My taste buds went on a journey to South America and they didn't want to leave. Naxional South…read moreAmerican Diner is my new go to place in BGC! The patacones is small but packs a punch of flavor that your mouth will thank you for. A must try is the Naxional paella and pichana (churrasco steak) The steak cooked medium well is one of the best steaks I have ever had it is also decently priced. The desserts I finished both even if I was full, these bad boys packed the perfect combination of sweet and sexy. But still called me back after now that's dedication haha The ambience is of a high classes diner, they have beautiful art work and great a view near the Windows. I'm definitely coming back and you should definitely try it. This restaurant just opened a month ago. There so much selection here you won't get tired of it. Give your taste buds a ride they will never forget!

It was definitely a gastronomic journey. Worth the visit and the price is good for the quantity of…read moreeach dish.

Manila is full of stores that specialize in fried or roasted chicken. And I'm not even talking…read moreabout the big fastfood chains here. Anyone is sure to get in a rut when it comes to chicken meals when in Metro Manila. So imagine my excitement when I first learned about roast chicken with a Peruvian twist. I visited Don Andres Peruvian Kitchen along with my wife and brother. I was amazed at the number of diners inside. Good thing I called ahead for a reservation, which I suggest you should do if you're coming from outside Quezon City. When the waiter came to take our orders, he apologetically asked if we were willing to wait for twenty minutes for the roast chicken to cook. Ordinarily, I would go on a lecture about how inept a roast chicken place must be to actually run out of roast chicken. But it was a Saturday and I didn't want to ruin the night. To my mind, I was actually impressed that they ran out of their specialty. Their roast chicken must be very good and I just couldn't blame them! Indeed the roast chicken was unique. The three types of dips--Chimichurri, Spicy Orange and Mayo, and Aji-green--that accompany the chicken were all magical. I also enjoyed the Lomo Saltado as recommended by one of the staff. This is a popular Peruvian dish made with beef sirloin strips, fried potatoes, onions and tomatoes. One of the owners--who's name escapes me--was very accommodating. She checked on every table, talking with customers. She came to us a couple of times to exchange stories. Only street parking is available and it could be tricky as there are many other establishments competing for customers in the area. Don Andres is perfect for a weekend dine out.

Got a chance to visit Don Andres via a coupon from Deal Grocer. Don Andres serves authentic…read morePeruvian cuisine. The coupon entitled us to a soup of our choice: Pumpkin, Tomato, or Mushroom. We chose Pumpkin Soup and it was really flavorful and delicious. The addition of cumin and garlic gave it a nice aroma and a unique taste. For main course we had a half of their famous roasted chicken. The chicken was very tender even for the breast part. The spice rub of the chicken gave it an addicting feel. For the side dishes, we chose the corn salsa and the veggies with lime dressing. I love the corn salsa because it uses white and yellow corn. The texture was good and the sourness gave it a bright taste. The chicken was also served with three sauces: aji or spicy cucumber dip, chimichurri, and spicy mayo. The chimichurri was the best. The aji gave a cool taste with a spicy aftershock; and somehow the spicy mayo was a good dip for the chicken. Just these two dishes alone, it was money well spent. But we didn't stop there, we had to try their dessert. We ordered their Key Lime Pie and it was the best we ever had. The crust was flaky and the filling was citrusy yet sour and sweet. The entire pie blended together and explodes in your mouth.

Very good and pretty authentic (flavorwise) Peruvian food in a quite stylish atmo. Place is on the…read moreoutdoor level of the upscale Shangri La Hotel where their gorgeous outdoor pool is. For the restaurant they have both indoor and outdoor dining. The outdoor patio is right by the pool with some tables even poolside. Great ambiance with nice Peruvian native artifacts as art pieces. Service pretty good but they tend to run out or not have certain items on the menu available. Aku Aku (P550/3.5) They were out of my first choice for a cocktail so went with this. Didn't love it just had a strange fermented taste that clashed with the tropical vibes. Maybe cuz it had Cachaca which is a Brazilian spirit that I'm not to familiar with. Also had spices, dragon fruit and grapefruit. It tasted better once I started eating. Ceviche de Atun al Recoto (P750/4*) Nicely uniform cubes of yellowtail tuna, finely slices of red onion and a recoto pepper leche de tigre. Marination was proper and you can tell they mix everything perfectly to order so that tuna doesn't get overly cooked by the citrus. Very light handed on the salting tho, which in my current taste I actually don't mind it as much. But a lot less salty than what I've had. Empanadas de Lomo (P600/4*) They use very puffy and buttery puff pastry dough for their empanadas. Not traditional but makes for a more dramatic plating as they are taller and more airy. The filling is diced up filet meat which is a huge upgrade from the ground beef versions I usually try. Well-seasoned beef with that cumin and pepper profile. Anticucho de Pulpo (P750/4.5*) Super tender big chunks (3 on a skewer) of tentacles rubbed with aji panca marinade which is a bomb Peruvian chile marinade bursting with red chile flavor then grilled pretty aggressively so that strong char flavor permeates without tasting burnt. Served with an herbaceous creamy sauce that went better with the plain roasted baby potatoes as the grilled octopus didn't really need anything. Causa de Congrejo (P700/5*) Love this dish and I usually try a Causa dish when trying a new Peruvian resto. To me it is uniquely and undeniably Peruvian in nature. It deals with Peruvians love for potatoes (they say this is where potatoes got their start for human consumption) and the addition of something from the sea, in this case...crab. Causa is a very smooth mashed (cold) potato salad. Except the Peruvians flavor that mashed salad with their flavors like aji amarillo in this case which produces a tangy yet slightly spicy flavor to that filling. Here they top these piped potato fillings with lump blue crab which is super tender and very 'crabby' in flavor. I loved their interpretation of this dish here. Arroz con Mariscos (P1450/4*) Basically a Peruvian paella. Rice had a perfect texture of al dente short grain rice, where it was very wet but not sticky. Big seafood flavor imbedded into that rice too but very rich as I think they use coral from the crab (crab's innards) and make a coral butter that they use to enrichen the rice grains. I loved it but honestly did not want to keep eating it as about 6-7 bites in I was totally satiated. My aunt is sensitive to dairy only had 2 bites Lol. The seafood included 2 large prawns shelled but head on. Some calamari and maybe a few small scallops. Outside of eating 1 prawn to myself, I actually found the rest of the seafood to be quite scarce like for the amount of rice there were. So maybe think of this as a rice dish first and don't put as much weight for the actual seafood. Merangado de Guanabana (P500/3.5*) Very dramatic dessert with east meets west vibes. A huge hollow sphere made of white chocolate arrives on a plate. It is filled with a Soursop cream (tropical fruit), studded with firm meringue stars, some nuts and coconut shavings for texture. Upon arrival they will pour some liquid nitrogen into that sphere so this cold 'smoke' starts to erupt. Then they'll instruct someone from the table to pick up that sphere and drop it onto that plate. The white chocolate sphere will then crack allowing all the components inside to spill out onto the plate, where everyone can now stick their spoons in for some bites. I gotta say I didn't love the taste experience as much as I loved the visuals. The tropical cream was a bit tart and clashed with the sweetness of the white chocolate and the meringue candy. The nuts were a nice textural break, but I just felt the flavors didn't meld as well as I was hoping. Still an unforgettable dinner roof top in a big city, poolside with beautiful lighting, very friendly service and surprisingly legit Peuvian flavors and techniques. A dining adventure I just can't skimp and dish less than a fiver.

I'd recommend Samba for the classy vibes. We chose to dine inside their dining room but their…read moreoutdoor seating areas sit adjacent to the Shangri La hotel pool which is beautifully lit at night, with the area nestled amongst the clean skyrisers in the area. Food-wise we found to stretch the wallet quite a bit, and even opting for the less extravagant fare, the lomo saltado dish was a tiny portion; 4 small and quick bites of steak considering the 1175 PHP tag. The parihuela sopa was very nice though, with excellent seafood portions, including a tasty octopus leg and large mussel, clams, and prawn. It was a tad too salty but not to a serious fault. Staff were very professional, positive, and helpful. Lovely presentation of meal. Would recommend for a date or small group looking for a quieter but trendy atmosphere compared to Forbes town noise 5 minutes walk from Shangri La's hotel entrance.

Our boss has twice brought some to the office, and the food is a hit every time! The empanada are…read moreGIANT, and the various fillings are delicious! The lengua is great; the beef with the giant tomatoes and onions (not sure what it's called) are to die for! I recommend everything!

Have you watched the film Chef? I came out of the movie house with two overwhelming desires:…read more 1) Have a food truck 2) Try out a cuban sandwich And while I don't exactly have the means to have a food truck, I settled for a cuban sandwich instead. I searched high and low for Latin American restaurants and finally stumbled upon Sofrito, a little homey restaurant tucked in one of Salcedo village's side streets. The cuban sandwich is an explosion of flavors in my mouth, and if I close my eyes I can imagine myself hanging out beside the El Jefe food truck while Oye Como Va plays in the background. They've got deep fried plantain chips on the side too! Another thing worth noting from Sofrito are their empanadas. I havent had the chance to try their savory empanadas but by GOD you should try their dessert empanadas. My favorite is the guava and cream cheese empanada (don't knock it til you're having a foodgasm on the colorful tiles of Sofrito), which I could easily finish an order of, no problem. There's usually a puerto rican lady who's on the till, or busy in the kitchen, (who I am going to assume is the owner) and there is also her little shih tzu that hangs about in the dining room. (The dog is friendly and usually just lazes around on the floor, waiting for some handouts from the kitchen.) All in all, quite an enjoyable place to dine in, just a few blocks away from the heart of Makati, and relatively low key. Must try their cuban sandwiches and empanadas!

Sofrito is tucked at a quiet corner of Salcedo Village in Makati, in a block that has a couple of…read morereally interesting establishments. While the interiors are a bit pedestrian, the food is something else. I've never had Puerto Rican food ever, but my first visit didn't disappoint at all. The Mofongo Carnitas, a dish of fried plantain topped with pork, was savory and flavorful, and the Beef Empanadas were something else. For dessert, I had some Fried Banana Balls with some chocolate for dipping, and it hit the spot. But beyond the food, what I really liked about Sofrito was the homeyness of the whole place. I felt like I was hanging out at my Aunt's place as she cooked my favorite dishes, and for a city like Makati, that's really saying something. Sometimes, you just want a home-cooked meal, eaten at your leisure. When that mood hits you, come over to Sofrito. You won't regret it one bit.

I was looking for a place to have merienda in Podium. I decided to try Brasas. Though they are more…read moreknown for their rice platters, I tried out their Picadas! The Patacones were plantain chips with pulled pork & the Arepas were Corn Cakes with grilled beef. Between the two, I preferred the arepas because the meat was juicy and I liked the flavors & textures :) The patacones were just a bit to dry for me and the plantain chips were a bit bland. Overall experience was very good! I would snack here again :)

Having not much latin american food in the country, Brasas was a refresher to the usual…read morefilipino/american/japanese palette that we're so used with. The restaurant offers various dishes, mostly in Latin, so you'd really have to read the descriptions thoroughly prior to ordering. One of my personal favorites would be Carne Asada Fries, which is served with beef sirloin, cheese, and pico de gallo. Always loved how the sirloin was cooked to perfection, with melted cheese on top -- the flavors really blend in and complement each other. Another would be Puerco Asado, which is roasted pork belly, served with rice, beans, and salad. It's served generously and the pork belly is bursting with flavors. The serving is just enough to make you feel full and satisfied. All in all, Brasas is a great choice if you feel like exploring other dishes, without sacrificing taste and satisfaction.

Yesterday, we tried the newest Señor Pollo branch and thank God it's finally in the south!…read more The place is more cozier than the other branches and its perfect for a late night affordable dinning. The food is good but the one in Makati is much tastier and flavorful but it does not disappoint. Service is fast, our order came in for like 8-10mins and the staff are friendly and accommodating. My must tries: Señor Pollo's roast (always and forever) patatas bravas, spicy rice, tossed salad, mashed potato, soyrizo quesadilla and cheese and garlic quesadilla. Also, the melon shake is sooo goood! Its a bit pricy but it's really refreshing and sweet. Since its located in the newest bldg of Alabang town center, the parking space is huge and the peek hours are from 8pm onwards.

My friends and I always come here. We love their food especially the chicken sisig.. ahhh the best!…read morebest sides: spicy rice, garlic mashed potato, and mac&cheese. Senor Pollo is a must try when in alabang.

Perfect for lunch and if you're a fan of Spanish or Latin American food, Cocina Juan draws people…read morein with their colorful, charming facade and promising recommendations from diners. Stepping inside, we were greeted by their cupcakes, which I found slightly distracting from the whole Latin American concept. Apparently, it's a good representation of what to expect. Although the interiors were consistent with Cocina Juan's facade--small but beautiful and culturally apt, their dishes were a fusion of Spanish delicacies and American comfort food. I opted for the Chicken Cheese con Chimichurri (see photos). It was a hearty meal for P200: The chicken was moist and perfectly cooked, though I would have liked more heat on my chimichurri and perhaps a more generous topping of it; the cheese was a nice surprise, but I wasn't a big fan. I also would've liked a bit more cherry tomatoes to compliment the sweet sinful char of the grilled chicken. I found this meal perfect with their classic lemonade drink, which thankfully wasn't that sweet because I had a bit of a sore throat that day. Finally, we gave in to the sweet cupcake temptation. I had the red velvet just to be safe. Though it didn't disappoint in terms of flavor, I found the cake base a bit too heavy and sticky. The cream cheese though was the saving grace. Not bad if only their brewed coffee was available. (It did become available later when we were halfway done with our cupcakes.) Overall, it was a good lunch. Now I'm just dreaming about what their burrito and taco selections taste like.

Let's us all bow our heads and give a moment of silence to thank the powers of the universe that…read moreburritos exist. Okay, we're done and I would like to say that burritos are fantastically one of my favorite food ever. And all its Tex-Mex cousins like tacos and nachos have a special place in my heart too. That's why I'm so happy that Cocina Juan is back for Maginhawa for good. Cocina Juan serves Nicaraguan and Tex-Mex food in their hippie-vibe, free-spirit art restaurant. During the Maginhawa road works a year or two ago, they had to shut down for a while. But now they're back, and they have cupcakes! PROS: They renovated the place so it's roomier and I still love their décor; Food is as good as before. Their Everything-on-it Nachos is a family favorite. And of course, their burritos. Enough said; A bit of a wait time for made-to-order grilled food but the staff are so nice, you wouldn't mind. CONS: They don't serve complimentary nachos anymore; Serving sizes are still good enough but it was less compared to before they went on hiatus; A lot of their offerings got more expensive too. TL;DR: Cocina Juan is a restaurant with food so good that you'll come back over and over again.

Yayyy! I'm very happy when I eat here. I've always went here to treat myself some wings. I've not…read moreyet particularly eaten all of their flavors but each time I order, they're good! The place looks good, it can be a narrow long diner but it' well lighted. So what I liked about this is that they give gloves for eating your wings. And also they offer chipotle rice! I love that rice. As for the price, I think they are pretty pricey for just small wings but I think it's with the ingredients they use. They are really flavorful and well I think they are peppery. It is self-service so when your buzzer lights up, you go and get your own food. They offer various side dishes too, most are fries. I didn't give them a 5 cause their drinks are all in can. They don't have iced tea which I want. Their meals don't go with free drinks, but water. And also their wings are small, I wish they're bigger.

POW! FLAVOR! That's…read morewhat happened when I took my first bite of their food, and it just kept happening until there was no more left to eat. Their wings come in all sorts of flavors so it's impossible not to find one that you like. There's Garlic Parmesan, Cajun, BBQ, Teriyaki and so much more! I suggest that you try the flavors with mild spiciness first so that you can adjust according to your preference the next time you visit. Also, go ahead and try their fries! It's packed with all kinds of herbs and spices, so even if you just nibble on it, you'll get a blast of flavor. In my opinion, it wouldn't hurt if they lessened the amount of salt in their food because I noticed that it's the taste that lingers the most. Overall, I wouldn't mind returning there to try out more of their wings!