I'm pretty sure these 5 stars aren't at all influenced by the fact that I've been super craving for…read moreIndian food these past 2 weeks, as Al-Shams has GREAT Middle Eastern/Indian/Pakistani food. And what's also great is that for us vegans/vegetarians, here's a place in BF Homes where there are very, very decent options. They have a vegetarian section in their menu. We got the Alo Palak and Malai Kofta. Alo Palak is a potato and spinach curry dish that, in my opinion, is spiced perfectly as the spinach and potato flavors are still able to stand out even with the curry sauce. The Malai Kofta did not disappoint as well, and it actually looks so adorable (sorry haha) with tiny onion slices on top of each ball, as if they are wearing hats! Anyway, the veggie balls are really tasty--though if you're particular with texture, these balls are quite on the soft side. I really enjoyed my meal! I loved it so much that I think if Al-Shams closed (life spans of restaurants in BF homes are very short), I would be really, really sad.

Delicious! The shawarma rice with egg was well enjoyed. I loved the layers within. Would definitely…read morerecommend a try if you stop by the supermarket! You can find this spot in the food court section inside SM.

Any search on Halal restaurants in the Manila area would undoubtedly yield Moud on the top results,…read moreand for a good reason. The restaurant is actually quite shabby, and it has that really sketchy quality to it - it's storefront is quite rundown and a bit chaotic, and the place (as with the rest of the buildings in the area) has fallen into a wild sort of decay throughout the years. Looks can be deceiving, though, as in most cases. This Quiapo institution has Halal Filipino carinderia staples, but nobody really goes there for anything else but the star of the show - their roast chicken. The chicken is one of the best I've ever tried, hands down. The certified Halal roast chicken is flavorful up to the very last morsel. The first time I ordered a quarter chicken from Moud's, the serving that I got was even a bit lukewarm, but man, the meat was so flavorful and so mouthwatering that I just had to order another serving. The roast chicken is moist, tasty and tender. I'm guessing the chicken was marinated in a simple brine, but the flavor was quite robust .. The spicy dipping sauce is also good, with chunky bits of bell peppers and angry morsels of fiery siling labuyo. I once asked the owner what was in the sambal, but she kept mum and looked at me like I was a blathering idiot. The upstairs dining area is a bit dingy, and they don't even have plates (they serve the chicken in a styro pack) but for me, the flavor of the food is all that matters. Moud's doesn't need ambient music, either. If you go in the afternoon, you might catch the unmistakeable Muslim call to prayer (which is sweet music to my ears) from the mosque nearby. A sign in their dining area also advertises that they sell fresh dressed Halal chicken for P120/kilo.

When you hit the Muslim Quarter in Quiapo, it's easy to miss this place. Unless you really know…read morewhat you want to get, and that's their halal roast chicken. Considering its price (less than 250 pesos for a whole roast chicken), it is one of the softest, most tender and delicious roasted birds I have ever had the pleasure of stuffing into my mouth. The woman who owns it refuses to divulge the secret to the marinade, and with good reason! I came back last Sunday with my cousin just to let him try it. The chili sauce that comes with the chicken is also pretty good, I'm guessing it's made with sweet and sour sauce and mashed siling labuyo. The turo-turo offerings are kind of meh-looking, but you're not there for those things. You go there for the chicken. Inshallah, that's good.

Mazza has realy good Persian food for such an affordable price! A lot of my friends have been…read morerecommending me to try Mazza. They usually suggest the Chicken Tandori as Mazza's best dish but when I saw that they had fish options in the menu, I had to order one of their fish dishes. I got to try their Fish Kebab wrap, and it was alright! It got even better when I added their combination of garlic sauce and their chili garlic sauce which really made the wrap savory! I also got to try their hummus, which was pretty good with some pita bread. I even used the hummus on my fish kebab wrap! I need to go back and try their famous Chicken Tandori, though. Next time. :)

I was craving for some Persian dish and was in search for the best tasting one in town. My brother…read morerecommended that I try the beef shawarma wrap at Mazza Shawarma. The thing about my brother is his very picky with food so for him to recommend something but be really good.So during my lunchtime, I went to Mazza Shawarma at Fastbytes in Northgate and ordered their beef shawarma wrap; waiting time took 15 minutes, but thanks to the awesome music playing in the restaurant; I didn't get bored at all. The beef sirloin is grilled and oozing with Persian flavor and spices, it was wrapped in pita bread and stuffed with fresh onions, tomatoes and I heavily drowned it with their garlic sauce and a bite is all I need to declare that this is the best shawarma ever. And just last night my husband was the one yearning for shawarma so I took him there and we got their two bestselling rice meals; beef kebab with buttered rice and a beef shawarma bowl, and yet again Mazza Shawarma didn't fail to impress our tastebuds. ang pagsusuri mo...

I've always been a fan of Uncle Moe's. It was love at first bite back on Malingap st. when I was…read morestill a university student. Now that I frequent BF more than QC, I find myself eternally grateful that an Uncle Moe's is also readily available near my place of work. The food is exactly the same--savory beef kebabs, my favorite hummus version (others are bland and doesn't have as smooth a texture), and pita bread. And no, I haven't forgotten the buttered rice-- I just thought it deserved special mention. They serve their rice with a slice of butter on top of it, and watching that block of fat melt into a cup of hot rice is one of the things that make life worth living. Here is where you throw caution to the wind and forget how many calories are in that one stick of butter and that you added it to what is essentially a cup of carbohydrates. Eat everything they serve with some cold tomato and onion salsa, and you'll want to weep with the simplicity of Uncle Moe's culinary genius. Of course, I never leave without ordering the ox brain, which is hard to find anywhere else and in such good condition--hot, buttery, with a hint of lemon. The ambience here is a little bit dreary though. It's definitely not as hoppin' as Uncle Moe's other branches. What I will attest to is the consistency of their food no matter which branch you visit.

Years back, my obsession with kebabs and Mediterranean food started. It actually originated from…read moreMister Kebab, some 1 hour drive from my house (with no traffic). So obviously, I had to look for another place to fulfill my cravings, somewhere at least 1 hour from my house (with traffic). I don't know who suggested it or how we found it, but I landed in Uncle Moe's one evening with a couple of my friends. At first, nothing could beat Mister Kebab in my heart, but then someone had me try their order of Kofta Balls with cheese oozing out of it, and that was it. I was hooked. From kebabs to hummus, I would try something new every time that I was there. If you're cholesterol isn't very high, you can order some ox brain, wrap it in a pita bread, pour some garlic sauce and add a few drops of chili sauce, and I swear to you, you'll win in life. Now, I only recently visited the Uncle Moe's in BF, some 30 minutes away from my home this time (with traffic). But you can just imagine how happy I was to finally have a spot near enough my house that I can eat in whenever I have those late night kebab or hummus cravings!

I've been going to Behrouz for as long I can remember. Back then, I used to go to the original…read morebranch at Metrowalk and the branch in BF. Food is great! Plus, Middle Eastern cuisine is one of favorites.

My kebab and shawarma-eating days are long past me already, but I'm glad that Middle Eastern…read morerestaurants often have something meatless for me to come back to. At Behrouz, this would be Mirza Ghazemi. This dish is a dip made of eggplants, can be suitable for vegans if you ask to remove the fried egg on top. It's roasted flavor and creamy texture is just beautiful when paired with their flat bread. I guess it's like baba ganoush (or perhaps another name for it, please correct me if I'm wrong), though I would not compare it to hummus as hummus is another thing of beauty in its entirety. Though I have actually tried combining both hummus and baba ganoush/mirza ghazemi (I'm sorry as I understand this might be totally unforgivable to Middle Eastern cuisine!) and it was AMAZING.

Kashmir closed in Ermita some time ago, and all their staff transferred to this location to ensure…read moretheir legacy of wonderful Indian cuisine continues. Why 5 stars? Given the context of restaurants in the Philippines where excellence is really hard to find, in this context is an easy 5 stars. In a western country Kashmir would likely be only 4 stars, but that is still pretty good. What is good? Their staff. Waiters Andy and the late Archie over the past 15 years in my experience are casually professional and support their longterm pinoy chef most wonderfully. Their food. Try it all. My favourites are any of the curries, naan breads, 3-lentil dahl. Their chicken tikka from their tandoori oven is very good. The flavours tend to be more subtle than Tamil or Punjabi cooking in North America, but super good. The competition. There are other Indian restos in Makati, but this one for me will always be the standout. I cook curries, vindaloos, naans, and dahls myself at home, and therefore have come to know good from great and bad. So please go and be prepared to enjoy this fine dining experience. Great place to bring your date or your wife, and the aftertaste is just great! OH yes, check it out?!

This is by far one of my favorite Indian restaurant in the metro, which is saying something, since…read moreI have extensive experience with Indian restaurants. The Philippines gets a lot of Indian investors, and we have to feed them when they're here, and Kashmir is our go-to restaurant because it's authentic and, well, I love the place. This is also where I had my first mango lassi, which just turned my whole world upside down. It was love at first sip. Remind me to introduce this place to my girlfriend - she's gonna love the food. So will you, I guarantee it.

I lived near Taft a couple years ago and I would usually find myself exploring all the nooks and…read morecrannies of nearby Malate to look for great places to eat. I went through a shawarma, kebab and hummus phase ,that's why I made it my mission then to go to all the Middle Eastern restaurants in the area. Al Hana looks quite gaudy and over-the-top from the outside, with its pink and blue neon lights screaming for attention. Inside, at least, you get skirted tables and nicely padded chairs. My first visit here was with my a friend who spent some time in Egypt, and she said that the food was great and it actually surpassed her expectations. I think that's good validation right there. Though my favorite Halal resto in the area is easily Shawarma Snack Center, I still eat here every now and then just to see if they still had their touch. Middle Eastern cuisine is ubiquitous in Manila, but if you are after authentic and diverse food options, you should check out Al Hana. The prices are surprisingly quite fair and reasonable and everything is worth the price. You should also try their falafel, which is served with a spicy harissa sauce The servings are huge, so make sure you ask for the serving suggestions first before you go "takaw mata" and order everything.

Ambience: Our discounted Eatigo reservation, as always, got…read moreour supressed enthusiasm raging for a feast with pita bread! Fortunately, their branch wasn't as warm as I thought it'd be since their location is semi-outside the mall (near the event area at the center). Gyro Platter: Our all-time favorite is still this beautiful set of meats and veggies! Apart from enjoying pita bread instead of rice, all our meats were pretty tender, juicy, tasty, and extra flavorful with garlic dip. Falafel is still my favorite healthy choice due to its lovely unity of chickpea texture and light flavor. The coolness of the veggies kept everything harmoniously balanced with all that meaty goodness! Tuna was definitely the most tender, but to be fair, everything was just downright good because they all have that aromatic and delicious grilled flavor I love so much! Service: Like their other branches, everything was done smoothly, waiting time was considerably acceptable, and their servers made claiming the reservation easy...again! (May 2018)

Wonderful healthy fresh and nourishing meals! I live the lentil burger. So filling and delicious…read moreand not to mention the side of fried!!