By Brian Campued
A melting pot of commerce and food destinations at the heart of Quezon City, Cubao has long been a gastronomy hub for all ages who want a unique culinary experience while taking a breather from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Join Eat’s Fun’s certified foodie Leslie Ordinario as she explores the world of Cubao in her quest to discover delectable hidden gems on this side of the metropolis.
Rice bowls with international fusion. Suitable for those who prefer their grubs on-the-go and, at the same time, do not want to sacrifice the variety of flavors they can choose from, this restaurant is for you.
Starting from their “chef signature” fried rice, Chef’s Bowl and Rice offers various rice bowl recipes as toppings—from bestsellers to unique tastes all around the world, without needing to fly out of the country.
Their bestseller, the Korean beef bulgogi, uses finely thinned meat marinated in mildly sweet special sauce and complemented with bell peppers and onions for added flavor. If you like some spice to kick-off your day, their Thai basil chicken might conquer your hunger—topped with egg to cap off every spoonful.
Another famous choice of menu is their teriyaki chicken rice bowl, which features marinated chicken grilled to tenderness and then glazed with special teriyaki sauce. These well-seasoned chicken cuts are also sprinkled with sesame seeds and served with a side of broccoli to balance the smoky flavor.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a healthy replacement for meat, they also have a Middle Eastern-inspired falafel rice bowl, made up of chickpeas and hummus. Lastly, if you just want an authentic Filipino taste, there’s the pork adobo rice bowl for you.
Restaurant of the Stars. Located inside the famous hangout spot, Cubao Expo, Bellini’s restaurant boasts its long history of offering Italian cuisine as well as being a go-to place for celebrities and filmmakers.
Bellini’s offers a variety of pasta dishes, such as the “penne al tonno con arugula” or pasta with tomato and the resto’s signature penne sauce, topped with arugula leaves, and the “spaghetti ala vongole,” best poured with a little bit of white wine to level up the flavor.
If you want to try their house special made by Chef Maria Luisa, you’ll never go wrong with “Allamaria Luisa” pizza. This vegetables-sausage on dough combo is best eaten with special siling labuyo hot sauce—perfect for an Italian-Filipino fusion.
For meat choices, you can relish both the sour and the salty with their blue marlin ala gracia with lemon butter sauce and the Marsala wine-flavored sauce of Scaloppine di Manzo al Marsala.
Nostalgic taho with a twist. They say you haven’t fully lived your childhood if you did not wake up early in the morning to wait for your “suking magtataho.” Across all ages, taho—which consists of silky tofu doused in arnibal syrup and mixed with plump sago pearls—has solidified its place among the top Filipino desserts.
While taho is traditionally made by soaking soybeans in water for at least six hours before bringing to a boil and then chilled to become the signature soft tofu, Taho Klasiko also upgraded the original hot taho with various sweet additions, such as strawberry, leche flan, blueberry, or even topped with generous scoops of ice cream.
Despite the enhanced appearance and flavor, every sip of this taho will surely transport you back to your childhood.
From cozy cafes to specialty restaurants, indeed, you will never run out of choices in Cubao. So, the next time you go to this side of the city or after a tiring ukay-ukay haul, don’t forget to add these sweet and savory treats to your list.
For more of Leslie’s foodventures, watch Eat’s Fun every Sunday, 10:00 a.m. only here at your Pambansang TV. —av
