Food and the City

MANILA, Philippines - What used to be a row of warehouses and factories in the mid-1990s is now considered one of the bustling cities in the metropolis. Eastwood City Libis was nothing when Megaworld Corporation developed the area in 1996.

“A lot of people discouraged us from buying the property because the country was in a state of financial crisis at that time,” relates Kevin Tan, division head, Megaworld commercial division.

It sure was a big gamble on their part but Megaworld Corporation had a vision for the place.

“Build and they will come. We knew sooner or later that Libis would be a great destination for friends and families. Restaurant rows weren’t popular at that time because most diners were mall-based,” notes Kevin.

Inspired by his travels abroad, Kevin noticed that al fresco dining was the rage. The good news is it hasn’t been done in the Philippines. So he brought that concept to Libis. However, Kevin felt that it would be more prudent if they took things slowly, phase by phase. And so in 2001, Eastwood Citywalk 1 was born. Citywalk 1 is a restaurant/bar row set in the middle of a park. It became a huge success and so the second phase was carried out — the Citywalk 2.

“With the Citywalk 2 we decided to add retail and entertainment. It gave diners the opportunity to eat, shop and have fun. More developments followed such as the Cyber and Fashion Mall,” notes Kevin.

Year 2009 welcomed another addition to the list of luxury shopping in the Metro with the opening of Eastwood Mall, the latest venture of real state heavyweight Megaworld Corp.

The four-story building, strategically built at the center of Eastwood City, houses almost 200 upscale shops and fine dining restos.

“The restaurants you’ll find here are world-class,” enthuses Kevin, who invited us to go on a gourmet tour at the new Eastwood Mall.

So off we went to savor the culinary delights that awaited us in this gourmet paradise.

Steak it away at House of Wagyu Stone Grill

If the craving for Wagyu steak knocks on your palate, there’s only one place to go — the House of Wagyu Stone Grill. This restaurant serves only Wagyu steaks. As its name suggests, the raw meat is prepared (with a dash of salt and pepper) on a volcanic stone grill, which is heated for four hours at 700 degrees. You can cook the meat according to your liking — rare, medium rare or well done.

Diners have choices when it comes to the grade and size of the Wagyu.

“The highest grade we have is eight. The price depends on the grade and size of the meat. The thicker it is, the softer it gets,” explains owner Teresa Alvarez.

Don’t slice the meat while grilling to keep the juice intact. Better yet, just slice a small piece then sear it on the hot rock using a fork before eating. Those who want their steak medium rare can transfer the meat on a plate so as not to overcook it.

The rib eye grade 8 tops the menu. The meat is soft, juicy and flavorful with just the right marbling. The Wagyu steak is served with mashed potatoes and mixed veggies but you can order a cup of Wagyu rice to go with your steak.

Wine and dine at the Old Vine

The steaks are probably one of the reasons why foodies keep coming back to this fine dining resto.

Owned and operated by restaurateur/chef Mau Arjona and his partner Larry Cortez, Old Vine boasts a variety of steaks, which are surprisingly priced way below average. At only P395, diners can indulge in Chefs’ Quarter steak, a six-ounce US beef top blade steak with vegetable compote.

“We use the top blade part of the cattle, which is more flavorful than tenderloin,” explains chef Mau.

The texture of the meat is just right — not too soft but not too tough either. The garlic-parsley butter gives the dish its flavorful kick. Enjoy it with your fave glass of red wine.

I don’t eat lamb but Old Vine’s Poele lamb spareribs are simply irresistible. The meat gets its flavor and aroma from the secret spice rub and the cilantro-curry sauce that chef Mau concocted. It’s a complete meal in itself as it comes with mushroom and vegetable risotto.

A block of purple goodness is what we had for dessert. Old Vine’s ube cheesecake brulee is definitely worth coming back for.

Fresh and flavorful meals at BluFish and The Flying Pig

Combo bistros are the rage at the newly opened Eastwood Mall. What diners find appealing about this new concept is that they get to sample the specialties of the two restaurants in one go.

The menu is just as creative. Celebrity chef Peter Ayson and partner Raymund Magdaluyo, the young restaurateur behind other popular diners such as Red Crab, IRepublik, ClawDaddy, New Orleans, and Fish Out of Water, combine fresh flavors and Asian influences to entice diners even more.

At BlueFish, you’ll never go wrong with the Moroccan sea bass (steamed Visayan sea bass with lemon doukah, which is a marinade made with Mediterranean spices). It is served whole — for sharing — with roasted veggies and couscous stuffing. What makes this dish super yummy is the freshness of the fish itself. It is also cooked whole (rather than filleted) with a dash of salt and ground pepper to keep the flavor intact.

Next door is a meat-lover’s haven — The Flying Pig. The resto features barbecue and American border cuisine. Indulge in cochi fritto, which is similar to a cochinillo. This three-week baby pork is roasted then deep-fried. The meat is so tender and juicy and is made yummier with the balsamic liver sauce.

Pizza with a twist at Uncle Cheffy

Pizza munchers are in for a treat at Uncle Cheffy’s, one of the restaurants owned and operated by chef Mau Arjona and Larry Cortez.

This newly opened meat-lover’s haven is famous not only for its brick-oven barbecue but the brick oven panizza as well.

“I’ve tried panizza in one of the cozy Italian restaurants in Pampanga. It was actually love at first bite. So when we decided to open this resto, I made sure that panizza would be part of the menu,” chef Mau relates.

This thin as paper pizza comes in three variants: the Seafood Lovers (topped with salmon, shrimp, clams, squid, three cheeses, onions and herbs), the Cheese & Cheese & Cheese (topped with mozzarella, Parmesan, cheddar, gruyere, blue cheese, herbs, and virgin olive oil), and the East Meats West (with Parma ham, kesong puti, salted eggs, tomatoes and mango slices).

Here’s the right way to best enjoy your panizza: slice it horizontally, top each slice with arugula and alfalfa, roll it, and dunk it into your mouth. It tastes really good! Savor Filipino at Crisostomo

Whether you’re a balikbayan craving delectable Pinoy dishes, or simply tired and just want to eat good food, Crisostomo is the place to be.

Owned by chef Florabel Co, this Filipino restaurant is both a salute to Jose Rizal’s hero and an alteration of her husband’s name, Christopher.

Crisostomo is famous not only for its irresistible Pinoy fare but also for the interesting names of the dishes, which have references to the characters in National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal’s two novels, his life, and other people and places of the revolution.

The Azotea is to dine for. This laing tempura is made yummier with grilled prawns in coconut cream sauce. Other must-try dishes are Binagoongan ni Pia (pork stewed in bagoong), and the crispy beef tapa (deep-fried sukiyaki served with homemade sauce).

For dessert, we indulged in suman fondue, a combination of delicious, bite-sized suman latik with melted chocolate dip.

Combo-bistro dining at My Thai and Lucky Niku

Another combo bistro concept which attracts a fair share of foodies is My Thai and Yaki Niku.

My Thai, as its name suggests, offers delectable Thai meals from appetizers to desserts. Popular items on the menu are the yam pia duk fuu (spicy, deep-fried catfish and green mango salad), khav kluk gapi (bagoong rice with sweet pork), and gai (chicken curry). For less than P300, diners can enjoy a delicious and filling meal. Another plus factor is that the portions are big enough to share.

My Thai shares the same kitchen as the Lucky Niku next door, which is famous for its yakiniku. For only P395, diners can avail of the eat-all-you-can US beef karubi served with a selection of homemade yakiniku dipping sauces. Enjoy it with family and friends.

Lucky Niku also serves all-time-favorite Japanese treats such as sashimi, sushi, soba, kani salad, and more.

Mo’ food, mo’ drinks at Momo

Its whimsical, hip and fun interiors are enough to entice diners to come in and give Momo a try. This contemporary diner serves American comfort food, which is good enough to share.

“It’s the kind of food your mother or grandmother cooks on Sunday. But here, you get to enjoy it every day,” enthuses the amiable chef Kalel Chan.

The grandma’s country herb-and bacon-wrapped meatloaf, stuffed with Spanish chorizo topped with tomato cream gravy and fried egg, is a steal at P395.

For starters, try the crispy, nacho-style jalapeno cheddarella cheese rolls, or the Momo gourmet salad with roasted garlic, shiitake mushrooms, candied walnuts, fresh white cheese drizzled with raspberry-balsamic vinaigrette. Kiddos will surely love the gummy bear-topped cupcakes. Yum!

“Momo means more food, more drinks! That’s what you get when you dine here,” chef Chan adds.

Mr. Kurosawa’s Japanese treats

The first thing you’ll find appealing about Mr. Kurosawa is the play of colors in its interiors. The purple walls and red lighting fixtures complement the dark furniture that lends the place a hint of coziness. Though the place looks a bit upscale, prices of the meals are quite reasonable.

 The generous serving of ebi fry pesto (P428) is enough to feed two to four persons. This pasta dish is smothered with mushroom cream sauce made flavorful with fillet chicken, spinach and mushrooms. Another must-try is the Parma tamago sushi. These crabsticks wrapped with prosciutto go for P308/five pieces. The sushi isn’t bite-sized so don’t even try to fit it entirely in your mouth.

A taste of Italy at Balducci

This fine-dining resto is the go-to place for authentic Italian fare such as spaghetti a la putanesca (seafood pasta in tomato sauce) and insalata bufala caprese (with fresh tomatoes, basil and Italian pickles).

Those who favor lamb can feast on the French-cut rock of grilled lamb with homemade mint sauce to balance the meat’s strong flavor. It comes with roast potatoes, grilled veggies and polenta.

 The Italian chocolate gelato is a must-try. This sweet indulgence is covered with crunchy chocolate chips with a red cherry core. Buon Appetito!

Fusion cuisine at Buenisimo by Café Ysabel

Buenisimo is the newest satellite outlet of Café Ysabel. The menu is a combination of Café Ysabel’s favorites with new dishes inspired by the owners’ – Giannina and Gino Gonzales – travels abroad and culinary experiences.

“As much as we wanted to, we just couldn’t offer all the dishes we serve at Café Ysabel. So we just picked our personal favorites and added new dishes,” explains Giannina.

 The Galician-style US tender riblets with wild mushroom ragout and puttanesca alla Buenisimo top the menu. The flavor of this Italian staple is further enhanced with longanisa Lucban and gourmet tuyo.

For something light and tasty, try the salmon confit salad with cured salmon, capers, passion fruit drizzled with tarragon vinaigrette.

Eat healthy at Cyma

Foodies need not go far to savor the staples of the Greek kitchen. At Cyma, diners not only enjoy good food but have healthy choices as well. No wonder even strict vegetarians dine here.

This Greek-inspired restaurant takes pride in its mouthwatering selections made from all-natural ingredients.

Palate-pleasers include the avocado salad (mixed green with avocado and egg), the Pikilia Mezedes combo (pita bread) which comes with five dips (tzatziki, melitzanosalata, hummous, htipiti and taramosalata), and the roka pasta. This pasta dish has sautéed arugula (roka) then topped with pine nuts, grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh tomatoes.

Shabu-shabu, tempura and more at Thousand Cranes

Fresh, hot and flavorful meals. That’s what diners get every time they dine at Thousand Cranes.

“When it comes to shabu-shabu, you can’t hide freshness. Our customers know because it’s prepared right on their tables,” explains owner Mikey Garcia.

Aside from shabu-shabu, Thousand Cranes also serves sushi, tempura and rice meals.

“Families dine here and most kids still prefer rice meals over shabu-shabu. Our menu is extensive. We made sure we have everything for the whole family,” Mikey adds

Pizza, pasta and more at Italianni’s

When tired of the usual Filipino-style spaghetti or pizza, head off to Italiannis.

For starters, we just couldn’t take our forks off the Sicilian chicken salad with mango and grape slices. There’s an explosion of flavors in every forkful.

If it’s pasta you like, order a serving of the seafood cioppino. The juice of the fresh seafood seep not only into the tomato-based sauce but also into the pasta. For a quick Italian fix, visit Italianni’s.

Fro-yo indulgence at Red Mango

“It’s definitely a chick magnet,” says Megaworld assistant vice president for marketing communications Rommel Orbigo. He was referring to Red Mango, a chic café which serves addicting frozen yogurt delights that appeal to both the young and old.

It was already 10 p.m. but the place was still packed with pretty ladies eager to satisfy their fro-yo cravings. “Guys should hang out here a lot,” Rommel adds with a grin.

At Red Mango, customers have the option to enjoy their original or green tea fro-yo as is or with different toppings. Choose from fresh fruits, cereals, nuts, chocolate chips, M&M minis, among others. The first topping goes for P20. Just add P10 for each succeeding topping.

“The trend now is healthy chic. Red Mango is for people who aspire for life’s premium. You’ve got to treat yourself well and try not to put a price tag to it,” enthuses owner Sherika Tanmantiong.