It’s September—have we really been in lockdown for almost six months? One thing that’s helping us stay sane during the age of quarantine is food—both home cooking and the abundance of dishes that we can order from the many, many businesses that have sprung up in response to these difficult times, or have existed before but have had to pivot to continue serving their customers. Here are just some of the delicious things we’ve enjoyed recently. May they bring you and your families joy, as well.
Flavored ice cream from Flyvours
Kenneth Rafanan II, 24, calls Flyvours his “quarantine plot twist.” He lost his livelihood because of the pandemic and had to figure out a way to earn money to support his graduate studies. It was a request from his mother that led him to go back to doing something he last did in high school: making ice cream.Soon, with the help of his parents and siblings, he was selling his two flavors online—Cookies ‘n Cream and Coffee ‘n Cookies. He named his ice cream brand Flyvours because he loves to travel, he lives near the airports, and it was his flight attendant best friend who encouraged him to start his business.Flyvours does take your taste buds on a trip. You’ll ask yourself—is this ice cream or is this mousse? You’ll love that creamy texture and both flavors are so good it’s hard to choose a favorite. At P250 for one 6” x 2” tin can, why not try both?
flyvours_ph on Facebook, @Flyvours_ph on Instagram
Cheesy Rolled Lasagna from GL’s Kitchen
GL is named after the husband-and-wife team of Gerard and Lorelei “Ohly” Rivera and their kids Gian and Lizzie.
In August 2019, after making lasagna after lasagna for a series of family birthdays, Ohly decided to start selling her food online. One year later, GL’s Kitchen’s Cheesy Rolled Lasagna continues to be a big hit.
Ohly says she and Gerard are not good at marketing, and it’s been their customers who have been doing the work for them, through word of mouth. “They encourage their friends and relatives to try our lasagna. We are very happy to see them happy and satisfied.”
GL’s Kitchen’s Cheesy Rolled Lasagna does hit the spot. It’s comfort food for the whole family, a cheesy, meaty delight that’s surprisingly affordable. It comes in two variants: regular and spicy.
Ohly said, “Our mission is to let everyone try our lasagna, which is made with love, and so we made our lasagna affordable. It starts at P120. That’s good for one to two persons.”
Tel. 0917-8906056;
GLsKitchen on Facebook, @gls_kitchen on Instagram
Lola Nena’s Triple Cheese Donuts
Lola Nena’s is known for serving delicious pichi-pichi but lately it’s been getting a ton of attention for its triple cheese donuts. And for good reason. These cheese-filled, dense, margarine- and sugar-coated old-fashioned donuts are so, so good. They’ll remind you of donuts from your childhood, only better. There’s just one rule: heat before you eat. They’re meant to be enjoyed hot. “It’s a completely different experience,” the character on the box tells you.
They’re so good, it’s hard to just eat one. Sometimes, in the course of a day, I end up eating four. And I feel no shame.
I’ve given these donuts out as gifts and they have yet to fail me. Sometimes, joy does come in a box. And guess what? A box of eight big donuts costs just P200.
Tel. 89254623 lolanenaspichi; @lolanenas on Instagram
Crinkles and banana loaves from The Midnight Baker
I never realized what a big crinkle monster my brother was until he tried The Midnight Baker’s. Since then, he’s been ordering tub after tub of crinkles and wolfing them all down.
But I shouldn’t be surprised because they are really good crinkles. I like The Midnight Baker’s banana loaves, too—regular, double chocolate, choco chips and walnut. Midnight Baker makes a lot of other baked goods, too, including Basque burnt cheesecakes in different flavors, cookies and more.
Tel. 0998-5352291
Calamansi cheesecake from Workshop Bespoke Bakery
Award-winning pastry chef Miko Aspiras was the first to introduce Basque burnt cheesecake here in 2016. He has since moved to Australia, but part of the legacy he’s left behind are his recipes for delicious treats that Le Petit Souffle’s Workshop Bespoke Bakery continues to serve. Last month, Workshop started serving three new variants of their popular Basque burnt cheesecake: strawberry, ube and calamansi.
I tried the calamansi and really enjoyed it—it’s smooth, creamy and tangy.
Tel. 0917-7077459, 0917-7022534; @workshop_ph on Instagram
Onigiri and other Japanese dishes from Tabemasho
Tabemasho, which serves authentic Japanese food, has a slogan: “Serving more for less.” And that’s exactly what it does, offering popular Japanese fare at great prices.
They’re open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with a different menu each day. Every Friday, they have TGI-Fryday during which they serve fried Japanese dishes Ebi Fry, Tonkatsu, Chicken Katsu and more. On Donburi Wednesday, they serve Gyu Don, Katsu Don, Oyako Don, Yakiniku Don and others.
Their menu also includes ramen, curry, gyoza, sashimi, yakisoba and more.
Lifestyle copy editor Alya Honasan loves their onigiri, which is made on Tuesdays. “Siksik ang sarap,” she said. They come in a variety of flavors: tuna mayo, spicy tuna mayo, kani mayo, beef yakiniku, beef teriyaki, salmon and katsuo bushi and are just P70 each. Tuna mayo is P60.
Tel. 0998-5715859; tabemashobymikijoni on Facebook, @tabemasho_mikijoni on Instagram.
Surf and Turf with Adlai Risotto from Granivore
If you don’t feel like cooking and want a treat that you can share, try Granivore’s potluck trays. (They’re great for celebrations, too.)
There’s the Grilled Chicken and Orzo, Falafel and Pita Platter, Seared Tuna Poke Platter and my favorite Surf and Turf with Adlai Risotto.
You can choose to build your own platter, too.
Tel. 0917-7077459; @granivoremnl Instagram