta will do?

On such days, you should head straight to TGI Friday’s!

TGI Friday’s started as a bar at the corner of 63rd and First in New York City in the 1960s where everyday felt like Friday. Today, it still serves up delicious American dishes right off the grill and beer fresh from the tap for groups of friends to enjoy in 931 restaurants in over sixty countries.

In the Philippines, it is managed by The Bistro Group, a collection of imported and home-grown hospitality brands.

In response to the need of the times, The Bistro Group has instituted safety protocols for safe dining-in at its restaurants. These include: regular health checks for all its personnel, compliance of all outdoor and indoor seating to physical distancing guidelines, hand sanitizers available at the entrance and on every table, as well as contactless menu ordering and payment.

These protocols require diners to submit to temperature checks, provide contact tracing details and using the hand sanitizers and sanitation mats prior to entering the restaurant premises, as well as wearing their personal protective equipment (PPEs) while inside. Would-be diners who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to people who do, have underlying health conditions or have concerns about contracting the disease when dining out are advised to stay home and avail of the restaurant’s contactless delivery options.

While observing these safety measures during our epic #TrinomaFoodCrawl, my foodie friends and I were able to enjoy an hearty all-American feast which consisted of:

Southern Platter (Php2,195). A filling combination of Baby Back Ribs, Cajun Chicken, Grilled Andouille and Grilled Baguette with sides of Coleslaw, Mac & Cheese and rice.

Truffle Bacon & Mushroom (Php495). Pasta tossed with shiitake mushrooms, mozarella, smoked gouda, bacon bits and truffle aoili.

Guess who left the table full and happy: me, that’s who!

Get your fill of TGI Friday’s hearty dishes with its exciting offers:

BFF Bundle: Fish & Chips + Tomato Arugula Pasta + 2 pcs Pacific Grilled Porkchop (Php1,295).
Buy One Get One Everyday: 2 pcs Signature JD Porkchop + Truffle Bacon & Mushroom Pizza (Php950), Three-Meat Platter + Scallops and Scampi (Php1,895), Signature JD Salmon + Tomato Arugula Pasta

You can also get great savings with the BFF Card, The Bistro Group’s loyalty program that gives members exclusive perks across 15 restaurant brands such as:

30% off on Mondays
20% off on Tuesdays
Complimentary coffee or hot tea single-serve with entree purchase
Online seats reservation
Six Php250 e-vouchers with minimum purchase of Php1,000 per voucher

This TGI Friday’s branch is located at Fourth Floor, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 8pm.

Other branches are located at:

Eastwood Citywalk 1, Libis, Quezon City
Level 2, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas, Quezon City
B4, Bonifacio High Street, 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Ground Floor, Venice Grand Canal Mall, McKinley Hill, Taguig City
Ground Floor, Hotel Rembrandt, Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout Bayoran Street, South Triangle, Quezon City
Second Floor, Glorietta 3, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City
Level 3, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Greenbelt, Makati City
Ground Floor, Midtown Wing, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila
Ground Floor, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
Central Garden, Ayala Fairview Terraces, Maligaya Road Corner Quirino Highway, Novaliches, Quezon City
Second Floor, Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari Road, Almanza, Las Piñas City
Upper Ground Floor, Main Mall, Ayala Malls Circuit, Carmona, Makati City

TGI Friday’s delivers via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

Check out my posts about other restos of The Bistro Group:

Classic Negrense cuisine at JT’s Manukan Grille, Tomas Morato

One particularly rainy day, a coworker was craving for barbecue for lunch. Well, for me, barbecue as the main highlight of the lunch meal would be too basic (Yes, sometimes, I’m a diva like that!)

After much debate, our group decided to have lunch at the nearby JT’s Manukan Grille to get the best of both worlds. She can have the pork barbecue she has been craving for while I get to experience authentic Bacolod chicken inasal.

The restaurant was started by award-winning character actor Joel Torre (hence the name “JT”) and his wife, Cristy. From its humble beginnings as a takeout counter, the brand has grown to eighteen outlets all over the metro.

The restaurant operates on four principles: masarap (delicious), mura (affordable), malinis (clean) and masaya (happy). All of these principles came into play during our meal.

Located at the corner of Sgt. Esguerra Avenue and Scout Borromeo Street, the restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating areas. It is marked by decor that denote its Negrense origins such as the Masskara masks painted on the walls and its association with the actor such as movie posters and that fun wall mural that offers a fresh take on The Last Supper that adorn many Filipino dining rooms.

Chicken inasal is made of chicken pieces marinated in a mixture of calamansi, pepper, coconut vinegar and annatto then grilled over hot coals while being basted with the marinade.

Our orders included Paa (chicken leg and thigh – Php120), Pecho (chicken breast and wing – Php135) and Pork Barbecue (Php35 per stick), which we enjoyed together with lots of chicken oil, the soy sauce with calamansi and chili pepper dipping sauce, flavorful garlic rice and bowl of hot broth.

I also got myself an Allmytea Iced Tea (Php50 for single serve | Php70 bottomless) which is a good partner for the inasal.

See? Sometimes, we can have the best of both worlds!

This JT’s Manukan Grille branch is located at Scout Borromeo corner Scout Ybardolosa Street, South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 9288085.

Other branches in Metro Manila are located in:

Quezon City: Valencia, Banawe, Libis, Eton Centris, Novaliches, Project 8, Ever Gotesco Commonwealth, Blue Ridge
Makati City: Bel Air, Makati Central Square
BGC: Justice Drive, Sapphire Residence Tower
Pasig: Ortigas Home Depot
Manila: Ermita
Paranaque: Victory Food Market

Happy fam brunch at Over Easy, Marikina

When we think of brunch, we think of ladies leisurely eating a meal while exchanging gossip.

However, one Tuesday, while my mom was out doing errands, my daughter #ExhibitA and I decided to take my groovy dad out for brunch at Over Easy.

So, after a short trip from our house in Pasig to this trending resto in Marikina, soundtracked with classic rock ‘n roll from my daughter’s Spotify, we found ourselves at Over Easy’s sprawling premises.

And my dad lost no time taking a pose! (So now we know where I got it from! 🤪)

Actually, the resto’s premises is quite conducive to photo opps (“IG-worthy” is how kids today would call it).

From the colorful wall murals to the artfully displayed tchotchkes, Over Easy exudes an atmosphere of warmth, comfort and welcome while still retaining that “cool” factor. Badly put: you might get dragged here by your tita, but, deep inside, you wouldn’t mind.

Yep, you wouldn’t mind hanging out here one bit especially once you’ve tasted what Over Easy has to offer such as what we enjoyed during our brunch with Daddy-o:

Macaroni and Cheese (Php220). This is actually #ExhibitA’s go-to dish. Over Easy’s version features creamy and hot melted cheese mixed in with macaroni and topped with bacon bits.

Fish and Chips (Php295). Fish fillets coated with beer batter, deep-fried until golden brown and served with parmesan dusted potato chips and tartar sauce.

BBQ Ribs (Php510 for half-rack with 2 side dishes). Fall-off-the-bone tender braised ribs, then grilled to get that rich smokey flavor, then served with Over Easy”s signature barbecue sauce. All I can say about this dish is that the bones were picked clean by the time we’re done.

While my dad sipped on his Coke Zero (Php55), #ExhibitA and I treated ourselves to a European Strawberry Cooler (Php140), a refreshing fizzy drink flavored with sweet strawberries (yeah, it’s a tita drink, hahaha!)

Lava Cake (Php195). Our foodie adventure here wouldn’t be complete without dessert. We got ourselves a molten chocolate cake topped with classic vanilla ice cream and doused with chocolate syrup. What a perfect way to cap our meal!

This brunch may not have been an all-out gossip over drinks sesh among ladies but it allowed my daughter and me to spend some precious time with my dear daddy.

Over Easy is located at G&W Terraza, Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue, San Roque, Marikina City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 7am to 11pm and Fridays to Sundays from 7am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 2554686.

Disclosure: Part of our meal was sponsored by Over Easy through gift certificates shared by Harvard of Always Hungry PH.

Former OFW pays tribute to family recipes at Las Pinas’ Cafe Tribu

When OFW, nurse and new mother Krishna Torres – Pagarugan returned home to the Philippines to raise her daughter, she decided to become a franchisee of Cafe Tribu, a coffee shop specializing in Philippine-grown coffee beans.

However, her coffee shop soon turned into a family affair.

Her sister and business partner Kathleen Torres-Bell turned their premises – formerly occupied by a beauty salon – into a bright and cheery haven for relaxing and conversing with friends. A colorful array of furniture and decor are mixed and matched into an eclectic yet tasteful combination: from the flowers and wire lamps hanging from the ceilings, her father’s paintings and mural taking pride of place on the walls, to the various chairs, tables and throw pillows that make one’s stay here quite comfy indeed.

The cafe’s sprawling premises can accommodate up to fifty people for a party or office function, but can also serve as a cozy venue for an informal art exhibit or crafting workshop.

A wide spectrum of diners comfortably pass their time in this space – from local businessmen taking a break from their morning walk, to students of nearby schools and colleges meeting up with friends.

Her mother, a cooking enthusiast, helped her expand the store’s menu to include classic Filipino dishes – affectionately dubbed Naty’s Specialties after her late grandmother – some of which I was able to sample, among others, when I visited this place for a much-awaited get-together with two of my closest college friends. These are dishes made-to-order at least two days prior, and are good for three to four persons, which include:

Kare Kare (Php420). To be honest, I’m still loyal to my mom’s Kare Kare in terms of flavor and mouthfeel but this does come close. The meat, slow-cooked for hours, is tender and can be easily pulled apart by my fork. Together with crisp, lightly cooked vegetables, it is submerged in a thick peanut sauce. When eaten together with rice and the cafe’s slightly spicy homemade bagoong (shrimp paste), each mouthfull is an explosion of flavor.

Laing (Php240). Bicol’s signature dish of shredded taro leaves and meat bits cooked in coconut milk – and accompanied by a hefty serving of sliced chilis – is one of my husband’s favorite dishes. I took some home for his dinner which he loved. (Ganda points for me, huh!)

Chicken Barbecue (Php350) and Liempo Barbecue. Another set of Pinoy classic dishes, these are comprised of large pieces of chicken and pork belly marinated in a sweet barbecue sauce and grilled to tender and juicy perfection.

Beef Tapa (Php130). Why, oh why, do strips of tender fried marinated beef become irresistible when accompanied by fried egg (sunny-side up, please!) and garlic fried rice?

Alas, too bad for my #dietgoals, Naty’s Specialties go so well with rice, lots and lots of it. (Our nanays and lolas seldom thought about carbs when these recipes are being developed, I guess.)

Meanwhile, to address the hunger pangs and limited budget of the students who frequent her cafe, Krishna also serves snacks that are easy on the tummy and on the students’ wallet such as:

New York Hotdog (Php115). A hefty Frankfurter rolled in oil, topped with caramelized onions, salsa, spicy mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup and bacon bits.

Club House Sandwich (Php100). This double-decked sandwich has layers of ham, tuna and veggies, served with crisp potato chips.

Want something hot to accompany those yummy snacks? You can’t go wrong with the drinks whipped up by the cafe’s Lebanon-trained barista such as the Hot Chocolate Velvet (Php90), White Chocolate Latte (Php105), Caramel Macchiato (Php105) and Oreo Latte (Php120).

How about something refreshing to cool yourself down when the hot summer days come along? Check out the cafe’s icy frappes such as the Matcha Green Tea (Php140), Strawberries and Cream (Php120) and White Mocha Frappe (Php120). But really, don’t leave the store without a taste of the cafe’s specialty, the Coffee Peanut Butter Avalanche (Php150), truly a heavenly concoction!

This day was memorable because three friends were able to come together for good conversation over good food and drinks, amidst beautiful surroundings. So make your own beautiful memories with family and friends here at Cafe Tribu!

This Cafe Tribu branch is located at 136 Gloria Diaz Street Corner CV Starr Avenue, BF Resort Village, Talon, Las Piñas City. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 3563971 or +63 995 2740204.

Disclosure: Together with my college friends, I was invited to a food tasting held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by my companions nor myself.

Have an Instant Party at Alex III, Tomas Morato

With the approaching holidays comes the much-awaited season of parties and get-togethers. Pinoys, in particular, love to celebrate with food, lots and lots of it. I recall my mom and titas slaving away in the kitchen, preparing their signature dishes for our family gatherings.

While I’m passionate about food, I’m not too keen on stressing myself out in the kitchen. Fortunately, thanks to a Foodie Meet-up held at Alex III’s Tomas Morato branch, I, together with my fellow foodies, discovered that I can treat my loved ones out to a feast of classic Filipino favorites, thanks to its Instant Party Menu.

Alex III’s Instant Party Menu consist of two sets of dishes. Both priced at Php2995, these feature home-grown Filipino party food enough for a group of five. These are all prepared and cooked with the same love and tradition that goes all the way back to Aling Asiang (or Mrs. Engracia Reyes), the matriarch of the family behind the Aristrocrat restaurant of which Alex III is an offshoot, being a business started by one of Aling Asiang’s grandsons.

Set One

This set includes:

Choice of 1 viand among Chicken Barbecue, Pork Barbecue, Barbecued Pork Belly and Whole Fried Chicken
Special Pancit Canton
Fresh Lumpiang Ubod or Lumpiang Shanghai
Kare-Kare
Crispy Pata
Steamed Rice

Set Two

This set includes:

Choice of 1 viand among Chicken Barbecue, Pork Barbecue, Barbecued Pork Belly and Whole Fried Chicken
Whole Fried Chicken
Whole Crispy Lapu-Lapu with Sweet and Sour Sauce
Camaron Rebosado
Special Pancit Canton
Shanghai Rice

Each set is served with garlic peanuts, a sushi sampler, your choice of soup (of which we sampled the Hototay and Sinigang na Salmon), bottomless iced tea and your choice of dessert (of which we sampled the Leche Flan and the Pandan Jellied Tapioca).

Both sets present diners with a combination of flavors that are dearly familiar, being dishes that were served during family reunions and fiestas when we were growing up. They also serve as a way for working moms like me to reconnect our present-day celebrations with the warmth and traditions of our childhood: that despite the hectic schedules and fast-paced lifestyles, we have a way to get together with our loved ones to exchange old memories and make new ones, while enjoying good food and good company.

With Alex III’s Instant Party Menu, the tradition of fun family celebrations with good food is made even better.

This branch of Alex III is located at Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout Bayoran, South Triangle, Tomas Morato, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For reservations and queries, call +63 2 3711414 or +63 2 3711415. Its spacious, tastefully appointed and well-lit interiors make it a great venue for large family gatherings or office parties.

Other branches are located at:

201 Wilson Street, Little Baguio, San Juan City (open daily from 11am to 11pm | Tel Nos: +63 2 7240882 or +63 2 7264444)
29 Matalino Street, Diliman, Quezon City (open daily from 11am to 10pm | Tel Nos: +63 2 9261266 or +63 2 9268942)
53 Pontiac Corner Chevelle Street, Fairview, Quezon City (open daily from 11am to 10pm | Tel Nos: +63 2 3766286 or +63 2 3765179)

By the way, did you know that for your parties at home, you can have your favorite dishes from Alex III delivered right to your doorstep? Minimum order for delivery is Php500. For more details, contact the Alex III branch nearest you.

Disclosure: I attended the Bloggers’ Day 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.