Manila's Best Kept Restaurant Secrets Awardees revealed

IF the film industry has a lot of award-giving bodies for over a decade, the Manila’s Best Kept Restaurant Secrets (MBKRS) Awards unrolled its own red carpet to recognize the best in the food and beverage industry beginning this year. The MBKRS Awards was born from the MBKRS book published last year, according to Ines Cabarrus, President and CEO of Manila’s Best Kept Secrets, Inc. “I think we haven’t really haven’t had a chance in this town to really celebrate the best of the dining scene. We have so much to offer as a city,” added Cabarrus. Around 111 nominees competed for 22 categories. Below were the winners for each category. Best Filipino Restaurant-Abé Best Thai Restaurant-People’s Palace Best Japanese Restaurant-Sugi Best Steakhouse Restaurant-Elbert’s Steak Room Best Italian Restaurant-L’Opera Best Spanish Restaurant-Terry’s Selection Best French Restaurant-Je Suis Gourmand Best in Continental Cuisine-Lolo Dad’s Best Chinese Restaurant-Zong Best Central European Restaurant-Old Swiss Inn Best Specialty Restaurant-Hossein’s Persian Kebab Best Bistro-Sala Bistro Best Enoteca (Wine Library)- Barcino Gourmet Best Fusion Cuisine (East meets West)- M Café Best Newcomer-Aubergine Best Restobar-Nuvo Best Wine List-Cav Best Hotel Restaurant with International Buffet-Spirals Best Hotel Fine Dining-Tivoli and Prince Albert Best Hotel Specialty-Benjarong (Dusit Hotel) Best Chef-Ariel Manuel (Lolo Dad’s) Lifetime Achievement Award- Larry Cruz (posthumous) Winners were selected by 85 judges composed of food critics, diners, restaurant owners, who voted and responded via email. “We sent around 100 survey questionnaires through email and 85 of them responded,” said Cabarrus. Cabarrus related that MBKRS Awards would be an annual event, which she thinks will motivate the spirit of competition among hotels and restaurants. “If we have these awards, those restaurants will strive to do better and better,” said Cabarrus.