An absolutely gorgeous dining experience with spectacular views from the 31st floor overlooking the…read morecity. This is set within a hotel. The rooftop setting is stunning, featuring elegant water features and the option to dine either outdoors under the skyline or indoors while still enjoying the rooftop atmosphere. The views alone make this place worth visiting, especially in the evening when the city lights come alive. The food was excellent. We sampled a variety of Filipino dishes, all beautifully prepared and elevated with thoughtful, upscale twists while still respecting the local flavors. A special mention goes to our server, Bon, who was outstanding throughout the evening. Attentive, professional, and genuinely welcoming, he helped make an already memorable experience even better. Soft live music was on, and it added to the experience. Between the incredible atmosphere, beautiful setting, delicious food, and exceptional service, this is a place I would happily recommend to anyone looking for a special night out in Manila.

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

I've heard and read about Neil's Kitchen for years now from friends and food bloggers alike but…read moreI've never had the chance to try it even though this location (their first and original location) is super close to our house. My friends planned a "South Saturday lunch" so that we can hang out in my neck of the woods instead of going all the way to Makati to hangout. Luckily I got a table immediately before the crowds arrived and a queue was formed. We ordered the following to share: 1. Tokwa't (Tofu) and Baboy (Pork) - we all enjoyed this appetizer that we ordered more fried tofu. The sauce was tangy and sweet while the tofu was cooked really well, crisp outside and soft inside. The pork was tasty and crispy as well. Loved the flavours and the textures in this dish 2. Crab fat pasta with crab cakes - the pasta wasn't too overpowering but you can def taste the crab fat. The crab cakes were made with real crab and they didn't scrimp on it. Great dish! 3. Sinigang paella and pork belly - one of their most popular dishes at Neil's Kitchen (we actually ordered two!). The sinigang in the paella was a great way to do a different take to sinigang and the pork belly was delicious. 4. Kare-kare with bagoong rice - kare kare was great with the distinct peanut taste and loved the veggies too. The bagoong rice was a nice accompaniment to the dish. Overall, I'm glad I finally tried Neil's Kitchen and next time I want to try their desserts.

Went here for a saturday night date and we liked the ambience. Westgate is also charming at night,…read moreparking is sufficient and the crowd is good. It was our first time at Neil's Kitchen and we were readily greeted by their attentive staff. The food selection all looked enticing. We got the calamari with paella negra, and chicken inasal with hainanese rice. Both were very filling and delicious. Would definitely go back.

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 .

First time here and I enjoyed their food. They definitely live up to the name of it - being comfort…read morefood. The staff was friendly, but the restaurant can use some regular cleaning. When a family left after eating their meal next to us, the staff cleaned the table, but unfortunately the cleaning agents they use were super strong- we were fanning the smell away from us. I suggest they change their cleaning product to something less potent especially when your customers are eating- it takes away from the dining experience.

Just landed in the motherland and had a craving for a super filling and authentic meal-- this was…read moreit! The menu was huge, so many great options, all with different sizes (S/M/L) so you can enjoy a bunch of dishes family style, like we did, or go ham on a couple! My favorites were the bagoong rice, gising gising, and pusit in olive oil. There was a mix of classic renditions, and some unique ones: we got the sinigang with watermelon, and the crispy pancit palabok and were impressed with the latter. The service is A+, food came out super quick, and we didn't have to wait in a line on a Saturday during lunch time. It's an open concept space, casual, but not too loud. We definitely enjoyed our time here, and I would come back for sure!

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.

If you're unfamiliar with the "dampa" experience, let me give you an idea how it goes: first you…read morechoose from one of the paluto restaurants (make sure you get the best and didn't just give in to one of the staff's persuasive sales talk), then you (or a person from your group) goes to the market with one of the sales person from the chosen restaurant to buy the meat or seafood to be used. You pay for it then you give instructions to the representative on how you want it to be cooked. Then you go back to the restaurant and wait for your food to be served. You pay for the service (of cooking your selected dishes) and other food you ordered from them (rice, drinks). If you ever find yourself in Seaside Alabang, I suggest you go for Aling Tonya's or Sis Paluto Restaurant. Their areas are clean and they have terrific cooks. They can cook a wide selection of dishes, but here are my recommendations: Inihaw na Liempo Baked Tahong Butter Garlic Shrimps Prawn Tempura Grilled Tuna Belly If you have room for dessert, they also sell the creamiest Leche Flan I have ever tasted. If you're dining with a group, some of the restaurants have private rooms with KTV. These dampa restaurants lets you have an instant party without the hassle of cooking.

Amazing first meal back in Manila after 10+ years. The service was slow and we were getting hangry…read moreby the time the food came out, but everything tasted incredible especially the sisig, ripe mango shake, and the inihaw sampler. Docked a star for the wait, but 5/5 on food!

AMBIENCE We ate near the entrance on the second floor and it…read morewas very cold! Entrance is wheelchair-friendly. Seating partitions further inside had a nice birdcage-shaped look to them. FOOD We availed Package 2 that was good for at least ten hungry customers, and all three parts of our long table were covered. We only added Sisig in a Pouch as extra. Sisig in a Pouch and Tinapa Roll Wrapped in Lettuce were excellent with a crunchy wrapper packing pleasingly flavorful experiences. Boneless Pata Special didn't feel that special because the skin wasn't that crunchy, but it did taste good. Crispy Boneless Tilapia was cut up nicely, leaving fish chunks ready for dipping into 4 sauces, while the rest of the fish was for display. Kare Kare Beef and Tripe were tender and terrific with bagoong (shrimp paste). Laing 2 Ways was excellent though I only tried it "1 Way." Pinatayong Manok was just okay but my companions said it tasted like honey chicken. Swahe on the Rocks were small but fresh. Since Kare Kare and Sisig in a Pouch already had bagoong, I didn't eat that much Bagoong Rice anymore. We spotted something mysterious in the Kare Kare but we gave it to one of the servers and he said he'll let the others know. I hope they found out what it was and how it got there in the first place. SERVICE I enjoyed watching our servers prep the Pinatayong Manok and Swahe on the Rocks on the side of our table; made the food more appetizing. We received friendly smiles and the occasional proactive water refill. The tiny pouch our server donned was very intriguing!

When I was pregnant with my first baby, I would always crave for Bulalo. I would crave for the…read moretender beef and it's delicious soup. We were living abroad then so my craving for that Filipino beef dish was valid. Now that we're back home, I rarely order it when eating out. But there's one small restaurant in Pilar Village that made me rekindle my love for Bulalo. Bulalo Expedition puts a spin to this classic Pinoy dish. The beef retains that Bulalo flavor that we know and love, but it's smothered with different sauces. If you love cheese, you gotta try the Sunrise Bulalo; it's my absolute favorite followed by the Cloud 9 Bulalo, which has creamy white sauce with mushrooms. Those combinations may sound odd, but you'll be surprised at how delicious they are. If you're not up for something new, they still have the warm and homey Claypot Bulalo. What goes best with Bulalo? Rice, of course. And you can buy a budget meal of your preferred Bulalo with rice at only 99 pesos.

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.