In this month’s food listicle, I went with the theme of what’s best when you want to eat your feelings. We’ve been through a lot, and there are still a few more weeks to go before the craziness of 2020 comes to a close. (We hope.) Emotional eating is still acceptable. Don’t we get all get a big pass for this year, anyway?

I’ve listed down some sushi bake that’s for the person who can’t make sense of their cravings, steamed buns that you can pop in your mouth during a Netflix marathon, and of course, some gelato. I also picked out my favorite place for juice since fruits can help us feel better when we’ve stuffed ourselves.

Kawaii Milktea & Steamed Buns

If you ever wanted to eat an actual emoji, here’s just the thing with cute buns filled with either savory pork or creamy custard. Kawaii Milktea & Steamed Buns says, “Our best selling flavor is Coco Choco because a lot of our customers are moms with kids who love sweet fillings.”

Hola Tita!

This little project provides a huge deal: 10-hour slow-cooked aromatics and color from special annatto oil to create the perfect paella. Hola Tita! is made with the expertise of a chef who’s worked in Michelin star restaurants. Best with some garlic aioli and a squeeze of lemon, this is the meal when you need the healing powers of rice. I love how Hola Tita! got the charred taste and texture of rice just right without any excess oil.

Kumori x Manila Creamery

Did I finish this in one sitting? I tried not to. But it’s hard. In this gelato, Kumori perfects their crowd-favorite cheese tart through a combination of white cheddar and premium cream cheese with sweet-tart shells folded in for that extra crunch. You also get that touch of salt to enhance the flavor. Order it via Kumori stores, Manila Creamery stores, and delivery apps Grab Food, Lalafood, Foodpanda, and Metromart.

Quisine

You might raise an eyebrow over the flavors from Quisine. There’s Truffle Steak Aburi. It’s a meaty fusion of premium Kani, steak, and sweet potatoes, topped with homemade potato chips. You might feel a little weird putting hot Cheetos over their Flamin’ Hot Aburi that’s made with Samyang sauce. But somehow, just like textures in their Cereal Shrimps with Salted Egg Aburi, it just works. I find this the type of sushi bake is best for when your PMS cravings kick in.

Quisine is by fresh graduates from Ateneo and La Salle that “shared the same eagerness in striving for excellence.” They tell us, “We all had the same frustration from the pandemic that obstructed the plans we had for ourselves and eventually decided to come together to make something good out of the bad and translate negativity to productivity.”

Pure Nectar

One of my favorite purchases this year are Pure Nectar juices. I always found myself always ordering them in big batches to have fruit juice whenever I want. It’s so simple, but it turns out it’s something everyone was looking for but couldn’t find. Arielle Escalona, managing director of Pure Nectar, says, “I learned through social media that there was a huge demand for quick and easy-to-deliver healthy products for the working millennials. Although the diet delivery companies were on the rise, there weren’t many companies that specialize in producing fruit and vegetable juices. I saw the potential; I pitched the idea, and the rest was history.”

The products are so loved that they have the Best Sellers Set, a collection of their most popular flavors. They also have Juice Cleanse Sets that vary from a one day to a three day cleanse for those in the mood to give their body a major detox.

Steak & Co.

Some emotions are too intense that they are best expressed through cooking and tearing through some serious beef. If you need restaurant-quality meat cuts, Steak & Co is one of the best shops. They guarantee safety as the meats are “meticulously inspected to ensure that the vacuum seal is intact and in perfect condition.” Their most popular products include Angus Premium Choice Grade Ribeye, Prime Grade Ribeye, Angus Shortribs, Angus Porterhouse, Angus Tenderloin, Chori Patties, and Traditional Corned Beef Brisket.