After seeing my friend's wife post on Facebook photos of manam CAFE's Crispy Pancit Palabok, they…read morewere automatically added to my bucket list. Needless to say, as we were planning our November, 2024 trip to the Philippines, I made sure to add manam CAFE to our itinerary. Part of The Moment Group, a premier, fast-growing restaurant group in the Philippines known for creating popular homegrown brands like 8cuts BURGER BLENDS and ooma, manam CAFE is a casual, all-day dining version of the popular manam COMFORT FILIPINO restaurant. They are widely celebrated for serving Filipino classics in two ways: Classics (traditional recipes) and Twists (modern reinterpretations). My much-anticipated visit to manam CAFE was for lunch at the MOLITO Lifestyle Center on Sunday, November 17, 2024. We were a large party of 13 persons, so when we arrived around 11 AM, we had to wait a few minutes for a long table nearby the entrance. The dining room was quite busy with most if not all tables occupied. The venue was clean and bright with natural light shining through the windows despite the light rain that day. The vibrant setting was perfect for lunching. manam CAFE's extensive menu boasts a curated, diverse culinary offering tailored to satisfy every palate. From traditional Filipino dishes like Sinigang na Baboy sa Sampaloc (₱235, ₱430, ₱795) and Chocolate Champorado (₱185) to innovative creations like Sinigang na Beef Short Rib & Watermelon (₱295, ₱530, ₱925) and Ube Champorado (₱185), the dining experience is fit for curious eaters. We ordered: Fresh Lumpiang Ubod (L, ₱295) - Is it just me or is ubod (heart of palm) a new lumpia filling? I never saw this before this trip. The sweet-savoury peanut sauce was tasty, but I do prefer lumpiang sariwa (fresh) with sautéed vegetables over ubod. Crispy Pancit Palabok (L, ₱745) - One of their signature dishes, this rendition of palabok with a fun twist was what reeled me in to manam CAFE and it did not disappoint. After the wow factor from the savoury orange sauce creatively poured atop the mound of crisp noodles, the unique pancit transformed into a pleasantly chewy noodle dish with layers of textures. Crispy Pata with Garlic Chili Bits (M, ₱685) - The golden-brown crispy pork knuckles stood out as the star dish of the lunch for its burst of flavour in every bite and lasting crisp from the crunchy, spicy garlic-chili bits. Munggo & Chicharon - (M, ₱340) - This is one of my favourite stews, definitely comfort food for me. manam serves this as more of a hearty mung bean bisque, creamy like ginataan (cooked with coconut milk). While it still embodied the heartwarming flavours that I expected, I wasn't into the creaminess. Sinigang na Beef Short Rib & Watermelon (L, ₱295) - Despite Kuya Peter telling us that this sinigang with watermelon "sounds weird, but it works," this adaptation of the Filipino tamarind soup was not a favourite of the family's due to the sweet flavour. I wasn't as disappointed in this dish as everyone else was, but I was the only American-born of the group. Does that make a difference? Not-so-dirty Ice Cream (₱115) - Our party ordered two; one Ube and one Macapuno or maybe it was Vanilla? Both cups of sorbetes were fully enjoyed. Turon of Mango & Kesong Puti with Ice Cream (₱175) - Banana lumpia with a modern twist, incorporating mangoes and Kesong Puti (Filipino soft, aged white cheese) and served with ice cream. Interesting, but I prefer the classic. Bibingkang Galapong with Salted Egg (₱145) - The Filipino rice cake made with fermented glutinous rice and salted egg wasn't bad, but I was looking for the banana leaf wrap. Puto Bumbong with Muscovado Butter (₱130) - This seasonal dessert, one of Mom's longtime favourites, is usually served only during Christmas, but, thanks to manam, aficionados can enjoy it here all year-long. The muscovado butter's rich, caramel-like richness is meant to elevate the purple earthy-sweet chewy rice cake, but Mom longed for the traditional version instead. Ube + Sago (₱175) - A purple glass of happiness with ube's satisfying earthy notes perfectly complemented by the chewy sago (tapioca balls). Namnam Halo-halo (₱185) - This Filipino-style shaved ice made with sweetened beans, fruits, and jellies and topped with milk, Leche Flan and Ube ice cream was vibrantly colourful and refreshing. Iced Coffee + Black Sago (₱205) - The mouthwatering shake-like coffee drink with chewy tapioca could have double served as a dessert. Guinumis (₱155) - Yum, this cooler highlighted the creaminess of the coconut milk, the silky smoothness of the pink gulaman (a gelatin made from agar or carrageenan extracted from edible seaweed), and the lovely toasted flavour of pinipig (flattened, immature grains of glutinous rice). Service was attentive and friendly. Serving local favourites alongside modern, reinvented dishes, manam CAFE caters to both traditionalists & adventurous eaters who want to try new twists on old staples.

Ambiance - Clean, typical family style restaurant. We were a party of four and were seated almost…read moreimmediately. Food - I appreciate having choices (small, medium, large) on the serving sizes for all the dishes. We ordered the traditional pansit palabok, crispy sisig, beef watermelon sinigang, fresh lumpiang ubod and beef salpicao. The palabok and the sisig were a perfect combination. The sisig was so crispy and flavorful. The palabok tasted even better with calamansi and had the right amount of sauce. The watermelon flavor in the sinigang was recognizable but did not take away from its original flavor. We ordered the medium size but it did not seem to have enough veges or beef. The salpicao was very good, maybe a tad salty. The beef was tender. The fresh lumpiang ubod was delicious. The ubod tasted fresh. We loved every dish. Oh, we also had the buko pandan shake and ube shake. Soooo good! I know I will miss this place when we return to the U.S. Service - our water glasses were always filled. Appreciated our server's wit and humor. When we all made fun of ourselves for whipping out our senior ids at the same time when he asked for our ids, he immediately said, "student ids po." Of course, we all laughed at his quick wit. We were so hungry and excited to eat, we forgot to take pictures of the food. Bottom line, Manam is one of my favorite Filipino restaurant. The food is great and the prices are so reasonable.

Food and ambience was excellent. Being from Pampanga I know that the quality and taste was great.read more

It must have been a favorite Filipino restaurant by most of all who lives in the area as my friends…read moreand my husband friends brought us here (separate times) during our hometown visit. Yes , we are "balikbayans" and it was nice of them to think that we may miss Filipino dishes that we deserve to have a dining experience here. The place is exclusive, reserve, classy but with Filipino touch. The table setting and its interior decor demonstrates Philippines pride. I was in awe with the place. The server suggested their specialty then I realized that is a Kapampangan restaurant. Glad to hear as we were at Ilocos and Bicol region prior visiting Laguna. There must be something different for this experience. We had the following for our main entree : Lengua, lechon cubano, Spicy Sisig , tuna panga then of course matched with their bamboo rice and their squid rice. Oh my ! There is no room for complain. Each one has distinctive taste that I enjoyed so much. Delicious, delightful and unbelievably good. Pricing is reasonable. Highly recommended dining restaurant if you are into Filipino cuisine .

Such an amazing place for brunch !! We went two mornings while staying at the hotel. I ate so many…read moredelicious items! The first morning I had silog with tamarind chicken and pork asada, and lots of crispy Danggit! The congee was amazing! U added every topping possible plus fresh calamansi juice! Also had lychee chia pudding one morning and blueberry the next. The lycée was absolutely delicious! We consumed heaps of the most delicious dragon fruit. Now onto the pastries!! One morning they had bread and butter pudding squares and the other morning they had taisan bread. Both were so scrumptious!! Our server Harven was a delight! Friendly, got us warm milk, and answered my 6 million questions! We also took pictures in the back patio that overlooked Laguna de Bay. Beautiful views in every direction. They also had pineapple and mango jam! New jam flavors to me that were delicious on my cream cheese filled French toast. My husband also tries the miso ramen and the fresh salad with a great sesame dressing. In other words, we ate everything, everyone was so friendly and the views are incredible.

The Nest Dining in the Sky remains one of the most romantic dining destinations in the South…read more Perched atop Vivere Hotel, it offers sweeping views of the city, especially once the sun starts to set. While technically indoors, the restaurant opens its large sliding doors in the evening, creating a cool, breezy, open-air feel that makes the space both comfortable and memorable. It's easy to understand why so many couples choose this venue for date nights and proposals. The atmosphere alone is worth the visit. Since we came for an early dinner, we mostly ordered appetizers and dishes for sharing. We started with the Seafood Clam Chowder served in a bread bowl. It was decent and comforting, nothing particularly memorable, but certainly not bad. The Sisig Lumpia was unfortunately the weakest dish of the evening. Good sisig should have some crispness and texture, but this version lacked that signature crunch and came across as overly oily. It was the one dish I probably wouldn't order again. On the brighter side, the Pinchos drizzled with balsamic reduction were flavorful and enjoyable. The Beef Nachos were the star of the savory dishes, generously portioned, satisfying, and perfect for sharing. For dessert, we had the Frozen Brazo de Mercedes, which was a great way to end the meal and easily one of the highlights of our order. Service was excellent throughout. The staff were attentive, warm, and professional, making sure everything flowed smoothly without being intrusive. While the food this visit was a bit mixed, the stunning views, romantic ambiance, and impeccable service continue to make The Nest a place worth returning to. I've dined here before and remember some of their entrées being much stronger than the appetizers we ordered this time, so I'd happily come back and explore more of the menu. The food may not be flawless, but the experience certainly is. For the view, ambiance, and service alone, The Nest earns a solid 4 out of 5 star

great customer service yummy noodles nice and tasty dessert clean Parking is limited but inside a…read morenostalgic place

BF Homes is the place where every street and corner has a restaurant you can eat at. But its…read moredifferent if we're talking about the restaurants that are open when you want to eat breakfast. Most of the restaurants in BF Homes open at 11 am, earliest probably is 10 or 9:30. Little Quiapo opens at 7 am so if you are too lazy to cook breakfast just go here. They offer a wide variety of Filipino dishes, you wont run out of things to order. Breakfast, lunch or dinner they have it. I recomment the gourmet tuyo, their tapa and vigan longganisa for breakfast

Very friendly staff and with decently fast service. There were many options on the menu, and the…read moreservers were very good at recommending dishes based on our cravings and preferences. The portions are also quite generous, and you can feel comfortable sharing these dishes family-style! 6/5 - Crispy Dinuguan - The star of the show at this restaurant. The dish layers a smooth dinuguan sauce on crispy pork, which is perfectly complemented with white rice. Definitely shareable for 3 people. You will not be disappointed at all with choosing this dish at any visit to this restaurant. 5/5 - Bagoong Fried Rice - Filling portions with a savory bagoong flavor profile. If you want more flavor and ingredients in your rice, definitely consider this one! Can be shared with 3+ people as well. 4/5 - Squid in Salt and Pepper - Crunchy but light in texture profile and flavor. Nothing overwhelming and great to share with 3+ people. I think the fry could have made this a bit crunchier but overall still satisfied with this dish. 5/5 - Thai Green Mango Salad - Great salad choice to pick at this restaurant. The mango is a great fresh flavor to have with the greens and will complement the rest of your meal well! Can probably be shared between two people unless you have a large appetite!

whenever someone comes back from visiting the Philippines, i am always told that i should put Kanin…read moreClub on my list of places to try. I always end up disappointed when people hype up place. Lots of food choices but the star of the show are the flavored rice. We opted for the sinigang and binagoong rice, kare kare, crispy liempo, beef salad, lumpia, and salt/pepper squid. Im not sure what I was expecting with the sinigang rice. I thought it would be dry but its basically if you were to put the rice and sinigang in a bowl and then molded it together, this is the result. It was too mushy for my liking and i didnt really taste the sinigang flavor. The binagoong rice went good with the kare kare. Everything tasted ok, but i dont think this is something i would crave to come back to.

So my husband and I was staying close by in a Hotel and decided we wanted to try something…read moredifferent and I'm glad we did . 1st impression I wasn't feeling the place . Service was kinda slow to approach us to take order and then it took a minute for them to bring the food . I can say the wait for the food well worth the wait . The food was hot and the cheese was the right amount of Gooey to the pasta. The sauce was just right and not to much in excess . The bread was toasted just right . Will try at least once more before leaving the Philippines:

An old favorite- serves good food, yummy cakes and pastries…read morethough its become a bit pricey

I can't believe south Yelpers aren't talking about this nice Filipino restaurant in Commercenter…read moreAlabang. Lasa Bistro is another addition to the many great restaurants sprouting in the south. It has become one of my family's favorite for Sunday lunch or dinner, partly because of the location (so intimate and quiet in that part of Alabang) and mostly because of the food. Let's talk about the food. Some of the must-try dishes are the Sinigang na Lechon Kawali, Kare-kareng Crispy Tadyang (best Kare-kare sauce I've ever tastes, so sweet and nutty), Crispy Pata and Thai-inspired Fried Tilapia. My siblings and I aren't big fish eaters, but we devoured the tilapia until none was left but bones. I was hoping to post some pictures, but I couldn't find one where our hands weren't on the food. It's that good that we really couldn't wait to eat it. I'll try next time though.

Love this place. I always request this for lunch when I am in town for business…read more Tried most of the dishes, this review is fir the Tap la the morning. Sarap! Gotta get the Dalandan(not sure how to spell it) juice. Live the sweet tart taste. Cant wait to eat here again next business trip.

I wish this place can also help vegetarians and vegans "recover", too. I had an Oriental salad with…read morepeanut sauce, and it was okay, but what I really was hoping to eat was a hot, heavy rice meal since I was really hungry and tired from biking. Would be super great if they had a tofu and veggie meal option or something, like their meat bowls. Their dalandan juice, however, is fantastic. At Php 99/bottle! It's for sharing, but I actually think I can finish the whole thing because it was so refreshing. Service is fast and friendly, too!

Rómulo's BGC made for a truly memorable reunion with elementary friends I've known for over 50…read moreyears. It was a surprise for me, and having a private room reserved made the occasion feel extra thoughtful and intimate. We shared kare-kare, pusit, pan-fried noodles, seafood, and nachos, and every dish hit the spot. The service was attentive without being intrusive, and the staff was very responsive to our needs, which we appreciated. Most of all, it was just a joy to sit down, catch up, and enjoy such a fun evening together. The only thing worth noting is that the room was arranged as consumable, so if you book something similar, be sure to order enough to maximize the value. We may not have fully done that, but the overall experience was still excellent. Great food, great service, and a warm setting for a special reunion.

Almost 100php more for every viand from other romuli branches. Pancit molo was good nit worth the…read moreprice. Rhw same thing with thw adobo romulo style and pinoy ensalada. Their place was okay but I dont think is a prime place to demand the price. 1 pinoy ensalada, single serve pancit moli, tinapa rolls 6 halves, adobo. 40usd? I dont think so. Serving size was small as well.

If there's one service provider I'd come back to again and again, that would be Passion Cooks. I…read moretried to get them for my wedding but wasn't able to because they're usually fully booked during the peak wedding month of December. Fortunately, I had the pleasure of working with them for my daughter's christening. They did such a fantastic job that I'm now a fan for life. They did both the table set up and the food catering for the event for 100 guests. We had a Pirates vs Sailors theme and did a really amazing set-up. Very classy for a kiddie party. They are so creative that if you read reviews about them, they are just as popular for setting up as they are for the actual food catering. As for the food, everything was so good! All our guests were raving about it. Even years after, I still get asked about that particular party and who the caterer was (it was memorable for everyone). My favorite dishes were the Chicken and Ham Crepe with Brown Sauce and the Beef Pastel. The fresh fruit tartlets for dessert was 5-star hotel quality. If you want a truly unforgettable, hassle-free event, this is the supplier to turn to.

Passion Cooks Catering is arguably one of today's most popular caterers and event stylists, and…read morethat popularity is 110 percent merited. I have been to more than a few events that they were behind and the final result was always flawless. My jaw was literally left hanging in awe of their brilliance. Inasmuch as this stuff is learned, I also believe that for the most part, it's a natural talent that one is blessed with and I feel this applies to the woman behind PCC, Maja Martinez. You will not REGRET employing their services as they're a pleasure to work with as well.