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.

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By Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net

IT was 10 years ago in November when three friends, Alberto Besa, Vincent Santos, and Cheryl Del Rosario decided to put up the restobar with the help of chef Romy Garchitorena who lived in Italy for 20 years.

“Italian cuisine has a worldwide appeal,” said Patrick Santos, managing director of Italian restobar called Il Ponticello.

When asked what kept the business strong for the last 10 years, operations manager Besa said that being consistent and keeping the standards of the food they serve were keys to success. Santos, for one, said they don’t use any preservatives in their dishes.

While Il Ponticello serves Italian cuisine, the restobar has to make some adjustments. For instance, tomatoes grown in Asia are different from those coming from Europe, said Besa.

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By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

MAKATI CITY, Philippines – Yes, delicious and healthy defines new dishes today.

Increasing healthier food alternatives has been the focus of Bubba Gump, said Chef Paul Abalan of Bubba Gump Makati.

Local fishes pompano, talakitok, labahita and maya-maya (Red Snapper) are now included in Bubba Gump’s local menu, he added, as he revealed that the seafood restaurant is now using more local varieties to make sure the fish will arrive fresh, not frozen at the restaurants.

“This helps us serve delicious and healthy dishes and allows us to use simple cooking methods like pan-searing and grilling which also preserves the juices intact in the fish—thus more nutrients for health eaters,” Abalan said.

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By Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.net

THERE are lots of places to eat in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. In fact, almost every corner of the semi-rural atmosphere has one food stall or restaurant ranging from the familiar fastfood joints to the small local restaurants and the occasional coffee shops and bars. But if there is one place in Puerto Princesa that is worth every penny to go to, it’s KaLui.

Ask every tricycle driver in Puerto Princesa to take you to KaLui and they’ll gladly give you a little history of the famed restaurant. As it is, KaLui is already 20 years old and is one of the city’s oldest icons. It is only matched by another famed bistro, the Badjao Seafront.

However, KaLui is more accessible, located along Rizal Avenue, which is a major thoroughfare traversing the entire length of the city. Many tricycles and jeeps go through here. Drivers will willingly drop you off close to the KaLui with a simple request.

KaLui itself does not look striking at all; there are no large parking lots for cars and the walls are actually made up of wooden fences. The entrance, with a hanging signage of KaLui, is also made of light wooden panels. The restaurant looks like a large Bahay Kubo (thatched house) with extended roofed terrace where diners will be sitting. Upon entering the small “lobby,” guests are requested to remove their shoes, socks and sandals; as everyone eats barefoot.
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By Candice Montenegro, Contributor
INQUIRER.net

FOR SOMEONE like me who lives right smack in the middle of Quezon City, the Alabang area is practically unknown territory. Malls, restaurants, and other commercial establishments are within a 30-minute drive, so except for the occasional road trip to visit friends, there usually is no need for me to travel down south.

Café Año gave me a reason to.

The quaint little restaurant is hard to miss. Located in Westgate, Filinvest Alabang, Café Año is right next to Alabang Town Center and is just a few kilometers away from nearby village Ayala Alabang.

I interviewed Café Año president Dionnie Guerrero. Check out the video.

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By Anton Diaz
Inquirer

WHAT makes a restaurant awesome? Some would say great food and the right ambiance. “Great food” is subjective and varies with each person’s experience and background, however. To be considered awesome, a restaurant has to take the overall dining experience to a higher level. That means food that leaves an indelible mark on your taste buds and imprints lasting memories in your mind in an ambiance that carves out a special place in the heart to share with other people.

Every restaurant in this list has been carefully chosen. Each serves gourmet food with the freshest ingredients, and combines nature elements, artifacts or a sense of history in its atmosphere. Simply put, these restaurants have a story to tell that is spread via word-of-mouth. I can proudly say that these restaurants are found ONLY in the Philippines.

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