Good Food, Good Life: Guilty Pleasures You Don’t Have to Apologize For

There is no such thing as a guilty pleasure. At least that’s what the person who stretches a midnight snack into a full-on meal says. 

Jokes aside, I’ve come to rethink what we mean by “guilty pleasure.” What do we feel guilty about when we give in to the food that gives us joy? Does the joy we experience ever reach a criminal level?

When we have been forced to re-evaluate many of the things we hold dear, food should be the last thing we should apologize for. Both the well-celebrated chef and the humble diner will tell you that food isn’t just about the taste. It’s about the experiences it brings, the memories we make, and the feeling it manages to impart with every bite. 

Australia’s Violet Crumble from Candy Corner

There is no longer a need to wait for that balikbayan box or stalk an Instagram reseller as Candy Corner brings the “iconic Aussie choc bar” to The Philippines. Violet Crumble enrobes a sweet, shattering honeycomb in rich chocolate to create a sweet fiend’s dream. You can get in bars for solo consumption or in the bite-sized packs that are good for baking. Violet Crumble is available in milk chocolate and dark chocolate variants. 

Rock & Seoul Korean Fried Chicken

The Korean craze won’t be complete without some fried chicken. Rock & Seoul dishes out Dak Galbi Chicken—deep fried crispy chicken thigh poppers covered in a super spicy gochujang-based sauce. They’re finished off with chopped fresh red chilies for that extra kick. 

If you want it not too spicy, get the Chili Pepper Chicken — crispy chicken bites lightly dusted with a tangy and spicy powder that’s reminiscent of Seoul streetside chicken fare, just like in the alleys of Myeongdong. 

360° Choco Crunch & Matcha Crunch

This one is for the people who dip their fries in their chocolate fudge ice cream. These are for the people who can’t help reach for something salty right after dessert and vice-versa. Local brand 360° offers these chips dipped in either chocolate and matcha chocolate. Is it a sweet dessert or a salty snack? You decide. I believe there’s always an excuse to eat them whenever you want either way. 

Yellow Cab Hot Chix Pizza & Charlie Chan Pizza

In celebration of their 20th anniversary, Yellow Cab releases two new pizza flavors. My favorite of them is the Hot Chix Pizza. It’s an unlikely mix for pizza toppings at first: boneless chicken bites fried then coated in spicy sauce and a cool and tangy ranch base. Save your doubts until you get your first bite. 

For those who are fans of the Charlie Chan Pasta, you’re in for an extra treat with its pizza version. Both flavors will be available until Jun. 30. 

Cha Tuk Chak Biscoff Cheese Salt Milk Tea & Ube Cheesecake Milk Tea

I’m like every other Filipina with a card connected to her delivery apps: I’ve tried every other milk tea variant out there. The amount of boba I’ve consumed perhaps contributed to how I’m skeptical over whether a new flavor will surprise me. Cha Tuk Chak is one of the few that got me out of my boba-jadedness. Their Biscoff Cheese Salt Milk Tea captures the flavor of the cookie and combines it well with milk. It’s what childhood fantasies are made of, with the right touch of salt. 

You can also delight in their Ube Cheesecake Milk Tea that will be an instant favorite. I can’t find anything wrong with it except that you might find yourself ordering this constantly. It’s not exactly a bad thing, especially since the Cha Tuk Chak franchise is growing with branches in BF Homes Paranaque, Starmall Alabang, and Sta. Rosa Laguna. 

Quisine Kamote Chips 

Quisine is one of my favorites when it comes to sushi bake. They produce unique flavors that give rise to even more treats. Take how their Truffle Steak Aburi’s kamote chips became so popular, people wanted to order just the chips. Quisine granted that wish with bags and buckets of freshly made kamote chips. Crispy and delicious, they are going to be your new favorite snack. It is available in the following flavors: Original, Cheese, Barbeque, Sour Cream & Onion, Garlic Parmesan, Chili Barbeque, Salted Egg, and Chili Salted Egg.