Top 10 Most Loved Restaurants in Mandaluyong for May 2017

Vikings Luxury Buffet has redefined the buffet service industry; 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. Customers are loving their avocado ice cream. It’s not for people who prefer the ambiance of a hotel buffet. Our insider tips are (1) Visit on your birthday month for a free meal. Don’t forget to bring a valid ID. (2) Book at these branches to get up to P500 off your bill.

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Lugang Café is a Shanghai-based café focused on providing quality and contemporary Taiwanese cuisine. It’s for singles, couples and groups looking for a place to have casual brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, or dinner. It’s not for intimate affairs. We recommend the Steamed Pork Xiao Long Bao, Honey Garlic Squid and Stewed Beef, Tendon and Turnip in Clay Pot for mains and the 12-inch Bellagio Breeze for dessert. Here’s a fun fact: Originally called Bellagio Café, the owners had to rebrand to Lugang (the literal translation of its Chinese name) because Bellagio has already been trademarked.

Borough, named after New York’s five boroughs–Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, brings New York’s finest comfort food 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is a concept restaurant by New Yorker Cuit Kaufman. It’s for breakfast lovers, casual lunch meetings, people who work graveyard shifts and/or party goers looking to cure a hangover. It’s not for foodies who live far from Mandaluyong. We recommend the Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup, Fried Chicken & Waffles and their signature Mom’s Milk and Cookies. Our insider tip is they have 4 separate menus for each meal of the day, so be sure to check their menu.

Ippudo is a popular ramen joint specializing in Hakata-style Tonkotsu (pork-based) ramen produced in their kitchen and tailor-fitted for the Filipino palate. It is a joint venture with the guys at Yabu. It’s for straight up ramen minus the fancy embellishments of modern cuisine. It’s not for people looking for an extensive Japanese menu, although special items are regularly introduced. We recommend their Shiromaru Motoji ramen and the pork buns. New tsukemen ramen is available too. Our insider tip is that cute “kiddie sets” may be requested for your little ones. P.S. Ippudo Matsuri cards are now available. Customers get free ramen after completing all 5 ramen sidekicks stamps.

Green Pastures, a farm-to-table concept restaurant created by Chef Robby Goco of crowd-favorite Cyma, promises to deliver locally-sourced and produced, and wholly organic dishes. It’s for people who love salads and higher quality produce. It’s not for people who are craving for some good grease. We recommend their salads, homemade cheeses and juice selection. Don’t miss their duck fat fries. 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. Breakfast is served at their BGC branch.

Ooma is a modern Japanese restaurant by the Moment Group and young acclaimed chef Bruce Ricketts, the same partnership that brought us Mecha Uma. Ooma, a wordplay on Uma meaning ‘good’, promises bold Japanese flavors at affordable prices. It’s for heavy rice eaters, rice is unlimited. It’s not for people looking for ramen. We recommend the Soft Shell Crab Taco-Maki, Hangar Steak and Uni Udon. Our insider tip is that at Ooma, you get to ‘brush’ (not dip) soy sauce on your sushi. Catch their limited time offer, Soft Shell Crab ‘Wich, until April 30, 2017.

Din Tai Fung is an internationally-known dim sum restaurant from Taiwan and a 5-time Michelin awardee most famous for their xiao long bao. Expect a showcase of their expert wrappers thru their signature open kitchen window. It’s for curious foodies who want to know what the fuss is all about. It’s not for people looking for roasted meat rice toppings. We recommend the Classic and Truffle XLB’s, spicy shrimp wantons, pork chop rice, and the dan dan noodles. Insider tips: (1) The menu is tailor-fitted for the Philippines and may differ from other international menus (i.e., the Golden Lava Salted Egg Yolk Bun), and (2) You can order your beef noodles your way–all beef or all tendon, or half and half.

Gringo is a homegrown restaurant serving Latin American and Tex-Mex specialties such as ribs, chicken, burritos and more. It’s a quick and casual concept brought to us by the same group behind the Tokyo Bubble Tea franchise. It’s for office goers’ lunch breaks, quick bites and afterwork drinks. It’s not for foodies looking for many rice meal options. We recommend the Southern Spice Chicken, Gringo Baby Back Ribs, Truffle Queso Quesadilla, Crispy Taco. Our insider tip is they also have kids menu for the little ones.

BLK 513 is Manila’s first ever premium and gluten-free activated charcoal-enhanced frozen yogurt. Choose between dark skim cup or cone and top it with a unique selection of crunches, fruits and sauces. It’s for health-conscious dessert lovers. It’s not for people who prefer traditional ice creams. We recommend the Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie, Peach Mango Float, or you can be adventurous and customize your own. Popular sauces include cereal milk and milk jam, a new holiday Red Velvet sauce is available! Bestselling crunches include the Valrhona Baby and White Chocolate Oldie. Our insider tip is get 2 Dark Skim Cups for the price of one with Booky’s exclusive Buy 1 Get 1 deal! Read more here.