pancit canton – Jellybeans in the City

Jodi Sta. Maria and son join Chowking as ambassadors for the new and improved Chicken Lauriat

Got appetite to spare? A lauriat may just be the thing.

A lauriat typically consists of several Chinese dishes served together in a large, communal table, often enjoyed in large groups. The term originated from the Chinese word “lao diat,” which means “celebration of life.” This Chinese banquet-style meal is a favorite among Filipinos because it is often associated with special occasions and celebrations, such as birthdays and weddings. It is a shared dining experience that brings families and friends together over a delicious and satisfying meal.

But for people with monster-sized cravings fit for a lauriat, Chowking has something for you.

An elevated Chinese Sarap Chicken meal

Chowking, the number 1 Chinese fast-food chain in the country, recently introduced its Mas Pinasarap na Chowking Chinese-Style Chicken Lauriat. While this menu item still features six of the chain’s bestsellers, namely the Chinese-style Fried Chicken, Egg Fried Rice, Buchi, Siomai, Chicharap, and Pancit Canton, significant improvements have been done to the Chinese Style Fried Chicken, now with a more sarap-saya flavor thanks to a special blend of spices and seasonings, and the Pancit Canton which is now made with fresh egg noodles.

“The Chowking Lauriat is a true fan favorite, loved by Filipinos across the country. As delicious as it is, we believe that there’s always room for improvement,” said Fran Leveriza-Maralit, Chowking Brand Director. “Whether you’re dining in or eating at home, on your own or sharing with loved ones, our mas Pinasarap na Chinese-Style Fried Chicken Lauriat is part of our commitment to creating Chinese-sarap experiences with each meal we serve.”

New mother-and-son endorsers join the fold

Adding to the excitement is Chowking’s new celebrity ambassadors, Jodi Sta. Maria, and her son, Thirdy Lacson. The award-winning actress shares her love for Chowking and her favorite dishes, which include the Chinese-Style Chicken Lauriat. Jodi, who is known for her work in the entertainment industry including well-loved movies and teleseryes that shaped Pinoy pop culture, is a perfect fit for Chowking’s brand as they continue to elevate their offerings.

“Ako po ay napakasaya at sobrang nae-excite na maging parte ng Chowking family,” the actress said. “I’m just so proud today to unveil my first campaign with Chowking, syempre po sa paborito kong mas pinasarap na Chowking Lauriat.”

About Chowking

The Chowking Food Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jollibee Foods Corporation. It combines two distinct restaurant personalities – the traditional Chinese restaurant and the western-style fastfood restaurant – to become a strong and recognizable leader in the Philippines’ highly competitive fastfood industry.

To know more about its menu and offers, follow Chowking on Facebook and Instagram.

Pinoy comfort food at Goodah, Timog Avenue

Whenever I feel stressed or harassed, I always get a strong craving for comfort food. These are dishes that I usually associate with delicious home cooking, the kind that my mom would serve me whenever I was sick or sad.

For over thirty years, Goodah has been the has been the go-to place for people seeking fuss-free comfort food that appeals to down-home Pinoy palate. These include the traditional hot and quickly-served Filipino snacks like goto and lugaw, as well as the hugely popular silogs. Being so popular among all sorts of people, it soon adopted the monicker “ang pagkaing for every all!”

During the height of the lockdown due to the pandemic, I was able to enjoy Goodah’s comforting dishes with my fam while stuck at home through its Salo-Salo Set Meals (thanks to Rowena of TravelEatPinas for thoughtfully sending me this meal set!)

However, as the lockdowns gradually eased (but my work and life stresses did not) I wanted to experience Goodah’s down-home Pinoy dishes in a dine-in setting.

So off I went with my fellow unnies to the Goodah branch along Timog Avenue.

Here, we were able to sit down and take a break from our daily grind as we gossiped about our Hollywood idols and K-pop stans while we feast on Pinoy comfort food.

These include:

Batangas Lomi with Tokwa’t Baboy (Php134). A noodle dish made with thick yellow noodles in a thick and starchy soup topped with bits of pork meat, pork offal, pork rind and kikiam. It’s best enjoyed with a side dish made with tofu and pork bits in vinegar sauce.

Arroz Caldo Special (Php179). A porridge made with glutinous rice and accompanied by chicken pieces, hard-boiled egg and topped with crunchy fried garlic and chopped scallions.

Pork Bingoongan (Php319). A classic Pinoy dish wherein pork belly is stewed in shrimp paste (bagoong).

Kare Kare (Php345). A Filipino stew wherein ox and pork meat and offal are served in a thick and rich peanut sauce along with vegetables.

Supermeal A (Php150). A budget-friendly rice meal that includes tocino, lumpiang shanghai, pancit canton, kropek (prawn cracker) and leche flan.

Supermeal B (Php160). Another rice meal that’s light on the budget which includes tapa flakes, lumpiang shanghai, pancit canton, kropek (prawn cracker) and leche flan.

Ribsilog (Php195). Crispy fried pork ribs served with garlic fried rice, fried egg and atchara.

Leche Flan (Php39). The Pinoy version of creme caramel which is made of egg-and-milk custard with a soft caramel layer on top.

With such comforting dishes to be enjoyed, should there still be room in my psyche for stress and negativity? I guess not!

Dispel your own blues with Pinoy comfort food by dropping by a Goodah branch near you today!

This Goodah outlet is located at 57 Timog Avenue, Bgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily for dine-in and takeout from 8am to 8pm, and for delivery from 7am to 9pm via Pick*A*Roo, and 25-hours via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

Other Gooodah outlets are located in Alabang, Valenzuela, Pasig, Granada and Fairview in Quezon City, as well as in Sucat and Bicutan in Paranaque.

Know more about this much-loved Filipino food brand through its website. Stay updated on Goodah’s latest offers and promos by following it on Facebook and Instagram.

Home-cooked feels from Aling Banang’s

After almost five months of being cooped up at home, I must say that I have developed a newfound respect for home-cooking.

These are the dishes that many of us grew up with and have loved over the years, the viands that we may not always list as put absolute faves but nevertheless welcome when they are presented to us on the dinner table.

The thing is, however, having the same home-cooked dishes again and again can become a drag. Blame it on the limited repertoire of many homemakers when it comes to Filipino food, or simply the lack of time to learn to cook new dishes despite being stuck at home or to replenish the pantry with the needed ingredients.

Whichever the reason, I found myself having to look for viand for my family’s lunch one weekday.

I already know that Aling Banang’s makes a tasty Pancit Canton for groups, but the challenge was how to scale that for a simple family meal.

Fortunately, Aling Banang’s also offers solo servings of its dishes such as:

Pancit Canton (Php60). Pinoy-style stir-fried noodles with shredded veggies topped with Lecon Kawali pieces.

Lechon Kawali (Php60). Pork belly that is boiled, seasoned then deep-fried in a wok until the meat is tender and juicy and the skin is crispy and golden brown.

With five orders of Lechon Kawali and two orders of Pancit Canton, I was able to satisfy the lunch appetites of the entire fam for just Php420!

What’s your meal hack?

Get your own lutong bahay eats without having to sweat it out in the kitchen. If you’re in the Pasig area, order your meal from Aling Banang’s by calling +63 2 73582953, +63 921 3364640 or +63 955 6922033.

You may also course your orders through these food delivery apps.

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

Download the LalaFood App and get a free delivery coupon when you use my code: BEINGJMR53.

Check out my reviews of other Filipino restaurants:

Got noods from Aling Banang’s, Santa Lucia

Pancit – aka noodles – are so firmly ingrained in Filipino cuisine that they qualify as Pinoy food.

Introduced by Chinese settlers, pancit – derived from Hokkien term pian i sit which translates to “convenient food” – has been widely adopted throughout the country, with many provinces boasting of their unique spin on the dish.

Well, one of my favorite pancit variants is the pancit canton, the Pinoy version of the chow mein.

Made with stir-fried meat and vegetables tossed with thick wheat noodles, the pancit canton is a beautiful fusion of colors, flavors and texture, a true symbol of bounty which is why this dish graces most, if not all, Pinoy celebrations.

Well, after tiring of the usual lutong bahay options while stuck at home during the enhanced community quarantine, I was lucky to find that a store near my house offers this dish.

And so twenty minutes after I called the store, I braved the heat of early summer to pick up my order of Pancit Canton (Php400 good for five persons) from Aling Banang’s. Apparently, I’m not alone in my quest as I encountered food delivery riders waiting for their orders as well.

And what a platter of wonder my pancit canton was! Veggies, noodles and sauce plus a generous topping of crunchy bagnet slices mixed in. What’s not to love?

It was more than enough to satisfy my hungry fam. (There was no time to do a pretty plating of the pancit for the ‘gram because we just wolfed it down, really!)

And guess what! An order good for 15 people is just Php750. I guess I know where I’ll order my birthday noodles!

Stuck at home during the ECQ? No need to leave the safety and comfort of your abode to enjoy Aling Banang’s hearty dishes. You can simply have your meal delivered through GrabFood or LalaFood.

Download the Grab App on the App Store or Google Play. Get a discount on your first food order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.

Download the LalaFood App and get a free delivery coupon when you use my code: BEINGJMR53.

This Aling Banang’s branch is located at 5th Street Corner Countryside Avenue, Santa Lucia, Pasig City, with a limited menu available for pickup. To order, call +63 915 3413183 or +6 399 85946908.

Other branches still open during the enhanced community quarantine are located at:

Pablo Ocampo Extension, Santa Cruz, Makati City
N. Domingo Street, Greater San Juan, San Juan City
Dona Anita Building, E Rodriguez Avenue, New Manila, Quezon City

Check out my reviews of other Filipino restaurants:

Have an Instant Party at Alex III, Tomas Morato

With the approaching holidays comes the much-awaited season of parties and get-togethers. Pinoys, in particular, love to celebrate with food, lots and lots of it. I recall my mom and titas slaving away in the kitchen, preparing their signature dishes for our family gatherings.

While I’m passionate about food, I’m not too keen on stressing myself out in the kitchen. Fortunately, thanks to a Foodie Meet-up held at Alex III’s Tomas Morato branch, I, together with my fellow foodies, discovered that I can treat my loved ones out to a feast of classic Filipino favorites, thanks to its Instant Party Menu.

Alex III’s Instant Party Menu consist of two sets of dishes. Both priced at Php2995, these feature home-grown Filipino party food enough for a group of five. These are all prepared and cooked with the same love and tradition that goes all the way back to Aling Asiang (or Mrs. Engracia Reyes), the matriarch of the family behind the Aristrocrat restaurant of which Alex III is an offshoot, being a business started by one of Aling Asiang’s grandsons.

Set One

This set includes:

Choice of 1 viand among Chicken Barbecue, Pork Barbecue, Barbecued Pork Belly and Whole Fried Chicken
Special Pancit Canton
Fresh Lumpiang Ubod or Lumpiang Shanghai
Kare-Kare
Crispy Pata
Steamed Rice

Set Two

This set includes:

Choice of 1 viand among Chicken Barbecue, Pork Barbecue, Barbecued Pork Belly and Whole Fried Chicken
Whole Fried Chicken
Whole Crispy Lapu-Lapu with Sweet and Sour Sauce
Camaron Rebosado
Special Pancit Canton
Shanghai Rice

Each set is served with garlic peanuts, a sushi sampler, your choice of soup (of which we sampled the Hototay and Sinigang na Salmon), bottomless iced tea and your choice of dessert (of which we sampled the Leche Flan and the Pandan Jellied Tapioca).

Both sets present diners with a combination of flavors that are dearly familiar, being dishes that were served during family reunions and fiestas when we were growing up. They also serve as a way for working moms like me to reconnect our present-day celebrations with the warmth and traditions of our childhood: that despite the hectic schedules and fast-paced lifestyles, we have a way to get together with our loved ones to exchange old memories and make new ones, while enjoying good food and good company.

With Alex III’s Instant Party Menu, the tradition of fun family celebrations with good food is made even better.

This branch of Alex III is located at Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout Bayoran, South Triangle, Tomas Morato, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For reservations and queries, call +63 2 3711414 or +63 2 3711415. Its spacious, tastefully appointed and well-lit interiors make it a great venue for large family gatherings or office parties.

Other branches are located at:

201 Wilson Street, Little Baguio, San Juan City (open daily from 11am to 11pm | Tel Nos: +63 2 7240882 or +63 2 7264444)
29 Matalino Street, Diliman, Quezon City (open daily from 11am to 10pm | Tel Nos: +63 2 9261266 or +63 2 9268942)
53 Pontiac Corner Chevelle Street, Fairview, Quezon City (open daily from 11am to 10pm | Tel Nos: +63 2 3766286 or +63 2 3765179)

By the way, did you know that for your parties at home, you can have your favorite dishes from Alex III delivered right to your doorstep? Minimum order for delivery is Php500. For more details, contact the Alex III branch nearest you.

Disclosure: I attended the Bloggers’ Day held at this restaurant. All the 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:

Food nostalgia at Classic Savory, SM East Ortigas

Pinoys have an interesting relationship with food, particularly the tastes they have grown up with. A lot of the appeal of classic Pinoy fare has to do with the memories associated with the flavors you encountered during family gatherings and celebrations: the pancit canton that was your lola’s specialty, the turon that you used to munch on with your cousins for merienda and so on.

Such nostalgia came into play when Hubby and I took a break from shopping and errands, and dined at the Classic Savory branch at SM City East Ortigas.

This food chain started as a panciteria by the Ting brothers in post-war Manila, primarily serving lomi to its mostly Chinese clientele, before it introduced fried chicken to its menu, thereby attracting more Pinoys to its offerings.

That blend of Pinoy and Chinese flavors were present in the combo meal (Php485, good for 2 persons) that we ordered. It consist of a half chicken, pancit canton, fried rice, salt and pepper spare ribs, special turon and iced tea. Given its price and the mix of flavors, I think this is already good value for money.

Check out my reviews of other Filipino restaurants:

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