ombu kusina – Jellybeans in the City

Ombu Kusina ushers in the season of feasting with 4 flavors of its Thrice-Cooked Crispy Pata

There’s no doubt that for most people, the most wonderful time of the year is defined by feasting and merry-making. Of course, a great part of any festivity is the food served.

Filipino holiday parties always have that centerpiece dish: a show-stopping viand that excites guests and hosts alike.

And just in time for this season of feasting, Ombu Kusina re-introduces its Thrice-Cooked Crispy Pata, now with four flavors to titillate the taste buds of true-blue Pinoy food lovers!

The destination for modern Filipino cuisine

For quite some time, Ombu Kusina has been championing “modern Filipino cuisine.” It takes the flavors that we have grown up with, then breaks the rules in preparation and cooking, even incorporating foreign influences, resulting to new and exciting experiences with tastes and textures that are quite familiar to us.

Having discovered for myself Ombu Kusina’s tasty offerings five years ago, I found myself returning time and again to enjoy new ways to enjoy Filipino food. Whether I’m with my coworkers, family or foodie friends, I know that a meal shared at Ombu Kusina will always be memorable.

Ombu Kusina, Tomas Morato — Foodie Friends

Thrice-Cooked Crispy Pata in Four Flavors

Crispy Pata holds a special place in many a Pinoy’s heart (and taste buds!), wouldn’t you agree?

Seeing this flavorful dish on a party spread ensures a happy and festive meal that can be thoroughly enjoyed by everyone at the table. After all, with its crispy skin giving way to tender and savory meat, accompanied by dipping sauces that allow diners to customize every bite, Crispy Pata can be counted on to bring people together while sharing their favorite Pinoy flavors.

Ombu Kusina takes this much-loved Filipino dish to the next level by marinating then deep-frying the succulent pork leg three times, locking in the meat’s rich flavors and creating that perfect crunchy texture on the skin.

This holiday season, Ombu Kusina showcases new facets to this dish by offering it in four flavors:

Whether you prefer to stick to the classic or venture to new flavors, you can be sure that Crispy Pata will always be a welcome addition to your table.

Want to bring its flavorful and crispy goodness to your home or office parties? the good news is that it’s available for delivery and pick-up. Ombu Kusina’s Thrice-Cooked Crispy Pata comes in a specially designed packaging that seals in its flavors and freshness and makes it handy to carry to your shindig. The box also includes easy-to-follow reheating instructions so you can enjoy your crispy pata hot and delicious. Adding a show-stopping dish to your potluck has never been easier, right?

Make any of its variants a part of your holiday meal for just Php895!

A celebration of Pinoy flavors

At Ombu Kusina, you can enjoy an array of Filipino flavors, all lovingly prepared with your enjoyment in mind. Whether you’re game for a quick snack, meeting up for a meal or gathering for a big celebration, you can sate your appetite for Pinoy food here.

With such a mouthwatering celebration of the myriad possibilities inherent in Filipino cuisine available here, is it any wonder that it has remained among my favorite restaurants for the past few years?

So celebrate the great flavors of Pinoy food at Ombu Kusina. Don’t miss the chance to experience the goodness of modern Filipino cuisine with your family and friends through intimate meals or large, boisterous gatherings.

Ombu Kusina is located at Ground Floor, Sequioa Hotel, 91-93 Mother Ignacia Street, Brgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 7am to 9pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 84410518 or +63 969 5972249, or email omburestaurant@yahoo.com.

Disclosure: Together with other food content creators, I attended a food tasting event held at this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare in exchange for honest feedback.

Check out my previous posts about Ombu Kusina:

Modern Filipino Cuisine at Ombu Kusina, Tomas Morato

Say hello to a great summer with Ombu Kusina’s Flavored Ice Halo-Halo

Revitalizing the #ReturnToOffice day with lunch at Ombu Kusina

I’ve finally (and with quite a bit of resistance) returned to the office.

While I may gripe about the traffic and the long commute from my home to my workplace near Tomas Morato in Quezon City, I honestly can’t complain about the expanded variety of dining choices come lunchtime.

So when the lunch hour came, my officemates and I trooped to our go-to place for modern Filipino cuisine to revitalize ourselves for the rest of our workday with good food and good vibes.

Modern Filipino cuisine is a contemporary take on traditional Filipino food, fusing together traditional Filipino dishes with modern cooking techniques and ingredients, resulting in new and exciting flavors and presentations.

Modern Filipino cuisine is characterized by its use of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, innovative cooking techniques, and creative plating.

All these and more can be found at Ombu Kusina.

With its warm and inviting ambiance, it has the perfect atmosphere to enjoy the meal with my coworkers. Plus, the interiors are tastefully decorated, creating a cozy and welcoming environment that made us feel right at home.

The staff are also friendly and attentive, providing us with updates on the restaurant’s menu and even gamely snapping some photos of our #HappyLunch experience.

But, of course, Ombu Kusina’s main draw is its food and we lost no time in satisfying our taste buds with its tasty and comforting offerings:

Binakol (₱390). Chicken soup flavored with ginger, lemongrass and coconut water.

Gising-gising (₱300). Sauteed green beans and ground pork in spicy coconut sauce.

Crispy Tilapia Fillet (₱460). Crispy breaded tilapia fillet served with soy vinegar dipping sauce.

Thrice-Cooked Crispy Pata (₱895). Deep-fried pork leg served with soy vinegar dipping sauce. A true Pinoy fave!

Frozen Brazo de Mercedes (₱220). Layers of frozen soft meringue, custard filling and ice cream on a crumbly graham cracker crust.

Tres Leches Halo-Halo (₱180). TBH, this is what I came here for: a refreshing dessert made with sweetened beans, fruits, ube halaya and leche flan covered with a milk-flavored finely shaved ice.

Having our happy lunch Ombu Kusina is a superb experience, thanks to the restaurant’s fresh takes on Filipino cuisine, warm and inviting ambiance and excellent service.

My coworkers and I might not all be in favor of returning to the office, but at least, we have delicious moments like this to savor with each other and give us some new vigor for the rest of our office day.

Ombu Kusina is located at Ground Floor, Sequioa Hotel, Mother Ignacia Street, Brgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily for dine-in, delivery and pickup from 6.30am to 9pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 84410518or +63 969 5972249.

Stay updated on its menu and offers by following Ombu Kusina on Facebook and Instagram.

Check out my previous posts about Ombu Kusina:

The Jelly List: Yummy national flavors to stoke your Pinoy Pride via GrabFood

With the Philippine Independence Day just around the corner, it’s definitely time to look back on some of the things that we can be proud of as a nation.

Being a foodie, I consider the sheer wondrous variety and flavor of Filipino cuisine as a definite achievement. Using our local ingredients and culinary traditions from our forbears as well as influences from foreigners and we produced a highly diverse, down-home yet flavorful array of dishes that are close to our hearts and appeal to our tastebuds.

Despite enjoying Filipino food in our hapag-kainan at home, we also go out and dine at Filipino restaurants because we simply can’t get enough of these flavors and we appreciate the unique spins that local chefs apply to our classic dishes.

And with the restrictions on dining out still in effect because of the pandemic, we are lucky that we can still have our Pinoy food cravings satisfied by our suking Filipino restaurants by having our favorite dishes delivered via GrabFood.

Check out latest #JellyList of Filipino dishes that you can enjoy at home:

Bulalong Lugaw by Soleras

The hearty rice porridge which serves as our go-to comfort food during rainy days just got a decadent makeover with the addition of hefty pieces of beef shanks (complete with bone marrow!).

The Jelly List: Unusual desserts to soothe your stress during quarantine

It’s been four months into the quarantine and with all the craziness that’s happening in and out of the country, many of us are feeling the literal and metaphorical heat.

I’m a firm believer in how the right kind of food improves one’s mood. And it just so happens that stressed spelled backwards is dessert.

Being a sweet tooth myself, of course I have a considerable bias towards desserts. (And words to the wise: biases are not inherently bad!)

Before I let my stress get the better of me, let me calm my mind down and yet excite my appetite as I present my picks for out-of-the-ordinary sweets.

These are usually reinterpretations or interesting tweaks to established dessert recipes, bringing something new to classic faves.

I also picked the ones that are currently available for pickup and delivery since most of us are stuck in our homes.

Frozen Brazo de Mercedes from Ombu Kusina

Ombu Kusina prides itself on its modern takes on Pinoy cuisine and this dessert is a prime example of that. Delightful layers of frozen soft meringue alternating custard filling, ice cream and graham cracker crust will make a great end to any meal.

Ombu Kusina is located at Ground Floor, Sequioa Hotel, Mother Ignacia Street, Brgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 9am to 8pm for dine-in, delivery and pickup. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 84411789 or +63 922 8149086, or email omburestaurant@yahoo.com.

The Jelly List: Fresh takes on Filipino food

The Philippine Independence Day is just around the corner and despite having a lot of restrictions on movements and dining out, there are still enough reasons to celebrate the flavors and ingenuity of Filipino cuisine.

Characterized by the interplay of sweet (tamis), sour (asim) and salty (alat) flavors, Pinoy food is rich in tradition and history, with many recipes passed down from one generation to the next.

Every once in a while, however, a kitchen maverick adds an unheard-of twist to an established Pinoy dish or adapts a foreign recipe by incorporating local ingredients or cooking styles which will result in an entirely new way to enjoy an old favorite.

In this edition of The Jelly List, let me share with you fresh takes on Filipino food from innovative restaurants. And since the community quarantine is still in effect in many areas in Metro Manila, I’ve chosen dishes from restaurants that are open for pickup or delivery.

Manam’s Caramelized Patis Wings (Php180)

Just when you thought that there couldn’t be another twist to fried chicken wings, Manam brings out this zesty appetizer flavored with patis (fish sauce). Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!

To order, visit MomentFood.com.

The Jelly List: The best of my foodie adventures in 2019

As we enter into the new year, it’s nice to look back on what made it so special.

I was lucky enough to take part in foodie meetups and special events that opened my eyes to new ways of enjoying good food.

Here are ten that are especially memorable:

1. Teavana TEA-volution Seminar at Starbucks, SM East

Starbucks is always associated with coffee but I learned that it also has a lot to offer when it comes to teas.

Last February, I joined the Teavana TEA-volution Tea Tasting Seminar, a Tea 101 if you will, where Starbucks Tea Master Jonas Velgado took my fellow foodies and I on guided tour through the history of teas, the tea-growing regions of the world and three flights of tea tasting which included full-leaf brewed teas and tea lattes.

Read more about it here.

Starbucks branches may be found all over Metro Manila.

2. Summer Menu Launch at Ombu Kusina, Tomas Morato

Ombu Kusina has a modern take on Filipino cuisine: infusing classic Pinoy dishes with new and exciting cooking styles and influences. These help to make Pinoy cuisine fresher and more relevant to a growing number of foodies, who are looking for their next food adventure.

Last March, it launched its summer menu which included new takes on the Pinoy classic halo-halo, which made use of the use of flavored ice: the flavors are infused into the ice, resulting to a more intense taste and creamier mouthfeel. I’m glad that my favorite among the three halo-halo flavors – the Tres Leches – have been included in the regular menu.

Read more about it here.

Ombu Kusina is located at the Ground Floor, Sequioa Hotel, Mother Ignacia corner Timog Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 6.30am to 10.30am. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 84411789.

3. Sunset Dining at Padi’s Point, Antipolo Sumulong

The original Padi’s Point along Sumulong Highway in Antipolo is known for its magnificent sunset views. It has long been considered a landmark in the area, with families, barkadas or even couples, making the trek up from all over the city to this restaurant to enjoy the chill ambiance, the homegrown food served here and, of course, the amazing scenery.

Padi’s Point offers a wide array of homegrown dishes that are best enjoyed family style.

Read more about it here.

This Padi’s Point branch is located at Alpha D Compound, Sumulong Highway, Santa Cruz, Lower Antipolo, Rizal, open daily for 24 hours. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 83443028.

4. Breakfast at Sammy’s Restaurant, Cainta

Sammy’s serves a carefully thought-out curation of Asian cuisine influenced, no doubt, by the seventeen years the couple spent in Jakarta where the chef obtained his diploma at the Jakarta Culinary Center in between gigs as singers in the Hotel Mulia Senayan Jakarta.

Sammy the Singing Chef and his wife Dorothy even serenede diners during dessert!

Read more about it here.

Sammy’s is located at 14 Raspberry Bend Street, Valley View Executive Subdivision Phase 3, San Juan, Cainta. The restaurant is open Tuesdays to Saturdays for breakfast from 7am to 11.30am and for dinner from 7pm to 10.30pm, and on Sundays for breakfast from 7am to 11.30am. Seating is strictly by reservation so call +63 939 1483960 to book your table.

5. First taste of isaw at Mang Ding’s, Marikina

The Filipino street food scene is quite storied and vibrant, a showcase of the Pinoy’s creativity and resourcefulness.

At Mang Ding’s Pinoy BBQ, diners can rediscover Pinoy street food, touted as MASARAP, MALINIS and MURA, in a pleasant al fresco setting.

Here is where I had my first taste of isaw (grilled pork and chicken intestines looped in skewers).

Read more about it here.

Mang Ding’s Pinoy BBQ is located at Block 3, Lot 13, C. Buenviaje Street, Santo Nino, Marikina City, open Mondays to Wednesdays from 4pm to 11pm and Thursdays to Sundays from 4pm to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 917 1659872.

6. Brunchin’ at the Beach at Saltitude, Anilao

Anilao in Batangas is home to all sorts of fun beach activities: swimming, diving, snorkeling and windsurfing, just to name a few.

Aside from their proximity to the clear sparkling sea, those activities have another thing in common: they do work up quite an appetite.

Fortunately, Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort recently launched “Brunchin’ at the Beach,” a brunch buffet experience that takes place every Saturday, from 6am to 12.30pm at its Mingle restaurant.

Read more about it here.

Saltitude Dive & Beach Resort is located along Manini Road in Mabini, Batangas. To book your stay or reserve a table at the restaurant, call +63 43 4101857, +63 927 4220428 or +63 939 9088843, or email info@saltitude-anilao.com.

7. #ZomatoXListerine Foodie Meetup at Kusina Moderne, Poblacion

Kusina Moderne offers classic dishes we grew up with but prepared using French cooking techniques and presented in a deconstructed manner, adding a veneer of sophistication and excitement to familiar viands while still remaining affordable for families and friends to enjoy.

During a foodie meetup hosted by Zomato and Listerine where my fellow foodies, I tasted Kusina Moderne’s unique take on Filipino food and I also learned the importance of mouthwash, especially among foodies.

Read more about it here.

Kusina Moderne is located along Caceres Street, Poblacion, Makati, open Sundays and Tuesdays to Thursdays from 11am to 10pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 927 0830688.

8. Foodie Meetup at ICHO Japanese Restaurant, Greenhills

ICHO is named after the gingko trees in Japan. Known to be highly resilient as they can withstand pollution and salt in their native environment, they also beautify their surroundings and as well as provide nourishment and medicinal benefits.

ICHO brings the metro’s diners a piece of the serenity that gingko trees have come to symbolize through its calm and peaceful premises with which to enjoy the restaurant’s flavorful food creations.

Read more about it here.

ICHO Japanese Restaurant is located at 6 Annapolis Street corner Purdue Street, Greenhills, San Juan City, open daily from 11am to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 85350020 or +63 917 1346027.

9. Night out at Tiyo Craft Kitchen & Bar, Tomas Morato

Tiyo serves a thoughtfully curated menu of local fare which takes the best representations of Philippine regional cuisine and painstakingly uses traditional ingredients and cooking methods, and yet has reinvented and served these dishes with a modern flair.

And the craftsmanship does not stop with the food. Tiyo’s bartenders also whip up exciting craft cocktails for the thirsty but exacting diner. These concoctions are designed around local spirits, highlighting their unique flavors while demonstrating their versatility.

Read more about it here.

Tiyo Craft Kitchen & Bar is located at Second Floor, CKB Centre, Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout Rallos Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open Sundays to Mondays from 4pm to 1am, Tuesdays to Thursdays from 4pm to 2am and Fridays to Saturdays from 4pm to 3 am. For inquiries or reservations, call +63 932 8642593.

10. Foodie Meetup at Bistro Charlemagne, Ayala Malls Manila Bay

I introduced my immediate and extended fam to the joys of dining at Bistro Charlemagne in Ayala Malls Feliz and the in-laws at its branch in Solenad, Nuvali early last year. Since then, we have enjoyed its Asian fusion cuisine time and time again, making this resto our go-to place for intimate family celebrations or get-togethers.

And now, with the opening of its third branch in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, it just got easier and more enjoyable to meet up with family and friends in the South for great food and great times.

Read more about it here.

This Bistro Charlemagne branch is located at Lot 2, Third Floor, Cinemas Building, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Entertainment City Paranaque, open Mondays to Thursdays from 10am to 10pm and Fridays to Sundays from 10am to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 79149082.

Many thanks to all the restaurants that hosted foodie meetups and my fellow foodies who extended their invitations!

Looking forward to more exciting foodie adventures in 2020!

What’s your “best of 2019”?

Check out my other Jelly Lists: