Anyone from the South would know who Mang Raul is. Why won't they, Mang Raul serves only the best…read moreihaw-ihaw in the South. Established way back in 1996, Mang Raul's serves the usual array of Filipino ihaw-ihaw staples such as barbecue, isaw, adidas, tenga and hotdog , all drenched in Mang Raul's sweet red sauce. Everyday, Mang Raul's is packed with people for their ihaw-ihaw fix so be sure to come as soon as soon as they open or order in advance.

I won't lie but the bbq here is heavenly. Yes, I live around the area but it's really divine. You…read moreneed to be super early to get a taste of their bbq, The sauce is awesome, really yummy! There's this one time we tried eating there at around 8pm and we are like number 56! Wow and people still come and take orders even the stocks are nearly replenished! So tip for you first timers, drop by the place in a weekday, preferably around 3pm and make sure to plan it in a week where people has no "sahod" so you could enjoy eating without the hassle of actually waiting for 2 hours! Another good thing here is that you can order in advance and you get to pick up the bbq after a while or so. We did this like 3x since we host christmas dinners at home. I love Mang Raul's and I know you will too!

We were hoping to eat at a well-known barbecue joint on a Monday afternoon. After going through…read moremaze-like traffic in the metro, we got there only to find out that it was closed. We were nearly hopeless, 'til we saw a barbecue stall with a pretty good number of people waiting to get their turn at picking their orders. We parked immediately and waited for our turn. The barbecue man Mang Crom enthusiastically took a plate and handed it to us when it was our turn. For PhP99, my sister and I got 1 pork barbecue, 1 hotdog, 4 chicken intestines, 2 pig intestines, and 1 pig's ear. We took a seat at one of the tables between the several stores and waited for our order. Aside from the tender and tasty barbecued items, I liked the steady, relaxed vibe and it somehow reenergized us for our drive home.

He's located at the corner of the other "popular" bbq joint but Kuya Crom is where its really at!…read moreStarted off as a little stand by the tree and developed his way into a real BBQ stop! Awesome, personality and he's the only one cooking them at its finest. No other workers for him to cook which truly shows his passion in what he does. Ask for extra sauce, it's free unlike other places nearby.

Pancit Houses can be seen anywhere in Manila. It's so popular it's almost available in every…read morecorner, heck they're sometimes in front or beside each other and whenever you're craving for one, you can always call to have it delivered. I recently went to my cousin's farewell party and the Pancit Malabon caught my attention because of how beautiful it was prepared, but the look was just an added bonus, it's the taste that makes me come back for more, and it was probably the best I've tasted so far. I just can't get enough of the sophisticated taste of their Pancit Malabon so I went to their restaurant the next day. It was a bit pricey than the other pancit houses that I know, maybe because the pancit was topped with lots of shrimps, chicharon and egg. I had lunch and also found out that their pork barbecue and pichi-pichi are to die for. I recommend the pichi-pichi with cheese, as the saltiness of the cheese complements the sweetness and creaminess of coconut-cassava ball. I recommend their bestsellers like fish fillet in tartar sauce, lengua in mushroom sauce and Golden fried chicken- yum! Their menu is all made-to-order so if you want to order, you have to allow at least 1 1/ 2 hour of cooking and preparation time for delivery and 45 minutes for takeout or pick up. Altogether, their food is delicious! I'll give two thumbs up!

I discovered Amber when I was still working in Makati. On some pay days when people in the office…read morewere feeling generous, we'd chip in to order a big bilao of Pancit Malabon or Spaghetti, and dozens of pork barbecue from Amber for lunch. Those lunches were fantastic. When I resigned from that job, I also said goodbye to Amber (temporarily). I was so happy when Amber finally decided to open a branch in Las Pinas. And while I don't eat or order there as much as before (we have great cooks in the family so we rarely order pancit or spaghetti outside), I'm still a big fan of their food and service. The cost of their food is slightly higher than the average pancit and barbecue delivery stores in the area, but it's no secret that they're really delicious. The pichi-pichi is soft but not squishy. It's so good, I can finish one order (12 pieces) by myself.

The local church in my village draws a large crowd every Sunday. It should come as no surprise then…read morethat several barbecue stalls have set themselves up just outside the church to cater to the gastronomic needs of those who hear mass. Out of all the places to get barbecue none are for me, as great as Joey's barbecue. I've been going here since I was a kid. In fact, their barbecue is the standard by which I measure all other barbecues. I think I've said that before about one other barbecue, but this one is my other real standard. If a barbecue doesn't taste as well or juicy as Joey's then it's definitely below great. It may be good, but it will never be great. The best way to eat their barbecue is to get it fresh off the grill. If you're lucky then there are a few ones just fresh off, if not then I strongly recommend that you ask yours to be heated again just so you can understand what I'm talking about. Their barbecue is soft on my gums and teeth. The sauce is sweet to my nose and taste buds. When fresh off the grill, the barbecue has this sort of caramelized texture to it something I rarely see in other barbecues. They have other stuff to offer, but really it's the barbecue you want. It's about P17 each, but I often go there with a P100 bill and leave with nothing left in my pocket.

My Honest Take on Bulgogi Brothers (3/5)…read more Just tried Bulgogi Brothers, the Korean restaurant under the Bistro Group. It was okay. Not bad, but not something I'd go out of my way to visit again. Here's what we ordered and what I thought: Appetizers (Banchan) They served the usual Korean side dishes when we sat down, but honestly, they weren't that tasty. I usually look forward to the sweet little fish--but they didn't have it. That was already a letdown for me. Bibimbap We got the classic bibimbap. It looked nice, but when I mixed it all up, it just felt dry. The rice didn't have that moist, comforting feel I like when eating bibimbap. Galbi Jjim (Korean Beef Stew) This was served bubbling hot in a nice little pot, which I liked. The flavor was okay, very saucy, but here's the problem: only 3 pieces of meat. One was mostly bone, one was mostly fat, and the last one had some actual meat. Not worth the price for me. Korean BBQ Beef (I think it was Beef Belly) This was probably the best thing we ordered. It was grilled, tender, and had good flavor. If I ever come back, this is the only thing I'd really want again. Japchae (Glass Noodles) Too much red pepper. That's all I can say. It overpowered everything else. Would I come back? Maybe if I had no other choice and needed something Korean. But if you're looking for authentic Korean flavors, there are way better places out there. One good thing though--service was great. The staff was really attentive and nice.

After a meeting we had in the Commerce Center, we decided to eat at Chubby's Rib Shack for brunch…read more My friend had the Steak and Eggs while I had the BBQ Pulled Pork with Eggs. I'm not really a fan of "barbecues" but I have to admit that I like their food. My order had fries topped with pulled pork topped with a scrambled egg. On the side, the order came with toast. It looked like French Toast. It was a big piece of bread cut in half but I tasted it, it was really good. It wasn't heavy like I thought it would be. It was very light and it had the perfect toast on its edges. It went really well with the pulled pork. The serving was quite little so I felt like I wasn't as satisfied but it was good. I think that it was just right for breakfast and I didn't feel sad about what I ate. It was a well-cooked meal so I don't have any complains other than the size or the serving. The pulled pork was really good and that's probably why I really wanted to eat more.

Very tasty chicken and ribs! Good service and prices. I had the chicken and ribs with coleslaw and…read morean extra side of fries and my wife had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and corn. The portions are small for western standards but probably the right amount of food for the average person. The side of fries was very tiny, but at only ~30PHP it was expected.

I'll go straight to the point with this one because there's no need for dilly-dallying when talking…read moreabout the restaurant that serves the best chicken barbeque and java rice combo in Manila.... Reyes Barbeque!!! I think that this place deserves accolade for serving really good food at really good prices. There's a big disparity between what you're paying for and what you're getting these days and so far, Reyes has not veered away from that. They just do it so well. Their Boneless Chicken Barbeque set which comes with java rice, atchara and peanut sauce is DELICIOUS aka party-in-the-mouth aka could-be-better-than-sex aka this-is-the-bomb-yo aka this-is-why-you-are-fat. Okay, no need to say more. That was already a mouthful. I know you've eaten here because you can find this fast food restaurant everywhere. And really, it doesn't matter which branch you go to, you'll still get an orgasm from eating their barbeque.

In the south, we believe that this is where it all began. As far back as my Dad can remember,…read moreMaty's was the first that sold tapa and barbecue in this area. A stall with a counter, a bench to seat customers who want to feast on their beef tapa. Today, the Maty's he has always known has one branch right across it, one more branch less than a hundred meters away, and a few more branches around the south. They continue to be popular not just for their tapa, but also for their pork barbecue. Dry, a bit flaky and dark in color, their tapa tastes just right - of salt, pepper and other simple spices and condiments. The standard meal consists of a small plate of tapa, fried rice, sunny side up egg and a cup of broth. Their barbecue also tastes very simple - no sweet, overpowering basting sauce to mask the flavor of the meat. Their barbecue's taste is so versatile (if I may use that term to describe food) that we pair it with practically anything. We even order and buy in bulk for parties at home or as food to share in gatherings.

Looking for a down to earth, authentic Filipino BBQ place...Maty's is the place to hit. They are…read moreopen 24-7 so you can satisfy your craving at any meal or after going out clubbin'...

After seeing my friend's wife post on Facebook photos of manam CAFE's Crispy Pancit Palabok, they…read morewere automatically added to my bucket list. Needless to say, as we were planning our November, 2024 trip to the Philippines, I made sure to add manam CAFE to our itinerary. Part of The Moment Group, a premier, fast-growing restaurant group in the Philippines known for creating popular homegrown brands like 8cuts BURGER BLENDS and ooma, manam CAFE is a casual, all-day dining version of the popular manam COMFORT FILIPINO restaurant. They are widely celebrated for serving Filipino classics in two ways: Classics (traditional recipes) and Twists (modern reinterpretations). My much-anticipated visit to manam CAFE was for lunch at the MOLITO Lifestyle Center on Sunday, November 17, 2024. We were a large party of 13 persons, so when we arrived around 11 AM, we had to wait a few minutes for a long table nearby the entrance. The dining room was quite busy with most if not all tables occupied. The venue was clean and bright with natural light shining through the windows despite the light rain that day. The vibrant setting was perfect for lunching. manam CAFE's extensive menu boasts a curated, diverse culinary offering tailored to satisfy every palate. From traditional Filipino dishes like Sinigang na Baboy sa Sampaloc (₱235, ₱430, ₱795) and Chocolate Champorado (₱185) to innovative creations like Sinigang na Beef Short Rib & Watermelon (₱295, ₱530, ₱925) and Ube Champorado (₱185), the dining experience is fit for curious eaters. We ordered: Fresh Lumpiang Ubod (L, ₱295) - Is it just me or is ubod (heart of palm) a new lumpia filling? I never saw this before this trip. The sweet-savoury peanut sauce was tasty, but I do prefer lumpiang sariwa (fresh) with sautéed vegetables over ubod. Crispy Pancit Palabok (L, ₱745) - One of their signature dishes, this rendition of palabok with a fun twist was what reeled me in to manam CAFE and it did not disappoint. After the wow factor from the savoury orange sauce creatively poured atop the mound of crisp noodles, the unique pancit transformed into a pleasantly chewy noodle dish with layers of textures. Crispy Pata with Garlic Chili Bits (M, ₱685) - The golden-brown crispy pork knuckles stood out as the star dish of the lunch for its burst of flavour in every bite and lasting crisp from the crunchy, spicy garlic-chili bits. Munggo & Chicharon - (M, ₱340) - This is one of my favourite stews, definitely comfort food for me. manam serves this as more of a hearty mung bean bisque, creamy like ginataan (cooked with coconut milk). While it still embodied the heartwarming flavours that I expected, I wasn't into the creaminess. Sinigang na Beef Short Rib & Watermelon (L, ₱295) - Despite Kuya Peter telling us that this sinigang with watermelon "sounds weird, but it works," this adaptation of the Filipino tamarind soup was not a favourite of the family's due to the sweet flavour. I wasn't as disappointed in this dish as everyone else was, but I was the only American-born of the group. Does that make a difference? Not-so-dirty Ice Cream (₱115) - Our party ordered two; one Ube and one Macapuno or maybe it was Vanilla? Both cups of sorbetes were fully enjoyed. Turon of Mango & Kesong Puti with Ice Cream (₱175) - Banana lumpia with a modern twist, incorporating mangoes and Kesong Puti (Filipino soft, aged white cheese) and served with ice cream. Interesting, but I prefer the classic. Bibingkang Galapong with Salted Egg (₱145) - The Filipino rice cake made with fermented glutinous rice and salted egg wasn't bad, but I was looking for the banana leaf wrap. Puto Bumbong with Muscovado Butter (₱130) - This seasonal dessert, one of Mom's longtime favourites, is usually served only during Christmas, but, thanks to manam, aficionados can enjoy it here all year-long. The muscovado butter's rich, caramel-like richness is meant to elevate the purple earthy-sweet chewy rice cake, but Mom longed for the traditional version instead. Ube + Sago (₱175) - A purple glass of happiness with ube's satisfying earthy notes perfectly complemented by the chewy sago (tapioca balls). Namnam Halo-halo (₱185) - This Filipino-style shaved ice made with sweetened beans, fruits, and jellies and topped with milk, Leche Flan and Ube ice cream was vibrantly colourful and refreshing. Iced Coffee + Black Sago (₱205) - The mouthwatering shake-like coffee drink with chewy tapioca could have double served as a dessert. Guinumis (₱155) - Yum, this cooler highlighted the creaminess of the coconut milk, the silky smoothness of the pink gulaman (a gelatin made from agar or carrageenan extracted from edible seaweed), and the lovely toasted flavour of pinipig (flattened, immature grains of glutinous rice). Service was attentive and friendly. Serving local favourites alongside modern, reinvented dishes, manam CAFE caters to both traditionalists & adventurous eaters who want to try new twists on old staples.

Ambiance - Clean, typical family style restaurant. We were a party of four and were seated almost…read moreimmediately. Food - I appreciate having choices (small, medium, large) on the serving sizes for all the dishes. We ordered the traditional pansit palabok, crispy sisig, beef watermelon sinigang, fresh lumpiang ubod and beef salpicao. The palabok and the sisig were a perfect combination. The sisig was so crispy and flavorful. The palabok tasted even better with calamansi and had the right amount of sauce. The watermelon flavor in the sinigang was recognizable but did not take away from its original flavor. We ordered the medium size but it did not seem to have enough veges or beef. The salpicao was very good, maybe a tad salty. The beef was tender. The fresh lumpiang ubod was delicious. The ubod tasted fresh. We loved every dish. Oh, we also had the buko pandan shake and ube shake. Soooo good! I know I will miss this place when we return to the U.S. Service - our water glasses were always filled. Appreciated our server's wit and humor. When we all made fun of ourselves for whipping out our senior ids at the same time when he asked for our ids, he immediately said, "student ids po." Of course, we all laughed at his quick wit. We were so hungry and excited to eat, we forgot to take pictures of the food. Bottom line, Manam is one of my favorite Filipino restaurant. The food is great and the prices are so reasonable.