eggs benedict – Jellybeans in the City

Marites’ Day Out at Toby’s Estate and Pinks, BGC

Everyday is a good day for teams of Marites to come together and exchange some of those proverbial “tea.”

If the encounter happens in a posh area with lots of green spaces such as in the eateries in Bonifacio Global City, then so much the better. (Because Maritesses love them some nature!)

How do I know this?

Because I’m a Marites myself, and I recently swarmed together with my fellow Maritesses for some “tea” and company at BGC.

Toby’s Estate

Our first stop was in Toby’s Estate, home of beautiful coffee sustainably sourced from farmers around the globe. (Because we Maritesses care about sustainability!)

Here, we exchanged chikas over a filling and energizing brunch, which included:

Mocha (Php190). A hot latte made with a splash of rich chocolate syrup.

Hot Chocolate (Php170). A rich and comforting cocoa drink.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Php295). Oodles of melty cheese in crisp butter-toasted bread served with house-made potato chips and a tangy tomato compote.

Eggs Benedict (Php385). My breakfast of choice composed of sliced ham topped with poached eggs on over toasted English muffins, all drenched with house-made Hollandaise sauce.

This tita-ish brunch powered us for a day of lively conversations.

However, the fun didn’t stop here because we hopped over right next door to…

Pink’s Hotdogs and Burgers

At this local offshoot of Hollywood famous hotdog franchise, our group of Maritesses continued on our merry exchanges.

We didn’t see any Tinseltown celebrities but we did bond over some yummy snackables:

Milkshakes (Php322). Nothing feels like a childhood indulgence quite look a tall glass of milkshakes.

Hand-cut French Fries (Php190). Freshly deep-fried sticks of potatoes served with ketchup. Great for munching!

Sausage Sampler (Php620). Sausages served with pickles, mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise.

With such munchable treats, who would want this Maritess’ Day Out to end?

These branches of Toby’s Estate and Pink’s Hot Dogs are located at the the High Street Park, Shangri-la at the Fort, 30th Street corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

What’s your bet for your chika session snackables with your Maritess friends?

Sweet Sunday meetup at Sundays, Marikina

During pre-pandemic times, one of the highlights of my workday is the #HappyLunch I used to enjoy with my officemates.

We used to scope out the various dining spots in the vicinity of our workplace and choose a new place in which to spend that precious lunch hour. These midday adventures not only presented us with gustatory delights, they also provided our group with a welcome break from our work environment and an opportunity for some levity in between periods of being good little workers.

Well, things happened (some officemates transitioned to other companies, and, of course, COVID-19 reared its ugly head in the metro, which curtailed opportunities for dining out), so we haven’t been able to get together for almost two years.

Thanks to the loosening of community quarantine restrictions, I was able to meet up with two of my former office friends for brunch at Sundays Cafe & Restaurant.

One of the newest dining spots in foodie-friendly Marikina, Sundays offers breakfast, comfort food and coffee. Located along J.P. Rizal Street, it’s housed in a single-story Spanish villa-inspired building, with clean and minimalist interiors well-suited for intimate gatherings as well as a pet-friendly al fresco dining area.

Quite fittingly, I met up with my friends on a Sunday morning for brunch. After experiencing some confusion in the drive over (note to self: rely on Waze, not Google Maps, for directions in this part of Marikina, especially with the one-way streets), I was able to snag the last remaining parking spot, quite ably assisted by the parking attendant.

One of my friends was later in arriving than me and had to park quite a distance away from the cafe.

In between various chika and catching up on events in each other’s lives since we last saw each other, my friends and I broke our fast with Sundays’ cafe staples, which included:

Mocha (Php145). A chocolatey version of the restaurant’s cafe latte, served hot.

Eggs Benedict (Php250). Sundays’ version of my favorite breakfast dish consists of fluffy brioche buns topped with slices of homemade bacon and poached egg drenched in hollandaise sauce, with a sprinkling of cayenne pepper.

Homemade Bacon Slab on Kimchi Rice (Php320). This breakfast food given a Korean vibe consists of thick slices of homemade bacon, a fried egg (sunny side up, per our request) on top of flavorful kimchi rice served on a skillet.

Tres Leches (Php130). I indulged my sweet tooth with this light sponge cake soaked in a sweet milk mixture and topped with sweetened whipped cream with a sprinkling of cornflakes for texture.

The restaurant was still on soft opening mode during our visit so hopefully, it will be able to smooth out some kinks in its operations, particularly some delays in serving our food and in providing the bill.

That said, the restaurant was true to its proposition of providing “Great food. Great memories.” It certainly was a memorable brunch meetup with my friends over delicious food!

Sundays Cafe and Restaurant is located at J.P. Rizal corner V. Gomez Street, Barangay San Roque, Marikina City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 8am to 10pm and Fridays to Sundays from 8am to 11pm. For reservations, call +63 917 1572634.

A new hidden gem in Marikina: Swig & Nosh Kitchen + Bar

Weekends are best spent close to home.

And my home is located east of Manila, where traffic jams abound and going to the overcrowded malls is sometimes too much of a hassle to be worth the effort.

This is why I #LookToTheEast for new destinations, foodie or otherwise. Because why brave the metro’s streets when you can find what you want right where you are?

Recently, I discovered another reason for us Eastern foodies to not venture far to satisfy our food cravings.

In the suburbs of foodie-friendly Marikina, away from the hustle and bustle of busy highways and malls, is a new and exciting foodie destination: Swig & Nosh Kitchen + Bar.

A hidden gem in a quiet Marikina neighborhood

The brainchild of Mario Mendoza, one of Marikina’s homegrown culinary talents, Swig & Nosh takes its name from the British colloquial terms for “taking a drink” and “eating a snack,” respectively.

Located in a remodeled bungalow along Mt. Pleasant street, Swig & Nosh is geared to be the place for Marikina locals and visitors to enjoy great-tasting comfort food along with their drinks of choice.

Mario took his cues from the house’s original architect (who also happens to be his dad) and furnished the space with comfort in mind. Ceramic tile-topped hardwood tables bring splashes of color while also accommodating large groups of diners. The chairs are also ergonomically-designed; they adjust when the diner leans back, giving back support that facilitates comfort for resting or conversing with companions after eating.

A well-stocked bar is situated in one of the inner rooms with mixologists at the ready to pour out spirits or concoct cocktails for the guests.

Diners also have the option to take their meals in the garden outside; this will become the location of choice when the cool weather sets in by December to February.

Nosh on fusion of American and Filipino cuisines

Together with my foodie friends from #WeLoveToEatPH, I was able to sample some of Swig & Nosh’s signature dishes.

These included:

Apple Pie Salad (Php220). A healthy combination of sweet and savory flavors made withmixed greens tossed with apple compote, streusel crumbs and cheddar with a cider vinaigrette.

Pork Cubes and Watermelon (Php230). Fork-tender cubes of pork belly tossed with watermelon cubes and hoisin sauce.

Calamares sa Bawang (Php210). Garlic-flavored battered squid rings served with tarragon vinegar and lemon.

Gambas Aligue (Php305). The shrimp and garlic appetizer hyped-up with the inclusion of crab roe balanced with orange bits.

Bacon Benedict (Php335). The hyped-up version of Eggs Benedict with special pan de sal, homemade bacon jam, spinach, bacon, two poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.

Wagyu Bacon Royale Burger (Php350). Wagyu patty, cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and bacon jam in a buttered brioche bun served with spiced ketchup.

Tinapa Rice. Fried rice flavored with smoked fish.

Dry Rub Chicken with Truffle Honey (Php295). Chicken leg and thigh covered with the house-recipe dry rub and truffle honey then fried to a crispy golden brown and served with cole slaw and ranch dressing.

Prime Rib (Php392/100g). Tender and perfectly grilled grilled steak made of Black Onyx Australian Angus beef.

Choco Chip Cookie Dough Milkshake (Php170). Made with vanilla ice cream and milk with balls of edible cookie dough, topped with whipped cream in a candy studded glass and served with a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie.

Brownie Mocha Milkshake (Php175). Made with chocolate ice cream and milk with bits of brownie, topped with whipped cream and chopped nuts in a candy studded glass and served with a freshly baked brownie.

These hearty and tasty comfort food, all meticulously prepared and prettily presented, are suitable for discerning foodies in big celebrations, intimate get-togethers or even solo food adventures. The milkshakes, in particular, were a treat to both the eyes and the sweet tooth.

Take swigs of refreshing drinks and cocktails

Wash down these delicious viands with your choice of drinks – alcoholic or non-alcoholic – from Swig & Nosh’s well-stocked bar.

House Blend Iced Tea (Php185/liter). Swig & Nosh’s own signature flavor of iced tea. A raspberry-flavored variant is also available at Php175/liter).

Atomic Cat (Php130). A mocktail made with lemonade and grenadine.

Long Island Iced Tea (Php170). A cocktail made with rum, vodka, gin and other spirits mixed with cola and lemon juice.

Tequila Sunrise (Php180). A cocktail made with tequila, orange juice and grenadine.

Amaretto Sour (Php190). A cocktail made with amaretto, lemon juice, egg whites and bitters.

Blue Lagoon (Php170). A cocktail made with vodka, blue curacao and lemonade.

So if you find yourself in Marikina, know that you have somewhere to go for good eats and drinks.

Many thanks to the management and crew of Swig & Nosh for the warm welcome and great food, and to EJ of I Love To Eat PH for extending the invitation!

Swig & Nosh is located at No. 6, Mt. Pleasant Street, Bgy. Santa Elena, Marikina City, open Tuesdays to Sundays from 11am to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 28 2801298.

Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I attended a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare to facilitate honest reviews and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out my reviews of other bars and watering holes in the Metro: