Alden, BarDa go for Filipino take on Umu Rice

Japan and Korea are among the top travel destinations for Filipinos, thanks to K-pop and Japanese anime, McDonald’s Philippines executives said at the celebration of World Egg Day last 10 October in Taguig City.

As such, Japanese and Korean dishes are a hit among Filipinos, so for its latest offering, the fast food chain unveiled its take on the Japanese Umu Rice, the Golden Curry Fillet with Egg, which is also ideal as a breakfast option since Filipinos love silog or meals with sinangag (fried rice) and itlog (egg).

Actor Alden Richards, who owns a branch and will open a second branch of the fast food chain store also in his hometown Laguna, shared that what makes the new dish a standout for him among the restaurant chain’s offerings is its curry sauce.

“It’s the flavor of the sauce that will really carry the curry,” he said partly in Filipino. “So when I tasted that, I said, ‘This is okay! It’s delicious and sweet.’ But in the end, there’s the spicy kick, but the kick is really just mild and not overpowering.”

Enamored with the sauce, Alden began experimenting with it, putting it also on fried chicken, chicken nuggets and on his very own “Alden’s combo” or quarter pounder burger he tops with three pieces of nuggets.

Alden’s fellow endorser, Barbie Forteza, said she loves to order breakfast from the drive-thru and considers it as a treat before a long day of taping.

“Breakfast is really important because it starts your day. It starts your mood and it’s where you would get your energy for the rest of the day,” affirmed the actress, who takes a heavy breakfast. “And a Filipino breakfast is incomplete without egg.”

Barbie’s love team partner, David Licauco, counts on eggs for breakfast as a major protein source that complements his daily workouts.

“If my breakfast is delicious, I know that I’m going to have a good day,” he attested.

The World Egg Day coincides with Mental Health Day, and although mental health is very important, even small things like eggs, said Alden, matter.

“We have to thank the eggs!” he quipped. “We have to count the eggs and talk about even the smallest things once in a while. We should not take even the little things for granted, as a reminder of our gratefulness for all blessings, big and small.”