Being naturally at the crossroads of the East and the West, Manila offers one of the most vibrant, yet, underrated nightlife and the most varied cuisines in the entire Asia-Pacific. It does not come as a surprise that one can have a Filipino regional breakfast, a Malaysian lunch, and a German dinner in one day. The following list is just among one of my most favorite and highly recommended hidden gems for the traveling gourmand.

Som’s Noodle House

This unassuming Thai eatery along the margins of the swanky Rockwell in Makati serves the most delectable, no-frills, cheapest and most authentic Thai dishes in Manila. Dining al-fresco or inside its tiny air-conditioned room – this is not a place where one needs to dress up for an evening date although the succession of diplomatic-plated cars and BMWs parked along the street reflects the level of Thai dishes served here. I was never a big fan of Thai cuisine, which I thought pretentious and overhyped and undeserving of the haute cuisine status that most people accord it to be. Som’s Green Curry and its Bagoong Rice – (Rice sautéed in shrimp paste and served with strips of scrambled eggs, slivers of green mango and tapas) tells like it is: simple and really good. I don’t need an orchid on my plate or a dancing katoey to serve my Thai food.

Ziggurat Cuisine

Tucked in the seedy streets of Makati’s red light district is Ziggurat Cuisine – home to excellent Indian, Mediterranean, African and Middle Eastern cuisine. The streets’ names where it was located are quite uncanny (Tigris and Euphrates are the two main rivers of Iraq) and the acronym for the cuisines that they serve is IMAM – a reference to an Islamic holy man. From Ethiopian Breads to Afghani Rice and Chicken Tikka Masala – the menu is extensive with explanations to its origins and ample description of the dish itself. While we prefer to dine al-fresco but, Ziggurat has dreamy, harem-inspired interiors – the lush Mesopotamian décor complements the sinfully exotic and insane flavors of its food. For the unwelcome notoriety of its immediate vicinity where respect flies out of the window, Ziggurat establishes itself as a place of cuisine respectability as the food connoisseurs’ destination for quality international cuisine.

Salcedo Weekend Market

Salcedo Village Carpark is ground zero for international cuisine and organic produce in Makati. Started in 2004 with a few stalls, the Salcedo Weekend Market grew to become an exciting destination for budding cosmopolitan culinary adventurers. Once a hush-hush secret amongst Makati’s well-heeled from the nearby posh villages of Bel-Air and Urdaneta- the Salcedo Weekend Market became a place to find the most authentic international and mostly homemade dishes that you can find in the entire Philippines. From Portuguese seafood delights, to Turkish baklavas, to French crepes made by a chef from Bretagne, France to tasty Spanish Paellas and German wursts to name a few from the Eurozone. Asian staples such as satays, rendang and laksa from Indonesia and Malaysia, Kimchi from Korea, Hong-Kong style dimsum, Indian shawarmas are not to be left out, also a decent sushi and maki spread represents the Japanese. Homemade traditional Filipino recipes from the different regions of the country are well-represented – the Lechon Cebu that food guru Anthony Bourdain loves, the extra-spicy Bicol Express and fresh seafood flown the same day from the waters of Roxas City are just a few of what’s on display. Salcedo Weekend Market is held on Saturdays, a similar, albeit smaller version happens in Legazpi Carpark in Legazpi Village, Makati. You want kefir to go with your wagyu burger? Like Obama said, yes you can.

Stone Lion Food Haus

At its best, the tiny alley where this restaurant is located is dirty, aged and daunting – but teeming with good Chinese restaurants that are usually conspicuously hard to find in a metropolis with a sizable ethnic Chinese population. Called Ho-Sua-Hang, Hookien for Umbrella Alley, by the Filipino-Chinese community – the street does have an intimate appeal and gritty charm. The street is actually one of the little known streets of Binondo – Manila’s Chinatown. The more famous street is Escolta which is Manila’s former financial district (and where young Imelda Marcos worked as a saleslady) and of course, Ongpin – the busier main street of the area. Binondo is recognized as the oldest Chinatown in the world – established in 1594. Aside from the traditional Filipino cuisine that’s being offered at Stone Lion Food Haus – one should try the spicy salt and pepper squid (a definite must-try), beef broccoli and their own version Yang-chow fried rice. One should not miss Eng Bee Tin for their yummy hopia and tikoy and their restaurant – Mr. Ube in Ongpin for a very good bowl of Laksa. Part of the earnings from your meal goes to supporting the local fire volunteer brigade. Ube is Tagalog for purple yam – which explains in part that while the rest of Manila had red fire trucks, Chinatown has a purple one – donated by the owner of Mr. Ube.

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