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.

Food and ambience was excellent. Being from Pampanga I know that the quality and taste was great.read more

Very beautiful and spacious high ceiling restaurant with a nice chandelier hanging above. We…read moreordered a couple of dishes but my personal favorite were the spicy sisig pampanga and Gising Gising which was even more spicier than the sisig. We came in on a slow time of day but the staff was nice and attentive. Food came in quickly. The Binukadkad na Pla Pla dish was wonderful to see.

Such an amazing place for brunch !! We went two mornings while staying at the hotel. I ate so many…read moredelicious items! The first morning I had silog with tamarind chicken and pork asada, and lots of crispy Danggit! The congee was amazing! U added every topping possible plus fresh calamansi juice! Also had lychee chia pudding one morning and blueberry the next. The lycée was absolutely delicious! We consumed heaps of the most delicious dragon fruit. Now onto the pastries!! One morning they had bread and butter pudding squares and the other morning they had taisan bread. Both were so scrumptious!! Our server Harven was a delight! Friendly, got us warm milk, and answered my 6 million questions! We also took pictures in the back patio that overlooked Laguna de Bay. Beautiful views in every direction. They also had pineapple and mango jam! New jam flavors to me that were delicious on my cream cheese filled French toast. My husband also tries the miso ramen and the fresh salad with a great sesame dressing. In other words, we ate everything, everyone was so friendly and the views are incredible.

Our hotel package booking included daily breakfast at The Nest, located at the 31st floor of Vivere…read moreHotel in Alabang. Though it operates as a rooftop bar and restaurant, they also offer buffet breakfast for in-house guests. FOOD: 3/5 The overall food selection was quite limited, primarily a mix of Filipino, American, Chinese and other International dishes. The food was decent but could have been better overall. SERVICE: 5/5 I noticed that most of the servers were male while a few female staff at the food counter. Regardless, all of them were attentive, polite, and efficient. AMBIANCE: 4/5 Being at the rooftop, the restaurant provides a full view of the city. I can only imagine how much more stunning these views at night with the city lights. It also features a mini pool - not for use but aesthetically for decor which I believe needs a little polishing and renovation. Overall, the buffet breakfast at The Nest did its job - it fill us up in the morning, though I wished there was a wider selection. And I take my hats off to the staff at The Nest - their service were on point!

great customer service yummy noodles nice and tasty dessert clean Parking is limited but inside a…read morenostalgic place

BF Homes is the place where every street and corner has a restaurant you can eat at. But its…read moredifferent if we're talking about the restaurants that are open when you want to eat breakfast. Most of the restaurants in BF Homes open at 11 am, earliest probably is 10 or 9:30. Little Quiapo opens at 7 am so if you are too lazy to cook breakfast just go here. They offer a wide variety of Filipino dishes, you wont run out of things to order. Breakfast, lunch or dinner they have it. I recomment the gourmet tuyo, their tapa and vigan longganisa for breakfast

I've heard and read about Neil's Kitchen for years now from friends and food bloggers alike but…read moreI've never had the chance to try it even though this location (their first and original location) is super close to our house. My friends planned a "South Saturday lunch" so that we can hang out in my neck of the woods instead of going all the way to Makati to hangout. Luckily I got a table immediately before the crowds arrived and a queue was formed. We ordered the following to share: 1. Tokwa't (Tofu) and Baboy (Pork) - we all enjoyed this appetizer that we ordered more fried tofu. The sauce was tangy and sweet while the tofu was cooked really well, crisp outside and soft inside. The pork was tasty and crispy as well. Loved the flavours and the textures in this dish 2. Crab fat pasta with crab cakes - the pasta wasn't too overpowering but you can def taste the crab fat. The crab cakes were made with real crab and they didn't scrimp on it. Great dish! 3. Sinigang paella and pork belly - one of their most popular dishes at Neil's Kitchen (we actually ordered two!). The sinigang in the paella was a great way to do a different take to sinigang and the pork belly was delicious. 4. Kare-kare with bagoong rice - kare kare was great with the distinct peanut taste and loved the veggies too. The bagoong rice was a nice accompaniment to the dish. Overall, I'm glad I finally tried Neil's Kitchen and next time I want to try their desserts.

Went here for a saturday night date and we liked the ambience. Westgate is also charming at night,…read moreparking is sufficient and the crowd is good. It was our first time at Neil's Kitchen and we were readily greeted by their attentive staff. The food selection all looked enticing. We got the calamari with paella negra, and chicken inasal with hainanese rice. Both were very filling and delicious. Would definitely go back.

Very friendly staff and with decently fast service. There were many options on the menu, and the…read moreservers were very good at recommending dishes based on our cravings and preferences. The portions are also quite generous, and you can feel comfortable sharing these dishes family-style! 6/5 - Crispy Dinuguan - The star of the show at this restaurant. The dish layers a smooth dinuguan sauce on crispy pork, which is perfectly complemented with white rice. Definitely shareable for 3 people. You will not be disappointed at all with choosing this dish at any visit to this restaurant. 5/5 - Bagoong Fried Rice - Filling portions with a savory bagoong flavor profile. If you want more flavor and ingredients in your rice, definitely consider this one! Can be shared with 3+ people as well. 4/5 - Squid in Salt and Pepper - Crunchy but light in texture profile and flavor. Nothing overwhelming and great to share with 3+ people. I think the fry could have made this a bit crunchier but overall still satisfied with this dish. 5/5 - Thai Green Mango Salad - Great salad choice to pick at this restaurant. The mango is a great fresh flavor to have with the greens and will complement the rest of your meal well! Can probably be shared between two people unless you have a large appetite!

whenever someone comes back from visiting the Philippines, i am always told that i should put Kanin…read moreClub on my list of places to try. I always end up disappointed when people hype up place. Lots of food choices but the star of the show are the flavored rice. We opted for the sinigang and binagoong rice, kare kare, crispy liempo, beef salad, lumpia, and salt/pepper squid. Im not sure what I was expecting with the sinigang rice. I thought it would be dry but its basically if you were to put the rice and sinigang in a bowl and then molded it together, this is the result. It was too mushy for my liking and i didnt really taste the sinigang flavor. The binagoong rice went good with the kare kare. Everything tasted ok, but i dont think this is something i would crave to come back to.

So my husband and I was staying close by in a Hotel and decided we wanted to try something…read moredifferent and I'm glad we did . 1st impression I wasn't feeling the place . Service was kinda slow to approach us to take order and then it took a minute for them to bring the food . I can say the wait for the food well worth the wait . The food was hot and the cheese was the right amount of Gooey to the pasta. The sauce was just right and not to much in excess . The bread was toasted just right . Will try at least once more before leaving the Philippines:

An old favorite- serves good food, yummy cakes and pastries…read morethough its become a bit pricey

I can't believe south Yelpers aren't talking about this nice Filipino restaurant in Commercenter…read moreAlabang. Lasa Bistro is another addition to the many great restaurants sprouting in the south. It has become one of my family's favorite for Sunday lunch or dinner, partly because of the location (so intimate and quiet in that part of Alabang) and mostly because of the food. Let's talk about the food. Some of the must-try dishes are the Sinigang na Lechon Kawali, Kare-kareng Crispy Tadyang (best Kare-kare sauce I've ever tastes, so sweet and nutty), Crispy Pata and Thai-inspired Fried Tilapia. My siblings and I aren't big fish eaters, but we devoured the tilapia until none was left but bones. I was hoping to post some pictures, but I couldn't find one where our hands weren't on the food. It's that good that we really couldn't wait to eat it. I'll try next time though.

Love this place. I always request this for lunch when I am in town for business…read more Tried most of the dishes, this review is fir the Tap la the morning. Sarap! Gotta get the Dalandan(not sure how to spell it) juice. Live the sweet tart taste. Cant wait to eat here again next business trip.

I wish this place can also help vegetarians and vegans "recover", too. I had an Oriental salad with…read morepeanut sauce, and it was okay, but what I really was hoping to eat was a hot, heavy rice meal since I was really hungry and tired from biking. Would be super great if they had a tofu and veggie meal option or something, like their meat bowls. Their dalandan juice, however, is fantastic. At Php 99/bottle! It's for sharing, but I actually think I can finish the whole thing because it was so refreshing. Service is fast and friendly, too!

Almost 100php more for every viand from other romuli branches. Pancit molo was good nit worth the…read moreprice. Rhw same thing with thw adobo romulo style and pinoy ensalada. Their place was okay but I dont think is a prime place to demand the price. 1 pinoy ensalada, single serve pancit moli, tinapa rolls 6 halves, adobo. 40usd? I dont think so. Serving size was small as well.

The food is excellent but I gave it only 4 stars for the grim and unhappy faces of the staff at…read morebreakfast. Dinner was excellent, a large variety of Filipino dishes with an upscale flair. Staff at dinner were polite and friendly. Breakfast buffet has adequate variety and is fresh, but the somber and serious frowning faces of the staff was a distraction for our entire party. We finally had to tell our server Sherwee to smile and his face lit up and we were surprised to find he was very nice once told he wasn't smiling. The same goes for the cashier who also smiled once we pointed out that all the staff looked so unhappy.