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Best Bites September

ABS-CBN Lifestyle

<p>September’s dining scene proved that casual doesn’t mean ordinary. As chefs played freely with flavor, form, and nostalgia, diners were treated to bold new dishes that celebrated creativity and comfort in equal measure. From deviled eggs with a twist to reimagined Filipino classics, these are the plates that left a lasting impression.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Deviled Eggs at Automat </strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:632px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759833803371IMG_9701.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Cyrene de la Rosa</em> </span></span></span>There has been a much welcome rise of more casual ala carte menu-only restaurants by some of the country’s top chefs that have been serving really good food that’s pushing borders. It’s no secret that my favorite amongst these is Automat, Metiz’s more playful sibling.</div><p>Because of its ala carte menu format. The chefs there are able to play more and come out with new dishes faster than the norm. Coming out with fun appetizer options that’s forever evolving as they sometimes tweak a dish on the fly. My current favorite is its deviled eggs -- made extra good with the addition of fried squid, chili tuyo and celery. Simply delicious!  </p><p>Do you find egg dishes boring? Then try their fun take on the oyster called “Oyster Joy” -- an ode to Jollibee’s chicken joy. <strong><em>-- Cyrene de la Rosa</em></strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Tuna Aburi at Three Dots</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:632px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759833307308TUNA ABURI WITH SESAME CRISP.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span></div><p>We’d only wish we were as lucky as Chef Sean Matthew Lim, the young chef-proprietor of Three Dots above Greenhills Mall. He said that this was his comfort bite at home. What makes this tuna aburi different is that miso and sesame tuile. This Japanese cracker adds a nutty crunch to the torched tuna, nice with the sriracha dip and wasabi for those who’d want a little heat in their dish. <strong><em>-- Jeeves de Veyra</em></strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Hokkaido Scallop at Benjarong X Potong Collab</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:632px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759833343629HOKKAIDO SCALLOP -  Benjarong.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span>It’s not every day the World’s Best Female Chef comes to Manila to cook. Of the dishes in the “Manila Calls, Bangkok Answers”  Chef Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij of one Michelin-starred Restaurant Potong in Bangkok didn&#x27;t hold off any punches with this appetizer.</div><p>With a spicy red curry sate rich with Thai herbs and spices, it was an unconventional sauce for the buttery slices of Hokkaido scallop best with the side of brioche to sop off and savor every last drop. <strong><em>-- Jeeves de Veyra</em></strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Chicken &amp; Egg at Calle at 9465</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:632px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759833382470IMG_5476_SnapseedCopy.jpeg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>JC Cailles Lo</em></span></span></span>Underrated modern Filipino restaurant near NAIA Terminal 1, Calle at 9465 recently launched a new tasting menu called Kanlungan. Although new to the fine dining scene, their sister concept Calle Nakpil has been a go-to for many because of their food trays and catering service.</div><p>This season’s theme is all about their reimagined take on Filipino sabaw dishes transformed into nine courses of comfort and memory. There’s a version of munggo soup, bulalo, and sinigang. But the standout for me is their arroz caldo-inspired creation: breaded chicken stuffed with aromatic rice, tofu, and a whole quail egg. This is a local version of the Japanese chicken gyoza. Ultra comforting! <strong><em>-- JC Cailles Lo</em></strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Unagi Fish &amp; Chips Nabe at Makanai BGC</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:632px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759833899593IMG_5748.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Cyrene de la Rosa </span></span></span></div><p>One of the most awaited opening this year is Chef Jorge Mendez’s Makanai in BGC -- restaurant project that Mendez developed with his  mentor, the late chef Margarita Fores.</p><p>It was shared that the spirit of their shared kitchen history and mentorship is a central theme in Makanai’s identity that’s evident in some of the restaurant’s pasta dishes. The restaurant mainly offers an elevated take on Japanese comfort food, specifically Chef Mendez’s own take on it, featuring some very interesting combinations that my fellow Modan fans will surely enjoy like my current favorite after two visits -- the Unagi Fish &amp; Chips Nabe. An umami bomb of a dish that presents unagi tempura over egg chahan (Japanese fried rice) that gets most of its flavor from the unagi tare and collagen, tamagoyaki, nori, lotus root chips, katsuobushi and ikura added to it.</p><p>Those not into seafood can have the equally good Wagyu short rib truffle chahan instead. The restaurant only serves an ala carte menu with some dishes available in two sizes -- solo portions and good for sharing. <strong><em>-- Cyrene de la Rosa</em></strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Samgyupsal with perilla leaf and leek salad at Huwon by Kiwa</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:632px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759833450191SMAGYUPSAL WITH LEEKS 2.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Jeeves de Veyra</em></span></span></span>Kiwa executive chef Susan Tarnate has been cooking Korean food for a long time. Her experience shows up in the little touches that make Kiwa’s food stand out.</div><p>Take their samgyupsal, which is cut thicker than the usual, such that when properly grilled, remain tender and still dripping with juices. Korean barbecue is usually served with iceberg and romaine lettuce to make the wraps, but it’s the herby minty perilla leaves for the wrap, and leek salad with chili that&#x27;s supposed to be used as a filling that make Kiwa’s samgyupsal different. <em></em><strong><em>-- Jeeves de Veyra</em></strong><em></em></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Lamb Chops at Fogo de Chao </strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:632px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759833969835IMG_5959.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Cyrene de la Rosa </em></span></span></span>Fogo de Chao (pronounced fo-go de shoun) is a world famous Brazilian churrasco or steakhouse concept. Known for its “churrasco dining experience,” where Brazilian cowboys or “gaucho chefs” grill a variety of meats on skewers and then carve them tableside.  </div><p>The first Fogo de Chao branch has just opened in Glorietta and everyone seems to be raving about its “Picanha” cut – prime top sirloin, Fogo’s signature cut. But, fellow lamb lovers should definitely also try their lamb chops. On the day, I checked out the restaurant, the lamb chops were definitely even more flavor than the favored picanhas. <em></em><strong><em>-- Cyrene de la Rosa</em></strong><strong></strong><em><strong></strong></em></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Ensaymada at Metiz 2.0 </strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:632px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759834064313IMG_3292.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Cyrene de la Rosa </em></span></span></span>Chefs Stephan Duhesme’s and Arlo Gregorio’s Metiz finally reopened after an extended renovation. Now serving a shorter (on paper) tasting menu that’s still as seafood- and vegetable-forward as before.  </div><p>Staging a comeback is a new version of Metiz’s famous ensaymada. Now sporting a softer less, caramelized exterior that’s more like a brioche than the former’s more kouign-amman like base. But, fortunately for us, it’s as delicious and like its predecessor, finished with lots of cheese. You need to go for the tasting menu to try it though. <strong><em>-- Cyrene de la Rosa</em></strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Strawberry Shortcake by 50 &amp; Co. Bakery</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:632px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759834167615IMG_5957.JPG" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Handout</em></span></span></span>Right in time for the Christmas season, one of my favorite home-based bakers Trisha del Rosario rebranded and changed the name of her baking business from 50 Shades of Dough to 50 &amp; Co. Bakery. This change also marks her baking operations move to a proper commissary within Makati, where she now has a bigger space to make more of the goodies she’s known for like her ensaymadas, burnt butter cereal polvoron, savories like empanadas and cakes. My old favorite is her Coffee Crunch cake.</div><p>But, one should also try her Strawberry Shortcake made with light layers of soft sponge, beautifully smothered with a generous amount of sweetened just right, light pink  strawberry infused whipped cream icing made with real cream. </p><p>The cake is simply adorned with some slivers of fresh strawberries lightly coated with a sweet balsamic vinegar glaze that provides just the right amount of tangy flavor that balances the cake’s richness well. It’s like a less sweet version of the iconic Forbes Park strawberry shortcake (Manila’s default benchmark for a good strawberry shortcake) with a lighter, and more moist sponge cake layers too. <strong><em>-- Cyrene de la Rosa</em></strong></p>

<p>From local classics turned into refined small plates to indulgent desserts and inventive global twists, these are the dishes that made us most excited to eat out last month.</p>

From local classics turned into refined small plates to indulgent desserts and inventive global twists, these are the dishes that made us most excited to eat out last month.

The best things we tasted in September 2025

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The best things we tasted in September 2025

ABS-CBN Lifestyle,

JC Cailles Lo,

Cyrene de la Rosa and Jeeves de Veyra

Published Oct 08, 2025 05:48 PM PHT

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Updated Oct 08, 2025 06:07 PM PHT

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