ECQ Favorite: Merashian

With many foodies stuck at home, several were able to unleash their hidden culinary skills and were not shy with sharing it with the very active Let's Eat Pare  Facebook group. And that's where I spotted several mouthwatering bilo-bilo posts which made me crave for it. I asked our cook to make some but we were short on ingredients and couldn't find sago or glutinous rice balls despite the two grocery runs. It was timely though that I stumbled upon Merashian. 

Hello, Merashian. 

Merashian is one of the popular home-based businesses during Manila's Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). I heard of this brand when someone from the village spearheaded mass ordering for Merashian. Its crowd favorites are its Ginataang Halo-Halo with Ube Halaya and Cheese Bilo-Bilo (PHP250, 1L | PHP350, 1.7L) and Chicken Pie (PHP600, 10 pieces).  

Steak-ation Weekend with Snake River Farms and Omi Wagyu

One of the dishes I always look forward to is steak. It used to be a treat whenever we have an occasion or achievement to celebrate. But now, it has become more of a casual treat to cap the week or simply to satisfy my cravings. And with my insatiable craving for good steak, I'm always on the look out for places to get some. Lately though, I discovered that you could also have good steak at home. 

Hello, Snake River Farms. 

I find it fascinating how restaurants brim with pride whenever they claim that their steaks are from Snake River Farms (SRF). 

When In Hong Kong: Hanjuku Kobo

I’m always on the lookout for lines whenever I travel. I always think that long queues mean good food or deals. And I spotted a relatively long line when I passed by Hanjuku Kobo.

Hello, Hanjuku Kobo!

Okay, perhaps the line isn’t long all the time. We passed by its Tsim Sha Tsui branch (near Nathan Road) thrice and there was barely a line around lunch time. Then again, it was because the store just opened and foodies must be busy having lunch that time. But after an hour or two, the place was packed with locals waiting for their turn to get hold of Hanjuku Kobo’s pastries. 

The long line made me curious and I told R that I want to buy some of the shop's cheese tarts and cheesecakes. But R is allergic to lines and we stayed inside our hotel and napped instead after lunch. 

There was still a line when we headed out for dinner. My curiosity got the best of me and with my best puppy eyes, I asked R if we could line up and buy a few. And he finally agreed. We were fourth in line outside. (The staff control the number of people inside their small shop and I was part of the next batch.)

Hanjuku Kobo has a very limited product range. It only has cheesecakes, cheese tarts and a few other cakes. I went with a box of cheesecakes and two cheese tarts just so we get to try it. Our total was around HK$119 if I’m not mistaken. I recall that the box of 5 costs around HK$75 and the tarts were HK$22 each. 

The wait wasn’t that long as the ones in line sure know what they want. We got our treats in less than 20 minutes. 

And because these goodies could melt, the shop placed some ice packs inside to keep our cheesecakes and tarts cool. There was a problem though… the thin paper bag melted instead. We had to transfer the boxes to another paper bag and eventually get rid of the ice packs. 

I immediately opened the boxes as soon as we got to our hotel. 

The cheesecake had a light taste. it would have been perfect with tea. I loved that it was so moist and fluffy. 

The cheese tarts though were way better! It had a stronger taste and I loved its slight tangy taste! The crust was crunchy and it complemented the soft and smooth filling. It was divine! I would fly to Hong Kong just to get my hands on these tarts! 

Make sure that you include Hanjuku Kobo in your Hong Kong itinerary. 

Tip: Hanjuku Kobo's Causeway Bay branch has less crowd.

First Bite: Yakitori One

Thanks to Taguig Day, I had free time to do errands that I always put aside. I was able to clean my place, do laundry, and other boring adult stuff. After overexerting myself and going mad cleaner, I decided to reward myself by having late lunch at SM Aura. When I got there, I realized that I’m not interested in any of the restaurants in the mall. And since I was feeling a bit stingy, I went to the sort of classy food court, Food on Four, instead of dining at a restaurant and spotted Yakitori One.

Hello, Yakitori One.

There was a long line when I last saw Yakitori One, about two years ago. Lines have this strong power to get rid of me so I didn’t bother lining up to try its dishes. But this time around, the food court was like a ghost town so I finally gave Yakitori One a try.

I went with #13, Chicken Thigh, Chicken Karaage and Pork Butabara (PHP218). I added PHP20 for iced tea.

At first, I was thinking that three sticks might be a bit too much since I was nursing a very ill stomach that day. But… nope. Apparently, I could still eat no matter what.

Food I Love: Vargas Kitchen's Brazo Bomb

A meal is not complete without desserts. There are even times when I look forward to desserts more than the main course. And one of my favorite desserts is from…

Vargas Kitchen.

I’m so glad that they expanded and have more branches. (The only one I know is in Market Place, Rockwell.) I have tried their buttercake and it was great! But my favorite is Vargas Kitchen’s Brazo Bomb!

Think of the delightful chilled Brazo de Mercedes and top it with soft and slightly chewy meringue. Okay, it’s more of brazo with vanilla whipped ice cream and Vargas Kitchen polvoron crust or so what their materials say.  

It is available in a box of 6 (mini cupcakes) for PHP180 or mini cake for PHP125 (pictured).

Give it a try!

Vargas Kitchen is located at Market Place Rockwell and Market Place Shangri-La Plaza Mall. 

Convenience Store Find: Chips Delight Chocolate Chip Brittle Brownie

I love to snack… a lot. I get so excited whenever I see new snacks in supermarket or friendly convenience stores. I have my fair share of cheap thrills and pricey happy tummy finds (which make me think THRICE before buying). And last month, I discovered a new snack. Well, technically, it isn’t new at all but the first brands that entered the market aren’t that wallet friendly. Anyway, presenting…

Chips Delight Chocolate Chip Brittle Brownie <3

I love Chips Delight’s chocolate chip cookies. I even find it better than Chips Ahoy. (But still, nothing can beat Famous Amos).  

Before you jump for joy, this brittle brownie of Chips Delight is not exactly as affordable as its cookie counterpart. I bought mine a bit over PHP80 at Family Mart. I tried looking for it in supermarkets but I couldn’t find it at all. *sad*

Nonetheless, I get to save PHP50 when I buy this instead of its imported counterparts. And the chocolatey taste and loveable crunchy texture are there. I still think it’s a good buy. :)

-Gluttonshopper 

Love at First Bite: Pink Egg Episodes' Mayura Wagyu Burger

I love burgers! I eat it with my hands and not utensils. (Well, fine, except when the restaurant is too posh or when the burger is too darn fat that even my widest *aaaah* will not make half of it fit in.) And I got so giddy when I saw the post of J about this Mayura Wagyu burger. The photo alone made me drool and since they only have limited quantity of the patties, they have to pre-sell tickets. Limited burger patties? Too tempting to let it pass. So I bought the last two tickets! And I sure had a hard time finding another person to get the extra ticket from me given it cost PHP1,000. (Thank you, N!)

Mayura Wagyu is known to be a brand of full-blood Wagyu beef. These cows stay in a 5-star cow hotel and sleep on comfy sawdust-cushioned floor while listening to soothing music and are fed with Cadbury chocolates and gummy bears. By living the good life, these happy cows make our tummies happy too.

It was Pink Egg Episodes' turn to make foodies happy the second time around when they had a part two of their pop-up event that features this top grade burger at Yardstick in Makati.

I arrived a few minutes after 11 a.m. and the place was packed! There were no tables available so I was forced to get a bar seat instead after getting my ticket.

After 20 minutes or so, I finally got my burger and it sure was big hence the need to use the utensils.