Had a little too much of your favorite go-to restaurant? There, the servers know your name, you always order your “usual” dish, and you’ve celebrated your birthday at least a couple times. We understand you must be looking to break out of your food routine and we’re happy to point you to the right direction—go north! Below is a lineup of new restaurants worth checking out just north of Metro Manila. You’re sure to find new flavors, starting off with Spanish, following it up with some Western-Asian Fusion and other Asian dishes, then finally taking a time travel to the 1900s with “throwback” American desserts.
Café Enye
The restaurant was named after the letter Ñ from our modern Filipino alphabet, which is a nod, so to speak, to our Spanish heritage.
Café Enye brings mouthwatering flavors while adding a modern twist to Spanish cuisine that Pinoy tastebuds have come to love. Highly recommended on their menu is the
Lechon Carbonara, a generous serving of pasta covered in creamy sauce, topped with one whole yolk of egg and bits and pieces of lechon. An order of
Churros with Dulce de Leche Cream is a perfect dessert to complement the dish.
It might be worth mentioning that Café Enye has been featured on ABS-CBN, a major television network in the country. You might want to give it a try to see if the place lives up to the hype.
The Spanish-inspired interior of Café Enye (Photo courtesy of Café Enye)
Lechon Carbonara (Photo courtesy of Café Enye)
Address: G/F Excelsior Bldg., Eastwood Ave., Libis, Quezon City
La Madera Gastronomic Pub
If you’re looking to have a good time with your friends,
La Madera just might be your squad’s new hangout. Their Western Asian Fusion offerings have elevated Filipino dishes to the next level with specials like
Crispy Chicken Wings tossed in Soury Sweet Tamarind Sauce and Sticky Adobo Pork Ribs. The restaurant’s chef, JM Sunglao, grew up in Pampanga so you can be sure that their
Kapampangan Sisig is as authentic as they come. On Fridays, the restaurant occasionally has acoustic nights where they bring in a local band to serenade guests.
Kapampangan Sisig topped with an egg net (Photo courtesy of La Madera)
Sticky Pork Adobo Ribs for the win (left) and 24-Inch Onion Ring Tower (right) (Photos courtesy of La Madera)
Address: 184 3F Kojak Bldg., Scout Castor corner Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City
Lucky Chick
As they were coming up with a restaurant concept, the owners of
Lucky Chick must have taken the saying “winner winner chicken dinner” to heart! For the quality and goodness of their
crispy fried chicken, their food prices can be considered quite affordable.
They have a section in their menu called “How to Make Your Own Luck” where you can mix and match the kind of chicken meal you want. You have options for original, hot chick (spicy), or lemon and garlic flavors; dark or white meat; original, honey, or apple cider sauces; and, a host of sides to choose from like corn muffins, mashed potato, biscuits, french fries, and coleslaw. With an Instagram tagline that goes, “up all night to get cLucky,” you can have high hopes that this will be a fun experience for your taste buds!
The interior of Lucky Chick (Photo courtesy of Lucky Chick)
Choose your pick for “Up all night to get cLucky” (Photo courtesy of Lucky Chick)
Address: UP Town Center, Katipunan Ave., Diliman, Quezon City
East Street
Anybody who has ever gone to our neighboring countries would know that they have some of the best street food in the world! But obviously, immediately flying out just to satiate your hunger seems ridiculous. But fret not—
East Street has the solution to your craving! They sell tasty eats from Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam that will send you on a culinary adventure. Stand out dishes would be
Vietnamese Pork Banh Mi (baguette sandwich with pork),
Singaporean Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce (skewered and grilled chicken meat),
Honey Lemon Chicken with Savory Asian Fried Rice, and
Chicken Pad Thai (stir-fried rice noodles with chicken).
Chicken Wings (Photo courtesy of East Street)
Chicken Satay (Photo courtesy of East Street)
Address: 7 Sampaguita St., Casa Miguela, Mapayapa Village III, Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Quezon City
Black Sugar
If you are blessed with a sweet tooth, you might want to check out Black Sugar. They just recently joined that chow down haven also known as StrEat: Maginhawa Food Park in Quezon City, which basically puts you in the center of foodie action.
Black Sugar is a throwback to the 1900’s American diner where they served treats like
funnel cakes,
churros, and
craft cream sodas. A popular item on their menu that you can try is the Oreo Churros ala mode. Now, if you’re hankering for a sugar fix, then head out quick for Black Sugar.
THE HOT POTATO = 3 scoops homemade ice cream + crosstrax fries + peanut butter sauce + whipped cream + cherry on top (Photo courtesy of Black Sugar)
The yummy Oreo Churros ala mode (Photo courtesy of Black Sugar)
Address: StrEat Food Park 91, Maginahawa St., UP Village, Quezon City
There you have it. If you’re craving for something fresh, there’s definitely no shortage of new restaurants to choose from just in Metro Manila. From local dishes to exotic meals, we’ve got you covered. Consider trying out one of the eateries listed above, and we hope you’ll have the best dining experience the next time you go out!
About Ros Raymundo
Ros is a writer and development worker from Laguna, Philippines. Her favorite topics to write about are travel, lifestyle, science, entrepreneurship, and the environment. She loves life, Jesus, and pork sisig. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @rosraymundo :)
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