Where to Buy in Manila

Where to find a certain item in Metro Manila? It's a question every Manileño has asked at one point or another. Manila is a world city and has most of the things you'd want in its markets but it also has well-travelled citizens who are knowledgeable and demanding. The following is a list of some everyday items common in other parts of the world that are rarer in the Philippines and where to find them in Manila.

Food

Where to buy almond powder in Manila?

Almond powder was seen in the international section of Metro Supermarket.

Where can I get brown bean sauce / paste in Manila? Where can I buy yellow bean sauce / paste in Manila?

Brown bean sauce or yellow bean sauce is a relatively common ingredient in Southern Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisine. It was seen in Makati Supermarket and in Shoppers' Mart on Ongpin.

Where do I buy red fermented beancurd in Manila?

Red fermented bean curd is a relatively common ingredient in Chinese cuisine. It was seen in Shopper's Mart on Ongpin.

Who sells red rice vinegar in Manila?

Red rice vinegar is a relatively common ingredient in Chinese cuisine. It was seen in South Supermarket and in Bee Tin Grocery on Ongpin.

Where to get Sichuan pepper in Manila?

Sichuan pepper is a relatively common ingredient in Chinese cuisine. It was seen in Bee Tin Grocery on Ongpin.

Where to buy wheat starch in Manila?

Wheat starch is a relatively common ingredient in Chinese cuisine. It is sometimes called ting powder / flour or cheng powder. It was seen in the international section of Metro Supermarket and in Bee Tin Grocery on Ongpin.

Household

Where to find borax in Manila? Where can I find boric acid powder in Manila?

Borax is a chemical compound with multiple uses. It can be used as a household cleaner, insecticide, or welding flux. The most obvious places to look for it are in hardware stores and drugstores. Unfortunately, during actual attempts to find it, most of the places visited said that they did not carry it or were currently out-of-stock. A closely related compound boric acid powder was found in an imported American insecticide formulation at True Value Hardware but was probably ten times more expensive than a locally sourced supply. Borax was eventually found at an RFC Department Store where the main use it was associated with was as an aid in billiards. Still it wasn't in large enough quantity.  More research turns up Alysons' Chemicals in Quezon City (contact# 712-2266) as a supplier for boric acid powder and some chemist shops on Rizal Ave. near Bambang like Crismon Enterprises (contact# 711-6403).