Joanna James
Manila has slowly been making a name for itself as a foodie central, with new concept restaurants popping up alongside old favourites. Here are the top 5 best restaurants to try out.
The creation of Ebi 10 was inspired by the tempura bars in Osaka; this compact restaurant features an open kitchen neatly tucked away behind the bar counter and a colourful mural that lightens up the small interior. Ebi 10 serves up crispy tempura that you can order straight off the menu or customize as you go. While tempura is the star attraction here, their take on other classic Japanese favourites are also worth a taste. Pair your tempura with a bowl of fried rice or take the greasy route with bacon yakisoba. Finish up with a refreshing matcha ice cream wrapped in a buttery tempura crust, because there's no escaping the tempura here.
Better known among locals as "Elbert's Sandwiches," this place serves up the best cheesesteak sandwiches in Manila, no joke. The menu is small, but the flavours here are big and unforgettable. Once you've had the cheddar cheesesteak with its tender strips of steak, grilled onions and loads of melted cheese, it's impossible to not keep coming back for more. The classic house burger is all you can ask for in a burger; a juicy beef patty sandwiched between toasted buns with grilled onions, lettuce, fresh slices of tomatoes and topped off with the house sauce. Sides include their 'famous fries, thick cut potato fries or beer-battered onion rings.
Straddling the line between traditional Italian cuisine and Filipino culinary cooking-styles, the food at Da Gianni is probably best described as timeless recipes with a twist. The menu at the restaurant is filled with plenty of cheesy options. A crowd favourite is the Quattro Formaggi, a thin-crust pizza with layers of gorgonzola, pecorino, mozzarella, and provolone; topped with a generous number of grated truffles. Meat lovers will adore the Porchetta, a feast of roast pork and vegetables, accompanied by a lip-smacking sauce. While it is located in Alabang, a long drive if you are not in the area, it's worth checking out. If you are staying at a hotel or apartment in Alabang, like the contemporary-styled Somerset Alabang Manila, then do pop-over for dinner.
The most affordable Michelin-starred restaurant you will ever find; Hawker Chan. What started as a hawker stall in Singapore, it now has branches all over Asia and Australia. The branch here is simple and laid-back, and while the food might sound basic, the flavours are anything but. The sweet-savoury glaze on glistening chicken skin is what sets apart their chicken with rice dish, while their soya sauce chicken with noodles is a must try —the firm egg noodles provide another layer of texture to go with the sweet and salty moist chicken strips.
This restaurant shines a spotlight on the much-loved pan-fried soup dumpling, a staple of Chinese cuisine. The head chef here even went on an extensive tour of northern China to compile the best recipes for creating the perfect dumpling, and the result is Mai Wei Fang. Their soup dumplings feature a lightly crisp skin that contains a delicately flavours pork broth that keeps you eating more. Aside from the dumplings, they also serve their own twist on Chinese sandwiches.
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