For some people, bibingka is a seasonal food. It's best enjoyed after Simbang Gabi during Christmas…read moreseason. But my love affair with bibingka does not end when the holidays are over. It's of my my favorite Filipino delicacies. Thank goodness for Bibingkinitan, I can enjoy my hot bibingka all year round. Of course, it seems too indulgent to finish one plate of bibingka all by myself. But Bibingkinitan serve freshly baked mini bibingkas, just the right size for one person, though I can finish a whole box (6 mini bibingkas inside) in one sitting if I don't control myself. I recently learned that they also have ube, pastillas, macapuno and even peanut butter bibingkas, but those are just seasonal. It's okay, I'm more than happy with my original bibingka, more butter and no sugar, please. I like bringing home a box of Bibingkinitan for an afternoon snack, but I also like eating it at their stall, with their special calamansi juice.

Gordo's Crispy Pata is the newest kid on the block. After a bright green sign was put up sometime…read morelast week, the kiosk did not yet open. The owner was taking it nice and slow, making sure the small outlet had the look of a winner. There are no secrets to making a good crispy pata, as I'm sure the owner knows. You first boil, dry then deep fry the leg of a pig. Of course the quality of the cut is important. For Gordo's to succeed, the owner must make sure to have a steady supply of the raw material. The taste should never differ from order to order, as failure to control the quality is a sure kiss of death. When I was still living in Quezon City a few years back, someone put up a business similar to this. Wanting to be a good neighbor, I decided to give the crispy pata kiosk a try, and I was happy with the result. Sad to say, that business closed after a few months. Their next door stall said that there was no constant supply such that there would be days when they ran out. Also, that ill-fated store looked pretty ordinary. At least Gordo's can be seen from a mile away. And for starters, they also deliver. The next time I have friends over for drinks, I'm going to give this newcomer a try. For now, I am wishing them success in this tough market.

I used to really, really love Japanese food, but when I stopped eating meat and seafood I realised…read morehow difficult it is to get Japanese food that's suitable for vegans here in Manila, as even vegetable ramen has stock made of pork bones, and sashimi and most sushi are all out of the question. So, most of the time I have to make my own Japanese food at home. Fuji Mart is just 3 minutes away from my apartment, and I do stop by here to buy some nori whenever I want to make veggie sushi, and Kikkoman soy sauce for when I want to make vegan yakimeshi. I mean, of course they have nori. But there are other things I like about Fuji Mart, such as they sell good Japanese tofu, instant miso soup, wasabi, Japanese breadcrumbs, kombu seaweed (great for making veggie stock!), Japanese spices, sesame seeds and edamame! I've never come across edamame being sold in supermarkets. I have yet to veganize my other Japanese food favourites, such as tonkatsu, ramen, and gyoza. But once I do take on those challenges, naturally this is where I'll be stopping by for ingredients.

It is so sad to witness the missed opportunity that is Fuji Mart Japanese Grocery. I mean there are…read moreso many Japanese products that can and should be sold here in the country. Whoever owns this grocery already put up the money to rent this slot, so it's odd that there are not enough products sold to justify it's existence. This place has the usual alcoholic beverages from the Land of the Rising Sun, including sake which I really like. They also have an assortment of tofu products, as well as some spices. But outside of this, they don't have too much else to offer consumers. I would, for example, like to see them carry the widest possible array of instant noodles, if only because the local ones and the made-in-China ones aren't all that tasty. Japan also has some of the best chocolates and assorted sweets that can grow on you. Even their ice creams with their odd flavors can be winners. Here's hoping that in the months and years to come, they can expand their product line. I'm sure they will have ready buyers for all things Japanese, not only because there is a small Japanese community in Better Living, but because us Pinoys have also developed a taste for all things Japanese.

The Commissary Kitchen elevates the concept of convenience store food into an actual grab-and-go…read moreplace where you can get 'legit', wholesomely-prepared food that you can just conveniently reheat at home. The store has several glass fridges where you can choose from pasta sauces by-the-kilo, portioned Filipino food viands, fresh salads, bottled, slow-juiced fruit and veggie smoothies, and some individual-sized desserts. Some chocolate treats and artisanal breads are also for sale. They also have a few tables for dine-in customers, but most people stop by to stock up on their so-called "condo foods". The whole concept is really forward-thinking and quite admirable, if I might say so myself. More food joints in Manila should definitely follow suit! For vegan options, get their malunggay basil pesto pasta (hold the cheese). It's soooo garlicky and amped up with flavor though, so it's not for weak palates or you'll feel quite overwhelmed. I usually stop by here to grab some fruit juices if I'm feeling too lazy to prepare from scratch. Their ampalaya-mango juice is a fairly strange EXPERIENCE. It's like, you love it, then you don't, and then your whole tongue is confused, but in a good way? Their Php 50 salads are pretty good too, that even my dog approves! Just take out the kani shreds and opt for the cranberry dressing.

This outlet put up late last year by renowned foodie Nancy Reyes primarily serves the needs of the…read moreBetter Living community, of which me and my family have been part of for the last three years. To call it a take-out place wouldn't exactly be correct, but neither is it a small restaurant. It's more of the former but is also a little bit of the latter without meaning to do so. Commissary Kitchen was originally intended as a quick order place for residents of Bicutan in Paranaque City who head home too tired to cook, but who aren't too crazy about the usual fast food joints of which there are plenty in the area. The main foods are its pasta dishes of which there are five varieties, all of which sell for P150 per order. Then there are what it refers to as "Condo foods," which is just a cute name for main dishes that all go well with rice I ordered Puttanesca and was pleasantly surprised that it was much better than anything I could have concocted. The crunch parmesan which dominates the sauce must be the reason. I also ordered Callos because my wife loves Spanish food. At P200, the serving seemed a mite small, but the taste was superb. It goes well with either rice or bread. Commissary Kitchen also has a wide selection of cakes with Choco Cappucino being the least expensive at P360 and Choco Bomb the one that takes the biggest bite out of one's wallet at P490. The place is about a hundred meters from SM Bicutan pretty near the Skyway exit. The only problem is that there's only parking space for one car. Two at best if the cars are both small. If you're feeling famished, the staff can heat up your order and you can eat in one of the two tables inside. Nancy Reyes's reputation precedes her, so I'm pretty sure that everything her place sells is more than good. At least what I did order were both fantastic.

On one trip to Vigan, I had such a difficult time finding anything vegan to eat in Vigan (LOL), and…read moreI was desperate to try Ilocos empanada. I learned there that if you have the most basic empanada (just egg and veggies) made without the egg, it can be vegan. I've been having my fare of veganized Batac-style empanada whenever I see an empanada store here in Manila. Fariñas Ilocos Empanada is among the more popular and accessible empanada joints. So yes, for a vegan empanada, get the basic one without the egg. You are bound to get strange looks at first, accompanied by "Walang egg? Sure po ba kayo?" but they will eventually comply with your requests once you reassure them that it's possible to have it without the egg. It's oily (you've been warned!), savoury, great with Ilocos vinegar. It hits the spot even without having any animal products (empanadas are known to be stuffed with all sorts of longganisa, cheese, and whatnot). This totally fits into the junk food category but if your eating habits offer a leeway, this is perfect for a quick, tasty merienda paired with some soda.

Farinas Ilocos Empanada is easily one of the more recognizable food you'll ever encounter. It's…read morehuge. It's oily. It's orange! There really is no mistaking it when you see someone walking past you eating that messy, wonderful empanada. First, you'll recognize the brown paper bag soaked in oil. Then, you'll notice a little piece of the crunchy orange shell as the owner struggles to take a big bite. You might even see some vegetable pieces dribbling down his/her chin. Finally, the smell of the deep-fried dish hits you. Then you won't be able to resist getting your own. And you better make sure you do! Farinas Ilocos Empanada is a wonderful combination of vegetables, garlicky Vigan longganisa and runny egg wrapped in a half moon thin, crisp shell and deep-fried to perfection. If you want the full experience, get the Ultimate version of P99. Don't forget to try it with sukang Iloko. Each empanda is big enough to stave off your hunger until the next meal. Farinas also has bagnet (which does not skimp on the fatty parts and is guaranteed to give you a dizzy spell) and a wonderful version of pinakbet (fresh vegetables with bagnet pieces).

There's a commonly held belief that the food business is the best business. This is because…read moreeverybody eats, at least three times a day. More if possible. The Philippines and its population of some 100 million can be considered a potent market for any company that makes Filipino food, which means that a tiny shop that sells native delicacies can't possibly go wrong. Which could be the case for TFJ Kakanin Station, if it's lucky. How far TFJ can go isn't entirely dependent on blind luck, of course. The products that the store sells will determine if the kakanin station will survive and prosper, or head for the wayside and follow countless businesses that went bankrupt. It's all in the taste. Luckily for TFJ Kakanin Station, some of their products pass the test. TFC retails such comfort foods as suman sa lihiya, sapinsapin, dinuguan and puto, biko, and maja blanca, among others. Whether all of the products are made in their kitchen or supplied by outsiders, what's important is that consumers like some or all of them enough to want to buy the local foods again and again. I've only tried their biko and suman, and I found the taste to my liking. It would be unfair to pass judgment on all of their products without testing them first. For now, I will wait until I've tried at least a majority of the kakanin that they sell, but so far, so good.

This is part of a small chain of litlle restaurants that specialize in Pancit Malabon. There are…read moresix others with the same name and the oldest one is based in -- where else --Malabon. This Better Living branch is located at Dona Soledad Extension and when I went there last week, they were all complaining that the ongoing roadworks were killing their business. But I asked how they were doing before the road was closed for repairs. The lady behind the counter told me that business was pretty good up to that point. For now, they had to stay open for their clients who ordered and expected their hot pancit malabon delivered to their doorstep. They have a steady clientele so that the business continued to operate despite the absence of walk-in clients. The same cannot be said of the store beside them that specialized in pares and was previously open 24 hours a day. To be honest, I never liked pancit malabon, but it is clear that a lot of people do. Dolora's has been operating since 1990, so that's a good quarter century of providing the noodles with seafood-based sauce to countless Filipinos. I prefer pancit palabok myself, but most everyone I know like both palabok and malabon. Since they've been around for 25 years, I suppose bringing a bilao of their pancit would be most welcome when going to friends' homes to visit.

When we were waiting on the 4th floor of NAIA Terminal 3, I saw this store and stopped by to see if…read morethey had Yemas. Yemas are Filipino confections made of butter, condensed milk and egg yolks. They're so good! Unfortunately, I was not able to find Yema pyramids in Mindoro where my parents live. For some reason, they're really hard to find. I asked the sales clerk if they had Yema and she presented two different kinds--the small Yema caramels which are hard, and the Yema pyramids which are soft. Hallelujah! I was so happy! I bought a tub of the Yema pyramids and the hubby and I immediately opened up the tub and had one each. They just melted in our mouths. So so good. You can only have one at a time though since they're quite sweet. This store is tucked in between Kusina Filipino Cuisine and Jollibee's. They also sell all kinds of Pili Nut candies, dried mangos, polvoron, and etc. if you have room in your luggage, this is a good place to get "pasalubong" (gifts) for your loved ones back home. I'm definitely stopping here again next time we're in NAIA!

Dampa sa Russia is where residents of Better Living Subdivision go to buy fresh sea food, as well…read moreas pork, beef and chicken. It's your typical wet market with its interesting sounds and smells. While a lot of consumers now prefer to buy fresh anything at the nearest supermarket, but for those on a budget it still makes sense to buy at a wet market because prices are usually lower. I only have one issue with Dampa sa Russia. The word 'dampa' has been used to connote a place where one can buy at a market, then have it cooked at an adjoining restaurant or two. The first real 'dampa' was located inside the Baclaran public market. A local food expert told me about it almost two decades ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. More recently, the 'dampa' at the reclamation area not too far from the Mall of Asia has been the place to go. Even MoA has its smaller version. I am waiting for some entrepreneur to come up with a restaurant that cooks up the fresh seafood, etc. at Dampa sa Russia. There are still a few slots nearby. In the meantime, whenever I have a hankering for fresh seafood, Dampa sa Russia is the first place I go to. Yes, hygiene may be a problem, but so what? It's a wet market after all. It's located along Russia street, very near the corner of Dona Soledad Avenue in Paranaque City.

During our most recent visit to Manila, we have dined at three different locations (actually if we…read morecount another one last year, it will be four for me). Every single location delivered the same top-notch service and excellent food. It seemed that there was always a waiting list. But what they did that was so smart was give us the menu and and an order form and that gave us the time to peruse the menu, decide what we want and place our orders. By the time we sat down, it didn't take long before our orders were delivered. The first time we dined, there were only two of us, so we ordere the small plates. Another smart idea to have the choice of small, medium and large orders depending on the number of people. We've always dined family style so we were able to taste different foods. We've ordered the essential Filipino foods i.e., different kinds of sisig, salpicao, sinigang, adobo, pancit palabok, buko pie, puto bumbong, halo halo. And every single dish was phenomenally tasty, especially for us who are all residing in the US. Manam will always be our first choice whenever we are in Manila.

Easy eats vibes with the choice of smaller portions if you aren't too hungry…read more Went for a casual lunch. Despite there being tables available, we had to wait about 15 minutes to sit. Ordered their garlicky chicken and pork adobo, sisig, garlic rice, and turon. The adobo was fine, I think it would have been better just with the pork vs with chicken. Sisig was on point. The garlic rice was fine as well. The turon didn't have bananas in it but mangoes instead. I had thought it would have had both mangoes and bananas, but was mistaken. Overall, a decent place for casual sit-down vibes.