WHERE DO CHEFS EAT?

We know where to go if we want to get a taste of Manila’s best cuisine but where do some of the most renowned chefs of these restaurants prefer to eat? Here, a few of them dish on where they go for their choice grub

robby goco

Robby Goco is the chef patron of two of the city’s most popular restaurants, Cyma, a progressive Greek restaurant, just celebrated its 10th anniversary; and Green Pastures, renowned for its organic dishes using locally sourced ingredients. His full service Japanese restaurant, Yumi, recently came up with a fast food type/express version. And his childhood favorites, hotdogs, get a chef’s treatment in Munchtown. I love Makati Garden Club of Chef Robert Lilja, especially the cold appetizer buffet offered for lunch. I’ve been going here for the past 5-6 years and personally, he offers the best bread and he never runs out of unique and dynamic off-menu items. Everything he serves has that wow factor. Like last week, we had Herring Caviar with Reindeer Carpaccio, a specialty from Sweden and it was really amazing!

Then if I want an honest to goodness creative Filipino meal, I go to Kel Zaguirre’s popular eatery, Locavore. I like anything that’s a creative interpretation of Filipino food. If I want something different, I look for Indian cuisine. For the past years, I’ve been going around for Indian restaurants because other cuisines all taste the same to me. The latest one I frequent is the Royal Indian Curry House. You must try the rogan josh and the biryani rice there!

kalel chan

Chan is the corporate chef of the Raintree Group, which includes Museum Café and Kabila in Greenbelt 4, Simple Lang on Ayala Triangle, The Saboten Japanese Cutlet restaurants, the Chelsea chain, Stella and Rocket Room on Bonifacio High Street, and a brand new Japanese concept, Sensu & Chotto Matte opening this June in BGC. Wa Ying on Benavidez in Binondo. When I was a kid, my dad always brought me to Ongpin, and I loved the original Lido, Ling Nam, Diao Eng Chay, Salazar Bakery, President, Delicious, and Eng Bee Tin. My favorite is still Wai Ying: they have really good dimsum and of course, there’s a nostalgic feel to the place.

Six or seven years ago, Korean restaurants weren’t that popular yet in Manila and I was always curious about what was going on inside this one called Jang Ga Nae in Pasig. The glass wall was always covered with stickers and the facade wasn’t inviting. Bloggers weren’t that influential yet, so we didn’t know what to expect. But one day my girlfriend, who’s now my wife, and I braced ourselves and braved the place. It was good then, and really good today; every time we go there the food is still consistent.

gene gonzalez

Gonzalez is an icon in the country’s culinary industry: bestselling author, columnist, restaurateur, and champion fencer. He’s been cooking for over a quarter of a century at Café Ysabel, which is one of the most romantic date places in Metro Manila. He’s been a mentor to thousands of cooks and chefs, thanks to his culinary school in San Juan, the Center for Asian Culinary Studies. It will open a new campus in Angeles City this coming school year. I normally eat out in small, artisanal or family run places here in the Philippines. I cannot name just one or two because I have a long list of places to eat. I like eating in places that have honest cooking and no pretentions.

What I miss greatly, because most of them have disappeared due to elevated real estate prices, are the family run mom and pop bistros; quaint and small and owned by a chef patron who serves food with his or her signature dishes. For fine dining, I normally try out the cuisine of well rated places or chefs when I am abroad.

jutes templo

The self-taught Neapolitan pizza master of Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza, considered by many critics to be the best in the city, keeps himself busy going around the branches in Serendra, the Podium, Salcedo Village, and the first one, along Katipunan, where he also makes his homemade burrata cheese. He’s currently researching and developing a new dessert to equal or exceed his irresistible Nutella soup. The two restaurants we’ve been eating a lot lately are Duck & Buvette in Shangri-La Plaza and Kimpura in Greenhills. Kimpura is usually our go to place for birthdays and special occasions. They have a special private room where our kids can play around and be noisy and not disturb other customers, so that makes our eating a little more fun. My personal favorite there is the teriyaki gindara. They just cook it perfectly. The skin is crunchy, giving the meat and the fish fat the right textural contrast.

D&B is also one of our favorites. The servers are always nice, and their chef is always smiling at us. We love everything on the menu. Notable dishes are the crispy potato pave with salted egg and the bikini sandwich. These two dishes are small, but I feel the attention to detail because the flavors and the size are perfectly proportioned.

J. Gamboa

The alumnus of the Culinary Institute of America manages Cirkulo, AzuThai, and Milky Way Cafe, all located at the Milky Way Building on Arnaiz Avenue. Tsukiji, honored as the best Japanese restaurant in Makati, is part of the group of restaurants that Gamboa runs with his sister Malu, who handles front of house. The brother-sister tandem is the third generation to handle their family’s legendary Milky Way, famous since the 1950s for good old Filipino home cooking, artisanal ube ice cream, and decadent halo-halo. I love Mr. Sunmoon Seafood House in Greenhills. My must-haves are the fried crab, male 900gm; the sotanghon with a female crab, also 900gm in weight. The fried squid with garlic and chili, braised tendon, and the brisket hotpot are my other favorite dishes there. I’ve been going to that restaurant regularly for over ten years.

Wildflour on Legaspi Village, I’ve been going there since it opened. My wife Maja’s favorite is the Wildflour salad, and our kids love the kimchi fried rice with steak. I go for the Reuben sandwich and any and all of their baked goods.

FERNANDO ARACAMA

Fernando Aracama minds the store at Aracama Filipino Cuisine in BGC, where he serves classic regional dishes along with cutting edge cocktails. He’s a familiar face on television, thanks to his stints as a judge in Junior Master Chef and Master Chef Philippines. His restaurant will be celebrating its fourth anniversary this June. I have so many favorites. Let’s start from where it all began, Bacolod City. Where I was born and where my favorite restaurant still is, Bob’s. It used to be called Bob’s Big Boy which coincidentally is also my adorable nickname, not Bob though, Big Boy, as my family calls me. As far as I can recall or from what my parents and siblings would reminisce about that time when I was little lad; that I would be happily sitting tight on a high chair in Bob’s on North Drive in Bacolod City. Patiently waiting for Bob’s Big Boy Cheeseburgers for merienda or Sate Babi for lunch. And the Fruit Punch. You can’t miss the fruit punch there. I could have been their mascot.

Tsukiji is my favorite Japanese restaurant. Fresh seafood is flown in Tuesdays and Fridays and that means premium and exceptional seafood all the time. I love sashimi and my Instagram account proves that. Friday is curry day in Tsukiji. Tonkatsu is the usual combo, but I recommend trying it with kaki furai (deep fried oysters). Crazy good. When I’m in the mood for beef, I ask for a yakiniku table, and I always go home slightly smoky and supremely happy. They also over pour sake in Tsukiji. Your sake cup will literally floweth over. And that, is always a good thing.