comfort food – Page 5 – Jellybeans in the City

Magically happy lunch at Coldlayers Cafe, Fisher Mall

Have you ever had that moment when, quite unexpectedly, the stars aligned and the universe brought forth your deepest, yet unasked for, wish?

Well that’s what happened to my friend Ruby and me as we were deciding where to have lunch on this hectic Monday. Having exhausted most of Zomato Gold partner restaurants in the Tomas Morato area, I was already resigned to eating cafeteria food or venturing out to the food stalls near our office, but no! Ruby’s muse whispered in her ear that we should go to Fisher Mall for lunch.

And wouldn’t you know it! One of the hidden desires of my heart (or my tummy, I’m not entirely sure which), is to dine at Coldlayers Cafe, one of the restaurants in Fisher Mall. This eatery, as luck would have it, happens to also be a Zomato Gold partner restaurant.

Ever since I saw posts from my fellow foodies of Coldlayers Cafe’s signature snow ice desserts, I’ve been dying, partly of envy towards the other foodies, and partly of my desire to try those icy treats.

So we heeded the voice of Ruby’s muse and off we went to Fisher Mall, straight to the cafe, where, in the colorful resplendence of the resto’s interiors, akin to magical beings of yore, we unlocked our hidden powers, that is, our Zomato Gold privilege.

And what have we unlocked, you may ask?

Well, comfort food that filled our tummies and warmed our hearts, that’s what!

The Cheezy Meat Lasagna (Php285), for example, is a filling meal enough for us two, what with alternating layers of lasagna smothered in a hearty meat sauce and rich creamy bechamel sauce, topped with melted parmesan and cheddar. Yummy!

How about the Chicken Cordon Bleu (Php280), then? We loved these juicy, herb-crusted chicken fillets stuffed with melted cheese and ham, complemented by a cup of garlic rice (yeah, carbs on carbs!)

And of course, those are just preambles to the main event, the piece de resistance: Coldlayers Cafe’s flavored ribbons of ice! Called Snow Ice, these treats are made fresh in small batches daily using only the freshest natural and locally sourced ingredients, and stored for no more than three months. Containing 0% butterfat content, snow ice treats have more intense flavors than ice cream, and use two-thirds less sugar too!

Being a self-confessed chocoholic, I got myself a Secret Affair (Php210). This is made of dark chocolate snow ice topped with crunchy brownie bits, chocolate cereal, nuts and a chocolate wafer stick, then drizzled with chocolate syrup.

Ruby, on the other hand, got a Sweet Surrender (Php210), a Horlicks snow ice sprinkled with malty horlicks powder, then drizzled with chocolate syrup and served with fresh tapioca pearls on the side.

From start to finish, this has been a truly magical happy lunch, filled with good food that chased away our Monday blues and energized us to forge on until the workday is done. (‘Cause we work hard for the money!)

And thanks to Zomato Gold, we got the Chicken Cordon Bleu and the Sweet Surrender for free!

Want to score a similar discount? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

This Cold Layers Cafe branch is located at Third Floor, Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue, Del Monte, Quezon City, open Sundays to Thursdays from 10am to 9pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 3611431.

Another branch is located at Second Floor, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari Road, Almanza, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

No time to visit the stores? You’ll be happy to know that Cold Layers delivers via Honestbee.

Recovery comfort food at Chelsea Kitchen, Mega Fashion Hall

After a bout of workouts at Gold’s Gym, my daughter #ExhibitA and I went to Megamall for some errands.

For our post-workout recovery food, we settled on Chelsea Kitchen in Mega Fashion Hall. We have never eaten here before but we’ve always been curious about its offerings.

Chelsea Kitchen is part of the Raintree Restaurants Group, a restaurant family that complements the lifestyle and preferences of the metro’s foodies.

The restaurant’s open concept and bright yet homey decor is a beacon for hungry denizens looking for yummy comfort food.

#ExhibitA took the lead in choosing the dishes for our meal while I finished off my errands at the mall. By the time I came back, the food was already served and waiting for us to dig in.

We started off some Mozzarella Stuffed Mushroom Risotto Balls (Php195), battered and deep-fried balls of cheese, risotto and mushrooms served on top of a cream sauce.

We also grazed on an order of Caesar Salad (Php250), fresh crisp greens tossed in with bacon bits, anchovies, capers, grated parmesan, red onions, focaccia croutons and doused with parmesan ceasar dressing.

Our mains consisted of an order of Fried Chicken Parmigiana (Php320), large pieces of chicken steak crusted with herb crumbs, smothered in white sauce and melted mozzarella, and a platter of Wicked Truffle Mac N’ Cheese (Php395), a fresh and decadent take on the lunchroom classic using four different kinds of cheeses , Canadian-style smoked bacon, button mushrooms and green peas, made even richer with a few drizzles truffle oil.

We thoroughly enjoyed refueling our bodies with Chelsea Kitchen’s tasty offerings and we look forward to trying its desserts (hopefully when our diets allow it!)

Chelsea Kitchen is located at Ground Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City, open daily from 10am to 10pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 9586777.

Plus, since both of us unlocked our Zomato Gold privilege at this resto, we got the Chicken Parmigiana and Risotto Balls for free!

Yummy Lunch Break at Blue Rocket Cafe, Paligsahan

On one of our last lunch breaks prior to the holiday break (and still high from our country’s Ms. Universe win – yey!), my officemates and I decided to venture a bit farther our than our usual haunts.

We settled on Blue Rocket Cafe + Kitchen, a cozy yet cheery cafe along Scout Reyes a few blocks away from Mother Ignacia Avenue.

The place boasts of homey and rustic interiors accented with brick-lined walls, eclectic wall art and green decor. If you’re hankering for a photo opp during your mealtime, this resto is the perfect backdrop. The chill vibe and the colorful surroundings also make it a great venue for #TitaConferences (I seem to be gravitating towards this kind of place lately, hehehe!). The resto is even cheerier now with all the holiday decor and tchotchkes.

For our group’s happy lunch, we ordered:

Wagyu Beef Sticks with Peanut Sauce (Php325). Juicy cubes of marinated wagyu beef served on sticks with peanut sauce.

Sirloin Stroganoff Pasta (Php315). A rich cream-based pasta generously topped with bits of grilled beef sirloin.

Creamy Tomato Pasta with Chicken (Php255). Spaghetti noodles doused in a rich tomato and cream sauce and served with grilled chicken.

Honey Garlic Wings (Php195). Six pieces of flavorful, crispy-on-the-outside and tender-on-the-inside chicken wings covered in honey garlic sauce.

The dishes were promptly served, piping hot and in servings large enough to satisfy our group.

And since two of us who are Zomato Gold members unlocked our privilege in this resto, we were able to enjoy Sirloin Stroganoff Pasta and the Honey Garlic Wings for free!

What a lovely way to enjoy one of last opportunities for a happy lunch for the year!

Blue Rocket Cafe is located at 79 Scout Reyes corner Scout Lozano, Paligsahan, Quezon City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 10pm and Fridays to Sundays from 11am to 11pm. For inquiries or reservations, call +63 2 9317769 or +63 932 7346705.

No time to visit the resto? You’ll be happy to know that Blue Rocket delivers via Honestbee. Simply place your orders here.

Want to score a similar discount? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here as soon as slots open. (They tend to get snatched up pretty quickly so be sure to sign up as soon as slots become available.) Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

Flavorful and familiar dishes at Banapple, Tomas Morato

Eating out with coworkers who are not among your usual lunch companions presents quite a quandary: trying to find a restaurant that will appeal to the varied tastes and preferences of such a diverse group.

We solved this dilemma by going to the nearby branch of Banapple and took advantage of its various home-cooked style comfort food such as:

Soup of the Day (Php105). A freshly made, hearty and creamy mushroom soup to fill the tummy and warm the soul.

Sirloin Garlic Beef Tapa (Php280). Tender beef slices marinated in a sweet yet garlicky marinade and served with seasoned garlic rice and creamed parsley eggs.

Breaded Fillet of Cream Dory with Honey Thyme Mustard Sauce (Php255). Crispy herb-crusted fresh fish fillets drizzled with warm honey thyme mustard sauce and served with butter carrots and served with seasoned garlic rice.

Bacon Fried Chicken Steaks with Milk’Shroom Gravy (Php275). Creamy milk and mushroom gravy smother crispy chicken fillets and topped with bacon bits and served with corn relish and seasons garlic rice.

Pan-fried Pork Loin with Herb Mushroom Gravy (Php265). Tender pork slices and are seasoned with herbs, pan-fried, smothered with a thick herb and mushroom gravy and served with glazed butter carrots and seasoned garlic rice.

At over Php250 per order, these rice meals are not cheap. While quite flavorful and familiar, the dishes have a tendency to provoke a feeling of “umay,” there being so much of a particular taste that you just grow tired of it.

Still, these are not too shabby for a resto that started as a small operation, baking pies and cakes for family, friends and referred food establishments.

Also, as I’ve mentioned several times before, Banapple’s claim to fame, for me, would always be its desserts. The Banoffee Pie (Php135 per slice, Php965 for whole), in particular, is a delightful confection. I brought a whole cake home recently for my dad’s birthday. The graham cracker crust is well-formed and compact. The caramel filling is rich and decadent while the bananas inside are sweet but still has a firm texture. The cream topping is whipped stiff and in shape, allowing it to hold thick dark chocolate shavings.

This Banapple branch is located at the Second Floor, Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato Corner Scout Madrinan Street, South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 9am to 11.30pm. Other branches can be found at:

SM City North EDSA, Quezon City
Gateway Mall, Cubao, Quezon City
Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, Balintawak, Quezon City
Blue Ridge, Quezon City
Robinsons Galleria, Quezon City
Ayala Malls Feliz, Dela Paz, Pasig City
Tutuban Center Malls, Tondo, Manila
Ayala Malls Marikina, Marikina Heights, Marikina City
Ayala Triangle Gardens, Salcedo Village, Makati
Market! Market! Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Ayala Fairview Terraces, Novaliches, Quezon City
Tuscany, McKinley Hill, Taguig
President’s Grove, BF Homes, Paranaque
Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa

Plus, you’ll be happy to know that when you dine in at Banapple with a friend, you can get a free dish via Zomato Gold. Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks for dine-in guests. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here as soon as slots open. (They tend to get snatched up pretty quickly so be sure to sign up as soon as slots become available.) Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

Hearty Pre-Holiday Lunch Mom & Tina’s, Tomas Morato

On our last day at work prior to the long weekend, a friend and I decided to treat ourselves to Mom & Tina’s for lunch.

This resto started as a pastime for a mother and daughter team. It has since grown into a bakery cafe business with four branches in the metro, all aiming to cater to their diners’ cravings for the comforting flavors of home-cooked meals and freshly baked goodies made from heirloom recipes.

In keeping with its theme of providing the comforts of home, its premises have a homey country-style decor with comfy furniture and seats with rustic table toppers. Floor-to-ceiling windows with roman shades provide lots of muted natural light that’s comfortable on the eyes and also great for foodie shots.

For our pre-holiday meal, we split orders of:

Soup of the Day (Php140). This creamy and hearty starter is made fresh and served with two freshly baked rolls.

Meat Lasagna (Php265). Alternating layers of beef, Bechamel and tomato sauce, baked then served piping hot.

Shepherd’s Pie (Php295). This is one of my favorites among Mom & Tina’s offerings: ground beef and mushrooms sauteed in a delicious sauce, then covered with mashed potatoes.

For dessert, we indulged in a Beehive Cupcake (Php80) and a Carrot Cupcake (Php70).

Yeah, we basically loaded up on carbs but at we went back from lunch with full tummies and happy moods.

Mom & Tina’s food are prettily presented and served with a warm smile by the wait staff. I guess my only complaint is the relatively expensive charge for extra butter.

This Mom & Tina’s branch is located at 58 Sgt. Esguerra Avenue, Bgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 7am to 11pm. For inquiries or reservations, call +63 2 3323080 or +63 2 3323579.

Other branches are located at:

O Square Building, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan City (open daily from 7am to 11pm; Tel: +63 2 7500976) – check out my review of this branch

FRDC Building, 106 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., (C-5), Pasig City (open daily from 7am to 10pm; Tel: + 63 2 9140833 or +63 2 5711541)
G/F Unit 14 Tropical Palms Condominium, Dela Rosa St. cor. Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City (open daily from 7am to 10pm; Tel: +63 2 8404299 or + 63 2 8943598)

Haven for coffee and comfort food lovers: Little Owl Cafe, New Manila

Hidden away in New Manila is a haven for lovers of coffee and comfort food.

Renovated from one of the previously worn-down houses along Broadway Avenue, Little Owl Cafe is nestled among lush greenery. Started as a coffee shop but now a full service cafe, it serves food that features a fusion of Italian and Asian cuisines that professionals working in the area or families residing nearby can enjoy.

I was recently invited to a Blogger’s Dinner at this restaurant where I was able to sample some of its delectable offerings:

Omelette Chorizo Rice (Php270). Part of the resto’s All-Day Breakfast Menu, it consists of homemade longganisa rice, delicately wrapped in a thin omelette and topped with onion gravy and aioli.

Sisig Tacos (Php210). Three pieces of soft-shell tacos topped with crispy sisig and a savory liver aioli sauce. A great start to the meal!

Glazed Cauliflower (Php210). Cauliflower covered in a sweet and spicy soy glaze then deep-fried to crispiness. A great way to get the kids to eat their veggies!

Truffle Mushroom Pasta (Php350). Al dente noodles tossed in a rich homemade mushroom sauce made with three different kinds of mushrooms – shiitake, enoki and shimeji – topped with fried enoki and drizzled with truffle oil.

Shrimp & Aligue Pasta (Php330). Pasta noodles tossed in a creamy tomato sauce incorporating shrimp aligue and served with plump grilled shrimps.

Beef Tapa & Cheese Sandwich (Php295). A Pinoy take on the Philly Cheesesteak which showcases savory slivers of beef tapa, it is accompanied by a hefty serving of crisp shoestring fries.

Chicken & Waffle (Php270). Chicken thighs covered in batter then fried to a crisp then served with sriracha coleslaw over cheddar waffles.

Lechon Kawali Bibimbap (Php320). The classic sweet-spicy Korean fried rice served with sauteed mushrooms and spinach accompanied by deep fried pork belly and fried egg. A great combination of Pinoy and Korean flavors!

Chicken Satay (Php280). A bowl of Indonesian- inspired fried rice served with grilled chicken thigh and its trademark peanut sauce.

Beef Rendang (Php420). Tenderchuck slow-cooked in aromatic spices and coconut cream. A little too spicy for me but a sure winner for those who like their food with lots of kick!

Kimchi Salmon Sinigang (Php420). Salmon belly and loin seared then served in a spicy and sour soup.

Iced Mocha (Php170). A rich yet refreshing blend of chocolate and coffee flavors, it is among the Toby’s Estate beverages served in this restaurant.

https://flic.kr/p/QyJGPJ

Pink Owl (Php180). A fruity cocktail of vodka, lychee, watermelon and mint. A suitable drink to chase away the workday stress.

Little Owl Cafe’s food offerings provide its diners with an adventurous break from the everyday meals but with enough familiar flavors to make them appealing to those with more conservative tastebuds.

Its premises are well-appointed, tastefully furnished and prettily lit, great backgrounds for foodie shots and group photos.

Since this resto is conveniently located a short distance from my workplace, I definitely can drop by again for dinner with friends after office hours.

Little Owl Cafe is located at 65 Broadway Avenue, New Manila, Quezon City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 11am to 10pm and Sundays from 8am to 9pm. For inquiries, call + 63 917 8181468 or +63 2 5012036.

Little Owl also accepts bookings for special events such as weddings, birthdays, holiday parties, press conferences and more, with function rooms that can be reserved for a minimum consumable amount.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a foodie meet-up held in 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.

Recipe: My Mom’s Kare-Kare

Most Pinoys are fiercely loyal to their mom’s adobo. Not me, though. I can appreciate, even like, versions of adobo other than the one I grew up with.

My mom’s signature dish that remains unmatched in my opinion is her kare kare. Oh, yes! Here is where my loyalties unequivocally lie.

The irony is that when I was a kid, I didn’t even like kare kare. I found the idea of eating parts of animals other than the meat and skin unthinkable (and you should see the ingredients while they were still uncooked!). I also found the orange sauce weird, used as I was then to the brown hued sauces of adobo and mechado and the lightly-tinted broths of nilaga or tinola.

Then the time came, right around high school, when my palate began to mature and I started to develop a taste for the unusual, that I decided to give this dish a try.

Ooh, those bits of meat and cow innards so tender they melt in your mouth! That bright orange peanutty sauce that can already be considered a viand even if just accompanied by veggies (sarsa pa lang ulam na)! Put those together in a heaping spoon with steaming white rice and my mom’s home-made bagoong (shrimp paste) and I’m in heaven.

I recently made my mom give me this recipe (she had long ago given up trying to teach me to cook the more traditional or effort-laden dishes) by saying that her granddaughter, #ExhibitA, should start learning how to make it by now.

Ingredients:

1 kilo beef cheeks
1/2 kilo beef tripe and intestines
1/4 kilo ground peanuts (Note: you can substitute this with peanut butter but try to find one that’s sugarless)
2 tbsp flour
achuete (annato) seeds
3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 small onions, chopped
1 small bunch of pechay (Chinese cabbage)
1 small bunch of sitao (string beans), cut into 2-inch slices
4 eggplants, sliced
1 small puso ng saging (banana flower bud), sliced
salt and pepper

Procedure:

Clean and boil the beef cheeks, tripe and intestines separately for 15 minutes in a pressure cooker. Chill overnight in the refrigerator and scoop out the fat that forms on top.
In a small pan, lightly toast the flour, then remove from heat.
In a casserole, saute garlic and onion, then add meat, tripe and intestines. Add a bit of the water used to boil the meat. Add the toasted flour and crushed nuts, then stir the mixture.
Add in the banana flower, string beans, and egg plant.
Soak the annato seeds in hot water. Strain and add to the stew.
Stir the mixture until thickened to your desired consistency.
Add the Chinese cabbage and season to taste.

Serve hot with freshly cooked white rice and bagoong.

This recipe serves 6 at 570 calories per serving. That’s quite a lot but you don’t get to eat this everyday anyway.

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Homey Comfort Food at Mom & Tina’s, Greenhills

One of the mantras I always try to follow is to never shop hungry. For one thing, experiencing hunger pangs might distract me from getting the best deal and I might end up just settling. On the other hand, hunger makes me a bit grumpy and I might snap at a hapless salesperson.

In a recent foray with Hubby at Greenhills Shopping Center (where I did not snap at anyone, hapless or otherwise), I chanced upon this Mom & Tina’s branch near the newly renovated Unimart.

I’ve enjoyed dining at this chain’s branches in Tomas Morato and Ugong (even took out cakes for celebrations at home) so I had no qualms suggesting to Hubby that we take our lunch here.

Similar to other Mom & Tina’s outlets, this branch has a bright, cheery yet cozy atmosphere, accented by rustic and homey bric-a-bracs and light-colored furniture.

View this post on Instagram

Cheery and colorful #tableaccents at @momandtinas Greenhills branch. I like the homey but happy feel they give to the place. #interiordesign #restodecor #restaurantdecor

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Jun 2, 2018 at 8:28pm PDT

We ordered a substantial amount of food (proof of how hungry we were):

US Roast Beef (Php435) – slices of roast beef served with rich gravy served with mixed vegetables, mashed potatoes and rice.
Beef Stroganoff (Php270) – al dente fettuccini pasta tossed in cream sauce with thin beef slices.
Barbecued Pork Steak (Php335) – marinated and grilled pork belly served with Java rice and achara

The roast beef slices are a bit too well-done for my taste (they tend to seem dry) but the meats are tender and well-complemented by the mashed potato and veggies. The pork steak is also tender and well-seasoned; its blend of sweet and savory flavors blend well with the Java Rice (I prefer not to include the achara, it’s quite overpowering). The beef stroganoff is also hearty and filling. The portions of these dishes are quite large and we ended up getting part of our orders wrapped for take home (which was greatly appreciated by my son who ate it for merienda).

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Never shop hungry. So here we are. #RoastBeef #GrilledPorkBelly #BeefStroganoff at @momandtinas. Check out my review at beingjellybeans.wordpress.com (search: Mom & Tina’s). #foodie #foodiegram #foodstagram

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Jun 2, 2018 at 8:59pm PDT

And simply because there should always be room for dessert, and because I truly deserve it, I got myself a Carrot Cupcake (Php70) to cap the meal. (No, Hubby is not into cupcakes; so… more for me!)

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: there’s #alwaysroomfordessert! #CarrotCupcake (Php70) at @momandtinas. Check out my review at beingjellybeans.wordpress.com (search: Mom & Tina’s). #sweetstothesweet #justdesserts

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Jun 2, 2018 at 8:56pm PDT

This lunch experience reminded me of the appeal of Mom & Tina’s and I look forward to trying more of its offerings.

This Mom & Tina’s branch is located at 2/F O-Square Building, Greenhills Shopping Center, Ortigas Ave., San Juan City. For reservations, call + 63 921 5737710.

Other branches are located at:

Ugong: FRDC Building, 106 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., (C-5), Pasig City (Tel: + 63 2 9140833 or +63 2 5711541)
Makati: G/F Unit 14 Tropical Palms Condominium, Dela Rosa St. cor. Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City (Tel: +63 2 8404299 or + 63 2 8943598)
Tomas Morato: 58 Sgt. Esguerra Ave., South Triangle, Quezon City (Tel: + 63 2 3323080 or +63 2 3323579)

Holiday Get-together with Friends at Denny’s BGC

The holiday season affords friends separated by distance or circumstance with a valid reason to get together and catch up. That is what I recently did with a group of friends composed of current and former coworkers.

Earlier this year, I had my birthday treat at Denny’s Trinoma. For our yearly get-together, we opted for a Denny’s in BGC, our middle ground when you consider that one of us lives near Fairview, Quezon City while another lives in Binan, Laguna.

The restaurant is well-located at Uptown Parade, easily accessible from the carpark. It does not accept reservations during weekends but, when I called the day before, the hostess agreed to put our group in the priority list.

We timed our get-together on the Saturday morning before Christmas Eve, to avoid the traffic from the holiday rush and to enjoy the hearty and filling breakfast fare that Denny’s is known for, such as:

Ham and Cheese Omelette (Php395), fluffy, 3-egg omelette with diced ham and melted cheese. I opted for waffles to accompany this dish to have a nice combination of savory and sweet flavors.

I also ordered a Hot Chocolate (Php120) to go with my meal.

Fit Slam (Php375), scrambled egg whites with fresh spinach and grape tomatoes, served with chicken breast and apple cubes. This was ordered by one of my fitness-conscious companions.

All American Slam (Php395), scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese, bacon strips, sausages and hash browns, served with toast.

Tenderloin Bistek Tagalog (Php345), tenderloin beef slices marinated and sauteed Bistek Tagalog style (a Pinoy favorite), topped with onion slices and served with 2 eggs sunny side up and a cup of garlic rice. This was ordered by my boss who simply had to have her “kanin” and “malasadong itlog.

Loaded Veggie Omelette (Php355), melted cheese omelette with fresh spinach, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, sauteed zucchini and squash, served with toast and hash browns.

Sausage and Pepper Skillet (Php395), cheddar cheese, sausage and Schublig mixed with fire-roasted bell peppers and gravy.

We also ordered a Caramel Apple Crisp (Php295), served with a generous dollop of vanilla ice cream and sprinkled with powdered sugar, as our dessert.

We spent over 3 hours chatting and bantering, a great time spent among close and trusted friends.

This Denny’s branch is located at Uptown Parade, 36th Street Cor 9th Street Uptown Bonifacio The Fort, Taguig City.

Comforting food and surroundings at Plana’s Pantry

Considering my workplace for the last three years is located so near to Plana’s Pantry, it’s a wonder that I’ve only been able to dine here just last month.

The place has a rustic shabby-chic feel to its decor. Walls and ornately carved furniture were mostly in white highlighted respectively by framed pithy sayings, teal cushions and various bric-a-bracs. It’s interiors were designed to look inviting and cozy.

It’s offerings are mostly comfort food: a mixture of Filipino and American dishes with some pastas thrown in.

When I dined here with my co-workers, we ordered the following:

Tapsilog (Php180)
Pasta Carbonara (Php220)
Hickory BBQ Ribs (Php285) – my order – I found its marinade a bit too sweet but the meat is fork tender
Beef Salpicao (Php260)
BBQ Pork Belly (Php230)
Fresh Dalandan Juice (Php75)
Iced Tea (Php60)
Hand-crafted Avocado Ice Cream (Php60 for single scoop – I couldn’t pass this up as I love avocado ice cream, especially artisanal ones

The food were reasonably priced, considering the generous servings. I would probably order the Lengua on my next visit (along with another scoop of Avocado Ice Cream!)

Another plus factor for Plana’s Pantry is the Hi-top Supermarket right next door where my officemates bought some chips and sweets before we went back to the office.

This branch of Plana’s Pantry is located at the Hi-Top Supermarket Building, 1650 Quezon Avenue corner Sgt. Esguerra Street, South Triangle, Quezon City. Another branch is located at the Ground Floor, RC Building, 50 Domingo M. Guevarra Street, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City.