Forget Me Not Cafe Marikina

 

Forget Me Not Cafe is situated on the very charming and trendy little street of Lilac Street in Marikina. Their cafe's doors opened with a warm pioneering spirit, setting itself apart as a true foodie trendsetter in this quiet neighborhood. With its inviting atmosphere and a seamless blend of modern and rustic aesthetics, Forget Me Not Cafe quickly became a beloved destination both for locals and visitors alike. The aroma of freshly ground coffee beans and delectable pastries fills the air, enticing their curious customers to indulge in a moment of tranquility and contentment. As pioneers, the cafe boasts an innovative menu, offering a delightful fusion of flavors inspired by local and international cuisines. From their signature pork salpicao to their mouthwatering artisanal cakes, each bite carries the essence of creativity and passion. 

Their shop has a warm homey feeling to it, decorated with very cutesy intricacies. Once you enter through the door, you will be immediately greeted with their yummy cakes and pastries nicely placed in their cake shelves. Here are just some of the food we tried. 

• Garden Salad: A colorful and refreshing salad boasting with a vibrant crispy, leafy greens, adorned with delectable slices of perfectly boiled egg. 

• Seafood Aglio Olio: A mouthwatering pasta dish that tempts the taste buds with a delightful blend of succulent seafood, garlic-infused olive oil, and cream. Highly recommended. 

• Forget Me Not Burger: Big fat juicy burger filled with fresh greens, sided with crispy fries. 

• Roast Beef in Mushroom Sauce: One of my favorite FMNC dishes. Comes with rice and side salad. 

• Pork Salpicao: Pork meat sautéed in lots of minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, and seasoning. Perfectly accompanied with plain white rice. 

As the pioneer of this vibrant street, this cafe has left an indelible mark, not just in Marikina, but in the hearts of all those who seek a delightful escape from the bustling city life. Visit Forget Me Not Cafe Marikina at #24 Lilac Street, Marikina City. You may call them at 09178699104 . Opens daily, Mon-Thu, 7AM to 11PM, Fri-Sun, 12NN to 11:45PM.

Posted By Marikeño12:53:00 AM

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Marikeño's April Filipino Food Month

 

In celebration of April Filipino Food Month, Marikeño is inviting you all to embark on a culinary journey that will showcase the vivid colors and flavors, rich heritage of Filipino culture and cuisine scene in Marikina. With a big help from Eats Marikina, we've come up with this very interesting yet challenging food crawl that would begin where Marikina food gastronomy all started, in Lilac Street down to the very trendy and up-and-coming scene of Gil Fernando. So without further ado, let's get started.

Dapo at Tisa: • Bangus ala Pobre never fails to delight. Dapo and Tisa's rendition to this classic Filipino dish is like music to the eyes, the ears and tongues.

• Okoy in Kamote, a true Filipino masterpiece that honors the harmony of flavors and textures. 

• Ginataang Adobong Baka is a delectable local dish that mixes the beauty and richness of adobo and the creamy goodness of coconut milk.

 

Kabigting's Halo Halo: • Kabigting's is known for their signature halo-halo, a bright-colored concoction of shaved ice mixed with an assortment of sweet treats. Enjoy the musicality of its flavors and textures as you mix the sweet beans, fruits, jellies and creamy leche flan, topped with a generous amount of evaporated milk and concluded with a big scoop of velvety ube ice cream. 

• Their pancit palabok completements the beloved lumpia sariwa, a Filipino spring roll filled with a savory mixture of ground meat, crunchy vegetables and others.

Rocha's Puto and Kutsinta: • Rocha's is known for their mouthwatering puto, a very popular steamed rice cake with a soft and fluffy texture, slightly sweetned and topped with a generous amount of cheese.

• Their kutsinta is a perfect accompaniment to their puto as the former is chewy while the latter is soft and fluffy. 

Mang Ding's Pinoy BBQ: • Eveybody loves to eat barbecue especially if it is Filipino style as it has everything from chicken inasal, isaw, puwet, tenga, hotgods, bituka, etc. Every bite is message sent from heaven. 

• Also try their ensaladang talong and salted egg with tomato and onion.

Mama Ting's Rellenong Bangus: • They are known for their deliciously fried and deboned rellenong bangus, a milkfish dish stuffed with meat and ground vegetables.

• Their everlasting is equally delicious. It is the epitome of Marikeño culinary. It is known to llanera.

Salud Panciteria: • It is a household name that was established back in 1968 that has become a true Marikeño icon, specifically for their pancit pinagulong. It got its name from the way it was being cooked.

• Be sure to also try out their super crispy lumpiang shanghai and lechon kawali. They make their special sauces that is uniquely theirs.

BoyNita Ihaw Ihaw:  • The BoyNita bilao bangus is a large round bilao that is usually filled with bangus inihaw (milkfish) cooked in a flavorful and aromatic manner. It also comes with vegetables, pork barbecue and others. You may also try their bilao tilapia which also hot and freshly cooked. 

Again, we would like to thank Eats Marikina for taking the initiatives and for encouraging us on covering this event.  It was a truly our pleasure and honor to take part in the April Filipino Food Month special. Our cuisine is very rich in flavors and has unique qualities that deserves to be celebrated and recognized. Mabuhay ang pagkaing Pilipino.

Posted By Marikeño4:46:00 AM

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Onsen by BoyNita

 

Onsen by BoyNita is your newest stylish resort located right in the very center of Marikina City.   It has that fresh industrial-like design that is perfect for both the young and the old. Inspired by the Japanese word, onsen, which means a hot spring. It is a heated jacuzzi pool that can help you eliminate stress and promotes well-being. They also have regular pool to those who want to escape the summer heat. 

Pros:

• The pool and common area is huge. It can accommodate up to 25 people at the same time. 
• It has 3 big bedrooms.  Each bedroom can accommodate 4 (to 5) people.
• It has one private bathroom and toilet in the master bedroom upstairs.  One shared toilet and one shared bathroom for the other two rooms. Also a full bathroom and a shower room downstairs.
• It is a very quiet neighborhood. Super relaxing. 
• It has a spacious kitchen with an induction cooker, an induction pan, a fridge, sink and free purified drinking water. 
• An entertainment area for watching Netflix and Youtube shows.
• Safe parking for two cars. 
• Place is equipped with monitoring CCTV cameras 24/7.
• Fast fiber internet (200mbps).
• A regular pool and a heated jacuzzi pool. 
• Staff are friendly and very attentive.
• You may order your favorite BoyNita ihaw ihaw favorites or from Food Panda and Grabfood.
• They offer massage from their exclusive partner. 
• They have free board games to play with. 

Cons: 

• Karaoke sessions are highly discouraged as it is a residential area.
• Hot shower was not working in the master bedroom's bathroom (Update: It had been fixed). 
• You need to enter your own Netflix account to their smart television's app. 

Onsen by BoyNita is your perfect summer getaway if you are searching for relaxation and tranquility. We highly recommend them not just for their heated jacuzzi pools but for the serenity of the place. I assure to you that by the time that you leave the place, your mind, body and soul will be fully rejuvenated, your energy restored. They are located at 18 Jersey Street, Rancho 4 West, Concepcion Dos.  For your questions on their current rate and availability, you may call them at 0966-6144476 or email them at onsenbyboynita@gmail.com.

Posted By Marikeño3:51:00 AM

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Keila's Bike Shop Marikina Bodega

Keila's Bike Shop Marikina Bodega is the biggest and the grandest bike store in Marikina City. Period. For Ella and April who started this colossal business, it was not always a beautiful story and it was surely not a walk in the park. But let me tell one thing. this story had a really bad beginning and a triumphant ending. This is their inspirational story that started with just one bike. 

April worked in a bank while she supported her siblings with their school tuition. Life was not easy for April as she was working so hard as a sister and as mother to her husband and kid. Not too long, Ella got out of prison under DSWD from a 3-year imprisonment. Her case was dismissed and legal action was terminated. She was just 20 years old at the time. Trying to make things right, she started to sell small items online, things like fishball and kikiam. This was her own way of coping to improve the quality of her life and its livability.  She wanted to prove to her family that she was dead serious in becoming a changed woman.  She was not earning enough and she needed great help.

Undecidedly, on August 2020, she borrowed money from the person she trusted most, her older sister, April. She promised April that she would use the money to run an online bike store and that she would give her her cut of the profit by simply becoming her financer. Without any hesitation, April lent her the money through the help of her partner and started the business.  When I asked April how she lent such big amount of money to her sister so easily, she told me that she knew that Ella was ready. Little did they know that it was just the start of something really big. April decided to quit working in the bank and eventually helped with the business' finance, marketing and networking while Ella did the selling. 

Business was doing quite well for both of them They switched from an online store and turned their home into a bike bodega. They were selling 25 bikes a day and they had to buy more because they sold out quickly. Ella and April managed to pay the money back sooner than what they expected.  On May 2021, they opened their very first bike bodega shop in Lilac Street, Concepcion Dos. It was literally just a bodega to store their bike items so they would not have to crowd their house with bicycles. Fortune was so good to them that on December of the same year, they've fixed their shabby bodega and turned it into a decent store warehouse.

Photo courtesy of Keila's Bike Shop Marikina Bodega.

It may be a quick road to success for them but it was never easy. All those sleepless nights, hard work, stress and afflictions were paid off with immeasurable achievement and contentment. From a hunble beginning of a bike store with just one mechanic, it is now a bike business empire with many mechanics and staff. It is a company built with love and trust as their foundation. As Ella and April would say: "Oo, inaamin namin, mahirap ang buhay pero kinaya namin. Hindi kami sumuko."

Keila's Bike Shop Marikina Bodega is located at 3 Lilac Street Concepcion Dos Marikina City, Marikina City. You may call them on their business mobile number at 0945 729 9706. They offer delivery, online booking and in-store pickup.

Posted By Marikeño2:14:00 AM

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Soul Chefs

Soul Chefs only promises honest-to-goodness comfort food. When we asked Chef Sean and Chef Billie how they came up with the name of their restaurant, they gave us an obvious answer and it was the answer that we wanted to hear. "It is because we cook with our feelings. We put our hearts to every single dish we cook together with lots of passion. So, for every spoonful of our food, you feel loved."

Chef Sean came from a family of chefs, so cooking runs in the family. Nothing makes him any happier than cooking, he said. He was supposed to work in Italy and in Hongkong but ended up managing his own business in Marikina City. Chef Billie has been in the food industry for five years and she had worked in different restaurants. Her biggest influence was her mother who used to cater. She would observe her mother prepare food and that's how her love for food came about. She likes being inside the kitchen. She likes the action that goes on in it.  From prep work to actually doing the dishes to plating. She enjoys everything about it. Check these food that they have especially prepared for us.

Soul Chefs Salad is fresh crunchy lettuce with chicken poppers drizzled with sweet slightly salty Asian spiced sesame seed vinaigrette. A perfectly light yet tasty salad.

Honey Chicken Poppers is Soul Chefs' special deep-fried to crispy perfection chicken sided with white cream sauce. It is not only good to eat but fun, too. If you are tired of your usual chicken, these poppers will literally explode in your mouth.

Pasta Amatriciana is a light tomato based pasta. If you like it light and right, then try this.

BLT Pizza (top-most image) is a classic pizza topped with bacon, lettuce and tomato. Served with pesto. Best eaten when it is really hot. Pizza never felt this healthy and good.

Daredevil Fried Rice is both sweet and spicy bagoong rice topped with egg, pork and vegetables. Are you adventurous? You like it red-hot? If you are not a chicken and you want a fun dish, then this one is for you.

Dinaksig is probably their most sinful item on their menu, and very good, too. Imagine two of your most favorite Filipino dishes, combined in one sizzling plate: Dinakdakan and Sisig.  Is it sinful? Yes. Does it taste good? Hell, yes!

Sizzling Bulalo is my personal favorite in Soul Chefs. Not only that it is served sizzling hot but it is also the tastiest dish they have. Made from imported New Zealand beef, smothered in rich clean tasting sauce.

Soul Chefs Crispy Pork Belly is a double fried pork belly with tomato coleslaw salsa on the side and Ponzu dip. The dish tastes as good as how it looks. Perfect with plain white rice.

Tamarind Seafood is sizzling shrimp and salmon belly with dry tamarind and Tom Yum soup. It is literally exploding in flavor and not oily at all. The tamarind fruit adds body to its flavor and makes this dish quite pleasant.

Ginger Caramel Banacopita is a deep-fried dumpling filled with real ginger and caramelized banana fruit, then topped with scoops of ice cream. It was a great dessert and has an interesting combination of ginger and banana taste. It would have been a lot better if the ice cream was vanilla.

Overall, our food trip to Soul Chefs was enjoyable, more like a gratifying experience. We had fully exercised our lazy taste buds. We experienced salty, sweet, sour, spicy and bitter in just one sitting. We were so fulfilled.

Thanks to Chef Sean and Chef Billie for having our team.  Their staffs were so courteous and accommodating to our small requests. We had a very pleasant visit to Soul Chefs. They are open from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 4:30pm to 2am. You can find them along Lilac Street in Concepcion Dos.

Update: Soul Chefs has permanently closed their business.  We hope they will re-open.

Posted By Marikeño5:54:00 PM

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