seafood pasta – Jellybeans in the City

Cafe Mary Grace, Uptown BGC: A Cozy Haven for the Fam’s Sunday Brunch

Cafe Mary Grace may have been dubbed the quintessential “tita place,” but I can’t help but embrace the delicious comfort it offers to its diners. And to tell you a secret: I’m not the only one in my family who does!

Ever since Hubby discovered his favorite pasta and sandwich combination at Cafe Mary Grace in SM City East Ortigas, he has oftentimes spearheaded family meals at its other branches.

One of our Sunday brunches after attending Mass was no exception, which we had at Cafe Mary Grace in Uptown Mall, BGC.

A Rich Heritage

Cafe Mary Grace is more than just a café; it is the realization of a passion for baking that started in 1983. Mary Grace Dimacali, the creative force behind the brand, began her journey as a young mother with a knack for working with dough. Starting with fruitcakes during Christmas, her delectable creations soon gained popularity among friends and family. Encouraged by her biggest supporter, Mary Grace expanded her reach by participating in bazaars, where her airy ensaymadas and cheese rolls became instant favorites.

As the bazaars thrived, Mary Grace’s children, Chiara, Gabriel, Raffy, Adrian, and Mian, realized the brand’s immense potential. In 2006, they took a leap of faith and opened the first Mary Grace Cafe in Serendra, BGC. The cafe became a true embodiment of their passion for good food and warm hospitality. Today, Cafe Mary Grace in Uptown Mall, BGC carries on the tradition, providing a haven for families seeking a memorable Sunday brunch experience.

Ambiance and Decor

This Cafe Mary Grace branch embraces its diners with a sense of home. The warm lighting, tasteful interiors, and a calm yet energizing atmosphere create a perfect setting for relaxation and connection. The modern Filipino decor, with its wooden accents and vibrant colors, reflects the cafe’s commitment to celebrating local culture. As you dine, you’ll notice dainty lamps and chandeliers adorning the ceilings, and heartfelt messages of appreciation from previous diners gracing the tables.

The cafe is thoughtfully designed to accommodate families of all sizes. The spacious dining area can comfortably seat large groups, ensuring that nobody feels left out. For those who enjoy dining al fresco, a few tables are available outside, allowing you to soak up the pleasant surroundings. At the heart of the cafe, you’ll find the bakery, where you can pick up an array of freshly baked pastries to enjoy later.

A Scrumptious Sunday Brunch

Now, let’s dive into the mouthwatering offerings that my family enjoyed at Cafe Mary Grace in BGC’s Uptown Mall. Made with lots of love and attention to detail, these dishes cemented Cafe Mary Grace’s place in our hearts:

Fili Beef & Tomato (Php403). Tender slices of beef served between batard bread with pesto dressing, garnished with tomato and lettuce. A flavorful and satisfying option for those craving a hearty sandwich.

Seafood Pasta (Php475). A seafood lover’s dream come true! Fresh clams, mussels, prawns, squid, and cream dory tossed with al dente pasta, olives, mushrooms, and tomatoes create a symphony of flavors.

Mary Grace Mushroom Cream (Php498 + Php150 for prosciutto). Indulge in fettuccine noodles enveloped in a delectable cream sauce with slivers of shiitake mushrooms. The dish is elevated with a touch of truffle oil and topped with savory sliced prosciutto.

Pasta Amatriciana with Italian Meatballs (Php433). A classic favorite with a Mary Grace twist. Spaghetti noodles topped with succulent Italian meatballs tossed in a thick tomato sauce with a hint of bacon.

Classic Carbonara (Php433). For those seeking the ultimate comfort, al dente pasta is perfectly combined with fresh mushrooms and crispy bacon slices in a homespun cream sauce.

Dory & Saffron Cream (Php430). Delight your taste buds with linguini noodles coated in a light cream sauce infused with leeks and saffron. The dish is elevated with pan-fried fillets of cream dory, creating a harmonious blend of flavors.

Indulgent Seasonal Desserts

No Sunday brunch is complete without a sweet ending, and Cafe Mary Grace delivers in this department too, especially with its limited-time cake offerings. Treat yourself to this heavenly desserts that will leave you craving for more before they leave the menu:

Banana Bella. A frozen pie crafted with fresh bananas, Belgian truffle ganache, and rich custard cream nestled in a buttery pie crust and topped with toasted almonds. A delightful fusion of flavors and textures.

Chocolate Rum Tiramisu. A scrumptious confection that combines espresso-soaked sponge cake made with 100-percent Arabica beans, luscious layers of mascarpone and dark chocolate ganache, and a subtle hint of premium aged Don Papa Rum.

Sundays are meant for relaxation, quality time with loved ones, and, of course, indulging in a delicious meal. If you’re on the lookout for a warm and inviting place to enjoy a comforting Sunday family meal, look no further than Cafe Mary Grace in Uptown Mall, Bonifacio Global City.

This Cafe Mary Grace branch is located at Level 4, Uptown Place Mall, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, open daily from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, contact +63 2 87773263 or +63 917 8129154.

Stay updated on its promos and offers by visiting its website or following Cafe Mary Grace on Facebook and Instagram.

Check out my previous posts about Cafe Mary Grace:

A tita brunch at Cafe Mary Grace, Eastwood Mall

5 ways Cafe Mary Grace’s ensaymada solves your holiday gifting dilemma

GrabFood Signatures family dinner from Cafe Mary Grace

Why we love Cafe Mary Grace’s Cheese Rolls: A delicious culinary delight

Indulging in comfort snacking at Cafe Mary Grace, SM East Ortigas

Yummy sushi galore from Salmon HQ

Since I belong to a family of Japanese food lovers, it’s hardly surprising that I would develop a liking for sushi.

Traditionally made with vinegared rice (sushi-meshi) combined with other ingredients (neta) such as (often raw) seafood and vegetables, sushi has become showcases for the sushi chef’s creativity and ingenuity.

During pre-pandemic times, we usually needed to venture all the way to our go-to Japanese restaurants to get a taste of our favorite sushi variants.

But with restrictions on movement and dining out within the metro limiting the choices available, I’m glad that innovative food entrepreneurs have ventured into sushi delivery such as the people behind Salmon HQ.

This New Manila, QC-based enterprise specialized in delivering fresh salmon sashimi right to the doorstep of Japanese food lovers.

It soon expanded its product offerings to include the latest food trends, incorporating its fresh seafood ingredients into delectable creations, well-suited for delivery.

The Sushi Bakes.

Sushi bakes are deconstructions of the maki (sushi rolls) where, instead of rolling the sushi rice and the sushi fillings and wrapping them in nori (dried seaweed) sheets, they are layered on a baking pan and cooked in an oven. Sushi bakes are enjoyed by scooping out some of the dish and folding them into small nori squares.

Similar to traditional maki, the sushi bake offers a lot of possibilities in incorporating tantalizing tastes and textures into the dish.

I was able to try out samplers of sushi bakes from Salmon HQ, which included:

The Crunchy California (a variant of the OG sushi bake with kani and mango) and Unagi Madness (with slivers of freshwater eel and generous sprinklings of roe).

Aburi Salmon Scallops Ebi (torched slivers of salmon mixed with scallops and shrimp) and Softshell Crab and Ebi (wonderfully textured combination of shrimp and softshell crab).

Prices for the full trays of Salmon HQ’s sushi bakes start at Php500 (for small) and Php1,200 (for large).

The Pasta.

Who would have thought that a pasta dish can taste so distinctly Japanese? With the Seafood Wafu Pasta, you get spaghetti noodles tossed in a soy butter glaze with scallops, shrimp and salmon. It’s a perfect blend of hearty pasta goodness and the fresh flavors of the sea.

Get a tray for Php500 (small), Php1,000 (medium) or Php1,200 (large).

The Salmon Cake.

If you ever wondered what could possibly make a show-stopping cake for any celebration, well, here’s the answer.

Salmon HQ’s Premium Salmon Cake is a wondrous creation: pieces of fresh pink salmon sashimi are layered and interlaced to form a two-tier cake, with the bottom-tier hiding layers of kani (imitation crab meat), ebiko (shrimp eggs), seaweed salad and Japanese rice.

It’s a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds.

Treat yourself to this delectable treat for Php1,200.

So if you think you’ve seen and tasted all sushi possibilities, think again because Salmon HQ has these and more to surprise you.

Send your orders to Salmon HQ via Facebook, Instagram or by calling +63 922 8943679. Payments via Metrobank, BPI, PayMaya and GCash are accepted.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate feedback.

Off-site work and good eats at 47East’s Discovery Cafe, Katipunan

Coworking spaces give freelancers or telecommuting employees environments conducive to both solitary and collaborative work.

With the concept of the “workplace” continuously evolving, coworking spaces like 47East in Loyola Heights provide workers on-the-go with a quiet and comfortable place to work as well as basic services to ensure productivity even when they’re away from their offices.

Aside from these, 47East has something more to offer. With its in-house restaurant, Discovery Cafe, 47East also provides its visitors with tasty dishes to fuel them as they hustle through their workday.

Together with my fellow bloggers, I visited Discovery Cafe to taste some of its signature offerings, all freshly made in its open-style kitchen.

Seafood Pasta. Fresh clams sauteed with garlic in oil, and sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Chili Cheese Dog Flatbread. Large links of cheesy frankfurters doused in chili con carne and baked on top of a flatbread.

Porkchop with Creamy Mushroom. For those who can’t do without their rice meals, this dish combines a piece of pan-fried porkchop, buttered vegetables and gravy with a cup of steamed rice.

Chocolate Chip Cookies. Something sweet to end the meal, these chewy and chocolatey treats are best after being dunked in a cup of vanilla milk!

With these tasty dishes and more available at 47East’s Discovery Cafe, you can work with a full tummy!

Do your best work and get your best ideas here! Sign up for a 1-year membership for only Php500 for individuals and students and Php1,000 for teams.

Day passes for members are priced at Php400 for individuals, Php150 for students and Php900 for teams.

Membership entitles you to the following during your stay:

Unlimited coffee, tea or water
Wi-Fi access
Mail collection
Discounts on 47East events
Printing, photocopying and scanning services

Non-members are charged Php100 per hour of stay.

Discovery Cafe at 47East is located ar 47 Esteban Street, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, open Mondays to Fridays from 8am to 8pm, and Saturdays from 9am to 6pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 8660415.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, 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 and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out another coworking space / study lounge I’ve visited: Quarks and Quills, Banawe