chicken barbecue – Jellybeans in the City

Indulge in delicious comfort food at Mom & Tina’s

During a #ReturnToOffice day when our boss (also known as #FearlessLeader) was on leave, my coworkers and I consoled ourselves by having lunch at the Mom & Tina’s branch located a short walking distance from our building.

Mom & Tina’s Bakery Cafe is a popular restaurant concept named after the mother-daughter duo who founded it a few years ago. Its branches have since become beloved destinations for those looking for delicious baked goods and hearty comfort food.

These establishments are marked by their cozy atmosphere, friendly staff, and mouthwatering menu comfort food that includes breakfast items, main dishes, sandwiches, pasta dishes, salads, and cakes, pies, and other baked goods. Mom & Tina’s takes pride in its heirloom dishes, all made from scratch using fresh and locally sourced ingredients.

During our lunch time foray, we feasted on Mom & Tina’s savory viands such as:

US Roast Beef (Php645). Tender slices of beef slow-roasted to perfection, served with gravy, mixed vegetables and fluffy mashed potatoes, definitely a must-try for meat lovers.

Paella Valenciana (Php495). Mom & Tina’s take on the classic Spanish dish, featuring saffron-infused rice cooked with chicken, seafood, and vegetables sautéed in oil with garlic, tomatoes and chorizo. This hearty and flavorful dish is perfect for sharing, which is what I did with one of my officemate.

Barbecued Chicken Fillet (Php395). Juicy and succulent deboned chicken leg quarter marinated in a special barbecue sauce and grilled to perfection and served with java rice and atchara.

Barbecued Pork Belly (Php395). A Filipino favorite, Mom & Tina’s version of this dish features pork belly marinated in a sweet and savory sauce and grilled to perfection. It’s served with rice and your choice of sides.

Pasta Carbonara (Php365). A classic pasta dish that’s creamy, cheesy, and oh-so-delicious. Mom & Tina’s version features al dente spaghetti tossed in a creamy sauce with bacon and grated Parmesan cheese and served with freshly baked rolls.

Thanks to our #HappyLunch at Mom & Tina’s Bakery Cafe, we cheerfully faced the rest of our workday, even if #FearlessLeader was not with us. (Well, we made sure to share our lunch pics to make her miss us all the more, hehehehe!)

This Mom & Tina’s branch is located at Across ABS-CBN Main Building, 58 Sgt. Esguerra Avenue, Barangay South Triangle, Quezon City, open for dine-in, takeout and delivery weekdays from 8am to 10pm and weekends from 7am to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, contact +63 2 83323579 or 63 999 8859254.

Other branches are located at:

S&R Libis, E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue corner Calle Industria, Bagumbayan, Quezon City (Tel: +63 2 82568611 or +63 999 8850092)
Tropical Palms Condominium, 103 De la Rosa Street corner Perea Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City (Tel: +63 2 88943598 or +63 999 8859252)

Know more about Mom & Tina’s by visiting its website or following it on Facebook and Instagram.

Check out my previous posts about Mom & Tina’s:

Mom & Tina's Greenhills — Mom & Tina’s Greenhills

Backyard roasts and great brews at Fire Pit x Calm Down Coffee Express

Who would have thought that pit roasts and coffee would go so well together? Well, if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Mandaluyong’s Maysilo Circle, you can find out for yourself!

In this busy meeting point in the city’s center, the first Metro Manila branch of a popular Cavite eatery is now serving up its signature dishes and drinks to cater to the metro’s foodies.

This exciting combination of grill and coffee shop was brought to Manila by entrepreneur Matt Matel who partnered with the owners of the original Cavite outlet. Together with his passionate crew of pit-masters and servers, he is serving up savory roasts with a delicious twist featuring distinctly Pinoy ingredients (some of the produce are also grown through hydroponics) as well as premium coffee blends, all available for dine-in or delivery.

From the fire pit

If you’re craving for meats that are tender and flavorful, Fire Pit x Calm Down Coffee has perfected its roasting methods: from infusing them with flavors through imaginatively concocted marinades, slow-braising them to produce meat that falls off the bone, to serving them with sauces and sides to add new dimensions of flavor.

A sampling of its best-selling dishes include:

Whole Rack Barako Ribs (Php1,050/platter). A slab of pork back ribs, roasted to tender perfections and slathered with the restaurant’s own barako marinade. It is served on a bed of Java rice and is accompanied by your choice of sides. This dish serves 4-6 persons.

Barako Ribs with Java Rice and Slaw (Php340/single serving). A single serving of ribs, rice and tangy coleslaw that’s more than filling for one person. (Note: Half-serving shown here).

Whole Honey Chicken BBQ (Php550). A perfect blend of barbecue sweetness and smokey-savory flavors, also served on a bed of Java rice and served with your choice of sides. This dishes serves 4-6 persons.

Honey BBQ Chicken with Java Rice and Slaw (Php260/single serving). Want your barbecued chicken as a solo meal? Check this out! (Note: Half-serving shown here).

Oziris Chicken Wings (Php215/platter). A delightful combo of patis (fish sauce) and honey makes this twist on the fried chicken a delectable appetizer or an entree in itself.

Mango Atchara. Our favorite pickled side dish that goes so well with grilled food gets an upgrade with the addition of slivers of sweet mango.

Cold brews just for you

Who says coffee can’t calm you down?

With these chill and tasty brews, with beans especially grown and roasted in South Cotabato, you can definitely get in the mood to relax and chill a bit.

Well, the good news is that we denizens of the metro don’t have to travel all the way to Cavite for a taste of Fire Pit x Calm Down Coffee’s celebrated offerings. We can simply drop by its Maysilo branch to dine-in or get our food to go, our course our orders for delivery via FoodPanda.

Don’t miss its Grand Opening promo, available on December 15, 2022: Buy one single order of Barako Ribs and get a single order of Oziris Chicken for free. Offer is valid for first 50 customers only!

Fire Pit x Calm Down Coffee Express is located at 93 Maysilo Circle, Barangay Plainview, Mandaluyong City. For reservations or orders, call +63 919 5167672.

For news about its promos and offers, follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: Together with fellow bloggers, I attended a food tasting held at this restaurant. Food items served were not paid for by the attendees.

New flavors made with #HeatToPerfection at 390 Degrees

Do you know what it takes to get a sumptuous meal of Western dishes that appeals to the Pinoy palate?

The answer is 390 Degrees.

That’s the name of the vibrant and well-appointed restaurant located at Sequoia Hotel in Aseana Business Park, Paranaque.

That’s also the temperature maintained in the restaurant’s signature charcoal brick oven which cooks all the viands it serves, all masterfully curated by Chef Mark Griffin.

Operated by the same team behind Ombu Kusina in Quezon City led by its owner, Edison Lo, a veteran in the Filipino F&B scene, and its Marketing Manager Tammy Lim, 390 Degrees brings imaginative takes on classic Western dishes, served in generous portions and in a luxurious setting.

I had a sneak preview of its offerings in time for Valentine’s Day almost two years ago and was looking forward to its grand opening. However, the pandemic struck and 360 Degrees’ grand launch was postponed.

In the meantime, the restaurant set about making its signature dishes available to the dining public despite the lockdowns and restrictions on the restaurant industry by innovating on its offers. Thus, its much celebrated party trays and DIY Black Burger Kit made their way into many a foodie’s heart during the community quarantine.

A little under two years after its soft opening, 390 Degrees is finally ready to unveil its delicious signature dishes for dine-in, which include:

Tomato Soup with Ravioli (Php240). A comforting bowl of roasted and pureed local tomatoes topped with spinach-cheese raviolo.

Beef Brisket Sandwich (Php490). Tender slices of 5-star Angus beef topped with lettuce, tomato, crispy-fried onions, caramelized shallots and seasoned mustard served inside house-made charcoal activated buns.

Chicken Skewers (Php360). Flavorful and juicy grilled chicken pieces in house-made sauce served with buttered vegetables on thyme-infused rice pilaf.

Signature Iced Tea (Php120). House-brewed black tea infused with pineapple and lemon.

Thinking of having a get-together here with family and friends? You can reserve the place for exclusive private dining (with a sanitized set up) for three hours. The place can accommodate a maximum of thirty people (to be able to observe physical distancing and other safety measures) for a consumable food and drinks order of Php15,000.

Want to bring its delicious dishes to your home or office parties? Check out 390 Degrees’ party trays of charcoal grilled creations good for six to seven people.

Beef Brisket (Php880 ala carte | Php3,490 quarter slab | Php5,900 half slab | Php10,700 whole slab). Five-star Angus beef slab slow-roasted in 390 Degrees’ oven.

BBQ Pork Ribs (Php1,370). Oven-roasted pork ribs dressed in house-made BBQ sauce.

Blackened Salmon (Php2,650). Oven-baked salmon fillet with creamy dill sauce.

You can even bring home desserts from 390 Degrees’ Breads and Pastries line such as these decadent Chocolate Banoffee Pie (Php150 pie | Php575 box of four) and Mango Banoffee Pie (Php150 pie | Php575 box of four).

Its grand opening may have been derailed by the pandemic, but with all its innovative and delicious offers, I still stand by my prediction that 390 Degrees is all set to be hottest foodie destination in the metro.

Many thanks to Edison, Tammy and Chef Griffin for a wonderful meal and a fun event that became a mini-reunion of foodies. Our group missed each other during the lockdowns and appreciated the opportunity to come together again.

390 Degrees is is located at the Ground Floor, Sequioa Hotel Manila, Aseana City Business Park, Entertainment City, Paranaque, open daily from 10.30am to 8pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 82845110 or +63 921 2446502. It accepts safe and cashless payments via Alipay and WeChat Pay.

3 ways Mang Ding’s Pinoy BBQ in Marikina is perfect for your family holiday gathering

It’s been a year and a half into the global pandemic, and we are just now feeling some loosening of the many restrictions.

With the Metro Manila recently de-escalated to Alert Level 2, kids are now allowed out of doors, emerging from more than a year of being stuck at home.

With Christmas just around the corner, extended families are surely looking forward to the time they can all gather together and catch up.

I know just the perfect venue for such gatherings: Mang Ding’s Pinoy BBQ in Marikina.

Let me tell you why:

1. Going there is like being welcomed into a family home.

Mang Ding’s is located in a quiet neighborhood in Barangay Sto. Nino, Marikina.

Restaurant owner Dindo Cleofas inherited his father’s (the original Mang Ding) love of grilling and wanted a restaurant where he can continue his father’s legacy as well as have a place where he can relax and chill with friends. Together with his wife, Dotie, he converted their home’s garden area into an outdoor dining space where he can serve customers his specialities, hot and fresh from the grill.

The space is shielded from the elements by a roofed pergola and surrounded by lush greenery, most of which were planted and nurtured by their family.

This open-air dining area is well-ventilated, equipped with fans to keep the air circulating and the surrounding plants adding refreshing color and coolness to space.

Walking into Mang Ding’s feels like visiting your favorite tita’s house; it’s a place where you feel right at home.

2. It can serve as your kids’ introduction to Pinoy comfort and street food.

A few months ago, I brought my parents here for dinner and upon seeing and tasting the familiar Filipino comfort food served to us, both my mom and dad waxed nostalgic about the dishes they grew up with. They regaled my daughter with stories about their foodie adventures back in the day.

If your kiddos are the “just fry me a hotdog, Mommy” type, it may be high time to introduce them to the simple yet sublime joys of good, down-home Pinoy cooking. You can be sure that lolos, lolas, titos and titas will waste no time in telling stories about their own experiences with Pinoy comfort food during your family party, and will help instill among the little ones healthy respect and appreciation for our culinary heritage.

You can count on Mang Ding’s to bring to the table an array of MALINIS, MASARAP at MURA dishes such as:

Ensaladang Talong (Php75).

Sizzling Tokwa Special (Php160).

Quarter Leg Chicken BBQ (Php150).

Boneless Chicken BBQ (Php180).

Isaw Manok (Php20).

BBQ Platter (Php575).

Boneless Bangus Overload (Php265).

Pompano (Php380).

Grilled Pusit (Php425).

Tuna Panga (Php485).

And if the children still want the hotdogs, longganisas and fried chicken that they’re familiar with, you can still accommodate their requests here, and even give them a sweet treat for dessert.

Grilled TJ Jumbo Hotdog (Php50).

Grilled Longganisa (Php55).

McJolly Pakpak (Php225 half kilo | Php400 kilo).

Belgian Chocolate (Php150 slice).

Since good food help spark great conversations and great moments, your fam is in for a memorable experience when you hold your get-together at Mang Ding’s.

3. You can enjoy its tasty dishes at home.

The fun doesn’t have to stop after the get-together. You can bring home the yummy Pinoy BBQ at home with you, thanks to this handy box. For just Php599, you get fifteen sticks of Mang Ding’s signature barbecue and isaw served with grilled corn as well as calamansi and siling labuyo for the dipping sauce.

On the other hand, if your family opted for a virtual reunion, you can still partake of the same meal during your Zoom party by sending them Mang Ding’s Ready-to-Grill Pinoy BBQ packs (basting and dipping sauce included) that they can cook at home in a jiffy.

These include, among others:

Liempo (Php360/500g).

Pork BBQ (Php600/20pcs) and Isaw Manok (Php460/20pcs).

Chicharon Bulaklak (Php325/500g).

So whether your clan decides to have a physical get-together or a virtual party over the holiday season and beyond, Mang Ding’s is surely your best bet!

Mang Ding’s Pinoy BBQ is located at Block 3, Lot 13 C Buenviaje Street, Barangay Santo Nino, Marikina City, open for dine-in, pickup and delivery on Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 9pm and Fridays to Sundays for 11am to 10.30pm.

Reserve the venue now for your clan gathering or book a table for lunch, dinner or drinks by calling +63 916 2853031.

Disclosure: Together with fellow bloggers, I attended a food tasting held at this restaurant. Food items served were not paid for by the attendees.

Mother’s Day feast from Buddy’s

Ooh! It’s Mother’s Day once again!

And I just have to say: I’m feeling quite loved and appreciated with a rare and very welcome treat: a feast of my favorite Filipino food that I didn’t have to prepare myself nor plan for!

These delectable dishes were delivered by Buddy’s, a home-grown chain of restaurants hailing from Lucban, Quezon, home of the Pahiyas Festival. During this vibrant celebration, held on the 15th of May, all the houses and the streets are decorated (hence the term “pahiyas“) with colorful kiping, leaf-shaped wafers made from glutinous rice as well as local harvest goods.

Festival visitors are invited to partake in every household’s sumptuous array of Lucban’s delicacies, some of which are included in the Mother’s Day spread that Buddy’s provided for me:

Pancit Lucban (Php240 | good for up to 3 persons). Also known as Pancit Habhab, it is Lucban’s version of pancit which makes use of Lucban miki noodles and usually eaten without utensils but is served on a banana leaf. It is also seasoned with some Lucban vinegar for added flavor but I prefer it without. Given how filling and affordable this dish was, I used to celebrate my kids’ monthly develop milestones by bringing home an order of Buddy’s Pancit Lucban for dinner.

Lucban Longganisa (Php220 small | Php356 large | 1 dozen). Lucban’s version of the pork sausage which is characterized by its garlicky and sour taste. Back when my office was located near a Buddy’s branch, I used to make it a point have breakfast there with Lucban longganisa, garlic fried rice and fried egg.

Hardinera (Php185 small | Php220 medium | Php315 large). A type of Filipino meatloaf that combines the ingredients of menudo and the cooking style of embutido, resulting in a meaty dish with a savory and tomato-ey flavor.

Chicken BBQ (Php220). Pinoys love chicken and grilled food, so this grilled chicken dish served with atchara and usually paired with Java rice is a sure hit among diners.

Spaghetti (Php90 small | Php110 large | Php330 family). The Pinoy-style spaghetti (sweet and cheesy) is also available at Buddy’s!

Cassava Cake (Php85). A moist pudding made of grated cassava, coconut milk and condensed milk and topped with a custard layer. A sweet end to a fabulous meal.