8 New Restaurants
to Try This March
(Before You Go Broke
in the Summer)
By Therese Aseoche
With the number of restaurants, bars, and cafés popping up around the city week after week, there’s no end to discovering new favorites. Here are the newest places you should visit and try out this month:
Kureji
Japan Town at Vertis Ginza, 4F, Ayala Malls Vertis North, Quezon City
Open Monday to Thursday from 10 A.M. to 9 P.M., Friday to Sunday from 10 A.M. to 10 P.M.
(+632) 371 14 32 | Facebook, Instagram
Cost for two: PHP 700
Ramen joints have taken over the Metro, but we’ve been proven time and time again that we can never have enough. Kureji offers something particularly exciting, unique, and never-before-seen with its sizzling ramen bowls. Served on hot stone bowls, it guarantees that your ramen won’t ever get cold, allowing you to relish the experience (and maintain lengthy conversations).
Twapakto
Elements Hall, 27 Scout Rallos Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 A.M. to 10 P.M.
(+63) 933 368 9309 | Facebook, Instagram
Cost for two: PHP 700
Meaning “big tummy” in Fookien, Twapakto is the Chinese restaurant to go to for filling, satisfying and surprisingly amazing value-for-money meals. It specializes in roast duck and the pork asado, and you might even say that Twapakto serves the best of each out of all the Chinese restaurants in the Metro. Try also the sinfully delicious homemade Lechon Macau, and the Leche Flan Shake!
James & Daughters by Le Jardin
GF, The Westin Residences Manila, 21st Drive Corner McKinley Parkway, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 7 A.M. to 3 P.M., 6 P.M. to 11 P.M.
(+63) 917 817 6584 | Facebook, Instagram
Cost for two: PHP 1,700
Chef Jonas Ng’s newest concept restaurant, James & Daughters, is an experience that must be shared with friends and family. Upon entering the premises, you’ll be given a warm welcome as though you’ve returned to someplace familiar; it looks and feels just like home, from the Pinoy dishes creatively crafted with the best local ingredients to the boisterous echoes of laughter from customers that come and go. There’s nothing not to love!
They’ll try to change up the menu every 3 months, so try the Tuna Kilawin, BBQ Stingray with Laksa Rice, and Suman a La Hasset while you still can!
Flossom Kitchen + Café
Flossom Place, 187 N. Averilla Street, Greater San Juan, San Juan City
Open Monday to Thursday from 8 A.M. to 10 P.M., Friday to Sunday from 8 A.M. to 11 P.M.
(+632) 356 69 00 | Facebook, Instagram
Cost for two: PHP 1,000
At Flossom, people come for the aesthetic value; they stay for the food (okay, and the plentiful electrical sockets and fast Wi-Fi). Chef Jessica Wong describes her menu as “modern comfort food with a twist” and presents them so beautifully on a plate that you won’t have enough time to react to the seemingly strange experiments. Indulge in bestsellers Ube Champorado, Honey Chorizo, Baked Meatloaf, and the Mushroom Truffle Risotto in any of its three dining areas: the main dining area, the glasshouse, and al fresco!
LUMU Beerhouse & Filipino Kitchen
3F, Greenbelt 3, Makati City
Open every day from 12 noon to 2 P.M., 6 P.M. to 10 P.M.
(+632) 504 52 40 | Facebook, Instagram
Cost for two: PHP 1,200
Chef Luigi Muhlach has perfectly captured the familiar atmosphere of eating, drinking, and reveling on the streets with friends and neighbors with LUMU Beerhouse & Filipino Kitchen, a new drinking spot at Greenbelt 3. There’s plenty to choose from its diverse menu of authentically Pinoy dishes, but if you’re just trying it out for the first time, order the Sizzling Chicken Dinakdakan, Hardcore Kambing Sampler, and A-Bangers Sampler.
Versus Barcade
GF, Uptown Parade, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Open Monday to Saturday from 6 P.M. to 3 A.M.
(+63) 933 368 9309 | Facebook, Instagram
Cost for two: PHP 1,000
Amidst the plenty of bars that tag BGC as a vibrant nightlife hub, Versus Barcade offers something a little different to partygoers. It’s a bar-meets-80s-arcade, hosting tons of games the Gen Xers and older millennials have loved since childhood, including a vintage pinball machine, Mario Kart, Street Fighter, PacMan, and more! Its drinks are also inspired by these arcade games and are even served on quirky glasses you’ll wish you could take home. Try out their secret drinking challenges too, if you’re up for it!
CargoFish
4F, Uptown Place Mall, 36th Street Corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Open Monday to Wednesday and Saturday from 11 A.M. to 3 A.M., Thursday to Friday from 11 A.M. to 6 A.M., Sunday from 10 A.M. to 11 P.M.
(+63) 917 047 2825 | Facebook, Instagram
Cost for two: PHP 500
No restaurant has claimed to offer the best fish and chips in town in a long while, so CargoFish is the pop-up we didn’t know we needed. For an affordable price, you get a hefty meal with your choice of fish (must-tries are tilapia and dory), two sides, and one of the special dips (best of which is the Lime Chili Cilantro).
Whitebrass Contemporary Kitchen x Bar
20 Jupiter Street, Bel-Air, Makati City
Open Monday to Thursday from 10 A.M. to 12 midnight, Friday from 10 A.M. to 3 A.M., Saturday from 5 P.M. to 12 midnight
(+632) 776 44 82 | Facebook, Instagram
Cost for two: PHP 1,500
Whitebrass is the newest spot in Makati you’d want to treat your date to. It’s not overly fancy but exudes the same romantic aura — dim lighting, great music, and a cozy atmosphere. The one thing you’ll fall in love with straight way is the satisfyingly high-quality food that won’t burn your pockets. You won’t go wrong with customer favorites Porchetta, Steak Palermo, and Shrimp & Olives Pasta.
Which of these places have you gone to? Sound off below!
