Seven nights of Malate madness

24/7 decided to spend several nights at bohemian Malate–a quaint residential neighborhood by daytime and a hot spot for the metropolis’ nocturnal beast after sundown. The attraction of this district is the experience itself. This spot in Manila offers different culinary choices and night shops. The charm of this area makes it a great social equalizer. One’s individuality and difference is celebrated in Malate. Put down your defenses, lose yourself, and experience the madness.

Here is a list of restaurants and shops which will make your Malate experience very memorable.

Start your first night in Malate with shopping in Firma Home Accessories at 616 J. Nakpil St., its situated in a row of restaurants and bars. It is a design showcase selling home accessories, jewelry, fashion accessories and artifacts designed and manufactured by the in house design and manufacturing team. The shop is open Monday to Thursday 1 pm to 11 p.m. and Fri and Sat 1 pm to 12 mn. And for a naughty twist, walk towards Pride Exchange which opened in 2001 as the first and only gay lifestyle shop in the Philippines. It is located at the Orosa-Nakpil courtyard at the heart of the bohemian district of Malate, Manila. Pride Exchange sells realistic love toys, sexy underwear for men, slinky lingerie for women, club wear, condoms, adult CDs, VCDs, books, fashion accessories and other novelty items. Pride Exchange has begun to cater to the non-gay market with over half of its customers being straight men who buy the love toys to better satisfy their partners. Celebrities buy their costumes and one-of-a-kind clothes at the store. Pride Exchange has now become a landmark in Malate making it a must see destination for locals and itinerant tourists alike.

On the second night get a feel of the exotic in Fidel Bistro Lounge located at 1803 Maria Orosa St. cor Nakpil. Fidel is a French Moroccan/restaurant with a large choice of dishes available until very late making it a regular stop after a show or a concert in Manila. Fidel turns into a lively lounge bar after dinner hours serving some of the best and most hefty portions of cocktails in the metropolis. Fidel is open Monday to Thursday 5 p.m. until 1 am, on Fridays from 5 p.m. until late, on Saturdays from 6 p.m. until very late. And if you crave for southern Europe go to Mil Novecientos Tapas Bar & Bistro located in front of the Remedios Circle and serves Spanish Mediterranean cuisine. Step into a most delightful ambience reminiscent of a Mediterranean abode in the coast of Italy or Spain. The tiled bar and metal grill staircase will put you in the right mood of delightful anticipation. You will not be disappointed with the gastronomic pleasures that lie ahead. From the Spanish tapas to the French soufflés, from the original paellas to the thin crusted Italian pizza, from the delightful desserts to the espresso based brews, it’s pleasurable dining from start to finish. House specialties include paella verde, prawns a la Plancha, boquerones Barcelona, lamb couscous, callos Madrileña, cocido, and pigeon pie.

Third night is a trip to exotic Asia starting with Raj Indian Restaurant located at 1820 Maria Orosa St(next to Aquario). The restaurant is a stylized Indian restaurant offering authentic Indian cuisine of Chef Sita Ram of New Delhi. It boasts of having the only authentic tandoori oven in town, specially imported from Europe. Choice menu selections include raan (a whole leg of lamb marinated in nuts and spices and slow roasted in the Tandoor oven), white fish curry and the flavorful tandoori chicken. The restaurants interiors designed by talented Asian architect Jim Tan. Raj is open daily for dinner.

Annam Vietnamese Restaurant (opening October 1) is the new kid on the block of DJ Montano, the man behind Raj and Acquario. Annam is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant offering dishes not commonly found in the city. The menu was created by Vietnamese lady chef Phuong Mai whose specialty is stuffed roasted duck that must be ordered a day in advance. The phos (Vietnamese noodle soups) are extremely tasty and fresh. The restaurant’s interiors are a contemporary blend of the French Indochine and traditional Vietnamese design elements. Annam is open daily for dinner.

And for homestyle cooking try Bistro Remedios located at Adriatico St. Experience great country cooking in a bistro chic setting. Bistro Remedios is the restaurant to visit if you’re strutting out local stuff to your foreign visitors. Or if you just want darn good home cooking. The dining room is filled with remnants of a Spanish-era home, with original paintings done by reknowned artists.House specialties include binukadkad na pla-pla, laing, crispy tadyang, sugpo sa gata, crispy pata, and sugpo sa aligi.

The fourth night, experience the café culture at its best with Café Adriatico located at 1900 Adriatico St. The cafe that started the Malate scene is the flagship resto of the LJC Restaurant Group. The meeting place of people from all walks of life, persuasions, preferences, and styles. A full menu is available but light meals, salads, sandwiches, omelets and fondues are also served. Try the authentic Spanish hot chocolate beverage called "Chocolate Eh." House specialties include spareribs adobo, salpicao, classic burger, and cheese and chocolate fondues.

The fifth night in Malate is to marvel Manila’s famous sunset at Café Adriatico By the Bay located at bay walk at Roxas Boulevard across Liwasang Rajah Sulayman Watch the setting sun from the outdoor tables on the new bayside boulevard. Share coffee concoctions and barbeques, or just sip a glass of wine and watch the rest of the world go by till evening.

Sixth night is Martini night at Acquario Liquid Lounge located at 1820 Maria Orosa St. Acquario is an upscale bar and lounge, serving world-class drinks and specializing in at least a dozen martinis. Renowned architect Ed Calma took inspiration from water to create modern and curvilinear white interiors highlighted by a long all-glass blue bar. Its resident DJ Erwin Edralin spins an eclectic blend of deep house, ambient and disco pop. Acquario is open from Wednesdays to Saturdays from 9 p.m. till the wee hours of the morning.

End your seventh night with a bang at Café Havana also located along Adriatico St. It is the hands-down choice of bar enthusiasts from Manila to Manhattan. This internationally famous bar is a happening place that transformed the Remedios Circle from a genteel promenade into a throbbing section of charming Malate. As its name suggests, Café Havana is Latino-Cubano, and it lives the spirit of the island from its decor to its food and music. Two great bands play from Wednesday to Saturday. House Specialties include spareribs Habanera and Caribbean salmon with mango mambo black rice. Don’t forget to try the Mojito, the Cuban "national drink" popularized by Hemingway in Cuba and introduced in the Philippines by Café Havana!

24/7 Nocturnal Navigator Magazine highly recommends these activities for this week. For a complete month’s schedule, you may find the magazine at hotels, bars, restaurants, gyms, salons and tourism offices in the metropolis. Comments are welcome at twentyfourseven@myrealbox.com.