Manila
“If you really want the best of the best, I think you have to come. Because then you get to experience the richness of a culture that embraces its diverse influences and creates the sublime. A unique and undeniably world class cuisine.”
PHIL'S Manila LOCATIONS
Intramuros
Phil walks with his fixer Johanna around the walled district, a historic section of Manila surrounded by walls in the center of Manila. Built by Spanish colonizers centuries ago, it’s a great place to walk and take in some of Manila’s history, but it’s also a great place to take in some local street food! Phil tries taho, a local soybean based breakfast sweet topped with tapioca and caramel.
Trellis
Phil grabs dinner with food blogger and James Beard Award winner Erwan Heussaff at Trellis. Trellis is Erwan’s favorite place for his favorite Filipino dish: Sisig, a sizzling plate of chopped pork head meat mixed with chicken liver, onions, and calamansi. This dish is a Filipino staple, and Trellis might be the best place to try it!
Address: 40 Matalino Street Corner Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City, Luzon Philippines
Toyo Eatery
Phil has a special meal with his wife Monica at Toyo, one of the best restaurants in the Philippines. Run by husband-and-wife team Jordy and May Navarra and their partner JP Cruz, this beautiful restaurant offers a fine-dining tasting menu that celebrates Filipino cuisine and culture. Everything is delicious, but they are most known for their “garden vegetables”, an 18 vegetable dish inspired by the Filipino folk song Bahay Kubo.
Address: 2316, The Alley at Karrivin, Karrivin Plaza, 1231 Chino Roces Ave Ext, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Aling Sosing’s
Phil meets Jay on his Jeepney, a popular mode of transportation in Manila which is a bus made from a converted jeep. After picking up some passengers, Jay takes Phil to his favorite lunch spot, Aling Sosing. Some of the popular dishes at this roadside eatery include Inihaw na tilapia (grilled tilapia), Inihaw na liempo (grilled pork belly), Kaldereta (goat stew), and Pinakbet (vegetable stew).
Address: Zobel Roxas St, Makati City, 1235 Metro Manila, Philippines
ChildHope Philippines
Phil sits in for a class at ChildHope Philippines, an organization that offers education programs on the street for children in the Philippines. Operating out of a van, this organization is able to serve roughly 500 children a year. Check out their website to learn more, and consider making a donation to this wonderful organization.
Address: 1210 Peñafrancia Street cor. San Gregorio Street, Paco 1007, Philippines
Asador Alphonso
Phil takes a trip to chef Chele Gonzalez’s Spanish restaurant Asador Alphonso, located a couple hours outside of Manila in the city of Tagaytay. This architecturally stunning restaurant specializes in woodfire grilled meat and seafood, blending traditional Spanish flavors with modern technique. With Spanish cuisine being one of the primary influences on Filipino cooking, this unbelievable restaurant is a must try on your trip to Manila.
Address: Lot-3308 Barangay road, Alfonso, 4100 Cavite, Philippines
Chicks ni Otit
Still in Tagaytay, Phil meets actress Wilma Doesnt at her carinderia Chicks ni Otit for dinner. Carinderias are affordable Filipino eateries featuring local favorites, and Chicks ni Otit offers an elevated experience of this cultural staple. They share massive plates of grilled fish, chicken and pork, and finish their delicious meal with a banana split!
Address: Public Market, 9048 BD, General Trias, Philippines
Grace Park
For his final meal in Manila, Phil meets up with all of his new friends from the Philippines at chef Margarita Forés’s Grace Park. One of the pioneers of farm to table cooking in the Philippines, Margarita Forés blends Italian and Filipino cooking style at this fixture of the Manila food scene. They indulge in a true feast, highlighted by lechon cut tableside from an entire roast pig and their delicious lamb adobo.
Address: Rockwell Dr, Makati City, 1200 Metro Manila, Philippines
