Since I’ve been receiving emails and requests for a round up of the restaurants that have struck my fancy lately, I am your genie in a bottle today, minus a very sexy belly.
10. Balboa in East Wing Shang
Take a punch from Balboa’s vibrant dishes.
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TRY These Dishes:
Baked Ziti P299
Balboa’s baked ziti was very tasty with lots of flavor coming from the tomato, mushroom, crumbled sausages and baked cheese on top. It had enticing flavors and had an oily bottom (hopefully it was olive oil) and the crumbled sausages just add a deeper salt shade
Parmesan Halibut with Wild Mushroom Risotto P498
Balboa’s halibut was seasoned well and its top part covered with Parmesan cheese giving the fish a sharper taste. Enjoy the hefty portions of wild mushroom in the creamy risotto. Just season your risotto with pepper.
Balboa
4/F Shangri-la Plaza Mall, East Wing,
Shaw Blvd cor EDSA Wack Wack,
Mandaluyong Philippines
(0932) 878 3984
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9. Madeca
It’s a well-lighted corner with very colorful interiors. Menu is simple and short, written on a chalkboard above the counter. You order the food at the counter before sitting down then they give you your order number in huge wooden number blocks
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Madeca, , Filipino and Mexican Fuse
TRY These Dishes:
Sisig Soft Taco
The sisig soft taco had its crunchy bits that you expect when taking a bite of sisig but it had a fuller pork impact since the meat is chunkier. It had lettuce, mushroom and salsa inside to add to the flavor.
Margarita Virgin P50
Lemony snickets! To wash down your meal.
Chicken Quesadilla P135
For the price, it’s a good chicken quesadilla minus the wow factor.
Chili Con Carne Burger P220
My absolute favorite in Madeca! I’m partial to chili and I love its tingling mild spice, which Madeca has incorporated in this burger. Since it easily breaks apart, you might want to use utensils but since I eat messy, I’m all about this! Very tasty burger.
Madeca
5/F Podium Mall, 18 ADB Ave.,
Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong
(02) 234 5233
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8. Calderon Cocina Tapas y Bebidas
Calderon is a Spanish Kitchen and Tapas Bar that serves authentic home-style Spanish food, tapas, sangrias, wine and beers inside a homely, warm-lighted interior.
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Calderon Cocina Tapas y Bebidas
TRY These Dishes:
Gambas Al Ajillo Php 280
Calderon’s Gambas Al Ajillo was close to faultless with all that’s savory and garlicky really soaked in the meat of the shrimps. The serving was just right with several pieces on the dish.
Bacalao ala Vizcaina Php 280
Basque-style codfish stew groomed with potatoes, roasted red bell peppers and simmered in white wine-tomato sauce. The bacalao though is almost in flakes or shreds.
Sangria
Calderon Cocina Tapas Y Bebidas
403 F. Calderon Street, Little Baguio, San Juan
238-2264 (Landline); 0926-7279465 (Globe); 0919-8060358 (Smart)
Email: calderontapas@yahoo.com
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7. Mitsuyado Seimen Ramen
I enter a recently opened restaurant along Jupiter Street and I thought I was right smack back in a street alley in Tokyo, Japan 6 years ago. There is a street cart, a barbershop, store fronts, cobblestones around that give an illusion of being in the country of the Rising Sun with ninjas waiting to slide down the roof shutters and pounce on you with karate chops.
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TRY These Dishes:
Karashi Tsukemen P250 / regular
Cold noodles lay on a white plate with a bowl of soup or more appropriately, dipping sauce. The way I ate it was to pick up the noodles with my chopsticks and lower it on the red dipping sauce. I watch as the semi-thick noodles slither in the small bowl absorbing what it can from it swimming spree. I take a bite of the newly soaked noodles and a sip of the soup and enjoy the chewy texture and spicy flavor.
Cheese Curry Tsukumen P340 / regular
Small bowl of cheese sauce was served with the Tsukumen. Layer some cheese on the noodles before dipping it on the curry dipping sauce. Let some of the cheese sauce drip into the soup that just makes it creamier. Although I liked the spiciness of the Karashi Tsukumen, I particularly relished the layers of flavor with this Tsukumen from the semi-sharp cheese flavor to the biting curry taste.
Cheese Tsukumen can feel very rich but why not experience it once.
Mitsuyado Sei-Men
No. 22 Jupiter St
Brgy. Bel Air, Makati City
(632) 511 1390
11 AM – 12 MN Daily
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6. Urbn Bar and Kitchen
Albeit the overflow of the social crowd past 12 midnight, what’s still under the radar is Urbn’s prowess in the kitchen during dinner time. The main dining area is quite grand and dramatic with larger-than-life chairs surrounding the long huge table. If you’ve acquainted yourself with the Jacks, Johnnies and Joses that you order smartly in bottles at Urbn, as well as Urbn’s list of original mixed drinks, equally vibrant are their menu items and dinner dishes.
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Urbn Bar and Kitchen, Like You’ve Never Laid Your Lips On
TRY These Dishes:
Double Baked Manchego Soufflé
This lightly baked savory dish, made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites, had the right puff-up feel, even if it was turned over, which is difficult to perfect. Its airy egg-y lightness sparked with creamy yet slight sharpness of the Spanish cheese, Manchego and embellished with the crispy, almost paper thin Jamon Serrano that has that slight sweetness.
Dry Aged Bone-in Rib Eye
The steak was so handsome and dashingly grilled that I would have said yes if it asked my hand in marriage. The doneness was medium to slightly medium rare with parts that are medium-well towards the ends, just the way I like it. It’s not part of their menu but you can request it from the kitchen.
Australian Rack of Lamb
Herb and Horseradish Crust, Roasted Pumpkin and a Garlic Yogurt Sauce
It was a feast for the eyes with racks of hefty lamb meat crusted with herb and horseradish coating, resting on a moon-slice of roasted pumpkin. The roasted pumpkin was glistening and it was beautifully seasoned, qualified starch to partner with the succulent Australian lamb.
Chocolate Love-Ah Cake with Sea Salt and Olive Oil
Urbn has totally smitten me with its chocolate love-ah cake with moist chocolate cake shelling the rich chocolate custard inside, so velvety I can only sigh in appreciation of how the desserts rounded up the dinner.
Urbn Bar and Kitchen
3/F, Fort Pointe II Building (formerly where Pier One is located near Fort Strip),
28th St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
0917 564 9333
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5. Brotzeit
“Prost!” toasting to the delicious Bavarian dishes in front of us and imported quality bottles of beer clinking. Brotzeit, a German Bier Bar and Restaurant, opens at the street level of Shangri-la Plaza Mall, aiming to bring the widest selection of German Beers in Manila.
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TRY These Dishes:
Cheese Spatzle
Taste the grill flavor and carmelization of the onions together with some nutmeg. I’m absolutely enamored by this cheesy and very creamy dish. I don’t need to go to Bistecca anymore to order some. Brotzeit’s version has fried onion strings on top which bring out the sharpness and salty shade of the cheese all the more making it irresistible
Huhnerwurst / Spicy Chicken Sausages
Smoked pork cheese sausages with potato salad and sauerkraut
Brotzeit, German Bier Bar and Restaurant
112 Street Level, EDSA Shangri-la Plaza Mall,
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines
(63 2) 631 1489 / 668 4635
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#5 is a toss up between Brotzeit and Maple
5. Maple
Some say it’s just a glorified Pancake House but I like its charm and finesse in the execution of its dishes. The mood is lively and upbeat and has a warm casual yet sophisticated vibe. The energy in the dining area probably has something to do with what the kitchen dishes out, which I find to be creative, exciting and colorful
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TRY these dishes:
Chili P250
A mild bean, beef and pork sausage chili soup served with sour cream and scallions and a slice of freshly baked jalapeno corn bread
Spaetzle Jambalaya P390
Fresh Spaetzle pasta with Maple’s own special Jambalaya sauce, topped with shrimps, and Chilean mussels
Truffle Omelet Soufflé P330
With a rich and creamy truffle taste this is the lightest, fluffiest soufflé style omelet that easily melts in the mouth
Maple
2/F San Antonio Plaza Arcade
50 Mckinley Road, Forbes Park, Makati City
(02) 621 6211
L/GL Shangri-La Plaza East Wing
EDSA corner Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City
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4. Mesclun
Sometimes the food soul wants to veer off from the crowd, and the best spots are the hidden ones. Not in the usual commercial places, but somewhere you purposely drove to. LIVE LIFE PURPOSEFULLY. Your intention should be good… food.
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Chef Katrina Kuhn-Alcantara. I was smitten by Chuck’s Deli for a good long season. Behind Mesclun’s kitchen is the same woman, inspired by her personal travels and collaborations with a team of talented chefs.
READ MORE:
Not to Miss Mesclun in Serendra
TRY These Dishes:
Andre’s Poke P345
Hawaiian-style tuna ceviche in soy sesame dressing is a fresh raw salad with cut-up or cubed pieces of seafood like tuna or salmon, lightly dressed in sesame oil, roasted crushed nut mayo dressing, chili flakes and soy sauce, garnished with seaweed.
Grilled Pompano P555
Grilled whole pompano with green beans and mango-tomato salsa
Ironically, Mesclun gave so much favor to it by keeping its natural flavors. The dish was light and fresh and I can pick on all the delicate white fish meat… when flavor becomes too light, there’s the mango-tomato salsa on the side to give a shade of sweetness and light charming acidity.
Foie Gras Baguette Sandwich P1395
Pan seared duck liver on a freshly baked baguette with raspberry infused port wine reduction
Ample cuts of duck liver pan seared to create that lightly scorched layer while sealing the sinful treasure inside are piled adjacent to each other across a lengthy fresh-baked baguette. Take a bite and delicate seems to be just a frontier when it starts dissolving in my mouth –rich and buttery suddenly explode inside and there was silence for a moment. Just when I think I committed the greatest sin in the world, I detect a glimmer of sweet fruity note on the tip of my tongue.
The sweet-tempered raspberry port-wine demi-glace sheets the foie gras slightly before staggering luxury melts in your mouth. You could end up teary-eyed out of guilt of sheer pleasure.
Don’t forget to order their pizzas!!
Mesclun
2/F, Linden Suites Tower 1,
37 San Miguel Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Or L/G Serendra, Fort
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3. Brasas Latin Street Food in Podium
Nothing can be sexier than a Latina’s sun-kissed skin, slender legs and strong sprightly attitude. What gets MY head turning really is what they put inside their luscious lips… mouthwatering Latin American Street Food.
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Brasas Latin American Street Food
TRY These Dishes:
Patacones P140
Plantain chips fried and topped with smoked pulled pork, tomato salsa and melted Monterey Jack cheese
Take one big bite of the tender fork-pulled pork, refreshing salsa and crispy plantain that it’s sitting on and taste a hint of smokiness from the meat and sharpness from the cheese. Strike while it’s hot.
Arepas P155
Colombian pancake made of corn topped with charcoal-grilled beef, onion slaw and some tomato salsa and drizzled with Chipotle sauce
Puerco Asado P240
Plate had tender pork belly with a very crunchy skin, roasted vegetables and rice. This dish was also packed with simple interesting flavors but if you like sauces like I do, you can always just put more of the Chipotle sauce.
Brasas, Latin American Street Food
5th Level, The Podium
12 ADB Ave., Ortigas Center
Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines
0917 897 4005
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#3 is a toss up between Brasas and Va Bene Pasta Deli
3. Va Bene Pasta Deli
I know it’s not fairly recent but hey I love pasta and Va Bene does theirs pretty well. Fresh. Exciting. Authentic.
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TRY these dishes:
Pappardelle Php 450
This is one of their house specialties laden with braised lamb shanks, sun dried tomatoes, olives and pecorino cheese. Visually, the plate was largely provocative with a thick dark red sauce amidst patches of green, black and cream hues. The aroma was savory, instantly indicating a rich dish. The taste had a very strong tomato flavor alternating with the meaty shredded texture of the lamb meat. The braised lamb shanks collapsed at the touch of the fork and knife. It’s tender but intensely beefy.
Spinach Agnolotti Php 280
The al dente texture of the pasta is slightly firm and chewy just giving that perfect soft bite. It was suffused with a well-balanced sauce that has a pleasant tomato taste and lightness invoking one bite after the other. The ricotta cheese gives that contrasting mildness and slight sharpness.
Va Bene Pasta Deli
2/F, Petron Gas Station, EDSA Corner Pasay Road,
Dasmarinas Village, Makati City, Philippines
02 556 9442
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2. Kichitora of Tokyo
Kichitora of Tokyo has reached its own buzzworthy heights in bringing to Manila the authentic flavor of Japanese ramen. It’s hard to believe that a great ramen can be located inside a commercial mall.
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TRY These Dishes:
Special Miso Chasu Ramen with Ma Oil (Ma-Yu)
Notable on what Kichitora can bring to the table is having that real sensibility to balance. The broth retains its creamy steadiness even with traces of oil and garlic that add a different depth of flavor. What I particularly enjoyed is the fact that they just don’t include slices of regular pork chasu, their pork chasu is grilled first which upgrades the ramen with that smoky grilled flavor.
Paitan (White Soup) Chicken Tsukumen P360
The enigma of simplicity with a tinge of complexity. I didn’t expect much from the Paitan but the hours-slow-boiled white soup brought colors to my palate than any other multi-hued soups or dishes. That semi-clear broth has layers of flavors that reveals itself slurp after slurp after slurp.
Kichitora of Tokyo
2/F SM Megamall, Mega Atrium,
Julio Vargas Ave., Wack Wack, Mandaluyong City
775 1100
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1. Shawarma Snack Center
I love hole-in-the-wall restaurant discoveries, like the time we purposely stumbled on Combos Turk Cuisine. It’s off the grid usually, not that pricey and more often than not, has great taste sensibilities… and it is fun.
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Shawarma Snack Center Authentic Dishes that are Never Close to Plain
TRY these dishes:
Moutabal P120
Lebanese aubergine and tahini puree, garnished with olive oil, lemon and parsley
This eggplant dip had that smoky creaminess to it made extra flavorful with the addition of the olive oil and citrus essence of the lemon teasing the taste buds. Used the Arabic Bread we ordered to polish off the moutabal and I couldn’t help spreading the paste over my rice too. It was built for a delicious smoky starter that made me curious about their other appetizers/ dips
Grilled Beef Kebab with Biryani Rice P360
The Seafood Biryani rice was aromatic and had everything in it to titillate my palate and the beef kebab, not as moist but packing with wonderful flavors
Shawarma Snack Center
485 Salas Street, Malate, Manila
(632 2) 523 0695
Now, my craving whims are all over the place. Uh-oh.
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