(As featured in 10 Most Awesome New Homegrown Restaurants That Matter in Manila 2016!)
HEY HANDSOME is a Southeast Asian restaurant collaboration of Chef Nicco Santos of Your Local and Charles Paw of Hole in the Wall. Its name is inspired by how Singaporeans call potential customers to their establishments–“Hey, Handsome”–just like “Hi, Pogi” in local terms.
The food portions are huge, yummy, and provide good value for money. Most foodies rave about it because of the consistent quality of the food.
Is this really the Best New Homegrown Restaurant that opened in 2016? Check out what we think…
HEY HANDSOME
G/F Net Park Building, 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila
Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday 6 – 10pm
(with two seatings for reservation 6.00pm and 8.30pm)
Telephone: (+632) 946-3815
Instagram: @HandsomeCome
E-mail: info@handsomecome.net
Hey Handsome is located in a prime ground floor location at Net Park Building along 5th avenue (beside Passion by Gérard Dubois).
It has a minimalist tiled wall look with floor to ceiling windows…
…and an open kitchen-chef’s table bar setup.
You order the mains, which are good to share for 2 to 3 people, drinks while you wait, and dessert for a satisfying sweet finish.
Donkey Punch (P130). Lengkuas, lemongrass, passionfruit, elderflower.
We love this donkey punch cocktail that is quite refreshing and light with a nice touch of elderflower.
✮ Kambing Buah Keluak (P560). Goat, buah keluak, nasi ulam, sambal matah, belachan kerupek.
My personal favorite is this Peranakan dish, which resembles a goat kaldereta in adobo-like sauce but with a unique taste of fermented Buah Keluak seeds.
I love the heat of the sambal sauce and the crunchiness of the shrimp paste crackers.
The Buah Keluak is an acquired taste. Known as the Asian black truffle, it tastes like a mix of cacao, mushroom, and black olives. One of their must-try dishes.
✮ Beetroot Paneer (P480). Beetroot paneer, quinoa tabbouleh, house yogurt, pappadum.
This is a vegetarian dish that even carnivores would love. Indian-inspired using beetroot red sauce for the paneer paired with quinoa tabbouleh salad.
✮ Laap Phet (P380). Minced duck, deep fried egg, herbs, khao man.
Most people rave about this deep-fried Thai minced duck favorite with floss-like crunchy layers.
It’s fun to watch Chef Nicco and Chef de Cuisine Queenee Villar prepare each element of the dish from scratch, like pounding this Som Tam for the Nam Tok.
✮ Nam Tok (P580). BBQ beef shortribs, khao man, som tam.
We loved savoring the BBQ flavor and lick every bit of sauce off the ribs. The chili som tam salad balances out the sweetness of the sauce. A nice appetizer to start with.
Cherry Pop (P150). House lemonade, rosemary, cherry.
Fruity sweet but refreshing. You can drink this as a palate cleanser in between dishes.
✮ Bebek Penyet (P680). Deep-fried white Peking duck, duck egg, nasi ulam, achar.
We’ve heard nothing but good things about this duck confit-like dish with rice and pickled fruits on the side. It’s good value for money and satisfies your craving for a good Southeast Asian dish.
✮ Nasi Lemak (P645). Seabass otah, nasi lemak, ikan bilis brittle, sambal, pickled egg.
Seabass grilled in banana leaves with coconut rice, spicy sambal, peanut brittle, and pickled egg. Hands down, the best dish at Hey Handsome that often gets sold out.
The young culinary team of Hey Handsome. Great job on your execution of the dishes, your service, and yes, even making me feel handsome during our visit. 🙂
Yogurt (P200). House yogurt, black sesame, beetroot.
A healthy version of creme brulee using yogurt and black sesame crunch to cut through the creaminess.
✮ Sangkaya Tart. Kaya custard, shortcrust.
For fans of Pandan kaya, this is the dessert for you. It was a bit too sweet for me.
✮ Cream Puff (P190). Durian, pate a choux, gula melaka, brown butter powder.
You’ll ooh and ahh for this Durian Cream Puff with sweet gula melaka and some brown butter powder. Deadly and decadent.
Kueh Dadar (P190). Rose crepe, gula melaka, coconut meat, galangal cream.
It’s like Pandecoco crepe. This is the only dessert I did not like because of the clashing flavors of the rose and burnt coconut.
Malic Milk (P180). Yuzu yogurt, passion fruit, Thai chili, butter.
You can also order this brilliant combination of tangy yuzu and passion fruit with milky yogurt and a bit of chili. We did not like the idea of drinking butter though.
Overall, Hey Handsome is indeed one of the best new restaurants in Manila that foodies will keep raving about!
It’s best to eat here with a big group so that you can just order the entire menu and share it family style. Just be sure to make a reservation for your group.
I recommend ordering the Nam Tok as the appetizer dish, or the Beetroot Paneer if you like something vegetarian to start with. You can also get the Donkey punch cocktail to sip on while you wait.
If you were to only choose two dishes, order the Bebek Penyet and Nasi Lemak. Try the Kambing Buah Keluak last because the taste is overpowering and can linger in your mouth. Don’t forget the Durian Cream Puff or Sangkaya tart for dessert.
Budget about P700/head.
Congratulations to Chef Nicco, Charles Paw, and the entire culinary team of Hey Handsome!
HEY HANDSOME
G/F Net Park Building, 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila
Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday 6 – 10pm
Telephone: (+632) 946-3815
Instagram: @HandsomeCome
E-mail: info@handsomecome.net
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Disclosure: Our meals were courtesy of our friend Charles. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. Love their bathroom design.
