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.

We like this place, first time to try it was last week, we tried the roti with chicken curry…read morechunks, hainanese chicken and their rice noodles and I also tried their cheese roti which is my favorite! The roti was soft and chewy and had a good taste the curry was a bit strong more On Indian curry with very much lots of cumin! The hainanese chicken was good and so were the noodle. It's a very basic restaurant the cutlery was basic and so were the plates so nothing that much to show to social media. Service was quick too and they have a place to bring your furry friends! Ambiance was busy but clean. Overall I would recommend this place for a quick bite.

Looked like an average place when we were checking out places to eat in this section of the mall…read more We ordered only roti with curry sauce and devoured it and ordered rest of our food which was delicious. Service charge was totally acceptable ( we didn't like how in the mall in the Philippines they had this charge automatically added) as the waiting staff was excellent from the beginning to the end. We ate here twice in our 2 weeks Manila stay and will definitely be back next time.

I don't know how I was ever smitten by laksa, but I've always been looking for that savory,…read morecoconut-y, spicy taste ever since. I haven't found it yet and I've only come so close with Laksa King. I walk around Granada street sometimes, because I'm a nut (also it's the only way I know how to get from Greenhills to Aurora Blvd.), and I see Laksa King all the time. I figured to go and have a bite there this one day, since there's no harm in satisfying my laksa craving. The place is a humble affair, almost Spartan in its setup: simple, no-fuss tables and chairs with photos of the laksa against the wall to egg you on. I had the spicy curry laska chicken noodles and... was left wanting. Maybe I was looking for a different flavor in my laksa? I did found a lot of everything else though--noodles, mushrooms, tofu. It was a hefty serving, to be fair, big enough for two. I don't know, maybe I'm thinking of the wrong soup? lol. Even still, it was good and tasty, but not mind blowing. Thus the search for satisfying laksa continues.

This place is absolutely amazing! We found it by accident when visiting from America several years…read moreago and keep returning. Their roti bread (kind of like Nan) is so amazing. As is their Beef Randang. Try their green mango juice too. One of our favorite restaurants in Manila. It is conveniently located at the Mall of Asia. Try it!

I was excited to try this small restaurant. I ordered roti and a vegetable dish. Shortly I got my…read morefood, I noticed one of the workers stood by the entrance door and began stroking an alley cat. I became very concerned about this event. Another employee did the same thing! Cats peruse the ground level at MOA, sewers, and they're filthy! The ground, and the alleys reek of human stench and pollution. I hope the owner sees this review and correct the employees practice of befriending and stroking alley cats. It made me nauseous on seeing this behavior!

Best food ever. We just wish that the staff noticed or paid more attention to guests. They are so…read morebusy cleaning and they never look up to see us waiting for service. Customer service needs a little improvement. The cooks are excellent at this location. We will definitely come again. I highly recommend the Hainanese chicken rice set. It is so delicious. The sticky rice though needs more sugar and the mango was sour. They shouldn't offer this if the mangoes aren't sweet. That's what they do in Thai restaurants abroad.

The family and I were hungry after watching the PBA semi-finals and our car was parked at the mall…read more As we knew that traffic was going to be horrendous, we decided to eat before our trip back to Batangas. We ended up here at Banana Leaf and it did not disappoint. I loved that it had all kinds of different Asian food. I not only got to try Filipino dishes, but Thai, Vietnamese, and Malaysian food. What an experience! The food came out in dishes, but you had to eat off the banana leaf like a plate. Super cute! Food was good, staff was friendly, and there is a senior citizen discount in the Philippines at EVERY restaurant. So cool!

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.

Location & Directions The street faces the A Venue entrance…read morewith Domino's Pizza and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. (on foot) From "A Venue", cross Makati Ave, walk along Guanzon, and you'll see the restaurant on your left. Restaurant I expected it to be warm since it's hole-in-the-wall but it's kinda breezy during the evening, making our stay relaxing. The dine-in space is limited with a few seats outside but they have a bar, high chairs and all. Morning Glory with Garlic This one is typical veggies. It's okay to have for mixing things up but I won't really look for it. Thai Basil Chicken We liked it enough to get an extra order. We shared but each order is already a meal for one person. Thai Stir Fried Glass Noodles This is their Pad Thai. It's good but not the best I've had just yet. Service It was quick up to taking care of the bill.

It was such a coincidence that I was at Back to the 90's yesterday and it was apparently--Hashtag:…read moreThrowback Thursday. My friends from Concerned Artists of the Philippines in UP held a back to back gig of two independent bands there last night (Plagpul and KALIS), so I passed by and gave my support. It was my first time in this bar but I already knew about it for quite some time; it's Back to the Future signage along Tomas Morato, corner E. Rodriguez is simply hard to miss. I was curious at first to see what it's like inside Back to the 90's, only to find out that it's actually no different from most bars ideal for gatherings of independent bands and the underground music scene. The only difference with Back to the 90's is practically, its 90's theme. You will definitely see a lot of Throwback posts on their walls because of the framed movie and music posters from the 90's era. Haha! What a virtual way to describe it, but I would rather stick to such description than say nostalgic because I simply did not get the feel. I was born 1991, so I really wasn't able to get a glimpse of how bars then were like. Although, when I asked some of my older friends there, they said that 'yes, this is actually a recreation of a 90's bar.' What I like about it, is it's cozy but rock and roll ambiance that went well with its small, vertical space; comfortable couches are leaned against graffiti walls showcased by dimmed pin lights. They also have a very cute menu placed in an old school CD case where they offer alcoholic beverages and bar dishes like Nacho's, Fries, Buffalo Wings, etc. Although, I wasn't able to have a taste of any because I was a little broke last night (P200.00 per order), and their selections were not really that inviting, the waiter said that their best seller is the Tapsilog. Overall, it was an OK bar for me. I would go here if good bands will be playing but probably not for a usual late night chill or beer nights.