Delicious Pinoy comfort food at Bench Cafe

Folks, if you belong to my generation, you, like me, probably began buying Bench clothes and other stuff in your teenage years. This iconic Pinoy brand was established in 1987. I was in college when I started patronising it, and loved the brand-embroidered face towel which I, and many of 
my friends, used as a hankie. 
Now, 32 years later, Bench is not just about shirts and towels, 
not even just about scents and bags and other life must-haves, 
it is also about food - - and good food, for that matter. 
Bench Cafe opened in 2017 at the flagship Bench store and headquarters in Taguig City. A branch opened this year at Robinsons Place Manila, which is near where I go to church so I was able to finally try this modern-looking cafe and 
have gone back on multiple occasions since July.
Bench Cafe serves traditional Filipino dishes and comfort food with a twist plus street food, without giving you the fear of jaundice-causing virus. I was fascinated by the menu so I keep on coming back to try new dishes.
 These are what I/my companions have so far enjoyed: 

Bagnet Kare-kare Bench-to 

The Benchto is Bench Cafe's own version of the Japanese bento. There's a cup of steaming white rice, your choice of viand, plus veggies. The Kare-kare was my daughter's choice. It was good! And nostalgic...it almost tasted like home. 

Inasal na Liempo Bench-to

The thick slice of pork appealed to me. It was also flavorful and tender. 

Lechon Kawali Bench-to

This was my choice. I'm a big fan of deep-fried pork! But although I liked the lechon kawali itself, the brown sauce underneath wasn't so much to my liking. I wasn't sure if it was lechon sauce but it was bland for my taste. The laing side dish was superb though. It was creamy and mushy - - the way laing should be.

Pancit Guisado
This has a mixture of bihon and canton noodles, with veggies, some meat slices and chicharon toppings. Good! My sister loved this one. 

Palabok

I'm also a fan of this kind of pansit but Bench Cafe's version was sadly not up to par. It was dry and the noodles seemed to be rather undercooked. I hope this isn't always the case 'coz I would want to order it again. 

Arroz Caldo 

Now this was a game-changer. Rice porridge with all the works! There's fried pulled pork on top, crispy garlic bits which I absolutely love, poached egg and meatballs. I was famished when I arrived at the cafe and having this hot bowl of arroz caldo gave much comfort to my "hangry" tummy. Each spoonful was made even more delicious when I added some of the mashed ginger it was served with. Yummy! 

Tomato Kesong Puti Pandesal
More fried egg taste, less of kesong puti. I loved the fried potato 
and "kamote" (sweet potato) chips, though. 

Tinapa Cones
These look like ice cream, I know, but they aren't cold. Haha! Cones made from fried lumpia wrappers are filled with creamy tinapa mousse. Because I'm such a huge fan of tinapa or smoked fish, I loved this one though I admit it was kinda cloying 
so I wasn't able to finish all three.

Street Food Platter

One time, I came not so hungry so I only had this together with the Ube Latte. It was good to have street food in a "sosyal" setting. Haha! No fear of "hepa" too!

Banana Cue

I was happy to find this on the Bench Cafe menu and for only P20! Sweet and delicious, it was the perfect thing to have with a cup of kapeng barako. 
What a divine pair! 

Bibingka Cheesecake 
This is a dense cheesecake that's not too sweet. The infusion of "bibingka" (a type of native rice cake) flavors renders some saltiness to it. There's even a slice of salted egg on top for a more bibingka look and taste, and which 
gives this dessert a Christmas-y feel. 

Turon ala Mode

If the turon looks boring to you, it's because it doesn't have any sugar, just as I requested, to compensate for the sweetness I would take in from the ube ice cream. Too much of a good thing is bad. Haha! I was happy my request for a sugarless 
turon was granted. Kudos to the cook! 

Ube Halo-Halo

This was a guilt-laden thing to cap a good meal with. It was sweet and delicious! This halo-halo uses shaved ice that's already mixed with Ube, so you could just imagine how flavor-packed it was. The ice was smooth to the tongue, really creamy and definitely heavenly. This Ube Halo-Halo is a must-try! 

Ube Grass Latte

Obviously, this one changes the way you drink your coffee with the 
clever addition of lemongrass and some ube halaya. Another must-try! 

Pakwan Shake

I asked for a sugarless serving and got what I wanted, thank you. 
A guilt-free drink for me! 

Kapeng Barako

Gave me my needed caffeine jolt. Not for the faint of heart 'coz it really is strong!

Sago't Gulaman

Looked good to me but it wasn't mine. Haha! 

Benchanted Iced Tea

My daughter's choice. She said she liked the blend as it 
wasn't too sweet and was refreshing.

Menu

Interiors

Bench Cafe at the ground floor of Robinsons Place Manila

There's a lot more appetizing dishes to try at Bench Cafe and I'm just so sure to keep coming back. It has become my favorite place for a meal and a good drink at Robinsons Place Manila. I definitely recommend that you bring your squad there to enjoy, too, not just the tummy-fillers but the chic, elegant interiors and ambiance as well. The prices, if you ask me, are reasonable, and the crews are very friendly 
and helpful, always willing to grant the customer's request. 
What's not to love about Bench Cafe? 

Meat Fair 2019

Weird as I am, there's this event near our office on Visayas Ave. in Quezon City, that ushers in my personal Christmas Season: The Meat Fair of the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS). It is held annually, every third week of October. For me, it's very festive: lots of cold cuts, canned goods and ready-made viands to buy at much lower prices than in groceries, eat to your hearts' desire (free tastes, left and right, can you imagine?) and freebies to score. After the week-long event comes Undas when we get to be together with relatives and then time to put out the Christmas tree. 
That's why..get it? Tee-hee. 
This year, however, Meat Fair was held a week earlier because of the African Swine Fever (ASF) scare. The government wants to assure people that it's okay to eat pork as long as you buy it from reputable stores that are regularly inspected by the NMIS. As always, my officemates and I had fun visiting the booths and sampling the products, especially the new ones, buying lots of breakfast and "baon" fares and getting freebies such as condiments and kitchenware.
Here are some scenes from this year's Meat Fair:

Free tastes!

Lapid barbecue is humongous at P50.

Big crunch!

My favorite hotdogs!

Not everything is meat, though. There's also "bibingka" for sale!

Do you know now why my co-workers and I love going to the Meat Fair? It's a fiesta for carnivores! Us moms also love the give-aways. This year, I got a free bottle of soy sauce and a pouch of menudo sauce. But last year, I had a beautiful red apron! My office friend received a grander free gift on the first day of the Meat Fair last Monday: a medium-sized ceramic baking dish and a Lock & Lock-type plastic container. 
She had a big purchase of pasta sauces, that's why. 
Well, till the next edition of our favorite event, the Meat Fair, in 2020!

Have you tried Jollibee's Buko Pie?

Buko or coconut pie is no doubt one of those desserts and snacks that is definitely Pinoy. The Philippines has an abundance of coconut trees, making the country the world's biggest producer of these fruits, according to an article that I read. 
There are so many by-products of practically all parts of the trees, including the fruits, which are made into all sorts of candies and snacks and added as ingredients to various dishes. One of the most popular of these is the buko pie, which is a favorite pasalubong from those who are travelling to southern Luzon provinces, 
particularly Laguna and Quezon. 
The good news, however, is that one need not travel far anymore to be able to buy the mouthwatering pie. Just visit the nearest Jollibee branch and you will be able to sink your teeth into a hot, sweet and delicious piece of buko pie. It was perhaps the biggest news in the foodie world last Oct. 15: that Jollibee now offers buko pie, along with 
its hugely popular sibling, the Peach Mango Pie. Haha! 
Yesterday, I was happy to try the new offer at Jollibee - Visayas Ave. I had one with a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee and the pair was made in heaven! Jollibee's Buko Pie is filled with chunks of tender coconut meat swirled in some thick, creamy and sweet sauce. If your worry is too much sweetness, don't let it be. The sweetness is pared down by the savory, flaky-crunchy crust, that's why there's 
no "sawa" factor or cloy to it.

The new Buko Pie is a welcome addition to Jollibee's product line. As it is distinctly Filipino, I could see it becoming a favorite at the fast food restaurant chain's branches abroad, which have earned a huge following not just among 
Pinoys but even among foreigners.
Try it now, folks! It's very affordable at just P30. each. 

Awesome egg tarts and more at Honolulu HK Cafe

One of the malls I frequently visit is Robinsons Place Manila because it is near our church and I would go there either before or after worship service. I love this mall for the dynamic dining experience it offers not just for the diversity in cuisine but also for the fact that it has restaurants you can't find in every other mall.

This year, two new restaurants opened that have become my favorite and one of them is Honolulu HK Cafe. It's a franchise from Hong Kong, where the first store opened 
in 1940. I tell you, their coffee and egg tarts are to die for! 
But aside from these, there's a lot of other things to love this resto for such as their savory rice toppings, noodles and meat-filled buns. 
So far, these are my favorites:

Egg tart
The outside is flaky while the golden yellow center has the texture of panna cotta - smooth and soft and is just mildly sweet. I swear, this is sooo good! On some days, the egg tarts are history by 6 p.m. so better come earlier 
if you wanna try these fantastic treats. 

Roast Pork Bun
Flaky on the outside, soft on the inside. With really good saucy roast pork filling. 
This bun is perfect for merienda with a steaming cup of coffee. 

Chicken and mushroom casserole
Tender pieces of chicken with slices of mushrooms covered in a bit of delicately flavored thin sauce top steamed white rice. The serving is huge and 
the topping's sooo good! Two thumbs up!

Fried noodles with pork
I am such a sucker for pancit so this was the very first dish I ordered at Honolulu HK Cafe. The only thing that made me a little disappointed was that the noodles weren't crunchy anymore. Flavor-wise, the dish was a bomb, though, really flavorful. And you would love to munch on the slightly toasted pork slices as you gobble up the noodles. Delish! 

Soy chicken
The meat was really tender and the soy didn't go overboard in its saltiness, thankfully. There's also a hint of sweetness, thus a balance in flavors. I loved this as well, though I wished there was more of the chicken just like in the casserole. 

Hong Kong style coffee

They serve brewed coffee with some milk already and for me, the blend is nothing short of perfect! Still strong, but not too much. I find myself always 

craving for this cup of joe. 

An assortment of bread and pastries

Menu

Interiors

Compared to most Chinese restaurants, Honolulu HK Cafe's interiors has a more contemporary and laid-back look with bright colors and modern lighting fixtures.

Honolulu HK Cafe at the ground floor of Robinsons Place Manila

Honolulu HK Cafe is a great place for lovers of Chinese cuisine. I always leave satisfied after dining here because the main course, dessert and coffee are superb. I haven't had anything that I didn't like. The crew are also welcoming and happy to serve -- another plus! Try Honolulu HK Cafe, folks.

 I highly recommend this place. 

Happy eating!