RAVEN’S NEST: Roof Deck Gourmet Sanctuary by Chef Benjo Tuason @NestMNL

NEST is a modern gastronomy restaurant where Asian flavors meet Western-style cooking, located at the roof deck of the W Building. It’s the antithesis of the Raven club with it’s casual, bright, and welcoming ambiance. It’s your home base for eating and drinking before or after clubbing in BGC. 🙂

It’s another successful restaurant concept by Chef Benjo Tuason of RELIK and URBN BAR & KITCHEN fame. 

Here’s what we recommend when dining at NEST…

Related Blog Posts:

• The Raven’s NEST: Modern Table & Roofdeck Bar
• URBN BAR & KITCHEN: The Secret Yummy Dinner Food of @URBN_BGC
• A Relik Lunch

Nest is at the roof deck of W Building in BGC–one floor above Raven Club. 

Nest Menu: Starters, Mains |  Desserts, Bar Bites | Signature Cocktails, Wine List | Drink List

I love the casual al fresco ambiance of the garden-themed resto. 

 

Appetizers

Foie Gras and Mushrooms (P550). Poached egg, croutons, parmesan, and balsamic.

We started with a mushroom salad topped with poached egg and foie gras. It’s something different to start off your meal.

 
Ham & Eggs (P250). Jamon Serrano, poached egg, pea and mint salad, parmesan, and truffle oil.

A good pica-pica to share at the start of your meal, especially if you’re ordering some cocktails.

 

Single Malt Tasting

I availed of the single malt tasting with cheese pairing, starting with Dalwhinnie 15, Oban 14, Singleton 12, Glenkinchie 12, Caol Ila 12, and Talisker 10.

Here are some tips when going on a Single Malt Whiskey tasting:

• Start with the whiskey that is aged longer (Dalwhinnie 15) and drink your way to the youngest whiskey (Talisker 10), which is much stronger and with a full-bodied flavor.
• Cleanse your palate with soda water in between sips, and get a sniff of your skin to clear your sense of smell.
• It’s best to smell the whiskey first, then take a sip. Remember to wwirl the whiskey around your glass as it grows stale after some time.
• You can pair the whiskey with the right type of cheese and some meats.

I prefer the Dalwhinnie 15 with a long malty finish and gentle spice or the Oban 14 with a rich nose, smooth sweetness, and fruity finish when going on a relaxed drinking session with friends.

The Singleton 12 is smooth with hints of chocolate, hazelnut, and fruits, and the Glenkinchie 12 is light, fresh, and also fruity, are both ideal as digestives or after-dinner drinks.

The Caol Ila 12 and Talisker 10 have very strong characters and the types of whiskey you want to know more. The Caol Ila 12 is peppery, spicy, and with a distinctive Caol Ila smoke, while the Talisker 10 is bold, smoky, and with notes of the sea.

 

Main Dishes

✮ Chili BBQ Chicken (Half – P325). Potatoes, bacon, and lemon slaw.

I like the grilled chili flavor and the still-juicy meat of this half BBQ chicken.

✮ Pan Seared Snapper (P470). Prawn and salmon roe risotto.

The fish meat is seared well, juicy soft, and not overcooked. 

✮ Rack of Lamb (P950). Herb and mustard glaze, smoked eggplant, glazed zucchini, and lamb jus.

The chef really knows how to prepare and cook meat, especially this rack of lamb with the right spice and lamb jus flavor.

✮ 5 Spiced Roast Pork Belly (P250). Kurobuta pork belly, soy, and garlic noodle, sesame cucumber relish.

My favorite–very tender pork belly with glass noodles and sesame seeds, plus cucumber to balance out the pork flavor.
 
Smokin’ (P414). Laphroaig single malt scotch, coconut syrup, honey, and lime.

Make sure to order this signature whiskey cocktail with coconut, lime, and flaming star anis flavor. Lee Watson designed and concocted the 12 signature cocktails of NEST.

Thank you and congratulations to the NEST team for another great restaurant & bar concept!

 

Desserts 

Donuts and Dips (P200). Peanut butter cream, salted caramel, strawberry jam.

This donut dessert was a bit heavy after eating all those meat main courses. But a good pica-pica dessert to share after clubbing. 

Nest Pavlova (P200). Mixed berries and tropical fruits, meringue, and creme patissiere.

This was just OK too.

Initially, I thought NEST–because of its Raven association–would be more of a snooty, high-class, bar food restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised to know that it’s actually a casual, down-to-earth, good-food-good-value kind of place.

Chef Banjo’s expertise is with meats, so you can’t go wrong ordering any of the main dishes. I recommend the 5 Spiced Roast Pork Belly, the Rack of Lamb, Pan Seared Snapper, and Chili BBQ Chicken.

The serving sizes are good for sharing and priced very well, with some dishes under P500. Skip the appetizer and desserts. Don’t forget to order their signature cocktails or single malt whiskey. Budget about P500-P700 with drinks.

NEST Modern Table & Bar
Roofdeck, W 5th Building, 5th Avenue, Corner 32nd Street. BGC Taguig.
Open from Monday to Saturday 5.00pm to 2.00am 
Facebook: Nest MNL
Twitter: @NestMNL
Instagram: @NestMNL 

Related Blog Posts:

• The Raven’s NEST: Modern Table & Roofdeck Bar
• URBN BAR & KITCHEN: The Secret Yummy Dinner Food of @URBN_BGC
• A Relik Lunch

Live an Awesome Life,

Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com 

Disclosure: Our meal was courtesy of the Chef Benjo. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights. Read Our Awesome Planet Complete Disclosure Policy here. 

P.S. Thank you to Hannah Waters, Diageo brand ambassador, for teaching me how to do a whiskey tasting.