Dining in the Next Normal: Fresh Picks Delivered to Your Doorstep

Since the lockdown back in March, it's hard to believe that more than eight months have passed in a new normal that has defined the way we go about our daily routine. And we all can't wait to see the year end. It's been a rough year, but there's always a silver lining to offset the anxious uncertainty of the times. Consumer habits continue to change and transform due to the lingering threat of the pandemic as dining at home and the food delivery culture emerged as one of the year's many lasting legacies. During the lockdown, we've discovered incredibly fresh dining options conveniently delivered to your home. Here's a rundown on some of the best and freshest delivery options that should be on your list... 

As quarantine restrictions gradually ease with the promise of a new vaccine expected by early next year, a renewed and much-needed sense of optimism ends a challenging year on a positive note. Isolated for months during the quarantine, access to fresh and premium produce seemed almost impossible. Yet despite the countless challenges, options for fresh seafood and premium meats delivered to your doorstep simply meant a few clicks or taps on your laptop or mobile device. Here's the year's freshest picks...

The bright and vivid orange hues of premium Norwegian Salmon and Steelhead Salmon never fails to brighten up any table. Airflown direct from the source, The Golden Catch PH lets you indulge with the melt-in-your-mouth buttery richness of premium sashimi-grade salmon right in your own home. The cold frigid waters above the equator have long been known to be a source of the finest seafood with deep and rich flavors that's distinct from the warm water variety. Chilled and never frozen, each order is packed and sealed in insulated boxes with ice so you can experience all the fresh briny and sweet notes at its flavorful peak. "Guaranteed fresh at your doorstep" is a promise that goes with each order from The Golden Catch PH. The Golden Catch PH offers Solo and Mixed platters of premium seafood, from Norwegian and Steelhead Salmon to Hamachi, Yellowfin Tuna, Spicy Salmon Salad, Spicy Tuna Salad and Uni and comes with bottled soy dipping sauce, fresh wasabi, a lemon wedge and pickled vegetables, all you have to do is pick up your chop sticks. 

And the flavors are exactly what you'd expect, with each bite draping the palate with a rich briny sweetness that can only come from premium salmon sourced a world away from the cold waters of Norway (for more on The Golden Catch PH and their fresh seafood offerings, prices and delivery schedules, see my post, Dining in the Next Normal: A Salmon Run by The Golden Catch PH). 

Sustainable, line-caught and traceable seafood comes to your table with The Sustainable Grocer Online Shop and its fresh seafood offerings like sashimi-grade Tuna Loin and Tuna Belly or the prized toro. The best part of having a slab of premium tuna at home? You can slice and enjoy your premium sashimi with your desired thickness. Just have your sharpest knife by your side. If you're tired of being served thin slices of tuna, here's a slab for you to slice any way you want it. And there really is nothing like a fat and thick slice of premium tuna sashimi.

The fresh and clean notes followed by a burst of briny sweetness just elevates your home dining experience. The Sustainable Grocer Online Shop makes it easy to order online with convenient payment options. In addition to sustainable line-caught tuna, The Sustainable Grocer Online Shop also offers certified organic coconut products, organic milk products, plant-based beverages, imported plant-based meat substitutes, seaweed products, vegan and wellness products (for more on The Sustainable Grocer Online Shop, see my post, Sashimi at Home During the Quarantine? The Sustainable Grocer Makes It Easy...).

When your seafood cravings call for succulent imported Maine Lobster Tails and plump Hokkaido Scallops, then Chef Gino and China Gonzalez has you covered. Chef Gino's Kitchen offers a wide variety of frozen and ready-to-eat meals in addition to Maine Lobster Tails and Hokkaido Scallops like fresh Barramundi, Hamachi, Salmon, his specialty 72-hour brined Angus Corned Beef and Angus Ribeye steaks. And the list keeps growing. Packed, sealed and ready-to-heat straight out of the pack, Chef Gino Gonzalez makes it easy for you to prepare and enjoy gourmet meals at home. Each bite is announced by a fresh snap followed by the fresh and briny notes of the fat lobster. The Maine Lobster Tails are perfect for an elegant seafood dinner or paired with his premium steak selections. 

The Hokkaido Scallops, delicately seared over butter with just a pinch of salt and pepper is all you need for this lavish seafood treat from Chef Gino's Kitchen. You don't need to complicate it when you have the freshest premium seafood in your home kitchen.

The 72-Hour Brined Angus Corned Beef by Chef Gino's Kitchen is another must-try, packed with flavorful brine and sealed before delivery. Simply pan-sear the tender slab and serve with a side of boiled cabbage and potatoes. Chef Gino does all the work for you, prepping each dish in his kitchen (for more on Chef Gino's Kitchen, see my post, Dining in the Next Normal: Dine at Home with Frozen and Ready-to-Eat Meals by Chef Gino's Kitchen). That's like having a chef in your home kitchen, all you need to do is open the bag. 

Another source of premium fresh sashimi-grade salmon and seafood is Salmon HQ, also known for their lavish take on the sushi bake. Countless food trends have emerged during the quarantine making its way to the culinary mainstream, and the sushi bake is one of them. Salmon HQ spins its own sumptuous take on this culinary trend with their over-the-top Aburi Scallops Salmon Ebi Sushi Bake and Crunchy California Sushi Bake.

By far, the sushi bakes by Salmon HQ are probably the most loaded versions that I've tried, generously topped with the freshest seafood. Each sushi bake variant plays on both flavor and texture, bursting with bold yet fresh notes with each bite. And wrapping it in crisp nori adds to the fun. Not only can you find premium seafood at Salmon HQ delivered to your home, you can also discover sushi bakes taken to the next level (for more on Salmon HQ and their seafood offerings as well as prices, see my post, Dining in the Next Normal: A Sushi Bake Situation Dispatched by Salmon HQ). We've seen trends come and go, but the sushi bake is here to stay. And if you want to experience a fully loaded sushi bake, just give Salmon HQ a call or a quick message and your sushi bake will soon be on its way to your table.

The quarantine experience left many of us longing for comfortingly familiar and nostalgic local flavors. With travel still strictly regulated, driving to culinary destinations for local delicacies will have to take a back seat. Or, you can always call or message Lola Pering's Heritage Recipes and skip driving all the way up north. Lola Pering's Heritage Recipe's brings Pangasinan's finest to your table with delicacies like Bonuan Boneless Tianpang Bangus, Guisadong Bagoong Alamang, Padas Isda Sauce and Heritage Pure Tsokolate Batirol. No need to drive, one click or a few taps on your mobile device are all you need to enjoy these regional specialties from Pangasinan.

Despite travel restrictions, one is never too far from local regional delicacies. Everything is conveniently accessible online with no need to leave home. What makes the Bonuan Boneless Tinapang Bangus by Lola Pering's Heritage Recipes special is the traditional and tedious smoking process using only bamboo adding a sweet aromatic fragrance to the local milkfish. Simply fry in a pan with a side of tomatoes, onions, steamed vegetables and the local specialty Guisadong Bagoong Alamang and you've got a comforting local meal on your table (for more on Lola Pering's Heritage Recipes, see my post, Dining in the Nexdt Normal: Pangasinan's Finest Comes to Your Table with Lola Pering's Heritage Recipes).

The quarantine experience allowed many chefs and restaurant owners to rethink and pivot in response to the new normal. Seeing home dining and food deliveries as a potential revenue stream to supplement the core dine-in business, Chef Redd Agustin of The Pork Project expands his culinary offerings for the home dining market with innovative new products like the Packed Frozen Chori Burger.

Blended with ground sirloin, pork fat, ground pork, smoked paprika, cider, pimenton, garlic, Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, the Chori Burger brings rich and unrestrained bold savory notes to the palate. It's just what you'd expect from The Pork Project (for more on The Pork Project, see my post, Dining in the Next Normal: Chef Redd Agustin's The Pork Project Rolls Out Savory New Offerings). It also makes for an easy, convenient yet satisfying meal. After thawing, you can slap these patties to your grill and create your own customized burger at home. No fuss, simple and uncomplicated, enjoy each savory bite followed by another with its mild sweet notes and smoky hints draping the palate. Burgers at home this weekend? Just call or message The Pork Project.

Fresh local milkfish prepared four different ways, that's what LA³ Boneless Bangus brings to your table. From Boneless Bonuan Shanghai Spring Rolls to Bonuan Boneless Belly, Bonuan Boneless Relleno and Bonuan Boneless Daing, LA³ Boneless Bangus delivers their local specialties directly to your doorstep with just one call or message. Delivered frozen in tightly sealed packs, the milkfish products are ready to cook after thawing. Fresh flavors, conveniently delivered. 

No need to fight over the Bonuan Boneless Belly, everyone can have their own slab. Each pack from LA³ Boneless Bangus contains three slabs of Bonuan Boneless Belly (for more on LA³ Boneless Bangus, see my post, Dining in the Next Normal: An All Bangus Feast Delivered by LA Boneless Bangus ). An all Bangus feast at home is easy with LA³ Boneless Bangus.

Premium beef, pork, lamb, duck and bacon from the US is also just a phone call or message away with Alternatives Food Corporation or AFC. A top tier broad line food supply integrator since 1998, AFC offers a wide variety of prime meats like US Wagyu Beef, US Kurobuta Pork and US Lamb in its inventory, including Canadian Beef, Iberico Pork, seafood, chicken and even potato fries. With choice cuts like these, you can cook like a pro at home.

The US Excel Brand Prime Grade Ribeye from AFC is the classic steak dinner that only takes a few minutes on the home grill. Seasoned with only salt and pepper, you can enjoy pure beef flavors with this premium slab. A dab of butter is all you need to complete your steak dinner at home.

The tender and juicy Swift Boston Butt Pork Steak from AFC was a pleasant surprise, with clean flavors and a savory richness that sets it apart from the usual pork dish. The pork butt or pork shoulder cut is lean with thin layers of fat adding even more flavors with each bite. It's a flavorful alternative to beef with its own unique yet equally rich and savory notes.

A simple home recipe is transformed with the US Kurobuta Pork Belly from AFC with its fork-tender slab for a sumptuous home dinner. And there's more...

The Premium Sterling Silver Brand US Bone-In Beef Short Ribs from AFC is another must try for the home grill. A popular cut for Korean style barbecue, the short ribs can be marinated and grilled any way you like it at home. Beef, pork, lamb, duck or bacon, AFC has it covered. AFC has more to offer to satisfy any craving for sumptuous home meals (for more on AFC Philippines, see my posts, Dining in the Next Normal: Alternatives Food Corporation (AFC) Brings Premium US Meats to Your Table and Dining in the Next Normal: A Savory Feast at Home with Premium Sterling Silver Brand US Bone-In Beef Short Ribs from Alternatives Food Corporation). 

You don't have to leave home for the day's freshest catch and premium meats, simply call or send a message online and your orders will be conveniently delivered to you. 2020 may be remembered as the year of the pandemic, but the year also brought unparalleled access to some of the world's freshest and premium produce conveniently delivered to your doorstep. And that's not all. This list isn't done yet. Comforting noodles, fresh-baked artisan bread and desserts, savory meals from a family's home kitchen, authenticity and innovation and much more defined dining in the next normal. And yes, you'll see more lists soon on the best offerings in the metro. Stay tuned for another round-up of some of the best culinary finds from the year, soon on the blog... 

For more on The Golden Catch PH, visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/thegoldencatchph/ and their IG Feed at @thegoldencatchph for orders and more information. You can also call 0926 061 2317. You may also order via bit.ly/goldencatchorders or email at thegoldencatchph@gmail.com for added convenience.

For more on The Sustainable Grocer Online Shop and their wide range of fresh, premium and organic products, ordering procedures, delivery and payment options, visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/sustainablegrocer/ or their website at https://sustainable-grocer.com/.

To order and for more information on Chef Gino's Kitchen and their various offerings and pricing details, follow their IG account at @chefginoskitchen.

For more on the sumptuous Sushi Bake offerings of Salmon HQ, call 0922 894 3679 for inquiries and orders. You can also visit their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/salmon.hq/ for more updates.

For more information on Lola Pering's Heritage Recipes, visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/LolaPeringsHeritageRecipes/ for updates. You can also call 0917 533 8472 (SMS WhatsApp) or 0995 096 4045 (SMS Viber) for orders or view their IG feed at @lolaperingsheritagerecipes.

For more on Chef Redd Agustin's The Pork Project, call 0917 438 2133 for orders and inquiries. You can also visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/theporkprojectph/ for more updates.

For more on LA³ Boneless Bangus, simply call 8837 1376 or 0977 610 1928 for orders and inquiries. You can also visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/laboneless.bangus and send in your orders via PM or through DM via their IG Feed at @la3.boneless.bangus.

For more on Alternatives Food Corporation, visit their website at www.alternatives.ph, call 0917 7979 and 0917 816 0209 or follow their social media accounts on FB (@afcphils2017) and IG (@afcphils). 

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