I don't know if the owners of Big C are aware that the name of their establishment has a negative…read moreconnotation. After all, Big C usually refers to the dread disease cancer. But that's neither here nor there. The name works as far as the owners are concerned. And while there may be a number of supermarkets in the vicinity, starting with an SM Supermarket at the SM City at the Bicutan exit, to a smallish Tropical Hut in the middle of Dona Soledad Avenue, to a relatively new Puregold also along the main thoroughfare of Bicutan, Paranaque, but Big C has kept its clientele through the years. Incidentally, there are also a number of 7-Elevens and Mini Stops in the general area, but no problemo for the owners of Big C. The place just keeps rolling along with the times. There's no secret to the success of Big C. It may not look like much from the outside, but inside it is surprisingly air-conditioned. Best of all, their prices are still the lowest in the area. Because of this, a lot of restaurants in this part of town still get their supplies from this old supermart. It has everything that the big supermarkets have, there's sufficient parking, and once you've become a suki (regular customer), the cashiers will be friendly to you. For those who get hungry while shopping, there's a siomai stall at the entrance. There's also a small restaurant that's part of Big C, but I've never gotten around to trying it out yet.

Big C does have a negative connotation to it, meaning, Carcinoma. There are, however other Big C…read moresupermarkets abroad. This supermarket is pretty well stocked and they open very early, like at dawn (!!!). One can easily find otherwise unsearchable canned goods in other supermarkets along Dona Soledad. business here is brisk. No long queues compared to other supermarkets. We patronize this for its convenience and competitive prices. They even have a fresh meat and veggies section.

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 issue with the Makati store is that they will sell very expensive milk with an expiration date…read more5 days from now and the milk is already Turing bad when you open it and then the management gives you a hard time to get a credit even though we have been coming to this store twice a week for 2.5 years and as Americans we stand out and they all know us. Then they tell us to come back next time for the credit slip, when it should take 2 minutes to give you a credit slip that day, then you come back and they say they lost your request for a credit - Mickey Mouse business practices and this is wrong.

This is supermarket we choose when we have to do our big monthly grocery. There's a reason: The…read moreLandmark brings together good variety and also lower prices compared to Rustan's, for example. The highlights, for me, are the great variety of greens, fruits and vegetables (including organic ones!) and the fact that they sell Santïs meats, so I don't have to do two shopping trips. They sell also a good variety of rice (if you're not used to the filipino one, then they have Basmati, Jasmine, Brown Rice and much more) and beans. Thanks to the beans from Landmark, I can keep the Brazilian "rice and beans" tradition at home. And believe me, that means a lot to me :) I also love Landmark's food court. There's a green juice in some stall there that's is just perfect. I also like Bread Talk and Kumori, the Japanese bakery. I mean, there's a lot to explore there before you start pushing your shop cart! TIP: Landmark is cheaper than Rustan's and has much more variety than the SM Supermarket. Choose it for the big once-a-month grocery.

D/C is one of those few grocers who brought Korean goodness to the South, and they're conveniently…read morelocated a few paces away from a Korean restaurant, and a Korean bakery across the street. I say "conveniently" because you can head straight to the store when you think you want more of that kimchi. Or rice juice. (I love rice juice by the way. They have it in their fridge for Php 75 a bottle. It's a pretty rare find, since the first bottle I had was purchased in Hong Kong.) I love how this shop has an abundance of ramyeon (well duh!!) and snacks that cannot be easily found here. I even found some liquid soap brands that Korean idols claim to be using. That being said, you can't expect them to have everything because it's a pretty small shop. You can, however, expect them to help you with your daily ice cream fix, as they have so many K ice cream variants in stock.

If you're not from the South, you're probably unfamiliar with the other "image" of BF Homes, which…read moreis actually a growing, mini Korea-town. Ever since our friends from Korea have started relocating here in the village, more and more Korean establishments have been popping up all over BF. I used to live in here and I have experienced what feels like an "invasion"--Scenario: 9pm, a group of around 8-10 Koreans, marching on the street while doing arm exercises! Also, I do get an occasional "Annyeong!" from some shopkeepers who think I'm Korean, thanks to my haircut (square bob with bangs--a popular Korean girl haircut). Anyway, this "invasion" isn't necessarily a bad thing, and we have learned to embrace and accept their culture. As I've mentioned, they've built a whole Korea town here. You can find good Korean beauty salons, bars, restaurants, schools, and of course grocers. The biggest one is Korean Hypermart. Korean Hypermart has what typical Korean grocers would have, so expect all the kimchi, seaweed, frozen dumplings, Lotte stuff, the ever popular fish ice cream and so on. But what I do find special about this Hypermart is that they have a produce section with imported veggies from Korea (and may also be from other countries). And, I think this is perfectly understandable. If I were a Korean expat, I would prefer produce grown from my homeland for the most authentic-tasting Korean dishes.

They are very amazing and affordable... The price is very…read moreconvenient... And the products is good...

Super indeed. This is my go-to place whenever I need to replenish my stash of chips and all my…read moreother necessities. Place is huge and spacious so you're sure to expect a wide array of product offerings. They even have their own hardware, drugstore and appliance store so it will definitely be your one-stop-shop. There's even a small play area and a set of food stalls where you can leave companions who are not involved in the shopping behind. If I had my own sari-sari store I'm sure I'll frequent this place more because items are sold on wholesale prices. I'm also amazed on how prices can get really low for highlighted items, products and packages. You just need a little patience when lining up in the cashiers as people tend to hoard stuff. They should also consider adding more basket lanes. Nevertheless, I still enjoy it in the neighborhood as it has everything under one roof, at an arm's reach.

"Are you seriously telling me that this place has good stuff?"…read more Yes. I am aware that the place looks like some hole in the wall sari-sari store. But before you judge them, let me tell you that this mini-mart has been open since 1972. They are open every single day including holidays and signal number three and four. Those who live in Merville have visited this store at least once. Still not convinced? They sell tampons. Not too many stores do that! They also have yummy Korean noodles. They sell imported chips and sometimes even chocolates and sodas. Yes, they sell drinks like beer and vodka and other drinks that get you hung over. They also sell cigarettes and they don't give you judging looks when you buy it. If you look well and hard enough, you'll see some books and old or even antique things for sale. If the owner is the one minding the shop, she sometimes lets people get the old books for free. Sometimes.

A part of me has always wanted to relocate to Chinatown, and all my reasons are because of…read morefood--which are VERY valid reasons. This tiny store does a good job in carrying essential Chinese food products and other goods, making it very convenient for us who live here in the south. For the usual stuff, I get cheap dried shiitake mushrooms, noodles, and tikoy here. They also sell their own brand of chili garlic oil, which is AMAZING stuff and a steal at only Php 120 for a generously-sized bottle. They also carry other Asian items, too. There was this one time, I was intrigued by this dark brown solid square block that smelled SO GOOD. Turns out, it was a Taiwanese wintermelon tea block! Allow me to be proud of this discovery, as I've never seen anything like it, nor have I ever imagined tea as a heavy, hard block and not a tea bag. You dilute it in water using heat, and use it as a syrup to add to milk (in my case, I use soy milk) or just water, pancakes maybe, or whatever floats your boat.

Little Chinatown is a 10-minute walk from my house, or rather, from my parents' house. And since…read moreI've moved out, I've missed this store more and more. Their goods may be a little bit more expensive than other dumplings you could get outside, but these babies are worth it. Big pork and shrimp dumplings, with stuffing that you can clearly distinguish as being pork and shrimp. Chinatown is difficult to get to (and sometimes difficult to get out of), so it's nice having a satellite store that sells authentic Chinese goods. And when my folks come over, it's just like getting it delivered!

Huge supermarket in the western style, long aisles offering multiple versions of a little bit of…read moreeverything. Grocery located on the second floor. Small restaurants and kiosks located on the first floor, sort of like a food court. Conveniently just about a 3 minute walk from the hotel.

South Supermarket has always been my go-to grocery store in Alabang. I practically know where…read morealmost everything is so I can do my grocery runs swiftly and efficiently because I don't have to constantly go up and down the aisles to hunt for things. They have the most spacious and airy grocery layout in the Alabang -- layout is straightforward and easy to navigate, aisles are spaced out and do not feel cramped and cluttered. Their meat and produce selection is excellent and priced fairly. Most common brands and products are available. They have a small alcoholic beverage selection and natural/organic section too. Compared to other groceries in the area, their cashiers and baggers are faster and more efficient when ringing up items and bagging them. Long lines are managed properly. Parking can be quite tricky especially during peak times but overall it isn't too bad and if you purchase a minimum of Php 300 (or is it 500? Suddenly I can't remember whoops), parking is free for a few hours.

This place has a "Jr." at the end for a reason, and that is that it's not going to have everything…read moreyou need, and that it only has the essentials. When I'm too lazy to head to SM Supermarket, or if I need something that I know Tropical Hut Supermarket, an even smaller supermarket, doesn't have (they're all on the same street, by the way), I go to Puregold. This place is usually always busy, and the queues are long. Some sari-sari store owners even shop for their paninda here. But I do go here for specific things, such as herbs (they have a decent selection), frozen Indian aloo paratha/other frozen vegan Indian food, mantou, and chips. If we're talking about international/imported goods, they have an inconsistent selection, and it varies from time to time but it's only a small shelf. I did find Bragg stuff here (Apple Cider Vinegar), and a good brand of Thai coconut milk, which surprised me. Yes I find it surprising that this place will actually have the more unpopular imported products. If you're thinking of purchasing pet supplies, don't bother looking here as they only have very few selections, and no cat litter!