I’ve always had a soft spot for paella. As one of the most well-known Spanish dishes with a long history, it enjoys great visibility, not just in Spanish restaurants but also in Pinoy fiestas.
The paella got its name from the shallow frying pan in which it is cooked and even served. Originating from the Valencia region in Spain, it combines both the Roman and Arab culinary traditions. Most iterations of this dish is characterized by its vibrant yellow color owing to the generous use of saffron which also contributes to its unique taste. One of the exceptions here is the Paella Negra which gets its color and flavor from the squid ink mixed in with the rice.
Having been colonized by Spain for three centuries, it is hardly surprising that the Philippines would develop a love for this dish, even making our own version – the arroz ala valenciana – which uses glutinous rice with chicken and longganisa or chorizo.
Well, the good news for us paella lovers is that we don’t have to travel far nor wait for a fiesta to get a taste of our favorite dish.
At the newly opened stall at SM Megamall’s Eatogether Food Hall, we can get this flavorful rice dish and pick the toppings we want to go with it.
Together with my fellow foodies, I was able to sample some of its solo servings.
Check them out:
Roasted Chicken Paella (Php235).
Pork Belly Paella (Php215).
Seafood Paella (Php185).
Paella Negra (Php290).
Aside from its many paella iterations, Hola Paella also serves appetizers such as:
Chicken Burrito (Php250).
Nachos with Pulled Pork (Php160).
It’s great to see that one of my favorite dishes is so readily available.
In fact, I brought home a Paella de Carne (Php710) for the fam’s dinner the next day. All I had to do was reheat the rice (with a little bit of stirring at first) in a large cast iron skillet and leave it alone on the stove for a few minutes to form a little bit of soccarat – the toasted and caramelized rice crust that forms at the bottom of skillet which gives the dish a whole new dimension of flavor.
Hola Paella is located at Eatogether Food Hall, Second Floor SM Megamall Building A, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.
If you want to have your paella at home, you can order from Hola Paella via GrabFood, FoodPanda or Poodtrip.
For more info on Hola Paella and its latest offers, follow it on Facebook or Instagram.
Disclosure: I attended a food-tasting here together with fellow foodies. All food items mentioned here were served for us to sample the fare and elicit our honest feedback.
Check out my posts on other stalls at Eatogether Food Hall:
Admit it: we women past a certain age do have some limitations on what we can subject our body and our consciousness to on a typical night out.
Gone are the days when we can party until dawn, dance to reverberating music, drink until we’re wasted or whatever the young ‘uns are doing nowadays.
Nope, we #TitasOfManila are happy to sit in comfort in well-lit, well-ventilated restos, sipping our favorite teas or even wines, animatedly chatting with our girls.
You wouldn’t think that us titas will be caught dead hanging out at Walrus, would you?
Walrus Fil-Mex Cantina, that mecca where young college girls and boys can congregate and enjoy affordably priced and imaginatively prepared Mexican-Filipino dishes, is something outside the tita‘s comfort zone.
Or is it?
Read on, dearies. Here’s how you can survive, nay, own a night out at Walrus:
One: Dress light and stay cool.
Leave the blazers at the office and the wool scarves at home. There’s no air-conditioning here so it would be best to dress as light as possible and order a cool drink as soon as you arrive.
Two: Leave the car at home.
Parking is at a premium so save yourself the stress of driving and looking for parking space. Just book yourself a Grab Car going to and from the place. This way, you can indulge in some beers or cocktails with no worries.
Three: Let them hear the song of our people.
Don’t be afraid to request for your favorite songs from the DJ. Whether it be the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe,” Los Lobos’ “Macarena,” or Next’s “Too Close,” feel free to sing or dance along.
Who knows? You might catch some of the young ‘uns singing and dancing along, too. (A testament to remarkable taste in music, if so.)
Four: Forget counting calories.
Both Mexican and Filipino food are heavily influenced by Spanish cuisine, and are known for heartiness and flavor. It would be a shame if your diet will make you miss out on these affordable and tasty treats:
Sisig Nachos Locos (Php130). Heated tortilla chips smothered in melted cheese and spicy sisig.
Walrus Famous Chicken Skin (Php80). Crunchy and savory deep-fried chicken skin. You’ll keep reaching for more.
Chicken and Sisig Thrilla in Quesadilla (Php130 and Php120, respectively). Craving for cheese? Satisfy that hunger with these quesadillas.
Beef and Chicken Tacos of the Town (Php140 and Php130, respectively). Warm tortilla folded over cheese and sauteed beef or chicken.
Kare-Kare Fab-burrito (Php170). This hearty Mexican roll with that meaty and peanut-ty rice filling is all you need to satisfy your hunger.
Five: Quench your thirst.
With these sultry summer nights, you’ll need ice-cold drinks to cool you down. Check out Walrus’ beverage options:
Mad Amigo (Php80). Fruity apple plus rum. How could you go wrong with that?
Strawberry Fields Forever (Php250). A tall pitcher of strawberry and basil with a slight kick.
Horchata (Php60). Not feeling like imbibing alcohol? Try this intriguing concoction made of rice milk and flavored by vanilla and cinnamon.
Six: Have fun with your friends.
Aside from good food, a great time is assured by great company. So make Walrus the venue of your next #TitaConference. Show them young ‘uns how titas get down!
Walrus Fil-Mex Cantina is located at 3rd Floor, 318-A Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 11am to 2am. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 917 5931630.
Did you know you can buy two drinks and get the same two drinks for free at Walrus through Zomato Gold? 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.
Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a foodie meetup held in this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Check out my reviews of other restaurants serving Mexican food:
In the mood for a gastronomic adventure? Look no further than Vatos Urban Tacos for good food, cool vibes and a great time. Here are five reasons why you should check this place out:
One: It’s a cool place to hang out in
Located at the ground floor of Net Park Building in BGC, Vatos’ store is characterized, not by the traditionally colorful Mexican decor, but by an industrial, almost steampunk aesthetic. Bare concrete walls tastefully adorned with black and white photos and exposed pipes, lamps hanging from the ceiling giving muted light, dark wood tables and an accent wall of broken bricks on top of the bar were elements inspired by the very first Vatos outlet in Korea. These give the place a cool urban vibe that make it a great stopover after work to eat, have a few drinks and relax.
And ladies, those inverted faucets under the tabletops serve as bag hooks!
Two: It’s your intro to #KorMex
Vatos (from the Mexican slang for “men” or “dudes”) was actually born out of the desire of three Korean-American friends – Sid Kim, Kenny Park and Juweon Jonatham Kim – to offer a new type of dining experience in the Asian market. Having grown up in areas of the US where they have access to authentic Mexican dishes, while being fed a steady diet of homemade Korean food by their moms, they came to mix and match the cuisines. These experimentations resulted to exciting new dishes, especially for adventurous seekers of spicy food. These include:
Kimchi Carnitas Fries (Php350). A hearty serving of seasoned French fries, braised pork carnitas, melted cheese and sauteed kimchi topped with chopped cilantro and onions, sour cream and Vatos signature hot sauce.
Honey Tequila Chicken Wings (Php490). Can something so good be hot and sweet at the same time? Apparently yes, with these meaty chicken wings coated with a sweet and spicy honey tequila sauce and served with deep-fried battered jalapenos and bleu cheese dipping sauce.
Vatos Cowboy Queso (Php390). For a rich savory taste of the Wild West, dip a crunchy had-cut corn tortilla into this molten dip of cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, black beans, pico de gallo and cilantro lime crema. You’ll surely be coming back for more.
The Fat Bastard Burrito Bowl (Php560). A filling bowl of Mexican rice and black beans combined with tender bits of carne asada steak, pork barbacoa and grilled fajita vegetables, with fresh Mexican flavors from cilantro onion, cilantro lime crema, fresh guacamole, chipotle salsa and Vatos hot sauce.
Grilled Chicken Fajita Platter (Php850). Grilled chicken thigh and fajita veggies served on a sizzling hot plate along with Mexican rice, pico de gallo, chimichurri, cilantro lime crema, Vatos hot sauce and warm flour tortillas.
Korean Pork Belly Taco (Php290 for 2 pieces | Php430 for 3 pieces | Php600 for platter). One of the resto’s much-vaunted urban taco options, this platter, this features pork belly marinated in Korean soy paste, ssamjang aioli, sliced fresh and pickled onions.
Chimichurri Chicken Taco (Php259 for 2 pieces | Php370 for 3 pieces | Php600 for platter). Spicy chicken flakes topped with a sweet and tangy chimichurri salsa, lettuce, sour cream and Mexican cheese.
Baja Fish Taco (Php280 for 2 pieces | Php410 for 3 pieces | Php600 for platter). White fish coated with tempura beer batter served with spicy chipotle mayo, pico de gallo and apple coleslaw.
Three: Why would you go through life without taking a sip of Vatos’ crazy margaritas?
Margeritas are tequila and citrus-based cocktails which serves as refreshing drinks and worthy foils to spicy Mexican dishes. Vatos’ ‘ritas have a nice variety that you can choose one that suits your craving or mood.
The sweetest among Vatos’ margarita offerings is the Sexy Sanchez (Php480), a fruity strawberry margarita served with an upended bottle of Magners Berry Cider.
Grow-a-Pear (Php480), on the other hand, is less sweet though no less fruity being made of passion fruit margarita accompanied by an upended bottle of Magners Pear Cider.
If the ‘ritas are not your cup of tea (more like alcohol of choice!), how about another shot of #KorMex fusion with the Makgeolitas (Php320)? Tequila meets Korean rice-based alcohol resulting to a sweet and tangy concoction that packs a wallop.
Four: There’s something for your sweet tooth too!
With all the fresh citrusy and rich earthy flavors, generously infused with a spicy kick stemming from Vatos’ Korean and Mexican roots, capping your meal with a decadent dessert can be quite an indulgence.
Take the Nutella Nachos (Php225), for example. Cinnamon powder and sugar dust crispy tortilla triangles drizzled with hazelnut Nutella sauce. Topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, each mouthful is an explosion of sweetness.
A new addition to Vatos’ menu, the Bacon Jalapeno Brownie (Php180) is an interesting study of contrasts. Sweetness from the chocolate and candied walnuts, savory from the crispy bacon bits, and spiciness from the jalapeno that was included in the mix for some reason. One bite and I just want to delve into its mysteries, unravel its complexities and discover what makes it tick. Long story short, yeah, I liked it. (Thank you, Captain Obvious!)
Five: It has special treats in store for you as it turns a year old this February.
When you visit Vatos as it celebrates its first anniversary, you’re definitely in for a treat!
Feel like crooning out your signature song while accompanied by an acoustic guitar? Make sure you’re at Vatos on February 1 (Fri), 7pm for its Open Mic Acoustic Night with Dindo and Ryan.
And for all you 80s and 90s kids out there who can’t get enough of the past decades’ great tunes, DJ Erwin Paz will be there on February 2 (Sat), 8pm to play the sounds you’ve been missing.
And, on those days, you will discover that your Php100 bill can get you very far: you can either get a huge glass of margarita, or a pair of scrumptious tacos.
Vatos is a welcome new foodie discovery in itself but with its imaginative fusion menu and anniversary activities, it can become a new favorite.
Vatos Urban Tacos is located at Net Park Building, 5th AvenuelBonifacio Global City, Taguig. For inquiries, call +63 2 4597009 or +63 967 2464781. More information on its dishes and drinks are available at www.vatosph.com.
Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a foodie meetup held in this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Another recent addition to the establishments in the foodie-friendly Kapitolyo neighborhood is Tittos Latin BBQ and Brew. The family and I were treated here by the in-laws for SIL’s birthday.
Tittos’ imposing exteriors lead into bright and airy interiors, complete with festive and colorful artwork and decor that give the place a vibrant South American feel.
Latin American cuisine is an amalgamation of food from South American countries wherein common items include maize-based dishes (such as tortillas, tamales and tacos), various salsas and other condiments such as guacamole, chili and chimichurri. This cuisine is also heavily influenced by other cultures, particularly Native American (from which Latin cuisine got its predilection for corn), African (from which the use of less desired cuts of meat are perfected into distinct dishes), and European (resulting from colonization of several Latin American countries during the Age of Exploration).
Our food orders certainly embodied Tittos’ myriad of influences.
Our starters:
Churrasco Beef Salpicao (Php345). Grilled beef cubes sauteed in herb butter with mushrooms and onion crisps.
Salted Egg Shrimp Taco (Php145). The crispy shrimp morsels, curry leaves and salted egg sauce give this dish an Asian flavor.
Verduras Taco (Php125). Another Asian-inspired dish with steamed cauliflower and tofu flavored with sweet and spicy soy glaze, pico de gallo and melted cheese.
Arroz Negra Paella (Php495 for Medio, good for 2-3 people). The squid-ink flavored rice served as the backdrop for the chorizos, oysters, prawns and squid rings.
Titto’s Chicharon (Php650). Our favorite crispy pata served with spiced vinegar and chimichurri.
Pollo Asado (Php695 for Todo or Whole Chicken). Roast chicken served with chimichurri, mango relish and side vegetables.
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake (Php195). The delectable caramel-based cheesecake with a new twist – a chocolate sauce with oodles of caramelized cornflakes.
Frozen Brazo de Mercedes (Php195). The favorite and familiar brazo de mercedes modified intona cheesecake.
Ube Churros (Php225). Sizeable ube churros served with white chocolate frosting, caramel and drizzled with chocolate syrup.
Learn more about Latin American cuisine with these books on Amazon.com!
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Jellybeans in the City 