restaurant review – Page 47 – Jellybeans in the City

A Japanese shokudo food experience at Grillin’ Ape, Eastwood Cybermall

Craving for yummy Japanese food for lunch but payday is still a few days away?

Fear not; if your workplace is near Eastwood in Libis, an exciting and affordable dining option has just opened in your neck of the woods.

Hie yourself over to Eastwood Cybermall’s Food Court and you will see its newest establishment called Grillin’ Ape.

Styled after the shokudo (casual, independendently owned hole-in-the-wall restaurants located and cafeterias that serve affordable dishes), it is marked by colorful murals and banners, with wooden stools and tables where guests can eat in comfort. Diners can choose their food among no-frills and affordable Japanese dishes with prices starting at Php50!

Together with my fellow foodies, I checked out Grillin’ Ape’s offerings, which included:

Sushi Rolls. These are uramaki type rolls, the ones in which the rice is outside and the seaweed wraps around the filling, made of different types of flavorful fillings and toppings.

Mango Kani (Php130).

Crunchy Tempura (Php150).

Tempura Caviar Overload (Php160).

Spicy Tuna Lava (Php150).

Sushi Donuts. A modern take on how to enjoy sushi, sushi donuts are made of donut-shaped sushi rice base topped with the same ingredients as sushi rolls.

Lava Donut (Php230). Made with tempura, egg, yuzu kyozu mayo and mozzarella cheese.

Salmon Belly Donut (Php195). Made with marinated salmon and red radish.

Yakiniku. These are meat seasoned with tare sauce or items such as quail eggs and corn which are cooked by charcoal-grilling. These may be ordered by the stick – Chicken Meatballs (Php50), Pork Belly with Scallion (Php70), Enoki and Bacon (Php80), Chicken Liver wrapped in Bacon (Php80), Chicken Wings (Php95), Quail Egg Bacon (Php80), Chicken Fillet with Scallion (Php60), Pork Meatballs (Php70), Quail Egg (Php40) and Corn (Php30); in rice bowls priced beginning at Php160; or as part of this Yakitori Big Bowl (Php599 – good for four) in which Japanese rice seasoned with teriyaki sauce is topped with four sticks each of pork belly, chicken fillet, pork meatballs, bacon-wrapped liver, grilled corn and quail eggs.

Udon Bowl (Php180 ). Thick strips of wheat noodles in savory pork broth topped with your choice of meat, as well as herbs and egg. We were served two variations of this dish: one topped with pork belly and another topped with bacon. These hearty noodle dishes can both fill and warm tummies especially when the cold weather comes in.

Desserts. No meal is complete without dessert, am I right? Well, at Grillin’ Ape, we capped our meal with these sweets you can go bananas over.

Banana Ape (Php135). Caramelized bananas topped by a generous scoop of vanilla icing.

Grilled Banana (Php50). Slices of skewered bananas grilled then drizzled with caramel sauce.

Sake. Adding to the shokudo dining experience are the special sake – Shika Cup and Kirei Peach Sake – which we were told were not available elsewhere in the metro. Sake are alcoholic beverages made of fermented rice and are part of a long standing tradition in Japanese cuisine.

Despite being only a few weeks since its opening, Grillin’ Ape does seem set to be the new destination for tasty yet affordable Japanese food.

Many thanks to Nino and the crew of Grillin’ Ape for the fabulous food and to Diane of Fried and Prejudice for extending the invitation!

Grillin’ Ape is located at Food Court, Third Floor, Eastwood Cybermall, Libis, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 999 8831662.

Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I attended a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare to facilitate honest reviews and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Time for some tapas at Tittos, Greenhills

Mention the word “tapas” here and the image that comes to mind is that of cured meats usually served for breakfast alongside garlic rice and fried eggs.

However, tapas has a totally different meaning in other countries.

Tapas originated in pre-19th century Spain where innkeepers offered travellers a sampling of the dishes they offer on a pot cover called a “tapa.”

There are claims that the OG (read: original) tapas were thin slices of bread or meat used to cover glasses of sherry served in Andalusian taverns to prevent fruit flies from hovering over them between sips. These slices tend to come from salty foodstuffs such as hams or chorizos which have the added benefit to tavernkeepers of activating thirst among the drinkers, thereby helping to increase alcohol sales.

A darker take on the history of tapas, particularly the ham and non-kosher foodstuffs, is that these were used by the Spanish Inquisition to identify who among the conversos (Jews who converted to Christianity) have not fully abandoned their Jewish faith. Woe betide the unfortunate converso who showed reluctance to eat non-kosher tapas during banquets!

Over the years, tapas has evolved to mean an appetizer, snack, or a small portion of food. It has also changed throughout this history og Spain by incorporating new ingredients and culinary influences. From the former Spanish colonies in the Americas, for example, came new ingredients such as tomatoes, sweet and chili peppers and maize (corn), among others.

These flavors figure prominently in my makeshift tapas experience at Tittos Latin BBQ & Brew after my recent shopping venture in Greenhills Shopping Center.

Feeling peckish after walking all over the complex, I decided to have something light for lunch. I heard that Tittos opened a banch in the new O Square Building in Greenhills a few months ago and I’ve been wanting to dine there.

This resto occupies a sprawling area decorated with images and colors that call to mind the festive and lively Latin American culture. The large windows facing Ortigas Avenue also let in a lot of natural light, further enhancing the place’s visual appeal.

Having decided to have a light solo meal, I ordered:

Beef Barbacoa Taco (Php165). Home-made tortillas topped with shredded barbecued beef, pico de gallo (a type of salsa made from chopped tomatoes, onions and peppers tossed in lime juice mixed with salt and cilantro), chimichurri (piquant sauce containing garlic, vinegar, olive oil and chili pepper flakes), Mexican crema (a thick and tangy cream similar to sour cream and creme fraiche), cole slaw and potato crisps.

Tittos Elote (Php245). A variation of the popular Mexican maize-based street food, this consists of sweet corn brushed with sweet paprika butter, Latin spices, mayonnaise and lime then grilled and topped with crumbled queso fresco (white cheese) and bits of chicharon (pork rind).

Tamarind Cola (Php95). Fresh tamarind puree combined with a cola reduction, it is refreshing but I would prefer it to be a bit sweeter.

Actually, the serving size of this light meal turned out to be quite substantial so I ended up having half my meal bagged to-go for sharing with the fam.

I have developed a fascination for the elote and I will make it a point to order this whenever I visit Tittos.

This Tittos Latin BBQ & Brew branch is located at Ground Level, O Square 2, Greenhills Shopping Center, Ortigas Avenue, Greenhills, San Juan, open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 12 midnight, Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 1am, and Sundays from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 917 8848867.

Another branch is located at 16 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City.

San Juan’s newest food and nightlife destination – Varra Restobar

The workday is through and you’ve earned yourself a little bit of a respite, wouldn’t you say?

If you’re looking for a place to meet with friends, enjoy good food and perhaps have a drink or two, then this newly opened and somewhat hidden restobar in San Juan would be just the thing.

A namesake of P. Guevarra Street where it is situated, Varra Restobar offers food lovers new reasons to make Little Baguio in San Juan their next foodie destination.

Together with my foodie friends, I ventured to Little Baguio in San Juan to check this resto out.

Getting to the resto is quite easy (it’s already on Waze, peeps!), but finding the entrance may be a challenge. Here’s a tip: go straight to the back of the building (where the car wash is) and climb up the stairs straight to the third floor. And then, you’re there!

Here’s what you can look forward to:

One: A chill place to hang out

The place has a relaxed vibe that is conducive for friendly get-togethers or chillin’ out with your favorite drink and bar chow.

It has a sprawling dining area with an abundance of power outlets. If ever your gadgets are low on battery, you can easily juice up again without having to leave your table.

Want to party in style? Reserve the stately Lounge and hold your celebrations for up to 40 pax for Php35,000 (fully consumable).

Or you can let loose with the gang in privacy and comfort in the VIP Room for just Php20,000 (fully consumable). Aside from the well-appointed interiors, you and your friends can enjoy your own private comfort room and a buzzer to summon the service team for your requests and orders.

Two: Mouthwatering comfort food

Whether you’re after a feast or a snack, Varra offers you a well-curated array of sure-win familiar dishes or fresh twists on the classics.

These include:

Crispy Shrooms (Php130). Deep-fried and crispy oyster and enoki mushrooms that you will want to pop into your mouth again and again.

Spam Chips (Php210). Thin slices of spam deep-fried to crisps accompanied by garlic aioli.

Messy Fries (Php150). Fries served with beef, lots of cheese and garlic aioli. It’s the kind of mess I certainly wouldn’t mind!

Varra’s Nacho Overload (Php350). Crunchy nacho chips doused in cheese sauce and overloaded with beef, tomatoes, onions, peppers and olives. Perfect for munching while chatting with friends.

Soy Garlic Chicken Poppers (Php240). Fried chicken balls served with coleslaw, rice and fried egg.

Beef Tapa (Php240). A classic breakfast staple, this consist of garlicky marinated beef served with salted egg, salsa, rice and fried egg.

Chicken Pesto Marinara (Php380). A tomato-based pasta topped with grilled chicken flavored with pesto sauce.

Classic Carbonara (Php290). A creamy iteration of the carbonara loaded with ham pieces and served with poached egg.

Wings Basket (Php230). Six pieces of juicy and flavorful fried chicken wings flavored with your choice of sauce – Buffalo, Sou Garlic, Garlic Parmesan, Hickory BBQ, Chili Cheese and Honey Sriracha – that go so well with rice. We got two baskets each of Soy Garlic and Garlic Parmesan.

Varra’s Steak Salpicao (Php380). Ooh, this is definitely the star of the show! Tender and flavorful slices of steak sauteed in garlic and oil and served on a sizzling plate.

Three: Refreshing drinks

As you enjoy the tasty viands and bar chow, quench your thirst with Varra’s Signature Cocktails (Php200 each) which include: Blue Cruise (white rum, lemon and triple sec), Rosee el Varra (tequila, sour mix and Hoegaarden Rosee), Varra Mountain (gin, gin de cacao, sour mix and triple sec) and Basil Slush (blended basil leaves, rum, lemonade and sugar).

If you don’t feel like imbibing alcohol ot if you’re the group’s designated driver, you can also opt for non-alcholic drinks such as Varra Iced Tea (Php80), Frozen Peach Iced Tea (Php100) and the cranberry and citrus-y Sunset Spritzer (Php130).

Well, it sure looks like San Juan just got itself a new go-to place for munchies, drinks and chillin’ out!

Many thanks to Ms. Lovely Tan and the crew of Varra Restobar for the invitation!

If you and your gang can’t get enough of wings, take advantage of Varra’s Unli Wings & Rice Promo for only Php359 per person, available from Sundays to Thursdays.

Varra Restobar is located at 333 P. Guevarra Street, Little Baguio, San Juan, open from Sundays to Thursdays from 6pm to 2am, and Fridays to Saturdays from 6pm to 3am. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 916 5870345.

Gotcha Fresh Tea, Greenhills

Well, here’s some good news for milk tea lovers: Australian milk tea brand Gotcha Fresh Tea has set up shop in the country.

In a small cafe outside Virra Mall in Greenhills, milk tea lovers can drink their fill of Gotcha’s offerings which include signature milk teas, premium milk teas, healthy fresh milk, black sugar, maple sugar, cheese foam teas, collagen teas, coldbrew and yogurt teas.

Taking pride in its slogan “We farm our own tea,” Gotcha handcrafts and brews its drinks made from a single tea plantation in Mount Alishan Taiwan in its bid to guarantee product consistency and quality.

It also champions earth-friendliness with its reusable cups, a worthy advocacy in my book.

During the shop’s Grand Opening, I was treated to one of Gotcha’s drinks, the Oreo Cheese Macchiato (Php145) in which the tea flavor is tempered by the creamy milk, with added mild saltiness from the cheese topping as well as sweetness and texture from the crushed Oreo cookies.

As far as dessert drinks to go, this was ok but not particularly exceptional.

My friends, on the other hand, were able to try out other flavors such as:

Strawberry Yogurt (Php130).

Peach Collagen Tea (Php140).

Taro Milk (Php135).

There was great variety when it came to drink options but given its cafe setup, offering food items would be a good move.

Thanks to Kian of Kian Ventures for extending the invitation for this event!

Gotcha Fresh Tea is located at Ground Floor, V-Mall, Greenhills Shopping Center, Greenhills, San Juan.

Disclosure: Together with fellow food bloggers, I attended this resto’s grand opening where drinks were served to enable us to sample the fare and to facilitate honest reviews. Said drinks were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out my reviews of other milk tea joints:

A fresh take on milk teas at Brown Cafe, BGC

It sure looks like the milk tea craze is here to stay, if the sheer number of stores opening in the metro offering copious varieties of the drink is any indication.

And then another milk tea brand joins the fray: Bangkok’s very own Brown Cafe has opened a take-out counter in Serendra, BGC to give the locals fresh and exciting choices for our milk tea.

Its menu simply teems with crave-worthy drinks: from original milk tea, fresh milk lattes, cheese macchiatos and more, choices abound for milk tea lovers ans connoisseurs. Each cup is made from freshly brewed tea leaves and its wondrous array of bubbles – which includes flavors such as original, collagen, brown sugar, peach, strawberry, mango, lychee, rainbow low cal and exclusive-to-the-Philippines ube – are all made inhouse.

Among Brown Cafe’s claims to fame are its Rainbow Low Cal Bubble Teas, made with fruit-infused teas accompanied by its colorful Rainbow low-calorie bubble sinkers.

The Anchan Strawberry Latte (Php140 for cup | Php155 for reusable tumbler) features a combination strawberry with the edible blossom anchan, more commonly known as the butterfly pea in a creamy latte.

The Melon Niu Niu Latte (Php140 for cup | Php155 for reusable tumbler), on the other hand, is a taste of summer with a sweet melon flavor that flavors the creamy milk.

So if you find yourself in BGC and want to try something new to quench your thirst, pop by Brown Cafe’s take out counter and treat yourself to one of its milk teas.

Brown Cafe is located at Ground Floor, Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, open daily from 10am to 10pm.

Disclosure: I visited Brown Cafe during its mini blogger get-together where drinks were served for free to facilitate an honest review.

Check out my reviews of other milk tea joints:

Holiday kakigori flavors at Shari Shari, BGC

Given that we’re in a tropical country, we shouldn’t have to wonder why ice-based desserts have so much appeal.

Even now, having entered the supposedly “brrrr” month of December, we can still find the metro’s heat and humidity quite oppressive.

Yes, icy desserts are definitely the way to go, and luckily, all kinds of these frozen treats are readily available in the metro.

The kakigori, for example, is fairly new to Pinoy foodies. This shaved ice dessert originated from Japan and has been around since the 11th century when blocks of ice saved during the stockpiled during the winter months are shaved to a snow-like consistency and served with sweet syrup to the aristocrats during the summer months.

Today, icy treats are a lot more accessible to us year-round, thanks to technology (yey for refrigeration!).

And with specialty shops like Shari Shari, we Pinoys get to have a taste of authentic kakigori.

This dessert shop was founded in Hong Kong but soon found its way to the Philippines. It opened its first shop in Serendra, BGC where it serves bowls of its signature shaved ice desserts. Using special ice custom-made from different kinds of water, shaved with a special machine imported from Japan and flavored with syrups made fresh everyday has allowed Shari Shari to offer kakigori with the look, taste and texture consistent with those in Japan.

And you would be amazed at the sheer variety of flavors possible with the kakigori: from fruity versions like strawberry, melon, mango and banana; classic dessert flavors like chocolate; to more exotic variants like Coffee Tiramisu, Earl Grey Milk Tea and Matcha Cream. There’s something for almost every sweet craving at Shari Shari.

Plus, be sure to check out Shari Shari special holiday flavors available beginning December 1:

Pistachio Raspberry topped with whipped cream and a candy Santa. This combines the nutty taste of pistachios with the sweet and fruity tartness of raspberries.

Choco Hazelnut topped with whipped cream and a chocolate gingerbread man. Dessert lovers would really go for its combination of nutty and cocoa flavors.

Every spoonful is a burst of icy sweetness in my mouth, a great way to relax and cool down, warm weather or not!

And what a sweet and cool (or icy!) way to get in the holiday spirit!

Shari Shari Kakigori House is located at Ground Floor, Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Disclosure: I visited Shari Shari during its mini blogger get-together where the holiday kakigoris were served for free to facilitate an honest review.

Dreamin’ of my avocado at Avocadoria.PH, Greenhills

What a lovely time to be alive!

We inhabit a period of time when we can enjoy the previously highly seasonal avocado.

Now practically ubiquitous, the avocado has made its way to salads and sandwiches. For me, however, nothing beats avocado for dessert.

Luckily, we now have Avocadoria.PH which hypes up avocado desserts, and how!

Take its Avocado Dream (Php90), for example. It’s made of creamy avocado ice cream stuffed into an eco-friendly avocado shell and topped with a humungous ball of pastillas truffle which serves as the avocado seed. This dessert is both visually arresting and tasty.

Plus, avocado is quite healthy, too! Check out how it can be good for you:

Contains vitamins K, C, E and Folate
Is rich in antioxidants and heart-healthy fats
Contains more potassium than banana
Supports liver function and eye health
Is high in dietary fiber

No wonder then that the avocado is my favorite fruit and desserts made from it are among my faves as well!

And wouldn’t you know it: there’s an Avocadoria.PH kiosk in V-mall where I was loitering about so I got to enjoy this dessert quick and easy!

Why don’t you give it a try?

This Avocadoria kiosk is located at the Second Floor, V-Mall, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan.

Other kiosks may be found at:

Quezon City: Eastwood Citywalk 2, Robinsons Galleria, Ali Mall Cubao, Farmer’s Plaza, Robinsons Magnolia, UP Town Center, Fisher Mall Del Monte, SKY Garden SM North EDSA, Waltermart North EDSA, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf Balintawak, SM City Fairview, Robinsons Novaliches, Ayala Fairview Terraces, Ayala Vertis North
Manila: Robinsons Place Manila, SM City San Lazaro
Pasig: Ayala Malls Feliz, Ayala Malls the 30th
Makati: Ayala Malls Circuit, Philamlife Tower Salcedo, San Lorenzo Place Condominium
Marikina: SM Marikina, Ayala Malls Marikina,
Mandaluyong: EDSA Central Pavilion, Forum Robinsons
Taguig: Market! Market!, Food District Signatures on the 5th
Paranaque: SM City Bicutan, Victory Food Market Baclaran, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, SM City BF
Caloocan: SM Center Sangandaan
Malabon: Fisher Mall Malabon
Valenzuela: SM City Valenzuela
Las Pinas: SM Southmall, Vista Mall
Alabang: Alabang Town Center, Starmall Alabang, Ayala Malls Southpark

Bench Cafe opens newest branch in Trinoma

The clothing brand Bench has been around for as long as I can remember. One of the “proudly Filipino” enterprise success stories, it has been a major player in local fashion and has even expanded its sphere of influence to that of a lifestyle brand with its personal care producrs, skin care services and hair salons.

It even ventured into the food business, notably with the opening of the first branch of its eponymous restaurant Bench Cafe last year.

Fast forward to today and Bench Cafe has already opened its fifth branch at Trinoma Mall in Quezon City. Such speedy growth is proof that its concept of combining traditional and modern takes on Filipino food works and has found its place in Metro Manila’s highly competitive food scene.

The cafe held a special preview for bloggers the day before its Grand Opening. Together with my fellow foodies from #WeLoveToEatPH, I got a taste of how Bench Cafe’s Chef Carlo Miguel melds local flavors together and updates classic Pinoy favorites such as:

Binagoongan Ceasar (Php149). Romaine lettuce with dilis and croutons tossed in a creamy dressing made with bagoong (shrimp paste) and queso de bola.

Tinapa Cones (Php129). Homemade lumpia wrappers formed into crispy cones and filled with tinapa (smoked fish) mousse and salsa.

Gising Gising (Php195). A spicy dish of chopped beans cooked in coconut milk and chilis.

Sisig Skillet (Php249). Pork cheeks and belly cooked in two ways and served topped with calamansi foam.

Fried Chicken (Php480). Whole spring chicken fried to a golden brown with crispy flavorful skin and juicy meat served with a honey patis sauce.

Dancing Fish (Php400). Crispy butterfly tilapia doused in escabeche sauce.

Pancit Guisado (Php239). Stir-fried noodles with shrimp, meat and chopped vegetables.

Silogs (from sinangag or “garlic rice” and itlog “egg”) are breakfast staples for many Filipinos. Bench Cafe serves these with garlic rice, fried egg and homemade atsara. The silog variation we’ve tasted here is the Tendon Silog (Php199) made with melt-in-your-mouth beef tendon in pares sauce.

Bongalmusal (Php349). If you’re ever at a loss on what to have for brekkie, this hyped-up silog meal serves up everything you could want! Spam, US beef tapa, tocino, daing (dried fish) and corned beef. Best of all, this dish is good for two so do share it with someone special.

Bench Cafe also introduced Bench-Tos which are glamourized takes on the fare available at a Pinoy turo-turo. This small roadside eatery is where diners point out the food they want and a serving is placed on their plates. Bench Cafe updates this concept by merging it with the Japanese bento – the chosen viand is served on a tray along with vegetables, homemade salsa and atsara as well as steamed Ifugao rice. Variations of this offering that we tasted include the Bagnet Kare Kare (Php339) which has a rich peanutty sauce that has no need for bagoong to have flavor, and the Inasal Liempo (Php299) which is Bench Cafe’s take on the Visayan grilled pork belly.

To cap out meal, Bench Cafe serves up its own takes on dessert classics with the smooth and creamy leche flan it dubbed Flan B (Php185) topped with macapuno and Classic Turon ala Mode (Php49).

Bench also applied its own twists on the popular dessert called Halo-Halo, which consists of sweetened fruits and other fixings topped with shaved ice and served with milk. Its variations include White (Php85 for 12oz | Php129 for 16oz) made with coconut shaved ice with garbanzos, caramelized banana, leche flan, nata de coco and coconut ice cream; Mango Otap (Php90 for 12oz | Php109 for 16oz), mango shaved ice with crushed otap, mango puree, cream and fresh mango cubes; Ube (Php95 for 12oz | Php149 for 16oz), ube halaya and palm beans added to the White Halo Halo; and Mais con Hielo (Php60 for 12oz | Php100 for 16oz), corn- flavored shaved ice with milk and kernels of sweetcorn.

I had a great time discovering fresh ways to enjoy the food that I grew up with at Bench Cafe.

Many thanks to the management and staff of Bench Cafe for having us and to EJ of #ILoveToEatPH for extending the invitation.

This Bench Cafe branch is located at Ground Floor, MRT Wing, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pagasa, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 9pm.

Other branches are located at:

Second Floor, Bench Flagship Store, Bonifacio High Street, 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Level 2, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Greenbelt, Makati City
Ground Floor, Padre Faura Wing, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila

Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I attended a foodie meetup held here wherein food and drink items were served to allow us to sample the fare. These were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

El Chupapi, Tomas Morato

The Philippines and Mexico have a lot in common: both colonized by Spain in the 1500s and linked across the seas by the Galleon Trade, linkages in the two countries’ culture and practices are bound to occur.

One such linkage is found in food.

Filipino and Mexican cuisines are both heavily influenced by Spanish culinary traditions but are still grounded on local tastes and ingredients.

It would take only a little leap, then, to add Filipino twists to Mexican food and come up with exotic viands made familiar and palatable to the Pinoy palate. And so we have Fil-Mex cuisine such as the food that can be enjoyed at the recently opened restaurant in Tomas Morato called El Chupapi.

A hole-in-the-wall taqueria along Scout Albano Street, El Chupapi offers a place where workers from nearby offices and local residents can enjoy a quick and easy lunch or some after-hours pica-pica with their favorite cerveza (which usually happens to be San Miguel Beer, and you can’t get any more Pinoy than that, hahaha!).

Step inside and you’ll be welcomed by vibrant colors that characterize Mexican culture, most notably the mural of Santa Muerte that occupy an entire wall.

I’ve experienced both kinds of dining opportunities at El Chupapi: first, when I joined my team mates in a post-work Anti-Burnout get-together; and second, when I grabbed a quick lunch here together with my office buddies.

Among the Fil-Mex dishes I have sampled here are:

Fries Overload (Php180). A mixture of ground beef and melted cheese poured over freshly made French fries. This is great for sharing and mindless munching (like I often do)!

Tacos Locos (Php149 for 2 pieces). My friends and I took advantage of an ongoing Booky Buy One Get One deal for these meaty and cheese hard-shell tacos so we got four tacos for the price of two.

Salmon and Cream Cheese Aioli Soft Tacos (Php175). Two pieces of pan-seared salmon fillets on top of shredded cabbage and onions, doused with garlic mayo to be rolled inside a lightly toasted tortilla.

Chicken Wings (Php195 for 6 pieces | Php360 for 12 pieces). Tender and juicy chicken wings flavored with your choice among four sauces: Mango Habanero, Garlic Parmesan, Salted Egg and Mexican Barbecue. Thanks to a lucky decision to have lunch here on a Wingsday Wednesday, my friends and I got twelve pieces of El Chupapi’s wings (6 pieces Garlic Parmesa and 6 pieces Mexican Barbecue) for just Php195. These go so well with steamed rice.

Dessert Quesas (Php180 each). Sweet takes on the classic quesadilla – Blueberry Cream Cheese and Himalayan Salted Caramel (which was quite salty) – topped with a hefty dollop of vanilla ice cream. Both serve as great bookends to a satisfying Fil-Mex meal.

My friends and I are quite satisfied with our El Chupapi experiences in terms of the quality of food and pricing. I also appreciate its Buy One Get One offers that help more people enjoy its offerings without being to heavy on the wallet.

So, how about popping by in Tomas Morato and giving this Fil-Mex resto a try?

El Chupapi is located at No. 7 Scout Albano Street, South Triangle, Quezon City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 11am to 11pm.

Jack’s Lemonade, Ayala Malls Feliz

I’ve been a been a believer in the health benefits of fresh lemonade for quite some time now.

However, I also used to think that it’s a one-dimensional drink: just lemon juice plus water and sugar… the end. It may be healthy but it’s, well, meh.

My eyes were opened to the drink’s myriad of possibilities when I was introduced to Jack’s Fresh Lemonade earlier this year.

During a foodie meetup at its kiosk in UP Town Center, my fellow foodie friends and I discovered many ways to enjoy lemonade. In fact, Jack’s Fresh Lemonade has thirty lemonade variants to choose from! Whether mixed with teas, herbs or fruits or made into a dessert, Jack’s Lemonade proved to be quite a versatile drink.

Aside from its homecooked sugar syrup, what sets Jack’s Lemonade apart from other lemonade iterations is the use of plum salt or kiamoy. It’s a salty dried plum in powdered form which adds another dimension of taste to the lemonade drinks. It’s readily available at the counter and can be sprinkled on any Jack’s Lemonade drink for free.

Recently, I attended another Jack’s Fresh Lemonade foodie meetup, this time at Food Choices in Ayala Malls Feliz.

There, along with my fellow foodies, I again had a taste of Jack’s Lemonade’s refreshingly tasty and zesty variants which included:

Basil Rich Tamarind (Php95 for regular | Php115 for large or hot). This lemonade incorporates a healthy blend of fresh tamarind puree and basil seeds.

Strawberry Mint (Php95 for regular | Php115 for large or hot). This lemonade combines the fruity sweetness of pureed strawberries and the cool freshness of mint leaves.

Lemon Cheesecake (Php95 for regular | Php115 for large or hot). If you ever wondered if lemonade can be turned into a dessert, well this drink is for you! This drink combines lemonade with powdered milk, condensed milk and grated cheddar cheese and a generous sprinkling of plum salt.

Strawberry Cheesecake with Poppers and Yogurt (Php150). One of the store’s newest drinks, it adds fresh strawberry puree and yogurt to the Lemon Cheesecake drink.

So if you want to experience lemonade in a variety of fresh ways, all you have to do is drop by your nearest Jack’s Fresh Lemonade kiosk!

Many thanks to Abby of Jack’s Fresh Lemonade for the drinks and to Apol of SaanSaPH for extending the invitation!

Wanna know how fresh lemonade is good for you? Well, this beverage helps in controlling blood pressure; detoxifying and cleansing the body; facilitating digestion, throat care, heart health and skin care; relieving heartburn; whitening teeth and treating arthritis and rheumatism.

This Jack’s Fresh Lemonade kiosk is located at Food Choices, Fourth Floor, Ayala Malls Feliz, Barangay Dela Paz, Pasig City.

Other kiosks in Metro Manila are located at:

Fifth Floor, Bridgeway, SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Lower Ground Level, Shangri-la Plaza, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Second Floor, Market! Market! Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Cinema Area, Third Floor, Phase 2, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Upper Ground Floor, Trinoma Mall, Barangay Bagong Pagasa, Quezon City
Third Floor, Glorietta 2, Ayala Center, Makati City

Disclosure: Together with fellow food bloggers, I attended a foodie meetup held here. The drinks mentioned here were served to enable us to sample the fare and to facilitate honest reviews and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out my previous blog posts on other lemonade kiosks: