During this pandemic, food businesses have become more apparent in our social media feeds, seeing them from sponsored ads on Instagram stories and promoted posts on Facebook. So why not hit two birds with one stone by satisfying your food cravings and supporting Benildean businesses at the same time?
Check out the following food establishments by fellow Benildeans!
Mau’s
Location: Quezon City
Opening its deliveries in May, Mau’s is an upstart family business that offers a wide variety of desserts ranging from classic chocolate chip cookies to delicious banoffee pie made with quality ingredients. Owned by Culinary Arts student Chelzzy David-Villanueva, she first opened her doors in 2015 under a different name, catering baked goods to customers only within the Manila area. Later on, the 23-year-old reopened and rebranded her business after her daughter, Maureen.
Mau’s best sellers include the Chunky Chocolate Cookie, Hershey’s Chocolate Cookie variants and Dark Chocolate Crinkles.
Looking for something new and exciting? The chef recommends their “Tres Tsokolate” cookie that has a bit white, dark and milk chocolate all in one cookie.
Mau’s takes you back to the flavors of your childhood with every treat; going beyond the expectations of your regular home bakery.
Delivery dates are posted on their Instagram account.
Blu Batter
Location: Lipa City, Batangas
A small-scale home kitchen which opened last month, Blu Batter sells Filipino specialty foods as well as classic pastries. Owner Christine Balucas, an HRIM student, and her mother first opened a small business which primarily sold only macaroons and chicken potato pie to a number of relatives and friends. Later the pair opened Blu’s to share their home recipes to a larger scale.
Serving up classic homemade hearty Filipino favorites, each dish ensures a taste of home in every bite.
The Chocolate Cashew Cookies, Macaroons, and Lechon B-Roll are some of its best sellers with the owner’s recommendation of “Chicken Potato Pie.”
Deliveries are being sent around Manila and Lipa areas. Manila orders are shipped through couriers such as Grab and Lalamove, while Lipa (Cash on Delivery) orders may be delivered anywhere nearby or to their doorstep. Check out their IG here.
Harakiri
Location: Manila
Serving up the Japanese Ramen craze, Harakiri offers an authentic and artistic take on the classic ramen. Owned by current Culinary Arts student Jed Cruz, the business originally opened its doors in November 2019.
However, inspired by the classic food truck and as a response to the pandemic, they opened their Kamikaze Truck last March which aimed to bring their Japanese flavors to their loyal customers.
Their menu only consists of Tonkotsu Ramen and Tantanmen Ramen. Cruz explained in an interview with The Benildean, “Since [we] want to pour our heart into perfecting our craft, we are focusing into making these two flavours the most remarkable ramen there is.”
The chefs would also recommend to spice up your order by adding a side of their delicately torched Chashu or signature shrimp steak.
To find out more about the business, head to their official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Isabella’s
Location: Muntinlupa City
Interior Design student Nina Rubio has been mundanely baking for her family for years. Wanting to reach more people and share the joy her desserts bring, Rubio opened deliveries for her online bake shop “Isabella’s” last May during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
Isabella’s is a small business that offers a selection of home-made desserts and pastries that Rubio opened to serve her family, friends, and neighbors. Starting off with the product that helped her start, her best-selling Carrot Cupcakes are light, moist, and not-too-sweet cupcakes that go perfectly with a cream cheese frosting on top. Other baked goods include Chocolate Chip with Oats, Hershey’s Chocolate Chip Cookies, and White Chocolate Chip Cookies.
To order, send a message of the order form with your name, order, mode of payment, delivery address, and contact number. Payments are made through GCash, BDO, and Cash on Delivery (COD).
Don’t want to spend on delivery fees? Simply send a message to their respective Instagram or Facebook accounts to arrange a meetup spot around the Alabang area.
Ms Cakes
Location: Las Piñas City
With a sweets-filled craving, Ms Cakes presents their pastries and dedication cakes for any event to celebrate. An affordable and market-friendly business, “Ms Cakes” is another bakeshop producing sweet delicacies made with quality ingredients.
Taking an interval with her time as a student and baker, HRIM student Maria Socorro Padua opened Ms Cakes’ doors for orders in September 2019. It was put on hiatus but still accepted orders at the time. Luckily, it was fully reopened in July 2020 through their Instagram and Facebook accounts. Opening a physical store this month or by September, Ms Cakes will be up for grabs and can be ordered both online and within their shop.
Serving home-baked goods, Ms Cakes best-selling products consist of the flavored pandesal, cookies, brownies, and customized cakes and cupcakes. They also include revel bars and cupcakes of different flavors from red velvet, funfetti, and mocha.
To find more of their delectable desserts, see their Instagram and Facebook pages.
Showing more support
Ensuring only freshly made goods, each business takes the necessary precautionary measures to ensure the safety of their customers from the start of their food handling process up until the time of the deliveries.
Looking for more food options to fulfill your cravings? Join The Benildean Food MarketPlace group on Facebook which offers a myriad of food sellers from the Benildean community here.
Also, you may like the Taft Initiative's Facebook page for more.
Now, indulge yourself in a plethora of flavors brought to you by the Benildean community.
Photos by Joshua Lazaro
