I popped into Ilustrado during a sunny afternoon stroll through Intramuros and it felt like…read morestepping into a beautiful old Manila postcard. The place is tucked away in this charming historic building with high ceilings, antique touches everywhere, and that perfect mix of Spanish elegance and warm Filipino vibes. We started with the classic adobo and some crispy pata that was perfectly crunchy outside and tender inside--seriously flavorful without being greasy. Then the highlight was the stuffed chicken relleno; juicy, packed with chorizo goodness, and that gravy just tied it all together. Ended with the famous sampaguita ice cream--never had anything like it, floral and refreshing in the best way, like eating flowers but in dessert form. Service was attentive and friendly, they even remembered our drinks without us asking twice. Parking was easy in their private lot too. Such a lovely, relaxed meal in the middle of the city--definitely one of my favorite spots now. Five stars all the way!

This is an old-world Spanish and Filipino fusion restaurant in historic Intramuros. I found the…read morefood was good, but I got my appetizer after my main. I recommend Adobo Bagnet, and Lengua con Setas. Unique Desserts: Known for its unique Sampaguita Ice Cream The decor was a little worn out, but I noticed that the more stylish, formal main function hall was reserved for special events. I guess this area was where the romantic reviews I read came from

Paella was worth the long wait...very good, plenty of ingredients. The bolognese was also…read moreokay....pollo frito was not good, it actually had very little actual chicken meat. Leg/thigh fried, came with gravy, I ate skin and gravy...the little chicken meat there was had black things attached to it, kind of disgusting. Pollo al Asillo (chicken spicy garlic sauce) was tasteless, not good. Linguini al pesto had a lot of a tomato sauce on top, took away from the pesto flavor...bottom line , come for the paella...that's it!!! Very good service.

Who does not like Spanish tapas? It is one of my favorite foods and when in Manila, Philippines, I…read morewas luckily invited for a dinner party at Alba Restaurante in Makati. On entering the restaurant, one cannot but notice the well-appointed red tablecloth tables with cloth napkins. The dishes at our disposal were many. They were Gambas (shrimp) in garlic and oil, potato croquettes, Spanish sausage, baked oysters, mushrooms, crostini with dip, chicken, spinach pizza and of course, seafood paella. To add to the cozy ambiance of this restaurant were three singers with Spanish guitars, serenading the audience in the restaurant. Our group got several renditions of Spanish ballads including, "Guantanamera". We sang along for this one. All the dishes were prepared well and highlighted their own distinct taste and flavors. My favorites were the croquettes, the baked oysters and the seafood paella. The croquettes were crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The oysters though small, came 12 to a plate and were moist and well charred to bring out the baked parmesan fragrance. The seafood paella was the crown jewel of the evening. It contained several seafood varieties and was made fresh. It came out slightly charred at the bottom, as does any good paella. When scraped, mixed with the other contents, and eaten, one is rewarded with several bursts of aroma and taste. Table service was excellent. Muchas Gracias, Senores y Senoras.

This place is awesome - pay for the cultural show its buffet, it's worth it!…read more It's located near Intramuros tourist areas and the ambiance is so pretty! Many tables of tour groups but the service is excellent and I absolutely loved the cultural show taking you through Philippine history. Very well executed!! The buffet is quite diverse and a great way to try Philippine cuisine en masse. Highly recommend!

Barbara's is a solid choice for lunch if you are visiting Manila in the Philippines. We had a…read moreblast! What stood out about this restaurant was the exceptional customer service and the cultural dancing while you eat delicious traditional Filipino food buffet style. I don't know if it's because they cater to tourist that makes this place so special but I left here feeling very full and very happy from the cultural performances. What was also fun was after the performances they invite the visitors from different regions of the world up to the stage and taking a picture with the dance performers. It provided a great keepsake to take back home. They also perform different songs from around the Philippines and the different dialects they speak and where they are from providing an educational opportunity. One of the songs was from the region, where my mother's father is from which is why I took a trip to the Philippines to learn more about my grandfather's culture and homeland. This touched my soul deeply and will never forget my time at Barbara's. The food was outstanding and very tourist friendly. I went up two times to partake in the delicious offerings from the buffet. I think the best thing about this place too is to have experienced all of this in an air-conditioned building. It was a nice reprieve from the 90+ degrees Fahrenheit with humidity weather that I endured in Manila. I also attended another restaurant with the cultural performance, and it was outside, and the experience was not as special due to the weather. So that's why I can't say enough good things about how I was treated and the yummy food that I ate and the beautiful cultural performances I admired at Barbara's. Highly recommend Barbara's while visiting the Philippines .

After a disappointing paella stint at Las Flores, I finally got my Paella craving satisfied…read more The paella was great - taste and price-wise it was spot on. We ordered Paella Valenciana, croquetas de pollo and croquetas de jamon, calamares romano all of which tasted good. Only 4/5 because some details need work. We requested the paella to be a litte toasted but it was little burnt under which is okay since you just have to scrape slowly. The tapas need a little more attention to detail since the croquettas de pollo has a small bone in it and the calamares had a small remnant of its quill

I grew up with Casa Armas. After Señor Armas passed away a few years ago, I didn't want to go back…read more But nothing has changed. It serves the best tapas, paella, cochinillo, Iberian chicken in this side of town. It had the same cheesy 3man band that just adds to the ambience. I love the place! And the sangria help with the ambience.

Loved it!!! The lengua was superb. We also had the fish, pork and chicken. These were also…read moredelicious. The restaurant had mismatched chairs and tables. It is in an ancestral home across Malacañang Palace. They have a lovely entry way with bamboo and a fountain. It is very close to the Shrine of St. Michael Archangels. We had a wonderful lunch after mass with the extended family. Desserts were also good. We tried the chocolate cake and frozen lemon soufflé. YUM.

My traveler friends and I love ancestral houses - on destinations with ancestral houses, we really…read moretake time to see them. So it was a no-brainer for us to celebrate the birthday of one of us at Casa Roces. It definitely feels like an elegant ancestral house, especially the second floor, which we took an informal tour of too, through the help of the staff. The furniture and decor took us back in time. Later, I found out that the tables and chairs on the second floor are still used for meetings, one room of which is P-Noy's usual meeting room. The garden patio and the dining area of the restaurant are especially beautiful and romantic at night, when they are bathed in a soft yellow glow from the lights. I ordered the mushroom pasta, delicious and filling, with the serving just a little more than enough for one. The smoky and fresh flavor of the roasted tomato soup is also a winner. Being a pesca-vegetarian, I didn't get to taste the lengua, which is the restaurant's bestseller, and which friends attest to. We surprised the birthday celebrant with Casa Roces' best-selling chocolate caramel cake.

Food was really good. Service is a little bit slow but servers were courteous. Will definitely…read morecome back on my next visit.

One of the best restaurant I visited in the Philippines,a catholic themed establishment that serves…read moreItalian,Spanish and Filipino cuisine,historical place , I believed run by priests and nuns. Considered as mini museum for its interiors showcasing historical photos and artifacts. Upon entering ...its like you just step back in time,from decors and furnitures its really a feel of the past... somewhat eirie to me. Theres so much good foods from the menu,they actually have silvanas for the dessert. Silvanas(Sylvanas) cookie version of sansrival,a frozen cookie consisting of layer of buttercream sandwiched by two cashew- mirengue wafers and coated with cookie crumps. Appez: We ordered Ukoy or squash fritters dipping sauce is vinigar with crushed garlic and red chilli,for me this one is just ordinary maybe because I usually cook this at home and mine is an all out ukoy really yummy though. Main entree; We got crispy pata deep fried pork leg this one was so good the skin very crispy while the meat is very tender and flavorfull,I tried the fried tawilis a local sardines endemic to the Philippines,we ordered kare-kare a beef stewed in special sauce with peanut butter and mixed asian veggies,very very good its side is sauteed shrimp paste. We actually ordered a lot so I can try most of the dishes but the one that really a bomb was the Paella Negra or also known as the arroz negra,its a dish originated from Valencia Spain main ingredient is the squid and its ink,it also has clams,shrimp and some other seafood.::mixed with cooked rice and baked, the final product is black in color when served. I was blown away by this one so much flavor into it,so much meat from the sea,the color is kinda scary but when you taste it olala the best. Huge serving in here. We got fresh buko juice and other freshly squeezed fruit juices. For our dessert Halo-halo or ice catchang and we tried their silvanas both were so delish that you wish to eat more in every bite. A different place to dine in,pateo seating is also available,take out as well,busy busy place because its located just opposite of a morethan century old catholic church named San Agustine. Good for group and kids friendly,wash room is not the cleanest place on earth but not dirty though. Excellent service well somewhat slow because it was a busy dinner time when we came by. I would like to revisit this place when i will be back to the Philippines. I also recommend this place specially for foreigners who love to try the kind of cuisine they serve and to feel the ambiance of an old restaurant that still operational. I cant review the pricing of foods in here because my brother paid for everything and I havent seen the bill... 5 star rating based in interior designs and quality of foods,by the way its not easy to find a parking paid or free... busy all the time and its location is in the heart of intramuros Manila. Kudos!! Mabuhay! Another pride of the Filipinos.. so proud of this place... im lovin' it...

Don't tell my boyfriend, but I'm infatuated with Alqueria. Who knew Spanish food could be THAT…read moregreat? If all the restaurants that served Spanish food were an entire kingdom, Alqueria would be their queen. Just browsing the menu alone makes you feel like someone's going to pop out with guitars, castanets, and harmonicas any moment now. It actually reminded me of how I've always wanted to learn the language. The restaurant feels so cozy, and yet it subtly exudes elegance. And like I said before, the dishes are SO good! The beef salpicao, the chorizo... all those classic Spanish food you love and enjoy. I honestly don't know how to describe all their dishes. All I can say is this: forget all that you've tasted from other Spanish restaurants. This is the real deal, my friend. You /can't/ let this pass. (Although, you may opt to pass on the churros. Not that great, but they /could/ be authentic Spanish churros. I wouldn't know.)

I am so intrigue to check out this place while in SD. I saw a post from Marvin Agustin in Instagram…read morepromoting this place so i got curious and told my self that i have to check this out., So, i went, check out the place and tried their foods. I like it and price is OK (not too bad). Would i recommend this place? Yes :)

If Calderon is the new wave of Spanish cuisine in the Philippines, color me impressed. Calderon…read moretakes the best of the old school (Alba's and Casa Armas), and gives it an update that gives respect to the conventions of the old guard, yet feels fresh and new. The Makati branch of Calderon is tucked (Quite literally) at the back of a building in Salcedo Village, and as such is a bit of a challenge to find at first. However, once you get there, the restaurant more than makes up for it with wonderful food and a great vibe. I totally enjoyed every single dish I ate in Calderon, and while it was a bit pricey, it was totally worth every Peso. I would come back here in a heartbeat.

Calderon is good ol' Spanish food. What kind? The kind that you grew up with. It's Spanish food,…read morebut you know it has that Filipino influence on it. What are the good dishes? The familiar stuff: paella, salpicao, gambas, callos, bacalao, etc. Everything was good. A surprise hit was the lengua (if you like lengua). Top finish the job - their chocolate cake. If you aren't a fan of sweets, this might get you hooked. It's tasty, it's decadent, it's rich, but not that rich. The prices are very reasonable, reasonable enough to make me want to go back and try more of their dishes. I usually talk about the interiors first but I got to excited with the food. Anyway, the furniture isn't top-notch, but there is this intimate homey feel that you notice once you sit down to order. It's casual enough for a dinner with friends and family, but fancy enough for a date (for me at least). I think I'm going back tomorrow.

The experience was surprisingly nice and very enjoyable. It was like having a meal at your…read moregrandparent's house. The dishes were well-made, comfort food. Nothing earth shaking in terms of flavors, but everything tasted familiar - the way it should. I love this place for that. I'm not a big fan of fusion and deconstructed food dishes. We specifically loved their gambas, kare-kare, roast pork, leche flan. Apart from the good comfort food, what will make me return again and again to this place are the staff and the ambiance. - the staff - some of them have been with the Legarda family since tita Moning was alive. There was even a brochure write-up introducing all the staff to the guests. I love how the owner is goving much credit and appreciation to the staff. As a result, the staff were really very warm towards the guests. It wasn't just professional courtesy. I could feel that their service came from the heart (especially Tining). - the ambiance - too often, old ancestral houses converted to restaurants end up just being a shell structure of the house with a restaurant inside. This isn't so for La Cocina. One could still feel the heart and soul of the home as it once housed the Legarda family. It wasn't a restaurant in a shell structure of an old house. It was a restaurant in a home. At the end of the meal, it felt like we had eaten at our lola's house not in just any other restaurant.

Time travel and food is not a common combination to have, but stepping inside La Cocina De Tita…read moreMoning is to be transported back to Manila's opulent past. The restaurant-cum-ancestral house offers patrons a dining experience like no other. To start things off, you are given a tour of the mansion and told tidbits and stories pertaining to the Legarda family. The tour starts in the first floor and you gradually make your way up where you'll eventually be led to the dining area. Describing it as extravagant and exquisite is putting it mildly. There are rose petals strewn about the length of your table. There are literal bells you can pick up and ring to get the attention of the help. The whole experience is surreal. The food itself isn't bad. It's obviously inclined towards Spanish fare given the Legarda family's heritage. It's not the best though. Paying a visit to La Cocina De Tita Moning is something I'd recommend. Not for the food, but for the whole experience involved as a whole.

Two words: Sangria y Paella. Do yourself a favor and order the Paella as soon as you sit down…read more(takes 30min and is legit amazing). While you wait enjoy a pitcher of their homemade Sangria that is bomb and fruit has soaked for 2 days. If you get a little hangry in the meantime there is bread and butter on the table. The Paella is crispy perfection on the bottom with crrreamy and decadent rice, spices and seafood on top. De-lish

not bad. paella negra is okay but it stays in your system for quite some time. how does it…read morecompare to an alba run resto?