Top 12 food finds in Manila for 2012
I’m not a creature of habit, and often like to try and explore new things. This year brought a lot of food discoveries for me in the city—some which just opened, and some which have existed for quite some time but which I only had the opportunity to chance upon and experience this year.
Here, in no particular order, are my Top 12 personal favorites for 2012:
BBQ Chicken and Beer
I have to credit my boyfriend Chad for taking me here. The one at Fort Bonifacio across Burgos Circle is a frequent hangout for him and his boys after a long day at work. From the name itself, it’s obvious that they serve, well, chicken and beer. I will declare now that this place serves the BEST Korean fried chicken in town. Since I like spice factor high, my personal favorite is the Hot Spicy Chicken, six pieces coated with red hot pepper sauce “that will burn your mouth.” And I warn you, order this only if you truly love and can handle spice. Because it really does set the mouth in fire. We discovered that the cream chicken pasta was a good complement to taming the spice level with the saucy cream and shiitake mushrooms.
BBQ Chicken and Beer is located at C-7 The Fort Residences, 2ndAvenue cor. 30th Street, Taguig.
For information, call 869-1692.
Fresh Uni at Farmer’s Market Araneta Center Fresh uni at Farmer’s Market
When we were shooting fellow Philippine STAR columnist Claude Tayag’s segment for CNNGo: Manila at Farmer’s Market, one of the food items he showed us was fresh uni. We ate it later on at the adjacent Dampa restaurant—squeezed with just a bit of calamansi—and it was the most beautiful, fresh uni that completely, literally melted in the mouth. And such a steal at only P320!
Farmer’s Market is located at Cubao, Quezon City.
Cupcake Lab
Cupcake Lab’s Chocolate Chip Cupcake While having lunch at The Podium a couple of months ago, I came across a new stall on the second level called Cupcake Lab. I had first heard about it on Twitter through blogger Jean Fernando (aka @TripOrTreats) and decided to check it out. I opted for the most eye-catching of them all, the Chocolate Chip cupcake topped with butter cream and a full cookie. I took it back with me to the office and planned to share it with my fellow foodie sibling Charles later that evening. But as I was typing away on my laptop, I found myself distracted, looking at it with Cookie Monster eyes every five minutes. I finally gave in—it was thick, doughy and crisp all at once—a beautiful combination of flavors and textures, and finished it all in one go! (Sorry, Charles.)
How is it different from all the other cupcake stands around? According to owner Cay Cuasay, Cupcake Lab “uses the most premium ingredients—no substitutes, no shortcuts, no compromises.” At my cousin Cindy’s bridal shower, Cupcake Lab customized mini red velvet cupcakes to the Hello Kitty theme. They were the stars of the party. Everyone kept asking each other, “Have you tried the cupcakes yet? They’re soooo good!”
Cupcake Lab is located at 2/F Podium Mall, Ortigas Center, Pasig. For information, call 400-2296, email www.cupcakelabph@yahoo.com or tweet @cupcakelabph
Brasserie Cicou’s Kouign Aman served with salted caramel ice cream Kouign Aman at Brasserie Cicou
When I asked fellow Philippine STAR columnist Stephanie Zubiri what I should order at Brasserie Cicou in Greenhills, she replied, “Kouign Aman!!!!!” True enough, while I enjoyed chef Cy-rille Soenen’s French fare, the Breton butter cake topped with salted caramel ice cream was the stand-out. It was flaky buttery heaven, and brought back memories of the first time I tried it on the sidewalks of Saint Malo in Brittany.
Brasserie Cicou is located at 57 Annapolis Street, Greenhills, San Juan.
For information, call 661-9200 or visit www.restaurantcicou.com.
Aburi sushi at Makati Shangri-La’s Inagiku
Assorted aburi sushi at Inagiku “Torched sushi with rich cheese, introduced by (former Makati Shangri-La director of communications) Erica Sotto and forever enraptured by the flavors of an exquisite delight,” was how Lifestyle Asia editor in chief Anna Sobrepeña described this exquisite dish at Makati Shangri-La’s Inagiku. “The melted cheese indeed complements the uni, scallops, salmon and whatever seafood it is combined with. The torched preparation is a century-old way of preparing sushi but adding fine cheese brings the best of two favorite foods together.” That is the best way of describing this dish Anna and I are both madly in love with. I’ve tried ordering it at several other Japanese restaurants in the city, and none can do it justice like Inagiku.
Inagiku is located at Makati Shangri-La Hotel.
For reservations, call 840-0884.
Optimo 3+3 Coffee Mix Optimo 3+3 Coffee Mix with Suchero
People always make fun of me and say, “You’re so arte,” when I tell them that I don’t drink instant coffee. I find the taste a little too harsh, I get singaws afterwards, and the caffeine doesn’t kick in. One afternoon, while working on an important presentation, I was out of coffee beans and the only kind I had was the Optimo 3+3 Coffee Mix, a present from Juana Manahan. Since I was desperate, I stirred the packet in warm water, took a sip, sat down and told myself, “Bahala na.” Ten minutes later, boom! I was wide awake and typing away like an Energizer bunny. My brain was in top form and I suddenly knew the answers to everything that had stumped me. “What’s in this stuff?” I asked myself. It was instant coffee, non-dairy creamer, and cocosap sweetener (a low-glycemic all-natural sweetener made from coconut sap), plus gingko biloba (improves mental performance), green tea (increases the body’s metabolism) and grapeseed extracts (anti-aging properties). It’s now my super-coffee.
Available at Landmark Makati, City Super TriNoma, Shopwise, Echostore in Podium, Robinson’s Galleria, Pioneer and Ermita, Cash n’ Carry and Unimart.
For information, visit www.optimocoffee.com.ph.
Cukay’s Lemon Squares Cukay’s lemon squares
Lifestyle Asia editorial coordinator Tin Chua gave these to me for Christmas. The packaging was ordinary and non-assuming but inside are the most delicious lemon squares—and I’m not a fan of anything citrus for dessert. The mélange of sweet and tart was outstanding. It’s crunchy on top and soft, pillowy and moist in the middle, and slightly crusty again in the bottom. All the tangy lemon flavor comes from the middle part peppered by the powdered sugar that sprinkles all over the mouth in a bite. It is delicious and very comforting—exactly what I needed for the holidays.
For orders, call 0917- 859-6244 or 844-5707.
Napoleon Tea and Caramel macarons at TWG Tea
There were boxes of TWG Tea macarons when I arrived from San Francisco last month, which had just opened the first branch in the country. I love macarons and am on an eternal search for the best ones in Manila. The Napoleon Tea and Caramel was a beautiful silky smooth caramel with a hint of the black tea. The texture was perfect: crisp at the first bite but crumbles gently into the mouth. We are macaron-lovers at home and I often judge how good a macaron is by how many pieces are left in the box after everyone has had a taste. The next day, there were no more TWG Tea macarons left. Of course, I probably ate half of it.
TWG Tea Salon & Boutique is located at Greenbelt 5, and soon to open at Resorts World Manila
Dulce de leche cheesecake at Forget Me Not
I was first introduced to this dulce de leche by Forget Me Not cheesecake by my aunt Happy Ongpauco-Tiu. I remember it being so good that I kept asking her, “Can you please send me her number? I want to order it.” Pixie Sevilla-Santos’ dulce de leche cheesecake is Forget Me Not’s bestseller, a caramelized milk and sugar mixture nestled into a buttery crust. I brought this cake to another lunch gathering and it was wiped out as well.
Forget Me Not Specialty Cakes is located at 928 Arnaiz Avenue (formerly Pasay Road), Makati.
For orders, call 869-5333.
Dragon roll at Snowman
On one of our earlier dates, Chad brought me to a really discreet hole-in-the-wall restaurant that he simply described as “across Handlebar.” He said that he and La Girolle chef/owner Ian Padilla frequent the place a lot after Ian’s shift, and it’s one of the best “hidden” Japanese places that serve both Japanese and Korean food. Being the curious cat that I am, I tried googling it but found nothing on it online. In fact, there’s no sign outside that reads Snowman. But, their dragon roll is one of the best I’ve had. Huge rolls (minimal rice with lots of filling) topped with unagi and bonito flakes, with two large salmon roe placed on one end to make it look like the eyes of a dragon, and two carrot sticks as its ears. Their ogonomiyaki (Japanese pizza) is also very good. We found out that it’s called Snowman because they serve their soju enveloped in crushed ice. The restaurant in itself is a gem.
Polaris Street, Bel-Air, Makati (across Handlebar)
J.Co Donuts
The line at J.Co Donuts in Greenbelt are snaking long every hour of every day that I’ve never actually even had the opportunity to step inside. My first bite came in the form of Caviar Chocolate that Chad saved for me from a family lunch, and I remember going, “Oh, my gosh.” On a recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, my fellow Pinoy companions and I decided to take advantage of the J.Co donuts at Pavillion Mall. Straight from an eight-course Chinese lauriat dinner, on the ride to a Hennessy Artistry party, I stuffed myself with a Why Not, and savored every bite of indulgence. Fashion blogger Ingrid Chua Go had three. Enough said.
J.Co is at Greenbelt 5, The Strip, SM Megamall and soon Eastwood Mall
Cheese puffs and chorizo puffs at Masseto
I’ve had the cheese puffs and chorizo puffs at private functions held at Masseto. They are usually a prelude to an exciting four- or five-course meal. The problem is they are so good I can’t stop! The little profiteroles of cheese burst beautifully in the mouth, and my only fuel of self-control is the fact that I may not have room for the rest of the courses that lie ahead. The cheese puffs are only available at private parties, but the chorizo puffs are available at the Bar Menu.
Masseto is located at 114 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati. For information, call 810-3565, 338 0929, visit www.masseto.com.ph or email info@masseto.com.ph.
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