sisig – Page 3 – Jellybeans in the City

Always changing is a good thing at BOA Kitchen + Socials, Tomas Morato

Tucked away in a quiet corner along Scout Rallos Street in Quezon City is a newly opened restaurant with something new up its sleeve.

Always change.

That’s the mantra of BOA Kitchen + Socials, which aims to be the destination of choice for the titas. Enter its doors and you will enjoy the same ambiance, food quality and hospitality as any top-of-the-line stylish Makati restaurant. The difference is, especially for people up North, you get to avoid the stressful Makati traffic to get there.

Plus, you get to enjoy an ever-changing environment as envisioned by owner Joey Marcelo and menu conceptualized by Chef Julius Necor, which makes your every visit a fresh and exciting experience.

Here’s how:

From 9am to 6pm, enjoy a Bali-inspired Australian brunch service in the light and airy surroundings of BOA Kitchen.

Here, you can sate your mid-day appetite with dishes such as:

Torched Salmon and Avocado Toast (Php245). A large piece of torched smoked salmon placed and mashed avocado on multi-grain bread.

Grilled Cheese with Creamy Marinara (Php245). Cheddar and mozarella in a grilled brioche loaf best enjoyed dipped in a creamy marinara sauce.

Tinapa Aglio E Olio (Php285). Pasta tossed in a mixture of tinapa flakes, olive oil and garlic.

Pasta Vongole (Php285). Spaghetti noodles tossed in a light sauce of clams and lemons.

Alfredo Pesto Pasta (Php285). Pesto farfalle coated with Alfredo sauce, served with ricotta and sun-dried tomato.

Kimchi Fried Rice (Php285). Bibimbap kimchi fried rice topped with carrots, bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, ground beef, spinach, zucchini and an egg cooked sous vide.

Pulled Pork Adobo (Php245). Strips of pork adobo, pickled vegetables and a fried egg topping garlic rice.

Tapsilog (Php245). The classic lunch staple of tender beef tapa and crispy fried egg on garlic rice.

Steak and Egg (Php495). A 200g grilled hanger steak served with fried eggs, house-made potato chips and mushroom gravy.

Full English Breakfast (Php325). Toast, links of breakfast sausage, bacon, roast herb tomato and potato hash served with fried egg.

Banana Pie (Php175). Caramelized banana served with buttery streusel crumbs and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Bibingka Microwave Cake (Php245). A deconstructed dessert of made-to-order-via-microwave bibingka cake on a bed of salted egg dulce de leche, sugar syrup, melted butter and desiccated coconut.

From 6pm to 12 midnight, when the neon lights are lit up, the place transforms to BOA Socials which serves Asian cuisine.

While you relax and unwind with your amigas, you can feast on:

Sisig Croquettes (Php225). Creamy mashed potato balls filled with sisig and served with toyo-mansi aioli.

Wonton Nachos (Php245). Crispy fried wontons topped with pulled teriyaki sauce, shredded cabbage, onions and parsley drizzled in Sriracha mayo.

Salmon Tartare (Php378). Salmon served with pork rind, wasabi mayo, urchin roe and Oriental dressing.

Pulpo (Php345). Succulent grilled octopus on smoked potato puree served with chorizo crumbs and paprika-thyme oil.

Tinapa Cream Cheese Toast (Php175). Open-faced sandwich of tinapa flavored cream cheese over toast topped with sliced cucumber, onion and halved cherry tomatoes.

Chori Burger (Php295). Chorizo patty topped with a fried egg, coleslaw and pepper sauce in a black brioche bun.

Char Kwaey Teow (Php365). Stir-fried Southeast Asian rice noodle dish with a smokey flavor.

Chicken Pad Thai (Php345). Stir-fried glass noodles with tamarind sauce, eggs, tofu, chicken pieces and bean sprouts.

Thai Fried Chicken (Php345). Crispy fried chicken served on top of curried mashed potato, garnished with grilled corn kernels and pickled vegetables and served with sweet chili sauce.

Beef Rendang with Coconut Lime Rice (Php425). A spicy Indonesian meat dish served on coco lime rice served with pickled vegetable and crispy shallots.

Crispy Pork Sambal (Php445). Crispy pork belly served with Asian slaw.

Deconstructed Anise Cheesecake (Php245). Anise cheesecake served apart from its ginger graham cracker crust.

House Blend Iced Tea (Php80). With choices among classic, mango and lychee.

Purple Potion (Pho320). One of the ever-changing drinks served at BOA, this blue gin changes to a purple hue when tonic water is added.

With these always changing elements, every trip to BOA Kitchen and Socials is something new to look forward to.

Many thanks to Joey, Chef Julius and the wonderful staff of BOA Kitchen + Socials for the amazing time and the great meal in each of my visits.

BOA Kitchen + Socials is located at the Mezzanine Floor, 45 ABDC Building, Scout Rallos corner Scout Tuazon, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open daily from 9am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 2903103 or +63 977 7078472.

Did you know you can get dishes for free when you dine with a friend at BOA Kitchen + Socials through Zomato Gold? Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 deals on food or 2+2 deals on drinks.

You can also book your table at BOA Kitchen + Socials using Eatigo to get up to 50% off your food bill.

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

Hearty and tasty comfort food at Chef Robert, Greenhills

So, what is comfort food?

It is a repast that triggers nostalgia or sentiment in someone: your mom’s signature chicken soup, crispy fried chicken that your family treats you too when you get good grades, or freshly baked pan de sal whose smell waft into your nostrils as you walk by the panaderia.

This is food ingrained with our personal memories, and aside from sating our hunger, it also soothes out soul.

This is the kind of food that Chef Robert serves. Hearty and tasty, his dishes remind us of the food that mom used to serve at home for Sunday brunch, or the ones your titas used to make for family gatherings while also introducing new ways to enjoy classic Filipino viands.

Together with my fellow foodies, I visited the newly opened Chef Robert branch in Greenhills, where the restaurant transfered after closing its branch in Banawe, Quezon City. Carlo, the restaurant’s marketing manager, and Chef Robert himself was there to welcome us and give us a taste of the restaurant’s signature offerings which included:

Mushroom Fritters (Php195). A light starter for the meal which has the crispy feel of chicharon (pork rind) but less of the guilt. It is well complemented by the restaurant’s house vinegar blend.

Salad Rolls in Kani Mango (Php145 solo | Php245 regular). A fresh way to enjoy salad rolls, this has Japanese element to it with an interesting interplay of salty flavor from the kani and sweetness from the mango.

Bicol Express Pasta (Php225). According to TV host and foodie Tonipet, this dish is “matapang, masarap saka malasa.” This is a pasta dish that you will definitely come back for.

Alamang Fried Rice (Php175). Good for up to four people, it goes well with many of Chef Robert’s viands.

Tofu Sisig on Eggplant Torta (Php265). The smokey flavor of the eggplant lends well to the savory tofu.

Bangus Sisig (Php205 regular | Php325 big). A bit sweeter than the usual sisig, it also makes for a healthy alternative to the classic pork sisig dish.

Crispy Kare-Kare (Php345). Crispy deep-fried pork belly slices accompanied by steamed veggies in a rich peanut-y Kare Kare sauce and accompanied by bagoong (fermented shrimp paste).

Crispy Embutido with Egg (Php205). The holiday staple embutido is given a makeover by coating slices in panko (Japanese bread crumbs) and deep frying them to a crispy golden brown. These are accompanied by garlic fried rice and sunny-side-up egg, making it a hearty breakfast meal.

Coffee Jelly (Php140). Cubes of coffee jelly in a sweet cream and topped with a scoop of ice cream, a perfect cap to the meal.

With these flavorful and hearty dishes, it is easy to see that Chef Robert brings his ten years of culinary experience to bear to serve mouth-watering fare to San Juan city denizens.

Thanks to Dom of Around the City by iDomne and Jen of Sand Under My Feet for extending the invitation.

Have an appetite for pasta? Check out Chef Robert’s Unli Pasta offer! For only Php299 get unlimited refills of your choice of pasta among Bicol Express Pasta, Linguini Alfredo and Chicken Parmesan Spaghetti. Your order already comes with refillable red iced tea and a single serving of coffee jelly. See if you can beat the current record of eight refills!

Chef Robert is located at Os2 Providence Building, 55 Annapolis Street, Greenhills, San Juan City, open Tuesdays to Fridays from 11.30am to 9pm and Saturdays to Sundays from 11am to 9pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 2556309, +63 917 8654780 or +63 933 8664503.

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

Heritage of flavors at Pamana, Tomas Morato

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.

Sisig your heart out at Sisig Society, Fisher Mall

The Sisig. (bow)

It is a traditional Kapampangan dish made from parts of pig head and chicken liver – the livestock parts that are normally left behind by mainstream diners. Well, at least before this dish became popular.

It is a testament to the Pinoy cook’s ingenuity that meat from seemingly unpalatable animal are made into a savory and scrumptious dish.

Sisig Society – the establishment behind the cheekily controversial sisig lip balm – has made it its mission to proclaim the glories of this dish beyond the token inclusion in a Filipino restaurant’s menu.

To this end, the resto has crafted several ways to enjoy sisig which my officemates and I were able to sample during one of lunchtime forays using the GCs I received from Sisig Society. These sisig meals are served sizzling, together with rice, egg and sinigang soup.

These include:

Classic Pork (Php179 for solo | Php275 for sharing). The sisig that’s dear and familiar, with tender pork cheeks, crunchy bits of chicharon, caramelized onions and flavored with Sisig Society’s secret sauce.

Bacon and Cheese Chicken (Php179 for solo | Php275 for sharing). Chicken bits cooked sisig-style together with bacon pieces, sprinkled with grated cheese and a cheddar cheese sauce. Cheese, for me, is always a good bet; however, I found this dish just a tad too salty for me.

Suman Turon Ala Mode (Php89). The classic rice delicacies wrapped in lumpia wrapper, fried to a crisp golden brown, drizzled with mango puree then topped with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. This sweet treat is a great counter-balance for the salty-savory sisig variants we tried.

So the next time you have a craving for sisig, why don’t you drop by your nearest Sisig Society branch and get a taste of the dish from the resto that knows and loves it best?

This Sisig Society branch is located at Third Floor, Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue, Del Monte. Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 11pm. For inquiries, call +63 908 4693015.

Other outlets are located at:

East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Food Gallery, Third Floor, Ali Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Ayala Malls Marikina, Liwasang Kalayaan, Marikina Heights, Marikina City
Unit 12, The Fort Strip, 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Ground Floor, One World Square, Ma

East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Food Gallery, Third Floor, Ali Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City,

Calle Bistro, Ground Floor, Ever Gotesco Mall, Commonwealth Avenue, Old Balara, Quezon City

Ground Floor, One World Square, McKinley Hill, Taguig

Third Floor, Circuit Lane, Ayala Malls Circuit, Olympia, Makati

Ground Floor, Dela Rosa Carpark 2, Legaspi Village, Makati

Ground Floor, Fisher Mall, Navotas-Caloocan Junction, Longos, Malabon City

Disclosure: Part of this meal is sponsored by Sisig Society through gift certificates I received prior to the visit. The remaining balance of the bill was paid for.

Enjoy a sunset feast at Padi’s Point, Antipolo

“Sunsets are proof that, no matter what happens, everyday can end beautifully.”

– Kristen Butler

The original Padi’s Point along Sumulong Highway in Antipolo is known for its magnificent sunset views. It has long been considered a landmark in the area, with families, barkadas or even couples, making the trek up from all over the city to this restaurant to enjoy the chill ambiance, the homegrown food served here and, of course, the amazing scenery.

Recently, my friends from #WeLoveToEatPH visited this restaurant to sate our hunger after a rousing game at Lazer Maxx. After shedding our battle mode, we were in the mood to chill and eat our fill.

So how did we chill?

We amused ourselves by taking in the amazing view. Lit by bright sunlight, the greens and colors from nearby vegetation were made more intense against the wide vista of the metro. Lit by a softer light at the golden hour, however, the same view became gorgeous silhouettes of trees against a gorgeous sunset.

And with what did we eat our fill?

Well, Padi’s Point offers a wide array of homegrown dishes that are best enjoyed family style. These include appetizers like Cheesy Cheese Sticks (Php190) and Nacho Grande (Php399), merienda staples such as Pancit Canton (Php160) and Mexican Pizza (Php310), and classic main dishes such as Padi’s Original Sisig (Php299) , Sinigang na Baboy (Php270) and Crispy Pata (Php699).

And since we’re a big group with jumbo-sized appetites after our adventures earlier in the day, you better believe we went for jumbo-sized bundle meals such as the Barkada Supreme (Php850) – classic finger-foods such as onion rings, cheese sticks, french fries, chicken nuggets and mushroom poppers – and the Barrio Feast (Php1,150) – fried and grilled dishes that include tilapia, chicken, pork, bangus, liempo and squid.

Also taking center stage are the Tropical Threesome: Boracay Chill, Palawan Chill and Miami Chill, cocktail drinks at Php150 each that combine icy fruitiness with a slight kick of alcohol. As their names imply, these drinks are great for chilling and relaxing.

Want to have a chill sesh with the fam or your buddies? Do chase the sunset at Padi’s Point and feast on great Pinoy food. It will surely be worth the trip.

This Padi’s Point branch is located at Alpha D Compound, Sumulong Highway, Santa Cruz, Lower Antipolo, Rizal, open daily for 24 hours. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 3443028.

Other branches are located at:

Ground Floor, Century Imperial Suites, South Triangle, Quezon City

Second Floor, SKY Garden, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City

Ground Floor, Coliseum Center, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City

Third Floor, Femar Arcade Philcoa, 34 Masaya Street, Diliman, Quezon City

375 Quirino Highway corner Tandang Sora Avenue, Sangandaan, Quezon City

Robinsons Nova Market, Quirono Highway, Novaliches, Quezon City

Exterior Second Floor, Star Mall EDSA-Shaw Boulevard, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong

Gil Puyat Avenue, Libertad, Pasay City

Second Floor, Empire Center EDSA Mall, Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, Libertad, Pasay

463 Remedios Street, Malate, Manila

A.H. Lacson Avenue across SM San Lazaro, Santa Cruz, Manila

Second Floor, The Grandz Commercial Center, MacArthur Highway, South Caloocan, Caloocan City

The Grills, Yellow Building Filinvest, South Station, Filinvest City, Muntinlupa
Alabang-Zapote Road, Pamplona, Las Pinas

Sisig Society launches Sisig-flavored Lip Balm

Just when I thought that there are no more new ideas when it comes to beauty and self-care, I received a package from Sisig Society containing a sisig-flavored lip balm.

Say whuuut?!?

Yes, a sisig-flavored lip balm.

While conventional wisdom in lip products veer towards combinations of floral or fruity scents and flavors, someone at Sisig Society probably said, “Hey, why not make a lip balm flavor that people actually eat?”

And, well, here you go.

Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it, though.

The product comes in two signature flavors: Classic Pork and Spicy Chicken. Both flavors are specially formulated to meet beauty standards while satisfying sisig cravings.

Each swipe of these lip balms across your kissers contains a taste of either chicken or pork meat, caramelized onions, chicharon and Sisig Society’s very own secret sauce.

And it does a great job of moisturizing lips, too!

Here’s a wild idea: give your Significant Other a kiss while wearing this lip balm and see if the poor creature can figure out how the yummy taste of sisig came to be on your lips. Oh, and props to you if you time this prank near a mealtime so you can both go to Sisig Society to satisfy the sisig craving that’s sure to pop out.

(I see what you did there, Sisig Society…) 😉

Now, where to find a Sisig Society outlet…

East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Food Gallery, Third Floor, Ali Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City

Third Floor, Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue, Del Monte, Quezon City

Calle Bistro, Ground Floor, Ever Gotesco Mall, Commonwealth Avenue, Old Balara, Quezon City

Unit 12 The Fort Strip, 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Ground Floor, One World Square, McKinley Hill, Taguig

Ground Floor, Ayala Malls Marikina, Liwasang Kalayaan, Marikina Heights, Marikina City

Third Floor, Circuit Lane, Ayala Malls Circuit, Olympia, Makati

Ground Floor, Dela Rosa Carpark 2, Legaspi Village, Makati

Ground Floor, Fisher Mall, Navotas-Caloocan Junction, Longos, Malabon City

Come together over Pinoy comfort food at Sari Salo, the Podium

One of the newly opened stalls at The Podium’s Corner Market Food Hall featured during a food tasting event was Sari Salo. This eatery’s unusual name stems from two Filipino terms consisting of repeating syllables (another Pinoy quirk, hehehe!): sari-sari and salu-salo.

Sari-sari refers to “variety and sundry.” Hence, the ubiquitous neighborhood mom-and-pop stores present and vital in many Filipino neighborhoods are called sari-sari stores. These stores connote affordability, being the go-to places of families within the neighborhood for tingi-tingi (unit purchases) of basic food items and home necessities. It is also a place where people (stereotypically the chismosos or the busybodies) come together and hangout to talk about neighborhood life.

Salu-salo, on the other hand, refers to “a social gathering or party.” It’s a time when family or friends come together for a good time, and usually over good food.

Sari Salo, in turn, strives to live up to the wealth of cultural meaning that its name implies with its simple, Filipino comfort food you and your family or friends can enjoy while you spend time together after a shopping trip or a movie date at the mall.

Take for example the sampling of its offerings served during the food tasting event: the Crispy Pork Binagoongan (Php230) and the Angus Beef Sisig (Php280 for regular | Php350 for super-sized).

The pork binagoongan has the right combination of saltiness and spiciness that make it a tasty viand to eat together with hot steamed rice. The beef sisig, on the other hand, is flavorful and tender to the bite, given that its made of Angus beef, of course.

The food was served efficiently without much fanfare, giving us tasters more time and attention to devote to savoring our meal.

Sari Salo’s stall is also a more spacious and colorful rendition of the sari-sari store, and littered with fun Pinoy pop culture references. And since #EveryOppIsAPhotoOpp, I gamely struck a pose (or two, hehehe!). Thanks to Chef Jocen of Boodlebear for taking the photos.

I would recommend Sari Salo to mall-goers hankering for Pinoy comfort food.

Sari Salo is located at the Corner Market Food Hall, Second Floor, Podium Mall, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. It is open daily from 11am to 10pm.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a Blogger Event held in the Corner Market Food Hall. 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 review of the other stall featured during the food tasting event: Pizza Morena.

Modern Filipino Cuisine at Ombu Kusina, Tomas Morato

Lately, restaurants touting “modern Filipino cuisine” have sprouted up all over the metro.

But what is modern Filipino cuisine?

Simply put: it is the flavors you grew up with but broken free of traditions surrounding them, even incorporating foreign influences. It is composed of tastes and textures familiar to you but applied and presented in exciting and novel ways. In short, this is not your grandma’s cooking.

Unless your dear Lola is part of the visionary team behind Ombu Kusina, of course.

Ombu is a modern Filipino restaurant located along Mother Ignacia Street in Quezon City. Having recently revamped its interiors, it also recently launched its special holiday dishes. And your friendly neighborhood Jellybeans is among the lucky foodies who were able to attend its exclusive food tasting event.

Ombu’s newly renovated premises are simply impressive. White subway tiles serve as an elegant backdrop for light-colored plush seats, darkwood tables and the feast laid out for us.

And said feast consisted of Ombu’s signature dishes such as:

Dilis Rice (Php80 per cup: Php170 for sharing). Your favorite sinangag (garlic fried rice), lightly flavored and topped with salty crispy fried dilis (anchovies).

Salted Egg Spaghettini (Php260). Al dente spaghettini noodles tossed in a sauce of salted egg yolks, sprinkled with tomatoes, diced cucumber and salted egg whites. The salted egg sauce was evenly spread throughout the noodles and the cucumber provided a fresh contrast to the sauce with every bite.

Sisig Pizza (Php520). The classic pork sisig and egg tops a thin-crust pizza drizzled with garlic sauce.

Binagoongang Talong (Php300). Fresh eggplant and lechon kawali served with a thick bagoong (shrimp paste) sauce. While I found the sauce a little too thick for my taste but the crispy fried pork belly is just yummy and went well with the Dilis Rice.

Seafood Mix Laing (Php290). Taro leaves wrapped around a mix of shrimp, crab meat, onion and lemon grass, slowly cooked in light coconut milk.

Also part of the feast are Ombu’s seasonal dishes such as:

Adobochon (Php440). Flavorful roasted pig with tender meat and crispy skin served with adobo sauce on the side.

Flaming Chicken (Php340). Tender and juicy chicken flambed right before our eyes.

For dessert, we had Frozen Brazo de Mercedes (Php180). Delightful layers of frozen soft meringue alternating custard filling, ice cream and graham cracker crust.

The dishes were expertly prepared and given a fresh twist by Ombu Kusina’s chefs.

So for a great taste of modern Filipino cuisine, check out Ombu Kusina.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a foodie meetup held at 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.

Ombu Kusina is located at Ground Floor, Sequioa Hotel, Mother Ignacia Street, Brgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 6.30am to 10pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 4411789 or +63 922 8149086, or email omburestaurant@yahoo.com.

Thanks to SandUnderMyFeet.com for extending the invite

Fine Filipino Food with a View at Fika, Capitol Hills

A Swedish chef whipping up Filipino delicacies.

That’s the way the cookie crumbles at Fika, the restaurant located in the out-of-the-way Capitol Greenstreet Commercial Center up Capitol Hills in Quezon City.

Head chef and CEO Mats Loo hails from Sweden where the word “fika” means “having coffee and talks with friends.” Having long dreamed of having a restaurant name Fika, he made his dream a reality right up Capitol Hills in Quezon City.

Diners of Fika are treated, not just to fine Filipino food, but also to a stunning view of the city. Being located in the Capitol Greenstreet Commercial Center, near Capitol Hills Golf and Country Club and Celebrity Sports Club, it is surrounded by lush greenery with a view of Quezon City all the way to Antipolo.

Also housed in the same building is the top culinary school First Gourmet Academy. It trains aspiring chefs in various courses that will prepare them for jobs in both local establishments and those abroad. Its working kitchen is also where the fantastic dishes in Fika’s breakfast and all-day menus are prepared and cooked.

I recently joined a foodie meetup held at Fika where, together with fellow foodies, I was able to sample delectable dishes from Fika’s all-day menu. These include:

Chicken Inasal (Php255). A popular Ilonggo dish, it is grilled chicken marinated in a special sauce that gave it its distinct color.

Laing (Php135). Dried taro leaves, coconut milk and chili peppers make this a winner among lovers of spicy food.

Pancit Luglog (Php195). Thick noodles sauteed in a rich savory sauced and topped with hard-boiled eggs and chicharon. A party favorite!

Pinakbet with Bagnet (Php265). A classic Ilocano dish, it’s made of stewed vegetables seasoned with bagoong and topped with crispy bagnet.

Fika Fried Rice (Php135). A recipe that came from Chef Mats’ mom, it’s a great breakfast fried rice made with chopped Chinese sausages, scrambled eggs, pork bits and various chopped veggies.

Binagoongan Rice (Php135). A flavorful dish made of rice, pork bits and kangkong sauteed in bagoong paste then topped with salted egg and ensalada.

Bangus Steak (Php285). The fish version of Bistek Tagalog, it features boneless bangus marinated in soy sauce and calamansi and served with lightly sauteed white onion rings.

Dinakdakan (Php140). An Ilocano dish made of various pork parts such as cheeks, liver, ears and tongue.

Sisig (Php150). Chopped pork parts are deep fried and seasoned with calamansi, mayonnaise, soy sauce and chilis.

We washed down our meal with ice blended drinks such as Choco Frappe (Php165) and Green Tea Frappe (Php175).

And since any meal wouldn’t be complete without dessert, we indulged ourselves in some freshly baked cakes, all at Php110 each:

Tres Leches

Ube Queso

Chocolate Cake

Chocnut Cheesecake

Clear winners for me are the Pinakbet with Bagnet, Fika Rice and – dare I say – all the cakes!

These Fika food sure are Fika good! Do check them out!

Fika is located at the Ground Floor, Capitol Greenstreet Commercial Center, Capitol Hills Drive, Old Balara, Quezon City, open Sundays to Thursdays at 6.45am to 10.30pm and Fridays to Saturdays at 6.45am to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call + 63 917 7006588, +63 2 3553132 or +63 2 5142480.

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.

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.

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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.