We made a reservation and had a table ready when we came in. The restaurant has been around for 10…read moreyears and yet that decor looks modern with a mix of dark floors and tables and white subway tiles on the walls. We ordered a number of dishes to try. First off was the tuna tartare... the crisps were super think and light. The tuna tartare came with a sauce with slight kick. Delicious! Next one a beef rendang nacho dish. Not sure how they pulled it off but the fusion of flavors were amazing! Next was pork belly dish with curry. Another hit! Last but not least is their signature salmon dish. That was really good too! Staff was super friendly and provided great recommendations to try out. Highly recommended and give it a try if you are in the area.

Walked in and were lucky they had tables open at this Michelin recommended restaurant. Staff were…read morequick to help and assist. Ordered a few things: 1. Beef Lechon Toast - 10/10. Solid choice! Light on truffle so not overpowering, the cheese on there is lightly salted sort of like a parmesan. Amazing. 2. Roast Beef Bun - 10/10. Another banger. The hoisin sauce was thick and reminds of me of a peanut sauce. Nonetheless a sauce worth mopping up and having on the side. I don't know what they did to the hoisin but it was phenomenal. 3. Pork Kare Curry - 6/10. I'm a huge kare kare fan but I think the sauce lacked the kare kare punch I wanted. The pork belly was also quite firm on the non fatty spots of the cut of pork. The rice that came with it was awesome. 4. Indo Smashed Chicken - 8/10. Well cooked thigh, good flavor. 5. Ginamos Rendang Halibut - 9/10. Can taste the Indonesian flavors. Light but filling. Great choice if you don't want to feel heavy after lunch.

This was our go to place for lunch and dinner while vacationing in Manila. We love everything…read more Especially the dishes made with coconut milk. They were super delicious. We need to go back some more to try their other dishes instead of sticking with the ones we have been familiar with. No wonder this place was always crowded. They even occupied the outside space to accommodate more customers. Great place to dine and great service too.

I can't remember why I wanted to try this place. However, it's near Discovery Primea Hotel, which…read moreis where we stayed. Upon entering, two 'guards' were at the door. We had to flag someone to have our orders taken. The staff were either talking to each other by the front door or by the baarea. We ordered: Pinakbet, which was really good. Bangus in Yellow Bean Sauce. Just OK. Didn't taste deep fried at all. Not even crispy. Crab Omelette. I like this one. Went well with Pinakbet. Turon Kanin Club. They should just stick with plain bananas. The whole stuffing combination doesn't work. When the food was delivered, the server didn't even acknowledge us or tell us to enjoy our meal. To get our bill, we had to wave at the server who was all the way at the back. Very disappointed at the staff. Some of the food was very good. But, I can not recommend a place who treats their guests in such a way. There are many other great Filipino restaurants with much friendlier staff, such as Manam.

Great location. Definitely worth coming back to. The food was great, combinations of different…read moreAsian food. I had the 'unagi dragon roll'. The presentation was beyond my expection and it was delicious. We were there during closing hours so it was basically empty. The servers still had smiles on their faces knowing we were the last ones there. I wasn't too thrilled about their 'vodka-cran' even though I had 3 or 4. Definitely a 5star rating and a recommendation.

YES. That's sums up…read moremy experience in one word. I've just recently tried Torch, despite it being open for a few months already and it being just a walk away from the office. I wish I had tried it sooner. I love everything so far that I've ordered here. It was weird at first, me looking through their menu, a mix of Italian (pizza), American (steaks), Japanese (sushi?!). I can't decide which of its servings is its identity. A jack of all trades, I guess? Is it a good thing? I'm not sure. From what I've observed so far, a restaurant that tries to be everything at once, fails miserably. But Torch. Torch is different. Damn, that pizza. I can't stop thinking about it. The pizza is commercial worthy. You know when they get pizza slices, scoops it up, the gooey cheese stretches itself out, still attached to the piece in strands, that phenomenon? That exactly happened when I tore off a piece of it. Waahh! It was so gooey. (btw, its Hamonado pizza and Uncle's 5-Cheese Pizza). Also, damn that burger and sushi too. We ordered the Volcano Roll and Classic Burger, we had food comatose after. I can't wait to try the other items in their menu!

Dining at My Mother's Garden was easily one of the best experiences of my life…read more Let's start with what My Mother's Garden isn't: It is not a proper restaurant. You will not find any signages along Zamora st because there is none. This is, to be precise, a private dining setup hosted inside the residence of Pablo S. Antonio, national artist for architecture. We were hosted by THE Malu Veloso, renowned fashion designer, who was more than apologetic about losing her voice after two days of entertaining clients. You cannot simply waltz in here and be fed. My Mother's Kitchen is strictly by reservation. You need to call in advance to book your lunch or dinner. You will be given two set meal options, served buffet style. The first one costs P900 and includes a salad with two wonderfully flavorful salad dressings, two pasta sauces (one tomato-based, one chorizo-based, both absolutely divine) with two pasta options, the absolutely incredible Mustard Chicken dish, and a delightfully fluffy cheesecake for dessert. We were also given a salabat-based drink and coffee. The second option had an additional shrimp dish that I had to nix because of my allergies. I made reservations for a 7pm dinner, and we came on time. While waiting for dinner to be served, we were free to roam around that incredible sala, a testament to the visionary genius of Pablo Antonio, as well as peruse some ternos in display, some done by Malu's mom, some done by her. Malu Velose herself came out to make us feel more at home, and she took great lengths to explain the history of the Antonio House, as well as to show some of the items she was working on. Dinner was served by 7:30, and my date and I were floored by EVERYTHING we ate. There was not one bad dish in there, as everything was extraordinary. My date and I really took our time eating, as there was literally nobody else but us in there. Combined with eating in a showcase house and being regaled by a renowned fashion designer, dining at My Mother's Garden was an absolute incredible experience. Absolutely brilliant.

Located in the mall that serves south Asian food. Have variety of choices from Thai, Indonesia,…read moreThai and maylasian food. The service is ok, our waiter forgot one of the order we waited for a long time until we asked they went to make it. The banana roti is good but it's way too thick. The bakuteh is the worst I've ever had. It's basically a white pepper pork bone soup. There's no herb taste to it. Almost send it back but I guess it's their take of this dish. The laksa is also horrible, it comes with the glass noodle. And the broth is not thick just watery and not the laksa you would think. The oak prawn is probably the only dish that's decent. But only comes with 4 pieces, quite pricy for the portion.

Happened to walk around Greenbelt and came across Banana Leaf. There are more than 3 or more Thai,…read moreMalaysian, Singaporean, and Indonesian inspired restaurants in the area and Banana Leaf is where I usually dine in because of their fried fish presentation with sauce. Last time we had tilapia so we tried king fish with shredded mango and sauce, kangkong with sambal sauce and for the noodles - Penang char kway teow with shrimp and chicken. Wish I had taken a picture of their menu book. The food looked the same as when it arrived. They all reminded me of Thai food where most of the food are cooked with a base of brown, green or fish sauce, or having a Chinese dish with sweet and sour sauce. The food served was good. But after awhile you'll get used to the same flavor that you end up loosing appetite. Presentation was very good. The staff gave us a 30 minute serving time but the kitchen end up cooking the order less than that. The dining area inside is packed, while others prepare outside seating. Price is reasonable, serving portion per order can be shared by 2-3 persons. The staff takes sanitation seriously as they wipe the table properly with sani solution after each guests leave the table. It was amusing when one of the head server asked me why I refused to bring leftover, I said not because I didn't like their food but because we don't have a microwave in our hotel room to warm it up in the future. If you're someone who misses curry and paste based sauces, then Banana leaf is a must try for any of these flavorful dishes. By the way, the highlight of the dining experience was eating the food in a banana leaf instead on a plate.

I was wandering aimlessly around the mall, well it wasn't aimless really, i was catching pokemons -…read morei know, i got sucked into that world. And oh, i hatched 2 eggs and got a pikachu, big deal because its kinda rare, from where i frequent at least. Meanwhile in the real world, the mall was closing and it was time to head home. But wait, I haven't had dinner yet. So off I went to find something quick and i came to Recipes - it was my first time there by the way. When I came in, I thought "this is a really nice clean cafeteria, I hope they serve food fast" - promptness was my primary concern then and did not really expect much from the food. The service was fast enough and when it was time to dig in, boy, was i blown away! I ate up the entire crispy tilapia in tamarind sauce that we had to order another one. The gising gising was to die for! I would have wanted a little more heat but that's just personal preference. I think the gata is the anchor of the dish- it's creamy, crunchy and spicy. Believe it or not, we had about 2 spoonfuls of leftover and I asked to have it wrapped for me to take home. The impression i had when I walked in was definitely the opposite of how I felt when i came out. This is one of those times when I'm happy to have made the wrong assumption. I would certainly come back to try the rest of the menu with which I did not really pay much attention to - can you blame me? There was a pokestop right in the middle of the restaurant - as my gps so points.

I keep coming back to Recipes because of the crispy tilapia and the crispy bangus. Crunchy and…read morecoated in a light batter, the fish goes very well with the common but very delicious dip of soy sauce with onions and sili labuyo (hot chili pepper). It's the usual Pinoy food with a twist. The restaurant interiors indeed have a modern look, perhaps implying a modern take on Pinoy food. And they definitely succeeded on that through the crispy tilapia and bangus! Other dishes, like laing and gising-gising, have that classic but satisfying comfort food taste. They're simple but delicious food. The dishes are good for sharing so I always eat here with friends. We also had a Christmas dinner here, and a long table was conveniently set up for more than ten people. The noise level particularly in this Greenbelt branch is average so friends can easily catch up here.

We stopped by for a round of pre-dinner drinks. The location was convenient with a decent selection…read moreof hard liquors. Ambience was relaxing and the seats were very comfortable. I do have a few gripes about the overall experience. First, the service was very slow. We only ordered drinks and found the wait time to be about 30 minutes. We ordered an old fashioned with makers mark, watermelon mojito, and margarita on the rocks. The old fashioned had more ice than alcohol. The watermelon mojito also had a ton of ice and was not even stirred. The margarita on the rocks was served in a martini glass with a slice of citrus. We ordered a couple of grand marniers and waited another 20 minutes, however only one was delivered and charged. Overall, I would've given a better rating had the staff checked-in on our orders, offered waters, and better wait time.

Classic Margherita Pizza: As far as the flavor's concerned,…read moreit was good! But, the dough of the pizza softened up pretty quickly. In fact, it was already very soft when it arrived at our table. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed my crust! :) Crispy Vietnamese Spring Rolls: These were also good but not something I'd regularly look for or feel excited about. Grilled Lemongrass Prawn Pad Thai: I can't recall not enjoying any pad thai in general, so this one passes too! But the prawn...perhaps more would be better.

Location & Directions The street faces the A Venue entrance…read morewith Domino's Pizza and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. (on foot) From "A Venue", cross Makati Ave, walk along Guanzon, and you'll see the restaurant on your left. Restaurant I expected it to be warm since it's hole-in-the-wall but it's kinda breezy during the evening, making our stay relaxing. The dine-in space is limited with a few seats outside but they have a bar, high chairs and all. Morning Glory with Garlic This one is typical veggies. It's okay to have for mixing things up but I won't really look for it. Thai Basil Chicken We liked it enough to get an extra order. We shared but each order is already a meal for one person. Thai Stir Fried Glass Noodles This is their Pad Thai. It's good but not the best I've had just yet. Service It was quick up to taking care of the bill.

Crying Tiger Street Kitchen is one of Poblacion's ever favorite hole-in-the-wall Southeast Asian…read morecuisine restaurants that will take you back to the street market food stalls of Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. A bit hidden on P. Guanzon, the street directly facing the frontside of A.Venue Mall, this restaurant is widely known among the neighborhood, but could be easily located on an online map. Dining was an easy breezy as the dishes are described in the updated menu spread with photos of their best-selling items. We had their famous Mee Goreng, Beef Rendang, and Thai Iced Tea. Our food was served in less than 15 minutes, considered fast for table-service restaurants. Calling the attention of the service crew, asking for recommendations, and ordering were all easy. Most service crews were welcoming, though we encountered one who just grabbed the menu spread and the tissue rack off our table when we were still dining. We didn't mind, but it could have been much more courteous if she spoke with us and asked for permission, as we were still eating. Also, the music could have been much softer to preserve the relaxing vibe, because it was hard to hear my companions when we were chatting, to the point that we had to shout at each other. Their Mee Goreng was full of ingredients and a plate could serve up to two to three people--but less in seafood. I mean, what's a "spicy seafood noodles" without much spice and just a few pieces of seafood? It was flavorful and a bit on the sweet-spicy side, may be catering to Filipino tongues that are used to the sweet palette. Beef Rendang, their take on Malaysia's spicy beef curry, was an instant favorite. The meat in the dish generously spicy and soft that it tasted like it was braised slowly and carefully. With rice, the dish can only serve and would leave you wishing you'd have more. The Thai Iced Tea was the spice quencher, if it suddenly feels hot when eating both the Mee Goreng and the Beef Rendang. Crying Tiger is definitely a must-visit in the area if you crave for Southeast Asian dishes, but make sure to get a table before groups go in around dinnertime as it gets full with avid patrons.

Went there last night, fantastic band and good food at an affordable price. Service fantastic, and…read morea great live band called PART III

There are places that are worth going to even if they're totally out of the way or tucked in the…read moremiddle of nowhere. For me, one such place is the Dutch Bread Hauz. This quaint shop is first and foremost a bakery but they also offer meals, coffee, and snacks on the side. The smell of chocolate and bread in the oven wafting from the kitchen greet customers the moment they step inside this bread house. On the counter you will see various types of dinner rolls, croissants, buns, and breads. Although they serve familiar dishes, like lechon kawali with rice and chicken shawarma, I chose to try Dutch specialty snacks which -- according to the staff -- were made using traditional means from the Netherlands. I was a bit adventurous so I got Berehap (slices of meat ball and onion on a stick served with peanut sauce) and Bitterballen (small meat-based balls served with mustard, a favorite snack from Holland). My wife was hungry this time and she was not in the mood to try products she can't pronounce so she decided to have parma ham and cheese sandwich. The attendant asked her to choose the type of bread for the sandwich and she picked spelt, a type of bread made from hulled or dinkel wheat that's popular in Europe. Of course, both of us had coffee. I was glad that we decided to drop by this place because the coffee was good as expected from Lavazza and the food was different but surprisingly savory. The spelt bread was tough and heavy so I don't think anyone could finish one order of sandwich using this bread. I liked my order of Berehap. The sausage was a bit salty when eaten on its own but a bite of the sweet onion and a dab of the peanut sauce neutralizes the saltiness. My wife liked the Bitterballen dipped in mustard. She said it was similar to croquettes because it's crunchy on the outside but a bit gooey on the inside. The place is clean, well-maintained, and generally peaceful so I think this is an ideal place for a meeting. It's also worth noting that their restroom faucet comes with hot or cold water. Parking can be a problem but if you do not mind walking for one or two kilometers, you can park your car at Power Plant Mall and just walk your way to Dutch Bread Hauz.