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.

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.

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.

The food is amazing. Tried Kulfi for the first time and that dessert is heavenly rich and creamy…read more The place also has a very authentic ambiance. The service is excellent. They are very accommodating and polite. I highly recommend this place if you're craving for authentic indian or Pakistani cuisine.

I really never see like these meals forever but some delicious taste of our foods ....yes it's yummyread more

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.

The Good: Authentic Arabian food! As good as it gets in Manila…read more The Bad: It's traffic getting to the place and the ambiance isn't the best. Pro Tip: The biryani rice is a sleeper hit! As stated above, this is probably the best Arabian food place in manila. You know an Arabian place is good when Arabians go there to eat! Whenever I'm in the general area, i take the time to do a side-trip to this place! Always awesome, and never disappoints! The place may be abit old and dirty, but I think it's all part of the charm! Try the kebabs, sharwama and my personal favorite: the biryani rice!

Our favorite place for Shawarma (Middle Eastern dish). Place was upgraded and they now have a "fast…read morefood branch" nearby. Skip their "Shawarma Meals" fries included was very disappointing!

Hands down my favorite place to eat in in Taft Avenue!…read more Ababu opened about a year ago and hasn't lost its momentum since, well at least for me. They serve Persian and Mediterranean foods which are two of my favorites! The best part? It's just a block away from my building so if you do visit, there's a possibility of you running into me there (don't forget to say hi!)! Ababu's food is very affordable but unlike most cheap eats, Ababu serves amazing food! Their Beef Kebab Rice Meal is my favorite! It consists of charbroiled ground beef with egg, corn, onions and tomatoes on rice. They also serve bottomless iced teas with the meals though I believe they use powdered iced tea. The only drawback is that the place can get really hot and a little smoky when they are cooking the meat and the poor air-conditioning sure doesn't help.

When, like my sister and me, Mediterranean food is your comfort food and you want to eat it in a…read moresimple, no-frills place like we do, head to Ababu Persian Kitchen. Good thing there's one located across my office! I love their Chicken Rice Meal, which, at Php 139, comes with grilled chicken breast, a cup of rice, a slice of butter, some corn, tomatoes, onions, and a sunny-side-up egg. A bit of warning, though: the grilled chicken is really just that. It's not grilled barbecue-style so it's sauce-free, which is good news for weight watchers. It's a heavy meal, enough to fuel you from lunch to dinner. In fact, it has become my go-to lunch for days when I practice hot yoga after office and afternoon snacks are a no-no. My sister, the shawarma lover, loves their Shawarma Rice--no surprise! Their meals include unlimited yogurt dressing (of course!) and unlimited iced tea! Don't be surprised when they offer you one pitcher though you're dining alone. Though certainly amusing, that pressured me to drink more iced tea than I normally consume!

Reasonably priced and really good Persian food! :D…read more My usual orders are Ox Brain, Hummus, and Beef Kebab. Oddly, they are more expensive than the branch in Timog. Must be the rent in Metrowalk. Either way, the food is good, service is good, and value for your money is great!

This restaurant has been around for quite some time now- Family's usual midnight food-go-to place!…read moreWe go here like 2-3 times a month, I used to be very picky with food, but I finally learned to appreciate the food here! The menu has a wide selection to choose from -- shawarma, kebabs, hummus, and many more. I recommend getting the Chelo beef kebab kobideh, for P275 (add P30 for basmati rice!) -- definitely a must-try- or the Mahksos. Most of their dishes served with rice is good for sharing, however, when really hungry, it could be just for one. Pair it with Dogh (yogurt shake), and you're good to go! We keep coming back here all the time for our midnight cravings!

I do like a good wrap. There's just something so guilt-free and satisfying about a decent…read moreshawarma... well, guilt free as far as "I didn't eat rice and am perfectly full" goes. Maybe it's the fact that you get a whole pita bread. Maybe it's the vegetables that come with it. Maybe it's the fact that the meat is cooked over heat rather than fried which makes it feel good. Either way, a good wrap is good eats. Meshwe is definitely good eats but with a few "ehh" moments. Firstly, the fries. The fries are divine. Meshwe calls them Arabic fries and I have no idea what combination of spices they use with these shoestrings but I say keep em coming! They're the kind of fries that don't need ketchup or mustard or salt. They're delectable on their own especially when coupled with that wonderful garlic sauce. Now that's flavor I dream of for days afterward, I kid you not. Thankfully Meshwe offers a sample plate with their fries, 2 sambousak (kind of like samosas) and pita chips. Now for the ehh moment. Those pita chips, delectable as they are when warm are kind of... hard. Sure, they're crunchy when fresh and hot but eventually, they get kinda hard. Your mileage may vary, of course. But let's get to the main course. The shawarma. You can either get it as a shawarma, a shawarma plate (ie, a deconstructed shawarma) and with rice. My one gripe though is that it comes off as a little dry. Maybe it's the fact that I keep ordering the plate which gives you the sauce (I could write litanies about that sauce it's so good) on the side. And that, quite honestly, is my only ehh moment when it comes to the shawarma. It's tasty, yes. Certainly worth the price you pay for it but it just seems a little lacking in the juicy department. However, I can say that the flavors are good enough that it keeps me coming back when I need a quick meal.

A few months back when I wasn't too preoccupied with my thesis, I used to hang out a lot with my…read morefriends in the Z Compound, and Meshwe was a staple dinner. I love that they have a flavorful falafel that can rival any falafel in town. It is chunky, flavorful and delicious, and the wrap comes with a generous helping of fresh vegetables and a surprise element - a few pieces of french fries - which makes this a very heavy and satisfying dish. It is a good vegetarian option for herbivores like me, and it is good when coupled with their hummus (creamy and just the right consistency) and the baba ganoush (which is perfectly smoky and yummy, especially with their warm pita). They run out of their shawarma really fast, so it's best to come early. That tells you that their food is great. What I don't get, though, is why my orders usually take FOREVER, even when I can clearly see that there is no one else queuing. Surely, it doesn't take that long to fry a falafel? Or it doesn't take that long to assemble a wrap since the ingredients area already prepared mise en place. The sluggish service makes a really bad impression. Good thing the food more than makes up for that. And the cool guys Noel and Nathan, who man the store, are always cheerful and nice.

This has become a regular stop when my wife and I are in Manila. The food is always good, and there…read moreis a wide selection to choose from. I see some other reviewers talking about service and cleanliness, but both have been good, in my experience. As for price, I am sure you can find a cheaper kebab place, but you won't find one this good.

The food took forever to come out and didn't taste very good. It was also expensive. Even better, I…read moreroasted for two days in bed with a fever and vomiting from food poisoning. World's worst restaurant! Bad service too