8 New Restaurants to Try in Manila for Avid Foodies

Davao seafood restaurant Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps has opened its doors in Manila. One can feast on crabs and shrimps, or try new dishes like shrimps in garlic lemon butter sauce, and crabs in salted egg. Dig in with your (plastic-covered) hands for a Pinoy dining experience.

Casual dining restaurant Empacho offers Filipino dishes with a twist, like sinigang na lechon (roast suckling pig in sour soup) with strawberry. One can find staple fare like lechon belly and seafood tinola (soup) along with updated favorites. They have joined in the salted egg craze too with their salted egg lava cake.

Read: Where Can Health-Conscious Foodies Go in Tomas Morato?

Want to take a break from rice? Then try Boutique Burger Kitchen (BBK). Opened last March, BBK offers quality burgers at reasonable prices. Aside from classic cheeseburgers, other choices include the French flair, Aussie burger, turkey burger, even a veggie burger for vegans.

Osaka favorite Kushikatsu Daruma opened last March, giving locals a new way to enjoy fried food. Kushikatsu means breaded fried food on a stick. There’s the usual pork, chicken and beef in a stick, but they also have vegetables like leeks and eggplants. Those looking for something different can try foie gras. Remember not to double dip in their savory sauce.

Last March, Bistro United opened its doors with the goal of dispelling the notion that Filipino foods are just one-pot dishes. The results are dishes that sound foreign but have familiar flavors. Try their bagnet ravioli, which is pasta stuffed with sisig (sizzling pigs head and liver) and bagnet (deep fried crispy pork belly). They also have dalandan (Philippine orange) chicken and ube (purple yam) rice. Finish off your meal with sweet and savory tilapia ice cream.

First established in 2009 in Cebu, Zubuchon opened their first branch in Makati last February, bringing their famous lechon (roast suckling pig) that are backyard-raised and cooked on site. Aside from roasted pig, diners can also enjoy sinigang (sour soup), Zubuchon dinuguan (pig’s blood stew), and slow-cooked adobo (pork in vinegar).

Read: From Php 5 to a Thousand: Taste of Cebu in Every Budget

Toast Asian Kitchen and Tasting Room solves your dilemma of craving various types of Asian cuisine. They have Japanese, Vietnamese, or Thai, Singaporean and Filipino food all under one roof! One can have banh mini, or banh mi turned into mini burgers, or tom yum meatballs. There’s also blacksa, or Singaporean laksa with black squid ink, longganisa (Filipino-style sausage) pasta, and sous vide Hainanese chicken.

Hamaru, which means “go crazy over,” opened last February to offer foodies contemporary Japanese food like sushi and yakitori, plus other Japanese favorites. Their dishes are packed with umami flavors best paired with sake (Japanese rice wine) or beer. Popular items include Hamaru soft shell crab roll, chicken poppers, and kushiyaki (skewered meat).