GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
8 restaurants I'll visit as soon as I come home: Jorel Corpus, LA-based music producer and sound engineer
Most of us will remember Jorel Corpus as the gregarious guitarist of rock band Kjwan. The dude has been MIA in the local scene because sometime in the mid ‘00s, he flew to the US to study music. He has since been based in Los Angeles, California working as a music producer, sound engineer, and a musician.
He’s worked on albums of artists like Boyz II Men and Tyrese, and has been nominated for the Grammy Awards a few times in 2015 and 2016. “I also worked on the theme song sung by Boyz II Men for ‘The Snowy Day’ a movie made for Amazon Prime, which won a bunch of Daytime Emmy Awards,” Corpus tells GMA News Online via email.
“Everyone here is good in their skill sets, everyone is good and [even] has better work ethic than you,” he says about working on those cool projects in LA.
“You have to learn how to read people and figure out what they want. Sometimes, you learn how to do a certain thing and that’s not how people here do it [but] you have to be adaptable. No one has time to deal with dramatic clients, people will move on to the next if you give them any trouble,” continues Corpus who also just released a new song "All of It."
Corpus landed a month-long gig in Taiwan "doing live sound for a (private) Disney thing." He decided to swing by for the holidays and stay a full month "since it’s so near — and I have not been home for six years. I have not seen any of my family and friends! Balak ko magkalat,” he excitedly says.
While Filipino food is having its moment in LA and is so easy to find, there's nothing like food back home. Corpus lists down all the food items he'll definitely order in restaurants he'll definitely visit when he arrives this month.
1. Kare-Kareng Bagnet from Pino
“I just think this is the pinnacle of being creative with Filipino flavors. I don’t know if I have tasted any fusion thing that has been better than how I remember this.” 39 Malingap St., Teacher’s Village, QC. 11am-12am. +632 4411773
2. Grilled Chorizo from Larsian. "It’s soooo good with the ‘puso’ that I still dream about to this day." Fuente Osmena, Cebu. +639226205921
3. Abuhan’s Sizzling Pochero. "It’s so rich and tasty! I have so many good memories about eating this in the morning, after a long night out, after playing a show in Cebu. I remember one of my old bandmates falling asleep literally while chewing this with a spoon in his mouth because he was so drunk, out of his mind. This, along with the Larsian chorizo is a Cebu destination thing for me." F. Ramos Street, Ramos, Cebu. 24/7. +6332 2535774.
4. Chelo Kebab and Keema from Mr. Kebab
"Throughout my high school, college, and post-college life, this was my go-to food at 3-4 a.m, after a night out. I cannot miss eating this when I am back home. I am pretty sure that there are better places out there but this takes me back." 95-A, West Avenue, West Triangle, Quezon City. +632 3735941
5. JT’s Manukan Grille. "I can’t remember any inasal place in Manila better than JT’s. In Bacolod, I know there are a lot of options." 4 Granada St., Quezon City. 10am-2am +632 7219025.
6. Anything from the North Park and/or Hap Chan menu
"Both belong to the same category for me. It’s nice and easy Chinese food. Like all of these, I have so many memories of eating in these places after gigs, super late at night. And I always order soy milk!" Various locations around Metro Manila
7. Wai Ying’s steamed tofu. "They’re served in disgusting metal bowls but they’re always so good!" 810 Benavidez St., Binondo. 7am-2am. +632 2436665.
8. Aysee’s Sisig
"I don’t know of any other place that does sisig better than Aysee." Cityland Townhouses, 17 Martin St., Oranbo, Pasig. 8am-10pm +632 6343207.
A BONUS: Mary Grace. "I always bug the owner to open an LA branch because its ensaymada and cheese roll are literally what I think about every day."
He also mentions "this tapa that I really want to eat but it no longer exists! It used to be the place in front of the old Mr. Kebab building. It was called New Ongpin or something, but that place closed down,” Corpus continues.
Not to worry, Jorel. There are many excellent places we can take you to. — LA, GMA News
Are you balikbayan coming home for Christmas? Give us your list of restaurants that you'll visit as soon as you land! Email us submissions@gmanews.tv
