review – Page 5 – Jellybeans in the City

Young chef overcomes family misfortunes and makes name for himself with novel finishing butters

You would think that multiple misfortunes would keep aspiring chef Carlos Cabigao down.

In the year-and-a-half preceding December 2017, his family experienced several tragedies which include his sister’s involvement in an accident and a brother’s passing. While he did wallow in some sadness, even quitting his job, he decided to pull up his bootstraps (figuratively) by yearend, pooled his resources and started baking in light of the upcoming holidays. However, his family tragedies still haunted him.

“Baking tends to require a lot of love and care,” shares the young chef, “which at that time, I didn’t have.”

Fortunately, a friend suggested that he try his hand at making spreads using butters.

Finishing butter (also known as compound butter or beurre compose) are made of butter whipped with additional ingredients – such as herbs, aromatics or spices – that add flavor to the mixture. The mixture is then reformed, sometimes in plastic wrap or parchment paper, and chilled until it is firm enough to be sliced for serving.

Finishing butters are most often melted on top of meats and vegetables, enhancing the taste of these dishes. These may also be used as a spread for breads and to add to the flavor of sauces and soups.

Carlos’ finishing butters are available in two variants branded under Migu Migu: Tartufo Bianco (White Truffle) (Php320/180g) and Garlic and Fine Herbs (Php250/180g). The butters are packaged in top-sealed mason jars and have shelf life of two weeks if unrefrigerated and 6 months if refrigerated after purchase.

(Jellybeans’ Note: I tried them on pan-grilled lamb, pork chops and steaks and they were delish! The White Truffle Butter appealed to me and my daughter #ExhibitA but since Hubby is not so much into truffle, he’s partial to the Garlic and Fine Herbs variant. My son #ExhibitB will basically eat anything you put in front of him. :-))

Going into business proved to be a blessing for the young entrepreneur. It enabled him to widen his network by later joining the online group Let’s Eat Pare, whose initiatives geared towards educating and encouraging MSMEs such as seminars and gen meets helped bolster Carlos’ confidence and business know-how.

So what can Carlos‘ experience teach us? That setbacks may come but these can spur us to do more than we thought possible… with some help from good people, of course.

He currently sells his Migu-Migu finishing butters at Meals.ph but you might catch him at food fairs in your area soon. Check out Migu Migu’s Facebook Page for more product details.

Read more about Meals.ph’s home cooks here.

Disclosure: Information in this article obtained from email and personal interviews with Carlos Cabigao. Product samples provided by Migu Migu for review purposes.

Family’s Intro to Fat Fook at Robinsons Galleria

When you’re planning where to eat for the family’s Saturdate, and you consider the varied tastes and preferences of your family members, sometimes you just need to put your foot down, dictate where you want to eat and hope it pays off.

And sometimes, it does.

The fam’s lunch took place at the newly opened Fat Fook at Robinsons Galleria. It’s one of two existing branches in the Metro Manila, with the other one located in SM City North EDSA.

This branch is situated in the recently renovated wing of Robinsons Galleria, where a lot of new and trendy restos are expected to open.

The place is quite spacious, warmly lit and can accommodate 40 or so people. Similar to its SM North branch, it features porcelain bowls as part of its decor: this time, the bowls cover one wall, adding a quirky yet elegant Asian element to the resto’s interior.

Fat Fook offers authentic Taiwanese food. The dishes we sampled include:

Tofu with Century Egg and Pork Floss (Php198). The soft-chilled tofu was creamy and mild, and together with the century egg, the pork floss and the sweet-salty sauce, it brings a nice contrast of flavors and textures.

Taiwan Style Fried Rice (Php258). Served in a small pan, the rice is fried with a salty brown sauce and accompanied by bits of green onion and lots of savory-sweet chorizo pieces. It provides an interesting complement to the other dishes we ordered.

Taiwan Beef Noodles (Php258). Tender braised beef slices accompanied by hand-pulled noodles in a sour-and-slightly-spicy broth.

Fat Fook Chicken Chop (Php238). Juicy and tender chicken breasts coated with batter and breading, a quick hit with my baby boy!

Garlic Pork Spare Ribs (Php298). A safe bet, given that the fam has tasted this before in Chinese restos.

With all our orders, the bill amounted to just a little over Php1,500, so our Fat Fook sojourn is definitely among the more affordable of our food adventures.

I found this experience a good way to introduce the kids to new cuisines and food influences, which helps them develop a more adventurous yet discerning palate. For myself, I welcome any opportunity to go off the beaten path when it comes to food choices.

Given its affordability and fresh tastes offered, Fat Fook is among the restaurants I won’t mind returning to.

Check out my review of Fat Fook’s other branch at SM North EDSA.

Haven for coffee and comfort food lovers: Little Owl Cafe, New Manila

Hidden away in New Manila is a haven for lovers of coffee and comfort food.

Renovated from one of the previously worn-down houses along Broadway Avenue, Little Owl Cafe is nestled among lush greenery. Started as a coffee shop but now a full service cafe, it serves food that features a fusion of Italian and Asian cuisines that professionals working in the area or families residing nearby can enjoy.

I was recently invited to a Blogger’s Dinner at this restaurant where I was able to sample some of its delectable offerings:

Omelette Chorizo Rice (Php270). Part of the resto’s All-Day Breakfast Menu, it consists of homemade longganisa rice, delicately wrapped in a thin omelette and topped with onion gravy and aioli.

Sisig Tacos (Php210). Three pieces of soft-shell tacos topped with crispy sisig and a savory liver aioli sauce. A great start to the meal!

Glazed Cauliflower (Php210). Cauliflower covered in a sweet and spicy soy glaze then deep-fried to crispiness. A great way to get the kids to eat their veggies!

Truffle Mushroom Pasta (Php350). Al dente noodles tossed in a rich homemade mushroom sauce made with three different kinds of mushrooms – shiitake, enoki and shimeji – topped with fried enoki and drizzled with truffle oil.

Shrimp & Aligue Pasta (Php330). Pasta noodles tossed in a creamy tomato sauce incorporating shrimp aligue and served with plump grilled shrimps.

Beef Tapa & Cheese Sandwich (Php295). A Pinoy take on the Philly Cheesesteak which showcases savory slivers of beef tapa, it is accompanied by a hefty serving of crisp shoestring fries.

Chicken & Waffle (Php270). Chicken thighs covered in batter then fried to a crisp then served with sriracha coleslaw over cheddar waffles.

Lechon Kawali Bibimbap (Php320). The classic sweet-spicy Korean fried rice served with sauteed mushrooms and spinach accompanied by deep fried pork belly and fried egg. A great combination of Pinoy and Korean flavors!

Chicken Satay (Php280). A bowl of Indonesian- inspired fried rice served with grilled chicken thigh and its trademark peanut sauce.

Beef Rendang (Php420). Tenderchuck slow-cooked in aromatic spices and coconut cream. A little too spicy for me but a sure winner for those who like their food with lots of kick!

Kimchi Salmon Sinigang (Php420). Salmon belly and loin seared then served in a spicy and sour soup.

Iced Mocha (Php170). A rich yet refreshing blend of chocolate and coffee flavors, it is among the Toby’s Estate beverages served in this restaurant.

https://flic.kr/p/QyJGPJ

Pink Owl (Php180). A fruity cocktail of vodka, lychee, watermelon and mint. A suitable drink to chase away the workday stress.

Little Owl Cafe’s food offerings provide its diners with an adventurous break from the everyday meals but with enough familiar flavors to make them appealing to those with more conservative tastebuds.

Its premises are well-appointed, tastefully furnished and prettily lit, great backgrounds for foodie shots and group photos.

Since this resto is conveniently located a short distance from my workplace, I definitely can drop by again for dinner with friends after office hours.

Little Owl Cafe is located at 65 Broadway Avenue, New Manila, Quezon City, open Mondays to Saturdays from 11am to 10pm and Sundays from 8am to 9pm. For inquiries, call + 63 917 8181468 or +63 2 5012036.

Little Owl also accepts bookings for special events such as weddings, birthdays, holiday parties, press conferences and more, with function rooms that can be reserved for a minimum consumable amount.

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

Adventure time in ZOORI, Tagaytay

ZOORI (Zoo at Residence Inn) is a perfect spot to enjoy a breathtaking view of the Taal Lake and Volcano while having some fun with exotic animals amidst lush surroundings.

I visited the place recently together with fellow bloggers as well as candidates of the Miss Tourism Queen Worldwide 2018. First, we enjoyed a very Pinoy lunch of Chicken Pork Adobo, a Zoompia (their gigantic version of a spring roll) and Puto Bumbong. We had our repast at the restaurant gazebo while taking in the majestic view.

Afterwards, we discovered that we were in for a treat: an animal show in which the Miss Tourism candidates from different countries gamely interacted with the featured critters which included snakes, lizards, a tarantula and more.

After the show, we explored the many attractions that the ZOORI had to offer: from the mini-zoo with an interesting collection of birds and livestock, the zip line which the beauty queens lost no time in trying out, and the cable car for us who were decidedly less adventurous.

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Yes, the girl screaming like a banshee was me. #cablecar #acrophobia #fearofheights #adventuretime at @zoomanity . . . . . . #wheretogoph #wheretonextph #goplacesmanila #zoomanity #zoori

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Before we left, I went to the shops and scored some good finds: a wolf hat for my baby boy, a couple of scoodies and a long cardigan for me.

Unfortunately, we ran out of time. I would have loved to check out ZOORI’s other attractions such as Wall-Climbing and Horseback Riding, or had an eat-all-you-can Korean Barbecue at Samgyupsalamat. But those are what return visits are for. 🙂 Still, it was a fun afternoon that showed me and my fellow bloggers more the entertainment and recreation possibilities available in Tagaytay. ZOORI is located KM 65 Barrio Neogan, Tagaytay City, open daily from 8am to 5pm. To commute going to ZOORI, take a bus ride from Cubao to Alfonso, Balayan or Nasugbu. Alight at Residence Inn Tagaytay along the National Highway. Rates:

Adult: Php249
Child (3 feet to 4 feet): Php199
Children below 3 feet free of charge

Special Packages:

Entrance with Paradizoo: Php299
Entrance with Paradizoo and Set Lunch at the Gazebo: Php499
Entrance with Paradizoo and Samgyupsalamat: Php699
Entrance with Paradizoo, Samgyupsalamat and Photo with Birds: Php799
Entrance with Paradizoo, Samgyupsalamat and Zipline: Php899
Entrance with Paradizoo, Samgyupsalamat, Dessert & Coffee and Zipline: Php999

Here’s a tip: you can get discounted tickets to Paradizoo Theme Farm by signing up for a free YOGO customer account and ordering tickets via the YOGO PH app (download now on Google Play or the App Store). You can also enjoy savings when you book your tickets via Klook. For inquiries, email zoomanityonline@gmail.com or call +63 046 4131244 | +63 966 1938965. Know more about Paradizoo and other Zoomanity’s attractions at zoomanity.com.ph. For queries, call +62 046 413 1244 or +63 02 847 0413. Disclosure: Together with fellow bloggers, I was invited by the Zoomanity Group to tour and experience the attractions at ZOORI. The tour was sponsored by the company and was not paid for by the attendees including myself.

Discover great food by great cooks at Meals.ph

With our busy schedules and so many responsibilities, preparing something good for a family meal or a gathering can be quite a challenge. Don’t you sometimes wish that you could just have someone to do all the marinating, basting, slow-cooking, grilling and baking for you? This will leave you so much time to do all the other stuff you need to do but still assures you and your near-and-dears a great meal.

Food delivery services recently started becoming popular as it connects us busy working moms to restaurants from which we can order food to be delivered to our homes.

But sometimes, we crave for food that only good artisanal home cooks can give.

Enter Meals.ph.

Meals.ph is the brainchild of young entrepreneur Macky Sy who envisioned creating a platform that helps people find great home-cooked meals near us as well as help home cooks earn a little extra by selling their meals online.

Through the website, you can navigate the tabs to find vendors for specialty meals (according to cuisine), meal plans (with options for per-day and per-week orders), catering for events (party trays), desserts, ready-to-cook/eat meals, as well as sauces, side dishes and snacks. You can also just use the search bar to find a specific dish you’re looking for.

When you’ve selected your dish, click “Order” to initiate the order process, wait for the vendor to acknowledge, then settle with the vendor regarding the terms for payment and fulfillment of your order.

Note, though, that these terms vary from vendor to vendor, and the availability of dishes varies from area to area.

If you find yourself too loaded with tasks and would like to leave the cooking to someone else, why not check out some of Meals.ph’s vendor partners. Especially with the holidays coming, get yourself to enjoying more time relaxing and having fun with family and friends, and maybe help support some of these budding entrepreneurs as well.

Kitycups

The person behind Kitycups is part-time accountant/financial advisor Kristine Rodriguez. She started by baking simple cookies and eventually grew a business out of her hobby. Her venture specializes in cakes and sweets and she hopes to establish a factory for her food business someday.

On a side note, I recently treated myself and the kids to one of her Dreamcake Chocolattas and we loved it! Watch out for it among my future posts. 🙂

Nikita’s Pastries

Niki Alfaro, on the other hand, works full-time on her business, Nikita’s Pastries, while taking care of her mom who has a heart condition. This home baker decided to put up a home-based business that will give her the time and flexibility to be available to her parents while providing her with an independent income. She dreams of one day opening her own restaurant or bringing her business with her to the US. Check out her cheesecake cups; those are her specialty.

FoodAllMighty

When Cristina Bustos is not at her job, working as a supervisor in a BPO company, she occupies her time with cooking but she hopes to go full-time on her side business someday. Her FoodAllMighty party trays, particularly the baked lasagna, are a boon to those who are assigned to bring viands for the office potluck or the clan get-together.

Shoreline Barbecue

Men seem to have a special relationship with grilling and artist, entrepreneur and doggy daddy John Muyargas revels in this. Having worked his way up from waiter to chef in an Italian-American resto in Dallas, Texas, he brings Tex-Mex flavors to his local customers through his Shoreline Barbecue trays. His immediate plans involve steadily growing his business and sharing the love.

Migu Migu

Carlos Cabigao pulled himself up from the multiple challenges that his family encountered and set out building a business. He first started with baking until a friend suggested he try making spreads using flavored butter. His White Truffle Butter is a definite must-try.

With so many great cooks ready and willing to prepare gorgeous and delightful food for us, and with a service like Meals.ph that connects us to the best among them, it just make sense to free ourselves from the stress of holiday cooking.

Check them out at Meals.ph!

You’ll be also glad to know that Meals.ph already has a mobile app. Download it from the App Store or Google Play, check it out, and tell Macky what you think. 🙂

Mix and Match Lunch Set at Half Saints, Tomas Morato

For me, the office lunch break is a sacred hour. In this precious spot of time, I can take a break from the pencil-pushing, number-crunching and many of the stresses I take on in the course of my job. When I have lunch with a coworkers, it also presents me with an opportunity to chat and get to know them, discover shared interests or vent on common frustrations.

This is why going out for lunch is especially important to me. Having a packed lunch from home to eat at the office pantry or buying one to-go from the office foodcourt may be more efficient and economical, but does not provide me with a change of scenery that helps in keeping my stress levels down.

However, lunches out are not exactly budget-friendly.

Fortunately, nearby restaurant Half Saints offers DIY Lunch Sets wherein diners can mix and match options for rice and viand, all for Php165.

It’s such a no frills yet fun way to decide on what you’re having for lunch.

A friend and I dropped by on our lunch break and got for ourselves:

Black Squid Rice + Bacon Slab and Egg

Pink Salmon Rice + Shrimp Skewer

Since I had some money left over, I decided to indulge myself with a Paprika Cheese Tart (Php70).

Our boss asked us to get her lunch to-go so we opted for Black Squid Rice + Japanese Fried Chicken Bites that we took back to office.

The food choices do embody Half Saints concept of providing comfort food with a twist, influenced by owners Christine Roque, Trina Roque, Tricia Roque, Tanya Mesina and Joana Arciaga’s Filipino roots merging with their exposure to other cultures. The ingredients and dishes are familiar but are melded together in novel ways (and prettily plated too!), producing flavors and textures that do excite one’s senses when the dishes are laid down on the table.

Furthermore, through its advocacy, Half Saints also supports local businesses by sourcing its ingredients from local food and farmer cooperatives.

The food took some time to get to us (the waiter even got one of the orders wrong), though, so we busied ourselves by poring over some of the books artfully displayed in the store. The resto has a minimalist feel to it – and no wonder, its interior design was inspired by coffee shops in Tokyo. It proved to be a cozy and quiet place to hang out in.

I think this place would also be a nice after-office refuge. I can picture myself with a mug of Half Saints’ freshly brewed coffee and a pastry, just chillin’ after a day’s work.

Half Saints is located at the Ground Floor, Ignacia Place, Mother Ignacia Corner Sergeant Esguerra Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City, open Tuesdays to Sundays from 11.30am to 10pm. For reservations, call +63 935 9330512. Or you can book your table via Zomato like I did.

Coco Dolce supports organic farming with its coconut-rich chocolate bars

Coconut and its various derivatives have long been touted for their contributions to the flavors and health benefits of food prepared with them.

My foray into Kultura Filipino’s “Crafts for a Cause” exhibit where I chanced upon the Coco Dolce stall, however, was the first time I heard about using coconut products in chocolate production.

This unusual feature is in line with the tenets that Coco Dolce producer, The Freefood Co., operate by. Its guiding principles include: better health, helping rural areas develop into sustainable communities, and respect for the planet and its resouces.

Its chocolate bars, therefore, are made from a rich blend of fine cacao beans, low-glycemic coconut sap sugar, virgin coconut oil and vanilla. These ingredients were sourced from Mindanao’s organic coconut farming communities and from local growers of indigenous cacao and nuts across the country. The resulting chocolate products are free from GMOs, harmful processing agents and preservatives and other chemicals that may adversely affect one’s health.

Organic coconut sap sugar, in particular, has a low glycemic index level of 35, making Coco Dolce bars suitable for people who need to manage their sugar intake.

The bars are manufactured by chocolate artisans using the traditional conching method. This involves the heating and mixing of the chocolate’s ingredients over long periods of time. The process helps in developing the chocolate’s flavor through frictional heat, release of volatiles and acids, and oxydation.

I bought two of Coco Dolce’s 45g chocolate bar variants: the Milk Chocolate (whole milk powder added to the other ingredients) and the 65% Dark Chocolate.

The bars hold well without refrigeration yet has a smooth texture upon biting. The chocolate flavor is rich, helped by the non-cloying and milder sweetness of the coco sugar.

Over the holidays, I plan to gift some bars to my titos and titas who are trying to control their sugar intake. Because the holiday season is a time to enjoy good food, right?

Aside from SM’s Kultura Filipino outlets, Coco Dolce chocolates may also be purchased online in The Good Store.

Check out my review of another artisanal chocolate –Malagos single origin premium chocolate.

Steak lunch with the kiddos at Mad Mark’s, Kapitolyo

I took my kids to Mad Mark’s in Pioneer Center, Kapitolyo last Monday for lunch before we run our errands for the day.

I remember that we used to have our weekend dinners at its former branch in East Capitol Drive several years ago. That was when Kapitolyo was the only foodie area in our radar. We stopped going around the time when we discovered other food communities as well as other Mad Mark’s that were more conveniently situated in malls.

This new branch in Kapitolyo is definitely an improvement over their old one. For one thing, it has twice the floor area and can accommodate more people. Secondly, being located in the Pioneer Center compound, there are a lot more parking space.

This branch is definitely more spacious, allowing the resto to play around with a few minimalist decor and furnishings that give homage to its artisanal beginnings.

I guess my major beef with this Mad Mark’s branch is how undermanned it is. At 11.30am, the time when most restaurants expect an influx of customers, it only has one person manning the store and most probably one cook in the kitchen. This resulted to long waits for our orders and requests, as well as the unavailability of some items in the menu.

When we were getting ready to order, we were informed that only the “Grill Works” – the steaks, ribs and grilled chickens – were the only viands available. Furthermore, of the seven side dishes on the menu, only plain rice, Garden Grains (Mad Mark’s version of fried rice), corn and carrots and smashed potatoes can be ordered.

We didn’t mind given that we just wanted to order the Signature Steaks (Php330), 150g premium USDA flat-iron steaks served medium-well accompanied by our choice of cream sauce. We were lucky enough that our favorite side dishes were also available. The steaks and sides served to us did not disappoint: the meat was cooked as per our requested doneness and the sides and our chosen sauce complemented the steaks very well.

We also ordered Mad Mark’s own Home-Brewed Iced Tea (Php49) – which I found a bit too sweet – to wash the steaks down.

And, of course, a visit to Mad Mark’s will not be complete without ordering dessert. Today, we decided to try the Liquid Cheesecake (Php160): it consisted of two pie pockets filled with a gooey custard topped by a scoop of Mad Mark’s Half-Baked Madagascar Ice Cream and drizzled over with thick chocolate fudge. I don’t get why this dessert is named Liquid Cheesecake (and I really don’t care; my kids and I liked it!).

This Mad Mark’s Creamery and Good Eats is located at Pioneer Center Supermart, 8006 Pioneer Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig City.

Check out my review of other Mad Mark’s outlets:

Sumptuous Chinese Lunch at Lugang Cafe, Greenhills

Lugang Cafe is the offshoot of Bellagio, a Taiwanese restaurant chain which first opened in Shanghai in 2001, bringing with it a combination of authentic Taiwanese cuisine with a modern and vibrant restaurant design. Since then, it has grown its China operations to include outlets in key cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Najing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Wuhan, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi’an, Xiamen, Quanzhou and Galaxy Macau.

Outside China, it is known as Lugang Cafe, currently with 7 branches in the Philippines, and recognition as a recipient of Philippine Tatler’s 100 Best Restaurant Awards.

Walking in to Lugang Cafe’s O Square branch in Greenhills Shopping Center, I can’t help but be impressed by its sleek, contemporary yet decidedly Asian decor. It has floor-to-ceiling windows that let in lots of natural light (great for food photography!) and even allows passersby to peek at the chefs at work in the kitchen. It has distinctive wall art, fixtures and furnishings that give the place a luxurious and premium look and feel, quite a departure from the usual down-home (and sometimes shabby-looking) Chinese restaurants.

Even though the place was packed with the Sunday lunch crowd, we were lucky to find ourselves a table with the help of a very accommodating hostess. There was a frenetic kind of energy to the place, what with the servers rushing here and there and the din of clanging utensils from the diners.

For my Sunday lunch together with Hubby and my daughter #ExhibitA, we ordered an array of dishes that showcase Lugang’s penchant for carefully selected ingredients imported from China, cooked fresh (with no chemical additives), and developed by the 14 world-class chefs it employs.

Steamed Pork Xiao Long Bao (Php268 – 8 pieces). Did you know that in China, making Xiao Long Bao, also known as the soup dumpling for the flavorful pork skin broth that accompanies the pork leg meat inside the fine, delicate hand-rolled skin, is considered an art form? Lugang’s take on this challenging dish results in a very light and delicious dumpling that whets the appetite for more.

Steamed Vegetable and Pork Dumplings (Php268 – 8 pieces). A lighter take on the usual pork dumplings as the meat has to share the limelight with some greens.

Steamed Pan Fried Siopao (Php268). Another departure from the run-of-the-mill cuisine, this version of the steamed siopao has bottom which has been seared to a crisp texture, adding an interesting contrast in texture to the light fluffy bun that envelopes the meaty filling.

Spicy Beef and Tendon Noodles Soup (Php320). Tender choice cut beef sirloin slices and melt-in-your-mouth tendons are accompanied by a savory and spicy broth and firm handmade noodles (that I had trouble cutting with my soup spoon, hahaha!) and topped with aromatics. This is definitely something I would want to sip on during cold rainy days.

Pineapple Fried Rice (Php320). A twist on the regular fried rice, with cashew nuts adding texture and pineapple bits lending some sweetness to the dish. Although it went well with the viands we ordered, I think this rice is a bit too oily for my taste.

Beef Tenderloin with Crispy Garlic (Php680). A new dish offered by Lugang first introduced in this very branch last year, it features tender cuts of beef braised in a flavorful garlic sauce, quite a flavor grenade!

Fried Prawns with Oats (Php580). Humongous prawns covered in an oat-filled batter and deep-fried to a golden brown. While it has an interesting texture, I think that the oats do not do much to enhance the prawns’ taste.

All in all, our Sunday lunch at Lugang Cafe introduced us to a host of absorbing new tastes and textures, as well as wowed us with the luxurious restaurant interiors. We definitely wouldn’t mind returning and revisiting our favorites or trying out the other dishes being offered.

Which brings us to…

Lugang Cafe’s UlTEAmate Feast

From August 28 to September 28, weekdays at 2.30 to 5.30pm, diners can eat all the Steamed Pork Xiao Long Baos their hearts desire, together with other unlimited dumplings, for only Php298 per person at all Lugang Cafe branches. For more details, visit Lugang’s Facebook Page.

I might have some difficulty availing of this offer – what with work schedules and all – but take heart, I vow to find a way!

Lugang Cafe’s Lauriat Feast

Did you know Lugang can deliver platters and packed meals with your favorite Taiwanese dishes right at your doorstep?

This Lugang Cafe branch is located at Ground Floor, O’Square, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan City. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 906 2176217. Other branches are located at:

Level 1, Main Mall, South Arcade, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City (Tel: +63 906 2176216)
2/F The Block SM North Edsa, Pag-asa 1, Quezon City (Tel: +63 2 3328725 or +63 915 7469693)
Skypark, Level 5, SM Aura Premier, 26th Street corner Mckinley Parkway, Taguig City (Tel: +63 2 5195663 or +63 906 4555873)
Glorietta 2, G/F, The New Ayala Center, Makati City (Tel: +63 2 4033303 or +63 906 4555879)
F Fashion Hall, Bldg D, SM Megamall Edsa cor. J. Vargas, Brgy Wack Wack, Mandaluyong City (Tel: +63 2 6316436 or +63 915 1742243)
Level 1, Pedro Gil Wing, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila (Tel: +63 995 7564734)

Yummy and affordable saikoro steaks at Wagyu by Monica in Unimart, Capitol Common

After some emergency grocery shopping (brought about by my need to stock up on food items during prolonged inclement weather) at Unimart in Capitol Commons, the fam discovered Wagyu by Monica‘s pop up store. I should probably say my son’s insatiable tummy discovered it as we had just eaten lunch at Locavore in nearby Kapitolyo but he was still looking for some snacks. 🙂

Anyway, I also got attracted by the smell of steak grilling so I walked over to the stall. Hubby gamely sponsored a stick each of saikoro steaks (grilled wagyu tenderloin cubes) at Php100 each for the kids and ourselves so that we all would be able to taste this delicacy.

(For those who want to eat it with Japanese rice, you would need to shell out Php130 for 1 wagyu stick and Php220 for 2 sticks. Extra Japanese rice will cost you Php30.)

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Saikoro steak is a popular izakaya (Japanese tapas style dish). The name translates to “dice” as the steaks are sliced into cubes similar to dice.

These saikoro steaks were even more special as they were made of 100% wagyu beef imported from Japan. Wagyu beef is known for its rich flavor owing to its increased marbling when compared to other beef varieties.

That taste was enough to convince us that we should have it for dinner tonight so Hubby again forked out Php800 for a container with a half-kilo (around 42-45 cubes) of these premium wagyu . The quarter-kilo (around 22-25 cubes) container was priced at Php500 and the 1-kilo (around 88-90 cubes) container was priced at Php1,500.

At home, I thawed the package out for 30 minutes then placed 2 cubes per mini-skewer (using the skewers I bought from All About Baking) to approximate the cooking and eating experience we had at the pop up store. Then, following Hubby’s advice, I didn’t marinate the cubes anymore but placed them on a hot non-stick cookware (no oil or butter needed) to pan-grill them.

Per package instructions, I seared four sides of the cubes for 2 minutes each to achieve a medium well doneness. (Alternatively, you can sear the sides for 1 minute for rare doneness or for 3 minutes for well doneness). I just seasoned the cubes with a little salt and pepper to taste (I was careful not to overseason the cubes as they were already flavorful enough) and served them with hot steamed rice.

Well, the flavorfully juicy and melt-in-your-mouth saikoro steaks were a hit with the fam and now I’m already planning to buy the kilo container and serve the wagyu cubes during our next family gathering. It would be a bit expensive but still worth it!

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Wagyu by Monica’s Pop Up Stores can be found at:

Unimart Capitol Commons: from Monday to Sunday, 10am to 10pm
EDSA Shangri-la Plaza Food Forum: from Friday to Saturday, 10am to 10pm
UP Town Center (beside Bon Chon): from Friday to Saturday, 10am to 10pm
SIDCOR Sunday Market (at ETON Centris): Sunday, 6am to 2pm
Cash and Carry Makati: open Monday to Sunday for 2 weeks (August 13 to 26), from 10am to 10pm.

Wagyu by Monica also delivers to any location in Metro Manila, accepting payments via online transfers or over-the-counter deposits in BDO or BPI. It also accepts cash on delivery with at Php130 charge on top of shipping fee.

Their wagyu cubes have a shelf life of one year they are kept in yhe freezer.

Contact Wagyu by Monica through: