Review | Manila Cuisine: Filipino Feast

Through the good shots and, sometimes, the not so good, our restaurant critics tell you about their experience, introduce the team in the dining room and in the kitchen, while explaining what motivated the choice of the restaurant. This week: Manila Cuisine.

Eve Dumas
The Press

Why talk about it?

We wanted to get off the beaten track a bit this week. That said, Cuisine de Manila is far from being a well-kept secret within the Filipino community. First named Perle de Manila when it opened almost 20 years ago, the restaurant has moved twice to settle in its current location about ten years ago. The location on Victoria Avenue, a few steps from the Côte-Sainte-Catherine metro station, has just been renovated and the menu has a new section of “street food” bites, which are very popular with young people in the area. .

Who are they ?

Brothers Dado and Ricky Contaoe opened their restaurant in 2003, along with Dado’s brother-in-law, Paeng Dayo. The latter is to this day the undisputed master of lechon, a roast suckling pig that he prepares every weekend. The children, nephews, nieces have practically all worked in the family business over the years. Peter, son of Dado, is one of the most committed. He plays an important role in the modernization of the restaurant. During the pandemic, the trade did not stop at take-out, but the team took the opportunity to refresh the image of the old buffet. The result is a very relaxed dining room, closer to a canteen than a classic restaurant.

Our experience

The new configuration of the restaurant is very “post-COVID-19”. From the entrance, a low wall that runs the entire length indicates that you have to go directly to the back of the room to order. The tables are arranged on the other side of this separation.

This step can be daunting if you have no knowledge of Filipino cuisine and, even more so, if there is a line of regulars behind you who have come to pick up their meal. That said, the young staff at the counter are always welcoming and very helpful. There are safe bets here and we will advise you with a smile.

Some dishes can be a full-fledged meal for one person. This is the case, for example, of the rich kare-kare, a nice portion of crispy pork belly in a peanut sauce with vegetables.

The same goes for the adobo, this classic braised pork in soy sauce, vinegar and garlic, served with rice and salad.

Other specialties are more for sharing, such as the thin and crispy lumpiang shanghai rolls. There are 12 per order. You also won’t want to eat Dado’s Seven Irresistible Spicy Fried Chicken Pieces alone or alone. Bring family or friends, it’s a generous and festive cuisine.

Absolutely everything we tasted was tasty. Next time, try the dinuguan (pork stew in blood sauce), which is perhaps more for insiders, and the fried fish (Daing na Bangus). It’s important to point out that animal protein lovers are much happier here than vegetarians, although the menu does have a few meatless options, such as the must-have pancit noodles and Okoy vegetable fritters. Still unable to decide? Perhaps the generous Kamayan platter for two is the solution.

Whether eating on site or at home, food is served in cardboard containers, confirming the new approach fast-casual places. While we savor our hearty meal at the window counter, an uninterrupted stream of customers comes by to pick up their take-out order. The dining room with around thirty seats is also full. It’s early on a Saturday night and the place is busy with groups of young people who seem to be on a long trip, families and couples of all ages.

On our second visit, on a Thursday afternoon, there was even a group of young schoolgirls having a snack at the end of the day. “It’s the new streetfood menu that attracts them, I think,” says Peter proudly. What also attracts young people? The famous Halo-halo, this colorful cup made of crushed ice, evaporated milk, fruit and purple yam (ube) ice cream. Here is the instagrammable dessert par excellence and the assurance of a beautiful free presence in social networks.

In our glass

Here, we drink calamondin juice, the citrus fruit of the Philippines. There is also mango juice and coconut water, but no alcohol.

Price

Street food bites cost around $10 for a share. Meals are $13, meats and noodles to share are $12 to $20. There are also main course soups ($12 to $14), a few sides ($2.50 to $4.50) and desserts ($8 or $9).

Information

The restaurant is open seven days, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.