restaurant review – Page 44 – Jellybeans in the City

Celsius, Lamp Quarters

As part of our makeshift food crawl in Marikina’s Lamp Quarters over the holiday break, my friends and I proceeded to its newest coffee shop after our lunch at Chives Bistro.

Celsius has been cited as the place to be for students who want to a place of peace and quiet where they can study or regroup with their pals over cups of artisanal coffee.

It has also been hailed as part of the third wave coffee movement in Marikina. It certainly does its share in featuring high-quality coffee with beans sourced from coffee countries such as Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Colombia and Indonesia, as well as our home-grown beans from Benguet Atok and Mount Apo Sablan.

These beans are brewed fresh upon order, bringing the aroma and flavors of premium coffee to a new generation of would-be coffee connoisseurs.

Well, the titas and titos our group joined the young ones in their coffee hangout where we enjoyed our orders of of:

Foamless Latte (Php145).

Lounge Latte (Php160).

Lounge Fine Chocolate (Php150).

Cappuccino Frozen Cheesecake (Php150).

The coffee and chocolate drinks were full-flavored and served steaming hot while the coffee-based frozen dessert will surely appeal to lovers of sweets. These treats fueled a lively round of good-natured ribbing and gossiping among the titos and titas present.

Word of advice, though: try not to sit on the triangular stools. They’re bad for your posture and posterior. (Trust your tita on this!)

I’m so looking forward to coming back here and enjoying a round of coffee mocktails with the titas.

Celsius is located at Lamp Quarters, Gil Fernando Avenue, Santo Nino, Marikina City, open daily from 11am to 11pm.

Wine with the titos: Bevvy at Don Revy, Magallanes

Ladies, what do you do when you find out where you Hubby and the boys hang out whenever he’s late going home from work?

Join them for a round of drinks, of course!

Well, that’s what I did the other day when I had myself dropped off at Hubby’s workplace along Chino Roces Avenue Extension after doing some field work in the South.

Rather than facing the Carmageddon going home, Hubby suggested we hang out for a while at his gang’s go-to watering hole: Bevvy at Don Revy.

Don Revy is a supplier of beers, wines and spirits committed to bringing what’s new and what’s next in the world of beverages.

It’s name was chosen because it rhymes with “always on the bevvy” – Scottish slang for “always drinking.”

It operates the wine bar – Bevvy at Don Revy – as a venue for drink connoisseurs to unwind, relax, celebrate and imbibe the cultures and tastes of the world of beverages.

At the Bevvy, every bottle can be bought at retain price to be enjoyed either at the premises or brought home. It is akin to a hidden library where you can choose your preferred drink to enjoy by yourself or to fuel a fun evening with your buddies, just like our chosen drinks for this night:

Glenalmond Everyday Highland Pure Malt (Php90 per glass | Php1500 per bottle). The boys drank this vintage blended malt whisky which is said to be so dangerously easy to drink.

Chateau Rotas Rose 2016 (Php150 per glass | Php730 per bottle). A French pink wine that’s a bit dry and acidic yet also easy to drink. It gave li’l ole lightweight me a bit of a buzz.

We also munched on these bar chow while enjoying our drinks:

Cold Cuts and Cheeses (Php700). A board containing three kinds of cold cuts (Fuet, Salamanca and Prosciutto) and three kinds of cheeses (Gorgonzola, Manchego and Gouda).

Pork Cracklings (Php150 per pack). Plain chicharon that gives a satisfying crrrrunch with every bite.

Well, wine night with these Titos of Manila sure was fun!

The next time Hubby tells me he’ll be late coming home from work, I’ll probably tell him to bring home a bottle for me. Hehehe!

Planning a spirited night out with the gang? Here are some Bevvy deals you might like:

Have a Bevvy (Php550). Unlimited servings of drinks for three hours for one category (gin & tonic, draft beer and wine)
All the Bevvies (Php750). Unlimited servings of drinks for three hours for all categories (gin & tonic, draft beer and wine)

Bevvy at Don Revy is located at UPRC III Building, 2289 Chino Roces Avenue Extension, Makati City, open Mondays to Fridays from 2pm to 11pm and Saturdays from 6pm to 11pm (closed on Sundays and holidays). For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 82528703, email bevvy@donrevy.com or visit its website.

Japanese seafood dinner at Omakase, Greenhills

In our bid to eat a bit healthier after a bout of errands in Greenhills, Hubby and I opted to have an early sushi dinner at Omakase.

This Japanese resto started out as a takeout counter in Quezon City. The term omakase actually translates to “I leave it up to you.” In Japan, diners can sometimes leave it up to the chef to serve his recommended selection of seasonal specialties instead of ordering their preferences.

While that is not the system set in place in this restaurant, it does boast of an excellent selection of maki and sushi.

Hubby and I dined on a sampling of this selection with our orders:

Sashimi: Salmon (Php300) and Tuna (Php300). Raw fish sliced into thin pieces and served with soy sauce and a little wasabi.

Spicy Maguro Roll (Php310). Deep-fried spicy tuna topped with ebiko and scallions.

Chirashi Don (Php385). Assorted raw seafood over sushi rice served with miso soup.

Ebi Tempura (Php370). Five pieces of lightly battered and deep fried shrimp served with tempura sauce.

These classic seafood dishes (our go-to fare whenever we’re at a Japanese restaurant) were promptly served by the wait staff. The raw fish in the sashimi and chirashi don were fresh and flavorful.

This Omakase branch is located at Ground Floor, Connecticut Carpark Arcade, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan, open daily from 11am to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 84709807 or +63 930 2523575.

Other branches are located at:

Pasig: Ayala Malls Feliz
Marikina: ESJ Building Gil Fernando Avenue
Quezon City: Il Terrazzo Mall Tomas Morato, Holy Spirit Drive Isidora Hills Subdivision
Muntinlupa: Molito Commercial Complex Alabang
Makati: Grab Kitchen Glorietta 2

Unli Samgyupsal at Oh My Samgyup, Tomas Morato

I gotta say: there’s something irresistible with these unli Korean barbecue offers sprouting all over the metro.

Sometimes, even the most budget-conscious will agree to a group lunch at a resto with this kind of offer. Knowing that everyone would be able to eat their fill of the barbecued meat and banchans (side dishes) is enough to entice them to join in on the lunch outing.

That’s how my officemates and I enjoyed our lunch prior to the holiday break at Oh My Samgyup.

This Korean grill restaurant is located just across the street from our office so the ease and convenience of getting there is a big plus.

The resto’s decor has also been recently given a makeover, resulting to an airier feel and a hipper vibe.

We also took advantage of its Christmas Promo wherein the per person rate of Unli Pork , Chicken and Beef (already includes unli side dishes, rice, cheese and iced tea) was slashed from Php499 to Php389 everyday from 11am to 4pm.

Well, by the time we left the place, our tummies are full but our wallets were not empty. Yey!

Oh My Samgyup’s Christmas offer may be over but here’s some good news! Until January 31, enjoy unlimited chicken pork and beef from 11am to 4pm for only Php399 per person and from 4pm onwards for only Php499 per person, thanks to the resto’s January offer.

So what are you waiting for?

Oh My Samgyup is located 139 Mother Ignacia Avenue, Bgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 0916 6007505 or +63 0920 3066314.

Ramen Cool, Kapitolyo

Back when I worked in the Ortigas area, my officemates and I used to venture to the foodie-friendly Kapitolyo for our happy lunches.

One of our favorite haunts is Ramen Cool which was established in the area before the ongoing ramen craze.

It offers Japanese food lovers their favorite dishes, some with a few twists.

This branch now offers lunch sets which allow diners to enjoy a well-curated set of dishes which include solo servings of a main viand, soup, salad, drink and more all for under Php400. In this way, diners can have a flavorful variety of Japanese dishes while still staying on budget.

While out on field work in the area, my coworkers and I took advantage of these offers by ordering:

Karaage Lunch (Php219). Chicken karaage served with iced coffee, plain rice, pulled pork ramen, two pieces of California Maki and Kani Salad.

Tuna Ahi Poke Lunch (Php269). A yellowfin tuna poke bowl served with iced coffee, miso soup, yakisoba and kani salad.

Chirashi Lunch (Php379). A bowl of chirashi (sushi rice topped with various sliced and chopped sushi flavored with Japanese mayo, wasabi and spring onions) served with iced coffee, miso soup, yakisoba and kani salad.

Aside from these lunch sets, our group’s orders also included:

Seared Tuna Salad (Php315) and Spicy Tuna Salad (Php295). Both prettily served on a specialized bowl which kept the salads cool and the greens crisp.

Karaage Wasabi Mayo (Php195). Japanese-style fried chicken doused with wasabi mayo.

It was a delicious return to an old haunt and I’d love to revisit the place and its specialties again soon!

This Ramen Cool branch is located at 25 East Capitol Drive, Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City, open Sundays to Wednesdays from 11am to 10.30pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 12 midnight. For inquries and reservations, call +63 2 86360972 or +63 2 89984168.

Other branches are located at:

San Lorenzo Village Condominium, San Lorenzo, Makati
Westlife Building, West Avenue, Quezon City

Tim Horton’s, L&Y Plaza

Tim Horton’s is an institution in Canada. This iconic donut brand is tightly enmeshed in the Canadian identity.

And with its entry into the Philippine market in 2017, it brought a little bit of the Great White North to our shores.

Would you believe I’ve only gotten around to sampling its offerings today, well over two years after Tim Horton’s opened its first branch in the country?

Blame it on a lack of opportunity, I guess. Most of the TH branches that opened are out of the way for me. That is, until I saw one in L&Y Plaza along Ortigas Avenue – a mere 2 kilometers away from my home.

I took advantage of Tim Horton’s gift certificates I received during the epic #WeLoveToEatPH Christmas Party to check out its famed donuts.

So what did I order?

Maple Dip Donut (Php55 each). TH’s soft donut dipped in rich maple fondant. Donut + Maple… how can you get any more Canadian than that?

Strawberry Field Timbit (Php12 each). Soft sugar-coated donut holes filled with strawberry filling.

Peach GardenTeajito (Php105). TH’s refreshing non-coffee drink made from black tea, peach-flavored syrup and a shot of Mentha Cubano.

Well, it’s a good experience joining the Tim Horton’s bandwagon.

Now I know what the fuss is all aboot! (See what I did there?)

This Tim Horton’s branch is located at Ground Floor, L&Y Plaza, 120 E. Rodriguez Avenue Jr. corner Ortigas Avenue Extension, Barangay Ugong, Pasig City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 7am to 11pm and Sundays from 10am to 11pm.

Other branches in the metro can be found at:

Quezon City: 1880 Building Eastwood Avenue, KIA Theater Cubao, Eton Centris Diliman, Ever Gotesco Commonwealth, SM City Fairview
Pasig: Estancia Mall Oranbo
San Juan: Connecticut Carpark Arcade Greenhills
Taguig: Uptown Place Mall BGC, Market! Market! BGC, Net Quad BGC, Burgos Circle BGC, Venice Grand Canal Mall McKinley Hill
Makati: Ermitage Building Salcedo Village, Ayala Malls Circuit, Glorietta 4, Insular Life Building, One Central Building, Paseo de Roxas corner Legaspi Street, San Lorenzo Place Condominium
Manila: R Square Mall Malate, Centro Escolar University, UN Square Malate, SM City San Lazaro
Pasay: NAIA Terminal 3, Blue Bay Walk MOA, Three E-Com Center MOA
Paranaque: Pearl Plaza Quirino Avenue, Coojing Building President’s Arcade

Manam Comfort Filipino, Trinoma

Comfort food are fare that provide the diner with a feeling of consolation or well-being and are oftentimes associated with the food enjoyed at home or during childhood.

While these evoke nostalgia and sentimentality, they also excite the taste buds and stir anticipation.

After a typical morning at the office, my officemates and I opted to get some comfort and good eats at the newly opened branch of Manam in Trinoma.

We were welcomed by Manam’s friendly and accommodating wait staff as well as its well-appointed yet cozy interiors.

Manam was formerly known as NamNam, and it boasts of a menu that offers both the classic renditions as well as fresh twists on Pinoy cuisine.

That day, we feasted on these dishes:

Adobong Kangkong (Php98). Kangkong (water spinach) shoots sauteed in garlic and soy-vinegar.

Gising Gising (Php125). Sigarilyas and kangkong sauteed with pork and chilis in coconut cream and bagoong (shrimp paste).

Pinakbet (Php130). Okra, string beans, eggplant, squash and tomatoes sauteed in with pork bits and shrimp in bagoong.

Mangga at Bagoong (Php140). Sliced green mango and shrimp paste, this combo is famous for that sour-salty dynamic.

Caramelized Patis Wings (Php170). A twist on fried chicken, patis (fish sauce) flavors the zesty wings.

Crunchy Salt and Pepper Squid (Php280). Lightly battered squid pieces tossed in a crunchy mixture of stir-fried garlic and chilis.

House Crispy Sisig (Php398). Ranked as the No. 1 Sisig in Manila for two consecutive years, this dish features chopped pork jowl and cheek served sizzling.

Sinigang na Beef Short Rib and Watermelon (Php775 for family size). The sour broth of the beef sinigang is given a slightly sweet twist with the addition of watermelon.

Bibingka de Leche (Php125). A layer of leche flan (caramel egg custard) tops a pancake-like rice cake.

Kape, Sago at Gulaman (Php105). The samalamig (Filipino version of slushy drink) given a twist with the addition of coffee flavors.

Puto Bumbong with Muscovado Butter (Php80). The classic purple rice cake traditionally steamed in bamboo tubes accompanied by grated cheese, grated coconut and a bar of muscovado-enriched butter.

What a delicious way to get some comfort on a work day!

This branch of Manam Comfort Filipino is located at Ground Floor, Trinoma Mall Garden Wing, Bagong Pag Asa, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 79005750.

Other branches are located at:

Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, Makati
Net Park, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
O Square, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan
South Wing, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay
Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Entertainment City, Paranaque
SM North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
SM City Fairview, Novaliches, Quezon City
Ayala Fairview Terraces, Novaliches, Quezon City

Sourdough Cafe + Deli, Tomas Morato

Sourdough bread is a new food trend that gaining traction in the metro. It is made by fermenting dough using naturally occurring lactobacilli and yeast producing a sour taste compared to breads made with baker’s yeast. It also keeps longer, owing to the lactic acid produced by the lactobacilli.

For the health-conscious, sourdough may be used to improve the quality of gluten-free breads by enhancing their texture, aroma and shelf-life. Its glycemic index is lower than other types of bread which is good news for people watching their sugar intake.

It’s a good thing, then, that a cafe specializing in sourdough recently opened near my workplace.

With such an exciting item in its menu (in fact, the central item in it!) as well poshly designed yet comfy interiors ideal for quiet lunches or intimate dinners tucked away in an office building along Tomas Morato, Sourdough held an irresistible appeal to titas like me.

This is why during one of our lunchbreaks prior to the Christmas break, my co-titas in the office and I decided to have our meal at Sourdough Cafe + Deli.

This tita meal consisted of:

Complimentary Flatbread Slices. Dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar with some parmesan cheese, these gave our tastebuds a good preview of Sourdough’s offerings.

Prosciutto Arugula Flatbread (Php345). Sourdough flatbread topped with marinara sauce, mozarella, arugula leaves and bits of prosciutto.

Pasta Carbonara (Php395). Al dente noodles tossed in a creamy sauce made with eggs, pecorino cheese, parmegianno reggiano, guanciale (Italian cured meat made from pork jowl) and pancetta (Italian salt-cured pork belly).

Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Php295). Four cheeses – gouda, yellow cheddar, mozzarella and grana padano – sandwiched between sourdough bread slices lightly spread with mayo.

Basque Burnt Cheesecake (Php195). Also a trending food item, this cheesecake is an offshoot of Spain’s tarta de queso. Its top appears toasted but the center has a soft custard-y texture. Combined the top’s buttery taste to the tanginess of the cheesecake filling, and you have a winning dessert you would want to taste again and again.

After lunch, we also treated ourselves to Sourdough Cafe’s handcrafted coffee.

Not bad for a bunch of titas out for lunch.

By the way, since wine and titas go together so well, you might want to check out Sourdough Cafe’s unli wine at Php599 per person.

Sourdough Cafe + Deli is located at Ground Floor, JSB Building, 104 Tomas Morato Avenue corner Scout Delagado Street, Tomas Morato, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 85259463 or +64 917 1889463.

2020 Meet Up Meal Deal at Shakeys, Tomas Morato

Think the treats are done just because the holidays are over?

Well, here’s some good news!

You and the gang can come together to enjoy good eats for just Php2,020 thanks to Shakeys’ 2020 Meet Up Meal Deal.

I discovered this great offer together with my office buddies when we went out to lunch.

Truth be told, we were actually supposed to eat at the a newly opened resto nearby but we were told that serving time would take longer than usual. Having meetings or tasks already lined up in the afternoon, we opted to eat somewhere else.

That “somewhere else” turned out to be Shakeys along Tomas Morato.

This branch has transferred from its previous location across the street to this new location which affords it some added floor space and reinvigorated decor for its interiors.

At my coworker’s suggestion, we decided to take advantage of the 2020 Meet Up Meal Deal which allowed us to eat our fill from these Shakeys specialties:

Two Large Thin Crust Pizzas. We opted for Shakeys’ No. 1 flavor, the Manager’s Choice which is loaded with ham, beef, Italian sausage, green bell pepper and onions, and Hawaiian Delight which is topped with ham and – I-don’t-know-why some-people-make-a-big-deal-about-this-and-I-don’t-care – pineapple tidbits.

Two Pasta Platters. We opted for a platter each of Skiletti (spaghetti which was served in a skillet back when I was a kid and I guess the name stuck), and Carbonara Supreme.

Ten Pieces Chicken ‘N Mojos. Crispy and juicy fried chicken paired with Shakeys’ famous mojos – breaded and deep-fried potato slices.

Ten Pieces Mozzarella Sticks. Sticks of mozzarella coated in breading and deep-fried to a a crispy golden brown on the outside and stretchy and melty on the inside.

One Family Tuna Ceasar Salad. Tuna flakes, fresh lettuce, cucumber slices and crunchy croutons tossed in creamy Caesar dressing and topped with grated Cheddar cheese.

One Pitcher of Iced Tea and One Pitcher of Soda.

All these can satisfy the appetite of ten people but since we were only seven in our group, you can imagine how full we were at the end of the meal. We ended up getting the remaining few slices of pizza and a sizeable portion of the carbonara for takeout.

Plus, the 2020 Meet Up Meal Deal comes with some bonuses you can enjoy on your next visit: a free Shakeys SuperCard and Php450 worth of gift vouchers.

Shakeys’ 2020 Meet Up Meal Deal is available in all Shakeys outlets until March 31, 2020. The price is for dine in and carry out only. Add Php100 for delivery.

This Shakeys branch is located at Tomas Morato corner Scout Rallos Street, Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City, open 24/7. For delivery, visit shakeyspizza.ph, or call +63 2 77777777 (landline) or #77777.

Pre-holiday lunch at Chives Bistro, Lamp Quarters

It was the start of the holiday break, and my office buddies and I wanted to celebrate this short period of freedom by dining out together and catching up.

Together with my East-based coworkers, I hied myself off to Lamp Quarters in Marikina to have lunch at Chives Bistro.

This restaurant has a rustic industrial design with its combination of wood and metal furnishings and decor, but still retains homey vibe in line with its concept of combining European and Asian cuisines.

While waiting for our orders, we were provided with complimentary bread to be dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Chives currently has Weekday Lunch Specials for only Php195 which consist of a viand plus spring roll, choice between red or white rice and raspberry iced tea. Our orders included:

Set A. Grilled Gangnam Chicken.

Set C. Grilled Baguio Sausage.

These lunch specials do offer good value and I appreciate the novelty of the chicken and the longganisa as well as the option for a healthier rice given to the diner. The spring rolls, however, are heavily flavored with tinapa, the smokiness of which clashed with the main viand.

Our group also ordered:

Fried Chicken (Php195). Deep-fried chicken pieces coated in homemade sriracha marinade with a cucumber dip.

Truffled Mushroom Pasta (Php280). Fettuccine noodles tossed in alfredo sauce flavored with a bit of truffle oil along with shiitaki and shimeji mushrooms. Taking the place of bacon is the the etag crisp which is a type of cured pork made in the Sagadas.

Turones (Php130). Flambed bananas, chocnut and parmesan cheese in lumpia wrapper.

Celebrity Cake (Php150 per slice). A moist chocolate cake topped with rich chocolate ganache and and a pinch of pink salt. This dessert has been hailed by Spot.ph as the No. 1 Chocolate Cake in Metro Manila.

I find Chives’ concept and food curation exciting but some dishes, like the lunch specials, suffer a bit in the execution. Also, some items were not available when we were there which does limit our choices.

Still, I wouldn’t mind coming back and checking out Chives’ other dishes… especially if I could have my friends again with me when I visit!

By the way, two of us unlocked our Zomato Gold privilege so two of our orders are free! Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 (Buy 1 Get 1) deals on food or 2+2 (Buy 2 Get 2) deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use the code JELLYB to get 10% off the membership fee.

Chives Bistro is located at Lamp Quarters, Gil Fernando Avenue, Santo Nino, Marikina City, open Sundays to Thursdays from 11am to 11pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 88664158 or +63 927 8591926.

Another branch is located at EM Gems Building, L. Sumulong, Circumferential Road, San Roque, Antipolo City.