While the community quarantine brings out our inner chefs, sometimes we also miss “outside food”—and by this, I mean our favorites in restaurants. A home-cooked meal is always great—you know what goes into your food, you hone your skills—but a meal prepared in a professional kitchen definitely has its own appeal.
As someone who lives in Quezon City (hello, Team North!) and who has heard news about ramen kits and French breads being available for delivery IN THE SOUTH, I was happy to find out about a few establishments that cater to the Northern folks. So, whether you’re someone who doesn’t know how to cook, someone who has no time to cook, or someone simply craving for a little indulgence now and then, these are some establishments that deliver my some of my favorite things this ABCDEFGCQ.
This list will be continuously updated.
1 | Pasta and Pan Rolls – Salta by Pappare
I have dined at the humble restaurant Salta in Diliman several years back, and I had been planning to go back but had never been able to. Well, guess what? Who would have thought I would get to taste their insanely delicious CRABonara again this ECQ! Chef Gem Tee owns this Italian concept, and this quarantine, she also sells pan rolls that are to die for. The Ube Halaya Cream Cheese Pan Rolls are addicting, but the Pesto Parmesan Cream Cheese ones are an entirely different kind of sorcery. The incredibly soft bread is topped with crumbly parmesan, with a texture akin to Taiwanese pork bun crusts. Plus points for the chef’s active donation efforts for hospitals and restaurant employees affected by ECQ. But really, with or without COVID, Salta’s food is quite simply … exquisite.
Order via Instagram: @saltabypappareph
2 | Bread (and cheese!) – Sourdough Café and Deli
From the name of the restaurant itself, can you guess what their specialty is? LOL. Chef Alvin Ong makes amazing sourdough breads. I learned about this little spot in Tomas Morato last year from my friend and fellow foodie Bettina—and we had been coming back for breads, wines, and cheeses. Lucky for you, they deliver nowadays—follow their Instagram for announcements on what items are available, make your reservation, deposit your payment, and enjoy freshly made sourdough at home. They also offer wine and cheese boxes, as well as limited servings of their other specialty, the Basque Burnt Cheesecake!
Order via Instagram: @sourdoughcafe.deli
3 | Breads, Pastries, and Cakes – D'Kada Cafe & Bistro
If you're looking for familiar, no-fuss, and delicious breads and pastries, head over to D'Kada Cafe & Bistro in Ayala Malls in Marikina Heights (for pickup) or message them on Instagram to order. I absolutely love their buttery croissants, baguette, multi-grain loaf, and banana loaf (seriously one of the best out there). My mouth still recalls their fruitcake which is laden generously with nuts and candied fruits—if you love fruitcake (like I do), make sure you get this IF they bring it back for the holidays. Their Carrot Cheesecake is a real delight as well; the moist and yummy cake boasts of a generous layer of cream cheese and nuances of yema (sweet custard), I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. It's a dessert totally worth breaking your diet for!
Check them out on Instagram: @dkada_mnl
4 | Pizza (and pasta again) – Mama Lou’s
To be honest, I haven’t met anyone who didn’t like—or who hated—Mama Lou’s. Their pizzas and pastas are homey, comforting, and delicious, with servings that are generous. The atmosphere in their restaurants is warm and convivial. But hey, since you can’t enjoy that vibe nowadays, just message them on Facebook and place your orders! I love the Mama Lou’s Special Pizza with tomato, arugula, prosciutto, mango, and balsamic, as well as the Spinach and Goat Cheese pie. For pastas, my favorites are Lucio’s Truffle Pasta and the Truffle Mac and Cheese (yes, both with truffle, LOL). Make sure you request for the Spiced Honey!
Order via Facebook: Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen
5 | Coffee – The Black Bean
Truth be told, my usual coffee preferences generally revolve only around americano, cortado, flat white, and Vietnamese (ca phe sua da), but with the quarantine limitations and the realness of summer (do you notice how hotter it is becoming?!?!), I have been enjoying lots of iced, milky drinks lately. The Black Bean makes a mean Spanish Latte (so silky and delicious!) and an amazing cold brew concentrate—which you can enjoy in a lot of ways! You can just add water and ice, add milk, add citrus to it, or even make ice cubes out of it for a DIY kori kohi! Their cold brew is balanced, delightfully acidic, and well ... potent. The Mocha is a great choice as well, made with 77% Dark Auro Chocolate; if you prefer something sweet, try the Lazy Barista which has espresso, milk, muscovado, and coffee jelly.
Order via Instagram: @theblackbeanph
6 | Indian Food – Naan Indian Street Kitchen
Among the Indian restaurants I have been to in Manila, Naan is among the ones I enjoyed the most. While other places serve toned-down versions of Indian food, here they are not afraid of spice and strong flavors. For this quarantine, they are offering a limited menu, but you'll be happy to hear that it includes the rich and delicious butter chicken; the fragrant and savory dum-cooked beef biryani; the yummy vegetable samosa; and the addictive butter garlic naan (I once put leftover spinach curry that originally came with naan on my pasta because it's so good)! I mean, just order everything, really. You can order via GrabFood or Food Panda if you're around the Kapitolyo area, or call the restaurant and have your food picked up.
Ordering details and menu on Instagram: @naan.mnl
What other establishments can you add to the list? Which ones have you tried?
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