I've been here a couple of times, before the Michelin Guide came to Manila. I'm glad that they upgraded the menu, it's definitely better now compared to the last couple of times I've been here. We opted for the tasting menu, which was a seven course meal. The sourdough is still in the menu, and it's still great. If you're familiar with Josh Boutwood's restaurants, the sourdough breais a mainstay. The standouts were the third and sixth course. The third course was the cavatelli, corn, cured lamb. It's very flavorful and creamy. The sixth course was the beef cheek, potato, mushroom. The beef cheek was very tender with the right amount of saltiness. Combine the beef with the sauce and mashed potato, to complete the flavor profile. Would definitely come back again, the new menu was great. read more

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I dined at all the best restaurants in Manila (except Gallery Vask) and the Test Kitchen and their cooking was my most favorite. At the helm of the Test Kitchen is chef Josh Boutwood. Half British. Half Filipino. A young chef who is well respected, award winning, and is called the chef's chef. He currently is a culinary director of a restaurant group. Test Kitchen allows him an outlet to be more creative. I asked him about his Noma experience, and he told me he was there for about a week as it was too expensive in Copenhagen. Test Kitchen is a private dining space. You'll have contact chef Josh to reserve. I met a food writer and she was able to text Josh and tell him to save me a seat for dinner. When I walked in, I was alone. Through most of the experience, I was the sole diner enjoying the tasting menu. It felt super exclusive. Chef Josh personally came over and explained each dish. I thought it was going to be like Wolvesmouth where you arrive and you sit with a group of random strangers. A couple hours later a group came in to celebrate a birthday party. It felt a little awkward, but as they entered, I was down to my last course. If you are a gastrotourist looking to eat at the best restaurants in Manila, do not miss the Test Kitchen. The chef is constantly experimenting and explained to me that his food is best described as "ingredient and time driven." I am already looking forward to a return trip to see what chef Josh has up his sleeves. Highly recommended! read more

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