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Pino and the Girl Who Loves to Eat :)

 
One of the notable food bloggers in Manila is Jin Loves to Eat because she loves eating as much as we do and she probably goes to more restaurants too. :) It was a pleasure meeting her on her birthday when our friend Tina invited a few foodies to try out Chef Ed Bugia's Pino restaurant.

Pino's new store is located along Malingap St. They used to be on Maginhawa, where Burger Project now stands.  Pino serves Fine Filipino Food -- comfort Filipino food done well at a good price.

Manang's Chicken - the Unofficial Story...

We ❤ Manang's Chicken! It has the double-fried crispiness of Bon Chon Chicken, but with a sweet/spicy Filipino sauce comparable to (if not better than) Charlie's Chicken.

Their story is typical -- Jill's Manang (a trusted househelp) created this fried chicken at home with a signature Filipino sauce. Every time Jill's friends would come to their house, they would crave for Manang's chicken.

When Mercato Centrale opened last November 21, 2010, Jill decided to make the jump and opened a stall to offer Manang's Chicken to the foodies in Manila.  Jill is a lawyer by profession, so opening a food stall was truly a risk.

But true enough, foodies were raving about Manang's Chicken.

Patio Carlito & WhiteHouse on 84th by Raymund Magdaluyo

One of the restaurateurs that I follow is Raymund Magdaluyo, the next Larry Cruz of Manila's restaurant scene. Like Larry, he can come up with winning restaurant concepts that boast of yummy food and a unique ambiance.

Together with his cousins, he opened Patio Carlito -- a tribute restaurant to his grandfather, Carlos V. Magdaluyo, who's acknowledged as the pioneer and master of the casinos during his time.

Patio Carlito is similar to Abe (a tribute restaurant focused on old Kapampangan cuisine), except that it has a 1960's feel. It competes directly with Mario's  for group dining and the Sunday family buffet crowd. It is a good alternative to the best Filipino restos in the area -- Bagoong Club and Romulo Cafe -- and would make a nice venue for a get-together with balikbayans.

I thought it was a bit dodgy at first with its old-school, disco ambiance.  But the combination of unique Filipino food with its variety of pulutan won me over. We will surely return to this place for our next family celebration. :)

8 Most Awesome Filipino Restaurants in the Philippines

I love Filipino food, and I’m not just saying that because I’m Filipino.

Filipino fare is always a celebration of what’s fresh and in season -- cooked slowly with love, served with warm hospitality, and enjoyed with the laughter of family and friends.

Here are the Top 8 Most Awesome Filipino Restaurants that Pinoys should experience in their lifetime:

Chef's Table Restaurant by Chef Bruce Lim

UPDATE: This restaurant is now closed. They moved to Chef's Lab at Burgos Circle.

Every chef's dream is to open his own restaurant; Chef Bruce Lim's dream was fulfilled last Wednesday when he finally open up his own place called simply as Chef's Table.

The Best of Chef Laudico's Bistro Filipino (with Lara Day)

Slow Roasted US Beef Short Plate in Kare Kare Sauce with Turmeric Rice, Creamed Banana Heart, Grilled Eggplant Chutney and Garlic Petchay Saute.

The New Look of Cafe Juanita in Pasig

First, see the old look of Cafe Juanita: OAP | Cafe Juanita - Eclectically Romantic

Some say the ambiance is now East Asian Chic...
Some say it's maaliwalas because of the lighting and high ceiling...
Some say that they are afraid that it would lose its charm and look like Cafe Juanita at the Fort...
Some say they feel like royalty every time they eat in the new Cafe Juanita...
Some say it is about time to upgrade the look and give it a modern chic ambiance...

On its 20th anniversary, Cafe Juanita decided to celebrate its success by moving into its new home beside the Shunji Matsuo hair salon (same owners as Cafe Juanita), which is across the old Cafe Juanita. When the lot owner of the old Cafe Juanita informed them one year in advance that the lot will be used for something else, the owners decided to find a new home for it. One of the main considerations was to get an old house that they could transform into a restaurant.

We attended the blessing, and here's how the new Cafe Juanita looks now...

Kapitolyo Food Street Series:

• Cafe Juanita - Eclectically Romantic
• The New Look of Cafe Juanita in Pasig
• Charlie's by Rob Goco, Hidden behind a Car Wash Station
• Insanely Mad Mark's!
• NAV Modern Thai Cuisine Reunion
• Poco Deli, the Little Neighborhood Deli of Kapitolyo

Romulo Cafe - "Cafe Juanita" by Day, "Establishment" by Night.

Finally, Romulo Cafe is THE Filipino restaurant to rave about in the T.Morato / Quezon City area.  The Carlos P. Romulo heritage restaurant concept is unique and refreshing. It is set in a rented house off the T. Morato area where you have to find your way by either passing through Scout Tuason or Scout Dr. Lazcano streets. This restaurant is a brainchild of one of Carlos P. Romulo's grand daughter -- Sandie Squillantini.

It serves Filipino food like Tito Greg's Kare Kare that could rival Cafe Juanita. There are a lot of name dropping in the menu to acknowledge the source of the recipes and most of the Filipino dishes are familiar but served with a pleasant twist. The food is Filipino taken to the next level -- it is not fusion which is a bit baduy concept already in the Foodie circles. It is homey during the day time, but it transforms to "The Establishment" at night where you have to dress-up, drink cocktails first before eating dinner.