Food
THE ANNUAL John Gokongwei Student Enterprise Center (JSEC) Challenge is upon us! With 29 food stalls vying for the crown, figuring out which ones to try can be dizzying, but don’t fret! The comeback of Vantage Magazine’s JSEC Roundup has you covered.
Want a passport to authentic East Asian food without stepping off campus? This set of stalls promises to take you on an adventure! From China’s gingery marinade to Korea’s fiery kimchi, each region’s rich flavors are brought right to the Atenean crowd. Every bite is a journey through the vibrant culinary traditions of the East, so if you’re craving a taste of home or an escapade for your palate, these competitive spots are ready to serve!
Nom Nom: Hainanese Chicken (Php 119)
Nom Nom aims to highlight the lesser-known Asian culinary treasures with a special tinge of healthiness for anyone wishing for a wholesome, authentic dish.
Nom Nom’s Hainanese Chicken, priced at just Php 119, arrives on a simple plate, carrying the aroma of soy and ginger. The dish features a thick slab of chicken nestled between sprinkles of greens and a light sheen of sauce, paired with a mound of plain white rice. Upon the first bite, a rollercoaster of salt, pepper, and ginger swirls across the taste buds. The seasoning packs a savory punch but leans a bit too heavily on the ginger, still complementing the chicken nevertheless.
Just like any great Hainanese Chicken dish, the sauce dominates. Yet, despite the strong flavors offered by the other components, the rice felt underwhelming, lacking some sort of a bang. Still, Nom Nom’s version holds promise. It’s a meal designed for those who crave something fast, affordable, and healthy—a solution to the ever-busy Atenean lifestyle.
3/5 🥡🥡🥡/🥡🥡🥡🥡🥡
Tampai: Chicken Nanban (Php 149)
Tampai invites students to sit back, hang out, and indulge in their take on Japanese comfort food. The stall’s casual, laid-back branding sets the scene for what should be a satisfying meal—one that soothes the stomach as much as the atmosphere in Red Brick Road overwhelms the mind.
Their Chicken Nanban arrives with golden, deep-fried pieces of battered chicken, resting beside a small serving of scrambled eggs, all atop a bed of white rice. At first glance, the dish has potential—its crispy exterior hinting at a delightful crunch. While the texture doesn’t disappoint as the chicken stays crisp even after a few minutes, the breading itself lacks flavor, making each bite feel incomplete without a strong sauce to tie it all together.
The dish’s unexpected highlight? The scrambled eggs. Light, fluffy, and surprisingly more seasoned than the chicken itself, they provide a welcome contrast to an otherwise one-dimensional plate. At Php 149, Tampai’s Chicken Nanban is a decent attempt at the beloved Japanese dish, but it leaves diners wanting just a little more—more seasoning, more sauce, and more reason to come back for another round.
2/5 🥚🥚/🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚
Bowl Boys: Chicken Not So Little (Php 160)
At Bowl Boys, the power of choice is yours. Each protein is designed to shine on its own yet blend effortlessly with the selection of side dishes and carbohydrates they offer. With a price of Php 160, their dish can take you to an experience of crafting something uniquely yours while knowing that the flavors will always work in harmony.
Their Chicken Not So Little dish is served on a plate bursting with red and green tones. Intricate garnishes such as furikake seaweed and sil-gochu (chili threads) sit meticulously atop the chicken. Still, the glazed chicken stands as the undisputed star with its gochujang coat delivering a slow-building blaze. The spice offers a gentle zing, teasing the palate rather than overwhelming it.
Surrounding the bite-sized pieces of chicken is a heap of golden fried rice, speckled with peas, carrots, and egg; three dewy slices of cucumber; and a fried egg. The rice does its job as a strong base, but fails to fully deliver the flavorful expectation its golden brown exterior assured.
Bowl Boys’ Chicken Not So Little delivers where it matters most: a bold, well-balanced fusion of East Asian influences. For those seeking a reliable, flavor-packed bowl with a kick, this dish is worth coming back for.
4/5 🍗🍗🍗🍗/🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗
Hangkuk Food: Roasted Samgyupsal Bibimbap Bowl (Php 150)
Hangkuk Food transports Ateneans straight to the heart of Seoul’s bustling food alleys. Their dishes are inspired by the age-old traditions of Korean home cooking, in which meals are about sharing warmth and connection.
Their Roasted Samgyupsal Bibimbap Bowl is served as a feast for both the eyes and the stomach. Every inch of the plate is covered in an explosion of color and texture—an absolute steal for only Php 150. It is the kind of serving that will make you pause for a second, wondering if you had accidentally ordered for two.
Thick slices of pork lay neatly on top of a mound of steaming rice, with each strip glistening from a light bulgogi marinade and sesame seeds. Bright orange julienned carrots, deep to light green lettuce and cabbage, bloody red kimchi, and brown umami-laden fish cake all pop against the earthy tones of the protein. However, a certain element could’ve connected everything into one cohesive bite—here, the ingredients feel more like neighbors than a true mixture of flavors. A perfectly cooked egg, perhaps, with its yolk just soft enough to spill with the light press of a spoon, could have been the key to tie it all together. Still, the dish delivers—filling, flavorful, and undeniably worth its price.
4/5 🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷/🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷
Yatako: Pork Tonkatsu and Beef Yakiniku Onigiri (Php 120 per piece)
Yatako brings Japanese flavors to JSEC with a lineup of hearty rice bowls and handheld onigiri, offering both filling meals and quick, convenient snacks. While their rice bowls cater to those looking for a full meal, it’s their onigiri that sets them apart—packing layers of flavor into a compact, grab-and-go bite.
The Pork Tonkatsu and Beef Yakiniku onigiri showcase generous layers of protein, Spam, egg, and rice, albeit not always ensuring that no single component overwhelms the palate. The pork tonkatsu provides a satisfying crunch, though it leans slightly on the drier side. Meanwhile, the beef yakiniku delivers a richer, more tender bite. The egg, seemingly cooked with a light flour batter, adds a mild chewiness that ties the textures together. Now, while we all love us some Spam, it steals the show from both the pork and the beef, which should carry most of the dishes’ flavor.
Still, at Php 120 per piece, Yatako’s onigiri stands out as a unique alternative to the usual rice bowls and sandwiches. It’s a perfect in-between—a filling, flavorful snack that doesn’t weigh you down. Whether you’re in need of a quick bite between classes or something to pair with a bowl for a more substantial meal, these onigiri are worth a try.
3.5/5 🍙🍙🍙/🍙🍙🍙🍙🍙
