First Bite: Lugaw Manila

A trip to Poblacion is not complete without dropping by a bar or two for drinks. And though this bustling night scene is packed with the trendiest restaurants and bars, it runs a bit short of spots where one can recover from all the cocktails and beer consumed. Thankfully, there's a new shop in town that offers the crowd favorite lugaw. 

Hello, Lugaw Manila. 

Lugaw Manila may be a new kid in the block but it has been around longer than most of Poblacion's frequent guests. 

Established in 1989, Lugaw Manila started out as a small family restaurant in one of the streets of Malolos, Bulacan. For decades, this nameless store attracts locals for its bang for the buck goto and other comfort dishes. It took a bit of courage and perfect timing for it to find the opportunity to finally bring its delectable dishes to Manila.

First Sip: Bang! Bang! Bar

Poblacion has transformed from a quiet neighborhood into a bustling community these past years. With innovative restaurants and some of the hippest bars found here, it's not surprising for this part of Makati to be very busy at night. And we discovered a new bar you definitely have to add to your next bar crawl to end your night with a bang!

Hello, Bang! Bang! Bar.

Bang! Bang! is the slightly hidden bar of VBQ Vietnamese Barbeque & Hotpot. 

First Bite: VBQ Vietnamese Barbeque & Hotpot

Korean barbecue is one of the hottest food trends these past few years. We’ve seen so many shops open here and there. I had no idea though that Vietnam also has something similar to this till I visited VBQ.

Hello, VBQ Vietnamese Barbeque & Hotpot.

VBQ is one of the newest spots to check out in Poblacion.

Cheap Bites: Above Sea Level

Above Sea Level has been one of the most successful concepts that started in food parks. It started in January 2017 and grew to over a hundred branches and franchises nationwide. And last April, it found a new home at Pobstacion. Its fragrant dishes made it hard for us to ignore its famous battered butterfly squid. 

Hello, Above Sea Level.

Consistent with its vision to be identified as the first seafood fast food brand in the country, our crunchy treats were served within 10 minutes.

First Bite: NoKal

The night was still young yet our bellies were about to pop when we got to our last stop for our Poblacion food crawl. But when we heard "Longganisa Mac and Cheese" we all felt our appetite strutting back and ready for something mouthwatering. And knowing that the talented Raul Fores of Made Nice Supper Club is involved made me even more excited. 

Hello, NoKal. 

Nokal or short of North of Kalayaan is a hot spot for night cap. Located along the busy street of Kalayaan, the three-storey resto bar caters to foodies, night owls, beer and cocktail enthusiasts and music lovers. 

First Sip: Joe's Brew

A Poblacion food crawl is never complete without dropping by a bar or pub. As one of the hottest spots for a night cap, you'd be surrounded by several establishments that offer superb food, beer, cocktails and everything you need to paint the town red. And we made sure to include the popular Joe's Brew in our Poblacion food crawl last month.

Hello, Joe's Brew.

Joe's Brew is tucked inside the quiet side of Poblacion. It may be a bit hard to find this place with its modest signage but Google Map or Waze's pin are pretty accurate and will lead you to this quirky pub. 

First Bite: Ebi 10

Poblacion was starting to wake up from its slumber when we headed to our next stop. With the sun almost down and traffic starting to build up, we scurry our way to Tambai Alley and headed straight to the last store which is Ebi 10. 

Hello, Ebi 10.

You might have seen a bunch of posts of Ebi 10's ginormous tempura on social media. Its name alone is a play of ebi tempura. (Well, I just assumed that so don't take my word for it.) But this Japanese store has a lot more to offer. 

Love at First Bite: Lampara Neo-Filipino Bistro

Poblacion has been one of the hottest areas for restaurants these past months. Home of some of the establishments raved by taste makers, taking a stroll in this neighborhood would lead to a gastronomic experience. Such was the case for us last week. And our first stop: Lampara.

Hello, Lampara Neo-Filipino Bistro. 

Hailed as one of the best restaurants in the area by respected food connoisseurs, it is not surprising to find Lampara packed as soon as Poblacion comes alive. 

Love at First Bite: Alchemy Bistro Bar

I got an email from Janine last week inviting me to Alchemy Bistro Bar. I’ve heard of this place before where the drinks are fondly called concoctions. And since we cancelled our La Union trip for the long weekend, I decided to accept Janine’s lunch invitation (yes, they are also open for lunch!) and know more about the bar which offers more than just great drinks.

Hello, Alchemy Bistro Bar!

We were greeted by shades of purple and nicely decorated walls with flasks containing colorful liquids and a bicycle. I’m not exactly sure what look they were trying to pull here but it was quirky and cute.

The restaurant’s owner, Tina Currie (who studied in Le Cordon Bleu and worked in the US and Thailand), welcomed us and gave us an overview of what’s lined up for lunch—Baked Oysters (PHP350), Croquettas (PHP260), Burrata Cheese Salad (price not on the menu), Alchemy Pizza (PHP450), Gnocchi (PHP390), Pan Seared Salmon (PHP465), Roasted Organic Chicken (PHP450), Slow-braised Lamb Shank (PHP775), Crème Brulee (PHP210) and Cheesecake with passion fruit coulis. We also had Alchemy Smoothie and Four Fruit Smoothie (PHP180 each).

First served was the baked oysters and R and I were impressed with the Aklan sourced shells. It was very fresh and it was so delightful with the spinach, hollandaise sauce and gruyere cheese. [Note: Be careful though and check your oyster. R ate his fast and didn’t notice a little shell piece was on the oyster and it hurt his tooth.]

Next served was the Burrata Cheese Salad and it was delicious. The giant red tomato slices made the tomato lover in me jump for joy! The prosciutto ham added flavor and the mozzarella on the outside and cream cheese in the inside combo made me go crazy! I also love the play of textures of the ingredients.

The croquettas were piping hot when it was served and I just found out when I took a big bite. I love the smooth potato with cheese stuffing. It was a great contrast with the crunchy breading. And the paprika dip wasn’t bad at all.

But if I were to choose between croquettas and gnocchi, I would choose the latter. Made with Gorgonzola cheese sauce, it was a cheesy affair with my taste buds. I love the crispy pancetta too for added bite. To fight off the “umay” factor, I munched on the herb garlic bread. This dish is a bit heavy on the tummy though so it’s best to share it with a fellow cheese lover.

R and I were slowly getting full when the Alchemy pizza arrived and it was pretty big. The wood fired pizza was amazing too. The speck ham, which was slightly different from prosciutto, added flavor to the pizza. I also enjoyed the slight tanginess from the Balsamic sauce drizzled on the arugula. And yes, the arugula made us feel that we were eating something healthy.

Restaurant Discovery: Salt

I’m going crazy here. There are just too many new and hidden restaurants to visit. Every time I check my Facebook or Instagram, I see articles, food shots, and whatnot that make me drool. And I mean droooool. I’m very happy and “hashtag blessed” (ewww) though that I have a handful of close foodie friends to bug when I feel like eating or exploring. For instance, E told me a few weeks ago that he’ll try SALT, a pretty hidden restaurant near the yoga studio I frequent. Since it serves salmon, I got curious. And E was to eat there again and K was game too. Soooo…

Hello, Salt!

The place has very few parking slots so it might be a good choice to just park at Powerplant Mall and walk to the place. It’s parallel Kalayaan so it’s pretty near.

When we arrived, only two other tables were occupied. (I guess there are more people during dinner.) We decided to go for: T-Bone Steak (PHP190), Grilled Tuna (PHP220) and Baked Salmon (PHP320).

Service was pretty quick as I was still digesting the churros I ate from La Lola when the food arrived.

Hole in the Wall Find: Green Cheese (Happiest Cheesecake in the World)

While waiting for my pho from Phobobo, I looked around to check the other concessionaires and see if I could try more dishes that night. However, the place was really packed so I was forced to buy from stores with shorter lines (as we were also rushing to visit a coffee shop after dinner).

Hello, Green Cheese, the happiest cheesecake in the world!

This cake stall caught my interest when Jin Perez of Jin Loves to Eat featured it on her blog. From the smiling Japanese cheesecakes to the nice façade (with a swing), Green Cheese sure screams kawaii!

I decided to go for Green Cheese’s plain cheesecake (PHP50 per slice or PHP350 for a box) and custard pudding (PHP120).