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Filipinos love eating—to the extent that many a foreign visitor has remarked: Don't Filipinos ever stop eating? Indeed, a Filipino's daily food intake comprises five meals: breakfast, morning merienda, lunch, afternoon merienda and dinner. And take note that a merienda is often more than just a snack, particularly the afternoon version. It can consist of goto (Filipino congee) and tokwa't baboy (crispy pork and bean curd dressed in vinegar and soy sauce) or Chinese mami (noodles in soup) and siopao (steamed bun with meat filling). In that context, it is no wonder Manila can call itself the D & D (dining and drinking) capital of Southeast Asia. In Manila one is not faced with a shortage of choices; the problem lies in selecting from the rather bewildering diversity.
Ermita and Malate
If you are in Ermita and Malate, start your search at the junction of Padre Faura Street and M. Adriatico Street with Kashmir Restaurant which serves delectable Indian curries. From here to Nakpil Street and Remedios Circle, the entire length of M. Adriatico is lined with eateries. On the corner of Pedro Gil Street stands Robinson's Place, which is packed with dining and drinking possibilities, including the mall’s own Food Court where you can feast inexpensively in cool and comfortable surroundings.
Nakpil Street, formerly a wealthy residential neighborhood, abounds with houses and apartment buildings that have been converted into bars and restaurants. More than just purveyors of food, these act as trend setters of style. Bravo! mixes fashion with a full menu of Italian dishes. Matina, a restaurant cum art gallery, introduces you to imaginative fusion cuisine. Sala offers contemporary European food in a very stylish setting. People's Palace features tasty Thai food and tasteful minimalist décor. Casa Armas draws in discriminating diners with its black paella and other Spanish specialties. Episode Café and a dozen other places lure the young sophisticates with a thematic décor and the added attraction of live music, shows or dancing.
Another string of chic eateries can be found at the crossing of Nakpil and Maria Orosa Street: Pepe & Pilar (Filipino with a modern twist), Garlic Rose (everything is seasoned with the medicinal bulb), Café Breton (coffee and crepes) and Batavia (novel varieties of coffee, tea and cakes).
Around Remedios Circle, which is just a couple of blocks south of Nakpil, the creations of Larry Cruz, arguably Manila's most successful restaurateur, predominate, each with a theme of its own. Café Adriatico is known for Spanish-based Filipino food, while the other Café Adriatico 1900 is known for refined ambiance. Café Havana is notorious for its Cuban cooking and a Hemingway-inspired cigar room, In The Mood frequented for ballroom dancing, Bistro Remedios for regional Filipino delicacies, and Larry’s Bar as a hip hangout.
Guernicas (traditional Spanish food), The Red Crab (crabs and steaks), and the delightfully naughty Kink Cakes (the concoctions will make some people's eyes pop out) are also in the vicinity, as are The Library (karaoke and stand-up comedy), and Portico (continental décor).
Around the corner, on A. Mabini Street, you will find a different set of places altogether, most notably the Hobbit House (a throwback to the '60s, featuring live music) and the Republic of Malate. The latter encompasses the popular Good Earth Tea Room (contemporary Chinese cuisine).
Makati
Not to be outdone by Ermita and Malate, Makati's Ayala Center is replete with its own array of dining and drinking places. Glorietta alone contains countless bars and restaurants, including globally known establishments like T.G.I. Friday's, Hard Rock Café and Fashion Café. Cibo delights patrons with pizza and pasta a la nouvelle cuisine. Furusato Japanese Restaurant is a dependable recommendation for those who fancy sushi, sashimi or sukiyaki.
Around Greenbelt Park and inside Greenbelt Mall, you will find, among others, Italianni's (American-Italian pasta, pizza, salads, etc.), Schwarzwalder German Restaurant (schnitzel, pork knuckles and the like), and Sugi (one of Manila’s best Japanese restaurants).
Along Pasay Road, also known as Antonio S. Arnaiz Avenue, many international restaurants can be found, while around Jupiter Street and Makati Avenue lies a whole enclave where Japanese restaurants compete with Korean restaurants like Kaya Korean Restaurant. Casa Armas has a branch here and so do various Filipino restaurants. There is also a conspicuous Thai presence, as well as a plethora of girlie bars where many foreigners come to roost. Do not forget Grassi’s at the nearby Rockwell Center—in some people’s estimate, it serves the best food in Manila. And if you do not fancy any of the above, well, there is always fish and chips!
Dinner with a view? Try Top of the Citi on Paseo de Roxas. Something light and stylish? Wasabi Bistro and Bar on Makati Avenue. And even if you are dining on a budget, you can still do it with some style at the Glorietta 4 Food Court or the Food Park at the Enterprise Center.
Ortigas Center
Here the activity revolves around the giant malls. Some pubs await you at Shangri-La Plaza Mall like the popular Watering Hole Brewery (totally new innovation serving beer brewed in-house). In contrast, the Prince of Wales at Robinson's Galleria is terribly British, complete with dartboard and framed portraits of the royals. Here is a sampling of eateries at SM Megamall: Tong Yang Hot Pot (pick any or all of the meat and seafood items on display, then cook it at your table), Dad's (extensive buffet from California maki to roast turkey), Almon Marina (roast chicken and sandwiches, excellent for a quick lunch) and the cheap and cheerful SM Megamall Food Court.
At El Pueblo & St. Francis Square, just behind SM Megamall, you will find the likes of Flavors and Spices, a fine dining restaurant featuring a good-value Thai buffet. And if you are looking for somewhere just to have a round of drinks, there are such places as Strumm’s. On the other hand, you might want to indulge in some French haute cuisine, in which case you could sample the inventive culinary preparations at Le Souffle.
Nearby Greenhills Shopping Center is dotted with all kinds of Chinese eateries. Bistro Lorenzo (another Larry Cruz restaurant) and Ciudad Fernandina Restaurant, both leaning toward Spanish food, are two alternatives to the predominantly Chinese selection. Café Ysabel, in an exquisite old house, is in a class of its own.
Quezon City
As the biggest of Metro Manila's 12 cities and five municipalities, Quezon City merits a D & D guide of its own.
The D & D row on E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, also known as C-5, ranges widely in theme and food: Grilla (Polynesian-style setting and flavorful reworkings of Filipino dishes), Aqua Zoo (European nouvelle cuisine served in an interior simulating a giant aquarium) and Outback Steakhouse (Down Under ambience and steaks).
On Katipunan Avenue, which is just around the corner from C-5, Dencio’s and Katips stand out as two contrasting varieties of beer gardens. Likewise Cravings, with its intimate continental mood and modernized Western food, contrasts markedly with Kublai, which serves an eat-all-you-can Mongolian buffet in a large industrial-like hall.
From this guide you should get an idea of the tremendous variety of D & D options that Manila offers. But wait till you get here—you will find this guide barely scratches the surface.
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