Coconut Jam from Bukobaba

I wrote a blog post about ten Filipino businesses in Metro Vancouver to support this month (Filipino Heritage Month).

Where to get Coconut Jam in Metro Vancouver?

One of the businesses on the list is Bukobaba. They sell premium coconut food and wellness products. Browsing through their website and store and learning about their business, I discovered that their products are available in Meinhardt Fine Foods. We do our grocery shopping in Meinhardt, and I decided to look for Bukobaba, and I found it! Woot!

Bukobaba Products at Meinhardt Fine Foods

I purchased one bottle of the Coco Jam + Cacao, and we're hoping to use it as a spread to our sandwich, instead of Nutella. We can't wait to try it.

Coco Jam + Cacao from Bukobaba purchased from Meinhardt Fine Foods.

I can't wait to support more Filipino businesses, not just this Filipino Heritage Month, but for the rest of the year and beyond.

June 18 update

We finally opened our jar of Coco Jam + Cacao. It was difficult to open so we put the jar under hot running water for a minute. Then, I mixed the contents of the jar with a teaspoon. The coconut part is solid because of the cold weather here. 

After mixing and the consistency looked right, we put some on toasted whole wheat bread and it was delicious! I think I need more bread. I'll probably order some pandesal to enjoy it with.

Breakfast at Tim Hortons

Before the pandemic, hubby and I used to have breakfast every Sunday at Tim Hortons before going to Mass. Today, we decided to do that again. We grabbed our usual Tim Hortons favourite.

We had two Farmers Breakfast Wrap (sausage for me and bacon for him), a small single single for hubby and a small hot chocolate for me. It was drizzling this morning, and we decided not to eat in the store, so we found a spot under a building awning, and we enjoyed our food there.

Look! Balancing a small cup of hot chocolate and Farmers Breakfast Wrap from Tim Hortons in one hand as I try to take a photo.

Hubby's Farmers Breakfast Wrap

I'm hoping we can go back to doing this consistently.

Lunch from Little Ongpin Restaurant

Last June 12, I wrote a post about ten Filipino-owned businesses in Metro Vancouver to support because it's Filipino Heritage Month.

Today, on top of ordering from LA Chicken, I called Little Ongpin Restaurant yesterday to place an order for pick-up at 11:30 AM this morning. Yes, we're having a feast at home!

What to get from Little Ongpin Restaurant?

I absolutely love their Lumpiang shanghai and pork barbecue. My brother and sister enjoyed their Chami noodles, while my mom likes the kare-kare.

Lumpiang Shanghai

Kare-Kare

Chami

I have tried a few Filipino restaurants in Metro Vancouver, like Pin-Pin, Aling Mary, Josephine's, and Bahay Kubo all the way in Surrey. But my favourite Filipino restaurant is still Little Ongpin Restaurant in Richmond, BC. 

Lunch from LA Chicken

LA Chicken has the best-fried chicken in Metro Vancouver. It's flavourful, crispy, and crunchy just how fried chicken should be. With that said, there's a long line of people to get inside the small shop today, and that makes me happy.

I'm so proud of folks at Richmond, supporting their local restaurants to help keep them open. I ordered 12 pcs of fried chicken (thighs and leg), half original and half spicy.

Spicy Fried Chicken from LA Chicken

Original Fried Chicken from LA Chicken

LA Chicken

Line in front of us

Inside LA Chicken

How to order from LA Chicken?

There's a long line outside because only two people at a time are allowed inside. The person at the counter takes your order, makes you pay, then he goes to the back to pack your order. He then leaves it at the table on the left side of the cash register, and you'll be on your way. Then, he can help the next customer.

The process is quick, and I saw a couple more men at the back, cooking the chicken as fast as they could to serve the hungry line outside.

Let's continue supporting small, local, and family-owned restaurants.

Ten Filipino Businesses to Support in Metro Vancouver

June 12 is the Philippine's Independence Day (#FilipinoHeritageMonth), and as such, I thought of promoting some of the Filipino-owned business here in Vancouver. 

This was taken July 1, 2016, during the Canada Day celebration at Steveston, Richmond BC. It's the first time I saw the Filipino-Canadian community since moving to Canada in 2015.

As I research and read about each business I highlighted here, I realized how much I miss the Philippines and how proud I am of the Filipino and Filipina behind each of these enterprises.

✓ Bukobaba

Bukobaba sells premium coconut food and wellness products. Buko is the Tagalog word for coconut. I'll look for their product at Meinhardt Fine Foods since that's now my default grocery. It's also perfect since I'm almost out of coconut oil when I cook vegan Laing.

June 14 Update: I purchased a bottle of Bukobaba Coco Jam + Cacao from Meinhardt. More details I shared on this post.

Coco Jam + Cacao from Bukobaba

Coco Cakes

Coco Cakes sells Filipino Mochi Cake. I have to order some to describe and understand what it is. However, I love the story of the founder, Dan. He became unemployed because of COVID-19, and that time turned into a beautiful business. Good job, Dan! I'm also biased since my mom is from Cebu and his parents are also from the beautiful island.

Ensaymada Ensaimada Moment

Ensaimada Moment sells the famous Filipino pastry Ensaymada. I'm already drooling, looking at their page. I better figure out how to order some, since my siblings love Ensaymada.

Kapé Coffee

Kapé Coffee makes coffee from the Philippines available in Canada. I don't drink coffee, but I think my colleagues would enjoy them once our office is open. Kape is the Tagalog word for coffee. This social enterprise source their coffee from Indigenous women growers from the Philippines.

Kasama Chocolate

As the company name implies, Kasama Chocolate sells chocolates with cacao beans from the Philippines. Now all my friends and colleagues in Canada know what they're getting for Christmas.

✓ Kayebakes

Kayebakes make available classic Filipino cakes and desserts we love. I was browsing their Facebook page and was thinking about what I could buy from them, then a post with mocha cake showed up. Now, I know where to get the cake for my birthday!

June 20 Update: We're having a triple celebration this weekend and I ordered a cake from Kaye Bakes. Read the post here. 

Ube Cake from Kaye Bakes

La Meryenda

La Meryenda is translated to "The Snack." Checking their menu, I immediately want to order Spanish bread. We used to eat this as a snack when we were kids.

Panaderia Corner

At this point in this list, I was thinking to myself, yet another bakery. However, Panaderia Corner have Ube pandesal and cheesy bread, and that's enough to get me drooling for more Filipino bread.

SAGO TOGO

SAGO TOGO sells taho. And they're in UberEats. I just hope they deliver all the way near South Granville or Richmond.

✓ Little Ongpin Restaurant

Little Ongpin is the first Filipino restaurant I tried when I moved to Canada. I remember entering the restaurant for the first time in 2015 and was teary-eyed during my walk home because I missed the Philippines so much. I highly recommend their Lumpiang Shanghai and Chami noodles.

June 13 Update: We spent a day in Richmond with my mom and siblings and we feasted on Filipino food from Little Ongpin. Here's a link to the post I wrote.
 

Kare-Kare from Little Ongpin Restaurant in Richmond, BC

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I hope you enjoy my short list. I'll make an indvidual post about each business after I've ordered from them. Hubby and I already discussing which one we want to try first.

A Starbucks drink during COVID-19

I haven't been to Starbucks since March 15 (Sunday). Today, we decided to grab a couple Frappuccino just because we have points to use for a free drink.

Physical Distancing

There is a couple and a lady waiting when I went inside. They're in line for mobile order pick-up. There is signage on the floor on where to stand to ensure people are physically distancing.

Physical distancing and lines inside Starbucks

The Starbucks barista asked for my name and said my order is ready, yay! I picked it up on the table and off I go. Before I exit, another barista is wiping the door (which seems to be always open) with sanitizer.

Inside Starbucks

Starbucks Drinks

We went home and enjoyed our Frappuccino with a homemade egg sandwich while watching Tangled on Disney+.

Tall Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino and Venti Double Chocolaty Chip Creme Frappuccino

I can't wait for Starbucks to slowly open up the dining area. I would love to hangout in one again.

Lunch from Canadian 2-for-1 Pizza

My youngest sister insisted we order pizza from Canadian 2-for-1 pizza. I said, sure, we can try it. I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it.

Canadian 2-for-1 Pizza Mediterranean

Canadian 2-for-1 Pizza Mediterranean

Canadian 2-for-1 Pizza Four Cheese Pleaser

Canadian 2-for-1 pizza

We were discussing why this pizza is so good, and we've come up with the following reasons:

1. The dough is chewy and tastes delicious.
2. The topping is superb.
3. Finally, the sauce, dough, topping ratio is perfect.

We don't like the dough of Domino's Pizza. Meanwhile, Pizza Hut can be a bit too oily and heavy. And my sister pointed at that both chains have too much sauce for the dough and topping.

Be sure to try Canadian 2-for-1 Pizza if it's available in your area.

Jollibee in Vancouver opens February 2022

This is not a drill! Jollibee is almost here in Vancouver! Yes! We don't have to drive all the way to Edmonton or Seattle for our Jollibee fix. You just have to take transit or drive to Downtown Vancouver core to get Chicken Joy and Peach Mango Pie.

Jollibee Feast

Where will the Jollibee be in Vancouver?

The location is going to be at 833 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC.

Why is Jollibee so popular?

My mom and I had this discussion. She said she doesn't understand why we're (me and my siblings) so excited about Jollibee - it's not even that good. The nerve! Anyway, my sister and I explained that more than the food we love (i.e. Peach Mango Pie), Jollibee is our childhood. It's what we grew up with. It's a symbol of being Filipino. It's a reminder of home.

Jollibee Longganisa with Fried Rice and Sunny Side Up Egg

Jollibee Corned Beef with Fried Rice and Sunny Side Up Egg

Jollibee Fried Chicken Joy

What to get from Jollibee?

I would imagine the line would be long, but I doubt it would be as long as Winnipeg or Edmonton, where there's just more Filipino. You should get the Peach Mango Pie. My sister's Canadian boyfriend is obsessed with it as much as we are. I would also recommend the Jolly Spaghetti with little hotdogs and sweet sauce. There's a combo of Jolly Spaghetti and Chicken Joy - that'll be my order. If I'm feeling greedy, I'll also order the Palabok (Filipino noodle dish) with fries - random.

Jollibee Peach Mango Pie

 Palabok and Chicken Joy Meal

Honestly, my favourite dishes from Jollibee are the breakfast meals.

When will it open?

Hopefully, soon! Although, understandably, the pandemic would delay things.

For now, I'm ecstatic to have Jollibee in Vancouver and at Downtown at that. It's one bus from my place, and when we're back in the office, I'll order a box for all my colleagues to try Peach Mango Pie.

Source: https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/food-and-drink/jollibee-opening-first-vancouver-location-2411896

May 2021 Update

We live near South Granville, but don't go to Downtown Vancouver often. However, during the last week of May, hubby took a bus going through Downtown and was able to take a photo of the Jollibee location.

Jollibee in Vancouver

When will Jollibee in Vancouver open?

Jollibee in Vancouver opening February 2022

This is the latest gossip (haha!) that I saw in the Filipino Facebook group in BC. The Jollibee in Downtown Vancouver will open in February 2022. This is the screenshot on Google Maps for the location with the updated pictures uploaded February 4, 2022.

Google Maps Jollibee screenshot as of February 8, 2022

Bida ang saya!