Featuring Unique Restaurants in Timog: Merienda Time

Who doesn’t love food, right? It cannot be denied that Filipinos love to eat – for sure, everyone does. The Philippines is also known for having a different and exotic preferred food. Pig and chicken internal organs (isaw), duck embryo, and some insane mixing of extraordinary flavors you wouldn’t believe would work well together when they combined. Your taste buds, for sure, will surely have an adventure that will make your trip to the Philippines a unique one!

Merienda – mostly means a light afternoon snack from the western part of the world (Latin America and Europe). During colonization, the Spaniards passed the term “merienda” to the Filipino people. Moreover, minindal is currently the other term in Filipino. 

Merienda is a more generic term for meals or snacks outside the traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Filipinos enjoy several small meals or snacks. A light meal before or after breakfast is mostly taken by laborers whose works are heavy to keep their energy up. Merienda is usually enjoyed every morning around 10 am, between breakfast and lunch, and the afternoon merienda is traditionally enjoyed in the afternoon around 3-5 pm, between lunch and dinner. In the Philippines, merienda can mean savory or sweet. This can range from a few bites or maybe something as a main meal.

Here are some of the most popular merienda or snacks that you should have on your list. 

Morning Filipino Snacks 

• Taho 
• Pandesal
• Puto bumbong
• Maja Blanca 
• Champorado

Afternoon Filipino Snacks

• Pansit 
• Kakanin 
• Empanada 
• Street food
• Ginataang Bilo-Bilo 
• Empanada
• Halo-Halo and Mais con Yelo 
• Lumpian Shanghai and Lumpiang Togue

Evening Filipino Snacks 

• Pares
• Lugaw

Let’s Go North: Food Trip in Quezon City  

You always look where you will be convenient everywhere, right? Speaking of convenience, Quezon City is one of the busiest cities in the land. Vista Residences The Symphony Towers got your back for hassle-free and convenient life. This is one of the best condos in Timog, as this two-tower condominium property offers modern architecture and premium amenities and facilities. It includes a fitness center – with this facility. You don’t have to go and drive to the gym, as it is available already in your condo. It also includes a function room, swimming pool, and viewing deck; the game room is the most interesting. After a long tiring day out for work and fighting the traffic in the north, tenants and residents enjoy unwinding while overlooking the majestic view of Quezon City. This place is also nearby to so many establishments and very reachable. You should consider this condo in Tomas Morato if you’re readily getting one.  

The south may have Poblacion, but Tomas Morato in the North proudly sheltered the best areas filled with resto pubs, bars, and unique restaurants. There might have a lot of options of the condo in Timog or condo in Tomas Morato, but this one is near so many, perhaps the center where you find many Filipino restaurants in Timog and also those hidden restaurants in Quezon City that you will only find in the place.  

Lola Café + Bar 

If you are looking for a Filipino restaurant in Timog with a warm, open, and homey vibe, Lola Café + Bar is a restaurant is the one for you. This is located in 99 Sct Lozano St., Quezon City. It is a restaurant where you won’t only feel nostalgic because of their interiors but enjoy your food trip in Quezon City thanks to their classic Filipino dishes with an interesting twist. 

Lola Café is perfect for merienda and every meal from breakfast to dinner. The secret to Lola Café’s resilience and longevity is that every meal they prepare for their customers is made with love. Cliché might sound, but Lola or our grandmothers prepared every meal with love. Bone marrow sisig, truffled Lengua, crispy mascara, and humba glazed are the most recommended dishes in the resto. 

Limbaga 77 Café & Restaurant

This is one of the Filipino restaurants in Timog, and one of the best restaurants in Diliman, Quezon City. It offers traditional Filipino dishes such as lechon, bulalo, and kare-kare. Suppose you have a condo in Tomas Morato. In that case, you must visit 7 Sct Limbaga cor Tomas Morato Ave, Laging Handa, Tomas Morato, Diliman, and Quezon City, to try their specialties including Baked Lechon, Kare-Kare, and their Four Flavored Wings. Moreover, they are also offering function rooms if you’re looking for a place to hold an event. 

Mario’s Restaurant

 Mario’s Restaurant is part of western cuisine. This is one of the not-so-hidden restaurants in Quezon City located at 191 Tomas Morato Ave cor Scout Gandia, Laging Handa, Diliman, Quezon City. This Restaurant has been continuing the family traditions since 1971. The Restaurant originally opened in Baguio before opening another branch in Tomas Morato. Mario’s is well-known for its Sunday Buffet. Their buffet features Spanish and Filipino dishes. Paella Valenciano and Oyster Rockefeller are some of the signature dishes of the resto. 

Seoul Train Korean Barbeque 

After Western, let’s go to Eastern Cuisine this time. This is one of the recommended restaurants in Diliman Quezon City. It is located at #28 Sergeant Esguerra Ave. near Tomas Morato, South Triangle, Diliman, Quezon City. Seoul Train Korean Barbeque is defined as an immersive, locomotive-themed Korean BBQ grill. One thing that makes people love this Restaurant, aside from their classic Korean dishes and grilled meat, is their activities, such as their arcade crane machines. Galbi Tang, Dolsot Bibimbap, and Bul Samgyeop are some of the recommended dishes of Seoul Train Korean Barbeque. 

Aside from the restaurants mentioned above, here are some more favorite unique and hidden restaurants in Quezon City where you will enjoy your food trip in QC! 

• Livestock (Filipino Restaurant) located at 34 Sgt. Esguerra Ave, South Triangle, Quezon City
• Ombu Kusina (Filipino Restaurant) in G/F Sequoia Hotel 91-93 Mother Ignacia St. cor Timog Ave near Tomas Morato, South Triangle, Quezon City
• La Spezia MNL (Western Cuisine) located at 90 Scout Dr Lascano St, Laging Handa near Tomas Morato, Diliman, Quezon City
• The Frazzled Cook (Western Cuisine) is located at 78 Scout Gandia cor Tomas Morato, Laging Handa, Quezon City.
• Kandle Café (Western Cuisine) is located at 113 Mother Ignacia Ave., South Triangle, Diliman, Quezon City.
• Ikigai Kakigori Café (Eastern Cuisine) located at G/F POS Building, Scout Madrinan Street cor Tomas Morato, South Triangle, Diliman, Quezon City

For more information on Vista Residences, email [email protected], follow @VistaResidencesOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, or call the Marketing Office at 0999 886 4262 / 0917 582 5167.