restaurant review – Page 53 – Jellybeans in the City

Milk tea treat at Infinitea, Tomas Morato

Like I said in many previous blog posts, my workplace in the Tomas Morato area is blessed to be in such close proximity to milk tea shops. This makes the object of my current food obsession so easily accessible to me in practically all of its possible iterations.

Take Infinitea, for example. Established in 2010, this milk tea brand already has over 200 stores in the country, one of which is located along Scout Borromeo, just a few minutes walk from my office.

Milk tea fans will be happy to know that here, they can expect drinks made of 100% loose-leaf teas freshly brewed everyday.

Aside from milk teas, Infinitea also serves a wide variety of drinks which include original teas, frappes, fruit teas, lemonades, ice-blended, soda pops, and even hot beverages.

However, my mission here concerns only satinh my craving for milk tea with salted cream. It is made with Nai Cha (original Hong Kong-style milk tea made from black tea and milk) and topped with a mixture of heavy cream and sea salt whipped together. This concoction only costs Php100: Php75 for the Nai Cha and Php25 for the salted cream.

I found this drink smooth and full-bodied, and at 75% sugar level, it has just the right amount of sweetness.

I would have preferred it to have boba pearls; alas, none were available during my visit to the store and cooking a fresh batch would take thirty minutes.

By the way, it is also quite filling.

Well, I guess my universe of possibilities for my milk tea breaks just got bigger.

This Infinitea branch is located at 26 Scout Borromeo, South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries or to order your drink for delivery, call +63 2 3734887.

Check out my reviews of other milk tea joints:

A tita brunch at Cafe Mary Grace, Eastwood Mall

I heard someone say that Cafe Mary Grace is the go-to place of “titas.”

Well, based on a brunch experience I had here (prior to a bowling game with my officemates!), I would have to agree.

As a newly-minted #TitaOfManila (or having just accepted that yes, I am already a tita), I would say that Cafe Mary Grace’s Eastwood Mall branch does qualify for top three criteria of a tita brunch place, which include:

One: Comfortable and IG-worthy surroundings

Cafe Mary Grace grew out of the baking business of the cafe’s namesake, which started from joining Christmas bazaars to establishing mall-based kiosks to finally setting up full-service cafes.

This Mary Grace Cafe branch in Eastwood Mall has the homey and welcoming atmosphere that exemplifies Mary Grace’s essence: the Goodness of Home.

It premises look like an extension of a sprawling and idealized country-style kitchen where wooden chairs and tables provide ample and comfortable seating, personal bric-a-bracs are artfully arranged on shelves and personalized notes are inserted on tabletops.

Furthermore, an IG-conscious tita like me can take her pick among the various photogenic backdrops for her #CoffeeIsLife or #EatingForTheGram post of the day.

Two: Tasty well-loved dishes

You can’t go wrong with the classics and Cafe Mary Grace has classics a-plenty.

Take the Toasted Vigan Longganisa (Php442), for example. Rising and shining won’t be a problem with this all-day breakfast item which consist of links of garlicky Vigan longganisa, two sunny-side up eggs and garlic fried rice, with homemade pickled mangoes, tomato-wansoy salsa and vinegar available upon request.

In the Spanish Sardines and Olives Pasta (Php378), on the other hand, an aglio e olio infusion is enriched with Spanish-style sardines and topped with olives and tomatoes.

Titas often crave for something sweet after (or before, or during or within 24 hours of) a meal. Fortunately, Mary Grace’s all-time favorite Lemon Bar (Php58/bar) sates the sweet tooth with its moist, buttery texture and slightly tangy sweetness.

Lastly, the Mary Grace Hot Chocolate (Php184), made with premium Belgian chocolate, is a rich and comforting end to the meal.

Three: Prompt and friendly service.

Words to the wise restaurateurs: don’t keep a tita waiting. Show some good ole’ fashioned friendliness, a willingness to help and some initiative, you might have just won a loyal customer who wouldn’t hesitate to nominate your place for the next #TitaConvention with her friends.

Cafe Mary Grace seems to keep this adage to heart with its crew of well-trained and accommodating staff who are quick to assist with inquiries and requests.

So fellow titas, the next brunch time is at Cafe Mary Grace, yes?

This Cafe Mary Grace branch is located at Ground Floor, Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 11am to 11pm and Sundays from 10am to 11am.

Other branches are located at:

Pasig: SM City East Ortigas, Rockwell Business Center, Ayala Malls Feliz, Estancia Mall
Quezon City: 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
Pasay: Mall of Asia Arena Annex, SM Mall of Asia
Paranaque: SM City BF
Las Pinas: SM Southmall
Muntinlupa: Alabang Town Center, Festival Mall

Milk tea adventure at Xing Fu Tang, Greenhills

In the last sweltering days of summer, just before the rainy season began, I met up with some friends at Greenhills’ Promenade Mall to go on a milk tea adventure.

A new milk tea place has just opened in the mall, another entrant into the already crowded milk tea category.

Also originating from milk tea’s motherland of Taiwan, Xing Fu Tang’s claim to fame is its brown sugar milk drink. Chewy boba pearls are cooked in brown sugar syrup prior to being placed in a cup which is then filled with milk tea. You will recognize this trendy drink by the “tiger stripes” along the sides of the cup.

Still, Xing Fu Tang has a lot more going for it than just brown sugar milk. The Greenhills store, for instance, has a wooden Chinese fortune chest. You open the drawer that matches the characters in the bamboo stick you selected from a bunch, then you can read your fortune. It’s a fun and novel way to pass the time, especially when lines get long.

Xing Fu Tang’s beverage offerings that our group sampled include:

Brown Sugar Boba Milk (Php120).

Mango Smoothie and Rabbit Panna Cotta (Php145).

Brown Sugar Boba and Herbal Jelly Milk (Php130).

Matcha Boba Milk (Php120).

Grapefruit Green Tea (Php120).

Soda and Handmade Jelly (Php120).

I find Xing Fu Tang’s approach to its drinks whimsically creative in presentation, taste and mouthfeel. The addition of a rabbit-shaped panna cota on top of the mango fruit drink, for instance, is a conversation piece in itself. The combination of the fizzy soda with the hand-made jelly spheres, on the other hand, made for an interesting drink.

I’d love to come back and try the other drinks soon!

Many thanks to Francis G for sharing his GC!

This Xing Fu Tang branch is located at Ground Floor, Promenade, Greeenhills, Shopping Center, San Juan, open Mondays to Fridays from 11am to 10pm and Saturdays to Sundays from 10am to 10pm.

Another branch is located at Fifth Floor, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City, open Mondays to Fridays from 11am to 10pm and Saturdays to Sundays from 10am to 10pm.

Check out my reviews of other milk tea joints:

Creme Milk Teas at Dakasi, Tomas Morato

My obsession for boba milk teas is showing no signs of abating. No doubt it is helped by the abundance of milk tea shops where I can sate my cravings.

In Tomas Morato near my workplace, for example, is a branch of Dakasi, a milk tea brand originating from Taiwan. It offers a wide array of drinks made with fresh ingredients, with little to no additives. It prides itself on its own recipes for cooking tea, boba (tapioca pearls) and sugar, resulting to its own unique taste in drinks.

Over several visits, I have tried several of Dakasi’s drinks, its Creme Series in particular. Dakasi’s creme drinks are topped with a thick foamy creme made of fresh milk, whipped cream, sugar and salt. This adds a whole new dimension to the drinks which I do heartily welcome.

The drinks I have sampled include:

Creme Chocolate (Php140 for large). One of the series’ non-tea-based drinks, it has a rich chocolatey taste which holds its own against the creme topping.

Creme Okinawa (Php140 for large). Another non-tea-based drink sweetened by muscovado sugar, well complemented by the creme topping.

Creme Hokkaido (Php150 for large). Made with brown sugar syrup and fresh milk with crushed Oreo cookies for added texture, its flavor further enhanced by the salty-sweet creme topping.

Aside from its expansive array of drinks, Dakasi also serves food items that can be ordered along with drinks. So far, I have sampled:

Cheesy Beef Quesadilla (Php130). The slightly spicy grilled beef quesadilla goes very well with the cold drinks.

Tiramisu (Php95). An Italian dessert made of layers of coffee-soaked sponge cake alternated with cream and cheese filling and powdered chocolate. I found this a little bit dry and I would prefer the cheese filling to be richer.

So if you have a craving for milk tea while you’re in the Tomas Morato area, do check out Dakasi!

This Dakasi branch is located at the Ground Floor, M Place Condominium, Mother Ignacia Street, South Triangle, Quezon City

Other Metro Manila branches are located at: Level 2, Trinoma | P. Tuazon, Cubao | Level 1, Festival Mall | 207 Banawe Street, Quezon City | Shell McKinley, Forbes Park Makati | 1177-A Dapitan Street, Sampaloc, Manila | G/F Bellagio Residences, 2450 Leon Guinto Street, Malate, Manila | 522 UN Avenue corner Maria Orosa Street, Ermita, Manila | G/F Dela Rosa Carpark, Makati | Level 1 Market! Market! BGC, Taguig | Level 2, SM BF Paranaque City | Ground Floor, Main Station, Tutuban Center Mall, Manila | 2nd Level, Ayala Malls. Loverleaf, Balintawak, Quezon City | G/F Ali Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao | F120-F121 Ayala Malls, Marikina Heights, Marikina City | Level 3 Ayala Malls Feliz, Marcos Highway, Dela Paz, Pasig City

Check out my reviews of other milk tea joints:

3 reasons for titas to have a deluxe brunch at Chef Jessie, Rockwell Club

It was a sunny Sunday and two intrepid titas – Jen of Sand Under My Feet and myself – are out for brunch.

But do note that we are not braving weekend traffic and the after-mass influx of people in the Rockwell area for just any, run-of-the-mill brunch.

Oh, no… We’re there for a special kind of dining experience that only one of the most trusted names in the metro’s culinary scene can provide.

We made our way to Chef Jessie Rockwell Club for a deluxe brunch.

And as to why two titas decided to spend their late Sunday morning here, well, read on…

One: It’s a beautiful place to have a meal.

Situated inside the posh Rockwell Club in Makati, Chef Jessie’s recently renovated restaurant is infused with a modern colonial design that provides a lush tropical-themed haven for food lovers.

Floor-to-ceiling windows let in a lot of natural light, as well as a view of the goings-on in the nearby pool area. The green-grey walls, highlighted by large potted plants make it seem like the garden outside found its way into the restaurant and suffused the space with freshness and calm.

For us titas that already deal with office stresses during the weekdays, entering this welcoming and relaxing space is a treat.

Two: Every dish is a work of art.

Chef Jessie Sincioco is a legend among foodies. Having won the Great Maya Cookfest in 1983, she was offered a special training course at Hotel Intercontinental Manila which paved the way to her becoming the first-ever Filipina pastry chef in 1990.

Chef Jessie brings her considerable culinary expertise into play in bring dishes that provide a feast for the senses: beautifully presented and masterfully prepared to achieve the best in taste, texture and aroma.

During our Sunday brunch, Jen and I feasted on Chef Jessie’s tasty offerings which include:

Fresh Juices:

Dalandan (Php195) and Banana Shake (Php160).

Starters:

Freshly baked breads served with butter and herb vinaigrette infused olive oil.

Salads:

Salad ala Judy Ann (Php450). Mesclun and micro greens tossed with bits of fruits in season along with slivers of brie and bleu-cheese in a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

Salad ala Joe Mari Chan (Php450). Slivers of ubud (heart of palm) molded into a circle together with alugbati (local spinach) in a sampaloc (tamarind) vinaigrette.

Soups:

Classic French Onion Soup with Gruyere Cheese (Php395).

Cream of Carrot and Pumpkin with Shrimp and Mango (Php350).

Entremets:

Dalandan Granitas (Php195) to cleanse the palate in preparation for the main course.

Mains:

Certified US Black Angus Beef Tenderloin (Php1,895) served with sauce bourguignonne, buttered vegetables and potato gratin.

Grilled Lemongrass Chicken (Php895) served with garlic rice and atchara.

Desserts:

Chocolate Souffle (Php350) and Mango Jubilee Ala Mode (Php450).

Cafe Latte (Php180).

Truly, this was a feast that any tita would find rewarding after a hectic work week!

Three: You get treated like the queens you are.

From the time we were ushered to our table to the time we left, we were assisted by the friendly staff. Plates were efficiently cleared after every course, our water glasses immediately refilled, and our inquiries on the food items sufficiently addressed.

They even gamely agreed to our multiple requests for pictures!

So whether you’re a tita, a tito or just a foodie looking to treat yourself to an amazing meal, head on to Chef Jessie’s!

Thanks to the Chef Jessie staff for the great food and warm service during our brunch and to Jen for sharing her GC!

Chef Jessie is located at Ground Floor, Rockwell Club, Amorsolo Square, Rockwell Center, Makati, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 8906543 or +63 2 8907630.

Great games and grub at Grid x Griddle, Greenfield District

Being a foodie, dining out and the discovery new and tasty dishes are synonymous to having fun.

But what if the food was only part of the fun?

At Grid x Griddle Gastrolounge and Gaming (also known as GxG), diners can enjoy delicious Asian-Western fusion dishes while enjoying their favorite board or card games.

Together with my foodie friends from #WeLoveToEatPH and #SaanSaPH, I visited GxG to check out its food offerings.

Opened in 2017, the restaurant is owned by avid board gamers. Its name even gives a clue to this fact: “grid” comes from the network of squares found in boardgames, while “griddle” refers to the flat metal plate used in cooking burgers, bacon and pancakes, among others.

Step inside and you will enter a world where gamers reign supreme. (Note: By gamers, I mean analog ones who use cards and boards, rather than those who use consoles or PCs.) The first floor is dominated by the bar and a high shelf of games, while the second floor give the diners a choice between dining and gaming on the floor seated on colorful cushions, or at regular tables and chairs. Either way, you have access to an expansive array of board games and card games, some of which were part of the owners’ private collection while others were acquired specifically for the resto.

To play, each person just has to order one dish (not including soups, salads or desserts) or pay Php250 consumable.

Curious about the grub available here? Check these out:

Truffle Mushroom Soup (Php170). Sauteed mushrooms in truffle-flavored cream. Its rich truffle aroma got us salivating.

GxG Fries (Php270). Crisp deep-fried potato fries topped with gently swaying bonita flakes, an American dish cooked and presented in a Japanese way.

Calamari (Php275). Strips of giant squid marinated in salt and pepper, lightly battered then deep-fried to a beautiful golden brown and served with GxG’s own house-made bagoong aioli and vinegar.

Longganisa All-Day Breakfast (Php290). Flavorful links of longganisa from Isabela served with two sunny-side-up, garlic rice, buttered vegetables and iced tea.

Sweet Basi Adobo Glazed Chicken (Php340). A juicy quarter leg of chicken cooked sous vide glazed in GxG’s special adobo sauce made with basi, an alcoholic beverage originating from Ilocos made from fermented sugarcane, and served with garlic rice, vegetables, demi-glace sauce and strips of mango which provide a sweet-sour counterpoint to the salty adobo.

GxG Pasta (Php250). The pasta dish with a decidedly local flavor due to the salted egg and tinapa (smoked fish) incorporated in the sauce.

Truffle Pasta (Php290). A creamy truffle pasta topped with bacon and parmesan cheese.

GxG Pizza (Php260). Native ensalata ingredients such as dilis, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, bagoong and ripe mango on top of a crisp thin pizza crust. This is (surprisingly!) best enjoyed when dipped in vinegar.

Durian Espresso Ice Cream (Php150). The infamously odoriferous fruit is only (thankfully!) subtly hinted at in this house-made frozen confection. What really stands out is its coffee flavor, well-complemented by a generous drizzling chocolate sauce, as well as crushed graham crackers and polvoron for added texture.

GxG also boasts of coffee- and non-coffee-based beverages such as Chocolate Frappe (Php140), Dark Hazelnut Latte Frappe (Php160) and Cafe Mocha (Php140).

If you’re looking for a refreshingly cool drink to go with your meal, you can’t go wrong with the Fresh Lemonade (Php80) or Iced Tea (Php70).

Whether you’re here for the games or the grub, you’re definitely in for a good time.

Thanks to Chef Gerard Martial and the GxG staff for the warm welcome and the good food!

Grid x Griddle Gastrolounge and Gaming is located at The Hub, Mayflower Street, Greenfield District, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City, open daily Tuesdays to Thursdays from 11am to 12 midnight, Fridays to Saturdays from 4pm to 2am, and Sundays from 4pm to 12 midnight. For inquiries, reservations or to order food for delivery, call +63 927 8794686.

Disclosure: Together with my fellow foodies, I attended a foodie meetup held here. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

A lovely breakfast at W Cafe, Cainta

With the frequent bouts of rain and various roadworks contributing to the infuriating traffic jams in our part of the metro, it’s a wonder we Easterners can even manage to drag ourselves to any place in our pursuit of work, recreation or good eats.

Fortunately, we don’t have to travel far just to have a tasty breakfast in a comfy setting.

W Cafe, located near the Cainta Church along Bonifacio Avenue, is the place to be for dining out, hanging out with friends or simply passing the time while reading a good book.

From the outside, you would think the cafe is nondescript but, upon entering, you will be pleasantly surprised at its airy yet cozy interiors. A colorful mural adorns one wall while vintage items such as a dial radio, light fixtures, art deco prints and coffee table books scattered around add personality to the space. Oddly enough, the LCD screens touting menu items do not detract from the welcoming and relaxing atmosphere of the place; instead, they provide some dashes of color and light.

The cafe is the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Joseph and Wilda Galvez, an outlet for Wilda to pursue her love of food while managing her medical practice. The cafe is also where Joseph applies his business know-how which developed from his years in the banking industry. Together, they conceptualized the menu and the store’s theme, and set about making their vision a reality.

(And if you’re wondering why this resto is called W Cafe, the name was actually taken from Wilda’s initial.)

Together with my foodie friends from #WeLoveToEatPH and #SaanSaPH, I visited W Cafe to try some of its breakfast treats which include:

Best-Sellers

Clubhouse Sandwich (Php160). Thick slices of wheat bread encase generous servings of grilled bacon, ham, scrambled egg, cheese, lettuce and cucumber.

Tomato Sardines Pasta (Php110). Fresh tomatoes and garlic cloves sauteed in olive oil then tossed together with freshly cooked pasta and topped with spicy Spanish-style sardines.

Fish Fillet Pomodoro (Php160). Italian-style tomato sauce and sliced black olives tossed into freshly cooked pasta and topped with pieces of breaded fish fillet.

Chicken Pesto (Php130). Made-from-scratch pesto sauce tossed into freshly cooked pasta along with tender and juicy slices of grilled chicken.

Breaded Porkchop Rice Meal (Php140). Breaded porkchop deep-fried to a golden brown and served with garlic rice, a sunny side up egg and some atchara.

Latte (Php70) and Chocolate Chip Cookies (Php40). The latte was made from strong Batangas coffee with steamed milk and topped with a cute latte art. It goes perfectly with the chocolate chip cookies. (Chocolate lovers, take a look at those huge chocolate chips!)

White Chocolate Creme Frappe (Php95) and Java Chip Frappe (Php125). W Cafe blends its own signature frappes that add sweetness to our day or perk us up for the day ahead.

Not-yet-on-the-menu.

Our group was also given an exclusive taste of some of the new dishes that will be launched soon.

Executive Breakfast. Go big or go home! Well, definitely go big for me! Who can say no to hearty servings of waffles, bacon, sausage and fried eggs?

Lechon Kawali. This dish’ secret weapon is the pesto-based dip that accompanies it. Smear that dip onto the deep-fried pork pieces or anything fried. It will make you come back for more! (How I wish the owners would bottle this stuff so I could buy some by the jar!)

Beef and Chicken Shawarma. Slices of marinated and grilled beef and chicken wrapped in pita bread along with cucumber strips and lettuce.

Banana Walnut Bread. A fluffy banana loaf with topped with walnut halves. This also goes well with the coffee.

Okinawa and Chocolate Milk Teas. W Cafe brews its own creamy milk teas with tapioca pearls and grass jelly sinkers.

A lot of care has been applied to the interplay of flavors within each dish, the appetizing plating and the generous servings of food. I’m looking forward to my next visit here so I could check out more of W Cafe’s all-day breakfast meals and sweet frappes.

Thanks to Erickson and Wilda Galvez, as well as the staff of W Cafe for the warm welcome and the great eats!

So Easterners, avoid the traffic jams and just check out W Cafe, our local cafe in Cainta.

W Cafe is located at Second Floor, Euros Commercial Building, 242 A. Bonifacio Avenue, Bgy. Sto. Domingo, Cainta, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 4045015.

Frozen treats at Fiorgelato, Sta Lucia East

Just when we Easterners thought gelato treats are way above our budget or inaccessible to us, a Fiorgelato scooping station sets up shop right in our turf.

Gelato is a type of frozen dessert that originated in Italy. Made with a base of milk, gelato uses a lot less cream than ice cream, resulting in a denser and creamier dessert.

Fiorgelato produces several gelato flavors that make use of the finest ingredients such as chocolates, fresh fruits and imported Italian flavorings.

Together with my fellow foodies from #WeLoveToEatPH and #SaanSaPH, I visited the newly opened Fiorgelato scooping station at Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall.

The store stocks gelato variants that include: pistachio, pragola (strawberry), salted caramel, choco nut fudge, biscotti (cookies ‘n cream), ube (yam), menta (mint) and fior de panna (vanilla).

These flavors are mixed and matched, topped with goodies and made into yummy gelato-based treats, which, thanks to an ongoing rainy season promo, are currently available at discounted rates.

Check them out:

Regular Cup (Php60 from Php70).

Banana Split (Php110 from Php120).

Ice Cream Blend (Php110 from Php140).

And the soon-to-be-launched Revel Bar ala Mode (no price yet).

Just imagine what other gelato treats await us! Personally, I would really love it if Fiorgelato adds chocolate chips and chopped nuts among its toppings.

Many thanks to Oliver and the staff of Fiorgelato Sta. Lucia for having us!

This Fiorgelato kiosk is located at Second Floor, Building 3 (in front of the department store), Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall, Felix Avenue corner Marcos Highway, San Isidro, Cainta.

Other kiosks are located at:

Medical City, Ugong, Pasig
Rustan’s Makati, Glorietta Complex, Makati
Ayala Malls Circuit, Olympia, Makati
Salcedo Village, Makati
Sampaloc, Manila
Fairview, Quezon City
Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila
Fisher Mall Malabon, Longos, Malabon City

The Jelly List: Healthy Eats in QC

Healthy eating helps promote overall health and wellness by ensuring that we get the necessary nutrients our bodies need.

Well within Quezon City, there is an abundance of wholesome and nourishing, yet also tasty eats.

Check them out:

Salmon Sriracha Poke Bowl (Php230 for regular bowl| Php150 for junior bowl) at Poke Shack

Poke (pronounced as POKE-KAY) bowls originate from Hawaii, where pieces of fresh fish are chopped into small pieces, marinated in flavorful sauces and served on top of freshly steamed rice along with chopped fresh vegetables, nuts and other toppings that add flavor and texture to the dish. This Salmon Sriracha Poke Bowl, for instance, is made with tempura flour mix, ebiko, furikake, sesame seed with sriracha mayo.

Poke Shack is located at Ground Floor, Tera Tower, Bridgetowne Business Center, Ortigas Avenue Extension corner E. Rodriguez Jr Avenue, Libis, Quezon City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 10am to 10pm, Fridays from 10am to 11pm and Saturdays from 11am to 8pm. For inquiries, call +63 926 0718992 or +63 929 3173857.

Fun poke bowl lunch at Poke Shack, Libis

Everyday, we are presented with so many choices for our midday meals that deciding on which resto to have a #happylunch can be mind-blowing.

But what if we’re trying to eat healthy?

Whether we’re watching our weight or trying to ensure we get more essential nutrients into our system, we would really appreciate having multiple and viable options for a healthy meal.

Fortunately, another restaurant offering wholesome and nourishing meal choices has set up shop near my neck of the woods.

Poke Shack is located in the newly built Bridgetowne Business Center complex, giving the workers of nearby offices and the residents of nearby villages a tasty way to enjoy a nourishing meal: in a poke bowl.

Poke (pronounced as POKE-KAY) bowls originate from Hawaii, where pieces of fresh fish are chopped into small pieces, marinated in flavorful sauces and served on top of freshly steamed rice along with chopped fresh vegetables, nuts and other toppings that add flavor and texture to the dish. Sometimes, cooked meat is used as substitute for the raw fish.

Over the years, the poke bowl has adopted various culinary influences, making it a very versatile dish.

Recently, my foodie friends from #WeLoveToEatPH and #SaanSaPH and I visited Poke Shack to sample its some of its wide array of poke bowls which included:

The Shack Standard (Php210 for regular bowl | Php130 for junior bowl). Made with tuna, celery, ebiko (shrimp roe), furikake (dry Japanese seasoning), sesame seed with classic poke sauce.

Juan-der Bowl (Php190 for regular bowl | Php110 for junior bowl). Made with tuna, red egg, red raddish, celery, black sesame seed, spring onion and aioli sauce.

Salmon Sriracha (Php230 for regular bowl| Php150 for junior bowl). Made with salmon, celery, onion, crispy showa tempura flour mix, ebiko, furikake, sesame seed with sriracha mayo.

Jeju Chicken (Php190 for regular bowl | Php110 for junior bowl). Made with Korean-style chicken, black and white sesame seed, brocolli, cauliflower, leeks with Bonchon sauce.

Chicharrones Zing (Php210 for regular bowl | Php130 for junior bowl). Made with crispy pork liempo, salsa, pineapple, salted egg with chimichurri and sriracha.

Beefy Cheese Machine (Php230 for regular bowl| Php150 for junior bowl). Made with beef, cheese, corn, pickled cucumber, cherry tomato, spring onion with aioli sriracha.

In the mood for something else aside from your poke bowl? Try it with Chicken Skin (Php50) or Crocutes (Php100), potato and cheese croquettes with crab sticks or spam cubes.

Add iced tea or lemonade to your poke bowl for only Php20 or make it a meal with iced tea or lemonade and salad chips for only Php40.

Plus, every Wednesday, get your poke bowl for only Php100!

Thanks to the varied tastes and textures of Poke Shack’s poke bowls, eating healthy has never been easier or more fun!

Thanks to Michael Alegre of Poke Shack and his crew for the warm welcome and the yummy food!

No time to visit the store? Have your poke bowl from Poke Shack delivered to you via Food Panda.

Disclosure: Together with my fellow foodies, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held here. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out my blog posts on other healthy eats in the metro: