Many moons ago, I had an unforgettable lunch at a French restaurant that was supposedly run by…read moreFrench nuns with a Vietnamese staff. This made sense because Vietnam was once a colony of France, and their cuisines are among the world's best. When I wanted to go there again, I was mildly shocked to discover that the place was no longer where it once stood. How sad, I thought to myself. A couple of days ago, I had the surprise of my life when a taxi I took had to make a detour and we passed by M. Guanzon Paz Avenue. Lo and behold, there was a French restaurant there called L'eau Vive. Don't ask me what it means because I don't speak French. I am almost sure that this is the same restaurant that I went to decades ago. A sign says that dining there is for a good cause, that part of the profits go to charity. This has to mean that the nuns are still running the place. When you dine you help, says the sign. French restaurants are pretty rare in the country. I know of only a handful. This one is worth going to, I'm sure.

Hands down to the chef of this restaurant in Taguig, Manila. Every dishes was so delicious and…read moreauthentic! When you visit the restaurant every single painting including the ceiling was thought out beautifully and all the paintings are very special. Must try the steak and fries their specialty so good! Escargot--the best one I've ever had! French baguette so airy and soft lamb so tender it comes out from the bones Squid and brie soooo yummy!!! Ask for wine tasting next time if they have the event because they have amazing wine selections! Highly recommended if you are visiting Taguig Manila check out this restaurant!!! Take a grab so its easier!!

Excellent service, tasty appetizers, awesome steak and Fritz!. Great host and waiters! Very nice…read moreoutside ambiance and indoor dining room. Highly recommend. Good bar I feel like I'm in France. Sidewalk seating for people watching. Highly recommended

I took a gamble and it paid off. The place was quiet and sparse despite the prices not being…read moreexorbitant. So I was worried about the taste but every from the soup, appetizer and main dish tasted great. Give it a go but they do take their time in preparing the dishes.

For such a posh place their pastries are not overly expensive. Their Peach Danish (60 PHP) is not…read moreonly good, but excellent with its decent price, no other pastry shop in BGC can compete. Expect a creamy and hefty pieces of pastry goodness. Their Almond Croissant (98 PHP) is more than just the sprinkle of almond slices you see, it's also filled with a sweet cream inside that just makes you want more. They only make 6 pieces a day which is odd, but hopefully more in the near future, as we certainly aren't the only fans. If you have time to splurge, suggest staying for a cup of their Hot Chocolate (190 PHP) it's served in a pot (330 ml) which is enough for 2 cups. Share it with a friend or simply indulge in the chocolatey goodness. Staff are courteous and efficient. Water is refilled timely and sometimes even before you even ask. First timers be at ease as the staff can explain fully the products they offer. Here's a tip: 50% off on all their goodies starting 9PM daily, but be quick you're going to be competing with the nearby residents for the little supply they have. We've dined here twice and when 9PM strikes the store is invaded and devoid of pastries in under 15 minutes, talk about a quick sale.

Years ago when I started working, I was earning 200USD a month, I was living on Nissin Cup noodles…read moreand I considered ordering a McDonald's cheeseburger meal with large fries a luxury. That was my life then and since I didn't know anything else nor had anything to compare it to, I didn't think I had it any less. The finer things in life were beyond me, one day though my old boss decided to bring my colleagues and I to La Veranda for drinks and merienda. Imagine my happiness when I was faced with items on a menu I knew nothing about. Tuna tartare with mango and cilantro, homemade foie gras (only learned to pronounce it correctly that day), watermelon gazpacho and glasses of wine- it was heavenly; so heavenly that I went to bed that day thinking about my next meal, one that would be so good it would cost a quarter of my salary.

I love sitting at the Veranda to enjoy a lovely view with a French brasserie atmosphere. Theres so…read moremuch light that comes in from the sky roof and you feel transported into another place. Spirals bar is always interesting and a good pick but I never like to sit inside. The Veranda offers premium seats to a lovely view of the bay. Service is what you would expect from a world-class hotel. The checkered tiles, beautiful central bar, and well-lit atmosphere makes you happy to be there in that very moment. Maybe you would be inclined to sit a little longer and be inspired to read a book... or even write some poetry? Find a nice corner by the window (fingers crossed you're not sitting beside a rowdy family), and you're off to a blissful meal or even a coffee or a drink. A great place not only for brunch but to have a relaxed meeting or a casual date. Prices are expensive but worth every penny for the view.

Little shop very nice. You will be able to try some french products and some french dishes made by…read morea very good french chef. The team is very nice and cool. The price of the restaurant is affordable and the quantity is acceptable. But it's very tasty with a french touch. The best point is the vine. There is a several choice of very good vine from all the part in France and for affordable price. Must try it! Un petit magasin très sympathique. On peut y goûter des petits plats français préparer par un chef français s'il vous plaît. L'équipe est cool et professionnelle. Les prix sont abordables et les quantités suffisantes. Mais les saveurs des plats sont excellentes. Le meilleur point est la cave à vin. Il y a une variété de vin très large de toutes les régions de France et d'ailleurs pour de très bon prix. L'essayer c'est l'adopter!!

No matter where I go and what I get to eat, Aubergine will always have a place in my heart because…read morethat's where I proposed. A former boss of mine told me that he really enjoyed the food there, and I remembered that 3 years later, when I was deciding where to take Grace on that all-important occasion. I made a reservation about 2 months in advance, just to be sure. I specified that it was going to be a proposal, so I made sure that they got me a booth instead of a table in the middle of the restaurant. I told them that at some point, I'd be asking a member of the staff to take pictures and videos, which they willingly agreed to. The day itself came, a few days before Grace's birthday so she would think it was just a birthday dinner. The staff were all smiles when we entered; they all knew, and they were excited for us. Our 7-course meal started, and it was all perfect. Seeing Grace's face light up with every bite she took just made me more excited for what was to come at the end of the meal: the moment I was gonna ask her to be my wife.

Aubergine was one of the very few French restaurants in Manila years ago so my girlfriend and I…read moredecided to give it a go on our anniversary. She was apprehensive at first because when she Googled about the restaurant, it said that students of International School for Culinary Arts and Hotel Management (ISCAHM) will be the ones cooking in the kitchen. I assured her that just because they're students doesn't mean that they don't know what they're doing. I was right! We started off our date with a French staple, escargot. The snails were swimming in butter and I envied them in that instance. We saluted their valiant sacrifice as we gobbled them up one by one. For the main course, she had steak and I had the sea bass with risotto. For my dish, the serving could have been bigger but it was as delicious as it can get. All in all, dining in Aubergine was a delight and something we'll definitely do again in the future.

Mireio Restaurant located on the 9th floor of Raffles Makati hotel in Manila is an excellent choice…read morefor breakfast. They have a beautiful buffet breakfast with other delicious options on the menu. Basically they can make you anything you want even if you don't see it on the menu. It's a very relaxing and soothing atmosphere. They play lovely music and their service is top notch. It's a great way to start your day. They are Michelin rated and rightfully so. Much different than the breakfast buffet downstairs on the first floor which is a louder more rushed environment but still delicious. Mireio's breads and pastries were particularly fresh and so satisfying. Their dragon fruit and mangos were the best I've ever tasted. I regret not trying them out for lunch or dinner because I've heard from friends that it is superb. My schedule did not permit but I'd highly recommend it.

Located on the 9'th and 10'th floors of the exquisite Raffles residences Miréio is a French themed…read morerestaurant and cocktail terrace overlooking the heart of Makati. We made reservations for the terrace at dusk to take full advantage of the vistas when the lights come on and Makati is at its best.The skyline reminds me of Victoria Harbor seen from the Kowloon side and It's quite a spectacle. The terrace itself is quite big with a large,fully stocked bar ( one of two).Seating is a mix of sofa pits with huge red umbrellas to shade from the Philippine sun and tall bar tables and chairs around the glass enclosed terrace to take advantage of the view. We were lucky enough to get a table and the vistas was amazing. Also lucky as we arrived just in time for happy hour from 5 to 8 pm with half priced drinks and a "all you can drink" option on a selection of wine,beer and speciality cocktails for 1000.00 Pasos/ person ( about $18.75 US) not a bad deal for a experienced drinker. There is a small menu of Pica pica ( bar snacks) and we had fried mozzarella sticks, Belgian fries with white truffle oil and some of the fattest chicken wings I've had yet in Manila ( chickens tend to be rather small in this corner of the world) along with the complementary popcorn and the sweet but tiny Asian roasted peanuts in the shell. But the star of the show was Makati itself with it's sparkling vistas,exquisite lights and since we were only 10 stories up I felt we was just high enough to see everything but not too high as to be isolated from the sights and sounds that make up this part of Manila. The night was cool and clear ( for Manila) with a slight breeze so we were so lucky to be part of this modern and booming city in such a amazing venue. I highly recommend Miréio's terrace if you get the opportunity to visit Manila but book at dusk for the full experience.

I assure you that the restaurant is worth your time and money…read more The staff was attentive, respectful, and what we liked the most was that they are knowledgeable about The Domaine's food offering. Ordering also was pretty convenient since we just ordered from their iPad with their mobile application installed in it. It was like ordering online, but better and we get to see the total bill right away. They have already launched their mobile applications downloadable from the Google Play store and the Apple App store that is entirely free. This is so customers can just eat upon arriving and there will no longer be conflicts on payments. We dined here for lunch and we had an exquisite food experience. For drinks, we had their Calamansi Vanilla and Cinnamon Iced Tea. They served a complimentary appetizer which was garlic bread with three kinds of dips: garlic puree, balsamic caramel, and smoked fish tapenade. Meanwhile, for our food, we had fresh mozzarella and grilled sweet bell pepper salad with toasted citrus dressing and roasted rib eye a la "blanquette" with sauteed parsley rice. All those were solo servings since it was already good enough for the two of us. For desserts, we had their trio of homemade ice cream consisting of gingerbread ice cream, rose ice cream and salted caramel ice cream. The other dessert we got to try was madeleines that are Jasmine tea with Mango, Earl Grey and Four Berries. This is absolutely has become one of my favorite restaurants.

AMBIENCE Interior's beautiful, so beautiful I felt a little…read morebit intimidated to enter at first, but when we saw the menu at the entrance, we were pretty sure to try their food. It seemed their menu was for fine-dining yet the vibe was casual and classy. FOOD Pan Seared Salmon with Calamansi and Brown Butter with Steam Rice was really lovely and the salmon was packed with flavor. Asparagus was a great partner, being fresh and crunchy. Chicken A La Chasseur with Mashed Potatoes had really tender meat and finely mashed potatoes. SERVICE They provided an instructional aide for their Zomato Gold policy, which saved time for everyone. As soon as we were done with each dish, they were pulled out pretty quickly. Apparently, you must order something or melt in your seat not ordering while having your conversations. Fortunately, we were already full and billed out. Wait time was fair for just about everything.

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.