Let's Eat October Issue

LET'S EAT — October 2015

OCT. 201 5

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BEST RESTAURANTS

W H AT ' S I N S I D E

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BEST DISHES

ILLUSTRATION BY RAXENNE MANIQUIZ 2­

ISSUE No. 28

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BEST INTERNATIONAL CUISINE

LET'S EAT — October 2015

L E T 'S E A T

E DITOR ’ S LE TTE R

DON JAUCIAN

on the co v er

Managing Editor

PATRICK DIOKNO Art Director

SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ Writer

GABBY CANTERO For a food zine that thrives on featuring the most exciting and innovative establishments in the city, an comprehensive ‘Best of ’ issue is inevitable. We have been planning for this issue for quite some time now, with our last December issue—which centered on our personal favorites—as a starting line in writing about our choice cuts and preferred haunts. Our recent expansion has only empowered us to take on challenges and explore uncharted horizons—at least for us.

What you have in your hands now is a labor of love, from the selection of the categories and the respective ‘winning’ restaurants to the painstaking art direction that evokes the spiritedness of this issue.

If we missed anything, there’s always the next one.

And as always, we hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we did making it.

Photographer

Nico NUYDA Ralph hilario Photographer’s Assistant

RAXENNE MANIQUIZ MANO GONZALES Photographer’s Assistant

LUCIEN DY TIOCO SVP for Sales & Marketing

ANNALYN DELGADO Editorial Assistant

Let’s Eat is published by The Philippine Star 202 Roberto Oca St., Port Area, Manila For inquiries, call 5277901 local 132 or email letseat062013@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/LetsEatPhilStar Instagram: letseatph

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Sarsa’s Batchoy Photo by GABBY CANTERO Typography by Chesca Gamboa

best restaurants

REFINEMENT IS THE KEY FOR THOSE WHO LORD IT OVER EVERYONE ELSE. INTERIORS, AMBIENCE, AND ESTEEMED PEDIGREE, WHILE ALSO IMPORTANT, CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH. AT THE HEART OF EACH RESTAURANT THAT WE'VE CROWNED AS WINNER, IS THE DEDICATION TO SERVE THE BEST GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCE: AN ENTERPRISE WORTHY OF ADMIRATION AND PATRONAGE. words by spanky enriquez photographs by gabby cantero

LET'S EAT — October 2015

best restaurant

Sarsa P I first met Chef Jayps four years ago, fresh off his stint as judge in Junior Master Chef. He told me that he often just kept quiet on set because he wasn’t fluent in Tagalog.

But he is fluent in the language and cuisine of his native Negros, so when he opened Sarsa, it was, in effect, a love letter to his province.

And we all fell in love with it. It’s the most consistent, and most creative of Filipino restaurants and it’s my go-to place for entertaining balikbayans, introducing tourists to our cuisine, and celebrating occasions with my family and friends.

No one’s ever been disappointed with my recommendations, and I always find out that everyone comes back for more.

Their Sinigang Fried Chicken has become an instant classic.

There’s always something new and exciting on the menu, and that’s what makes Sarsa special.

Sarsa’s Pancit Palabok 8­

LET'S EAT — October 2015

best restaurant for business meetings

Bistro du Vin

FACEBOOK.COM/HOLEINTHEWALLPH

P Meeting a prospective new client is like going on a first date. There’s an obvious agenda, but before getting down to business, establishing a personal connection, is the priority.

Bistro du Vin elicits easy and engaging small talk—its warm ambiance is that of a sunny sidewalk café in Paris—and the food that follows completes the experience. Their Parmesan soup l’ami Jean is an irresistible bowl of what is, essentially, melted cheese.

Bistro du Vin’s charcuteries

Q It’s not the food court of your childhood. It’s as endearing, but this isn’t a destination with stall after stall of T-bone steaks, buttered vegetables, and rice drenched in gravy, served on sizzling plates. Instead, it is a battery of tiny restaurants, one after the other, each offering one-of-a-kind specials, available exclusively at this, almost literally, hole-in-the-wall. Some of the most exciting talents in the F&B industry are here, rubbing elbows with each other, as they come up with some of the most interesting menus in the city. It’s like a food truck park, without the wheels: Bad Bird’s famous for their super spicy ultimate umami fried chicken; The Beef, for its unadorned burgers that celebrate the purity of the patty. A dozen choices and growing.

It’s the best family friendly restaurant in Makati, and why not? Everyone’s a kid again here.

best concept

Hole in the Wall

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LET'S EAT — October 2015

best fine dining

Impressions best recovery restaurant

Coco Hut R I love Coco Hut’s logo. It’s straightforward, very tropical and promises two of my favorite things: fried chicken and fried fish.

And boy, do they deliver. Especially late at night, after drinking, when my body craves hot, deep fried food to soothe my alcohol-addled soul. Their pepper gravy goes great with the rice that comes free with the chicken.

Coco Hut is also one of the few restaurants that offers my favorite fish, tilapia, freshly fried, when I need it most, accompanied by the rich “gata”steeped veggies the restaurant is also famous for.

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Roasted Brittany Lobster

best hotel buffet

Spectrum P How about a champagne brunch on a Sunday, with premium bubbly for the parents and a wonderful Lego playland for the children?

Spectrum’s signature buffet is expected to draw deliriously happy families when it returns this October. The Raffles and Fairmont Hotels’ shared dining destination has an extensive line-up, but it doesn’t offer an overwhelming choice of entrees. It doesn’t need to. Every dish, savory and sweet, is precisely curated, and every single one, is absolutely memorable.

Q Impressions is impressive. It’s a vast hall but still preserves a sense of intimacy; it’s often fully booked, especially during the Sunday all-you-can foie gras lunch buffet, but diners here still retain a degree of privacy, allowing them to enjoy each other’s company, and more importantly, to marvel, at the food that Chef Cyrille Soenen so capably cooks. His dishes, prepared and plated to the highest technical standards of French cuisine, are divine.

From the terrines to the confits, the baguettes to the charcuterie, everything is perfect and proficient. But it’s never intimidating; in fact, the lasting impression created by this restaurant is its charm.

It’s fine dining without the fuss, but with all the finesse.

LET'S EAT — September 2015

S I remember the first time I hung out at Tambai; it was just a couple of days after Christmas last year, and the tiny bar was on its second day of operations. I had a couple of beers with the owners, tried out the yakitori, took best hangout selfies, and wished them luck. 24 hours later, I was receiving frantic text messages asking about the location of this new tambayan that was already creating ripples. Those ripples soon turned into a tsunami, and by New Year’s eve, it was the hottest hangout in Makati. Ten months on, it still is. The secret? It’s the friendliest place in the Poblacion, with the best and most inventive street food in the city.

Tambai

best 24/7

Bowery

R “You’ll be glad you stayed up and find out what it’s like, late at night,” so goes the theme song of the Metro Manila’s legendary midnight stop of the ‘80s and ‘90s. This generation’s best all-day/all-night dining destination is a worthy successor. The Bowery, infused with a New York vibe, offers the most substantial and satisfying specials of the city that never sleeps, including what’s been lauded as the best mac & cheese dish anywhere, anytime. Make sure to save space for dessert. Their “Death by Chocolate” is killer.

Q It’s the Modern Malate.

A tapestry of short streets where it’s thrilling to take a walk – thrilling because like old Manila’s party capital of yore, the best neighborhood P. Burgos neighborhood is home to a red light district. A

Burgos

wrong turn can lead to a den where midgets wrestle or, for better or worse, a club where topless ladies pole dance. A right turn, however, leads to some of the best, and quirkiest restaurants in all of Metro Manila. Each one with a distinct aura, a sexy confidence, and absolutely authentic cuisines

of the world, from Mexico to Korea, from Thailand to France. Welcome to the United Nations of the Poblacion.

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LET'S EAT — October 2015

best drinks

ABV hall of fame chef

PORTRAIT BY MANO GONZALES

Cyrille Soenen

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R The first Maîtres Cuisinier de France in the Philippines.

Chef Cyrille was inducted as one of France’s Master Chefs earlier this year, cementing his reputation as one of the best chefs from the country of his birth, and endearing him all the more to his fans here in his adopted country. He’s now so Filipino, he’s even considered a native of Negros, where his wife hails from Cyrille’s marrying the influences of two cities legendary for their cuisine, and the two cities closest to his heart—Paris and Bacolod—at his two world class restaurants: Brasserie CiCou and Impressions.

best organic food

Earth Kitchen

V Earth Kitchen is pretty low key compared to the other high profile restaurants that put a distinct focus on deliciously healthy eating and all-natural ingredients. But the fact that it recently

S The use of the “M” word is forbidden here. That gentleman behind the bar mixing drinks?

He’s called a bartender, thank you very much. He’s Kenneth Bandivas, who recently represented the Philippines in South Africa, at the finals of Diageo World Class, the most prestigious bartenders’ competition in the world. He’s also the general manager of the underground cavern that’s hidden behind Lazy Bastard, a terrific hotdog and hamburger joint. Find ABV’s secret entrance and you’ll be rewarded with what many consider as the best cocktails in the city. Kenneth’s mentors, Lee and Francis, are themselves masters of the arcane art of combining premium spirits, the end result, always greater than the sum of its parts. The same is true with the three men behind ABV. Their blended talents have complemented each other’s skills seamlessly, elevating their bar to rarefied heights.

opened a second restaurant at BGC, just two years after its first in White Plains, is its best testament to success. Success that’s measured not just in popularity and the loyalty of its clientele, but

also in its mission to promote the organic produce of the Got Heart foundation, and its 200 farmer partners all over the archipelago.

LET'S EAT — October 2015

best of: 0 dishes

best coffee

Yardstick 7 Their regulars obsess over the coffee here. So do the owners. Every cup carefully prepared here honors the coffee bean. best ice cream

best fried chicken

Sebastian’s

Kettle

8 Ian Carandang is the Willy Wonka of ice cream. He’s fearless in his flavors and uncanny at recreating tastes and textures.

1 Kettle is a restaurant chain in the making, thanks to their authentic and homey buttermilk fried chicken. best burgers

Sweet X

best halo-halo

Razon’s

2 It’s off the menu, but do ask for the “steamed burger”. I like this better than In-N-Out now, and that’s saying a lot.

9 The secret is in the ice, baby.

It’s shaved to a degree of fineness that allows it to melt just as the fixin’s meld. best steak

best fries

Mamou

McDonalds 3 The world’s best fries: the perfect cut, size, and crispness.

Delivers sheer bliss when dipped in a hot caramel sundae. best dimsum

Tim Ho Wan 4 When notoriously impatient Pinoy diners line up for an hour for pork buns, it must be that good. best donuts

Scarsdale 5 These unique, under-the-radar confections are really worth the drive—or the LRT ride—to SM San Lazaro.

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10 Crispy fatty bits on top of a perfectly charred and crusted, pink on the inside, medium rare rib eye.

Nobody does it better. best tacos

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Taco Vengo 11 The new hombre on the block has a pork cheek taco topped with chicharon. It’s like sisig on a shell, and that’s a very good thing indeed. best cookies

Scout’s Honor 12 The most creative cookie shop, possibly on the planet. The matchachocolate chip cookie sandwich with black sesame-white chocolate filling is stunning.

best ramen

Yushoken 6 Elbert Cuenca promised to serve the most authentic ramen in Yushoken. He’s kept his promise. By far, the best bowls in the country.

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9 10 2 ILLUSTRATION BY RAXENNE MANIQUIZ

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LET'S EAT — October 2015

ILLUSTRATION BY MANO GONZALES

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LET'S EAT — October 2015 best chinese

Peking Garden Peking Duck perfection with magnificent skin and juicy dark meat within; served three ways, the last, the tastiest: the bony-meaty bits fried with salt and pepper.

best american

best italian

Kettle

Cibo Eighteen years on, it’s still my go-to for authentic, everyday Italian dishes.

Nothing fancy, but everything fantastic.

Good oldfashioned home cooking prepared with care and genuine comfort food done right; don’t miss the pineapple upside down cake.

best international cuisine best japanese

best thai

Izakaya Kikufuji

Basil

Sublime sushi and sashimi at shockingly affordable price points; the Little Tokyo restaurant is a great choice for a first date best korean

Korea Garden A family favorite for three decades now: the Kalbi Chim, or Korean beef stew, is in a league of its own.

Behind the massive door is a lush, garden-like dining area that tantalizes the senses as much as its traditional Thai selections. best spanish

Arrozeria Chef Chele Gonzalez of Vask designed this restaurant for families and friends to let them discover—and share—the best paellas in the city.

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L E T ' S E AT doW n loa d t hE a p p

LET'S EAT — October 2015

L i k e a f i n e l i n e be t wee n high and pop culture in the local kitchen s ce n e , t h e f a s t - c a s u a l restaurant thought o f p r em i u m i z i n g i t s classic chicken burger.

What’s new: Max’s Classic Chicken Burger Text by May Dedicatoria Photo by Jun Mendoza

E

very day, around merienda time, an elderly, delicate-looking gentleman zealously enters Max’s Restaurant at Greenbelt 1 in Makati City. He occupies the first table across the entrance, greeted by waiters and staff who have known him all these years. He carefully chooses his favorite meal for the day, ranging from Max’s combo meals to “classic plates,” and pays with his trusty credit card before his aide picks him up.

Since 1945, the restaurant has been a part of Filipino families from generation to generation; not only for the famous fried chicken to match classic hapag recipes such as kare-kare and sinigang sa palayok, but more so for the comfortable and homey atmosphere that lasts in one’s memory, even during the height of one’s pleasantly forgetful and happy senescence.

Always classic yet innovative, Max’s wanted to bridge the gap between the tried-and-tested, first-class Filipino dishes and the millennials’ modish gastronomic yearning. Like a fine line between high and pop culture in the local kitchen scene, the casual dining restaurant thought of premiumizing its classic chicken burger.

With two succulent fried chicken patties in mayo-garlic dressing and soft, lightly toasted buns with oats — freshly made in-house at Max’s Corner Bakery, where sweet-smelling pastries line the shelves — the improved burger promises to please Pinoy-style cravings especially during merienda. Layered with generous rows of lettuce, tomatoes and cheese, the burger patties deliver tasty chicken goodness that’s crispy on the outside and juicy (and white!) on the inside.

From September 1 to October 31, an order of the classic chicken burger comes bundled with a free drink and Max’s freshly prepared sweet-potato chips. The latter, also perfect with the mayo-garlic dressing and surprisingly crunchy at times, is so good one can order it on its own.

Foodies recommend partnering the burger with any of Max’s mouthwatering noodles — choose among the delicious textures of pancit canton, bihon or luglug.

Merienda has been an integral part of Filipino families’ gustatory routine.

And whether for a hearty breakfast, a sumptuous lunch or dinner, or a satisfying afternoon meal, Max’s has everything for the Filipino craving.

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