Aside from the Philippines' Top 5, here's the list (with my personal views/reviews)
Makati
Ayala Malls:
MR. JONES
Ground Level Greenbelt 5 Ayala Center Makati +63 2 501 3682
mrjonesrestaurant.com
One of the best diners ever, meals are always more than satisfactory and come in huge servings. Best for a Friday night out with friends. Make sure to make a reservation though as it is always full.
M (MUSEUM) CAFE
Ayala Museum Glass Wing, Ground Level, Greenbelt 4, Ayala Center +63 2 757 3000
mcafemanila.com
This place is great for Sunday brunch with champagne and jazz. Or on a tough day, thanks to their choc nut pie.
LORENZO'S WAY
Ground Level Greenbelt 5 Ayala Center, Makati +63 2 729 0047
ljcrestaurants.com.ph/lorenzos-way
When you can't get a seat at Abe ...
PEOPLE'S PALACE
Ground Level, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati +63 2 729 2888
peoplespalacethai.com
PEPATO
But Pepato is now RIP (rest in peace, no more huhuhu). Margarita Fores' new showroom is now at Greenbelt 5, a restaurant named Lusso.
Hotel restaurants
SHANG PALACE
2/F Makati Shangrila, Ayala Ave cor. Makati Ave +63 2 840 0884
shangri-la.com/makati
Still one of the best Chinese restaurants in the Philippines.
OLD MANILA
Ground Floor, Ayala Tower, The Peninsula Manila, Ayala Ave. cor Makati Ave., Makati +63 2 887 2888 ext. 6748
The Peninsula has a new executive chef, Freddy Thierry Philippe Schmidt, who enthralled Manila's most scrutinizing of critics (including Myrna Segismundo and Micky Fenix) at a dinner hosted by the Pen to introduce him. I have yet to see how Old Manila will fare under his helm.
BENJARONG ROYAL THAI RESTAURANT
Mezzanine Level, Dusit Thani Hotel, Pasay Road (Arnaiz Ave.), Makati +63 2 867 3333 loc. 3352
For me, the best Thai restaurant in the country. (Though People's Palace fans might beg to disagree.)
RESTAURANT CICOU
Hotel Celeste, Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road) cor. Makati Ave. +63 2 889 6728
hotelceleste.ph
Cyrille Soenen was one of the chefs who made the Intercon famous for their steaks. His loyal followers thus followed him as he opened Cicou. But here it's not just the steak that's worth the visit. Try also their sardines and seafood offerings.
Other Makati restaurants
LV Locsin Building, Podium Level, 6752 Ayala Avenue, Makati +63 2 750 1555
www.salarestaurant.com
Chef Colin McKay continues to be one of the most respected chefs among chefs. Sala is another fine dining reliable, with a menu that is always current without sacrificing taste.
MASSETO
114 Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati +63 2 810 3565
Very elegantly designed and with attentive service, this is another excellent choice for a business lunch or a first date. The wine selection is for the wine savvy. Tippy Tambunting also makes an extra effort to push herself to create unique dishes that make new items on the menu always worth a try.
APARTMENT 1B
Sedeno between Valero and Leviste, Salcedo Village +63 2 843 4075
apartment1b.com
Absolutely yummy comfort food of first class quality but also with first class prices.
SERYNA
2277 Chino Roces Ave., Makati +63 2 894 3855
Reasonably priced fresh Japanese food. To my mind, not the best, pero pwede na rin.
TSUKIJI
3/F Milky Way Building, 900 Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati +63 2 812 2913
www.tsukiji-restaurant.com
You can't beat Tsukiji because Chef J Gamboa flies to Tsukiji to shop for the goods here personally. It's the real thang. Of course it also comes at Yen prices. So the people you spot here are the likes of Mike Arroyo and Tonyboy Cojuangco with the lovely Greta in tow.
CIRKULO
Ground Floor, Milky Way Building, 900 Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati +63 2 810 2763
elcirkulo.com
Best tapas and other Spanish delicacies. Amazingly consistent in terms of quality and service. Plus if you spot Malou Gamboa, her attentiveness is an added breath of fresh air.
ELBERT'S STEAK ROOM
3/F Sagittarius Building III, 111 HV dela Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati
+63 2 339 3363
steakroom.com
Steak as a steak lover would have it.
CORNER TREE CAFE
150 Jupiter Street, Makati +63 2 897 0295
A testament to the growing number of vegetarians in the metro. This restaurant is nothing fancy but if you are vegetarian and you desperately need flavorful veggie food, this is where to go.
Bonifacio Global City / Taguig
ABE
Serendra Plaza, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig +63 2 856 0526
ljcrestaurants.com.ph/abe
This is my top of mind recommended restaurant to foreigners who would like a taste of Filipino cooking. Closest to home, i.e., if you have a family that takes pride in a member's cooking, this restaurant is most reflective of Philippine home cooking at its best. How can you not fall in love with their binukadkad na pla-pla and kare-kare? Not to mention the eat-all-you-can rice!
CHEF LAUDICO BISTRO FILIPINO
Ground Floor Net 2 Building 3rd Avenue Bonifacio Global City, Taguig +63 2 856 0634
cheflaudico.com.ph
Progressive Filipino cuisine at its best.
SENTRO 1771
Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig +63 2 856 0581
chateaugroup.com
Three words: corned beef sinigang.
JE SUIS GOURMAND
Net 1 Center Building, 26th St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig +63 2 815 8801
CHELSEA MARKET CAFE
Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig +63 2 901 5817
chelseamarketcafe.com
MAMOU
Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig +63 2 856 3569
I would say Mamou and Apartment 1B are the two restaurants I return to most when craving good food. Best known for its Peter Luger style steaks and key lime pie. Also popular for the seasonal Maine lobsters.
Quezon City
145 FAHRENHEIT PRIME STEAKS AND SEAFOOD
Upper Ground Level, Il Terrazzo Mall, Tomas Morato, Quezon City +63 2 703 2725
www.wix.com/spasso/fsteak145
I have not revisited since the time I was reviewing this resto but I hope that their steaks have improved since. Must have since they made the list!
Ortigas
TERRY'S BISTRO
Lower Ground Floor, Podium Mall, Ortigas +63 2 636 3513
There are three branches now to my knowledge: the original on Pasong Tamo, this one listed in the guide at the Podium Mall, and one just off the park in Salcedo Village. All have the deli. But for lunch or dinner, I would still make my way to the one on Pasong Tamo. The ambiance is as Terry's set it out to be: tiled floors, piano, open kitchen - a place for enjoying food, music (there's an ancient piano complete with candelabras!) and each others' company.
22 PRIME
22nd Floor, Discovery Suites, Ortigas
discoverysuites.com
View from the top over steak.
Manila
315 San Rafael Street, San Miguel District, Manila (near Malacanang) +63 2 734 2141
lacocinadetitamoning.com
This place is more Old Manila than the Peninsula's Old Manila - it's the real Old Manila! It doesn't get more authentic than this as Suzette Montinola uses her lola's recipes served in her lola's home using her lola's china, cutlery and even her cook! Most memorable for me is their kare kare, which is more soupy than saucy.
Out of town
Soooo happy these guys made the list and that the representation of best Philippine restaurants now extends outside of Metro Manila!
INDIGO (Boracay)
Discovery Shores, Boracay Station 1 +63 36 288 4500 discoveryshoresboracay.com
ABACA (Cebu)
Punta Engano Road, Lapu Lapu City, Mactan Island +63 32 495 3461 abacaresort.com
BALE DUTUNG (Pampanga)
Paul Street cor. St. Francis St., Villa Gloria Subdivision, Angeles City, Pampanga +63 917 535 9198
baledutung.com
A five hour meal of 5-way lechon. Minimum of 12 heads. Cash basis. Reservations required.
TATOY'S (Iloilo)
Sto. Nino Sur, Arevalo, Iloilo City, Iloilo +63 33 337 1360
The best chicken inasal evah!
The Miele Guide is available now ONLINE at www.mieleguide.com but will soon be in major bookstores. I am very happy with the results and when I used the guide in Macau (as I went on a personal food tour after gala night), found that the recommendations were fantastic, the descriptions spot on and the contact details very helpful (as long as you have your concierge translate it to Chinese!).
There is no sincerer love than the love of food. - George Bernard Shaw
