The recent Lunar New Year celebration was different from previous years since everyone had to take safety precautions. But that didn’t stop us and Ayala Malls from making it memorable in the new normal way!
For this year’s celebration of the #OXspiciousCNYatAyalaMalls, the Modern Tao Ke (MTK) Food Fair was one of the main events hosted by Ayala Malls, in partnership with Globe myBusiness, GCash, CHiNOY TV, and Fil Chi Ho Tsia Ho Dim. At the MTK Food Fair, various Chinoy food vendors and entrepreneurs gathered at Ayala Malls to offer mallgoers mouthwatering delicacies in a convenient and safe space. Participating Ayala Malls were Ayala Malls Greenbelt, Ayala Malls Circuit, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, and Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
The MTK Food Fair was not only for shoppers to enjoy but an opportunity for our Modern Tao Kes to show their amazing products to the public. The owner of Creamybakes by Melody said that the food fair experience was a great opportunity to showcase their products in an open space for the first time.
The owner of Hao Hao Garlic Sauce added that this opportunity was “great for them to create brand awareness and they are happy that there are a lot of people who got to taste and loved their crunchy yet spicy Chili Garlic Sauce.”
If you didn’t get the chance to drop by these great booths, don’t worry! Here’s the complete list of participating shops:
Ayala Malls Manila Bay
To start, Ayala Malls Manila Bay offered food from the Gourmet Lab, Liberty Food Mart, Food Bar Manila, The OC Chef, and Handsmaid.
Gourmet Lab’s specialty was their cha misua, radish, and taro cake, made from their grandmother’s recipe which has been their family secret for over 70 years now. Meanwhile, Liberty Food Mart has been running since April 1, 1923 with specialties such as hopia, tikoy, hoptik, and asian buns. They even had cakes made from whipped cream!
Food Bar Manila, run by an engineering graduate, mainly sold high-quality frozen dim sum. The OC Chef presented foodies with their special Chinese lumpia recipe and the first and only dedication lasagna in the Philippines. Moreover, HandsMaid offered their delicious radish cake. They’re also known for its imported quality ingredients like Scallop Mushroom and He-bi.
Ayala Malls Greenbelt
At Cakeaholic by Joanne, everything is baked less sweet and their pastries and bread are always of the best quality. Their cheese rolls can even be compared with the one Café Mary Grace has! On the other hand, House of Sansrival PH cakes had two scrupmtious flavors, mocha and butter.
In the business for over 70 years, Salazar Bakery takes pride in its well-preserved traditions and ancestral recipes. They are best known for their tikoy, hopia, crackers and more. In addition, Tikoy Village served a wide variation of tikoy, such as ube, plain, and pandan. For something savory, Lam County’s siomai and machang were a must-try. With the same owner, you may contact both Tikoy Village and Lam County at +63 917 813 8853.
On top of that, Oh My Chicken! also provided authentic Taiwanese street food and drinks. For more Chinese flavor, Gogo Dimsum offered a wide variety of authentic Chinese dim sum based on a Hongkong chef’s recipes. The Original Chicken Fandian featured family recipes and a new and improved fried chicken. At Siomai ni Yeye, their famous homemade siopao and siomai is their specialty and definitely a must-have!
Ayala Malls Circuit
Over at Ayala Malls Circuit, they had nine shops, including a jewelry shop and an organic soap store. Cakeaholic by Joanne and Liberty Food Mart made appearances here as well.
Unique vendors at this mall included Hao Hao Chili Garlic, which offers a sauce that’s unlike any other as theirs is much crunchier! Not only can you add it to your favorite dim sum, but a lot of their customers say that their sauce plus rice will also be heavenly. What’s more, Ho-Land gave a selection of genuine Chinese pastries and delicacies. Of course, their hopia was a must-try!
Mallgoers also got to taste Lucky House‘s famous Maki, Siomai, Fried Chicken, and Fresh Lumpia — their heirloom secret. Khai Store leveled up our expectations on machangs with famous Authentic Cantonese Machang. They also had fresh lumpia that was expertly wrapped and served in front of you.
If you miss Taiwan’s food and snacks, then Greetings From Taiwan would have been perfect for you! From Taro Cakes to Butter Crispy Cake and hot pot base to instant noodles, they had it all!
Aside from food, Nature Cares sold organic cleansing bars that are not only perfect for adults but also for kids. These included variants such as Cool Blue, which is infused with mint that leaves your scalp and skin cool and refreshed, and their Relaxing Lavender, which is best for bedtime. Kenzo Trading was also there for shoppers’ last-minute CNY preparations as they had angpaos, money trees, and more decorations. And for lucky charms, mallgoers only needed to head to Tiar Collection.
Ayala Malls Cloverleaf
Last but not least, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf had the following shops: Midnight Bakers, Chopstick and Spoon, Creamy bakes by Melody, Abby’s Corner, Dessert Bin & Juicery, and Machang House.
Midnight Bakers had freshly cooked bread that they advised to eat on the day, but for us, it stayed fresh till the next day. Chopsticks & Spoon served up their bestsellers: pancit guisado and lomi, plus their homemade siomai, which has captured the hearts of their clients because of its generous size and deliciousness.
CreamyBakes by Melody Portuguese egg tarts had foodies reminiscing about the ever-famous Hong Kong and Macau egg tarts. Not only did they have classic flavored egg tarts, but they also had a Filipino twist of ube-flavored egg tarts. For another one-stop dessert shop, there was also Abby’s Corner. They had Momilo Products’ Cheese Pie, Red Velvet Crinkles, and Neri’s Gourmet Tuyo.
Dessert Bin & Juicery had more treats for those with a sweet tooth. Together with fresh fruits, this store also had Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies and the highly recommended cookies infused with their specialty coffee. From their ahma’s homemade recipe, Machang House cooked up authentic Cantonese machang that’s meatier and bigger than the usual one with a less salty taste and free from MSG and preservatives.
Clarence Sy, the owner of Hao Hao Chili Garlic sauce said, “Safety-wise and location, in terms of foot traffic, is great.” Paula of House of Sansrival PH, also commended Ayala Malls’ organizing capability as among all the bazaars she has attended, Ayala has a very organized and reliable manpower.
This event wouldn’t have been possible without Ayala Malls and these amazing shops that participated at the Modern Tao Ke Food Fair. If you wish to find more Tao Kes and food discoveries, you may join the Fil-Chi Ho Tsia Ho Dim Facebook group here.
Also, for more amazing food finds, check out our Seng Di features here.
