Table Conversations: Where are We Eating?
on 14 August, 2012
I have done my fair share of interviews.
Over the years, this is the one question I always enjoy asking:
“I’m a visitor from out of town, where would you suggest I eat? What do you recommend I order?”
Besides the obvious attempt to learn about new places to visit or even rediscover dishes once forgotten, the answers can be deeply insightful, if one cares to look a bit closer.
These collected answers are snapshots of a moment in gastronomical time. They are reflections of not only where and what we love to eat but also how our personal points of view influence the food choices we make.
Tastes may ebb and flow. Restaurants may come and go. But what will never change is our obsessive need to well eat and share each delectable experience.
So, I ask the question again – Where are we eating?
Breakfast: Dim Sum Breakfast at Wai Ying in chinatown. Get the hakaw, siomai, curry beef dumplings, radish cake. Make a game of it by seeing who can make the tallest bamboo steamer tower.
Lunch: Cucina Rusticana in Makati. Great Rustic Italian food byHalf-Italian up-and-coming Chef JJ Viel. Get the minestrone soup, ossobucco, and 1-inch thick cut roast pork chops in thyme and balsamic vinegar.
Afternoon Snack: Amber’s pichi-pichi with cheese. Straddles the line between salty and sweet, and the texture makes you feel like you’re almost eating candy.
Dinner: Kanin Club. Get the crispy dinuguan, sinangag na sinigang, and seafood kare-kare. Get the All- You-Kanin unlimited white rice, because these dishes are MADE to be eaten with lots of rice.
After Dinner Drinks: I don’t drink alcohol, so I would go to CBD toget their vanilla peanut butter toffee milkshakes. Because you can never have too much dessert.
Anonymous Paul says:
Breakfast: A full platter of tapsilog from Rodic’s. I have yet to find something that compares to the crumbled tapa they serve. And that special spiced vinegar. Or maybe a baguette, jam and butter from Wildflower Cafe + Bakery. Man can live on their bread alone.
Lunch: I have always liked Mangetsu and now even more with it’s less remote location. I usually have their spicy tuna maki among others. Or maybe have the Massaman curry at Benjarong or the crispy duck salad at Azuthai.
Merienda: A Farinas “super-special” Ilocos empanada (with two Vigan longanisas and two whole eggs). Maybe a halo-halo at Razon’s. Or a cannoli at Nolita.
Dinner: A laid back, home-cooked Pinoy fest at Puey’s Penthouse in the unusual and exotic P.Burgos area. Or maybe drive all the way to Alabang’s Studio Kitchen where Chef Mark Tan does wonders with veal cheeks and pork bellies.
After Dinner Drinks: It’s dark and musty; the drinks are ok, but the live jazz can’t be beat at Manila Hotel’s Tap Room. World renowned jazz greats Romy Posadas and Sandra Viray play most nights.
Breakfast: UCC – Filipino breakfast of anchovy fried rice (sinangag sa tuyo) with salted egg and tomato on the side. And a cup or two of Sumiyaki coffee.
Lunch: Antonio’s – pan seared foie gras glazed in honey peppercorn, steak tartare, herbed roasted rack of lamb, dark chocolate souffle, fresh dalandan juice
Afternoon Snack: Via Mare – bibingka with salted duck egg, palitaw, hot tsokolate. And then continue on to Milky Way for halo-halo!
Dinner: The Goose Station – the signature menu, of course! Or if you want Filipino, Bistro Remedios – squid tactics, knockout knuckles, binukakang plapla, laing, garlic fried rice
After Dinner Drinks: Opus – Weng-Weng, because it is proudly Philippine-made. And chicken & manchego fritters and truffle fries to go with it.
Alicia Sy says:
Breakfast: I would go to Sentro in Serendra. They have both Philippine and western selections. But I would recommend the Filipino breakfast. I would order an assortment of entrees like the rated GG, adobo flakes, sirloin tapa, and Baguio longganiza na hubad with fried eggs and the kusinero fried rice. I would also order some pan de sal with kesong puti and guava jelly on the side and for dessert we would have the suman with hot chocolate.
Lunch: Choi Garden in Greenhills. Here I would order an assortment of dim sum, roast plate appetizer with roast duck, roast pork and white chicken, fried hong kong pigeon, tofu with polonchay vegetable and enoki mushrooms, hot and sour soup, and lobster efu noodles.
Merienda: A stop at Milky Way is a must for palabok, ginataan and halo-halo. Maybe an adobo and cucumber sandwich too. Plus an avocado milkshake to drink.
Pre Dinner: El Cirkulo for sisig, cochinillo, lamb riblets and bone marrow.
Dinner: Tapas and a bottle of wine at Terry’s Selection followed by a nice dinner. I would ask Señor Terry what was good and if he could make something for us, but I would definitely order the chorizo or morcilla on piggy back, the bacalao fritters, the Jamon iberico, croquettas, gambas and the and the stuffed piquillo peppers . For our main course we would definitely have a chuleton, a black paella, and some fabada. Again I would ask for recommendations or specialties. For dessert the chocolate marquis and picastostes!
After Dinner Drinks: At The Blind Pig. Definitely.
Kitchyart says:
Breakfast: The crispy adobo flakes from Nic’s Bakeshop. I like to cut up my fried egg and mix it up with the garlic rice to soften it up. I really love the crunchy texture of the adobo and the eggy rice in one mouthful.
Lunch: I wrote about it, I love Rosy’s Pancit Malabon. Turo-turo style. I usually get the pancit with an order of the kinilaw na dila. True Malabon style. I take home an order of the leche flan made with duck egg.
Afternoon snack: I’d take a newbie to try Razon’s halo halo since it’s simple, made up of sweetened bananas, macapuno, and flan.
Dinner: El Cirkulo is a classic. I go for the sisig made from suckling pigs.
After dinner drinks: Cav is my go to for drinks. There’s always a table and it’s the best place to talk and have drinks. It’s fun to play with the enomatic and get tasting portions of their wines.
Sanju says:
Beakfast: Straight from the airport I would take them to Maty’s for tapsilog
Lunch: Shang Palace for dimsum all you can eat
An Afternoon Snack: Via Mare for puto bungbong, halo-halo and bibingka
Dinner: Abe for a taste of Filipino Food, kare-kare, Chicken Surprise, Squid Tactics, Crispy Tadyang, Bringhe, and Claude’s Dream
After Dinner Drinks: The Blind Pig and order a couple of mint juleps
Much Thanks to The Three, Ian Carandang, Alicia Sy, Jin Perez, At Maculangan and Eric Lacson
LABELS: Anonymous Paul, Franco, Kitchyart, Sanju, Table Conversation
