Three organic food outlets to check out
Mom’s (Mara’s Organic Market). The pioneer in getting organic food to the mainstream. The main outlet is the Sunday market (7 a.m. to 2 p.m.) at the parking lot between Corinthian Plaza and the Legaspi Park in Makati. Other outlets are the organic market in Ayala Alabang Town Center (Thursdays, 7 am to 4 pm) and Rustan’s Rockwell and Ayala Commercial Center (daily). Mara says that they will open another outlet at 500 Shaw Boulevard starting July 30 and every Saturday morning thereafter.
Sugarleaf, 226 Wilson St., San Juan, has fruits, vegetables, herbs, dairy products. Also Pampanga gourmet products (e.g. red monggo sorbetes).
Centris Mall (corner Quezon Blvd and EDSA. The MRT station connects directly into the shopping complex). Remember the Sidcor Sunday market at Lung Center? They moved a few months ago to Centris’ parking lot, with much more space now. Among the Sidcor outlets are a growing number of merchants with organic food, mainly vegetables and fruits. Eli’s Organic Produce sells, in addition to vegetables, edible flowers like mums and calendula, all from Batangas. There’s also one stall offering organic pork products but only every two weeks.
Centris is also sponsoring Food Bowl, close to the entrance, every other Sunday (they should have one on July 24, then August 7), with several organic food outlets, including one for chicken. Looking for vegetables from Benguet? I used to have to wait for trips to Baguio to get LaTop organic vegetables but now they’re available here at Food Bowl, everything from crunchy beans to blueberries.
It was also at Food Bowl where I found out that LaTop vegetables are available every day of the week at a store in the St. Luke’s Hospital (actually Episcopalian Church) compound on E. Rodriguez, Quezon City. Where exactly? Well, upon entering the St. Luke’s compound, check out the small alley to your right with several food kiosks. Walk up the alley to the end, turn left and you’ll find more small restaurants and the LaTop vegetable outlet.
