For some people, bibingka is a seasonal food. It's best enjoyed after Simbang Gabi during Christmas…read moreseason. But my love affair with bibingka does not end when the holidays are over. It's of my my favorite Filipino delicacies. Thank goodness for Bibingkinitan, I can enjoy my hot bibingka all year round. Of course, it seems too indulgent to finish one plate of bibingka all by myself. But Bibingkinitan serve freshly baked mini bibingkas, just the right size for one person, though I can finish a whole box (6 mini bibingkas inside) in one sitting if I don't control myself. I recently learned that they also have ube, pastillas, macapuno and even peanut butter bibingkas, but those are just seasonal. It's okay, I'm more than happy with my original bibingka, more butter and no sugar, please. I like bringing home a box of Bibingkinitan for an afternoon snack, but I also like eating it at their stall, with their special calamansi juice.

Rocha's puto is really special and delicious. Actually it is one of my favorite places to get puto…read morein the world. The puto is chewy and cheesy. I could probably eat a whole box in one sitting. If you are in Marikina, I highly recommend buying a box or two! Next time I'm in Marikina this is a must visit for me.

First day of school. You will expect the students to talk about academic issues. But, surprise,…read moreRocha's Puto at Kutsinta made its way into the conversation. My classmate asked me where I was from and I answered Marikina. Quickly, she remarked: "I've been there. Dumayo kami to try Rocha's Puto and Kutsinta. You're famous for that, di ba?" And all the while I was thinking Marikina was famous for shoes! But, maybe, the palate makes a greater impact on the memory than the feet. Oh well, this is one time I am happy to be wrong. The puto of Rocha's is really quite good. Flavorful but not overly sweet. Soft and fluffy and never buhaghag. This rice cake from Rocha's is becoming a staple at meals served for family celebrations. So, next time, if you are going to a potluck party, you now have more options than just spaghetti, pancit or pizza. Visit Marikina and buy Rocha's Puto and Kutsinta. Marikina, the puto and kutsinta capital of the Philippines? Not bad.

a truly great variety of sea food; smell is pervasive but understandable considering it is a…read morelanding center.

Twice I've been here and each visit gets better and more interesting…read more Now, this is a fish market, and as most (if not all) wet markets go in the Philippines, the area as a whole is a bit of a mess, so wear appropriate clothing - SHOES are a must. (I would know, I made the mistake of wearing flip flops the first time, but in fairness, I didn't know we were going here.) Both times, I was lucky enough to witness plenty of boats coming in from the sea with their fresh catch. The variety of seafood is unbelievable - a couple of dozen types of fish, seafood including tuna, red snapper and salmon, crabs, shrimp, clams, mussels, prawns, octopus, etc. There was fresh seaweed I haven't seen for decades (arorosep, I believe it's called.) I even got to witness some sort of bidding for some reserved products. Walking around is an experience like no other. Price point?! Almost everything is pretty much a bargain buy. If you're patient enough and can haggle, you'll get what you want for the price you want to pay. (So long as you're reasonable!) Immediately on its outskirts closer to the main street, there are plenty of vendors selling dried goods - mostly dried salted fish among other products. There are some interesting buys there as well. It is a bit chaotic and it can be overwhelming with the crowd, but it was pretty much an organized frenzy. I found it fun just walking and looking around. I ended up buying and bringing stuff home for dinner. It can't get any more fresh when many of their products were (literally) just harvested a few hours prior. (On a personal note, this is my 1,000th vendor Yelp review!) Anyway! It'll be on my next MUST STOP for fresh seafood (and then some) for sure.

My cousins introduced me to this grocery to pick up some pasalubong before I left to go home. I am…read moreSO glad I got to visit Dolores! Chicharon galore! Not to mention all the sweet treats and filipino goodies I got to bring back home. Wasn't allowed to bring back chicharon due to the TSA guidelines, but I'm glad I got to eat it while I was visiting! My favorite was the made to order chicharon - I know..so bad for you, but SO freaking delicious!! Too bad they don't serve it with vinegar anymore. My cousin asked and the lady told us they stopped offering it, boo. Besides their chicharon, their barquillos & pastillas are worth a try/buy as well!

Bringing home a pasalubong is very important in the Philippine culture. Your pasalubong need not be…read moresomething very big and expensive. It can be as cheap and simple as snacks and delicacies that one can munch on during merienda. Samu't Sari specializes in these products, allowing you to give a pasalubong anytime, anyday. Peanut kisses, lengua de gato, adobong mani, fish crackers, chicharon, Ilocos chicacorn, polvoron, pastillas, tart, peanut brittle, pili nuts, shingaling... Truly, this store brings to the city a taste of several provinces! No need to sit on a bus for hours to go to Baguio to have some peanut brittle. No need to ride a plane to fly in an airplane or board a ferry to have your share of pili nuts. Go to Samu't Sari where you can buy delicacies from different provinces in one go! My advice: Buy a significant amount of several items from this store and you can have your snacks for several days or even weeks covered.

Always the best stop on NLEX for pasalubong! Must try would be their pinipig suman with buko and…read morebibingka with leche flan topping. Sooooo good! They've always maintained their texture, taste and quality after all these years and price point is affordable. Whenever I'm back in the PH, I make it a point to get their suman! Yum!!

The best suman pinipig I have tasted thus far. I can't wait to taste all of their products.read more

Lots of great chinese pasalubongs.. They are all very…read morehelpful. There are different varieties of candied dried fruits.

I think specialty delis/food stores have their own unique charm and Bee Tin in Bindondo is no…read moreexception. Located at the heart of Binondo on Ongpin Street, Bee Tin has not changed much over the years, making it a must-see stop in Chinatown. The Chinese deli/food mart has everything you need from preserves, imported food, Chinese candies and sweets, cured/smoked meats, dehydrated produce, frozen goods and more. I really like going here because there's so much to see and buy that's not usually in your local grocery. I think I picked up the habit of learning how to appreciate delis such as Bee Tin thanks to my grandma who'd always bring me whenever she needs to replenish her supply of preserves. Speaking of preserves, you really have to taste Bee Tin's selection because there's a lot of them! They are neatly stored in bins and you can buy them according to weight. My favorites are the plums - they are pretty large and the mix of sweet and sour has a nice effect on the palette. Another thing I'm crazy about is Bee Tin's beef jerky. While they also have the packaged kind of beef jerkey (I'm looking at you Cow Label), their own mix of the large and leathery strips of beef is a class of its own. You can also purchase these according to weight, and we tend to buy a lot of it. (Might as well make the drive worth it right?) The taste of the beef jerky plays between sweet and salty and the meat itself isn't too hard to chew on. Before I go to the check out counter, I also make a beeline to the chocolates and candies section. Sometimes they stock these really weird but good gummy candies from China (I once bought P5 packets of peach and cola flavored candies - these were really good!), and they also have imported Japanese chocolate snacks like Pocky. Other stuff you can see at Bee Tin are the packaged noodle soups, dry seaweed, Chinese candies and chocolates, haw flakes and lots more other stuff. Another plus for Bee Tin is that their prices are a lot cheaper than in regular groceries.

Michelle's Putong Ube is definitely a must try ESPECIALLY when it's FRESH. When it's not, the taste…read moreand texture really change. One time, I bought Michelle's Putong Ube from a reseller, not directly from the shop and I found the puto to be less tasty and drier than usual. I really have a hard time choosing which one my favorite is. I like the ube and I like the cheese. Well now I don't have to choose anymore because they just made the best thing ever - ube puto with small cheese squares on top. Omg. This is like a gamechanger. Two amazing things in one. I ALWAYS get this now. Other flavors they have: Putong Ube, Putong Queso, Putong Pandan and Putong Mascobado

I'm Mart is a different store than I'm Mart II on Don Juico…read more This is the biggest Korean grocery store in Korea Town. It's walking distance from the corner of Don Juico and Fil-Am Friendship Hwy. There are a few parking spaces in the front and the guard can help you maneuver in and out of them: the street traffic can be busy. The fruits and veggies are better here than Puregold. Some of the items don't have price tags on them or on the shelf, so you'll need to use their price check scanner at the back. You'll find me here only IF I'm in the immediate area AND I am in the mood to pick up some seaweed snacks, frozen dumplings or specialty Korean items I need for a recipe. I would much rather go to the daughter store (I'm Mart II) on Don Juico near Puregold, because it's newer, cleaner and staff are friendlier.

Nice place. Reasonable prices. Friendly staff. Has most of the korean food and snacks you crave for.read more