NEW Makati restaurants 2015 Archives - Between Bites - Bites of Food, Travel and Lifestyle

Marco Polo’s Cucina Presents Chef Guiseppe’s Specialties

September 26, 2016 by Janey

Marco Polo Ortigas has been that welcome transformation to the Ortigas skyline. Nestled in the vibrant commercial business district of Ortigas is the first purpose-built 5-star Marco Polo hotel in the country offering distinguished guests 316 large and well-designed rooms and suites, including two Continental Club floors that accord unrivaled privileges and benefits.

The main reason why Marco Polo Ortigas brings so much excitement to me is its contribution to the stellar dining destinations that’s available in the Metro. It has four signature outlets that have attracted rave reviews and legions of regulars. There is Cafe Pronto capturing casual chic in its form and function and stands as a beacon for coffee lovers with its designer blends and aromatic coffees accompanied by an array of savories, sandwiches, and a host of freshly baked confections.

Vu’s, the first of its kind sky bar and lounge located on the 45^th floor of the hotel tower is poised to be a signature Ortigas attraction. Indulge in signature cocktails, wines, spirits, and champagnes with Mediterranean tapas amidst an awe-inspiring vista of the Marikina Valley, the Mountain Range of Antipolo and the Laguna Lake along the east and the vibrant Ortigas Skyline with the world-renowned Manila sunset as a backdrop at the west side.

My favorite so far is Lung Hin. The contemporary Chinese restaurant serves traditional and authentic Cantonese food and fresh seafood from the expert hands of its Hong Kong chefs. The sleek interiors and expansive lay-out blends in perfect symmetry with exclusive private rooms that are ideal for a range of intimate affairs. I’ve eaten here a number of times and is an easy suggestion for anyone asking for restaurant recommendations.

Related Post:

Lung Hin at Marco Polo

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Naxional South American Diner

September 19, 2016 by Janey

“Saturday night and the feeling is right, oh what a night.” The evening started off with a dinner at Naxional. It’s been some time since I last hung out with Eric and good thing the bestie invited me out that Saturday since I had zero plans. He and Ruzelle picked me up and off we drove to BGC to check out Naxional. Heard so much good things about the restaurant but somehow, I’ve always ended up at Salvatore Cuomo. Glad that I had a chance to finally check Naxional.

We arrived and the place was quite packed. We had to wait for a table and our holding area was an outside table near the very colorful wall mural.

Thank you Ruzelle for this candid shot. <3

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Couldn’t help myself. Cute bathroom tiles!

Their menu, which also serves as your plate mat, is very easy to grasp and has quite a number of choice items. There is a symbol of an antique watch on the side of the dish which means that it may take a bit longer to serve but Naxional is committing to make the wait worth it. There is also a symbol of a 1939 Norton 500cc motorcycle which means a dish is especially bad ass.

On the Table

Elote (Mexico) Php 195

Chargrilled sweet corn, chili butter, mayo lime, crumbled cheese

I ordered this starter as it sounded all things good. This reminded Ruzelle of the spiced butter corn she had in Jimbaran when they traveled to Bali recently. I knew what she was talking about because I loved that corn. But this Mexican version was so much better. There’s smokiness sparring with the natural sweetness of the corn, the chili butter spikes up your interest while the mayo lime cools it down a bit. The crumbled cheese pulls it all together. Mmm-mm!

Patacones (Puerto Rico) Php 220

Choice of Carne, Cerdo or Camarones. Fried Plantains. Sofrito. Guacamole.

I was a little dressed up that evening so my debate was whether to pick up the patacones or be dainty and use a knife and fork. I say it’s okay to get your hands dirty as you’re wasting time with kubiertos when the dish is this packing. It had ripples of flavors and textures.

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Go Mad for Wagyu at EDSA Shangri-La’s HEAT

January 5, 2016 by Janey

Christmas season is always a wonderful time, whether it was spent abundantly or very simply, it’s always a joyous celebration. Outside Christmas, one merry memorable time I had in December was at HEAT of EDSA Shangri-La, Manila’s signature buffet restaurant. I can go start with how much I enjoy going to HEAT as it has one of the best, most varied and well-executed selections when it comes to buffet, without overly compounding your choices, but the title is a dead giveaway since you all very well know that nothing can make my blood boil in excitement other than Wagyu. Don’t get me whipping my hip and singing now, “I want nobody nobody, Wagyu! I want nobody nobody, Wagyu!”

Every Saturday dinner this mind-blowing and successful 2016 (I’m already claiming it!), REVEL in an all-new bounty of unlimited high grade wagyu beef at HEAT.

Apart from your usual suspects, which is to me my favorite stations and dishes I keep pestering with my frequent returns, they have studded the collection with unique creations from five specialty chefs in a Wagyu medley.

I went ballistic with how HEAT has upped the ante this time around.

At the Carvery

Wagyu Tomahawk &

Wagyu Ribeye

Classic Yorkshire, Ratatouille Casserole, Port and Thyme Jus

Creamed Corn and Garlic Mashed Potato

Philly Steak Sandwich

Mini Wagyu Sliders, Fried Egg, Bacon and Cornichons

Wagyu Beef Pie (Shepherd’s Pie)

Wagyu Beef Chili Con Carne

Wagyu Beef Goulash

I went back thrice at the carving station to get at least three medium thick slices of Wagyu Tomahawk and Wagyu Ribeye each visit, which were seared very quickly and slid onto my plate.

This whole concept was also well-thought out with a wall of sauces available to you for your ‘Mad as a Hatter’ liking. I wanted to try quite a number but got smitten with the honey truffle mustard. Mmm-mm!

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Highly recommended are Executive Chef Tobias Unger’s meltingly soft and tender Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek composed of a rich and deep flavor of red wine braised wagyu beef, confit shallots and glazed carrots, and Japanese Executive Chef Yusuke Hino’s Wagyu Yakiniku Beef.

That Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek rendered chewing almost unnecessary, with chunks seeped in distinct punch of spices and ever slight sweetness and the toasty berry mocha taste of the red wine sauce emboldens its beefiness. It was utterly delicious. I couldn’t help but go back for a second helping.

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Michael Velasco at Mario’s

November 20, 2015 by Janey

One of Manila’s most acclaimed fine dining restaurants, Mario’s has earned an impeccable reputation for great food and professional service. The dining room to the right is bright and intimate with plush banquettes, comfortable chairs, contemporary accents and a touch of class, which is what this place is all about.

Everything is made in-house including the dressing for their Caesar Salad made fresh and tableside. I’ve been visiting Mario’s more frequently lately as I’ve been holding business lunch meetings here every now and then since my office has moved to the ABS-CBN grounds mid this year. Service is always friendly and efficient at Mario’s by their long-standing waitstaff who has been with them for decades.

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Mario’s Celebrates its 40^th Year

Classic Twist of Taste at Mario’s

Mario’s offers fine food in comfortable surroundings where I’m sure to have a great meal and always a good time. Last Wednesday night, during the APEC holiday, I visited Mario’s for an agenda outside the usual. From 10^th of November until the 4^th of December 2015, Michael Velasco’s art will be displayed at the restaurant for their clientele’s appreciation and prospective acquisition.

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Painter, muralist, and portraitist Michael Velasco has long held a strong fascination for the female form. His works – mostly featuring women as embodiments of grace, elegance, and humanity – are improvisations of the Modernist and Classicist idioms. In this series, Michael Velasco further elaborates on his fascination for the female figure finding inspiration in the work of a plethora of past and present masters like Waterhouse, Klimt, Sargeant, Bougereau, Degas, Whistler Stwart, Juan Luna, Jeremy Lipking, Daniel Greene and Scott Burdick.

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Ho Lee Fook

November 17, 2015 by Janey

Ricky Ow of Turner is one hella food connoisseur (I owe him my 2-Michelin Star Nobu experience some 3 years ago which really blew my mind and I was almost in happy tears while eating). When we were having a lunch meeting at Vask mid this year, he gave me a short list of his recommendations for new Hong Kong discoveries. When he said Ho Lee Fook, I had to look at his face to make sure he didn’t give that exclamation at the sight of my appetite. It was in fact the name of the restaurant. Cheeky eh?

The actual translation is “good fortune for your mouth.” During a business trip in Hong Kong last month, I couldn’t pass the chance to dine there. Alan and James were both game to look for the place and as luck would always be on my side, we didn’t have to queue long (probably 10 minutes tops) even if we didn’t have any table reservation.

Ho Lee Fook’s busy open kitchen decorated with mah-jong as counter tiles welcomes your arrival. On the right, a wall of gold cats wave at you forever. A big beautiful peacock reveals a staircase that leads you underground to the restaurant. It’s a collaboration of the old and new… say, imagine a posh part of Chinatown in New York in the 1950s or 60s, it’s quite dark, designed mostly with black furniture, stone walls, a dragon mural, a lighted mural of an old man and a backdrop of beer bottles.

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Ho Lee Fook is under the champion portfolio of Black Sheep Restaurants Group that also owns Burger Circus, Boqueria, Chom Chom, Motorino, La Vache!, Carbone and Stazione Novella. They specialize in developing niche, thought-provoking restaurant concepts and looking at the crowded dining room, I knew I was in for a special evening.

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Mr. Graham’s Sandwich Shop

November 16, 2015 by Janey

Dave (DYoung) and I headed out for lunch sometime August and he brought me to this quaint little sandwich shop beside the F7 building in Scout Rallos. He was mindful that I was trying to avoid rice and suggested that sandwiches were just the perfect alternate eating route. Dave ordered two sandwiches which we split between the two of us. Every sandwich comes with Crisps and Coleslaw, or soup for Four Cheese sandwich meal, which Dave surrendered to me. I enjoyed lunch that day and a few days ago, decided to bring dee boss JAD to try the restaurant.

I was slightly stress eating last Thursday and ended up ordering three sandwiches and an extra soup to share between us.

On the Table

The Cubano Cebuano Php 290

Authentic Pan Cubano with Lechon drizzled in its own drippings amongst ham, cheddar cheese, and their signature aioli. They threw in some lechon skin and pickled green and yellow mangoes.

This is Mr. Graham’s local take on the “Cubano” which was popularized by the Chef movie. It’s Cebuano since they use thinly sliced lechon as the highlight basted on its own glistening drippings and slapped with ham and cheddar cheese on authentic pan Cubano smeared with the house aioli. Don’t be surprised to hear a crunch since they added the lechon skin for good measure. It’s so rich and savory but balanced by the sweetness and acidity of the pickled green and yellow mangoes.

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Four Cheese, Bacon Please Php 250

Mozzarella, Cream Cheese, and Cheddar kept company with beer-n-onion-bacon-jam, then lightly Frico’s with Parmesan. Frico is when they fry the cheese on the bread to a nice crisp.

The first time was awesome but I wished there were more burnt cheese on the bread the second time around. I was looking for those nice little, almost quiet, crunches on the side when you bite into the sandwich and sharper saltier taste that contrasts with the delicious semi-sweet onion bacon jam.

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Little Bao, Hong Kong

November 11, 2015 by Janey

My first attempt to visit Little Bao was back in June but that liquid dream (excuse my language, I do fantasize about food in increasingly indecent levels) was crushed when we got to the place and it was closed. I’m not certain if that was a Sunday or a Monday but it was surely a sad day for my expecting tummy.

It was just instinct kicking in when I found myself in Hong Kong again 4 months later and my first stop after checking in at the Intercontinental Hotel was Little Bao. It was sort of an expensive cab ride since I had to traverse from Kowloon to Hong Kong side. I guess the heart wants what it wants.

I can’t count how many times I’ve been to Hong Kong as I travel often to the harbor city of lights for business. It never gets uninteresting though as the vibe of this place is always so pulsating and evolving, especially when it comes to this one that I love – FOOD.

Little Bao is a tiny Asian meets American diner along Staunton Road. It can probably only sit 20 folks on a first come, first serve basis only. We were luckily seated by the bar that faces the open kitchen. But whilst the name and the size of the place portray little, expect full-size flavors out of their dishes. Their menu with a slogan that says “fry me to the moon” is simple and only has a few items available. I already expected the buns to be personal size and with my impersonal slash collective appetite, I almost ordered everything on the menu. I’m glad I was eating with two gentlemen, which meant I could camouflage my appetite.

On the Table

LB Fries HK$ 68

Mirin, Thai spice, roasted tomato sambal, kewpie mayo

I love truffle whether it’s black or white or in pasta, fries, salt, oil, essence, ice cream, honey, it’s hard to turn your back on it. Since the LB fries sounded unique, I decided to get it versus the truffle fries. These thinly and freshly cut fries were flawlessly deep fried, and tossed in mirin, Thai spice and roasted sambal, creating ripples of flavor that’s savory, merely spicy, and taking with it a slight sweetness close to caramel.

It tasted closer to a sweet potato, interspersed with varied tease of flavors, quite crispy and nearly irresistible after one pop, I wanted to run outside with the bowl and not share with anyone.

Truffle Fries HK$ 98

Shiitake tempeh, truffle mayo, pickled daikon

James was bent on getting the truffle fries which I didn’t order at first until we saw how it was prepared with the truffle scent wafting across the room almost nudging at the customers to order them. The truffle fries was also quite something else, studded with chopped shiitake, I don’t remember the last I tasted fries this delicious. Oh, roughly 8 minutes ago. But I absolutely have no memory before that.

I still couldn’t stop thinking about the LB fries and wanted a second round.

Fried Chicken HK$ 98

Spicy nam yu or honey soy

It’s almost a sure thing that everyone will rarely get disappointed with fried chicken but it’s also a dish that doesn’t leave much room to impress us remarkably. Little Bao’s fried chicken surely swept me off my feet. Fried chicken at its finest, perfectly fried, it’s so juicy that it’s attention-grabbing.

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Taco Vengo

November 6, 2015 by Janey

You know that traditional Mexican dish composed of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling? Did you say, “taco?” Vengo! I mean, Bingo. You got it. But you’ll really get it when you head over Taco Vengo.

After “trying” to run at the Fort on a damp windy Monday evening when they called off work a coupla weeks ago, Ace and I headed to Kapitolyo and he suggested to try this newly opened taqueria beside Uncle Moe’s and Longganisa Sorpresa and across Ace Water Spa. Unfortunately, it was closed. I was able to head back that night our team went KTV at Ace Water Spa.

Hole-in-the-wall restaurants carry with them a certain charm, even with non-descript signages or very simple, unfinished or sometimes bohemian chic interiors. Taco Vengo dining interiors are simple, clean and mostly muted in white with breaks of brown and gray. I like that it’s not distracting and you can just concentrate on your dinner buddy and the food – straightforward and good. Their menu keeps your options simple with only 8 items to choose from.

On the Table

Nachos for Machos Php 160

Their nachos are pretty uncomplicated. The most organized or neatly prepared nachos I’ve seen in fact. They layer the nacho chips first and then a portion of tomato salsa, sour cream, grounded chorizo, jalapeno and sous vide egg have their own sections. I’ve never had sous vide egg on my nachos before but it’s alright.

Cheese Quesadilla Php

Light and simple

Steak Taco Php 210

I ordered Taco Vengo’s Steak Taco (comes in two pieces) which had strips of carne asada with garlic and onions marinated and sautéed in this brown sauce that tasted peppery, savory and with hints of lime. They served it folded in soft corn tortillas. The meat was tender and the taco was flavorful.

I’m inclined towards flour tortilla than corn because of the difference in texture and taste. Corn tortilla can come off as grainy and too thick sometimes to enjoy the filling. Taco Vengo’s version was almost as soft as a flour tortilla and had a good flavor and texture.

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Frangos Piri Piri Chicken in Makati

November 5, 2015 by Janey

In Portugal, you’ll see a lot of roadside restaurants that is little more than a shack, with butterflied chicken or poussins smoked on huge braziers, full of Portuguese families shouting for more piri piri sauce. Whether it is piri-piri or peri-peri, that chili originally found in Portugal and Africa and used primarily in the marinade, I know that I’m pretty pretty (see what I did there) in love with these smoky, spicy and slightly sweet grilled chicken.

Frango is the Portuguese word for chicken. One Saturday lunch, we trooped to Frangos in Makati as I’ve been hearing quite a stir about the new restaurant among my foodie friends. Taking influences from the authentic Portuguese recipes while fusing it with what will get the Filipino palate approval, these chix are marinated for at least 24 hours before hitting the grill.

On the Table

Roasted Pumpkin Hummus Php 95

Chickpea mixed with roasted pumpkin and dusted with paprika served with bread. This was a good starter, simple flavors yet beaming.

Crab Croquetas Php 170

I love crab croquetas and theirs were simply delicious. One serving has three croquetas. I wish I didn’t have to half the dish.

Beef Trinchado Php 260

US Beef Rib Finger cooked similar to salpicao-style with garlic and baby potatoes.

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Frangos Rice Php 45

Yellow rice cooked in chicken broth, turmeric and butter. My lunch buddy was happy with Frangos Rice while I enjoy a less starchy alternative, which is the couscous salad.

Couscous Salad Php 80

Piri Piri Half Chicken Php 285

Frangos Piri Piri chicken is available in quarter, half and whole sizes. I was about to order a side of mango salsa but the wait staff mentioned there’s one that comes with the order.

The chicken was grilled tender and juicy. You can taste the basic marinade of oil, cayenne, salt, pepper and that minced chile but I think they tamed it down to make it less spicy for the Filipino taste. There’s a good breath of smokiness on the chicken although I was really looking for that spicy peppery kick to follow.