Philippine Restaurants I Love

Since feeling Nostalgic because of the upcoming Christmas, I decided to feature some of the Philippine Restaurants that I love. I know this could be a very long post. Haha! I’ll list down everything I remember, and hopefully give you a link to their website (if there’s any), oh and just a couple of descriptions too. Also, note that some of those that I’ll be posting may or may not be closed already or have moved somewhere without my knowledge. Also, this list includes all the Philippine Restos (that I can remember) that I have tried and those that I haven’t tried but have been longing to try (only if I’m home, awww). Anyway, here they are in no particular order. :)

Buffet

1. Circles Event Cafe – inside Shangri-La Hotel in Makati City, Metro Manila; walking distance to Glorietta Mall; offers BUFFET: American, European, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Asian, Italian, French, Mediterranean Cuisine; Chocolate buffet; multitude of desserts including my fave Creme Brulee; Filipino Celebs, Tycoons, and Politicians can be spotted here; my favorite restaurant!!! If you love Circles just as much as I do, get a membership card! I get free rooms, 2 free lunches/dinners for two, free bday cake (it’s like a small cake that’s enough for four people to share), and discounts on rooms and functions. And every time you dine and show your card, you get 30% off your bill for a minimum of 2 guests dining with you. So it’s like dining for 3 but paying for just 2. That was in 2006 though. Perhaps you can inquire with them for the latest info.Oh, by the way, this is where Hubby and I celebrated our Civil Wedding Reception. During that time, I think we paid around PHP1100 to PHP1200 per person. But of course, the Civil Wedding was very intimate as we only invited our closest family and friends. Thus, we didn’t shell out that much, plus I’m a member so I was given a big discount. But anyhow, the rate is relatively expensive for the cost of living in the Philippines. For the US and other 1st world countries, $22-$25 per person for a Buffet that tastes this good, I mean GREAT, is already a great bargain!
2. Heat – for the same reason as #1, Heat also belongs to my list of top Philippine restaurants; Heat is the equivalent of Circles Cafe & Restaurant located inside the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Ortigas.
3. Hotel Intercontinental Smorgasbord – at the top floor of Hotel Intercontinental in Makati; no longer operating; my family’s fave buffet when I was a kid.
4. Red Crab and Seafood Club - seafood and steak restaurant; only certain branches have buffet like the one in Greenbelt 3 but I think has already moved; there are only certain days or time frame when Red Crab serve buffet; eat all you can crabs and many other dishes, appetizers, and desserts for about PHP400 (2-3 years ago)!
5. Chinese: Tong Yang Hot Pot in Quezon City; Breakfast: Something Fishy at Eastwood; Japanese: Saisaki; International: Dad’s, Brazil! Brazil!, Grappa’s Greenbelt; Filipino: Kamayan, Cabalen, Barrio Fiesta; Spanish: Alba’s Restaurant near Rockwell.

Mediterranean

1. Ziggurat – no questions asked – simply the best Mediterranean Restaurant in the Philippines I’ve tried! You SHOULD try Ziggurat, especially the kebabs, Iraqi Saffron Rice, Samouli, and Papadum.
2. Cafe Mediterranean – we call it Cafe Med; delicious sauces and dips and flat breads and kebabs and everything else!
3. Swagat Indian Cuisine – great Curry dishes and Indian Papadums at Swagat!
4. Hossein’s Persian Kebab in Makati, Prince of Jaipur at the Fort, Bollywood in Greenbelt, and Spices Restaurant at Manila Peninsula.

Asian

1. Gloria Maris
2. Good Earth
3. Sugi
4. Le Ching/Le Ching Too – Greenhills Shopping Center
5. Modern China
6. North Park
7. Peking and Jade Garden
8. Ma Mon Luk
9. Dusit Thani
10. Teriyaki Boy
11. Okuya
12. Yoshinoya
13. Sakura
14. Kitaro
15. Tokyo Tokyo
16. Pho Hoa
17. Big Buddha - Greenbelt; sometimes offer buffet
18. Super Bowl of China
19. Zong – Fort
20. Kowloon House – when I was still a kid

FAVORITES (regardless of type of cuisine) that I miss and were not mentioned above

1. Beard Papa’s – the best cream puffs
2. Bread Talk – the best bread/snacks I bring to the office
3. Binalot – the best Pork Adobo with Salted Egg and Tomatoes
4. Baliwag – the best Lechon Manok (Roast Chicken) and Inihaw na Liempo (Pork Belly BBQ) and the best sauce, Filipino dishes
5. Shakey’s Pizza - Mojos, chicken, pasta, and pizza!
6. Jollibee – McDonald’s of the Philippines, love the burger steak, jolly hotdog, pancit palabok, chicken joy, and burgers!!!
7. Greenwich Pizza (pang masa ako, hehe)
8. Yellow Cab Pizza, Monster Pizza, Magoo’s Pizza, Don Henrico’s Pizza
9. Gerry’s Grill – Filipino Grilled and Native Foods, Sinigang na Baboy, Sisig, and Liempo
10. Dencio’s Grill – Filipino Grill and Native, plus don’t forget to top off with Frozen Margaritas
11. World of Chicken – super delicious grilled chicken at Glorietta’s food court
12. Cucina – super yummy Daing na Bangus and other Spanish dishes, Glorietta
13. La Piadina – yummy cheap Italian at Glorietta
14. Bizu – the cakes and the bread esp Focaccia
15. Cibo – Italian, pasta
16. Chowking – Hubby’s “Dito kumakain ang masarap kumain”
17. Aysee’s – heavenly goodness Sisig… cholesterol, Greenhills
18. Delifrance, Le Coeur de France, Dulcinea, French Baker – French pastries, breads, soups
19. Giligan’s Island – Sisig and Adobong Kangkong yum!!!, Glorietta
20. Hen Lin – siomai!!!
21. House of Silvanas – the best silvanas!!!
22. Ilonggo Grill – Dinuguan and Puto
23. Jamaican Patties
24. Ineng’s Barbeque – THE BEST BARBEQUE IN TOWN!!!
25. Kiss Balls, Odd Balls - fish balls and squid balls: Filipino street food at its best
26. Pancake House – the best roast beef and roast chicken drenched in delicious gravy!
27. Red Ribbon – mango cake is the best; ube cake, mouse, chocolate cake, Pancit Palabok
28. Kaya Korean Restaurant – the best Korean
29. Korea Garden Restaurant – also the best Korean hehe
30. Fish & Co – if you don’t love fish, try fish and chips here, you’ll forget you hated fish!!!
31. Cafe Breton – I love galettes so much! :)
32. Kai – hubby surprised me with a Valentine’s Day 5-course dinner here
33. Krocodile Grille – fave hangout/drinking area at Greenbelt if we don’t have much moolah hehe
34. Kitchen – yummy Crab fat rice, beef dishes, green tea, sago iced tea, etc
35. Max’s – gotta love the chicken with Worcestershire Sauce and Banana Ketchup, love the Fresh lumpia and pancit palabok
36. National Sports Grill – where I surprised my mom on her birthday by inviting our family and friends; reserved the top level; asked Rev. Father Favile to celebrate a mass there; then lunch was served; love their food especially the ALL STAR PATTY MELT
37. Oody’s Bar & Restaurant – Thai and Vietnamese
38. Via Mare – gotta love the pancit and puto bumbong
39. Razon’s of Guagua – the pancit malabon and fresh lumpia is so delicious, not to mention the halo halo
40. Recipes – by Cafe Metro
41. Sentro 1771 – must try: Corned Beef Sinigang, Rated GG (galunggong), and the bottomless sago and nuts will keep you staying
42. Tianenmen - delicious dimsum along makati avenue… super delish!
43. Buddy’s Pancit Lucban – located at Market Market – the best pancit lucban (with lechon!), add to that sago gulaman from Bugnaw
44. Almon Marina – fave deli in Alabang since gradeschool
45. Tapa King – the best tapa with garlic rice, sunny side up, and atchara even if I don’t eat atchara
46. Brothers Burgers – I so love all their burgers and their fries and their mayo dip for the fries
47. Sango Burger – walking distance from our place in Makati City; the best Japanese burgers (some made up of rice); delicious shakes and fries too
48. Conti’s – cakes are divine and so are the dishes too
49. Pancit ng Taga Malabon - I just love Pancit Malabon and Palabok
50. Amber – the best office delivery of Pancit Malabon, Palabok, Barbeque, Shanghai Rolls, and the best Pichi Pichi
51. Cable Car - I so miss the Cable Car Rice!!!
52. Banana Leaf and Curry – Rotikanai please!
53. Taters – sour cream and onion fries
54. Pepper Lunch – HAWT, HAWT, HAWT
55. UCC Cafe Terrace – Podium
56. UA&P Food Place below our place at Ortigas – the best lambchops
57. Garahe, Agno, Beach, Plato - the best lamb chops and liempo at DLSU
58. And all the Delicious Restos at the latest Greenbelt 5, Serendra, High Street, and Trinoma

Sorry if I went overboard and have officially lost it! Bwahahahaha… It took me hours to finish this and it’s not even complete. By the time I am writing these last few sentences, you can imagine how I am now craving for all sorts of things. I can’t remember the rest of the restaurants that I loved in the Philippines but this will just about give you an idea. Bwahahaha! I know they’re already too many. Nevertheless, some of my favorite foods in the Philippines that cannot be found in restos are: My Mom’s Nilagang Baka (which reminds me of Tagaytay, forgot to add Antonio’s, Leslie’s, etc.), Sinigang, her lasagna, her Spaghetti, her… can I just say almost everything she cooks for me? Hahaha. Also, the grilled ribs made by Rosali. That’s it. Sorry for the very long post! :) And sorry I got so tired to insert all the links. I’ll try to update them all soon. :)

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