nightlife – Jellybeans in the City

The Jelly List: Countdown to sundown at Lamp Quarters, Marikina

The sun may rise in the East but that doesn’t mean that the fun stops here when the sun goes down.

Lamp Quarters in Marikina, for example, is one of the prime destinations east of Manila where things definitely liven up from late afternoon to late night.

Looking for a place to spend the waning hours of the day with friends? Lamp Quarters is your best bet, because:

Being located in the Marikina suburbs, it provides a welcome escape from the noise and traffic woes you experience in most parts of the metro.
It has a sprawling outdoor dining area where you can comfortably meet up with your pals over some brews, cues and even a bit of booze.
It houses several establishments that cater to diverse cravings.

So join me and my foodie friends as we count down to sundown at various foodie hotspots here at Lamp Quarters, Marikina!

4… Celsius Cafe Lounge for coffee connoisseurs

Get a taste of the sheer wondrous variety of coffee the world has to offer at Celsius Cafe Lounge.

A third-wave coffee shop that serves handcrafted brews from single-origin coffee beans sourced from various countries, Celsius is sure to broaden your coffee horizons!

Top coffee finds here include:

Filtered Coffee from Tanzania.

Espresso Affogato.

Spanish Latte.

Want some bites to go along with your brews? Then nibble on these sweet and savory snacks!

Pork Floss.

Danish Bread.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich,

Ube Queso de Bola Cheesecake.

Celsius also offers all-day breakfast with free coffee.

To know more about this extraordinary coffee shop, follow Celsius Cafe Lounge on Facebook and Instagram.

3… Tongara Ramen for ramen lovers

If you’ve been craving ramen then look no further than Lamp Quarters’ ramen destination: Tongara Ramen.

Lauded for its signature broth which is also its namesake – ton from tonkotsu (made from pork bones) and gara from torigara (made ftom chicken bones), it serves up ramen and other Japanese dishes that are sure to excite ramen lovers.

Check out its best-sellers:

Tongara Ramen.

Ebi Miso Ramen.

Tantanramen.

Tsukemen.

Karaage.

Spicy Chicken.

Tonkatsu.

Gyoza.

To support the drive for herd immunity, Tongara Ramen is also serving free gyoza for every ramen purchase upon presentation of your COVID-19 vaccination card until September 2020.

You can also enjoy Tongara’s signature dishes at home by ordering a Tongara Home Kit Bundle for pickup or delivery:

For 2 (Php1,800). Includes 2 Tongara Ramen kits and 1 frozen karaage kit
For 4 (Php2,300). Includes 2 Tongara Ramen kits, 1 frozen gyoza kit and 1 frozen karaage kit

For more deets on what you can enjoy here, follow Tongara Ramen on Facebook and Instagram.

2… Wing Commander for food trippers

Are you a kapakpak? Then hie yourself over to Wing Commander where you can embark on an unli food trip.

For just Php198, bite into unlimited crispy fried chicken wings, coated in sauces of international flavors and accompanied by filling portions of fries and rice. Add Php78 and you can have a bottomless drink to go with your meal.

Wing your next foodie adventure with these flavors:

Filipino Barbecue.

American Honey Mustard.

Chinese Szechuan.

Russian Thousand Island.

Japanese Wasabi.

Indian Cumin.

Fasten your seatbelts because at Wing Commander, the chicken bites and the chikahan are non-stop!

For the latest scoop on Wing Commander, follow it on Facebook.

1… Opening soon, Bar by East for cocktails

Want to cap the night with a drink or two? Pretty soon, Lamp Quarters will let you in on a little secret… a hidden bar!

The trendy office space of architectural firm Emerging Architects Studio (EAST) will give way to a hip and happenin’ secret bar at night!

Here’s a sneak peek at some of its refreshing classic cocktails:

Whisky Sour. Made with whisky, lemon, brown sugar, bitters.

Cold Brew Martini. Made with vodka, cold brew and coffee liqueur.

Whisky Highball. Made with whisky, ginger ale and citrus.

Gin and Tonic. Made with gin, tonic water, and citrus.

Margarita. Made with tequila, orange liqueur, lime, and salt.

Daiquiri. Made with white run, lime, sugar syrup.

Negroni. Made with gin, campari, and sweet vermouth.

Not much of a tippler? Never fear because the barista can concoct a non-alcoholic beverage for you just like this “Gel and Tonic” (a mocktail jokingly named by the barista after me, hahaha!) made with cold brew, tonic water and citrus.

The good news is that you won’t have to travel far for a hidden bar adventure!

Bar by EAST will be opening to the public soon. In the meantime, it is available for intimate private events. For inquiries, send a message to EAST on Instagram.

So don’t let the sundown get you down: welcome the end of the day with good food, good fun and good friends at Lamp Quarters!

Lamp Quarters is located along Gil Fernando Street, Centro de Buenviaje, Bgy Santo Nino, Marikina City. For updates on its special promos and events, follow Lamp Quarters on Facebook and Instagram.

For inquiries, call Lamp Quarters +63 917 6520324 or email lamp.quarters@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Together with my foodie friends, I attended a food tasting held at this venue. Food items mentioned here were served to elicit honest feedback and were not paid for by the attendees.

El Chante, Poblacion

Denizens of Poblacion in Makati are probably already familiar with the previous site of the Johnny Walker House in Pobacion. Located at the corner of Dona Carmen Street and Kalayaan Avenue, it is a touchstone for those seeking the night life.

In fact, a few months back, a special viewing party for the premiere for Game of Thrones Season 8 was held right here.

Today, it is the place to be for music, food and drinks have a hot Latin flavor under the name El Chante.

Chante is a colloquial Spanish word for “home.” And those who prefer their nightlife eats and entertainment to have that saucy Latin quality would surely feel at home here.

Together with my fellow foodies from #WeLoveToEat, I ventured to Poblacion and its newest nightlife destination. The Latin-style bar chow and eats we sampled include:

Salchipapas (Php200 for single | Php250 for platter). A portmanteau of Spanish words salchicha (“sausage”) and papas (“potatoes”), this Peruvian street food consist thinly sliced pan-fried sausages drizzled with ketchup and other sauces.

Beef Empanadas (Php200). Baked pastry turnovers with savory ground beef filling. Be sure to ask for extra servings of El Chante’s special sauce. You’ll know why as soon as you dip the empanada (or any of the bar chow) in it.

Buffalo Chicken Wings (Php200 for single | Php380 for platter) and Buffalo Chicken Tenders (Php250 for single | Php420 for platter). Unbreaded and deep-fried chicken pieces coated in zesty and spicy buffalo sauce prior to serving.

Cheesy Cheese Sticks (Php200) and Chili Cheese Sticks (Php200). Sticks of cheese wrapped in egg roll wrappers; the spicier ones – also called dynamite rolls – have chili peppers in them along with the cheese.

Mozzarella Sticks (Php250). Breaded and deep-fried slices of mozzarella cheese.

Nachos (Php200 for single | Php380 for platter). Freshly made tortillas deep-fried to a crisp and topped with cheese sauce, pulled pork, special mayo and salsa.

Salivating yet? Well, these bar chow are just half the fun. Wait ’til you get a taste of El Chante’s house cocktails that are just full to the brim of pop culture references!

The Irish Trash Can (Php250). Made with vodka, gin, rum, peach schnapps, blue curacao, triple sec and one can of red bull. If this doesn’t get you in a partying mood, I don’t know what will.

Mermaid’s Drink (Php250). Here’s something to cheer Ariel up! Lemon juice mixed with simple syrup, vodka, midori and blue curacao make up this drink that brings you to the seaside with every sip.

White Walker (Php250). Named after the chillest (literally!) characters in Game of Thrones, this drink consists of orchata liquer, vanilla cream soda, cream, rum and blue curacao.

Butter Beer (Php250). This is definitely NOT the Hogsmeade drink as this has beer and Liquor 45. Drink your heart out, Harry Potter!

Planning a fun night out with the gang? Check out El Chante’s special take on tequila shots. Instead of salt and lemon, brown sugar and orange slices accompany the shots of Olmeca tequila. Toast among your friends with this for just Php500 for every five shots.

Plus, there’s an open bar for just Php600 from 9pm to 12 midnight everyday.

Well, it sure looks like Poblacion’s party people have a new rockin’ destination.

El Chante is located at the Third Floor, 8456 Dona Carmen Street corner Kalayaan Avenue, Poblacion, Makati City, open Sundays too Thursdays from 8pm to 5am and Fridays to Saturdays from 8pm to 7am. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 995 8651999 or +63 917 6395487.

Disclosure: Together with my fellow foodies, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held at 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 bars and watering holes in the Metro:

Photo Credit: Alex of BoyEatWorldPH for the barkada shot.

Friday night hang out at Padi’s Point, Tomas Morato

For decades now, Padi’s Point has remained the after-hours drinking and gimik place for the barkada. Padi’s Point’s branch here in the foodie-friendly Tomas Morato area provides local residents and office workers a place to hang loose and relax with their buddies while enjoying their favorite drinks and pulutan.

This particular Friday night, my friends from #WeLoveToEatPH and I all trooped to Padi’s Point Tomas Morato for some early evening food and drinks.

By early evening, this Padi’s Point is ready for people who want to eat, drink and have a good time. Its extensive menu Filipino dishes and bar chow, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will have something for everyone in the gang. And if some in your group would like to get down on the dance floor, who’s to judge?

Our group’s Friday evening chow included:

Padi’s Original Sisig (Php280). The house special sisig that seem to find it’s way to every inuman session.

Mexican Pizza (Php360). Who would have thought you can top a pizza with sausage, onion rings, bell peppers and nacho chips?

Barkada Supreme (Php730). Finger-foods to go with the barkada’s drinks: onion rings, cheese sticks, french fries, chicken nuggets and mushroom poppers.

Barrio Feast (Php705). Everyone’s favorite fried and grilled dishes: fried chicken, fried tilapia, inihaw na liempo and pusit, accompanied by tokwa’t baboy and ensalada.

Garlic Mushrooms (Php170). Plump and succulent champignon mushroom halves that go well with your favorite drink.

What a great start to the weekend! Thanks to EJ of ILoveToEatPH for extending the invite!

In the mood for a longer hang out sesh with the gang? Take advantage of the Padi’s Point’s Summer Tower treat! Get a cocktail tower, that’s 3 liters of your choice of cocktails to fuel laughter and some good-natured ribbing from the gang.

This Padi’s Point branch is located at Ground Floor Century Imperial Suites, Tomas Morato Corner Timog Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 4pm to 6am. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 9207864 or +63 2 9278001.

Other branches are located at:

Alpha D Compound, Sumulong Highway, Santa Cruz, Lower Antipolo, Rizal
Sumulong Memorial Circle, Dalig, Upper Antipolo, Rizal
Second Floor, SKY Garden, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Coliseum Center, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City
Third Floor, Femar Arcade Philcoa, 34 Masaya Street, Diliman, Quezon City
375 Quirino Highway corner Tandang Sora Avenue, Sangandaan, Quezon City
Robinsons Nova Market, Quirono Highway, Novaliches, Quezon City
Exterior Second Floor, Star Mall EDSA-Shaw Boulevard, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong
Gil Puyat Avenue, Libertad, Pasay City
Second Floor, Empire Center EDSA Mall, Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, Libertad, Pasay
463 Remedios Street, Malate, Manila
A.H. Lacson Avenue across SM San Lazaro, Santa Cruz, Manila
Second Floor, The Grandz Commercial Center, MacArthur Highway, South Caloocan, Caloocan City
The Grills, Yellow Building Filinvest, South Station, Filinvest City, Muntinlupa
Alabang-Zapote Road, Pamplona, Las Pinas

Disclosure: Together with other foodies from #WeLoveToEatPH, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held at 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 Filipino restaurants: