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Gift Ideas for Filipinos in Jakarta

March 16, 2013

I’ve meant to write this post for a while. Guess what we usually ask our Filipino friends to bring us when they come to visit us in Jakarta? Everything can be found in a supermarket like Rustans Fresh.

Another possible title for this post was “things to buy in the Philippines before going to Jakarta.” Or “Rustans Fresh Supermarket Finds” since we usually buy from Rustans Supermarket Rockwell. The best thing about it is that they box it up for us and tie it up. All I need to do is put our name on the box and our loot is ready for check-in without the hassle of having to pack it myself! (Sometimes we bring a heavy duty box from Office Warehouse if we want to buy more stuff)

Philippine Rustans Fresh Supermarket Finds

The corned beef available in Jakarta looks more like pate or regurgitated stuff so Pinoy corned beef is like gold here. Tuna is also different and the spicy ones are way to hot for my taste buds. Gotta love my Century Tuna in Hot and Spicy!

rustans manila supermarket finds-012

There is a similar snack here, but not nearly as salty and garlicky as pinoy cornick.rustans manila supermarket finds-001

The mangos in Jakarta are like what we call Indian Mangos back home. So this Mango-snob (who only used to eat fresh sweet mangos and never ever dried) is now treasuring dried mangoes from the Philippines. My husband’s boss brought us some Belgian chocolate mango strips from the Philippines and I will love her forever for it. #OMG it’s so good!

rustans manila supermarket finds-002

I know they have the ubiquitous Indomie instant mie goreng here but nothing replaces my Lucky Me Instant Pancit Canton in Calamansi / chilimansi flavor. rustans manila supermarket finds-003

Since there is only one Filipino restaurant here, pinoys love these mixes to recreate some Filipino dishes. We love chicken tocino for breakfast!

rustans manila supermarket finds-008rustans manila supermarket finds-004 rustans manila supermarket finds-005 rustans manila supermarket finds-006

The usual thing I ask from friends is Graham Crackers which CANNOT be found in Jakarta. Trust me I’ve tried. I use it to make desserts like No-bake blueberry cheesecake and banana cream pie.rustans manila supermarket finds-007Sweet treats like polvoron (Goldilocks and HOP) and Chef Tony’s  Popcorn are always a hit here. 
rustans manila supermarket finds-009

Knorr Seasoning is liquid gold saved for special breakfast -silog meals. They have Maggi seasoning here but it’s not the same.  rustans manila supermarket finds-010

Other edibles that we’ve asked my MIL to bring us here are:

  • Purefoods Tenderjuicy Hotdog (frozen and wrapped in newspaper) because the beefdogs are just not the same and the American equivalents are shockingly expensive
  • Chorizo from Spain
  • Tuyo they have this hear, but I haven’t found one that I wasn’t allergic to. This has to be checked in and wrapped really, really well

I also love bringing Human Nature Products like the sunflower beauty oil here.

rustans manila supermarket finds-011

I have stocks and stocks of Allercon Dust Mites Spray here. Jakarta is a dusty city and wherever there is dust, dust mites are surely at hand. For someone who is severely allergic to dust mites, this is heaven-sent.

rustans manila supermarket finds-013

For spirits you can bring 1 bottle of alcohol into Jakarta per person. It’s really cheap in the Philippines and super yummy. We love…

philippines filipino rum

  • Tanduay Rum
  • Paradise Mango Rum Liqueur
  • Boracay Rum in coconut flavor

*Note: Please be careful of the quantities you bring because customs in Indonesia is infamous. 

Hope this has given you ideas for your next trip back to Jakarta if you are going as an expat or visiting friends. I’d love to hear what other pinoys bring to Jakarta when coming from the Philippines! Do drop me a line!

 

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11 Comments · jakarta good to know, manila shopping

Comments

  1. Wander Woman says

    March 16, 2013 at 10:05 AM

    Ah, Boy Bawang! I miss it.

    Reply
    • diplomaticwife says

      March 17, 2013 at 1:23 PM

      ohhhh yeah… my stash is long gone! =(

      Reply
  2. Wander Woman says

    March 18, 2013 at 12:24 AM

    Anyhoo, are you coming to Koi on Tuesday?

    Reply
  3. Lro says

    September 5, 2013 at 5:09 PM

    I am in desperate need of those century tuna for my cooking show here in Indonesia. Any idea where i can buy them here??

    Reply
    • diplomaticwife says

      September 5, 2013 at 8:42 PM

      Unfortunately it is hard to get many imported food items from the Philippines in Jakarta. There is no Filipino grocery. Sorry I can’t help you!

      Reply
  4. tania says

    April 9, 2015 at 2:14 PM

    Good evening. I’m tania monica from London School of Public Relations Jakarta. To welcome ASEAN Economic Community 2015, i’d like to invite all of communities from Philippine in Jakarta to join our event. If you are interested or have any questions, please contact me at taniamonicaa@gmail.com

    Reply
  5. nasser says

    December 7, 2018 at 11:36 PM

    Hi! I’m Filipino. I badly Needn’t buy Filipino PRODUCTSFOR.My wife BECAUSE she is pregnant. She is craving for SOMEThiNG filipino food that I am not sure if we have it here in Jakarta. Can you recommend any super market WHERE I can find Filipino STUFFS.Please please please. Hope I can all get some feed back from you guys. Thank you very much!!!

    Reply
    • diplomaticwife says

      December 15, 2018 at 9:43 AM

      Hi Nasser, is the Filipino restaurant in the basement of FX mall still open?

      Reply
  6. Jakarta. Shmulivich says

    October 21, 2019 at 9:25 PM

    Hi my son wants to know how he can have 2 bottles lambanog and tanduay rum shipped to jakarta.

    Reply
    • diplomaticwife says

      October 28, 2019 at 8:30 PM

      Hi I am sorry I have not tried to do this so I cannot give advice. We would just bring in a bottle or two when we would fly in and because we have diplomatic passports, they cannot check our bags.I’m sorry I couldn’t help.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. TRAVEL DIARIES ✈ Last minute shopping NAIA 3 | The Diplomatic Wife says:
    October 17, 2013 at 9:18 AM

    […] goods in Manila. We make sure to go to Rustans Supermarket with a balikbayan box and have them pack our favourite goodies. I also do some last-minute shopping in my favorite stores/stalls in NAIA 3 before take off. Below […]

    Reply

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Hello! I’m Ayessa, trailing spouse to a diplomat, mama to DiploBaby and DiploDog and founder of Declutter MNL. I love talking about how to achieve a minimaluxe lifestyle one step at a time.

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