Rocha's puto is really special and delicious. Actually it is one of my favorite places to get puto…read morein the world. The puto is chewy and cheesy. I could probably eat a whole box in one sitting. If you are in Marikina, I highly recommend buying a box or two! Next time I'm in Marikina this is a must visit for me.

First day of school. You will expect the students to talk about academic issues. But, surprise,…read moreRocha's Puto at Kutsinta made its way into the conversation. My classmate asked me where I was from and I answered Marikina. Quickly, she remarked: "I've been there. Dumayo kami to try Rocha's Puto and Kutsinta. You're famous for that, di ba?" And all the while I was thinking Marikina was famous for shoes! But, maybe, the palate makes a greater impact on the memory than the feet. Oh well, this is one time I am happy to be wrong. The puto of Rocha's is really quite good. Flavorful but not overly sweet. Soft and fluffy and never buhaghag. This rice cake from Rocha's is becoming a staple at meals served for family celebrations. So, next time, if you are going to a potluck party, you now have more options than just spaghetti, pancit or pizza. Visit Marikina and buy Rocha's Puto and Kutsinta. Marikina, the puto and kutsinta capital of the Philippines? Not bad.

Michelle's Putong Ube is definitely a must try ESPECIALLY when it's FRESH. When it's not, the taste…read moreand texture really change. One time, I bought Michelle's Putong Ube from a reseller, not directly from the shop and I found the puto to be less tasty and drier than usual. I really have a hard time choosing which one my favorite is. I like the ube and I like the cheese. Well now I don't have to choose anymore because they just made the best thing ever - ube puto with small cheese squares on top. Omg. This is like a gamechanger. Two amazing things in one. I ALWAYS get this now. Other flavors they have: Putong Ube, Putong Queso, Putong Pandan and Putong Mascobado

Ever since my trip to Tokyo last month, I love all things Japanese. I fell in love with the city…read morealong with its people, culture, things and food! I still have a Japanese hangover until now, evident in my obsession for all things Matcha Green tea. But Royce has been a love of mine even before I turned into a Japanese fanatic. Royce first stormed the malls of Manila years ago. At the time, most people prefer the smooth and rich texture of chocolate from Europe. I for one am guilty of that. Today, Japan argues with Royce that they can definitely come up with the same quality chocolate. Yay for competition! My favorite would have to be their dark chocolate variant and potato chips covered in dark chocolate. Now allow me to wipe of the drool dripping down my face.

Bringing home a pasalubong is very important in the Philippine culture. Your pasalubong need not be…read moresomething very big and expensive. It can be as cheap and simple as snacks and delicacies that one can munch on during merienda. Samu't Sari specializes in these products, allowing you to give a pasalubong anytime, anyday. Peanut kisses, lengua de gato, adobong mani, fish crackers, chicharon, Ilocos chicacorn, polvoron, pastillas, tart, peanut brittle, pili nuts, shingaling... Truly, this store brings to the city a taste of several provinces! No need to sit on a bus for hours to go to Baguio to have some peanut brittle. No need to ride a plane to fly in an airplane or board a ferry to have your share of pili nuts. Go to Samu't Sari where you can buy delicacies from different provinces in one go! My advice: Buy a significant amount of several items from this store and you can have your snacks for several days or even weeks covered.

Sasmuan Delicacies is the perfect place to go to if you're looking to buy pasalubong for your…read morefriends and loved ones. I consider it as the home of the best-tasting Filipino sweet treats. They sell polvoron (powdered milk candies), yema, pastilyas, pili tarts, and many more. I often go here whenever I want to eat something sweet after lunch. I don't normally order desserts in restaurants because it's too expensive, so I often look for desserts in different food stalls that can satisfy my sweet tooth. Sasmuan Delicacies is best known for their milky and great-tasting polvoron. They use local and pure ingredients to produce their polvoron. They have a variety of flavors to choose from that everyone will surely love. They have Butter, Choco, Cookies and Cream, Ube-Pinipig, and many more. This polvoron just melts in your mouth and won't leave you gasping for air. If you're looking for sugary treats to satiate your craving for sweets, then head over to Sasmuan Delicacies.

This was suggested by one of the YouTuber that I follow. This place is small but they carry a lot…read moreof different products. You can find the Hopia section on the right side when entering the store. This place can get crowded on the weekend but the check out process is smooth. The Hopia price is around Php68. It comes with a lot of flavors including the classic Monggo, Baboy and Ube. I tried the Ube-Jackfruit Hopia and it tasted good. The filling is not overly sweet and the jackfruit flavor is subtle. The pastry is soft and flaky. For Vegetarians: The Hopias in shiny wrapper are cooked using corn oil and the rest are cooked using pork oil. I got the tip from one of the staff.

My husband's favorite! Love their pineapple hopia. The best! We always buy here whenever we visit…read morePhilippines.

The Farmers Market in Quezon City is one of the oldest, largest, and most revered markets in both…read moreMetro Manila and the Philippines. I went just to sightsee and thought it was pretty wonderful, a giant, colorful open air market absolutely teeming with life. The place was huge, with what felt like hundreds of vendors selling fish, meat, and produce in tightly arranged stalls. There were lots of people and the occasional cat, and we tourists were in the minority--I think almost everyone else was there to buy or sell food. The produce looked fresh, and there was a robust seafood section. We'd visited the Navotas fish port that morning, and I gather that a lot of the fish caught there make there way to the Farmers Market. We stopped by the food court and picked up mango and green mango shakes at the Fruitas stand. I'm sure we missed out on other excellent eats, but those shakes were delicious. I'll bet you could spend quite some time exploring this Farmers Market. I enjoyed my visit and would recommend the place to anyone living in or passing through Metro Manila.

Seriously old world. Even though much more organized and clean than what I remember. Old world open…read moreair market. Open air in that there are no walls so even from the middle you can see the outdoor city streets. There is a ceiling covering the entire market so no food or person will be exposed to the sun and/or elements. The place is huge like at least one city block. Every vendor is its own business, so every stall you go to you will have to make a payment. Also able to haggle if you have any skill for it. I do not but natives...it's in their blood. No card transactions either straight cash, and actually have smaller bills so to make giving change easier. When I said old world, I meant old world! Place is also sectioned off...vegetables in one area, fruit vendors in another, beef, poultry, eggs, fish and shellfish are all grouped by their product. A little overwhelming for me but if you shop here regularly then I suppose you can figure out which vendor works for you, then you can establish a relationship. No shopping carts or even baskets. So bring your own bags. We only brought 1 bag and after buying more shellfish than what we came for, my aunt and I went to the house wares area and bought a small plastic bucket to put our bags of seafood in. We put all our produce in the bag I brought. The nature of the market will give first worlders fits. Nothing is refrigerated and is just sitting out in open air. Even seafood and meats like beef and pork. Just sitting or hanging in open air, and that air is not cool or temperate. Lol. I got a little queasy a few times but it is just how certain countries have been doing it for centuries. Sure there are modern grocery stores here that will rival any grocery store in the US or Europe, but I wanted to see one of these again before my trip ended. It just is in more in touch with regular people, people who are living their daily lives. That is what I wanted to be a part of. Whilst putting down food for my family, I was also able to help another put food on theirs. An exchange I can smile and feel good about. 5 Old World Stars!

Here's another well-loved Filipino delicacy: Bibingka!…read more And what happens if this beloved ricecake is weaved into a business in big time malls, altering the usual wave of buying from local streets? Better appreciation and weight gain, of course! Whenever I pass by Bibingkinitan, I would always be enticed by their smoldering look of the cheese and butter flowing off of the bibingka's surface. That's it, I've been defeated and I end up buying even just one piece. Bibingkinitan offers a scrumptious Filipino merienda snack with cheese overload and the classic version, bringing happy thoughts and of course, instant heaven before going back to reality as one finishes the whole thing. What makes them great is that the recipe is authentic, not that sweet (but you still need water), and is served on banana leaf pieces, emulating the traditional way of serving it.

Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of kakanin (sticky rice). Even though it's the Filipino dessert and…read moreit comes in a variety of styles and flavors, I just never got around to really liking it. I'd eat it, yes, but I wouldn't normally crave for it on a random day. But there is one kakanin I've been used to eating every since I was a kid - kalamay (rice cake with sweet coconut puree on top). And it's all because of Aling Kika's. Aling Kika's is a specialty food shop near our place. Ever since I could remember, my mom would bring home a box of kalamay. When she's looking for something Pinoy to give to our relatives, this is her go-to food item and she would always bring home one for the family. What is so good with Aling Kika's kalamay is how tasty it is. The sticky rice topped with latik (sweet coconut puree) is delicious when fresh from the refrigerator or when heated up in the microwave. It's sweet and filling, perfect with a some tea or a cup of Joe! Other than their kalamay, may second favorite food item from Aling Kika's would be their peanut butter spread. Although packaged under Aling Kika's daughter, Mely, their peanut butter just ranks so high up my list Lily's, Skippy's or any other peanut butter brand will never be able to measure up. Mely's Peanut Butter is so good, it doesn't last that very long in the house. It's sweet, chewy and packed with peanut flavour - it's the best spread ever, believe me! Other than those two, Aling Kika's also sell their version of coco jam, leche flan, halayang ube and anything you will ever need to create your own halo-halo. A trip to Aling Kika's may be quite challenging especially if you are not familiar with the place. But it's definitely worth it!

Super fresh meats, fish and seafood and chicken. Also vegetables are very fresh with a great…read moreselection. Prices are fair and competitive. A fairly clean wet market. Cooked foods and desserts are very good to great.

One of the cleanest markets that I've been to that is situated in metro manila specifically in…read moreQuezon City. I love how they cater to different needs of the buyers. But I love their food stalls the one facing Dapitan Arcade. This is where I buy big bilaos of California maki at a very affordable price. Their small bilao will cost P200-300 good for family size and the biggest bilao ranges from P750-800 only and can feed almost 25 people. There are also some stalls selling Filipino dishes and kakanin good for to go. The only that's hassle is here is when during peak hours it is hard to find parking because of traffic and a portion of the lot is allotted to shuttle services. The best time to come in is 10AM after all the hustle and bustle are done and all the food stores are open.