It has become an all-too-familiar lament among us parents who are working from home: juggling all the tasks we are supposed to deliver for our jobs and overseeing the kiddos who are still adjusting to distance learning leave us very little time to prepare tasty meals for the fam to enjoy.
Fortunately, a solution to this quandary is just a few phone taps away, thanks to our trusty food delivery apps.
On one such busy day, Hubby decided to order our lunch from the BonChon branch nearby.
This chicken resto chain was founded on 2002 by entrepreneur Jinduk Seh. After spending two years perfecting the soy garlic and spicy glaze for his fried chicken, he opened his first resto BonChon (or “my hometown”) in Busan, South Korea. By 2010, it has made its way to the Philippines, just in time to help sow the seeds of the Korean obsession of Pinoys.
Considering the fam’s considerable collective appetite, Hubby decided to get 6 pieces (Php462) + 8 pieces (Php613) assorted chicken pieces, all with our favorite soy garlic glaze.
Giving in to his daughter’s request, he also ordered a Mandu Box Meal (Php199). Mandu are basically Korean dumplings. BonChon’s version is deep-fried and glazed with soy garlic, similar to the chicken.
All we had to do is make sure we have lots of steamed rice ready for our meal.
As luck would have it, my morning meeting extended to lunchtime so my baby girl assembled a plate for me to eat while on telecon (my brain can’t function on an empty stomach, you know!)
So that’s it: the whole fam satisfied with a tasty meal, quick and easy!
To have your favorite K-style fried chicken from BonChon delivered right to your doorstep, call +62 2 86331818.
A few days ago, I received a very welcome piece of news: McDonalds Shakes are back and they’re here to stay!
I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed this childhood treat.
That got me thinking: I have been working hard lately, putting in a lot of hours in telecons and drafting presentations. Hubby, too, has been pretty busy with his job, while the kiddos have been dealing with their adjustments to distance learning. Hmm… don’t we all deserve a reward?
So I took out my phone and a few taps later, my treats for the fam were on their merry way to our doorstep.
A little taste of our favorite fast food every now and then can’t hurt, right?
Check them out:
Big Mac Meal (Php207 with medium Coke and medium fries). Oh, yes… the 🎶 two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame-seed bun.🎶 For those who are below forty years of age, one of McDonald’s early advertising campaigns in the country was hinged on listing the ingredients of the Big Mac in a TVC that had a whole lot of airtime. There’s no surprise, then, that many of my generation know this list by heart, and that some, like my Hubby, would consider it his go-to McDo order, inseparable from the fries and Coke.
Cheeseburger (Php62). For those of us – like me and my little boy – who can’t handle the size and the sheer commitment of tummy space that a Big Mac requires, this burger made with ground beef topped with cheese, onions, pickle slice, ketchup and mustard in a toasted bun will have to do.
McNuggets (Php123). Six pieces of battered and deep fried chicken chunks that my daughter just can’t resist.
Apple Pie (Php37). Apple pieces stewed cinnamon encased in a flaky crust then deep-fried. (Because there’s always room for dessert!)
McDo Shake (Php94 for medium). Ah, the catalyst for this snackin’ adventure. McDonald’s creamy soft-serve ice cream flavored with your choice between chocolate and strawberry syrup. My childhood treat is back and that is goooooood!
After the fam made short work of these fast food items, we were ready to tackle our work again.
So every once in a while, it’s good to give in to your fast food cravings.
Wanna have your favorite fast food delivered right to your doorstep? Order online at McDelivery or download the McDelivery App.
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.
Lately, we’ve been craving for comfort food, right?
Now more than ever, we’re looking for that feeling of well-being and fullness that comfort food brings.
An example of Pinoy comfort food that I was happy to rediscover is beef pares. This dish is braised beef stewed in a savory-sweet sauce and served with garlic fried rice, making winning combo indeed!
For me, the benchmark for beef pares is the one I tasted prior to the quarantine, when my officemate and I had our lunch delivered from the Pares Retiro near our office. I guess that’s why this resto chain was dubbed the best pares in town. I get cravings for it sometimes since then.
However, I’ve been stuck at home for the past few months and the nearest Pare Retiro is too far for delivery.
That is, until GrabFood made Pares Retiro in P. Tuazon available for long-distance delivery. Yey!
I found out about it when Hubby gave in to his late-night cravings and had some beef pares and bone marrow delivered for us to devour in between episodes of the K-drama we’re bingeing on.
(Spoiler Alert: they were gone in mere minutes that I haven’t been able to take decent pictures!)
That late-night taste intensified my craving for the dish again so I decided to order from Pares Retiro via GrabFood for our dinner.
Tonight, the kiddos and I feasted on:
Classic Pares Meal (Php208). That winning tamdem of beed pares and garlic fried rice. The slow-braised meat is fork-tender and the sauce has the right dynamic between sweet and savory that goes so well with the garlic fried rice.
Pares Tendon Meal (Php214). The classic pares dish made even more irresistible with the addition of melt-in-your-mouth pieces of imported US beef tendon that adds flavor and texture to the dish.
Bone Marrow (Php189). Roasted bone marrow flavored with herbs and spices. Add a bit of bone marrow to each bite of pares and rice and you’ll see why the fam and I got obsessed with it. I only wish there was more of it.
These dishes are not high-brow nor elaborate. Instead, they are simple dishes that give us comfort especially during these trying times.
This Pares Retiro branch is located at P. Tuazon Corner 17th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City. It delivers via GrabFood, LalaFood, FoodPanda and Pares Retiro’s website.
For years now, my family has been getting our Japanese food craving satisfied by Teriyaki Boy.
This local chain under the Max’s Group occupies the space between fast-food and high-end Japanese restaurants by offering the fam’s Japanese food faves at reasonable prices.
Our go-to branch is the one nearest our home located at SM City East Ortigas. Here, we feast on classic such as:
Tonkatsu (Php289). My son’s favorite Japanese dish consisting of a tender piece of pork cutlet that’s been breaded and deep-fried to a crispy golden brown and served with shredded cabbage and drizzled with sesame dressing along with a tangy-sweet katsu sauce.
Katsu Ju (Php355). My daughter’s go-to order consisting of breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet which is simmered in sweet soy sauce with leeks, onions and a beaten egg and then served on top warm rice.
Dynamite Sushi (Php114/4 pcs | Php210/8pcs). This sushi roll made with fresh tuna, chili oil, togarashi and Japanese mayo is one of the ploys employed by Hubby to stimulate my appreciation for spicy food.
Another bonus of dining at this particular branch is that it shares the space with another Max’s Group brand, Sizzlin’ Steak, enabling Hubby and me to also sate our craving for steak by cross-ordering an Australian Marbled Steak (Php699) for each of us. This tender and juicy piece of imported meat, grilled to our preference (medium to medium-well) and served with rice, French beans, cherry tomatoes and herb butter on a sizzling plate, ready for the satisfying sight, sound and smell of flavorful gravy being poured over it.
During the enhanced community quarantine, Teriyaki Boy paused its operations but has since re-opened for for dine-in, takeout and delivery.
So if the quarantine has you missing those tasty Japanese dishes you so love, check if there’s a Teriyaki Boy outlet near you.
This Teriyaki Boy branch is located at Second Floor, SM City East Ortigas, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Santa Lucia, Pasig City, open daily from 10am to 7pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 96381817 or +63 2 88879000.
Momshies, did you know that red velvet cake is actually made with cocoa, making it, in essence, chocolate cake?
It’s a classic dessert favorite in the Southern US states, said to have originated in Maryland in the early 20th century. It gained the moniker “velvet” cake for having soft and velvety crumbs as opposed to its coarser crumb contemporaries.
During the food rationing of World War II, bakers started adding boiled beetroot to their cake ingredients to help them retain moisture and its juices to add color to their creations.
Traditionally, bakers used a light and fluffy French-style roux icing to decorate the red velvet cake. Variations using cream cheese of buttercream frosting came later.
I was recently gifted by a fellow momshie with a whole Red Velvet Cake from Lia’s Cakes in Season.
This dessert store is practically a landmark in the foodie haven of Kapitolyo in Pasig City. Set up by young entrepreneur Carlo Carlos in 2004 to feature “fruits-to-cakes in season,” cakes and pastries that creatively incorporate the freshest fruits in season.
Its Red Velvet Cake (Php990 whole | Php140 per slice), however, is the store’s take on the classic fave. It consists of a moist chocolate cake (colored a deep red, of course), wrapped in a smooth buttercream icing and topped with crystal bits for added texture.
To get your hands on this decadent delight, order through Lia’s Cakes’ online store or call +63 917 6605427 (minimum order of Php850) for delivery to anywhere in Metro Manila. Delivery is free for website orders over Php2,000.
So order now, momshies!
Lia’s Cakes in Season is located at 23 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City.
Brownies Unlimited may be your go-to place for various kinds of fudgy brownies, but did you know you can also pick up some special meringue desserts here, too?
Meringues are light and airy confections traditionally made with whipped egg whites and sugar baked at low temperatures to achieve a signature crisp exterior.
Variations of meringues can be found in many parts of the world.
Here in the Philippines, among of the most popular meringue desserts are the silvanas. Made of cashew meringue wafers coated with cookie crumbs enveloping buttercream, it is a decadent delight for many dessert lovers.
Sambos, on the other hand, is the twin dessert of silvanas, wherein cocoa powder and coffee are added to the buttercream before sandwiching it between cashew meringue wafers then coating the resulting confection with chocolate cake crumbs.
After a bout of shopping, Hubby brought home a box for the kids to get a taste of these desserts. I found that these differ from traditional versions by having a rounder, puffier shape as opposed to the ones from Dumaguete that are more disc-shaped.
You can get these meringues at Brownies Unlimited for Php40 a piece or get a box of 6 for Php220.
These silvanas and sambos go well with coffee for a post-meal dessert or with iced tea for a late afternoon sweet snack. These are also great for pasalubong, contributions for potluck parties or as holiday gifts for dessert lovers.
It’s best to keep them frozen prior to serving.
So, are you Team Silvanas or Team Sambos? How about Team Both? 🙂
Check them out are your nearest Brownies Unlimited outlet.
Brownies Unlimited also delivers via GrabFood and FoodPanda.
Back when I used to spend a lot of time in San Juan for work, one of the potential highlights of the day would be a visit to Eat Fresh Famous Hongkong Street Food along Jose Abad Santos Street.
This unassuming resto is famous for serving tasty and affordable dimsum, street food and claypot rice toppings.
Since my office moved locations a few years ago, I haven’t been able to go back there for a Chinese food trip, and when the quarantine was effected last March, a trip to San Juan became all the more unlikely.
Imagine my delight when I discovered that a new branch opened right in my hometown of Pasig City. Better yet, it delivers via GrabFood!
So I took advantage of GrabFood’s FREE delivery promo for my Friday night dinner with the kiddos, and we feasted on:
Salt and Pepper Spareribs (Php322). One of my favorite Chinese dishes made with pork spare ribs seasoned with salt, chili peppers and five spice powder, then deep fried until the outside is crispy to complement the tender meat inside.
Lemon Chicken (Php322). Crispy lightly battered chicken breast pieces doused in a sweet and tangy sticky sauce. For my daughter, a Chinese meal is not complete without this dish.
3 Kinds Mushroom (Php270). This dish is the answer to this mommy question: “How do I get my kids to eat more healthy food?” Well, this delectable dish made with three different kinds of mushroom braised in flavorful oyster sauce got my kids to expand their palates to non-meat dishes.
Special Fried Rice (Php138). Filipino comedian Jo Koy tells how his dad said “Rice is rice.” Well, I beg to differ. This rice dish is special: cold day-old rice is tossed with meat, seafood and scrambled in a wok and flavored with soy sauce, aromatics and other seasonings. It goes so well with almost any Chinese dish that I can’t imagine eating Chinese food with any other type of rice dish.
So foodies, if you’ve got a craving for Asian flavors, bring out your phone and check your food delivery apps. There might be an Eat Fresh branch that delivers in your area.
This Eat Fresh Famous Hongkong Street Food is located along C. Raymundo Avenue, Maybunga, Pasig City, open daily from 10am to 7pm. For delivery, call +63 915 5827695 or course your order through GrabFood.
Download the Grab App and get a discount on your first food order when you use my code: GRABJELLYBEANS.
Other branches are located at:
691 Jose Abad Santos Street, Little Baguio, San Juan City
92 Jose Abad Santos Street, Behind Little Baguio City Hall, Little Baguio, San Juan City
32 General Ordoñez Corner Bayan-Bayanan Avenue, Marikina Heights, Marikina City
100-A Maria Clara Street, Santo Domingo, Banawe, Quezon City
As some of you may have gathered from my previous blog posts, my kiddos are avid Krispy Kreme fans. Since the start of the quarantine, we have been relying on delivery services to get our hands on these donut treats.
However, when Hubby and I recently went shopping for school supplies at SM Megamall, our first visit to this mall since March, the opportunity to grab a box or two of Krispy Kreme donuts presented itself.
As required among all mall-based retail outlets, Krispy Kreme’s branch at SM Megamall adheres to safety and sanitation protocols such as requiring patrons to wear face masks and face shields, answer a contact-tracing questionnaire and sanitize hands prior to entering the store premises.
Dining in is no longer allowed, so unlike during my previous visits before the quarantine, there were no customers hanging out inside the store. In fact, only a handful of customers are allowed to be inside the store to maintain physical distancing.
All those restrictions are well worth following to keep ourselves safe. Plus, Hubby and I were still able to bring home a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts for the kiddos (which I paid for using GCash, again, to minimize physical contact).
I got a Box of 12 (Php425) which contains Krispy Kreme’s “light as a cloud, melt in your mouth, pillows of goodness” yeast-raised donuts. Since the fam fave is still the Original Glazed donut, the package included nine of those.
I just added a piece each of Red Velvet, New York Cheesecake and Kreme-filled with Gold Sprinkles for variety and to complete the dozen.
Needless to say, the kiddos were delighted with our pasalubong and the fam demolished the donuts in no time.
I’m glad that despite the pandemic and the restrictions brought about by the quarantine, we are still able to enjoy simple and delish delights such as these.
This Krispy Kreme branch is located at Upper Ground Floor, Building A, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City.
To get your box of donuts, call +63 2 88879000, order online or via GrabFood.
Ooh yes! We’re in the BER months now and, for many, the countdown to Christmas has begun.
And you know what we’re all excited for during the holidays, right?
Gifts, course!
Showering our loved ones with presents is one of the most rewarding feelings.
However, given the new situations we are faced with due to the still raging pandemic and different phases of community quarantine it necessitates, we may have to adjust our holiday gift-giving strategy.
So let me present the case for Cafe Mary Grace’s Ensaymadas as your go-to holiday present for your nears-and-dears.
1. Ensaymadas are rich in history.
Did you know that the origin ensaymadas can be traced all the way back to the 17th century in the Balearic Islands in Mallorca, Spain?
During celebrations and festivities, Mallorcan bakers would combine strong flour, water, sugar, eggs, mother dough and a kind of reduced pork lard called saim, from which the resulting pastry, the ensaimada de Mallorca, gets its name.
The ensaymada found its may to the Philippines during the Spanish colonization and is now among the most common delicacies in the country, found in most neighborhood bakeshops. Modifications made from the Mallorcan original include the use of butter instead of lard, as well as the addition of sugar and grated cheese.
It has even become part of our Christmas tradition to enjoy these pastries together with a cup of hot tsokolate made with local tableya.
2. They’re also steeped in good childhood memories.
Most of us can recall those afternoons we spent enjoying an ensaymada roll or two – still warm and fresh from the neighborhood bakery – for merienda after playtime with our childhood pals, right?
3. Cafe Mary Grace’s Ensaymadas is an upgrade of our childhood ensaymada.
Cafe Mary Grace made its name from the homemade goodness of its cakes and baked goods. Its ensaymadas are no different.
Made with 100% real butter and eggs as well as topped with grated Edam cheese, these soft and fluffy pastries have that combination of sweet and salty flavors we Pinoys so adore with a premium and delicate mouthfeel.
4. They already come beautifully packaged.
For just Php658, you can already get a pretty box of six ensaymadas, ready for gifting.
The ensaymada pieces are also individually wrapped so it’s no hassle to give them out to guests as desserts during small gatherings or save a few pieces for later munching.
Boxes of eight pieces and twelve pieces are also available at Php756 and Php1,098, respectively.
5. They’re easy to get.
Given all the restrictions on retail operations and protocols on social distancing, Cafe Mary Grace has made it easy for its customers to get their offerings by making them available online so there’s no need to line up to get a hold of them.
Orders may be coursed through Cafe Mary Grace’s website for pickup or via GrabFood for delivery.
These pastries will arrive chilled as they were taken fresh from the chiller. Before serving, only thaw out the number of pieces you want to eat. Do this by placing an ensaymada in a bowl, covered with a damp cloth, and microwave for ten seconds on the lowest heat settings to restore its original softness.
So go ahead and gift yourself and your loved ones with a box of Cafe Mary Grace Ensaymadas this Christmas!
This Cafe Mary Grace branch is located at Ground Floor, SM City East Ortigas, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Santa Lucia, Pasig City.
Pasig: Rockwell Business Center, Ayala Malls Feliz, Estancia Mall
Quezon City: Eastwood Mall, Robinsons Galleria, Gateway Mall, UP Town Center, Trinoma Mall, SM City North EDSA, SM City Fairview, Ayala Fairview Terraces
Marikina: SM City Marikina
Mandaluyong: Shangri-la Plaza
San Juan: Unimart Greenhills
Taguig: Uptown Place Mall, Serendra, St. Luke’s Medical Center, One Bonifacio High Street, Venice Grand Canal Mall
Makati: Powerplant Mall, Steps Dance Studio, Century City Mall, The Enterprise Center, Greenbelt 2
Manila: SM City Manila, SM City San Lazaro, Lucky Chinatown Mall
Contrary to my initial assumption, Popeyes Louisiana Chicken, Inc. was not named after my childhood hero Popeye the Sailorman. Instead, owner Al Copeland always claimed that his inspiration for the name of his fried chicken company was Det. Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle, Gene Hackman’s character in The French Connection.
That wrong assumption aside, I had no other expectations when Hubby requested that we take advantage of Popeyes’ free delivery promo to get some of this resto’s famous fried chicken for our merienda.
We have been busy working from home ever since the start of the community quarantine and one of the usual highlights of our workday is our afternoon snack break.
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Aside from the respite this little pocket of time gives us from our work, it also allows us to spend some time with the kids as we all enjoy what our friendly GrabFood delivery rider drops off at our doorstep.
On that particular day, we snacked on:
8-piece Bucket of Chicken (Php523). Crunchy skin and tender juicy pieces of Southern fried chicken that we can’t just help but bite into!
2 orders of Box of 3 Honey Biscuits (Php284). Crumbly and flaky quick breads that go so well with the chicken and a little bit of honey.
The chicken, biscuits and honey all come together for that unbeatable sweet-savory flavor combination that we so love.
This Popeyes branch is located at Arcovia City, 99 Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Ugong, Pasig City, open for dine in, takeout and delivery Mondays to Fridays from 10am to 8pm and Saturdays to Sundays from 9am to 8pm.
