JSEC has been one of the most common hangout places of
students. As early as 7:00am, you see students studying, sleeping or talking
with friends until classes start. It doesn’t just serve the purpose of a
cafeteria where you just buy the food, eat and leave but a sanctuary where you
can make noise, gather tables and chairs to fit the number of friends eating
together.
Yes, the number of students who eat there especially during
peak hours are too much, add that with the heat of the sun and the “JSEC smell”
makes the appeal of JSEC not as enticing but still students will always come
back to that place.
My first year in Ateneo, JSEC seemed like the perfect place
to just chill and eat with blockmates instead of walking to Katipunan and eating
in McDonalds. But just like all things, the hype and excitement for a place
dies down and after eating the food there almost everyday, we tend to crave
something else. Even up to today in my junior year, trying most of the stalls
already and its not even half of the school year makes me and my friends brave
the heat to walk to Katipunan to eat something else. Yet despite the having the
same kind of food everyday, it nice to know that JSEC will always be there to
welcome us back with the chairs that get more comfortable the longer you sit,
the worry of not being able to find tables before your next class along with
the teamwork you and your friends have to find those “rare Pokemon” tables.
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As college students, one of our main
worries is our performance in class. The Ateneo culture is probably one reason
why most, if not all, students are grade conscious. But we must always remember
that as students we are also responsible for our own health! Now to help all
those health conscious Ateneans out there, if you are feeling lost in JSEC and
don’t know where to buy your daily dose of healthy food, here’s our guide for
you!
SaWrap
SaWrap is a Filipino take on burritos, only
extra healthy! Their wraps are a mix of vegetables like lettuce, cucumber, tomato,
spring onions and bean sprouts. Now that sure is a healthy and delicious way to
serve a dish.
Ampersand
Last Nutrition Week, while most JSEC stalls
came up with their new healthy food, Ampersand has already got it going. Their
daily dose of healthy food is their famous Bibimbap. It’s a mix of rice with
beef and vegetables topped with a sunny side up egg. Bibimbap is definitely the
best choice for those who want a full and healthy stomach.
Chowchow
Chowchow’s General Chow Mien and Egg noodles
are also one of the top choices for a healthy dish in JSEC. It’s a good way of
serving vegetables without the unpleasant sight. Their Yumplings are also mixed
with vegetables.
There you have it! These are only some of the
best healthy dishes in JSEC. So for those of you who always complain that JSEC
food is oily and “nakakasawa”, we
hope that our post will help you think otherwise! And to guide you more,
especially those who are not from Ateneo, here’s a simple map of the JSEC area.
Enjoy!
Everyone has favorites. You can have a favorite kind of food, favorite book, favorite movie, etc. But what is your favorite stall in JSEC?
Students have different preferences when it comes to food. Honestly, I like buying food from Chow Chow. Aside from the fact that I love eating Chinese food, I think that their Yumplings and General Chow Mien are appetizing. However, that does not mean that I don't like the food in the other JSEC stalls.
Choosing a favorite would be quite difficult since all the stalls have different characteristics.
We asked some of students around the school what their favorite JSEC stalls are. And here are their responses.
What's Your Favorite JSEC Stall?
This is what the
student body and teachers have been raving about in JSEC. SaWrap is a
Filipino-themed wrap stall that provides quality home made wraps, fresh
ingredients all wrapped in banana leaves. It’s a healthy package wrapped in
one.
This was their
recent release, Super Siam. Personally, I like this wrap because of the peanut
sauce (satay sauce) they put on top. They also have other
flavors such as the Breakfast Burrito, Tapa Shawarma, Adoborrito, the all-veggie
Vegetta and The Pekeng Duck.
This type of food was meant for the on-the-go customers because it’s a
wrap. My personal experience though is that it looks harder to eat than what
people think. The sauce tends to spill and peeling out the banana leaf can be
quite tricky. Nevertheless, it can be carried it around and eaten in class that
makes this SaWRap wrap extra appealing.
What is also great about this stall is they keep their customers
engaged. This was taken from their Facebook page: SaWrap. And recently they opened their own twitter account. The first 50
followers get a discount on their next purchase.
The name of the stall is catchy enough to get people’s attention and
serving it wrapped in banana leaves adds that extra touch of “saving the
environment by not using wax paper or plastic” appeal.
So what are you waiting for? Go try a wrap at SaWrap!
For the School of Management, in
coordination with the Ateneo Management Association (AMA), one of its major
events is the JSEC Challenge. As we have said in our first blog post, before
students can be part of JSEC, they have to undergo a process which is the JSEC
Challenge. It is composed of three stages, and each stage has four winners and
seven wildcard all in all. And it’s that time of the year again!
JSEC 2014 was officially
launched and introduced to the students last July 10, 2013 with the theme
Military. An orientation was held at Leong hall for the final guidelines for
those who are up to the challenge. Last July 28, students have already
submitted their proposals to the SOM Dean. Although there still hasn’t been any
update on the release date for the JSEC Challenge participants, students for
sure are hoping for the best results. We’ll keep you guys posted on the results
and the new participants for the JSEC 2014!
Being healthy is one of the most important things to people nowadays. They do everything just to get fit, from having diets to going to the gym.
Every year, there is a week dedicated to being healthy called the Nutrition Week. This year's Nutrition Week was held from July 22-26. The whole Ateneo Community, not just the Loyola Schools, celebrate the Nutrition Week. All school cafeterias, including JSEC, will serve special menus in line with the Nutrition week. On the first day, the theme is Fruits while on the second day, Fiber. The third and fourth day are Vitamin C day and Fish day respectively. And on the last day is the Green day.
Photo from: http://www.admu.edu.ph/sites/default/files/gallery-image/IMG_8327_1.jpg
In JSEC, all of the food stalls participate in the festivities of Nutrition Week. They add meals or drinks to their menu that are healthier compared to the usual food they offer. These meals are usually only offered during the Nutrition Week but sometimes, other stalls make it art of their permanent menu.
Let's see what the different stalls had to offer during this special week!
SaWrap offered the Super Siam wrap, which is made out of chicken inasal, lettuce, mint leaves, togue, and satay sauce. They also offered soy milk as a drink which you can order with the Super Siam. Quick Fix added the Grilled Chicken with Raspberry Vinaigrette to their menu in line with the Nutrition Week. KatsuKo sold legit Matcha drinks along with their veggie-meat katsu with mushroom sauce and nori, Shiro-Katsu. BBQ Nation included the Grilled Bangus especially for this week while Ampersand offered their usual Bibimbap along with pandan juice. Red Nation had the Beijing Bundles (Chinese lumpia wrapped in lettuce) and the Kutchay dumplings added to their menu. The Katsu Chicken Salad with Roasted Honey Dressing was the addition that Katsubaby had for Nutrition Week. Queens offered the Made in Manhattan sandwich, which is made with wheat bread, apple, chicken, lettuce, celery, pickle relish and mayonnaise. The Market Sorbet was added to Food for Thought's dessert menu while Hunger Grains offered the Cream of Broccoli and Cheddar soup in their side dish menu. The ForTUNA crepe was included in the menu of Speed Pockets and the NYPD or the New York Pesto Dory was the addition to Panini Time's menu. For the Bottom's Up stall, they added a new drink which is the Watermelon-Orange juice.
Staying fit and healthy has never been this tasty!
Sources:
http://www.admu.edu.ph/gallery/launch-nutrition-week
https://www.facebook.com/pages/SaWrap-at-JSEC/182029798610706?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/QuickFixJSEC?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/KATSUKO.PH?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/AteneoBBQNation?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/AmpersandRiceBowls?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/SpeedPockets?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bottoms-Up/165577420252035
https://www.facebook.com/PaniniTime?ref=ts&fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/HungerGrains?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/JSEC.FoodforThought?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Queens-New-York-Comfort-Food/144013615756676?fref=ts
Yes, BBQ Nation serves all of that.
Located at the end of JSEC and near the restrooms doesn't stop customers from lining up to try their food. Having a very fresh concept of all BBQ’s with different sauces as compared to the other stalls with a lot of fried foods. When you do buy the different meals, they spice up your taste buds not because its spicy but because its different and good. If you don't want the Teriyaki kind of flavor, go for the original Filipino sauce for that sweet taste or the Hickory for the stronger one.
The chicken bbq meal gives you the "i need to come back for more" feeling. The servings will make you full for an affordable price.
 |
| BBQ Nation Liempo |
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| BBQ Nation Chicken Combo Meal |
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| BBQ Nation Ribs Combo Meal |
Visit their page for more information! BBQNation
Source:
BBQ Nation Facebook Page (Images)
Video and Images are properties of BBQ Nation
They say food has its own power to satisfy the
deepest cravings of a person. When you go to the Ateneo JSEC, you will not only
find food that will satisfy your cravings but also food that will take you to
places. JSEC offers a variety of food selection which is inspired by the famous
delicacies of different countries. Two weeks ago, we posted an article about
the some things you didn’t know about the JSEC food stalls. Now, allow us to
take you not only to different places but to the stories behind the selected
food stalls in this second episode of “Some things you didn’t know”
Top
Slice
Top Slice may be the hardest JSEC stall to
find. It is located not in the JSEC area but on the second floor of Matteo
Ricci Study Hall. They offer pizza with the finest toppings and flavor. They
have a pizza topped with Quattro cheese, Grilled Pesto Chicken and, of course the
usual, Pepperoni. But did you know that the some of the owners of this stall
were previous owners of the Sizzlers stall? Talk about perseverance and hard
work!
(For more details, visit Top Slice)
Asian
Express
Asian express takes pride on their Asian rice
bowls. They also give great importance to the presentation and quality of the
food they serve. But did you know that they chose to do Asian meals because all
the owners love Asian food? That’s right. And what’s more is that one of the
owners is a Korean that’s why they serve Korean food. They surely are bringing
pride to the Asian race!
Chowchow
Chowchow is one of the stalls in JSEC that
sells Chinese food. They offer traditional Chinese food like Hainanese chicken,
dumplings, siomai and more. Among all these Chinese food, their best seller is
their “yumplings”. Did you know that their yumpling recipe is from China and
that it is made by a cook from China? Looks like they would really go beyond
measures to satisfy their customers!
(Fore more details, visit Chowchow)
Hunger
Grains
Based on their name, we can already say that
this stall got was inspired a blockbuster movie, The Hunger Games. Hunger
Grains offers beef, chicken and pork cooked in different ways. The names of
their dishes are also inspired by the name of the characters in the movie. But
did you know that just like in hunger games they also have a baker boy.
Surprisingly, everyone's favorite Capitol Cookies are baked twice a week by our
very manly Finance VP, Mel Mauleo. Now, that is what we call dedication!
(Fore more details, please visit Hunger Grains)
Speed
pockets
Speed pockets is one of the stalls that offer
to go food. They make delicious crepes that makes eating easier for the busy
Ateneans. But did you know that their journey in the JSEC challenge wasn’t
smooth sailing? They were not really sure of how they would be able to
fix the packaging of their food to make it possible to be "on the go"
until the very morning of JSEC challenge day one. Luckily, they got it fixed
and now, they’re one of the best JSEC stalls for the year!
(For more details, please visit Speed Pockets)
That’s
it for our second post for the trivia about selected JSEC stalls! Stay tuned
for more did you know articles about your favorite JSEC stalls!
Source:
Interview
from respective owners
Asian
Express Facebook page
Chowchow
Facebook page (image)
Speed Pockets
Facebook page (image)
Hunger
Grains Facebook page (image)
Top
Slice Facebook page (image)
Chinese food has become really popular these days. In fact,
there are at least four stalls in JSEC selling Chinese dishes. One of these stalls is
Cooking Panda. Located in the entrance of JSEC, no one can miss this stall.
Cooking Panda logo
from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=320459058080794&set=a.223786684414699.49866.223779077748793&type=1&theater
Cooking Panda stall
This Chinese food stall offers a bunch of meals such as the
Orange Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork, Salt and Pepper Spareribs, Hainanese
Chicken, and Sesame Chicken. Besides these meals, they offer side dishes, like Siomai, Shanghai Rolls, and Chinese Noodles, which you can buy as part of the combo meal. The bestseller of this stall, according to one of
the workers, is the Salt and Pepper Spareribs. The Salt and Pepper Spareribs is a tasty meal with a bit of spice added onto it.
Salt and Pepper Spareribs with Shanghai Rolls
Another one of their must try meals is the Orange Chicken. This dish has a sweet and spicy taste that even haters of spicy will enjoy.
Orange Chicken
Although there are a number of Chinese food stalls in JSEC this year, Cooking Panda, with their affordable dishes and big servings, is definitely one that you should try.
Recently, there has been a fad and certain crave of having katsu meals. Why go all the way to different malls and places to satisfy one’s cravings when you can have your own right here in Ateneo. This JSEC stall is right in the middle of the student enterprise, right beside “Kuya Guard” and Ampersand.
Now, what you may ask this stall serves? Well take a look at their menu:
Their bestseller is the original pork curry with cheese toppings and iced tea.
If you enjoy curry with a unique taste that will make you crave for more then this is right for you.
For those who want or prefer the plain chicken katsu with barbeque sauce, mushroom toppings, milk tea and a scoop of chili to add that extra spice in the meal, then order this right now.
And for those who prefer a calmer dish, then plain katsu is the choice for you.
(Isa’s fish katsu dish)
What’s great about Katsubaby is you are not limited to just pork curry. They give you options to choose your meat, sauce and drink (combo meals) for you to mix and match whatever you are craving for that day plus the servings are big and the people behind the stall are one of the friendliest in JSEC.
(Kuyas and ate from Katsubaby)
So overall experience is great and definitely this is something worth trying when you go visit.
Aside from academic problems, one of
the everyday dilemmas of students in Ateneo is what to eat. Ateneo provides the
students with a lot of food services like the Gonzaga Caf, Zekaf, Manang’s, ISO
Caf, and JSEC. But believe us when we
say it is not next to impossible to run out of ideas on what to have for lunch!
As students, especially as Ateneo
students, we are obliged to study and think 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as
part of our learning experience or the so called the Ateneo way. Our daily
activities ask from us a good amount of energy. We believe the best way to survive this
lifestyle is to eat, eat, study a little, then eat again! And so here are some
guide and need to know facts about the selected JSEC food stalls to guide you as
you make your choice to solve your everyday dilemma:
This JSEC food stall takes pride on their oriental dishes which satisfy the cravings of the Korean, Japanese and Chinese food enthusiasts. But did you know that their official name is The Incredible Cooking Panda Food Stall? They veered away from the lengthy name and is now known as Cooking Panda. Thankfully, the change in name didn't affect the food taste. After all, it’s not about the name but it’s all about the food!
(Visit their Facebook page for more info: Cooking Panda)
Cooking Panda
Katsubaby
Looking for something spicy to awaken your taste buds? Katsubaby is the right place for you! They serve delicious Japanese Katsu curry dishes that will surely please your hungry stomach. But that’s not all! Did you know that the brains behind all of these are all men? That’s right, Katsubaby is owned by five competitive and hardworking men. Who said only women have taste?
SaWrap
With the busy schedule of students,
convenience and time management are very important. SaWrap food is one of the
stalls that cater to the busy Ateneans. They serve on the go wraps with fresh veggies
and meat of choice. Now that is a convenient yet healthy way to serve food! Also, did you know the owners of this stall are very hands on to the point that, every weekend, they make the pita dough themselves? Maybe this dedication is the reason behind their delicious wraps!
(Visit their Facebook page for more info: SaWrap)
BBQ Nation
One way of cooking food that never goes out of style is barbeque. BBQ Nation offers an international take on barbeque that is surely loved by the diverse students of Ateneo. They serve grilled meat with a taste of Japanese, American and Filipino barbeque sauce. Aside from this, did you know that BBQ Nation is owned by four female students? You read it right. With their tasty sauce, surely, their international BBQ are bringing all the boys to their yard!
(Visit their Facebook page for more info: BBQ Nation)
Ampersand
Ampersand Rice Bowls, or simply Ampersand, specializes in making mixed fried rice inspired by the flavors from different areas of Asia. They serve fried rice in a way we have never tasted before. But did you know that the people behind this stall are all students majoring in Management and are active members of Ateneo Management Association? Looks like these students learned well from their major subjects. Another thing, did you know that the two bowls and chopsticks in their logo form an ampersand? Now that's a good mixture of creativity and knowledge!
That’s it! These are only a few of the various
JSEC stalls but hopefully we were able to help you decide and solve your food
shopping problems. Stay tuned for more guide and fun facts for the other
stalls!
Sources:
Cooking Panda Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/CookingPandaJSEC
Cooking Panda image from their Facebook page
Katsubaby Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Katsubaby
Katsubaby image from their Facebook page
SaWrap Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/SaWrap-at-JSEC/182029798610706?fref=
SaWrap image from their Facebook page
BBQ Nation Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/AteneoBBQNation/info
BBQ Nation image from their Facebook page
Ampersand Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/AmpersandRiceBowls/info
Ampersand image from their Facebook page
Interview from respective JSEC owners
Katsubaby Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Katsubaby
Katsubaby image from their Facebook page
SaWrap Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/SaWrap-at-JSEC/182029798610706?fref=
SaWrap image from their Facebook page
BBQ Nation Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/AteneoBBQNation/info
BBQ Nation image from their Facebook page
Ampersand Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/AmpersandRiceBowls/info
Ampersand image from their Facebook page
Interview from respective JSEC owners
World's first student entrepreneur mall in the Ateneo? Yes, that's right.
 |
| JSEC |
Started in the year 2007, the John Gokongwei Student Enterprise Center (JSEC for short) became the world's first student entrepreneur mall where the students, who are aspiring to become entrepreneurs in the near (or not so near) future, can start their own businesses. The goal of this JSEC mall is to produce more efficient entrepreneurs since they get to apply the things they learned in their books and classes. It gives students more opportunities since you'll never know, one of the stalls that started out in JSEC might be the next big thing.
The JSEC Challenge, which is held thrice a year, determines whether a stall can be one of the chosen stalls in JSEC. Many people join the JSEC Challenge, however; only a few get selected to operate for the next school year. Joining the JSEC Challenge can be a bit tedious since you have to brainstorm for unique ideas, make a proposal (which should be approved by the JGSOM Dean), look for possible suppliers for the products, and have a defense. And you have to remember that there is a big chance that you won't get in and all of your efforts go down the drain. But, the reason why most people still join, even if it's really hassle, is that you get a huge profit from your stall once you get in.
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| JSEC Challenge |
The original number of stalls accepted was 12 but since the place has been renovated, the number increased to 19. With the newly renovated JSEC, more stalls can get in JSEC and more customers can be accommodated.
Suffice to say, running for 6 years now JSEC has been what most students would like to call their "tambayan" or hang out place, others would call it the extended cafeteria. Furthermore,
JSEC does not only serve as a simple cafeteria but also a place for Ateneo
students to showcase their talents and skills when it comes to business.
Before we get into the nitty gritty of our blog--JSEC101 style and the stalls for SY2013-2014, one must first step in JSEC and take a look for themselves.
For more information about the JSEC, check out this page: Ateneo Student-Centered Learning
For more information about the JSEC, check out this page: Ateneo Student-Centered Learning
DID YOU KNOW:
- JSEC was called SOM Mall before
- When it first started, students sold everything from clothes to school supplies to food but only the food seemed to click that is why in the coming years--more and more food stalls have been occupied
- Robi Domingo and Chris Tiu owned JSEC Stalls
Sources:
upper left picture: Photo from http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss74/rupertphotobucket/P1010067.jpg
lower left picture: Photo from http://thepinkdaddy.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/dsc02491.jpg
http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/tl/tl012908.htm
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