A year after being hit by the pandemic, most of us have spent more time at our own homes than we ever did before. Health and travel protocols restricted us from experiencing life outside of our front door. But if there’s one thing our situation taught us, it’s that we can welcome that outdoor experience, inside the comfort of our own homes.

One way to welcome that outdoor experience is through the food we eat and drinks to share with our family members or maybe just for ourselves. A simple meal can give a lot of comfort during trying times. There’s a reason why they’re called comfort food. The South is known to be a melting pot of the best comfort food around. Providing a variety of food with exquisite taste, residents hailing from the South are known to be proud of their location mainly because they are filled with great food hubs that make them feel right at home. With alcohol restrictions easing down, especially in Alabang, you can now enjoy your favorite drinks by pairing these 10 southern specialties with Boozy’s top drinks and have them delivered right at your doorstep.        

1. White Pantry’s Mexican Chalupas and Bread and Butter Chardonnay

White Pantry brought the flavors of southern-central Mexico right at the heart of Parañaque. Their Mexican Chalupas are perfect to get your day started with their slow-cooked Mexican pulled beef with Monterey Jack and Cheddar Cheese on the inside and crispy fried tortilla on the outside for that ASMR crunch. With each bite oozing out the savory flavors of Mexico, it’s best to be paired with the rich vanilla taste of Bread and Butter Chardonnay. The fusion of savory from the chalupa and creaminess from the Chardonnay is definitely an experience to try. 

2. Bitelab Mnl’s Chicken Bao Bun and Stella Artois

Parañaque’s Bitelab is widely known for their Chicken Bao Bun. It’s a classic Asian snack with rich flavors in each bite. Bitelab Mnl’s take on the Chicken Bao Bun is a testament to that. Crunchy bites of their signature chicken are put in a bed of their freshly made Bao Bun. We can never go wrong with pairing a classic snack with a classic drink, right? And what’s more classic than a cold bottle of Stella Artois Premium Lager Beer? Close to none. This crisp Belgian lager with its refreshing taste is best paired with the flavors of Asian Fusion. Surely a great “West meets East” pairing for your craving. 

3. Fritzza Pies’ Margarita Pizza and Engkanto Double IPA 

Pizza is always a good idea at any time of the day. That’s why getting Fritzza Pies’ Margarita Pizza would be a sure hit. This pie is the definition of “nice and simple.” No toppings, no extra sauces; it is brick-oven pizza in its purest form. Pairing this pie from Parañaque with something citrus just seems right to balance the flavors out.  Engkanto Double IPA offers that citrus passionfruit taste with a kick to jumpstart your day.

4. Snacc Den’s Tots & Chips with their Signature Marinara Sauce and Horoyoi White Sour

All the way from Ayala Alabang, Snacc Den’s Tots and Chips with Signature Marinara Sauce would be the perfect combo for a slow and steady meal at home. Each Tot filled with a cheese of your choice adding elegance to a simple snack is something. Then there’s the chips partnering that with their tangy signature Marinara Sauce is special. Pairing this up with a refreshing can of Horoyoi White Sour would be perfect. The milky flavor contrasting with a little sour after taste, defines a Horoyoi White Sour, as it complements the saltiness and savory from the tots and marinara sauce, completing that slow and steady meal. 

5. Hey Ho Garage Burgers’ Chook-O Salamanca and Heineken 330ml 6 Pack

Can’t get enough of that Latino heat and spice? Hey Ho Garage Burgers from Ayala Cupang will definitely have you grabbing your phone to place an order for their Chook-O Salamanca Burger. It’s their signature Mexican Fried Chicken sandwich filled with chunky salsa roja, avocado crema, refried beans, Cholula-honey drizzle, and freshly shredded lettuce to balance the strong flavors. This sandwich is perfect for going all-in on a busy day. If you’re going all-in you might as well go big and nothing’s as big as Heineken’s 330ml 6 pack filled with a crisp balanced taste. Brewed and processed for 28 days to achieve that refreshing crisp hint that balances the flavorful Chook-O Salamanca. 

6. BOK Korean Fried Chicken’s Yangnyeom Chicken and Matua Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

It’s no secret that K-Drama and K-Pop have taken our country by storm, and still continues to do so. You might want to check out Parañaque’s BOK Korean Fried Chicken’s Yangnyeom Chicken for your next K-Drama marathon or your next K-pop sound trip. Yangnyeom is Korea’s own take on sweet and spicy. Getting its flavor from garlic, sugar, and other spices. Making every bite of chicken packed with flavor that will leave you wanting more. With the contrast of sweet and spicy from the chicken, having a drink that soothes the palette would be a perfect match. Matua Valley Marlborough brings a tropical flavor that is sure to refresh the palate after each flavorful bite of BOK's Yangnyeom Fried Chicken.

7. Balay Baler’s Flavored Kamote Chips and Barefoot Moscato

For people who really don’t have the time to prepare a full meal during a busy working day, Ayala Alabang’s Balay Baler Flavored Kamote Chips got you covered for that snack craving to get you through a workday. Barefoot Moscato has always been known to complement a variety of artisanal cheeses with its blend of juicy peaches and sweet apricots. That is why this Moscato is set to be a perfect pair for the Nacho Cheese and White Cheese Flavored Kamote Chips of Balay Baler. A perfect harmony of saltiness from the flavored kamote chips and refreshing sweetness from Barefoot Moscato’s fruity spirits. 

8. Momona Loa Poke’s Poke Taco and So Nice Green Grape 360ml 9-Pack

Hailing from BF Homes, Momona Loa is one of the bolder and more innovative South Food Hubs out there. Their Poke Taco special is a fusion of Mexican and Hawaiian flavors in every bite. This taco captures the freshness of the sea in a bed of a hard shell tortilla for that extra crunch. Pairing this with So Nice Green Grape Soju keeps the whole experience fresh and crisp to get you through the day. This pairing definitely is worth a shot for a busy working day to keep you refreshed and relaxed. 

9. UMI Takeaway Sushi’s Salmon Menu and Johnnie Walker Black Label 

What else says comfort food at home more than a platter of sushi? Straight from the city that carries the label of ‘Home of the Bamboo Organ,” UMI Takeaway Sushi will deliver you your sushi rolls in a heartbeat from Las Pinas. Their Salmon Menu consists of 7 Salmon Nigiri, 7 Torched Salmon Nigiri, and 6 Gunkan Salmon Avocado. It comes with a garnish of ginger, soy sauce dip, and wasabi. Much like UMI is a true icon from Las Pinas, it’s best paired with a drink that is truly an icon as well. The Johnnie Walker Black Label has an unmistakably smooth, deep, complex character. With this food pairing, you can perfectly get on with the ‘south vibe.’

10. Hokey Poke’s Spicy Salmon Bowl and Jack Daniel’s No. 7

Ready for some Hawaiian-inspired Poké Bowls located down south in Pacific Malayan Village of Alabang? Hokey Poké’s best-selling Spicy Salmon will serve you different varieties of herbs and spices to enhance the versatile taste in you. Have a grand time munching on your poké bowl when you pair this with one of the world's most recognized brands, a bottle of Jack Daniel's famed Tennessee whiskey. A freshly distilled whiskey, drop by drop through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal, certainly, you can’t go wrong with this whiskey and poké bowl pairing. 

Travel restrictions may be easing up but there truly is no place safer than home. All these southern specialties and spirits are available and would happily serve you as you stay at home. Make your home extra comfortable by having these specialties delivered right at your doorstep. Each meal really is all about comfort and is there any place more comfortable than the safe space inside your own home?