fish and chips – Jellybeans in the City

Comfort meets good food at Boudica in Citi Golf Plaza

Nestled at the end of the City Golf Plaza strip in Ortigas, Boudica Café Bar is the kind of place that invites you to linger. Office workers looking for a break or barkadas in need of a place to unwind will find that this charming café-bar offers the perfect escape. After much prodding (and nagging!), my husband finally gave in and took me to Boudica Cafe Bar to get a taste of what this new gem in Ortigas has to offer.

And it was well worth the wait.

A Modern Hideaway

Walking into Boudica Café Bar feels like stepping into a cozy, modern oasis. The dark motif and warm lighting set the tone for an intimate, yet vibrant atmosphere. The space is divided into distinct areas, each with its own personality. As we arrived during preparations for a private event later that evening, we opted for a spot in the al fresco section, facing the parking lot.

I’ve heard that the café’s atmosphere is relaxed during the day, but as the evening sets in, the energy shifts. A spacious bar area stands at the center, where drinks are prepared with flair, adding a touch of excitement to the experience. The al fresco area facing Dona Julia Vargas Avenue, with its tropical beach bar vibes, feels breezy and inviting, perfect for any time of day.

Inside, Boudica has a modern yet homey feel. Murals and colorful designs decorate the walls, adding an artsy touch to the décor. The faux fireplace, plush sofas, and laid-back vibe make you feel like you’re in the home of a friend who loves to entertain. It’s a place where you can relax, escape the noise of the city, and enjoy some of the best comfort food in Ortigas.

The Story Behind Boudica Café Bar

Boudica Café Bar is the brainchild of “The Matthews” – chefs Matthew Lim and Matthew Bates, the same duo behind the popular fish-and-chips joint, CargoFish. Their goal was simple: to create a place where people could enjoy no-frills comfort food in a cozy yet lively setting. With their success at CargoFish, known for serving Metro Manila’s best Fish and Chips, it’s clear that they know how to create a memorable dining experience.

The chefs’ passion for bringing high-quality, approachable food to Ortigas is evident in every dish, whether it’s a plate of smoky bacon or a hearty burger made from premium USDA beef. And with Boudica’s spacious layout and distinct areas, it’s become a popular hangout for everyone – from business meetings to small gatherings and casual celebrations.

Comfort Food with a Twist

Boudica Café Bar serves up comfort food with a modern twist, making it an ideal place for everything from casual lunches to after-work indulgences. We started with the Creamy Spinach Dip (₱405), a rich and velvety appetizer that had just the right balance of flavors, served with warm, crusty bread. It’s the perfect snack to share as you sip your drink and catch up with friends.

Next, we tried the Frutti di Mare (₱595), a plate of spaghetti tossed with shrimp, mussels, and chili flakes in a tomato sauce. The pasta was cooked just right, and the seafood was fresh, offering a comforting yet flavorful dish that was both light and satisfying.

For pizza lovers, the Four Cheese Neapolitan Pizza (₱585) is a must-try. Topped with pecorino, blue cheese, cream cheese, and gouda, this pizza had the perfect melt and depth of flavor, making it a crowd-pleaser.

To wash everything down, I opted for the Kamote Tops Iced Tea (₱155). The refreshing, slightly sweet beverage was the perfect balance to the savory dishes we enjoyed. It’s just one of the many creative drink options on the menu, which also features house cocktails, juices, and smoothies that are perfect for any time of day.

An Enticing Gathering Spot

One of the things that makes Boudica Café Bar stand out is its versatility. Whether you’re here for a business lunch, a celebration with friends, or a quiet dinner after a long day, Boudica offers something for everyone. It’s become a local favorite for those in Ortigas and nearby areas like Valle Verde, offering a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the metro.

As we dined, I could see why so many people return to Boudica. Its welcoming atmosphere and creative menu make it the perfect place to relax, unwind, and indulge in some of the best comfort food in the area.

Boudica Café Bar proved itself to be a haven for anyone looking to escape the everyday rush of Ortigas and enjoy some delicious food in a stylish, laid-back environment. After all, as we discovered during our visit, comfort is at the heart of everything they do. So, next time you’re in Ortigas, make sure to swing by and experience what this urban hideaway has to offer – you won’t regret it.

This Boudica Cafe Bar branch is located at Unit C106-107 City Golf Plaza, Doña Julia Vargas Avenue, Barangay Ugong, Pasig City. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 916 2375668.

Another branch recently opened at Ground Level SM Mega Tower, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 954 2868686.

For more information about the restaurant and its menu, follow Boudica Cafe Bar on Facebook and Instagram.

#NoticeToThePublic: Good eats abound at Public Eatery, Robinsons Magnolia

If you’re on the lookout for the what’s new and absolutely delish, The Tasteless Food Group’s got something for you.

Drop by Robinsons Magnolia to immerse yourself in a new dining concept – Public Eatery!

Taking inspiration from subway lines, this elevated foodcourt destination is marked by energy and movement, from the stylish and modern decor to the airy open dining area layout bathed in ample natural light.

Above all, Public Eatery brings the metro’s foodies to the express lane towards good eats by bringing together a diverse collection of dining options – covering a wide range of flavors and cuisines – in one convenient location.

Ready to go on a flavorful journey? Get all aboard and take your tastebuds for a ride with these exciting food stations at Public Eatery:

Anyhow

Our favorite ihaw-ihaw goes international! Inspired by the Pinoys’ penchant for various kinds grilled meats, Anyhow offers inihaw any way you like it! Here, your can make your own satisfying meal by combining your choice of smokey grilled meat – such as this succulent US Beef Belly – with equally flavorsome rice and sides.

Bad Bird

Famous for fully embracing umami flavors, Bad Bird goes all out in using MSG in its natural and processed forms: dashi, mushroom powder, furikake, miso, and more, all to produce that complex savory taste that tickles the taste buds. Check out Bad Bird’s Fish and Chips made with meaty white fish coated in its signature umami beer batter, and served with fries and tartare sauce.

Bookoh

Even the humble buko juice gets a make-over: at Bookoh, coconut water gets mixed with various syrups and sinkers to produce a tasty thirst quencher. This Coconut Pandan Gula Melaka Juice, for instance, combines buko juice with panda syrup, nata de coco, grass jelly and Gula Melaka, a type of palm sugar made from the sap of flower buds from the coconut palm.

FRNK

Try out FRNK’s artisanal beverages that accentuate the natural flavor of milk through the addition of flavors from chocolates, teas, fruits and other ingredients. It also produces a variety bakery items that pair well with its milk beverages such as its plant-based Coffee Almond Doughnut that complements its Frozen Kokoa drink.

Konbini Karaage

In Japan, convenience stores are more than just places to grab some essentials at all hours. They also provide quick access to tasty munchables such as this Karaage, Japan’s crispy and yummy take on the fried chicken, served hot and fresh – quite conveniently – in a cute takeout box.

Le Chon

Chef Happy Ongpauco-Tiu celebrates savory roasted meats that define Pinoy celebrations at her newest venture, Le Chon. Aside from the hallmark lechon baboy and lechon manok, Le Chon also serves other meats, deliciously roasted lechon-style, such as this Lechon Angus Beef Belly.

Merry Moo

Our sweltering summer heat calls for some ice cream, doesn’t it? Well, chill out with some icy handcrafted confection that comes from the milk of happy cows at Merry Moo. Go for creamy and velvety scoops of Merry Moo ice cream richly flavored with Auro Milk Chocolate finished with a generous amount of roasted cacao nibs for an additional burst of cacao.

Morse

Perk up your day with a cuppa joe from the passion project of Mike Holaschke, the Austrian blogger behind “Making It Happen.” Power great conversations with your companions with The One, made with a shot of espresso topped with thick salted cream and sea salt.

New York, Cubao

Award-winning and best-selling cookbook author Chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou curates an array of much-loved, down-home, and “Simpol” Pinoy fare we all know and love, remixed for variety and rediscovery. NYC’s Tocino Ribs brings a hefty serving of salt-cured pork ribs, perfect for a very heavy breakfast with fried rice and egg.

OK Bob

Satisfy your cravings for Middle Eastern dishes with OK Bob‘s fresh takes on classics such as kebabs, falafel, hummus and curries, with recipes and methods perfected by Chefs Decker Gokioco and Jorge Mendez. How about wowing your friends with a towering serving of Hanging Kebab comprised of a skewer of grilled beef hanging over a bed of buttered basmati rice topped with grilled tomatoes.

Samyan

Bite into Authentic Thai streetfood, curated by Chef Third “Ton” Tassanakajohn and produced by Chef Gabriel Ong, at Samyan. Named after the bustling Sam Yan Market in Bangkok, Samyan brings exotic yet comforting tastes and textures of Thai street cuisine, such as in this Khao Pad Pu, also known as Crab Fried Rice.

Seafood Oyster Bar

It’s quite shuck-ing how oysters have become a big hit in food halls. As evidenced by Seafood Oyster Bar, foodies have gone crazy over the briny taste and silky mouthfeel of oysters – whether raw with spiced vinegar, doused with garlic butter, heated with a few drops of tabasco or as an oyster shot – or even Baked and topped with Miso Custard. Because, why not?

Thomson Road

Savor the flavors of Singapore at Thomson Road, inspired by the Lion City’s famous shophouses and hawker stands. Chef Johanne Wee dishes out fresh takes on Singapore’s much-loved street dishes, such as this spicy yet comforting Seafood Laksa.

Ten by Tsukemen

Sate your hunger with a mouthwatering bowl of ramen that scores a 10 out of 10. Chef Noel Mauricio helms the kitchen, taking his cues from the minimalist Japanese culture, to produce ramen bowls such as this Tonkotsu Premium, made with pork bone broth and ramen noodles topped with grilled chashu, aji tamago, sesame seeds and negi. Be sure to get the Richer broth, that’s the chef’s recommendation!

The Bev Bar

Who says you can’t make pour decisions? You can do just that at The Bev Bar which serves a wide assortment of refreshments to pair with your orders from other Public Eatery stations. Chef Patrick Go creates mouthwatering drinks such as this scrumptious Choco Chocnut Shake.

So let this be my Notice to the Public: Go full steam ahead on your next foodie adventure at Public Eatery. With so many cuisines to explore, you can always count on a flavorful and satisfying food trip.

Public Eatery is located at the Fourth Floor, New Wing, Robinsons Magnolia, Aurora Boulevard corner Doña Hemady Street, Barangay New Manila, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 9pm. For inquiries, call +63 976 2810277 or email publiceatery@tasteless.ph.

For more information on Public Eatery, visit its website or follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: I attended a food tasting held at this venue. Food items mentioned here were served at no cost to facilitate this feature.

Take flight with varied cuisines from Hungry Nomad Kitchen

Going through the daily grind while stuck at work? Missing the foodie adventures you’ve had in far-off places? Or just seeking a break from your normal lutong-bahay or food delivery fare?

Well, not to worry. Here’s another trip lined up for you: a food trip, that is.

If you feel like letting your wanderlust loose, then the Hungry Nomad Kitchen should be right up your alley.

A curation of beloved cuisines from around the world, the Hungry Nomad Kitchen is where foodies with a taste for adventure can explore various culinary possibilities when they want and wherever they are.

Designed as a virtual food hall, Hungry Nomad Kitchen offers the metro’s denizens to sate their cravings for various types of food from all over the world at one go.

For my first flight with HNK, I went West for a taste of good ol’ Americana and then across the pond all the way to Gran Britannia.

Baby Back Ribs (Php475). 🎶 I want my baby back, baby back ribs. 🎶 And why wouldn’t I? With its smokey flavored, falling-off-the-bone, juicy meat, it’s a hearty viand fit for a hungry carnivore and went so well with my side orders of Grilled Corn on the Cob (Php60) and Coleslaw (Php120).

Fish & Chips (Php350). A lighter choice on the tummy but no means lacking in flavor is this staple from London. Large slices of fish battered and deep fried to a crispy golden brown and served with deep-fried potato wedges. It’s best when eaten hot so I reheated it in the oven when I had it for dinner.

Well, now I’d love to go exploring other virtual foodie destinations here soon!

Other cuisines currently available include Filipino and Italian, as well as frozen desserts by Aqua S.

All you have to do get started on your new food journey is browse and select your choices from the cuisines available at the Hungry Nomad Kitchen website. Then, indicate whether these will be for delivery (areas covered are currently limited to Makati and BGC) or for pick up (shouldered by customer). After checkout, an order confirmation will be emailed to you. Then you can choose your mode of payment (options for bank transfers and e-wallets are available). You can even track the status of your order using a unique code!

Plus, pretty soon, the HNK app will be made available on the App Store and Google Play so you can embark on a new culinary experience with just a few phone taps!

So, if you feel like expanding your culinary horizons without leaving home or traveling far, do check out the Hungry Nomad Kitchen!

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate an honest review.

Happy fam brunch at Over Easy, Marikina

When we think of brunch, we think of ladies leisurely eating a meal while exchanging gossip.

However, one Tuesday, while my mom was out doing errands, my daughter #ExhibitA and I decided to take my groovy dad out for brunch at Over Easy.

So, after a short trip from our house in Pasig to this trending resto in Marikina, soundtracked with classic rock ‘n roll from my daughter’s Spotify, we found ourselves at Over Easy’s sprawling premises.

And my dad lost no time taking a pose! (So now we know where I got it from! 🤪)

Actually, the resto’s premises is quite conducive to photo opps (“IG-worthy” is how kids today would call it).

From the colorful wall murals to the artfully displayed tchotchkes, Over Easy exudes an atmosphere of warmth, comfort and welcome while still retaining that “cool” factor. Badly put: you might get dragged here by your tita, but, deep inside, you wouldn’t mind.

Yep, you wouldn’t mind hanging out here one bit especially once you’ve tasted what Over Easy has to offer such as what we enjoyed during our brunch with Daddy-o:

Macaroni and Cheese (Php220). This is actually #ExhibitA’s go-to dish. Over Easy’s version features creamy and hot melted cheese mixed in with macaroni and topped with bacon bits.

Fish and Chips (Php295). Fish fillets coated with beer batter, deep-fried until golden brown and served with parmesan dusted potato chips and tartar sauce.

BBQ Ribs (Php510 for half-rack with 2 side dishes). Fall-off-the-bone tender braised ribs, then grilled to get that rich smokey flavor, then served with Over Easy”s signature barbecue sauce. All I can say about this dish is that the bones were picked clean by the time we’re done.

While my dad sipped on his Coke Zero (Php55), #ExhibitA and I treated ourselves to a European Strawberry Cooler (Php140), a refreshing fizzy drink flavored with sweet strawberries (yeah, it’s a tita drink, hahaha!)

Lava Cake (Php195). Our foodie adventure here wouldn’t be complete without dessert. We got ourselves a molten chocolate cake topped with classic vanilla ice cream and doused with chocolate syrup. What a perfect way to cap our meal!

This brunch may not have been an all-out gossip over drinks sesh among ladies but it allowed my daughter and me to spend some precious time with my dear daddy.

Over Easy is located at G&W Terraza, Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue, San Roque, Marikina City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 7am to 11pm and Fridays to Sundays from 7am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 2554686.

Disclosure: Part of our meal was sponsored by Over Easy through gift certificates shared by Harvard of Always Hungry PH.

Food and nature-tripping at Burrow Cafe, Taytay

Nestled into east of Manila is a hidden haven for food and nature lovers. Called Burrow Cafe, it is located in the Antipolo Beehouse, a nature reserve set in a quiet residential subdivision away from the city’s hustle and bustle.

My daughter #ExhibitA and I decided to treat my mom out to Sunday brunch at Burrow Cafe. This mother-daughter-granddaughter outing is something we’ve been wanting to do for a long time but never found the time for until now.

So last Sunday, off we went up Ortigas Avenue Extension towards Antipolo and into Beverly Hills Subdivision where the Beehouse is situated. Upon arriving at the Beehouse gate, we went down 76 steps (good thing I didn’t wear heels!) to a lush green courtyard with another flight of stairs leading to what seemed like an underground bunker.

When we entered the cafe’s premises, however, we were treated to an abundance of light and greenery, thanks to the cafe’s large panel windows which let in a lot of natural light and give diners a relaxing view of the surrounding forest. Artfully laid out wood furniture, potted and hanging plants as well as other bric-a-bracs further accent the cafe’s nature theme while hammocks hanging from the ceiling provide some splashes of color and whimsy to the interiors. Outside, there is a balcony that overlooks a nearby mountain stream.

There, my mom, #ExhibitA and I chatted about life and gossiped about mutual acquaintances (hahaha!) while enjoying our brunch made with ingredients sourced from the Antipolo Market or grown within the cafe’s grounds.

Our meal included:

Beef Short Ribs with Corn and Green Bean Risotto (Php550).

Fish and Chips (Php420).

Key Lime Pie (Php190).

Burrow Home Brew Iced Tea (Php120) and Avocado Fruit Shake (Php180).

Though quite tasty, food items are limited and a bit pricey. Given the cafe’s lovely and restful ambiance and warm, friendly service, however, I’d say dining here is well worth the expense and effort.

After all, nothing but the best for my mom and my baby girl.

Burrow Cafe is located at the Antipolo Beehouse, 113 Beverly Hills Drive, Beverly Hills Subdivision, Dolores, Taytay, open Wednesdays to Thursdays from 8am to 4pm and Fridays to Sundays 7am to 4pm. Although walk-ins are welcome, table reservation is highly recommended through email (burrowcafe@gmail.com) or mobile (+63 917 6229795). For more details, visit the Antipolo Beehouse website.

Notes:

Beverly Hills Subdivision charges Php20 for cara entering the area so keep some change handy.
The resto is not wheelchair-friendly.
You might also want to check out the cafe’s retail area which sells reusable straws, homemade self-care products, zero-waste household ware and paper products.

Unwinding at Manila Hotel’s Tap Room

Taking advantage of a credit card promo, my mother-in-law treated us to dinner at Manila Hotel’s Tap Room to celebrate my sister-in-law’s birthday.

Manila Hotel is a historic 5-star hotel located along Manila Bay. Built in 1909, it is the oldest premiere hotel in the Philippines.

The Tap Room is Manila Hotel’s English pub-inspired bar. Its dim lighting, dark wood interiors, plush seating and soothing jazz music from live performers make it an appropriate place to unwind in with your favorite drink.

While waiting for our orders, we were served with salted peanuts and green peas to go with our drinks (mine was, of course, a double shot of Bailey’s).

Our food orders included:

Being located in a 5-star hotel, the Tap Room’s service was top-notch. The wait staff was elegantly dressed, very accommodating and helpful. They even brought out a slice of chocolate mousse as a birthday treat for my sister-in-law.

The food was well-presented and well-flavored. However, given the pricing, hanging out at the Tap Room for dining or drinks is not something I can do too often.

Tap Room is located at the Ground Floor, The Manila Hotel, 1 Rizal Park, Ermita, Manila.