We’ve officially entered the last quarter of the year and we’re somewhat relieved to have made it this far without completely breaking down. Celebrate by heading to these newly opened restaurants and coffee shops around Metro Manila!
Gaja Korean Kitchen
2F, 8445 Kalayaan Avenue, Poblacion, Makati City
(+63) 917 493 0799 | Facebook, Instagram
Open Monday to Friday from 6 P.M. to 12 Midnight, Saturday from 11 A.M. to 12 Midnight, Sunday from 11 A.M. to 11 P.M.
A welcome addition to the already high number of Korean restaurants in Poblacion is Gaja Korean Kitchen, which is a little bit different from the usual K-style cuisine we’re used to and in love with. It’s a fine dining restaurant that puts a unique spin on K-food favorites. Here, you’ll get to indulge in dishes like the Ribimbap (bibimbap with rib eye cubes), Korchetta (samgyeopsal stuffed with Korean herbs and spices, and with crispy skin), and Kimchi Lasagna (which is exactly what it sounds like).
The ODD Seoul
2F, 8445 Kalayaan Avenue, Poblacion, Makati City
(+63) 906 493 0799 | Facebook, Instagram
Open Monday to Thursday from 4 P.M. to 2 A.M., Friday to Saturday from 4 P.M. to 3 A.M., and Sunday from 4 P.M. to 12 Midnight
Looking for a new place to have after-work drinks in Poblacion? Gaja Korean Kitchen’s hidden speakeasy, The ODD Seoul, has now opened its doors to partygoers who are thirsty for unique, experimental, and extra-ordinary cocktails. Try out the Kimchi Sour (soju with kimchi and dried rose), Hallyu (gin mixed with gochujang), and the Smoking Tiger (which gets its aroma and flavor from smoked apple wood). We won’t tell you where exactly in Gaja Korean Kitchen this bar is located; you’ll have to discover it on your own!
Kazoku Japanese Restaurant
Unit 3, The Grandia Place, Mother Ignacia Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City
(+632) 246 90 69 ext:441 | Facebook, Instagram
Open every day from 11 A.M. to 11 P.M.
Located in Tomas Morato, Kazoku Japanese Restaurant offers unli-yakiniku at a surprisingly affordable price tag. For just PHP 488+ per head, you can grill as much beef, shrimp, sausage, pork, and chicken as you can. But if that’s a bit too much for your appetite, you can also choose from its varied selection of bento boxes, ramen, sushi, and other rice meals.
Carmen’s Best
2F, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City
Facebook, Instagram
Open Monday to Thursday from 11 A.M. to 9 P.M., Friday to Sunday from 10 A.M. to 9 P.M.
Yes, you read that right — popular local ice cream brand Carmen’s Best just opened its own ice cream parlor and café in Power Plant Mall, Makati. Here, you can try out all the different Carmen’s Best flavors in the form of a sundae, a milkshake, and even an affogato!
Cobalabamba
GF, Venice Piazza, McKinley Hill, Taguig City
(+632) 246 90 69 ext:788 | Facebook, Instagram
Open Monday to Friday from 10 A.M. to 1 A.M., Saturday to Sunday from 10 A.M. to 11 P.M.
This newly opened Mexican cantina will satisfy your cravings for tacos, burritos, nachos, and more! Just looking at photos of Cobalabamba’s food as you browse its menu is enough to have you salivating; what more if you actually had them right in front of you? Go for the Doble Tacos, Blackened Chops, Chipotle Chicken, and the Chili Cheese Tacodog! Trust us; you won’t regret it.
Black Sheep Coffee
GF, S’Maison, Conrad Hotel, Seaside Boulevard Corner Coral Way, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City
(+632) 246 90 69 ext:498 | Facebook, Instagram
Open Sunday to Thursday from 8 A.M. to 12 Midnight, Friday to Saturday from 8 A.M. to 2 A.M.
This London-based coffee shop just branched out for the first time internationally, making Manila its first overseas store. The owners of Black Sheep Coffee take pride in travelling to the different plantations around the world to monitor the growing, picking and drying process of coffee beans to ensure that each coffee cup they sell is of the best quality. Try out their signature coffees, the Nitro Cold Brew and the Black Hoof, and also their lineup of cocktails!
KushiBar
GF, 80 Maginhawa Street, Teachers Village, Quezon City
(+632) 246 90 69 ext:766 | Facebook, Instagram
Open every day from 11 A.M. to 9 P.M.
KushiBar has found a home in the popular student-friendly food district, Maginhawa Street. Here, you can get all-you-can-eat kushikatsu: shrimp, pork, chicken, tuna, salmon, assorted vegetables, and so much more! It’s a great place to hang out with the barkada too because of its affordable group meals which gives you 24, 36, or 48 kushikatsu sticks at low prices! Check this out on your next chilluman get-together.
Takamura Sushi & Ramen
Concepcion Avenue Corner College Street, LA Townhomes, San Joaquin, Pasig City
(+632) 2987099 | Facebook, Instagram
Open Monday to Friday from 11:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. and 5 P.M. to 10:30 P.M., Saturday to Sunday from 11:30 A.M. to 10:30 P.M.
From a little food stall in Taguig, Takamura Sushi & Ramen has finally put up its own brick and mortar store in Pasig City with the promise of offering the same comfort food at affordable prices. Whether it’s for lunch or during after-work hours, you can enjoy their Volcano Maki, Crispy Ebi Tempura, and their 179-peso Ramen Bowls!
Have you tried any of these newly opened restaurants and coffee shops? Sound off in the comments section below!
