So, here’s the deal: I’ve got some Turks GCs and my friends from #SaanSaPH and I are in the mood for a snack.
What to do???
Why, share the wealth and #MakeItATurksDay for everyone, that’s what!
At 10am and waiting for our first foodie meetup for the day, yes, we’re feeling just a wee bit peckish. So, off we went to the Turks stall at the SM North EDSA Foodcourt to get ourselves a small Beef Pita Doner each.
This tasty little snack is made of 100% pure beef, infused with Turks’ signature doner recipe and grilled to juicy goodness, served with freshly cut cucumber, tomatoes and onions, doused in cheese, garlic and hot sauces and wrapped with a slice of cheddar cheese in a warm, freshly baked pita bread.
You might think that there’s only one way to enjoy your Beef Pita Doner, but no! You can have it with all the bells and whistles (that is, all the veggies and sauces it usually comes with) like I did, sans onions, sans the sauces, or just all meat wrapped in the pita. Really, how you enjoy your wrap is your call.
With our hunger pangs chased away by our quick snack, our merry group went about our merry way, merrily tasting, noting and picture-taking what the day had to offer.
Photo Credit: Russell Vargas
Photo Credit: Shishi de Leon
Thanks to Turks for the GCs!
Turks is one of the country’s most successful and fastest growing brands in the food industry with over 400 branches nationwide.
This Turks branch is located at Food Court, Lower Ground Floor, Main Building, SM North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City.
Another branch located nearby is located at Second Floor, SKY Garden, SM North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City.
Check out my reviews of other restaurants serving Mediterranean food:
Pamana in Tagalog means “heritage.” It is a legacy passed down from generation to generation taking with it the hopes and dreams of forebears for their descendants. For many Filipinos, this heritage takes the form of family traditions and stories that provide them with roots and backgrounds.
For third-generation restaurateur Happy Ilagan Ongoauco – Tiu, her heritage rich with heirloom and secret recipes of Filipino dishes is a point of pride. It signifies a hundred years of delicious and authentic Filipino food arising from her family’s passion for cooking and love for family.
She brings this heritage to life with her restaurant Pamana, a Filipino restaurant located in foodie-friendly Tomas Morato area in Quezon City.
On my first day back to work from my overseas vacation, I headed to Pamana’s homey restaurant together with three coworkers for a spot of good ole’ Filipino comfort food for lunch.
Our repast of Pinoy fare included:
My Adobo Rice (Php220). Nearly two decades ago when I started working in the Tomas Morato area, I enjoyed some yummy rice toppings at World Topps then located along Timog Avenue. Well, guess what! World Topps was Happy’s first restaurant and this dish is what made it famous. This rice meal of adobo pork bits, scrambled eggs and freshly cut tomatoes on top of steaming hot rice doused in adobo sauce is already good for three so we just supplemented it with a cup of garlic rice.
Pampanga’s Sizzling Sisig at Aligue (Php320). It seems that any Filipino reataurant meal won’t be complete without sisig. This version had the indulgent addition of aligue (crab fat). Treated during this meal as a viand, it went well with the Adobo Rice.
Crispy Adobong Pusit Calamares (Php325). My coworkers discovered this menu item while I was on vacay. And what a discovery indeed! It combines the sour-savory flavors of adobong pusit and the crispy and chewy texture of calamares. Similar to the sisig, this tasted so good paired with the adobo rice.
This was a lovely lunch that welcomed my tummy and my heart back home, and got me ready for the rest of the workday.
This Pamana branch is located along Mother Ignacia Avenue, Barangay South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 10pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 3743798.
Another branch is located at 1315 Aguinaldo-Highway, Silang Crossing East, Tagaytay City, open daily from 10am to 10pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 46 4132461 or +63 922 8592703.
Seattle, WA is the birthplace of Starbucks. My love affair with this coffee brand is well-known among my nears-and-dears (and well-documented on this blog, too!)
Well, on my second visit to the Evergreen State, this time with my family in tow, I made sure to drop by the mecca for coffee lovers right here in Seattle: the Starbucks Reserve Roastery.
Located just nine blocks from Starbucks’ original store near the Pike Place Market, it is one of the largest Starbucks outlets in the world, occupying 15,000 square feet of space, all dedicated to the company’s pursuit of coffee innovations.
Here, visitors can look forward to a unique and immersive combination of coffee experiences, such as witnessing the on-site brewing of rare Starbucks Reserve coffees, tasting an ever-evolving beverage menu, watching, tasting and learning eight distinct coffee preparation methods, perusing an expansive library of coffee-related tomes, and chatting with a staff of Certified Starbucks Coffee Masters who simply love talking about their craft.
The experience starts in the Main Bar where you can order your cup of choice or allow the Coffee Masters to recommend a perfect handcrafted drink for you, made with the store’s freshly roasted, rare coffee beans.
Here, the kids and I enjoyed 12oz glasses of Cold Brew Malt, a treat from my bro. This drink is a thick malted milkshake made with Starbucks’ cold brew coffee spindle-blended with Mora’s vanilla ice cream and chocolate bitters.
Bro-in-law, on the other hand, a Matcha Teavana Tea Latte, one of the store’s non-coffee drinks.
Next, at the Scooping Bar, a Coffee Master can advise you on which Starbucks Reserve coffee best suits your taste and you can take home a freshly scooped bag.
At the Handpicked at the Roastery, your inner Starbucks fan can truly come out and play. With a plethora of carefully curated merchandise from Starbucks’ artisan partners, from coffee-brewing equipment from all over the world, coffeeware ranging from quaint-kitschy to posh and wearables that proudly announce your love for coffee, you can take a piece of Starbucks home with you.
At the Mixology Bar, get a shot or two of signature cocktails and spirit-free drinks inspired by Starbucks Reserve coffee and Teavana teas. I’ll probably return here – sans the little one – for a more spirited coffee experience.
Starbucks partnered with Rocco Princi to bring a taste of the Spirito di Milano to its customers. At Princi, you can treat yourself to artisan breads, freshly baked pastries and pizzas, as well as delectable desserts which are best enjoyed with your cup of Starbucks Reserve coffee.
Want to get lost in your own coffee story? Head on to the Experience Bar where you can go on themed coffee tasting flights, guided tours by Starbucks’ Coffee Masters where exploratory brew methods and immersive storytelling will only deepen your love for your favorite brews.
For a bookworm like me, the Coffee Library is a destination in itself. Climb up the steps so you can pore over 200-plus books dedicated to coffee. It also offers a great view of the entire roasting operation.
A trip to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery is always a worthwhile activity for coffee lovers who find themselves in Seattle. I plan to return before my trip ends to have a more leisurely journey across the bars and stations.
This Starbucks Reserve Roastery is located at 1124 Pike Street, Seattle, WA, 98101, open daily from 7am to 11pm. For more details, call (206)624-0173 or visit www.starbucksreserve.com.
I’m blessed to have coworkers who like to celebrate milestones with a good meal.
An officemate’s birthday falls within a few weeks of mine so two of our former bosses decided to treat us out to a joint birthday lunch.
And for that, Lola Cafe is our best bet, considering its proximity to our workplace, its Instagrammable modern interiors and its menu of imaginatively prepared homey dishes.
Similar to other restaurants in the Tomas Morato area, Lola Cafe was built from a renovated house. It boasts of a sizeable parking area (a big plus in this vicinity), a high-ceilinged bar area, and a dining area that combines the old architectural layout with a modern black and white aesthetic and a refreshing view of the lush green space outside.
Lola Cafe serves Filipino food that makes use local ingredients in imaginative ways such as:
Crispy Tinapa (Php220 for solo). Tinapa, bits of ripe mango, kesong puti tossed in romaine lettuce and arugula with slightly sweet and citrusy honey dalandan dressing.
Baked Tahong Express (Php220). Baked mussels generously topped with mozzarella, garlic, Bicol Express sauce and green chilis.
Tartufo (Php295 for solo). Spaghetti noodles tossed in a cream sauce with truffle oil and portobello mushroom.
Shrimp Aligue (Php295 for solo). Spaghetti noodles tossed with plump shrimp in a rich and decadent cream sauce of crab fat and kesong puti.
Lola Fried Chicken (Php310 for solo). Juicy pieces of chicken thighs in garlic butter sauce.
Prawns in Aligue (Php420 for solo). Succulent poached prawns in a spicy sauce of crab fat, chili garlic and lemon butter.
Mango Pavlova (Php160). Crunchy cashew meringue and bits of mango layered with chantilly cream.
Kesong Puti Cheesecake (Php220). A rich cheesecake made of kesong puti topped with bukayo (sweetened coconut strips) and salted latik (caramelized coconut cream).
These delicious dishes, Lola Cafe’s attentive staff and the awesome company helped to make that birthday lunch truly memorable.
Since Lola Cafe is a Zomato Gold partner establishment, and all four of us unlocked or Zomato Gold privilege, our group got some of our food orders for 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 my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.
Lola Cafe is located at 99 Scout Lozano Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 11.30am to 10pm, Fridays to Saturdays from 11.30am to 11pm, and Sundays from 10.30am to 9pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 5012620 or +63 917 8176045.
Another branch recently opened at the Fifth Floor, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.
This morning, bro decided to rush over to the Bothell branch of Top Pot Doughnuts for our breakfast.
Top Pot Doughnuts is one of Seattle’s homegrown coffee and doughnut shops. It came about in a small brick storefront in north Capitol Hill, and now boasts of several branches in Washington and Texas.
The store’s interiors blend the vintage aesthetic with a cozy feel, a nice and quiet place to enjoy your morning sweets.
If, however, you feel like munching on your doughnuts while enjoying the brisk morning air and the beginnings of the day’s sunshine, head on outdoors.
Today, however, bro had the doughnuts to-go, so a dozen of these freshly-made treats were waiting for us when we came down for breakfast.
The ones I was able to taste include:
Raspberry Bismark Filled Doughnut. A decadent doughnut plump and heavy because it’s filled to bursting with raspberry filling.
Salted Caramel Old-Fashioned Doughnut. One of Top Pot Doughnuts most popular variants, this doughnut is crumbly on the outside and moist on the inside, which sets off its salted caramel topping quite nicely.
Pink Icing Feather Boa Doughnut. One of the store’s signature cake doughnuts, this has the exotic combination of sweet pink icing and coconut shavings.
These lovely treats were a sweet start to the day!
And here’s a cute bit of trivia for you: Top Pot got its name from an old, rusty vintage neon sign that the owners bought from a boarded-up Chinese restaurant named “Topspot.” After years in storage before being repaired, the “S” fell off, leaving the words “Top Pot.” They decided to adopt this name, as a way of blending the old with the new.
This Top Pot Doughnuts branch is located at 18001 Bothell Everett Highway, Bothell, WA 98012, open weekdays from 6am to 6pm and weekends from 7am to 6pm. For inquiries, call 206-631-2061.
Other branches are located at:
609 Summit Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102 (Tel: 206-323-7841)
2124 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 (Tel: 206-728-1966)
6855 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115 (Tel: 206-525-1966)
325 West Galer, Seattle, WA 98119 (Tel: 206-631-2120)
10600 NE 9th Place, Bellevue, WA 98004 (Tel: 425-457-7440)
1235 Maple Street, Issaquah, WA 98027 (Tel: 425-270-6161)
720 Third Ave, Seattle, WA 98104 (Tel: 206-454-3694)
1416 NW 46th Street, Seattle, WA 98107 (Tel: 206-454-3767)
590 Terry Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109 (Tel: 206-995-8296)
16095 Cleveland St, Redmond, WA 98052 (Tel: 425-497-8002)
815 N 10th Street #F, Renton, WA 98057 (Tel: 425-291-7483)
1206 Madison Street, Seattle, WA 98104 (Tel: 206-708-7244)
888 Western Avenue Suite E, Seattle, WA 98104 (Tel: 206-466-1729)
11701 97th Lane NE, Kirkland, WA 98034 (Tel: 425-307-1540)
2758 Alki Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98116 (Tel: 206-466-6839)
101 Stewart Street, Seattle, WA 98101 (Tel: 206-269-5066)
2724 N Proctor Street, Tacoma, WA 98407 (Tel: 253-433-3852)
150 Sunset Ave S, Edmonds, WA 98020 (Tel: 425-582-2579)
I’ve been going through my #RamenPhase for several years now and it shows no sign of abating.
And why should it?
Slurping on some tasty, steaming-hot ramen is one of the most comforting things to do, specially on a chilly spring evening in the first week of my family’s visit to the Pacific Northwest.
That night, we ventured out to the beautiful city of Bellevue for dinner after a round of malling. From the mall, we walked across the Bellevue Downtown Park to the local branch of Hokkaido Ramen Santouka to enjoy the crisp spring air and to work up our appetites.
This ramen restaurant is quite familiar to us as it has several outlets in the Metro Manila. It has become one of go-to ramen places because of its tasty ramen and katsu dishes that fave become family favorites.
The restaurant was founded in Asahikawa, Hokkaido in Japan by Hitoshi Hatanaka when he produced the tonkotsu (pork bone) soup, the flavorful base of the restaurant’s ramen dishes. The soup is made by hand in all of the chain’s outlets in Japan and abroad; the process involves simmering the pork bones for twenty hours, then adding in vegetables, dried fish, kelp and other savory ingredients as well as seasonings, resulting in a mild but tasty broth. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka’s bowls are also specially made, with a specific thickness that slows the cooling down of the broth, allowing diners to enjoy their ramen in steaming-hot soup for as long as possible.
Upon arriving, we entered our name in the tablet provided so that we can be part of the wait list, one of the innovations that we haven’t yet encountered back home.
The place was cozy and frenetic with activity, from new customers being ushered in and the orders and requests being called out.
For tonight’s meal, our group got for ourselves several orders of our favorites:
Shio Ramen. The restaurant’s signature dish featuring a milky white salt-based broth, firm hand-pulled noodles, slices of marinated chashu pork belly and more.
Neginanban Ramen. The resto’s spiciest ramen variant topped with chashu, fried onions, onions and jalapenos.
Karamiso Ramen. A miso-based ramen with bit of red chilis to spice it up.
Tonkatsu. Deep-fried pork cutlet covered in crispy panko breadcrumbs and served with a tangy katsu sauce.
With our ramen and katsu orders, we also availed of sides such as the aji-tama (soft-boiled egg marinated in a soy-based sauce) and gyoza (pan-fried dumplings filled with minced pork).
With our dinner at Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, the fam was able to enjoy some of the flavors we love back home right here in Bellevue.
This Hokkaido Ramen Santouka branch is located at 103 Bellevue Way, NE, Suite 3, Bellevue, WA 98004, open daily from 11am to 9pm. For inquiries or reservations, call +1 425 4620141.
One afternoon, after sightseeing at the Mukilteo Lighthouse Park, my bro treated the fam to ice cream at the nearby Diamond Knot Brewery and Alehouse.
Diamond Knot first made a name for itself for its craft beers made by the company founders Bob Maphet and Brian Sollenberger. It was named after the cargo ship the Diamond Knot which was wrecked in 1947 and is now a renowned dive sites in the Pacific Northwest. The company serves as a tribute by the founders – both of whom are avid divers – to the salvage crew of the original Diamond Knot, for their perseverance; they aimed to replicate the tenacity of salvage crew in their own struggles in educating the local market about craft beer.
For our late afternoon sweet treat, the focus was on the hand-scooped ice cream that can be ordered to-go through one of the restaurant’s windows, which include:
Huckleberry. Smooth and creamy ice cream that features the sweet and tart taste of local huckleberries.
Chocolate Chip Mint. The rich sweetness of chocolate chips mixed into a fresh minty ice cream.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. A yummy ice cream mixed with chocolate chips and bits of cookie dough.
These yummy frozen treats are priced USD3 for single scoop and USD5.5 for double scoops, with additional USD0.5 for a sugar cone and USD1 for a waffle cone.
These frozen goodies were just the right treats for the fam to enjoy on that beautiful sunny afternoon.
Diamond Knot Brewery and Alehouse is located at 621 Front Street, Mukilteo, WA 98275, open weekdays from 10am to 1am and weekends from 8am to 1am. For inquiries, call (425) 5128080.
Yesterday, the second day of our family in the Evergreen State, my brother took us to his favorite pastry shop, 85C Bakery Cafe.
85C got its name from its belief that coffee holds its flavor best at a steady temperature of 85 degrees Celsius. Its name is a statement of the cafe’s commitment to serving handcrafted coffee of the highest quality.
Each 85C store has its own in-shop bakery with a wide variety of pastries baked fresh every hour.
These pastries were the reason for our visit yesterday afternoon: the plan was to buy some of the store’s freshly baked goods for our breakfast the next day. Our loot included:
Milk Toast (USD3.00). A loaf with a fresh and natural milk taste.
Taro Puff Pastry (USD2.50). This puff pastry is light, flaky, and layered with delicious taro filling inside.
Milk Pudding (USD2.00). A traditional Japanese style soft bread with vanilla custard inside.
Garlic Cheese (USD2.00). A soft textured bread topped with our signature garlic spread, mozzarella cheese, and sprinkled with fresh parsley.
Cheese Dog (USD2.20). Soft bread wrapped around a hot dog, with cheddar & mozzarella cheese. Baked with ketchup, light mayo, black pepper and dry parsley.
Marble Taro (USD3.00). A sweet bread made with mixed grains and filled with signature taro filling.
This morning, I had the Milk Pudding and Taro Puff Pastry for my meal while I was enjoying the crisp morning air.
While it would be optimal to consume the pastries as soon as bought but they still tasted great with my morning coffee this morning.
This 85C Bakery Cafe outlet is located at 18700A 33rd Avenue W Lynnwood, WA 98037. For inquiries, call (425) 6722885.
Another outlet may be found at 501 S Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98104.
During one of our family’s forays at Robinsons Galleria, we chanced upon the newly opened outlet of Mad Mark’s Creamery & Good Eats.
We first discovered this restaurant chain several years ago through its original branch in Kapitolyo, and subsequently ate at its other branches in Glorietta, Bonifacio Global City and UP Town Center, so its fare is already near and dear to us, particularly its Signature Steaks.
Consisting of 150g premium USDA flat iron steaks, grilled per our preferred doneness (medium in this instance), it is accompanied by our choice of two side dishes and Mad Mark’s homemade sauces all for only Php305!
The family’s consensus when it comes to Mad Mark’s sauces is the savory Cream Sauce which is made of fresh mushrooms and cream.
When it comes to side dishes, Hubby’s preferences are the carbo-loading Bacon Potato Salad and Smashed Potato, while my daughter’s are the Garden Grains (Mad Mark’s version of the vegetable fried rice) and Smashed Potato. As for me, Garden Grains and Corn & Carrots are my preferred complements for my steak.
For my little boy, we ordered a plate of Classic Fried Chicken which comes with rice and salsa for only Php199.
Well, this family sure is glad that Mad Mark’s opened a branch that’s even more accessible to us. Now, we have another go-to place when we are hit with that steak craving.
This branch of Mad Mark’s Creamery & Good Eats is located at Level 4, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas, Quezon City, open Sundays to Thursdays from 11am to 9pm.
Other outlets can be found at:
Pioneer Center Supermart, 8006 Pioneer Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Ground Floor, Glorietta 3, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City
Third Floor, Central Square, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Second Floor, BGC Stopover Pavilion, Rizal Drive corner 31st Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Second Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
As a foodie that has been exposed to various cuisines, restaurant concepts and cooking styles, of course I would want an extraordinary meal at an extraordinary restaurant for my birthday dinner with the family.
For some time now, I’ve been wanting to dine at Soru Izakaya ever since I caught sight of pictures showing its colorful and creatively presented makis. Add the fact that the resto chain is currently a Zomato Gold partner where I can get free dishes as a Zomato Gold member, and that sealed the deal.
An izakaya is a type of informal pub originating from Japan, where small and inexpensive dishes and snacks are served to accompany alcoholic drinks. This kind of dining establishment has proved perfect for afterwork de-stressing with friends through drinks and good food.
Soru Izakaya’s visually arresting aesthetic also adds to the relaxing vibe. It takes inspiration from bishoujo (pretty girl) manga, traditional Japanese art, the colorful Tokyo night life and the emergence of speakeasies.
For my birthday celebration, the place proved to be an awesome venue where the extended family came together for a great meal, which included:
Miso Soup (Php45). A staple among Japanese soups wherein softened miso paste is mixed into a savory dashi stock with tofu cubes.
Kani Salad (Php240). Shredded crabsticks tossed in salad greens dressed in a mixture of miso and Japanese mayo. Toppings of crunchy kani, ebiko and nori strips add to the flavors and textures.
Spicy Maguro Salad (Php300). Tempura flakes and cubes of fresh tuna top salad greens dressed in miso and spicy mayo.
Wagyu Steak Teppan (Php990). Iron-grilled wagyu steak served with mixed vegetables.
Tomahawk Katsu (Php320). Deep-fried breaded pork tomahawk cutlet served with sweet and savory katsu sauce and shredded cabbage in roasted sesame dressing.
Unaguro Aburi (Php390). Tempura rice topped with torched tuna and unagi with teriyaki sauce and a bit of truffle oil.
Lava Maki (Php390). Salmon skin, crabsticks and tamago topped with cubes of fresh tuna and salmon in a spicy mayo and teriyaki sauce.
Shake Belly Aburi (Php230). Torched salmon belly with wasabi teriyaki sauce, finished with wasabi mayo, oborro mayo and Japanese mayo.
Nori Tempura Nami (Php330 for 5 pieces). Deep-fried tiger prawns in nori flavored batter.
Meiji Kare (Php260). Japanese-style beef curry with potatoes and carrots on rice.
Shoyu Ramen (Php290). Tender chasyu pork slices, boiled egg and mixed vegetables in a steaming hot shoyu broth.
It was a fun birthday dinner in a new place for the fam.
On my next visit, I would love to try the Tantanmen ramen and one of Soru Izakaya’s desserts.
This Soru Izakaya branch is located at Techno Point Building, Julia Vargas Avenue, Ugong, Pasig City, open Sundays to Thursdays from 11am to 12 midnight and Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 2am.
Other branches are located at:
Ground Floor, 140 Maginhawa Street, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City
Jellybeans in the City 