Tatler Dining Philippines 2019

GRACE BARBERS BAJA A wife, a mother of three, a passionate cook, and an avid traveller, Grace is in constant search for the best dining experiences here and abroad. Her artisanal food line, Taste by Grace Home, has been a hit since it was launched in 2017. GIGI BAUTISTA Despite her hectic schedule helming a full-service international event management company, Gigi continuously explores exotic destinations and delights in epicurean discoveries. STEPHANIE ZUBIRI CRESPI TV presenter, food writer, blogger, and WSET Level 3-certified wine enthusiast, Stephanie’s first and very well-received book, Feast With Me, recently won the National Book Awards in the food category. Crazy about ethnic and world cuisine, she can enjoy a cheap and cheerful pho ga in Ho Chi Minh’s Ben Tanh market just as much as a perfectly cooked baby lamb chop…

In this 15th edition of T.Dining’s Best Restaurant Guide (BRG), we left no culinary stone unturned, diligently exploring the Philippines’ dining landscape, from swanky white table-clothed establishments to casual cafés and delis, and all the true blue bistros in between. We also ran through the entire gamut of the country’s best bars, starting with the sexiest speakeasies to sky-high venues with a dizzying view, p. 249. In Big On Burgundies, we gained insightful tips from wine connoisseur and self-professed “Burgundy nut,” Jojo Madrid, on investing in wines from this complicated region. We tried and tested a number of cuisines and produce native to Davao Region in Delightful Davao p. 24; delved into the nation’s slow food movement (which is apparently picking up momentum) in Taking It Slow p. 16; and then…

Over the last five years, prices of top Burgundies on average have risen by as much as 40 per cent. Bordeaux First Growth by comparison has fallen 20 per cent. During that same period, the FTSE 100 was up 20 per cent and gold was down by nine. If you go back further, say a decade, top Burgundy is up 175 per cent versus FTSE, which is up 18 per cent and S&P, which is up 68 per cent. Evidently, Burgundy shouldn’t be overlooked as a place to invest for wine collectors. What makes Burgundy different from Bordeaux is its extremely restricted supply, especially at the top tier. This is exacerbated by the skyrocketing demand for the region by fine wine collectors, more recently, from China. Of the world’s 20 most…

A few years back, it was rare to find ingredients such as brown rice, quinoa, or edible flowers in the supermarkets and restaurant menus around the metro. Often, one could only get these in speciality stores with high mark-ups. But the scene has changed through the years as the Philippines, slowly but surely, began to embrace the slow food movement. “The signs are all around!” says an excited Chit Juan, Slow Food Councilor for Southeast Asia and co-founder of ECHOstore, the sustainably sourced natural product outlet. “The number of farm-to-table restaurants is increasing, more and more chefs are using homegrown ingredients; and Philippine produce is drawing the interest of renowned chefs whenever presented in international food festivals.” An exciting revolution is happening in the food world, and the Philippines, with its…

“Fresh and simple” is how Zuhairah “Zee” Abas, Chief Tourism Operations Officer and OIC of the Department of Tourism (Region XI) describes Davao Region’s local cuisine. Enclosing the Davao Gulf in the southeastern portion of Mindanao, the region—comprised of five provinces, namely Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Davao Occidental—anchors its cuisine on the bounties of the land and sea, offering straightforward fare that encapsulates southern Mindanao’s diverse culture. Anyone who has been to or is living in this part of the country would tell you to never leave without trying the popular dish called kinilaw, a local version of ceviche or raw fish cured in vinegar and spices. This dish is served in most Filipino restaurants in the region in more ways than one could…

MARGARITA FORÉS ON HER PLATE: Having recently celebrated the opening of a 13th Cibo on its 21st year (her hugely successful chain of Italian cafés), there is absolutely no sign of this celebrity chef, restaurateur, and TV personality slowing down. On top of her diverse catering jobs by Cibo di Marghi Signature Caterer and two ultra-popular restaurants, Grace Park and Lusso, the unstoppable dynamo is concurrently focused on her other two new ventures: Las Casas Manila by Margarita Forés, which serves a classic Spanish-Filipino bill of fare from a revamped heritage mansion, and Islas Pinas, a funky food hall that showcases Filipino cuisines from around the country. “My energies will be spent streamlining, building and strengthening these,” says the former host of CNN’s Harvest with Margarita Forés, adding, “For Islas Pinas,…