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.

When we were waiting on the 4th floor of NAIA Terminal 3, I saw this store and stopped by to see if…read morethey had Yemas. Yemas are Filipino confections made of butter, condensed milk and egg yolks. They're so good! Unfortunately, I was not able to find Yema pyramids in Mindoro where my parents live. For some reason, they're really hard to find. I asked the sales clerk if they had Yema and she presented two different kinds--the small Yema caramels which are hard, and the Yema pyramids which are soft. Hallelujah! I was so happy! I bought a tub of the Yema pyramids and the hubby and I immediately opened up the tub and had one each. They just melted in our mouths. So so good. You can only have one at a time though since they're quite sweet. This store is tucked in between Kusina Filipino Cuisine and Jollibee's. They also sell all kinds of Pili Nut candies, dried mangos, polvoron, and etc. if you have room in your luggage, this is a good place to get "pasalubong" (gifts) for your loved ones back home. I'm definitely stopping here again next time we're in NAIA!

If you're looking for premium quality meats and cuts head to my favorite butchers at Green Farm…read moreMeat shop where you can buy not just meats, but ingredients, seasoning, sauces, beverages and even uncooked rice. What's amazing is that their products are more affordable than local markets, mini marts or supermarkets. I like buying here for the reason that; there are no lines, no hassle and very fast service. It's already my routine in the morning that I stop by Green Farm to acquire the freshest meats to cook for my family's meal. I appreciate that the store is always squeaky clean and spotless; and doesn't smell like stored cold meat. Meats are kept in large hygienic refrigerators and other merchandise is placed on shelves with clear sliding glass, so no need to dust off the dirt off of the product. 13.

Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of kakanin (sticky rice). Even though it's the Filipino dessert and…read moreit comes in a variety of styles and flavors, I just never got around to really liking it. I'd eat it, yes, but I wouldn't normally crave for it on a random day. But there is one kakanin I've been used to eating every since I was a kid - kalamay (rice cake with sweet coconut puree on top). And it's all because of Aling Kika's. Aling Kika's is a specialty food shop near our place. Ever since I could remember, my mom would bring home a box of kalamay. When she's looking for something Pinoy to give to our relatives, this is her go-to food item and she would always bring home one for the family. What is so good with Aling Kika's kalamay is how tasty it is. The sticky rice topped with latik (sweet coconut puree) is delicious when fresh from the refrigerator or when heated up in the microwave. It's sweet and filling, perfect with a some tea or a cup of Joe! Other than their kalamay, may second favorite food item from Aling Kika's would be their peanut butter spread. Although packaged under Aling Kika's daughter, Mely, their peanut butter just ranks so high up my list Lily's, Skippy's or any other peanut butter brand will never be able to measure up. Mely's Peanut Butter is so good, it doesn't last that very long in the house. It's sweet, chewy and packed with peanut flavour - it's the best spread ever, believe me! Other than those two, Aling Kika's also sell their version of coco jam, leche flan, halayang ube and anything you will ever need to create your own halo-halo. A trip to Aling Kika's may be quite challenging especially if you are not familiar with the place. But it's definitely worth it!

One night, my sister and I were on our way home from watching a movie and realised we were getting…read morehungry. It was roughly around 9:30 in the evening and we thought we'd have a hard time looking for a place to eat. We didn't want to eat a full meal, so we crossed out having to eat at our usual restaurant stops. We chanced upon Cerealicious and saw that there were still customers inside, so we decided to give it a try. As we entered, we were happily greeted by one of the staff and our sleepy selves almost immediately got a hit of glee. We saw that aside from cereals, they also had a few choices of pasta and sidings like mojos, fries, and even Taiwanese-style fried chicken. Being first timers, my sister got the Hurt Laocker and I chose to order the Nutting Hill. She was quite satisfied with her order and filled her up just right. I on the other hand thoroughly enjoyed the consistency of the milk snow (as they call it) and was happy that there was a generous amount of cereals, nuts, marshmallows and chocolate bits in my order. At PhP60, I think I've found an answer to my random cereal cravings.

If cereals were ever a big part of your childhood, Cerealicious can bring out the kid in you. It is…read morethe first cereal café in the South that offers a wide selection of cereals mixed with your favorite chocolate or candy. Choosing your cereals is even made more fun since all their varieties are named after movie titles such as Jumango, Nutting Hill, Charlie & the Chocnut Factory and Frootloose. To make your cereal extra special, you may choose to top it with ice cream. Cerealicious' yummy cereal treats is perfect not only for kids but also for the young at heart.

This food stall is your meal ticket to Ilocos. They serve the best food found in Ilocos such as the…read morefamous longganisa, bagnet, pakbet, papaitan to name a few and served with sukang Iloko on the side. I ordered longganisa and crossed my fingers, hoping that it will taste like the authentic longanisa and it did! The fatty pork marinated in sukang Iloko, mixed with tons of garlic, black pepper and spices transported me back to my grandmother's kitchen in Ilocos. I remember her coming home from the market with around 7-10 kilos of longanisa, (cause We don't eat anything there, but longanisa), boiling it with a little water then letting the longanisa cook on its own fat. Yes, the longanissa made me remember Ilocos and how much I missed it. Try out their bagnet too! It's like chicharon/ lechon kawali- Ilocano Style. The crispness and saltiness of the bagnet is best dipped in Sukang Iloko. Trivia: Mi-ah-Mi-It is not an Ilocano word; its name was derived from the NBA team Miami Heats, the business owner's favorite basketball team.

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.

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.

I was once invited to a fancy birthday party and I had no idea what gift I should buy to the…read moreelegant and sophisticated birthday girl. The only thing I knew is that it should be something that I could buy there at Greenbelt. A friend of mine then suggested me ROYCE' Chocolate, a kiosk located in Greenbelt 5. "A box of good chocolates always works" - she said. I trusted her and bought a box of Au Lait Nama Chocolate, their classic one. Of course I've tried lots of different flavours before making my choice. It was a hard decision, come on! It's fine chocolate! :P Oh my God, I ended up buying a box for me also. However, since it's kinda pricey, I've promised to myself that the glorious box should last for a month at least. Of course I broke my promise. Of course I ate all the box. But I was pregnant, craving for good chocolate. So I'm forgiven.

One Christmas, my brother was so excited to give his gift to papa. He then warned me that his gift…read morefor papa was only for him and it wasn't to be shared with other people. He gave papa the gift and it was opened in front of everyone. It was chocolates from Royce. Of course, the little brat in me went ahead and got chocolates without asking and forgetting the fact that I am allergic to chocolate. Oh my. It was heaven in my mouth. A few days after Christmas, I went to the kiosk and ended up buying their Baton Cookies, potato chips and a box of their classic chocolate. Silly me couldn't resist and I gobbled everything up before New Year came. I was sick with asthma. But who cares?! I was eating a piece of heaven.