A Foodie's Survival Guide to the QCinema Film Festival
A Foodie's Survival Guide to the QCinema Film Festival
Artwork by Joaquin Prudente
An elementary analogy: if Cinemalaya is the Buwan ng Wika of local film festivals, then QCinema is the United Nations (UN) Month. Established in October 2012, the QCinema International Film Festival has become the country’s pioneer in bringing the best films from some of the world’s most prestigous film festivals such as Cannes, Toronto, and Venice to our shores.
For the current cinephile generation (or the Letterboxd kids) in the country, November is a highly anticipated time of the year. It’s the season where our allowance or hard-earned money goes…poof! And as a foodie myself, this feature will delve into the survival of our tummies, with the goal of spending less than P200 (at least on food), which is more than enough to pass by in-between film screenings.
QCinema season is not only celebrating the best of world cinema, but also world cuisine. Growing up in a middle-class neighborhood and being curious at the same time exposes you to different experiences in life. I grew up watching the Asian Food Channel (now the Asian Food Network) and the shows of Anna Olson, Martin Yan, Michael Smith, and Kylie Kwong, where I was exposed to diverse cuisines, thus opening my eyes to the world. Also, my proximity to Binondo allowed me to explore various ways to whip up healthier, more interesting, and more exotic food choices, which reflected my dream lifestyle.
Anyway, enough with my personal rambling—let’s get into the food!
Disclaimer: This feature is not sponsored by the establishments mentioned. Prices may also be subject to change without prior notice.
T.F.F. picture of food menu | Photo by Kyle Livelo
If you like Chinese food I recommend trying the newest fried rice restaurant T.F.F. Tarsier Fried Food located in Farmers Plaza, adjacent to Gateway where QCinema is held. I recommend trying the Chili Fried Rice (P99), and you get to choose what spice level you prefer ranging from mild to super spicy.
On a tight budget? Rice in a Box (RBX) and Chowking are your best bets. For RBX, which has a stall at the LRT-2 Araneta Center-Cubao concourse, I recommend the Korean Fried Rice (P79). There’s also the classic Chowking Chao Fan Fried Rice (P50). Just bring your tumbler or water bottle before leaving with water, coffee, or juice inside it!
Lately there’s been hype over Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine outside of the ubiquitous shawarma. Many SINEGANG.ph staffers are crazy about 100 Gadz, a food stall serving South Asian cuisine. Their samosas are worth raving for, priced at P60 a piece for the classic potato and P99 for beef lovers. You can also score a serving of Chicken Biryani at P189, and their specials Beef Overload Rice at P120 and Beef Open Platter P140.
For fast food/food court stalls, you can’t go wrong with Burger King’s 2 for 129 Burgers (you may have to download their app) and Potato Corner. There’s also Chef Bowl & Rice, from celebrity chef Boy Logro, recommended by X user and Filipino film enthusiast Raven (@chowmowan). My go-to’s here are the Falafel Rice Bowl and the Naked Burrito, both priced at P99.00, and the Thai Basil Chicken Rice Bowl at P119.
Don’t forget the supermarket will also be your bestest friend. Robinsons Supermarket in Gateway 1 and Shopwise in Gateway 2 has a plethora of ready-to-eat snacks including Khaleb and Jamaican Pastries. For only P75 you get to choose from a variety of flavors like Beef Pinatubo, Cheesy Beef Pinatubo and Spicy Tuna.
For baon recommendations, tuna-mayo and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are easy to prepare and uncomplicated to consume, especially when you’re trying to catch multiple screenings in a day. Just don’t bring ulam inside the cinema like adobo, kare-kare or sinigang (Sinegang?!) as these strong-smellings foods might distract fellow cinephiles—it's basic etiquette after all.
For the Shangri-La and Powerplant Mall QCinemagoer, the basement level food options are your best bets. If you’re into Japanese cuisine, Kyukyu Ramen 99 has a great selection of budget ramen for only P99 such as the Kyukyu Ramen, and the Spicy Ichiban Ramen (P199) if and if you’re in the mood for some heat. You can also get a nice serving of Buttered Chicken, a Northern Indian dish, for P180 à la carte at The Marketplace in both Shangri-La and Powerplant—just bring a baon of rice!
Trinoma and Robinsons Magnolia? *ahem* You can explore that on your own…just kidding! They also have diverse food options, and some of the stalls I've mentioned here are also available in these malls.
However, at the end of the day, you choose what to eat in order to survive the gap hours before the next film or even the debriefing. Maybe splurge on something like MyThai, Pho Hoa, or Wolfgang, or even one of those trendy dining places in Cubao Expo. But if your wallet’s tight I recommend you heed these words on food.
Gateway 1’s Food Express | Photo by Kyle Livelo
This guide doesn’t apply only to QCinema, but at any film festival regardless of where you are in the world. In this socio-economic climate, it’s always best to stretch our budgets even further while continuing to live, and of course, to thrive in this increasingly volatile world.
But most importantly: always bring your ice-cold water (if you can!) at all times whenever you are going out at any time of the day.
With that, budget accordingly and happy QCinema Film Festival season!
T.F.F. Tarsier Fried Rice is located on the Third Floor, Farmers Plaza (walk straight from Mary Grace in Gateway 2 and Yoshinoya).
100 Gadz, Burger King and Chef Bowl and Rice are located in Gateway 1’s Food Express. RBX Rice in a Box and Chowking also has various locations within Araneta City.
The Marketplace is located at the lower ground floors of Shangri-La Plaza and Powerplant Mall. Kyukyu Ramen 99 has branches in Gateway Food Express, Farmers Plaza and Shangri-La Plaza’s food courts.
The 12th QCinema International Film Festival runs from November 8-17 in Gateway Cineplex 18, Ayala Malls Trinoma, Robinsons Magnolia, Red Carpet Shangri-La Cinemas and Power Plant Mall.
