I went to Indonesia a couple times last year, and my several trips to the city's food streets have…read moreleft me with such a big craving for the trademark spices and preparations of Indonesian cookery. Although authentic Indonesian food is quite tricky to find in Manila, I find that Malaysian restaurants come close (but not quite, yet I can't be choosy). Fortunately, when talking about Malaysian food, I know a handful authentic ones that serve really good, cheap, Halal and affordable food options that remind me of my great days in Jakarta and its neighboring cities. One of such restaurants is Pamanganan Malaysian Restaurant, which is smack in the middle of the Muslim community in Quiapo. This place primarily serves Malaysian food, but they also have Halal versions of food items that non-Muslims usually consider as street food - Halal pizza, non-pork Siomai, etc. They also have Yakan regional cooking, which is rare here in Manila. The Yakans are one of the Muslim tribes in Mindanao, and Pamanganan offers home-style recipes that are really familiar to the Yakans. Anyway, if you are looking for Malaysian and Indonesian food, they have really good nasi goreng, which I always get since it is quintessentially Indonesian. I have also tried the martabak, which is also sold in Indonesia. The martabak is an Arabic crepe that is usually stuffed with savory fillings, but there are also sweet versions. The place quite a shabby yet cozy feel to it. I just wish they didn't spray the dining area with that chemical solution that smells like fabric conditioner (their idea of air freshener). They also advertise an iftar meal platter, which is a nourishing set of dishes that are to be eaten after a Muslim breaks his fast every sundown during Ramadan.

AMBIENCE & LOCATION They are located along Salcedo across…read morethe Embassy of Indonesia and near the entrance of Beneficial Life. Air-con is freezing cold and their warm lights in the evening are relaxing. Seats are also available outside but parking seems to be tricky. We walked to this location to avoid possible parking inconveniences. Packets and kid meals are not included for Zomato Gold perks. FOOD Ayam Bakar Padang Boneless smelled and tasted so good! Daging Martabak (Beef Pancake) had an interesting shape and the first few bites were exciting, but halfway through the dish, we started getting a bit thirsty. It reminds me of lumpiang shanghai but it is cut into squares. Dip was a bit bland and, overall, the dish was okay. We LOVED the Soto Ayam! Glass noodle combination was a first for us. SERVICE There weren't that many customers during our visit but the servers weren't proactive with beverage refills. I couldn't ask them to smile more but they might need a little more motivation from the management because they seemed straight-faced, and I understand that feeling. CHANCE We felt adventurous during our last visit but the Chicken Sate and Beef Rendang might be promising choices for next visit. When we get the chance, we'll give those a try!

Live life with a bit of spice…read more This is their bottom written on their wall, and well, yep. We're living a lot of life. The food is . If that's your jam, you came to the right place. This is my go to spot when I'm in the area as their food is good, portions decent, and prices reasonable. These dishes are definitely not anything I'd normally cook at home. Been here three times this month and I either get the Nasi Goreng or the Mee Goreng.

Stars for their appetizer spicy eggplant dish and delicious complimentary starter soup!…read more Crispy fried chicken was on the dry side but supposed to be their best selling dish, and my sister swears that last time she had it there--it was amazing. So consistency seems to be an issue so minus stars for that The rice they gave us definitely tasted from the day before, and it was not even fully warm. I'm particular with my rice and would love freshly cooked rice. (I know my rice! Lol) Tofu Kangkong was alright nothing to remember by. I did not like the taste of tofu on this dish. If you love goat, their kaldereta kambing my dad loved! Their single dessert of mango gulaman was approved by all of us. Better than the mango dessert from Savory we had the day before. So it's a must order after a spicy meal. Parking is a hassle since they only really have space for 2 cars to park and they tend to tow around that area. Stars for: service, spicy eggplant appetizer dish (must order!) Kaldereta Kambing and Mango Gulaman Cons: old cold rice, dry inconsistent chicken, blah tofu *Would I come back? I would definitely come back for the eggplant dish! I just hope they work out the consistency in their cooking PS: took a picture of the menu for everyone!

I have travelled to Indonesia several times in the last few years, and I have come to grow fond of…read morethe food and the food culture. I was glad when I ran across Indonyaki a few months back because I would always crave for traditional Indonesian dishes such as satay, nasi goreng, ayam goreng and gado gado. Indonyaki doesn't disappoint with the flavors and the colors of their food, which the owner and chef Rodgie has studied extensively during his job postings as a resort worker in Indonesia and Malaysia. The small street-side diner which is inspired by the traditional Indonesian warung or small family-owned restaurant serves Indonesian favorites that are sold by food carts and peddlers in the streets of Jakarta, Bali and Yogyakarta. The long lines and the crowds that overflow to the curb are indicative of the restaurant's success. They are quite busy most of the time, and it could be a tad difficult to land a seat without waiting a while, but the servers are very prompt with the orders. I particularly enjoy the ayam goreng combo meal, which comes with fried chicken, fried rice, soup and iced tea. I also love the chicken satay doused with Indonesian sticky soy sauce and served with coarse peanut source. Rodgie admits to toning the spice profile down to something that the Filipino palate could readily appreciate, but if you are feeling adventurous, ask for their extra spicy sambal, or chili sauce. My recent favorites include the mie goreng (stir-fried noodles) and the kang kong and tofu stir-fry. The place also sells shawarma, which may be a bit of an identity crisis, a lovable identity crisis at that.

Tasty entrees. Excellent service. The restaurant is next to the second floor entrance of the casino.read more

Having a long layover for our flight out of Manila, we decided to stop by the City of Dreams to get…read moresome food before our flight. There weren't too many options open so we decided to come to Red Ginger. We ordered the bak kuh teh (rib soup) and the char kway teow (pork rib soup). The bak kut teh was decent, but didn't taste like the ones I had in Singapore. The char kway teow lacked flavor. I wouldn't have finished it if I wasn't so hungry. I left the place feeling dissatisfied.

My well traveled auntie (Tita) brought a few of us here. She says this family that owns this spot…read moreused to live in Indonesia for many years. Then when they moved back to the Philippines they transformed part of their home to serve as both restaurant and home. Cool and ideal scenario. Very stylish digs, airy space with lots of natural light and wooden accents. Lots of cool traditional decor from Indonesia as well. Bakwan Sayur (4*) These are crisp vegetable fritters. Nice and petite with a lacey crisp batter. Real similar to an Indian Pakora or a Philippine Ukoy. From what I heard this is a popular street food but here they plate it nice with an intense dark sauce with a subtle tang and sweetness. Gado Gado (5*) Super unique salad. I've had Indonesian food in the states many times but I've never seen this dish. Here they take bigger chunks of cabbage and a dark leafy green that may be water spinach and blanch both so it loses its rawness but still a bit crisp. Other shredded veggies go in and all coated in this amazing peanut dressing that was savory with a touch of sweet. Garnished with hard boiled egg wedges, this was a spectacularly unique salad. A must get imo. Bakmi Goreng (4*) Stir fried thick noodles with a uniquely Indonesian sauce that is meant to absorb into the noodles versus swimming in a sauce. Very nice springy texture on the noodle and the flavor had a pinch of curry flavor that made you just mildly ponder about it. Just enough to make you go hmmmm. Beef Rendang (5*). Very petite portioning, but 1-2 pieces was totally suffice for the lunch sampling we did. The beef in this country is much leaner than in the states. This was done tender but still has a nice chew. The sauce is where this place elevates, very complex a yet still beefy. Maybe a touch of coconut milk like a French sauce might use a pat of butter to finish, stealthy yet effective. The best version of beef rendang I've ever had. Nasi Goreng (4.5*) A fried rice prep that was super similar to the noodle dish we got except instead of fried noodles this was fried rice in Indonesian flavors embedded into the rice. Topped with a fried egg, if I lived near here I'd get this, the beef dish and that salad weekly. Real special. Es Teler (5*) This is an Indonesian version of Halo Halo or Viet Che. And the menu states avocado in their version but they were out but we still ordered one. Here they take the shaved ice and run it into a blender with the sweetened coconut milk so it becomes very smooth and creamy yet thick enough to stand on its own. So they serve this in dramatic fashion with the frozen part towering about 7 inches above the rim of the bowl. On the bottom lied jackfruit slices and thick shreds of young coconut. Friggin jaw dropper of a finish. And now I'm wondering how that avocado could have added to the amazement as I'm thinking it would have been even better with the richness avocados can lend. Place had a lunch rush even tho it is tucked away from the street. It is not in a retail strip so a true gem in the rough. Just want to help unearth it here for others.

Second time here and this time I brought my folks who were craving rice for dinner. We got the…read moregado-gado salad, chicken curry and laksa. The servings were big - good for sharing. The food were all very tasty. They only accept cash.

Paid a visit to an old friend in his office in Makati City. He recommended an Asian restaurant…read morealong San Agustin St. in Salcedo Village that serves really good curry and satay. Warung Indo is a cozy restaurant that seats maybe 20 to 30 people, so I can imagine how crowded it would get during the busy lunch hour. We ordered three of its bestsellers: Special fried rice with chicken satay, fried egg omelette, and prawn crackers Beef rendang Chicken curry The chicken satay was on the verge of turning dry, but it was served with rice, egg, and prawn crackers so this dish presented good value for money. I am not sure why there was no peanut sauce for the chicken. The beef rendang was really good! The beef was fork tender, and the level of heat in the sauce was perfect for me. The chicken curry was good though the chicken was a bit dry. The curry sauce could use a touch more heat to make the dish more interesting.

This tiny noodle house gives you the freedom to create your own noodle soup. Everything from the…read morenoodle to the topping. I got a bowl of laksa noodle soup for Php 145, with two toppings included. You can Php 35 for an additional topping. You have around thirty toppings to choose from, and anything goes. I chose smoked chicken and, for some reason, a mozzarella ball for my topping. The noodles itself are good: flavorful and just the right amount of softness. It doesn't rely on the broth as it already has a flavor of its own, which for me is a good thing. Now, I'm not sure what I had in mind when I chose the mozzarella ball to go with my laksa noodle soup and i was dreading the outcome. It wasn't so bad after all, but I think it'd taste better with the plain noodle soup. I brought my friends along on my second visit and experimented with plain noodle soup, mozzarella ball (I really don't know what's with me and cheese), a fried cheeseball and smoked chicken. They all turned out great! Better than expected, actually.

Mogu Tree is just a small establishment in Lilac Street, Marikina's counterpart for Maginhawa…read moreStreet. It is not fancy, but quite interesting. The moment I entered the place, I immediately saw the buffet table for the different types of noodles and toppings. There were five noodles to choose from: ramen, spinach noodles, Hong Kong egg noodles, thick flour noodles, and flat flour noodles. I chose the last one. From the toppings, I picked three types of mushrooms: enoki, pearl and chicken mushroom. Done picking the ingredients, I gave my plastic tray to the lady at the counter. Finally, I chose my soup: laksa (with coconut). My order - laksa noodle soup with three toppings - amounted to PhP175, she said. Then, I sat on my table and waited for them to cook my bowl of laksa. The waiting time for the food was short and my order arrived still slightly boiling. The serving size was big enough for its price. I liked how the mushrooms were not overly cooked and carried a sweet earthy taste. The noodles were not too soft and soggy and the laksa soup was a mix of sweet (because of the coconut milk) and spicy (because of the chili). Altogether, the ingredients resulted into a beautiful medley in my mouth. I finished the meal and went home satisfied. Surely, I would go back to Mogu Tree. Even now, I couldn't wait to try the other noodles and toppings!

I'm told that Crying Tiger was from the same folks who brought us El Chupacabra on Polaris St., so…read moreI had an idea of what to find when I can down here: a chill, easy going hang out place with good food and cheap beer. It's a bit hard to find since its hidden on a side street behind Fersal Hotel , which is just in front of A-Venue mall. Just keep walking and you'll be greeted by the smokey grill, colorful lights and Makati's foodie crowd. As soon as I stepped inside, I already knew I was going to like this place. It's like El Chupa only cleaner, less dingy and has more of a beach bum kind of feel. (I think it's the wooden floorboards and colorful lights.) The only thing I didn't like, maybe was the fact that they kept on asking if I had ordered yet, or if there was anyone with me. (Which I get, since they're busy and I'm all alone at a table, but I had already explained that I was waiting for more people, which they seemed to forget.) On to the food: if you don't like anything spicy or flavorful, this place is not for you. Seriously. Their chicken is AMAZING. I love their spicy kangkong (doused with oil though), which pairs well with their fried rice. They've also got a large selection of cocktails and wine, apart from the normal beers. (I got lychee cocktail! Pretty yum.) Definitely coming back and making this a regular hang out! It's cleaner, newer, and is better ventilated than El Chupa.

good food, their mie goreng was flavorful and packed with toppings. didnt like the tofu much…read morethough. spring roll is pure meat. coffee was okay. staff were sooo kind! loved them!

I'm only giving it 3 stars because I haven't tried everything on the menu yet!…read more That being said, Me Love You Long Time is one of the more interesting food spots at the Z. I love the homage to Stanley Kubrick painted on the wall (Full Metal Jacket is one of my favorite films!), and I find myself mentally replaying the scene where The Joker and Rafterman are having afternoon beers while the Vietnamese prostitute saunters over and delivers her now immortalized spiel, to the tune of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'." The only food I've tried on the menu is their Pad Thai (which isn't Vietnamese, BTW), which for less than 150 pesos is an excellent plate of vegetarian pad thai. I prefer my pad thai to balance the umami of patis with lots of citrus and maybe a dab of sweetness. Me Love You Long Time's pad thai has a great recipe for it, and trust that I always make a bee line for MLYLT whenever I'm at the Z Compound (if I'm not lining up for Meshwe instead!).

Won't you satay with me, 'cause you're all I need?…read more I admit I got horribly punny while eating at the al fresco dining area of Me Love You Long Time. It was our anniversary night and we decided to go adventuring along Maginhawa and because of budget constraints, we ended up sourcing food from the different establishments in Malingap's Z Compound. One of these was Me Love You Long Time, and despite my lobster nodding conspiratorially at the name and insisting that it's from Full Metal Jacket, nothing clicked. I stopped caring when the food arrived, though. I had pho ("pho you!" I chuckled, as the waitress glared at me disapprovingly) while my Bicolano lobster had the spicier Thai chicken curry and chicken satay. The food was hot in more ways than one, so I balanced it out with their delicious Thai milk tea (if it's a Thai place, should I just call it milk tea?) We capped off the meal with their highly-recommended (by another Yelp scout, no less) langka ice cream. The owners make it themselves, and it was langka-mazing.