kiosk – Jellybeans in the City

One of my challenges as a work-from-home mommy during quarantine is keeping the fam energized for all the things we need to do at home. Whether these tasks involve Zoom meetings with work colleagues, attending online classes or simply doing our tasks to maintain the household, giving Hubby and kiddos a tasty snack to tide them over between mealtimes is crucial to the continued harmony of our home during quarantine.

One of my go-to snack treats for the fam is the Jamaican Pattie.

As its name implies, this meat-filled pastry came from Jamaica but had roots from among the various cultures present in the country during its colonial period. From the Cornish immigrants came the baked pastry, while the Indian and African laborers contributed the use of cumin, curry and cayenne pepper. Together, these influences have produced a tasty and filling savory dish.

Here in Manila, the Jamaican Pattie was introduced and popularized by de Original Jamaican Pattie Shop & Juice Bar. In these kiosks, the delicious pastries are baked – not fried – fresh everyday.

For the kiddos and myself, the Cheezy Beef Jamaican patties hit the spot while Hubby’s favorite pattie is the Cheezy Pinatubo. The patties’ flaky crust and generous filling make for an enjoyable family snackin’.

Previously, we could only get these patties when we go to malls but since the quarantine, the chain’s kiosks have begun offering their wares for delivery via its official delivery partner Coco Delivery, or through GrabFood and FoodPanda.

Download the Grab App and get a discount on your first food order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

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

Check out my blog posts on comfort food joints around the metro:

After some emergency grocery shopping (brought about by my need to stock up on food items during prolonged inclement weather) at Unimart in Capitol Commons, the fam discovered Wagyu by Monica‘s pop up store. I should probably say my son’s insatiable tummy discovered it as we had just eaten lunch at Locavore in nearby Kapitolyo but he was still looking for some snacks. 🙂

Anyway, I also got attracted by the smell of steak grilling so I walked over to the stall. Hubby gamely sponsored a stick each of saikoro steaks (grilled wagyu tenderloin cubes) at Php100 each for the kids and ourselves so that we all would be able to taste this delicacy.

(For those who want to eat it with Japanese rice, you would need to shell out Php130 for 1 wagyu stick and Php220 for 2 sticks. Extra Japanese rice will cost you Php30.)

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Pure #wagyu beef from Japan at @wagyubymonica. Each cube is 100% juicy, tender and flavorful wagyu served fresh from the pan. At Php100/stick, this is a relatively affordable indulgence. Check out my review at beingjellybeans.wordpress.com (search: Wagyu). #foodie #foodporn #foodstagram #foodiegram #foodgasm #nom #nomnom #nomnomnom #igers #igersmanila #delish #happytummy

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Aug 12, 2018 at 12:12am PDT

Saikoro steak is a popular izakaya (Japanese tapas style dish). The name translates to “dice” as the steaks are sliced into cubes similar to dice.

These saikoro steaks were even more special as they were made of 100% wagyu beef imported from Japan. Wagyu beef is known for its rich flavor owing to its increased marbling when compared to other beef varieties.

That taste was enough to convince us that we should have it for dinner tonight so Hubby again forked out Php800 for a container with a half-kilo (around 42-45 cubes) of these premium wagyu . The quarter-kilo (around 22-25 cubes) container was priced at Php500 and the 1-kilo (around 88-90 cubes) container was priced at Php1,500.

At home, I thawed the package out for 30 minutes then placed 2 cubes per mini-skewer (using the skewers I bought from All About Baking) to approximate the cooking and eating experience we had at the pop up store. Then, following Hubby’s advice, I didn’t marinate the cubes anymore but placed them on a hot non-stick cookware (no oil or butter needed) to pan-grill them.

Per package instructions, I seared four sides of the cubes for 2 minutes each to achieve a medium well doneness. (Alternatively, you can sear the sides for 1 minute for rare doneness or for 3 minutes for well doneness). I just seasoned the cubes with a little salt and pepper to taste (I was careful not to overseason the cubes as they were already flavorful enough) and served them with hot steamed rice.

Well, the flavorfully juicy and melt-in-your-mouth saikoro steaks were a hit with the fam and now I’m already planning to buy the kilo container and serve the wagyu cubes during our next family gathering. It would be a bit expensive but still worth it!

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Cooked these beautiful and #delish #wagyucubes from @wagyubymonica. I bought a half-kilo of these yummies for Php800 earlier after I sampled a stick of these yummies at their stall at Unimart in Capitol Commons. You should smell it while it was cooking! The dish was a success with the fam and I’m already planning to serve this on the next family gathering. Check out my review at beingjellybeans.wordpress.com (search: wagyu). #wagyudoin #wagyu #wagyucookin #wagyuph #foodie #foodporn #foodstagram #foodiegram #foodgasm #nom #nomnom #nomnomnom #igers #igersmanila #happytummy

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Aug 12, 2018 at 7:38am PDT

Wagyu by Monica’s Pop Up Stores can be found at:

Unimart Capitol Commons: from Monday to Sunday, 10am to 10pm
EDSA Shangri-la Plaza Food Forum: from Friday to Saturday, 10am to 10pm
UP Town Center (beside Bon Chon): from Friday to Saturday, 10am to 10pm
SIDCOR Sunday Market (at ETON Centris): Sunday, 6am to 2pm
Cash and Carry Makati: open Monday to Sunday for 2 weeks (August 13 to 26), from 10am to 10pm.

Wagyu by Monica also delivers to any location in Metro Manila, accepting payments via online transfers or over-the-counter deposits in BDO or BPI. It also accepts cash on delivery with at Php130 charge on top of shipping fee.

Their wagyu cubes have a shelf life of one year they are kept in yhe freezer.

Contact Wagyu by Monica through: