caesar salad – Jellybeans in the City

Family steak lunch at Beeffalo by Hotrocks, Marikina

There’s something about biting into a juicy and flavorful piece of steak that makes one feel all good inside, right?

Each bite releases flavor, tenderness and juiciness, a powerful combination that simply makes you look forward to the next delicious bite.

However, steaks don’t come cheap.

Back in the late 2000s, my fam had a go-to place for delicious cuts of beef grilled to juicy and flavorful perfections: Hotrocks. It was a no-frills steak place located along C5 in Libis in Quezon City where we can enjoy steaks without having to break the bank.

Well, it disappeared when the area went through some renovations, much to our dismay, but we were gladdened to discover that it found a new home in the Marikina suburbs.

It even took on a new moniker: Beefalo by Hotrocks. Plus, it adopted a look as well: it transitioned from the down-home, cafeteria-style steakhouse (complete with wall decors of plates autographed by celebrity diners) to a more Western ranch-style roadside house with a spacious garden-style al fresco dining area and interior punctuated by brick walls and decorated with vintage appliances and bric-a-bracs.

During my visits there with my family since I discovered its re-emergence in Marikina, I welcomed its change in aesthetics (as well as the improvement in creature comforts that titas like me look for) but I was also glad to see our favorites still on the menu, such as:

Caesar Salad (Php 175 solo | Php345 for sharing). A bowl of crisp romaine lettuce tossed with bacon bits and croutons in Caesar salad dressing, then sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese is just the ticket for starting a great meal, wouldn’t you agree?

Porterhouse Steak (Php520 for 250g | Php795 for 450g). This is the steak that started it all: hefty cuts of porterhouse steak with spartan seasoning and served with mashed potato made from scratch, buttered veggies and the tangy housemate sauce. No-frills but still quite an indulgence.

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake (Php195). If memory serves, Hotrocks served me my first taste of this rich confection more than a decade ago. A cheesecake crust at the bottom is covered with a layer of milk-infused cake, which is then covered with a thick milky cream frosting. What’s not to love?

A family meal at Beefalo by Hotrocks is always a welcome foodie adventure for our family of steak lovers.

Beefalo by Hotrocks is located at Lot 6, Block 3, Gil Fernando Avenue, Santo Niño, Marikina City, open weekdays from 12 noon to 10pm and weekdays from 11am to 10pm for dine-in, takeout and delivery. For inquiries and orders, call +63 2 89676008 or +63 939 1130772.

Stay updated on its latest promos and offers by following it on Facebook and Instagram.

Fab foodie possibilities at Timberland Highland Resort’s Ridge Cafe

Whether you’re a guest at Timberland Highlands Resort, or you’re simply in the area (being so near great bike and nature trails which work up quite an appetite), you won’t have to stress yourself over where to eat.

At the Ridge Cafe, you can dine in comfort and style inside the restaurant, or take a spot in its al fresco dining area to take in the view as you eat.

Ridge Cafe - Timberland Highlands Resort — Ridge Cafe at Daytime

Timberland Highlands Resort — Elegant and comfy interiors

I’ve shared in my previous blog posts about its buffet offers here and here, but a new question arises: what to eat when you’re not keen on an all-you-can-eat setup?

Don’t worry: Ridge Cafe’s got you well-covered with its ala carte offerings, such as:

Sandwiches and Burgers

Snack on these sammies, all served with your choice between homemade potato fries or mixed greens.

Pasta, Noodles and Salads

Sate your hunger with filling noodle dishes, from pastas served with garlic bread to Pinoy merienda classics, or go for a helping of healthy greens.

Sushi

Don’t miss the chance to munch on some freshly made sushi rolls.

Mains

Choose from a wide variety of viands – which include Pinoy ulams and international dishes – for your lunch or dinner.

Desserts

Cap your meal with these sweet delights!

As you can see, there’s no need to worry about how to soothe your hunger pangs as you embark on your mountain adventure in San Mateo, Rizal. Simply hie yourself off to Ridge Cafe!

Ridge Cafe also offers buffet meals including:

Top of the Morning Buffet: intercontinental breakfast menu and classic Pinoy almusal at Php650 net per person (weekends from 7am to 10am)
Arabic Dinner Buffet: an exciting curation of Arabic, Mediterranean and South Asian cuisines with free-flowing iced tea at Php980+ per person (Saturdays, from 6pm to 9pm)
Filipino Buffet: favorite Filipino dishes with free-flowing iced tea at Php980+ per person (Sundays, lunch from 11.30am to .30pm | dinner from 6pm to 9pm)

To reserve a table, email timberlandfbm@timberlandresort.com or message 0999-889-2659 | 0995-840-3206 | 8891-8288 local 1030 and 1032.

Ridge Cafe is located at Timberland Highlands Resort, inside Timberland Heights, Barangay Guitnang Bayan II, San Mateo, Rizal 1850 Philippines.

Book your room via Klook today to enjoy great savings!

To know more about Timberland Highlands Resorts latest updates and offers, follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Check out my previous posts about Timberland Highlands Resort:

#EatsInTheEast: Pancake House, Sierra Valley

With so much development going on east of Manila, residents and visitors can definitely look forward to beloved restaurant brands making their presence felt in the area.

One such brand is Pancake House which has been serving up comfort food to Pinoys – morning, noon and evening – since the 1970s.

One of its newer branches opened at the gate of Sierra Valley in Cainta, a soon-to-rise real estate development planned to contain a mall and mid-rise condominium.

This makes it an ideal stopover for motorists traversing Ortigas Avenue Extension from Antipolo and Taytay to Cainta and Pasig, and vice versa.

That’s how it was for my fam: on the way back from an errand in Tanay to the metro, we stopped by this Pancake House branch for lunch and enjoyed the restaurant’s offerings such as:

Caesar Salad (Php245). Bacon bits and croutons tossed with crisp salad greens in Caesar Salad dressing and sprinkled with grated parmesan.

Best Taco in Town (Php99). Mexican-seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese encase in a crispy taco shell.

Classic Pan Chicken (Php230/2pc). Juicy chicken pieces are fried to a beautiful golden-brown with a satisfying crunch with every bite and accompanied by its unique savory and buttery gravy.

Classic Country Medley (Php310). A filling combo consisting of 2 pieces Classic Pancakes, 2 pieces of Country Sausage and Pineapple Juice.

House Specials Set (Php325). A sulit bundle consisting of Pancake House favorites: a Best Taco in Town, Spaghetti with Meat Sauce and garlic bread and a piece of Classic Pan Chicken with its sIgnature gravy.

Golden Brown Waffle (Php199). A classic waffle cooked to a crispy and delicious golden brown.

Our Pancake House favorites like the Classic Pan Chicken, Caesar Salad and the Best Taco in Town are always a hit with the family, and we enjoyed tasting the unfamiliar dishes.

So, whether you’re a resident of a nearby village or a motorist passing by, you know you can always drop by this Pancake House outlet for a bite or two of delicious comfort food.

This Pancake House branch is located at Sierra Valley, Ortigas Avenue Extension corner Suburban Drive, Cainta, Rizal.

3 reasons to treat your Valentine to a meal at Silverspoon, Tomas Morato

The #DayOfHearts is fast approaching and if you’re tired of your usual foodie haunts, let me present you with someplace new for your Valentine date: Silverspoon Kitchenette in Quezon City.

Here are three reasons why this newly opened restaurant is the perfect venue for a romantic outing with your special someone.

1. It’s a cozy nook, well-suited for an intimate meal.

Who want’s to go on a date where everyone is hanging out at? A Valentine’s Day rendezvous should be in an intimate setting far from the madding crowd that occupy malls during this holiday which also coincide with the payday rush.

Located along Scout Gandia just off the trendy restaurant row that is Tomas Morato Avenue, Silverspoon is a quiet and cozy haven from the metro’s hustle and bustle.

Al fresco seating provides diners with an open-air space where they can take in the neighborhood’s relatively more laid back pace.

Inside, a minimalist yet whimsical decor serves as a cozy backdrop for a tete-a-tete between lovers as they share delicious comfort food.

2. Silverspoon lovingly crafted its menu and dine-in service to give you and your date that “spoonful of happiness.”

Owner Decebelle Montefrio started Silverspoon as an online food business in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, bringing delicious comfort food to the metro’s denizens who can’t go out to eat. However, she still held on to her dream of having her own brick-and-mortar restaurant someday.

Well, dreams do come true since at the tail-end of 2021, Decie, together with her partners, head chef, line cooks and service crew, have successfully launched Silverspoon Kitchenette in the foodie-friendly Tomas Morato area.

The restaurant offers International-Filipino cuisine, a delectable curation of well-loved and classic dishes lovingly prepared and beautifully served by Silverspoon’s staff.

3. It’s Valentine’s Special Menu is a tasteful curation of dishes that is not to be missed.

As a treat for lovers during this season of love, Silverspoon has prepared special a special four-course set meal that will set hearts ablaze while tantalizing taste buds and sating appetites. This set meal includes:

Pumpkin Soup. A thick and creamy soup made from seasoned pumpkin puree blended with a flavorful broth and accompanied by crunchy croutons.

Caesar Salad. Fresh greens, tomato slices and croutons tossed in house-made Caesar salad dressing, accompanied by crunchy breadsticks seasoned with sumac chili.

Baked Salmon with Truffle Pea Sauce. Hefty salmon fillets seasoned then air-fried and baked before serving topped with arugula and fresh vegetables on a bed of grilled asparagus and green pea puree flavored with truffle oil.

12oz USDA Angus Ribeye Steak. A sure hit with meat lovers, this 12oz piece of well-marbled Angus steak is grilled to the diners’ preferred doneness (mine is medium, of course), then served with steamed vegetables and creamy mash potatoes.

Special Brownie Ala Mode. To end the meal on a sweet note, Silverspoon serves a fudgy brownie bar topped with vanilla ice cream, fruit slices and a chocolate heart.

Glass of Wine. The meal also comes with a glass of vino (diners’ choice between red and white) to make this outing extra special.

You can enjoy these dishes with these especially curated sets available from February 11 to 28:

Pumpkin Soup, Ceasar Salad, Baked Salmon, Brownie Ala Mode, Wine and Lemonade: Php1,599
Pumpkin Soup, Ceasar Salad, USDA Angus Ribeye Steak, Brownie Ala Mode, Wine and Lemonade: Php2,950

Mocktails. Not keen on ending the date? Extend your time together over Silverspoon’s refreshing specialty drinks at Php145 each such as the Blue Lagoon, a concoction made extra colorful and citrusy with the addition of blue curacao, or the Pink Sunset which gives the vibe of a leveled up Four Seasons drink.

Be sure to bring your special someone to SilverSpoon Kitchenette for a delicious celebration of love and good food!

Thanks to Decie and the people behind Silverspoon for a very memorable pre-Valentine’s Day treat for me and my fellow foodies!

Silverspoon Kitchenette is located at 81 Scout Gandia Street, Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City, open daily for dine-in, takeout or delivery from 10am to 9pm. For inquiries, reservations or delivery orders, call +63 917 1603327. It also delivers via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

For updates on its latest offers, follow Silverspoon on Facebook or Instagram.

Disclosure: I attended a food-tasting event held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to facilitate an honest review and were not paid for by the attendees.

Holiday Pan Chicken Bucket Deal from Pancake House

Ah, the holidays are comin’!

Along with tidings of comfort and joy are also news of great eating and feasting as Pancake House brings its famous Pan Chicken in a new and exciting GrabFood Exclusive offer: the Holiday Pan Chicken Bucket Deal!

Pancake House has been a mainstay in the local food scene since the 1970 when it opened its first store in Magallanes, Makati. Today, its menu has expanded to include, not just pancakes and waffles, but also classic Pinoy breakfast fare and American diner favorites.

One of its most celebrated offerings is the Classic Pan Chicken. Juicy chicken pieces are fried to a beautiful golden-brown with a satisfying crunch with every bite. Accompanied by its unique savory and buttery gravy, the Pan Chicken will always remain a go-to order for many of Pancakes House’s customers.

Available until December 31, Pancake House’s Holiday Pan Chicken Bucket Deal gives fried chicken fans more reasons to celebrate. Eight crunchy and juicy chicken pieces are paired with a free one-liter of Coke for just Php795, resulting to Php93 in savings.

For my family’s Sunday lunch, I ordered a Ceasar Salad (Php284) to go with our Pan Chicken. Bacon bits and croutons tossed with crisp salad greens in Caesar Salad dressing and sprinkled with parmesan make for a tasty and interesting contrast to the Pan Chicken.

Well, it sure looks like ‘tis the season for good eats for fried chicken lovers!

Order your Holiday Pan Chicken Bucket Deal from Pancake House via GrabFood!

About Grab

Grab is the leading super app in Southeast Asia, providing everyday services that matter most to consumers. Today, the Grab app has been downloaded onto over 185 million mobile devices, giving users access to over 9 million drivers, merchants and agents. Grab offers the widest range of on-demand transport services in the region, in addition to food, package, grocery delivery services, mobile payments and financial services across 339 cities in eight countries.

About GrabFood

Operating under the Grab super app, GrabFood is an online food delivery service that connects local food businesses to people. GrabFood presents a variety of food based on what’s available around consumers: Filipino, Western, Asian, European, Fusion and so on. Today, GrabFood’s services are available in areas of Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, and Cebu, with plans to continue expanding to reach more areas in the country.

Download the Grab app here.

Mom-and-Daughter Dinner at The Chocolate Kiss Cafe

Despite the resto being a fixture in many an Isko or Iska’s memories of college days in the UP Diliman campus, I have, ironically, only eaten at The Chocolate Kiss Cafe twice in my life, and both times took place years after I graduated. This is probably because my student allowance can not accommodate a meal at the poshest (at the time) restaurant in the campus.

The most recent instance was after attending the #KahayupanSaDangal exhibit at the nearby Bulwagan ng Dangal. My daughter and I decided to have dinner at #ChocKiss (as the kids call it nowadays).

Although there was ample parking space around the UP Bahay ng Alumni where the resto is located, it was sparsely lit. Even the walk to the second floor lacked proper lighting.

The resto’s interiors, however, were amply lit and had a cozy atmosphere. Covers of popular music were played live by violinist Royce Aviguetero and guitarist Bobot Mabalot in the background as we dined. On the walls were displayed whimsical and colorful artworks by Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK) member Yas Doctor.

We split orders of Ceasar Salad (Php210), Beef Salpicao (Php315) and a slice of Chocolate Chip Cheesecake (Php145). The salad lived up to “the good stuff” positioning of the resto; the resto’s own-recipe Ceasar Salad dressing gives good flavor to the greens, bacon bits and croutons. The beef dish was passable: the cubes of ribeye steak were tender, well-seasoned and were well-complemented by the garlic rice and steamed veggies. The cheesecake, however, was a bit of a letdown: the chocolate chips distract from the rich flavor we expect from a New York-style cheesecake, resulting to a too-sweet cake.

We were supposed to order the Carrot Cake that ChocKiss is known for but the last remaining slice was already reserved for another diner. But hey, that’s what next visits are for, huh?

The Chocolate Kiss Cafe is located at the 2nd Floor of the UP Bahay ng Alumni along R. Magsaysay Street (across the UP Film Center), UP Diliman Campus, Quezon City. For reservations, call +632 433 1140 or +632 434 3577 or email goodstuff@thechocolatekiss.com.

The other branch is located at the 2nd Floor, Urban Turf, UP Town Center, along Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City. For reservations, call +632 946 3276.

Click here to visit The Chocolate Kiss Cafe website.