fast food – Jellybeans in the City

Quick and affordable Asian cuisine at 5 Spice American-Chinese Kitchen

In a place like Metro Manila, finding affordable and easily accessible food that appeals to your taste buds can be a challenge. With the fast-paced lifestyle and traffic congestion, people are often left with limited time and energy to search for good food.

However, the desire for delicious and satisfying meals is still strong, and many people are constantly on the lookout for affordable and convenient options.

Fortunately, 5 Spice American-Chinese Kitchen is now in the metro, with two branches ready to serve up filling and budget-friendly meals in the form of rice bowls and bar bites.

General Tso’s Chicken (Php130 rice bowl | Php220 bar bites). Crispy fried chicken coated in a sweet and spicy sauce.

Sweet & Sour Pork (Php140 rice bowl | Php240 bar bites). Tender chunks of pork that are marinated in a sweet and tangy sauce.

Braised Beef Meatballs (Php150 rice bowl | Php260 bar bites). Savory meatballs made with ground beef simmered in a sweet and savory sauce flavored with Chinese spices.

5 Spice Signature Seafood (Php160 rice bowl | Php260 bar bites). A delicious dish that features a combination of battered and deep-fried seafood like squid, crabstick and fish doused in a flavorful sauce.

These rice bowls and bar bites are filling, flavorful, and won’t break the bank. Best of all, getting your hands is quite easy!

So when you get an attack of hunger pangs, drop by these 5 Spice American-Chinese Kitchen outlets:

OPEN KITCHEN, Congressional Avenue Extension, Quezon City
OPEN KITCHEN, Rockwell Business Center – Sheridan, Mandaluyong City

You may also order online by messaging 5 Spice on Facebook or Instagram.

Jodi Sta. Maria and son join Chowking as ambassadors for the new and improved Chicken Lauriat

Got appetite to spare? A lauriat may just be the thing.

A lauriat typically consists of several Chinese dishes served together in a large, communal table, often enjoyed in large groups. The term originated from the Chinese word “lao diat,” which means “celebration of life.” This Chinese banquet-style meal is a favorite among Filipinos because it is often associated with special occasions and celebrations, such as birthdays and weddings. It is a shared dining experience that brings families and friends together over a delicious and satisfying meal.

But for people with monster-sized cravings fit for a lauriat, Chowking has something for you.

An elevated Chinese Sarap Chicken meal

Chowking, the number 1 Chinese fast-food chain in the country, recently introduced its Mas Pinasarap na Chowking Chinese-Style Chicken Lauriat. While this menu item still features six of the chain’s bestsellers, namely the Chinese-style Fried Chicken, Egg Fried Rice, Buchi, Siomai, Chicharap, and Pancit Canton, significant improvements have been done to the Chinese Style Fried Chicken, now with a more sarap-saya flavor thanks to a special blend of spices and seasonings, and the Pancit Canton which is now made with fresh egg noodles.

“The Chowking Lauriat is a true fan favorite, loved by Filipinos across the country. As delicious as it is, we believe that there’s always room for improvement,” said Fran Leveriza-Maralit, Chowking Brand Director. “Whether you’re dining in or eating at home, on your own or sharing with loved ones, our mas Pinasarap na Chinese-Style Fried Chicken Lauriat is part of our commitment to creating Chinese-sarap experiences with each meal we serve.”

New mother-and-son endorsers join the fold

Adding to the excitement is Chowking’s new celebrity ambassadors, Jodi Sta. Maria, and her son, Thirdy Lacson. The award-winning actress shares her love for Chowking and her favorite dishes, which include the Chinese-Style Chicken Lauriat. Jodi, who is known for her work in the entertainment industry including well-loved movies and teleseryes that shaped Pinoy pop culture, is a perfect fit for Chowking’s brand as they continue to elevate their offerings.

“Ako po ay napakasaya at sobrang nae-excite na maging parte ng Chowking family,” the actress said. “I’m just so proud today to unveil my first campaign with Chowking, syempre po sa paborito kong mas pinasarap na Chowking Lauriat.”

About Chowking

The Chowking Food Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jollibee Foods Corporation. It combines two distinct restaurant personalities – the traditional Chinese restaurant and the western-style fastfood restaurant – to become a strong and recognizable leader in the Philippines’ highly competitive fastfood industry.

To know more about its menu and offers, follow Chowking on Facebook and Instagram.

KFC delivery for Sunday lunch

When I was young, my parents used to reward my good grades with a meal at Kentucky Fried Chicken. (Oh, those simple joys!)

This ubiquitous fried chicken fast food chain’s history began during the Great Depression in the US with Colonel Harlan David Sanders who started selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in Corbin, Kentucky. Having perfected his original recipe that made use of eleven herbs and spices, he then franchised his fried chicken recipe to restaurant owners.

Today, KFC is a global presence, with presence in 150 countries.

It offers its “finger-lickin’ good” fried chicken to Pinoys along with a wide fast food menu which includes pastas and rice bowls that appeal to the Filipino market.

As a busy, currently working-from-home mom, KFC is a way for me to escape from cooking duties while still providing the fam with a delicious meal.

This is why my family came to have KFC for our Sunday lunch.

Feeling bone-tired from a hectic work week, I was in no mood to plan and prepare a meal.

Thankfully, I saw Mommy Ojie of PiggingOutOnSundays post a Php100 discount code for FoodPanda. I grabbed the code and ordered a Bucket of 10 (Php720).

I asked my yaya to cook lots of rice because, yeah, it’s an unli-kanin kind of meal.

Biting into finger-lickingly flavorful fried chicken in between spoonfuls of rice is more than fine by me.

I just wish that KFC start offering coleslaw as one of its fixins again. It stopped offering my favorite side dish since the pandemic started and hasn’t yet brought it back to its menu. (Note: I used to make a scene at KFC checkout counters when informed that coleslaw is not available.)

This KFC branch is located at Ground Floor, Robinson’s Place Cainta, Santo Domingo, Cainta, Rizal. To order for delivery, call +63 2 88878888 or course it via FoodPanda.

Use this link to download the FoodPanda app and get Php100 off your first order.

Check out my posts on other chicken places in the metro:

MOS Burger introduces mouthwatering breakfast items

Start your day right with MOS Burger’s delicious selection of breakfast items. They are available for dine-in, pick-up, and takeout at its Robinsons Galleria store from 8am to 11am.

To ensure the health and safety of its customers and employees, MOS Burger observes the strictest health and sanitation measures. It is implementing a modified seating arrangement, with sticker guides to ensure physical distancing; having acrylic partition tables in place; and constantly disinfecting work and dining areas.

On its breakfast menu are Japanese French Toast Sandwiches together with three of its popular burgers.

The MOS Japanese French Toast Sandwich is available in spam and bacon, while burger selections include the well-loved MOS Cheeseburger, Yakiniku Garlic Rice Burger, and Natsumi Yakiniku. You can order them a la carte or as part of a breakfast set.

Free Coffee on Breakfast Sets

All the breakfast sets come with complimentary coffee. Customers can choose between the MOS Cafe Drip Coffee (hot or cold) and MOS Cafe Au Lait (hot or cold) for their free coffee.

For an additional PhP10, they can also have the MOS Cafe Cocoa (hot or cold) or premium iced tea to go with their breakfast set.

Delicious Side Dishes

Apart from the breakfast sets, MOS Burger also offers its delicious MOS Fries, Sweet Potato, and Karaage on its breakfast menu.

Bottled water, softdrinks, and orange juice are likewise available to order.

How to Order

You can either call or visit MOS Burger at the second level of Robinsons Galleria or place an order via Foodpanda or GrabFood.

For those who would like to place their order via phone, please call +63 2 77472695. Settle your bill via bank transfer (MOS Burger Philippines: 0000-014751-363) and email the proof of your payment to payment.mosburger@gmail.com. Once your payment has been confirmed, you can pick up your order at the store.

For those who’d be visiting MOS Burger Robinsons Galleria, you can scan the store’s digital menu via a QR code. A service specialist will the take your order. Payments are accepted via GCash, in cash, and through credit card. MOS Burger is open seven days a week from 8am to 7pm.

Image and details provided by MOS Burger in a recent press release.

MOS Brings Its Most Popular Burgers to PH Market

MOS Burger, one of the leading burger chains in Japan, is about to give Filipinos a different kind of burger dining experience.

“We have brought our well-loved burgers to the Philippines. Now, you don’t have to go all the way to Japan to have your fill of our best-selling yakiniku rice burger and other burger selections,” said MOS Burger Philippines president Araki Masahide.

Among the MOS Burger top-sellers that have been included in its Philippine menu is the MOS Cheeseburger (Php149). This Japanese-style cheeseburger comes with MOS’ special meat sauce poured over a pile of beef patty, tomato, onion, and cheese.

Not to be missed is the yakiniku rice burger (Php169), the burger that has been strongly identified with the brand since it was introduced in its Japanese stores. It comes with perfectly marinated yakiniku beef with green lollo rosso (lettuce) and onions in an equally delicious rice patty. MOS also offers the natsumi yakiniku (Php189), which is yakiniku wrapped in fresh lollo rosso instead of being sandwiched in a bun or rice patty.

Another popular choice among its diners worldwide is its wagyu burger (Php299), which likewise comes in two options—one with the buns and the other with the rice patties or wagyu rice burger (Php309).

For chicken lovers, a must-try is the teriyaki chicken burger (Php189) with its own version of chicken teriyaki sandwiched with green lollo rosso, sliced onion, and mayonnaise. For those who prefer to have it with MOS’ signature rice patty, there’s the teriyaki chicken rice burger (Php209). Diners can likewise have it with just greens as it offers the natsumi teriyaki chicken (Php209) as well.

MOS also has something for seafood lovers—the seafood tempura rice burger (Php169). It consists of delicious seafood tempura drizzled with flavorful kakiage sauce and sandwiched between MOS’ signature rice patties.

“We only want the best for our Filipino diners. We encourage them to try each burger when they visit our store,” Araki said.

Guests at MOS Burger’s VIP Night, an event held prior to its official store opening at Robinsons Galleria, were treated to this sumptuous array of Japanese-style burgers.

Distinguished guests during the event included Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Koji Haneda, and his wife, Madame Ihoko Haneda; MOS Food Services Chairman Atsushi Sakurada; MOS Food Services Inc. Executive Officer and General Manager of International Headquarters Jun Takifuka; MOS Food Services, Inc. General Manager Hironobu Maehara; and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.

They were welcomed by Araki, MOS Burger Philippines CEO Hubert U. Young, and MOS Burger Philippines Vice President Tateishi Hiroshi.

MOS Burger’s first Philippine store is located at Robinsons Galleria (near the ADB Avenue entrance). It is slated to open branches in SM Megamall, Robinsons Magnolia, Greenhills, Midtown, and Eastwood in the coming months.

Food fast and affordable at BBX, Glorietta

Lowbrow Casual Restaurants, the company behind restaurant brands such as Fowlbread, Beefier and Bad Bird, has recently launched its new store at Glorietta.

BBX was originally intended to be an extension of the group’s fried chicken chain Bad Bird (with BBX standing in for “Bad Bird Express”) but it has outgrown its old concept and evolved its own identity.

BBX is now a semi-self-service restaurant that provides mall-goers an alternative to other fast-food places. This is the place to be for great-tasting and afforadably priced fried chicken, burgers and rice meals.

Oh, and being self-service means that you fetch your own condiments, clean up after yourself and pack your own leftovers for takeaways. (So parents, do take your kids here to teach them the value of CLAYGO.)

During a recent visit together with my foodie friends, I was able to try out some of BBX’s offerings, which included:

Fried Chicken.

Fried Chicken Plate (Php179). Juicy and crispy chicken deep-fried Southern-style to golden brown perfection and served piping-hot with house-made gravy. The fried chicken piece is big, satisfying and well-complemented by the gravy. This is available in safe and spicy variants. Diners also have the option to go boneless just by adding (Php20).

BB Crispers (Php259). Crispy fried boneless chicken thighs in a garlic and butter glaze. A variant in better than buffalo glaze is also available.

Sandwiches.

Ruben Sandwich (Php289). Corned beef, pickled onion and cheese between toasted sourdough. I’m not a fan of corned beef sandwiches but the pickled onion and the sourdough give this sandwich a special kind of taste that I like.

Crispy Fish Sandwich (Php246). Deep-fried fillets of fish, sliced tomatoes and shredded cabbage in creamy sauce in a fluffy artisanal burger bun.

Rice Meals.

Double Longganisa and Egg (Php229). House-made longganisa patties served with sunny side up egg, atchara and vinegar.

Double Burger Steak (Php259). Two flavorful patties made from 100% ground fresh beef served with corn and cream cheese.

For these rice meals, an option to upgrade to garlic fried rice is available for Php29.

Salad.

Garlic Sesame Chicken (Php230). A light and fresh salad of romaine lettuce, fried chicken and croutons doused in garlic sesame dressing.

Side Dish.

Corn and Cream Cheese (Php89). A lovely blend of sweet corn and cream cheese which serves a great accompaniment to any of BBX’ rice plates or sandwiches.

Diners also have the option to add this or any other side dish plus iced tea to any rice plate or sandwich for just Php99.

Desserts.

Huskies (Php119). Parfaits made of chia seeds and coconut milk flavored with mango and coconuts. Other variants include pineapple dragonfruit and chocolate tiramisu.

BB Cakes (Php125). Moist cake rolls of Spiced Pumpkin & Cream Cheese and Ube & White Chocolate which serve as a fitting end to the meal. Also available in Banana & Dulce de Leche and Double Chocolate flavors.

BBX is definitely a welcome addition to my favorite Glorietta food haunts. Why don’t you drop by and give it a try?

Many thanks to the management and staff of BBX for the wonderful food and to Jen of Sand Under My Feet for extending the invitation!

BBX is located at Second Floor, Glorietta 2, Glorietta Complex, Makati City, open Sundays to Thursdays from 10am to 9pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries, call +63 2 73738659.

Disclosure: Together with fellow foodies, I attended a good tasting held in this establishment wherein the items mentioned above were served to enable us to sample the fare to facilitate an honest review and were not paid for by the participants including myself.

Check out my posts on other chicken places in the metro: