restaurant review – Page 40 – Jellybeans in the City

Chinoy lunch fest at North Park, Tomas Morato

I may have said this several times before: the workday lunch hour is a sacred time.

It is that one spot in the day wherein people can pause their daily labors, recharge their batteries by resting and refueling, and maybe even spend time with their coworkers.

One busy workday, I went to North Park Noodle House in Tomas Morato with a few of my officemates to spend our lunchtime with good food and good company.

For over twenty-five years, North Park has been the destination of Pinoy foodies who want Chinese food in large servings that they can share and enjoy with family and friends. The dishes that this restaurant chain offers may not be strictly true to their Chinese origins but they features tastes and textures that we have grown to love.

For our lunchtime food fest, my coworkers and I feasted on:

Century Egg and Jellyfish Salad (Php188).

Yang Chow Fried Rice (Php203).

Taiwan Pechay with Black Mushroom and Pacific Clams in Garlic Sauce (Php238).

Salt and Pepper Spare Ribs (Php238).

Salted Garlic Squid (Php258).

Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet (Php278).

Boneless Honey Lemon Chicken (Php238).

There’s nothing like a fine time spent with great people and great food!

This North Park branch is located at Tomas Morato corner Lazcano Street, Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City.

Want some Chinoy food goodies but can’t go to North Park because of the enhanced community quarantine?

North Park Noodles delivers through its delivery hotline +63 2 87373737, through its website, and through GrabFood.

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.

Other branches in the metro are located at:

Pasig: The Strip Commercial Complex Ortigas
Mandaluyong: Greenfield District
Quezon City: SM Hypermarket Cubao, G. Araneta Avenue, Trinoma Mall, Banawe, Tandang Sora, Ayala Fairview Terraces, Eton Centris
Taguig: Market! Market!, SM Hypermarket FTI
San Juan: P. Guevarra Street (opposite Petron)
Makati: Makati corner Kalayaan Avenue, Glorietta 3, Salcedo Village, Legaspi Village, SM Hypermarket Market
Paranaque: SM City Bicutan, ASEANA Square
Manila: Manila Ocean Park
Pasay: Mall of Asia Arena Parking Building
Valenzuela: South Supermarket
Alabang: Alabang Town Center, South Supermarket
Muntinlupa: SM Center Muntinlupa

Check out my reviews of other Asian restaurants:

Quick lunch from Turks, Tomas Morato

So I’ve got a meeting over lunch with no time for a leisurely meal. Oh, what to do?

Well, on that day, the choice was clear: I just need to grab myself a couple of Beef Pita Doners from the Turks branch across the street.

Turks’ Beef Pita Doner (Php60) is made with 100% pure beef, flavored with Turks’ own recipe marinade and served together with freshly cut cucumber, tomatoes, onions and a slice of cheddar, all doused in cheese, garlic and hot sauces, and all wrapped in a warm, freshly baked pita bread.

I had a feeling a single doner would be enough for me so I got myself two and a Nestea Iced Tea (Php30) to go with it.

I ended up wolfing these down quick with time to spare to head towards my lunch meeting.

Just because lunch has to be quick doesn’t mean it can’t be tasty!

This Turks outlet is located at Mother Ignacia Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City.

Craving for a Turks Pita Doner during the enhanced community quarantine? Here’s a bit of good news: Turks SM Cherry Congressional branch is open from 9am to 5pm for takeout (pre-order via +63 938 8620714) or have it delivered via GrabFood.

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.

Other branches are located at:

Quezon City: SM City North EDSA, SM City Santa Mesa, SM City Fairview, SKY Garden SM North EDSA, Ayala Malls Vertis North, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, Eastwood Citywalk 2, Ayala Fairview Terraces, Farmers Plaza, Novaliches, Robinsons Galleria, Gateway Mall, UP Town Center, Fisher Mall, Victoria Tower Timog, Trinoma Mall, Ever Gotesco Commonwealth, Eton Centris, Crossroad Tandang Sora Sangandaan
Pasig: SM City East Ortigas, Ayala Malls The 30th, Grand Emerald Tower, Puregold Jr. De Castro Avenue, RNC Building, Medical City, Robinsons Metro East
San Juan: Theatre Mall Greenhills, Lifestyle Arcade Greenhills
Mandaluyong: Shangri-La Plaza, Forum Robinsons, Starmall, The Podium
Manila: SM City San Lazaro, 168 Shopping Mall, Tutuban Center Mall, SM City Manila, Robinsons Place Manila, UST Campus, Lucky Chinatown Mall
Marikina: SM City Marikina
Makati: Century City Mall, SM Jazz Mall, Ayala Malls Circuit, The Landmark, Paseo Center, GT Tower, SM Makati, Pacific Star Building, Greenbelt 1, Shell Select Magallanes, Lepanto Building, Cash & Carry Mall
Taguig: Uptown Place Mall BGC, Venice Grand Canal Mall, Market! Market!, West City Center, SM Aura Premier
Pasay: MOA Arena Parking Building, North Terminal Area MOA
Las Pinas: SM Southmall
Paranaque: SM City Bicutan, BF Homes, The Pergola Mall, SM City Sucat, Doña Soledad Avenue, Amaia STEPS Bicutan
Muntinlupa: Festival Mall, Alabang Town Center
Caloocan: SM Center Sangandaan
Valenzuela: SM City Valenzuela, MacArthur Highway

Check out my posts on other restaurants serving Mediterranean cuisine:

Time to refresh with Chachago’s drinks

Summer’s already here! Are you feeling it?

With rising temperatures in the metro comes the tendency for tempers to rise, too.

Add to that the stress of being confined to our houses for a long period of time and the possibility of a conflagration of tempers won’t be too far off.

Well, now’s the time to generate the good vibes, to refresh, not just our bodies, but our state of mind.

So how about some refreshing drinks from Chachago?

Chachago is a Taiwanese milk tea brand that made its way to the Philippines in 2018. It combined traditional tea culture, fresh ingredients and other flavors to bring invigorating yet all-natural beverages to tea lovers.

My drinks of choice at Chachago feature today’s tasty tea trends: brown sugar and salty cream cheese.

Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea (Php120). The chewy pearls are first cooked in brown sugar which also coats the sides of the tumbler before the milk tea is added.

Roasted Brown Sugar Tea with Salted Cream Cheese (Php120). The layer of frothy cream cheese adds a bit of salty flavor that complements the sweetness of the drink.

Now, those are the drinks that can put me in a good mood!

Thankfully, during the enhanced community quarantine, three of Chachago’s branches in the metro – Kamuning (+63 2 77587221), Visayas Avenue (+63 917 8999005 or +63 917 8502840) and Marikina (+63 2 83611309) – are open for takeout and delivery via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

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.

Use this link to download the FoodPanda app and get Php100 off your first order.

So just keep cool, foodies!

This Chachago branch is located at Ground Floor, SM City East Ortigas, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Santa Lucia, Pasig City.

Check out my reviews of other milk tea joints:

All-time Japanese food faves at Kimono Ken

Craving for Japanese food while stuck at home?

Why not order your favorites from Kimono Ken?

With its mantra “Enticingly Japanese. For less.” you can expect mouthwatering yet affordable Japanese dishes at Kimono Ken.

My faves here include:

Maguro (Php260). Fresh tuna sashimi sliced into bite-size pieces.

California Maki (Php160). Rolled sushi made with crabstick, mango, lettuce, Japanese mayo and ebiko.

Dynamite Maki (Php380). Rolled sushi made with spicy salmon, ebiko, unagi and cucumber.

Sushi Moriawase (Php450). Mixed fresh sushi served with miso soup.

Chahan (Php90). Special Japanese fried rice made with cooked rice, garlic, green and spring onions, bits of meat, egg and soy sauce.

Sukiyaki (Php350 good for two). Thinly-sliced beef, tofu, vegetables and glass noodles cooked in sukiyaki broth.

Ebi Tempura (Php410 for 5 pieces). Battered and deep-fried prawns served with tempura sauce.

Bacon Asparagus Maki (Php300). Fresh green asparagus rolled in bacon.

Gyu Hireniku (Php480). Beef tenderloin grilled teppanyaki-style and served with sauteed bean sprouts.

So the next time I have a hankering for Japanese food, guess where I’m headed!

During the Enhanced Community Quarantine, Kimono Ken has two of its stores open for takeout our delivery:

256 Tomas Morato corner Scout Fuentebella, Quezon City (open from 10,30am to 6pm): Call +63 2 89281228 or +63 2 89292535
Met Live EDSA Extension corner Macapagal Boulevard, Metro Park Bay Area CBD, Pasay City (open from 11am to 7pm): Call +63 2 87798685 or +63 2 85564484

To have your favorite Japanese food delivered to you, call the branch or Viber +63 956 804 2237 with your order. Once confirmed, pay via bank transfer or GCash (cash-on-delivery option also available), then Viber proof of payment to +63 956 804 2237. Once receipt of payment is confirmed, have your order picked up via Grab Express or LalaMove Pabili Service.

This Kimono Ken branch is located at Ground Floor, Tower 1, Rockwell Business Center, Ugong, Pasig City.

Other branches are located at:

Mandaluyong: The Podium Mall, Shangri-La Plaza
Quezon City: Tomas Morato, SM North EDSA The Block
Pasay: Met Live Mall, Main Mall SM MOA
Paranaque: SM City BF Paranaque

Milk tea indulgence at Gong Cha, L&Y Plaza

While stuck at home due to the quarantine, don’t you sometimes long for the little indulgences you used to enjoy when you can freely move around?

My own little indulgence is the pearl milk tea.

Ever since it became a trending food item nearly a decade ago, pearl milk tea has been an easy and relatively affordable treat for my sweet tooth. It also has the added benefit of being a cold drink that can counter the uncomfortable heat in the metro.

Really, what’s not to love?

The silky feel of the milk tea as it flows from the straw into your mouth and the sweet and chewy surprise of the tapioca pearls… yep, these are among the humble rewards I can gift to myself at the end of a stressful day.

And since I love the interplay of sweet and salty flavors, I usually order Gong Cha’s Milk Tea with Pearl Jelly (Php85 regular | Php95 large) with Gong Cha Milk Cream Cheese (additional Php50). The milk cream cheese adds a bit of frothy richness to the drink. Yum!

Staying home during the ECQ may be a sacrifice, but thankfully, you can still indulge yourself with your favorite drinks from Gong Cha with three of its branches – Il Terrazzo Mall in Tomas Morato, L&Y Plaza in Pasig and Araneta Shopwise in Cubao – still open for take out and delivery via GrabFood, LalaFood and FoodPanda.

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.

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.

This Gong Cha branch is located at L&Y Plaza, 120 E. Rodriguez Jr. Corner Ortigas Avenue Extension, Ugong, Pasig City.

Other branches are located at:

Quezon City: Il Terrazzo Mall, Eastwood Mall, Robinsons Galleria, Cyberpark Tower 1, Shopwise Araneta, Robinsons Magnolia, UP Town Center, SM Sta. Mesa, Fisher Mall, Trinoma Mall, SKY Garden and Main Building SM North EDSA, SM Sun Mall, Amoranto Street – Banawe, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, SM City Fairview, Ayala Fairview Terraces
Pasig: Ortigas Technopoint, Ayala Feliz
Marikina: SM City Marikina
San Juan: Theater Mall Greenhills Shopping Center, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Santolan Town Plaza
Mandaluyong: Greenfield District, SM Light Mall, Forum Robinsons
Taguig: Uptown Place Mall, SM Aura Premier, Vista Mall Taguig, Fort Victoria Building, Venice Grand Canal Mall
Makati: Powerplant Mall, Glorietta 1, Glorietta 4, SM Jazz Mall, SM Makati, Landmark, Greenbelt Hamilton Tower, San Lorenzo Place Condominium, Shell Magallanes
Pasay: Newport City, Met Live Mall, MOA Arena, Entertainment Mall MOA, SM by the Bay
Manila: 2 Torre Lorenzo, The One Grand Centre, SM City Manila, Robinsons Place Manila, SM City San Lazaro, G-2 Avenue of the Arts, Lucky Chinatown
Caloocan: SM City Sangandaan
Paranaque: SM City BF, SM City Sucat
Valenzuela: SM City Valenzuela
Las Pinas: The Village Square Alabang, SM Southmall, Vista Mall Las Pinas, Evia Lifestyle Center
Muntinlupa: Alabang Town Center, Festival Mall

Check out my reviews of other milk tea joints:

Yummy yogurt drinks at Koomi, The Podium

Here’s something new to cool us down these long hot summer days!

Koomi is the yogurt drink brand which originated from Australia. It entered our shores late last year, giving Pinoys fresh and delectable takes on yogurt drinks.

Koomi presents a healthier alternative to the ubiquitous milk tea because yogurt is rich in probiotics which aids in digestion. Its drinks, made fresh daily, are also flavored with natural sweeteners and fresh fruits, a whole lot of #GuiltlessGoodness with every sip.

When ordering your Koomi, specify whether you want an Aussie blend (more tangy) or a Filipino blend (more milky) yogurt base. You can also choose the level of sweetness you want.

While out on errands with the fam in Ortigas Center, I dropped by the Koomi outlet in The Podium and got drinks for all of us:

For Hubby, a Boppin’ Boba (Php130) made with yogurt and boba pearls.

For me, an Avo Nice Day (Php170), a concoction made with yogurt and avocado.

For my daughter #ExhibitA, a Mango Cracker (Php165), made with yogurt, mango and crushed graham crackers.

And for my son #ExhibitB, a Cookies ‘N Dream (Php130), made with yogurt and crushed chocolate cookies.

Each drink was well-chosen for each of us, may I say. The sweetened yogurt served as an excellent base for the add-ons and sinkers that defined each drink.

We liked Koomi so much that #ExhibitA and I returned to The Podium a few days later to have another taste of it. She got herself another Mango Cracker while I decided on a You’re the Berry Best (Php140), made with yogurt and strawberry.

With such yummy and wholesome beverages available at Koomi, cooling down for the summer won’t be a problem!

This Koomi branch is located at Fifth Floor, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City.

Other branches are located at:

Second Floor, New Wing, Robinsons Magnolia, New Manila, Quezon City
Fourth Floor, Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City
MOA Food Hall, Third Floor, Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City
Third Floor, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City
Uptown Place Mall, 36th Street Corner 9th Avenue, BGC, Taguig
Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo, Manila, Binondo, Manila

During the enhanced community quarantine, Koomi delivers via Grab Express and Lalamove Purchase Service.

Soon, it will also deliver via FoodPanda. Use this link to download the FoodPanda app and get Php100 off your first order.

Quick and yummy desserts at Avocadoria.PH

Long before it made its way on top of toasted bread and became a trending food item, I’ve been a fan of the avocado.

Avocado has a rich and creamy texture and an earthy flavor that becomes phenomenal when sweetened which makes it an ideal showcase ingredient for desserts.

Local dessert chain Avocadoria.PH took advantage of this fruit’s qualities and designed frozen dessert items that can be enjoyed by avocado fans quick and easy.

These include:

Avocado Lover (Php110 for 8oz | Php125 for 12oz). My favorite among Avocadoria.PH’s offerings, this consists of layers of homemade avocadonice cream, crushed biscuits, tapioca pearls, avocado chunks, chopped almonds with a bit flax and chia seeds.

Avocado Shake (Php170). An ice-blended drink made with avocado served with tapioca pearls, topped with chia and flax seeds, chopped almonds and fresh avocado.

Avocado Senyorita (Php98). Premium avocado ice cream covered in dark or white chocolate and studded crunchy pieces of premium nuts.

Given these examples, is there any doubt on why the avocado is among my favorite fruits?

Avocadoria.PH branches in the metro are located at:

Pasig: Tiendesitas, SM Center Pasig, Robinsons Metro East, Ayala Malls The 30th, Ayala Malls Feliz
Mandaluyong: SM Megamall, Shangri-la Plaza, EDSA Central Pavilion, SM Light Mall, Forum Robinsons
San Juan: Greenhills Shopping Center
Quezon City: Robinsons Galleria, Eastwood Citywalk 2, Ali Mall Cubao, Farmers Plaza Cubao, Robinsons Magnolia, UP Town Center, Ayala Malls Vertis North, Fisher Mall, SM North EDSA, Walter Mart North EDSA, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, Robinsons Novaliches, Ayala Fairview Terraces
Marikina: SM City Marikina, Riverbanks Center, Ayala Malls Marikina, Dona Aurora Parang
Taguig: Market! Market!, Food District Signatures on the 5th
Makati: Ayala Mall Circuit, Glorietta 3, Philamlife Tower, San Lorenzo Place Condominium
Manila: The One Grand Center Sampaloc, Robinsons Place Manila, SM City San Lazaro, Lucky Chinatown
Pasay: Ayala Malls Manila Bay,
Paranaque: SM City Bicutan, SM City BF Paranaque, SM City Sucat
Caloocan: SM Center Sangandaan
Malabon: Fisher Mall
Valenzuela: SM City Valenzuela
Las Pinas: SM Southmall, Vista Mall Las Pinas, Ayala Center Las Pinas
Muntinlupa: Alabang Town Center, Starmall Alabang, Festival Mall, Ayala Malls South Park Alabang

Hearty noodle meal at Marugame Udon, SM North EDSA

My friends know that I’m quite a ramen lover but I’ve also been known to expand my range when it comes to gustatory adventures.

One such expansion was when my officemates first introduced me to the delights of another kind of Japanese noodle dish at the Marugame Udon branch in SM North EDSA.

Udon differs from ramen in the size and texture of noodles: udon noodles are straight, thicker and have a softer and chewier texture than ramen noodles. They also tend to absorb the flavor of the udon broth more easily.

Marugame Udon is the largest udon noodles restaurant chain in the world with over a thousand stores worldwide where authentic udon noodles are freshly kneaded, boiled and cooked upon order everyday.

At Marugame Udon, customers get in line in front of the open-style kitchen to choose their udon according to the numbers displayed and then choose their desired toppings to customize their orders before they pay at the cashier.

Among the dishes my friends and I enjoyed are:

Beef Ontama Bukkake Udon (Php210 regular | Php260 large). Comes with marinated gyudon beef strips, Japanese poached egg, and bukkake soup.

Chicken Paitan Udon (Php200 regular | Php250 large). Comes with sauteed chicken, a soft boiled egg, and flavorful chicken soup with a distinct taste of cracked pepper.

Gyudon (Php170). Beef strips flavored with a sweet-savory sauce and garnished with onions on top of rice

Well, it sure looks like there’s a new addition to my Japanese food cravings!

If you’ve got a craving for udon but are stuck at home due to the enhanced community quarantine, you’ll be glad to know that Marugame Udon re-opened its BGC branch yesterday to cater to takeout and delivery customers. It is open weekdays from 11am to 5pm and can take pre-orders via +63 2 77999184 or +63 916 6270275.

How about when the quarantine is done and we’re all back to our regularly scheduled programming, we go out to have another serving of Marugame Udon’s offerings, eh?

This Marugame Udon branch is located at Upper Ground Floor, Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City.

Other branches are located at:

Level 2, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas, Quezon City
Second Floor, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Third Floor, Building A, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Ground Floor, SM City Marikina, Marcos Highway, Calumpang, Marikina City
Ground Floor, O Square Building 2, Greenhills Shopping Center, Greenhills
Ground Floor, Uptown Place Mall, 36th Street corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Ground Floor, SM City Cubao, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City
B7, Bonifacio High Street, Lane P, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Ground Floor, Phase 2, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Main Mall, Ayala Malls Circuit, Carmona, Makati City
Third Floor, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City
Lower Ground Floor, Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue, Del Monte, Quezon City
Upper Ground Floor, Main Building, SM City Fairview, Novaliches, Quezon City

Get your delish kabab at Behrouz

My son, #ExhibitB, is such a fan of Behrouz’s beef kabab that when we dined another Mediterranean restaurant and he tasted the kabab there, he said, “Mom, I think we’re in the wrong place.”

I really couldn’t fault the little one for his loyalty to Behrouz’s beef kababs. For over twenty years, it has been the gold standard for beef kababs as far as his dad and I concerned.

Behrouz had its start in the country in 1985 when Iranian-born Behrouz Mojde established a hole-in-the-wall restaurant along Scout Rallos Street in Quezon City and called it Behrouz Persian Cuisine. Today, it’s being managed by his son, Modj, and his family, who continue Behrouz’s no-frills approach to managing the restaurant.

Central to Behrouz’s appeal is Beef Kabab (Php70/pc). The juicy and tender ground beef is flavored with herbs and aromatics then grilled over charcoal to produce that appetizingly smokey flavor. Honestly, whenever the fam eats at Behrouz, we order at least eight pieces because each of us have to have at least two pieces of these kababs.

The kababs go so well with Basmati Rice (Php80) with Butter (Php50). We just couldn’t imagine enjoying our kababs any other way.

We normally have Grilled Tomatoes and Onions (Php50), Ox Brain (Php80) and Hummus (Php80) with our kabab meal to bring out even more yummy flavors.

When I’m ordering for just myself when eating out with friends, I usually go for an order of Chelo Kabab Makhsos (Php300 with Basmati Rice). It combines the beef kababs, grilled tomato, basmati rice and butter, and iced tea. It may not be Instagrammable, but it brings practically all the flavors of my favorites good for one person.

Well, Behrouz is a family favorite of long standing and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

During the enhanced community quarantine, two of Behrouz’s branches – Scout Tobias (+63 2 89627615) and Santana Grove (+63 933 4196444) – are available for takeout and delivery via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

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.

Use this link to download the FoodPanda app and get Php100 off your first order.

This Behrouz branch is located at Ground Floor, Metrowalk Commercial Complex, Meralco Avenue, Ugong, Pasig City.

Other branches are located at:

Wilson Street, Greenhills, San Juan City
Scout Tobias Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City
Santana Grove, Dr. A. Santos Avenue, San Antonio, Paranaque City
226 Aguirre Avenue Corner J. Ramirez Street, BF Homes, Paranaque

Check out my posts on other restaurants serving Mediterranean cuisine:

Winner chicken dinner, thanks to Chooks-to-Go

If you run out of grocery items and are at a loss on what to have for dinner during the enhanced community quarantine, well, help is just a few clicks (or phone taps) away.

Why not order a lechon manok from Chooks-to-Go and have it delivered to you?

Lechon manok is sure to appeal to everyone in the family: it is a favorite, fuss-free yet flavorful viand that goes so well with that other Pinoy staple, steamed rice.

I would go for a Sweet Roast Oven Rosted Chicken. A whole rotisserie chicken marinated in a mixture of local incgredients and expertly roasted in an oven that still brings about the classic lechon manok flavor we all know and love.

Ordering it won’t break the bank, either. At only Php259 for a whole chicken, and with lots and lots of steamed rice, you can already feed the entire fam a tasty meal.

This Chooks-to-Go branch is located at De Castro Avenue corner Ilang-Ilaang Street, Santa Lucia, Pasig City.

It delivers through its hotline +63 2 86871010 or via FoodPanda.