Back when I was working for a company that had client meetings at a certain multi-national office…read moreon UN Avenue, I always looked forward to dining at Assad's Cafe. Most of my former colleagues swore by the Spicy Chicken, which was essentially fried chicken, served with a sweet-spicy chili sauce and sauteed finger chilis and garlic on the side. To be fair, it was absolutely delicious! But it wasn't my favorite dish from there. Being a creature of habit, I always go for the Butter Chicken, which is a huge plate of chicken served in a traditional Indian curry. The serving was enormous, almost good enough for two people! Ambiance-wise, don't expect much. It's a boring little cafe that gets the job done. Aside from the ubiquitous yogurt shakes, you can also avail Indian sodas to wash down the spiciness of your meal. I definitely recommend this place after you've finished shopping in the groceries right beside it. Delicious!

Kashmir at this location is quite a marvel in a country where it's extremely hard to find very good…read moreto excellent restaurants. Given this context, hence that I upgrade 4.25 to 5. Why is it good? First of all, it's owned and been operated now for over 25 years by an Indian national who has left this branch - apparently two others in Makati - in the hands of a very capable pinoy chef and his trusty long-term server crew. Second of all, it's truly good. Better than most such restos in Canada, it holds up wonderfully well. Third, I've tried other Indian restos in Makati, and, although at least one is okay, this is by far the best. Fourth, I've been to this Kashmir about a dozen times over the last 15 years, and every time I'm back in the sprawling mess of Manila, take time out to go there. Try their curries, 3-lentil dahl, chicken tikka, naan breads, etc. Although the portions tend to be small, really a delight in a country where few restos get it right. Be prepared to spend a little, but the flavours and textures are worth it. And, yes, it's great for a quiet romantic evening with a first date or your beloved spouse on a special occasion. This is fine dining ... enjoy the quality cloth napkins and tableclothes, fine utensils, and disregard what's outside the door. And if you like Dads - one is next door - the food here easily outdistances that famous buffet in every way. As well, near here is Solidaridad, the finest book store in the Phils owned by national writer Sionil Jose, that can be visited before your dinner.

Halal here! This is…read morea tiny restaurant near small shops and a food court along Vito Cruz; it's also across epic Jollibee. Tables are arranged for four people. Interior is too simple with a minimalistic brick wall design, which is amusingly slanted towards the bottom. It has a hole-in-the-wall vibe and is pretty peaceful. Restaurant front is very plain but their halal signs are eye-catching. Chicken Korma can be spicy or non-spicy. The size of the chicken pieces were fair and the coconut powdered sauce was appetizing to look at. The consistency of the sauce was nice but it lacked flavor; perhaps spices really light this thing up but a milky flavor would've been nice. Chicken Polao was pretty heavy and I still can't figure out how I finished everything. It's for one starving person (me, apparently) but best for sharing. It came with two pieces of chicken that were initially tucked under amazing basmati rice. Two dips are on the side. Paratha was a big round piece of bread, nice and thick, barely oily, and simply fun to eat. I had no dip for this yet somehow managed, again, to finish everything. Just a heads-up that it's plain so eat it with something, anything!

Mantra Indian Kitchen & Bar has been around for a while, but this was one of those dinners that…read morereminded me why I still consider it one of the better Indian restaurants in town. I really like the place itself. It's tucked away in Legazpi Village and has a warm, intimate feel, with dark interiors, chandeliers and just enough color to give it character. It feels cozy without being too casual, and it's a nice place to settle into for dinner, especially when you're ordering several dishes to share. We had the vegetable biryani, chicken tikka masala, fish curry, palak paneer and naan. The vegetable biryani was fragrant and flavorful, with the long-grain basmati rice nicely separated instead of being heavy or oily. Their current menu also has quite a good selection of biryanis, including chicken, mutton and shrimp. The palak paneer was one of my favorites. Rich, creamy spinach with paneer, comforting and really good eaten with the naan. The naan came out warm with those slightly charred edges you want from the tandoor, and naturally we kept using it to mop up all the sauces. The fish curry was another good one. Flavorful and nicely spiced without everything tasting the same. That's something I appreciate about Mantra. When you have several curries on the table, you can actually taste the differences between them. Then there was the chicken tikka masala. It arrived extremely spicy. And I do mean extremely. It was much hotter than I wanted, so I asked them to take it back and adjust it. They did, without making an issue out of it, and when it came back it was so much better. Once the heat wasn't overpowering everything else, I could actually enjoy the richness and spices of the sauce. I also appreciated how the staff handled it. No fuss, they just fixed it. Service throughout dinner was very good. The staff were attentive and accommodating, which made a difference, particularly with the chicken tikka masala situation. Overall, everything we ordered was very good. The flavors are bold, the portions work well for sharing, and there's a good selection for both meat eaters and vegetarians. I also like that it feels like a proper sit-down restaurant without becoming overly formal. Mantra now has another branch at Molito in Alabang, so people in the south don't have to make the trip to Makati. Mantra Indian Kitchen & Bar The restaurant's own site currently lists these two locations. For me, Mantra remains one of the better Indian restaurants in Manila, especially when I'm craving the classics: a good curry, palak paneer, biryani and plenty of naan on the side. Just one note from this visit: if you don't like your food very spicy, say so when you order the chicken tikka masala. Mine definitely came with a serious kick.

This is one of the best Indian restaurants in Makati. Good ingredients and great taste and…read morepreparation that is not overwhelmingly spicy or dripping in butter makes it closer to a home cooked meal that you can eat and keep repeating. All Indian restaurants have a dessert menu but not all make their desserts in-house Mantra does and their Kulfi, with pistachios and saffron. (Indian ice cream) is very good. From the main course, the yellow lentils (dal tadka) and baingan bharta (eggplant mash) are good vegetarian options. In non vegetarian options chicken tikka is very good and so is butter chicken. Service is great and ambience cozy. They have outside patio seating as well with fans to keep it cool, but inside seating is recommended.

Absolutely hands down favorite of ours in Makati city. Delicious and authentic Indian cuisine…read more Food is to die for. Service is excellent. Very chic and elegant ambience. Ideal for special occasions or dates. We highly recommend this restaurant. We couldn't get enough of it.

Indian food NEVER disappoints. Well, except if you're at the wrong place--and New Bombay is never…read morethe wrong place for me stuff my face with super tasty vegan food. New Bombay has several branches all over the metro, and they've really made a name for themselves because of the consistently excellent quality of Indian food that they serve. Not too long ago I was in Hanoi, eating at an Indian place called Khazaana when its owner chatted me up to ask about the Indian restaurants in Manila, and even he knew of New Bombay! Their menu is so extensive that I'm the type to just stick to a few staple dishes that I know will never do me wrong, which are Aloo Gobi, Vegetable Biryani, Masala Dosa and Vegetable Samosa. (Note: If you're vegan, some vegetarian dishes do have yogurt, cheese - like paneer, and milk, so make sure to ask your server the usual). Through the years I've been trying to increase my spiciness tolerance, and I'm proud to say I've managed not to keel over and die from Indian spicy (yes, not medium or mild)! Their servers will always ask you how spicy you'd like your food to be, so be adventurous! Although this branch is great, sometimes when I'm in a pinch I do like getting my meal at their Food Choices branch in Glorietta instead since this is the branch in Makati that offers those vegetarian set meals that are cheaper than the ala carte orders at their bigger branches.

Cafe Ilang-Ilang truly one of the best international buffets in the Philippines along with Sofitel…read moreHotel before they closed down the Spiral Buffet. Excellent customer service along with international meals offered and plenty of food options at Cafe Ilang Ilang. By far this is one of our favorite hotel buffets in the Philippines. The International buffet has everything from traditional classic Filipino food items to Mediterranean, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Mexican and American cuisine. There are so many food items and some of the food items they serve are not served at other eateries and restaurants as they are only exclusive here at Cafe Ilang Ilang. We look forward to our next visit and dining here at Cafe Ilang Ilang will family and friends. We will recommend Cafe Ilang Ilang to all our friends and family that frequent Philippines as we know they will absolutely like it here.

Was offered free buffets for 3 of the 4 people staying in the room. One person is a bit expensive…read morebut was definitely worth it if you have it for free. The service was nice and quick both when at the table and going through the buffet lines. There is a lot of tables so it can be a little loud and I'd recommend getting there early as it does fill up. The food itself was pretty tasty! If you're from abroad, it's a nice introduction to a lot of Filipino food while also providing comfort food for other cultures. Would recommend getting authentic Filipino cuisine elsewhere but still a nice option

I'm a sucker for any restaurant that is just near where I live. Mr King Kebab is one of those…read moreplaces where I can just sit down and eat my favourite Middle Eastern dishes when I don't want staying in my own house for so long! My go-to meal in their selection is mixed vegetables curry and zeera rice. Mixed vegetables curry is as flavourful as it gets and it best complements my other favourite rice dish, zeera rice. Zeera is an Indian word for cumin. They also serve grilled meat while you wait. Make sure to choose their mutton kebab and try their Black Chana Masala and pair them with wheat bread. If you are the type that likes to eat with their hands, you should always try that here and savour it. As they say, Middle Eastern food is best eaten with just your hands and bread.

There are so many hole-in-the-wall places around San Antonio and I literally just stumbled across…read moreMr. King Kebab. One of my biggest cravings in Manila is usually for Middle Eastern food and I was pleasantly surprised to find almost authentic but comforting cuisine in this side street restaurant. The dishes didn't necessarily come cheap, but if you know what to order, you can have a satisfying meal.

Solid breakfast buffet! Covers many international dishes…read moreincluding Japan's nato. They even made me champorado to order. There is also a wandering taho vendor. Define worth the money spent for the buffet

This is a restaurant / coffeeshop at the main floor of the Dusit Thani Hotel, it's open all hours…read moreduring the Day and serves limited dishes from a variety of options. Few dishes from each style of American, Italian, Chinese noodles, Pinoy and of course Thai. Would recommend Thai options as you won't go wrong with that portion (its part of one of the best Thai restaurant). The ingredients are claimed to be all natural and organic. Preparations are full of flavoring without being overtly spicy. If you are not feeling like Thai food you can easily pick any American choice sandwich or chicken wings etc.. The bar is adjacent to the restaurant and is full service. Coffee machine can do variety of brews. Service can be slow during late afternoons as they have limited staff during those hours and sole parts of restaurant closed. Overall it's great option to get a quick meal and for meetings.