Top 10 Most Loved Restaurants in Mandaluyong for October 2014

Abe is named after the late artist-writer and gourmet E. Aguilar “Abe” Cruz. The restaurant serves traditional Filipino food with Capampangan accents. It is one of those fairly quiet but clearly loved restaurants found inside a mall. It’s for friends and family who want to feast on good food and have a good time. It’s not for intimate dates. We recommend the Lamb Adobo and Bamboo Rice. Our insider tip is to visit on your birthday for a serenade and free dessert.

Food lovers are clearly in love with Wildflour Café + Bakery, with all three branches making it to our lists of top 10 most loved restaurants in their respective cities. They offer international fare and specialty breads and cakes. It is a bakery at heart and once famed for being the cronut destination in Manila. It’s for people who enjoy slow Sunday morning vibe. It’s not for people who want a quick meal. We recommend their grilled cheese salad and soup combo and their mushroom salad. Their bestsellers are the pulled pork sliders and the kimchi steak fried rice. Our insider tip is to get pastries for 50% off after 7PM! Their much-coveted cronuts are still available, for pre-order.

Executive chef Chiloy Santos drew inspiration from his culinary travels to San Francisco and New Orleans, came back and created Kettle. Kettle offers traditional American comfort food like hamburgers, fried chicken and steaks and amped them up with their own sauces and spices. It’s for people who enjoy American style platters. It’s not for solo diners, servings are generous. We recommend the Pork and Potato Strips for starters and the Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Miso Glazed Salmon for mains. Our insider tip is all Kettle desserts are made by Chef Chiloy’s mom, Vilma Santos (no, not the actress). Try her Instagram-worthy Checkered Cake.

Another one of Hong Kong‘s finest, headed by Chef Vinny Lauria, arrived to the Philippines this year. Linguini Fini is a farm-to-fork concept Italian restaurant rooted in New York culture. It is committed to supporting local farmers and agricultural sustainability. It’s for everyone who enjoy classic and authentic Italian dishes. It’s not for lactose intolerants. We recommend the Papardelle and porchetta selections. Our insider tip is a lot of their dishes are unique to its location, i.e., only we will have the Longanisa-infused dishes.

Vikings Luxury Buffet have redefined the buffet service industry completely; what was once mostly available in hotels catering to the upper classes has now been made available to the middle class. It’s for families and groups who are looking to celebrate special occasions affordably. It’s not for people who don’t like noise and crowded space. People online are loving their avocado ice cream. Our insider tip is to visit on your birthday month for a free meal.

Also known as EDSA Beverage Design Group, EDSA BDG is a collaborative group of young and talented individuals with a common passion for creating artisanal coffee and cocktails. Located in a nondescript building along EDSA, it is a roasting and brewing lab, a co-working space, a cafe and a man cave of sort. It’s for introverts who are looking for a quiet and creative space in a corner, and it’s also for the extroverts who like to meet new friends and chat with friendly and master baristas. It’s not for loyal Frappuccino drinkers. We recommend the Dirty White using their signature Dark Matter Theory blend. Our insider tip is look out for Philippine Barista Champion Kevin Israel Fortu, you may just be lucky enough to have your coffee made by him.

Green Pastures, another farm-to-table concept restaurant created by Chef Robby Goco of crowd-favorite Cyma, promises to deliver wholly organic and locally-sourced dishes. It’s for people who wants to feel a little less guilty on their ‘cheat day’. It’s not for people who prefer salty foods. We recommend their homemade cheeses and juice selection. Our insider tip is Chef Robby constantly updates the menu ‘based on what’s in season, what’s new and what’s fresh,’ which is why their menu is stamped with a validity period.

Joining the make-your-own burger wagon is the highly raved about 8Cuts Burger Blends. ‘8Cuts’ is a reference to the eight cuts of beef used in the five custom blends that only they offer. With these specialized joints sprouting across the city, fastfood to-go burgers are may soon become a thing of the past. It’s for people who enjoy getting their hands dirty. It’s not for people looking for a quick take away meal. We recommend the Q-Daddy Burger.

Tim Ho Wan is Hong Kong’s most celebrated dim sum restaurant. For years, it has been everyone’s go-to-restaurant when visiting Hong Kong; after all it has been recognized as the cheapest One Michelin star in the world. After much anticipation, it finally opened its doors to Manila this year thanks to Ricky Dee (of Mesa Filipino Moderne and Todd English Food Hall) and Felix Ang (of Cats Motors).

It’s for everyone who loves good and fairly affordable dimsum and more, it’s not for people who hate long lines. Their crowd stealer is definitely the Baked Bun with BBQ Pork, we also recommend their Wasabi Salad Prawn Dumpling and Steamed Spinach Dumpling with Shrimp. Our insider tip is to queue after lunch rush hour or 2 hours before closing time for shorter lines. P.S. The buns are P145 for 3 pieces, VAT exclusive.

Ippudo is the first branch of this international group in the Philippines.  A joint venture with the guys at Yabu, it specializes in Hakata-style Tonkotsu (pork-based) ramen produced in their kitchen and tailor-fitted for the Filipino palate. It’s for all the people who wants straight up ramen minus all the fancy embellishments of modern cuisine. It’s not for people who don’t like queuing (sometimes 2 hours long). We recommend their Shiromaru Motoji ramen and the pork buns.  Our insider tip is to come in pairs for quicker accommodation. “Kiddie sets” may be requested for your little ones.