burrito – Jellybeans in the City

Weekend lunch at Mexicali SM Megamall: Why this Mexican restaurant is a must-try

Mexican cuisine has gained immense popularity in the Philippines. This is hardly surprising, given the many cultural links between Mexico and the Philippines (both being end ports of the Spanish Galleon Trade) and the appeal of the bold and spicy flavors of Mexican food to Pinoy taste buds.

For the past thirty years, Mexicali has been the go-to Mexican food place for Filipinos. I used to enjoy Happy Lunches with my officemates at its SM Megamall branch back when our office was located in Tektite. Later on, during the quarantine lockdowns, Hubby would order his favorite burrito from the same branch for delivery.

Now that quarantine restrictions have considerably eased and the family can move around more freely, the fam can now have our family lunch here during weekends.

Let me give you five reasons why lunch at Mexicali in SM Megamall is a great choice for the fam.

Casual and Relaxed Atmosphere

The atmosphere at Mexicali is casual and relaxed, making it the perfect place to unwind during our family lunch hour. The colorful decor and lively music add to the festive vibe.

Wide Variety of Mexican Food Options

Mexicali offers a wide variety of menu options to choose from, so you’re sure to find something that suits your taste buds. They have burritos, tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, and more, all made with fresh and authentic ingredients and in portions great for sharing.

Carne Asada Burrito (₱369). A monster sized roll made with a large soft taco filled with grilled steak, beans, Mexican rice, fresh tomatoes, onions, cheese, sour cream and guacamole. Hubby’s favorite that my son #ExhibitB has been developing a liking for, too!

El Chupacabra Pollo Asado (₱173) and Carnitas (₱193) Street Tacos. Authentic Mexican street tacos filled with grilled chicken and roast pork popularized by the Poblacion establishment El Chupacabra.

Grilled Chicken (₱323) and Arroz Ala Cubana (₱293) Dinner Plates. Grilled chicken and salsa, and seasoned ground beef and grilled plantains, served with hefty servings of Mexican rice.

Chili con Carne (₱409). A tasty stew made with beef, beans, tomatoes and aromatics generously seasoned with chili. This goes so well as an appetizer with nacho chips or as a side dish to the dinner plate or burrito.

They also have vegetarian options, so diners can opt for healthier meal alternatives (but it just so happens that this family consists of omnivores!).

While fresh fruit shakes and beers were available, we instead opted for Sodas in Cans (₱105) for our drinks.

Generous Portions

Mexicali is known for its generous portions, so you can be sure the fam won’t leave feeling hungry. The burritos and dinner plates were particularly filling, while the tacos are perfect for a lighter lunch and the nacho chips and chili con carne are perfect for sharing.

Affordable Prices

Despite the generous portions and quality ingredients, Mexicali’s prices are affordable, making it a great option for our lunch on a budget. We were able to enjoy a delicious and filling meal without breaking the bank.

Convenient Location

Mexicali is conveniently located in SM Megamall, making it easily accessible for after Sunday Mass or during our weekend errands.

If you’re looking for a quick bite to eat or a leisurely weekend lunch for the fam, Mexicali is a great choice.

This Mexicali branch is located at Upper Ground Floor, SM Megamall Building A, 1550 Doña Julia Vargas Avenue, Mandaluyong City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 10am to 9pm and Fridays to Sundays from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries, call +63 977 0313054 or +63 2 82566074.

Other branches are located at:

Glorietta 2, Ayala Center, Ayala Avenue, Makati City (Tel: +63 905 3652309 or +63 2 88945354)
Recess Food Alley, 19-B General Vicente Lim, San Juan City (Tel: +63 995 8237493)

Mexicali also delivers via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

Stay updated on its promos and offers by following Mexicali Philippines on Facebook and Instagram.

Say hello to satisfying paella at Hola Paella, SM Megamall

I’ve always had a soft spot for paella. As one of the most well-known Spanish dishes with a long history, it enjoys great visibility, not just in Spanish restaurants but also in Pinoy fiestas.

The paella got its name from the shallow frying pan in which it is cooked and even served. Originating from the Valencia region in Spain, it combines both the Roman and Arab culinary traditions. Most iterations of this dish is characterized by its vibrant yellow color owing to the generous use of saffron which also contributes to its unique taste. One of the exceptions here is the Paella Negra which gets its color and flavor from the squid ink mixed in with the rice.

Having been colonized by Spain for three centuries, it is hardly surprising that the Philippines would develop a love for this dish, even making our own version – the arroz ala valenciana – which uses glutinous rice with chicken and longganisa or chorizo.

Well, the good news for us paella lovers is that we don’t have to travel far nor wait for a fiesta to get a taste of our favorite dish.

At the newly opened stall at SM Megamall’s Eatogether Food Hall, we can get this flavorful rice dish and pick the toppings we want to go with it.

Together with my fellow foodies, I was able to sample some of its solo servings.

Check them out:

Roasted Chicken Paella (Php235).

Pork Belly Paella (Php215).

Seafood Paella (Php185).

Paella Negra (Php290).

Aside from its many paella iterations, Hola Paella also serves appetizers such as:

Chicken Burrito (Php250).

Nachos with Pulled Pork (Php160).

It’s great to see that one of my favorite dishes is so readily available.

In fact, I brought home a Paella de Carne (Php710) for the fam’s dinner the next day. All I had to do was reheat the rice (with a little bit of stirring at first) in a large cast iron skillet and leave it alone on the stove for a few minutes to form a little bit of soccarat – the toasted and caramelized rice crust that forms at the bottom of skillet which gives the dish a whole new dimension of flavor.

Hola Paella is located at Eatogether Food Hall, Second Floor SM Megamall Building A, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

If you want to have your paella at home, you can order from Hola Paella via GrabFood, FoodPanda or Poodtrip.

For more info on Hola Paella and its latest offers, follow it on Facebook or Instagram.

Disclosure: I attended a food-tasting here together with fellow foodies. All food items mentioned here were served for us to sample the fare and elicit our honest feedback.

Check out my posts on other stalls at Eatogether Food Hall:

Three things to discover at Tittos, Kapitolyo

Kapitolyo is considered to be the foodie haven of Pasig, the city’s answer to QC’s Maginhawa Street and Marikina’s Lilac Street.

Kapitolyo is the place to be if you want imaginative and extraordinary dining experiences, in establishments that veer off the beaten path when it comes to restaurant concept, menu items or decor.

One such restaurant is Tittos Latin BBQ and Brew.

The brainchild of a group of friends who consider themselves “titos” already (hence the restaurant name), Tittos has a relaxed yet vibrant vibe that appeals to the titos and titas in all of us. From the huge colorful murals, its spacious indoor and al fresco dining areas, its friendly and accommodating wait staff to its huge servings of Latin American comfort food that appeals to the Pinoy palate, Tittos is the place to be for gastronomic adventures and fun times with friends.

However, there is more to Tittos than meets the eye which I found out when I attended a foodie meet up held there. And since I like to blab about my discoveries, here are things about Tittos that will make you hie yourself off to Kapitolyo stat.

One: It recently launched some new appetizing menu items.

Imagine sharing a meal with your crew that includes gastronomic delights such as:

Tapas de Chipa (Php295). Soft puff pastries served tapas-style with cream cheese, smoked salmon and truffle honey.

Tuna Tirataki (Php275). A Brazilian take on the Japanese tataki, sashimi-grade tuna is seared and served with a tangy spice mix, fried garlic, and garnished with a delicate black coral tuile.

La Lucha Salad (Php320). A very healthy salad that mixes in the trendy ingredient quinoa with mixed salad greens, corn, candied cashews, tempura-style oyster mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and crumbled white cheese drizzled with a honey balsamic dressing.

El Cesar’s Salad Burrito (Php320). In this Latin American deconstruction of the classic Ceasar Salad, lava-grilled chicken mojo is wrapped in flour tortilla together with mixed lettuce, soft-boiled eggs, garlic croutons, fresh parmesan, cherry tomatoes and Tittos’ own house-made Ceasar salad dressing, and served with some potato fries on the side.

Chiquittos (Php155). Fried chicken taco done as a deep-fried roll accented by white cheese and Mexican crema.

Garlic Shrimp BBQ Pizza (Php325) and Truffle Pork Pizza (Php345). Substituting the normal pizza dough with a flour tortilla, these pizzas give you maximo satisfaction through either the spicy garlicky barbecued shrimp toppings or the strips of pork belly over bechamel sauce together with melted cheeses.

Pasta Negra con Gambas (Php375). Squid ink linguine tossed with stir-fried prawns marinated in citrus and garlic bits.

Blackened Tuna Jaw (Php745). Lava-roasted tuna jaw rubbed with Latin spices served with grilled lime and honey chipotle sauce.

El Puerco ala Brasa (Php395). Tender slices of pork belly rubbed with dried red chilis then lava-grilled and topped with mole verde sauce.

Tittos Signature Steak (Ribeye: Php1,750/400g, T-bone: Php1,450/500g, Striploin: Php950/350g)

Pan-seared angus steaks served with torched sofrito butter, crispy beef bits, Peruvian pink peppercorn, lime and Latin gravy.

Now, with these new inclusions to the Tittos menu, all the titos and titas have great reasons to come together and grab a bite!

Two: You can look forward to cool events and exciting promos come December

On December 2 from 7pm to 10pm, you can enjoy a Sunday Chill Night with acoustic music artist Tiara Shaye, along with five bottles of local beer and a plate of Nacho El Gigante for only Php399 or unli wine with a serving of Batata Frita for only Php499.

On December 4 – Taco Tuesday- get a Buy 1 Take 1 deal on all street tacos – Chiquittos, Chicharrones, Salted Egg, Shrimp, Beef Barbacoa, Baja Tuna and Venduras.

Visit Tittos’ Facebook Page to get updated on upcoming promos and events.

Three: It has a secret bar.

Shhh!

If you’ve ever been at Tittos and wondered what the “Ask for the secret” sign was all about, it’s the bread crumb that will lead you to a secret bar: Rm 16.

If you titos and titas ever want to disappear for a while to enjoy a drink (or two… or three…), check it out by seeking the big red vending machine, which, similar the closet to Narnia, leads you to a vastly different place: a speakeasy with subdued lighting in contrast to Tittos’ vibrant lights, and that serves cocktails and drinks with some Latin flair.

Curious about Tittos yet? Come on over to 16 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City. Call +63 2 5323414 for reservations. Tittos is open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 10pm, Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 1am and Sundays from 10am to 10pm.

Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I was invited to attend a foodie meetup held in 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.