When you’re a kid, merienda is, probably, the most anticipated meal of the day. Rushing home after school meant waiting for manong fishball to come around with his cart, so you could watch him expertly skewer the crispy discs from the hot oil, so you could dip it into the gooey sauce in tall Nescafe bottles.

After scarfing them down, you’d find pandesal with all kinds of palaman (fillings) or treacly sweet Spanish bread waiting in the kitchen.

For Chef Jen Gerodias, the culinary whiz behind the much beloved Casa Luisa, these are the food memories from her hometown of San Pedro, Laguna that have resonated with her. And these are the flavors that she is bringing to the big city in Cariñosa, her newly-opened spot at The Grid Food Market in Powerplant Mall.

‘Merienda Tayo’

“For me, it’s really all about nostalgia. I wanted to evoke those memories when guests come by Cariñosa,” says Chef Jen. And her menu reflects that story, focusing on dishes that you would normally find around the neighborhood. With that added “cheffy flair,” of course.

It’s hard to say which part of the menu is a good place to start, because honestly, everything is delicious, in a homey and comforting kind of way. Her panaderia selection features a fancy take on some homegrown favorites. There’s the queso de bola ensaymada, but amped up with truffle honey and smokey etag, or you can go for the Spanish bread with a French butter glaze. Instead of pandesal, Chef Jen serves up a fluffy pumpkin monay, with a choice of French Butter, Queso de Bola, or Cheese Pimiento for palaman. She also offers a rotating selection of palaman, so do go ahead and ask what’s on offer for the day.

Pancit Guisado is also another Filipino merienda favorite, and Cariñosa takes it to the next level. You can choose between bihon or canton noodles, which is topped with an overflow of Chinese sausage, fishballs, vegetables and fish. Feeling indulgent? They have a version with truffles, too! The pancit comes in bilao size, perfect for your next potluck, or just to bring home to the family.

Street food and fun

All over the world, street food has found its place as a defining feature of any culture. And Chef Jen made sure that beloved Pinoy street food, which she fondly calls Tusok-Tusok, found a place on her merienda spot’s menu. The biggest hit so far? Casa Luisa’s Seabass Fishballs, served fresh out of the pan in a little boat platter with a BBQ skewer. “I wanted these to be hearty and tasty, so I used Apahap (local sea bass), and the mix is 80 percent fish,” she explains. For a truly authentic experience, you can choose from two gooey Manong sauces — one sweet and spicy, or even a spicy vinegar, if you are so inclined. For those of us who had the crispy ukoy, the chef suggested a hack for an even tastier bite — “Pour the vinegar into a small plate, so the ukoy can lie flat and soak up all that goodness!”

Perhaps the charm of Cariñosa is that Chef Jenn knew exactly how she wants her customers to feel with each bite of her food — a happy tummy and a full heart. Where one is flooded with thoughts of the slow days of childhood, and the provincial life. And all the flavors that come with it. For her, these dishes are also rooted in her own core food memories. Dishes that were cooked, and taught to her by her yaya Jasmine — who continues to inspire her creativity in the kitchen. Which makes one think that Cariñosa is an apt name for this merienda spot. As Chef Jenn explains it, “a friend says that it describes me as a person — in the way I cook for people. I hope they feel that in my food here.”