I was visiting family in Taguig last weekend and we decided to hit up the McKinley West Food Truck…read moreFestival on a whim--best spontaneous plan ever. The place was buzzing but not overcrowded, with so many trucks lined up it was hard to choose! We grabbed killer tacos from one of the Mexican spots, some insane loaded fries, and finished with that creamy Mio Gelati pistachio gelato that honestly ruined regular ice cream for me forever. Everything was fresh, portions were generous, and nothing broke the bank--most stuff under 250 pesos. The sunset view over the open space was stunning, super chill vibe with music playing, and parking was a breeze with tons of free spots. We stayed way longer than planned just people-watching and eating. Please keep this going permanently, it's such a fun spot! Five stars, no question.

In its first month, I had hoped for the Food Truck Festival to extend or stay in the Westside of…read moreMcKinley forever. Thankfully, the food trucks are here to stay until the 13th of December - which is a good compromise! I still wish for it to be a permanent fixture so we have something going on in McKinley! When I did a quick tour of the area, the food sold at the festival didn't go over P250. That's pretty reasonable and more reasons to pig out! There's a variety of food selection from burgers, gelato, Filipino, Mediterranean, American and street food. Recently, there's an addition of Japanese and Mexican food trucks! Seriously though, I only come here for the gelato by Mio Gelati (P100 for a premium cup) but I always end up getting more than what I came for. I'd have Lamb Biryani from Shawarma Bros (P199), Bacon Cheese Burger from Malcolm's Deli (P150) and Chili Garlic Wings from Bag Wings to name a few. There are live performances as well (although I've never actually seen one). I make sure to come here as soon as it opens because the view is absolutely beautiful. Since McKinley West hasn't started most of the construction in the area, there's so much free space! You also have a view of the Essensa Towers as the sun sets. Parking is far easy as well! They have 500 parking spaces all for free!

Just when you think you couldn't fit another restaurant into Kapitolyo, they open up an entire…read morefoodpark. Insane. Having said that, Gastro Park Kapitolyo is a fantastic addition to the Kapitolyo food scene, if only for the fact that it was able to cram so many restaurants in one space. It also established 1st Street as Kapitolyo's second food street, sharing it with Kanto, Nori, and Ser Chef, among others. The layout of the food park was kept simple and straight to the point, and I appreciate the fact that it actually has a roof. As with most food parks, the outlets are good and decent although no outlet really stands out. I do appreciate the price point of the outlets though, as most of them have plenty of options below P150. That's a major selling point in my book.

A fun place to eat and go on a food trip with friends!…read more This Gastro Park has quite a variety of cuisines available. They have Filipino, Japanese, Singaporean, Thai, and Italian, just to name a few of them. I like that they also thought of how warm it can get. They provided ceiling fans in the middle seating area. The outer areas don't have fans but at the least the fans they have help keep the air circulating.

There are two noteworthy Jolly Jeep's along Palanca Street, and Lirio's is one of them. The other…read moreone being Jolly Jeep number 095. Lirio's is the gourmet jolly jeep that has been spreading by word of mouth. For the uninitiated, jolly jeep's are turu-turo kiosks, turo-turo literally meaning point-point, or carinderias where the common folk order lunch during work breaks. For a point-point to offer gourmet meals like Hungarian sausage (from Santi's) and German Potato Salad (one of their specialties!) is unheard of. If you happen to be along Palanca street, Lirio's is definitely worth a try. The food truck is located in front of Plantation restaurant and bar.

If you ever worked or resided in this side of Makati, this particular jollijeep stall will…read moredefinitely ring a bell. They become heavily popular for their sisig recipe and I am here for it. I have always been a fan of this recipe (which is a top tier Pinoy food for me). There is usually a line during lunch hours which will make you wait for 10 minuts or more. They have a takeaway bag and or avail additional if you want to have it placed in a microwaveable container. Dine-in is served in a paper plate.

Ask any Pinoy what is a must try dish to eat when you're here in Manila and I bet they will say the…read moresame thing: Sisig! Every Filipino restaurant, even the fusion ones, must serve this dish! So, you'll have your high-end versions and also your supermarket versions that come out of a can (which are really not good! Seriously!). If I could, I'd eat Sisig every time I have a beer. But, yeah, for the sake of my heart, I hold back. Haha! Now, let's talk about Sisig sa Rada. This JollyJeep became popular on Facebook with the Makati lunch crowd. Their version of the sisig is made-to-order and prepared within 5 minutes! Every sisig order is fried in egg with sweet mayo on the side. For me, that's what makes their sisig yummylicious. The extra frying makes the sisig bits crispy! Also, the best part, a sisig meal is only Php54! Be prepared to eat standing and that you have to wait awhile during lunch hours. This sisig is flavorful, crunchy and fits everyone's budget. Definitely worth a try! Here's another tip: ask them to fry your sisig longer! :D

Street food heaven! There was plenty of food and drink selection. Lots of seating area. I settled…read morefor calamari and fresh coconut water as it was a little late for me. Service was quick but I'd assume they get really busy on weekends.

This is street food central! I had fun,I was full and my belly was happy…read more Live music and band? For free? Wow,right? Cheap but great choices of all types of street food and other elements added. Highly recommended for tambayan!

Who wants Tacosss? If you want legit tacos, not the ones that come in a taco shell, go to original…read moretaco cart that showed us all the truth and the light! Tacos Chingones is located beside Som's and only has a few tables. So, when I go here, I either go alone or just bring 1 or 2 friends with me. They only have a few choices on their menu but they are all done with much love and...grease. Seriously, you will see the ladies cooking a mountain of onions on their griddle and, when they get an order, they cook all the meat with the onions. All their tacos are made to order and so fresh! These tacos are great for a lunch stop or a quick dinner. My favorites are the Chicharones, Al Pastor, and Chorizo. But, my non-negotiable and I-will-order-3-pieces-for-myself order is the Lengua! I know many don't like to eat tongue but, the ladies here cook it right. It's just melts in your mouth. Can't fully explain it. Just order it, ok? The perfect beverage to go with your tacos? An ice cold Coke, oh yes! So, stop whatever you're doing. Head to this taco cart. Order ALL the tacos! Wolf down the tacos. Order again. You're welcome! ;)

I used to not think too highly of tacos. Having grown up on canteen tacos, made with crunchy…read moreshells, spaghetti sauce and Quickmelt, I never felt that there was any reason for me to pick tacos over anything else, except for like...rice and salt or something. However, when I had my first soft steak taco, I saw the light. Gone were the palate-piercing shards of fried tortillas. The mush and gristle of "taco meat" was replaced by the . Most importantly what seemed like disparate parts merged into a whole. And yet even that would not please the palate of a Mexican visitor to the Philippines. The tortilla would be the wrong kind, the taco itself too big. Unless he found itself at Tacos Chingones. This unassuming little truck (seriously my friend ate at Som's 2 days before we had Tacos here and he didn't notice) serves the most authentic tacos in Manila. Gone are the large flour tortillas, replaced with a pair of small corn tortillas. 2 are required to contain the juice of the meat. Speaking of the meat, you won't find spaghetti sauce anywhere here.Instead, all meat is freshly cooked on the griddle. The Choices include: Chicharones (Chicharon), Pastor (Pulled Pork), Barbacoa (Chopped Beef), Chorizo, Pollo de Chipotle(Chicken in Spicy Sauce), Carne Molida con Papas (ground beef and potatoes) and TNT (Tongue and Tripe). Of these, the standout is the TNT, which explains why it's priced slightly higher than other toppings. The melting tenderness of the lengua is set against the slight chew of the tripe. If you're a bit squeamish at the thought of eating offal tacos, the Chcharones and Barbacoa would be my choice. These toppings give small morsels of flavor that go better with the small tortillas than the other choices in my opinion. Also, the crunch of the chicharon and the meatiness of the beef set off against the soft but crispy tortillas. The tacos go for 170 for 3, except for the TNT, which costs 80 per taco. While surprisingly filling, there shouldn't be any problem trying all the fillings for yourself. While eventually you'll find your favorite, the tacos are affordable and light enough to get a different taco fix every time you need it.

Soul food really isn't much of a thing here, is it? When we think of American food, we usually…read morethink of burgers, fries, almost everything western lumped together in one incoherent, almost stereotypical pile. These guys take what's usually associated with the south and African-American nosh and serve it up in delectable bite sized portions. I have not had corndogs like these guys do corndogs. Most corndogs I've seen have this bready, almost pancake-like coating. What these guys carry is warm and crunchy. A good holder for the hotdog. My only regret is that it looks like they use half a hotdog rather than a whole hotdog but given how heavy it is? That might actually be a stroke of brilliance on their part. And let's not get started on their deep fried oreos. Now those were an indulgence I'd only tasted one other place. It's a great place that fills the "I just want a snack" niche at StrEAT. Also, have I mentioned the staff is really nice? Because they're really nice.

My partner is a cheese lover so you can only imagine how her eyes twinkled when we saw the poster…read moreabout Deep Fried Cheese! Hihi. Food trucks are sort of becoming a thing now in the Philippines and were just so glad that they are conquering Maginhawa Street. The Soul Food Truck is one of those food stalls located in Maginhawa strEAT. They are serving averagely priced meals - Deep Fried Cheese only costs 75php and it comes with a unique strawberry cinnamon dip. Definitely a must-try if you're in the area!

It's easy to categorize Swizzle Mobile Bar as just another participant in the game of beverage…read morecatering in Manila. But the truth is that they are so much than that. When it comes to mobile bars, they very well may be the kingpin and the superior leader. These guys seem to have thought of everything. They offer a variety of packages that can be customized according to your specific needs. If you have a budget in mind, they can work with you to formulate a plan that you are comfortable with. Drink requests and thematic concoctions can also be accommodated. Prices aren't unreasonable either. Cheers!