10. Bacolod Chicken Inasal

Jupiter St. Makati; Quezon City Circle, Quezon City; Robinson's Place Manila; Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati; SM Megamall, Mandaluyong; One E-Com Center, SM MOA, Pasay; SM City Fairview

What this solo size (P65.50) lacks in aesthetics it makes up for in taste. It had a pleasing garlic aroma that could make mouths water, and the flavor of the soup showed a good balance of salt and garlic. Aside from sprinklings of spring onions and toasted garlic chips, the soup also had bits of ham, loose dumpling wrappers and soft onions swimming inside the broth. We would have wanted more of the tasty molo as they were not a lot of it, and though the molo wrapper was not always intact, we loved its smooth texture.

9. Bistro Remedios
1911 M. Adriatico St., Remedios Circle, Malate, Manila. 523-9153

Though we found the price (P130) a bit steep considering the size of one serving, the soup is pretty filling. The broth was nice and clear, albeit a few puddles of oil were visible. The salty-garlic taste was made more enticing with strips of chicken and shrimps, and chopped spring onions for an added bite. The wrappers used on the dumplings were a bit thick and the amount of filling could have been more, but its overall taste and appeal stood out in this round of tasting.

8. Jay-j's Inasal
Kalayaan Ave., Diliman Quezon City; Mo. Ignacia St. cor Timog Ave. South Triangle, Quezon City; Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan; Metrowalk, Brgy Ugong, Pasig City; SM Fairview, Quezon City; Hobbies of Asia, Macapagal Ave., Pasay City; Ortigas Bazaar Center, Julia Vargas cor. Meralco Ave, Pasig City

We immediately had high hopes for this pancit molo (P 110) when it was served—the soup looked beautiful with a perfectly clear broth and a generous serving of molos. The broth itself was good, with a salty opening that was quickly followed by a garlicky aftertaste. It was adorned with chopped spring onions and toasted garlic chips, and was not the oily kind. The molo, probably seven or eight of them, were pretty generous for this soup's size and price. Small as the dumplings were, each bite was packed with flavor and flaunted silky smooth wrappers.  

7. Conti's
President's Avenue, BF Homes, Paranaque; Connecticut Street, Greenhills, San Juan; Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City; Trinoma, Quezon City; Greenbelt 2, Ayala Center, Makati City; Katipunan Ave. Extension, Quezon City.

Don't be fooled if you see that pancit molo (P75) here is listed under the menu's merienda section, it's available any time of the day—and thank God for that! The molo here was among the best we tried as the wrapper-to-filling proportion was well-balanced, with a texture that was dense and firm without being too mushy. There were extra bits of wrapper included in the soup that added a nice texture to the broth and more flavor. If you prefer a bland broth then this one isn't for you—Conti's pancit molo wasn't shy on salt and garlic, which made it all the more memorable.

6. Finio
220 Tomas Morato Ave, Quezon City, 415-1278

This satisfying bowl of molo may seem pricey at P228, but that's because the serving is good for four to five people. While the broth appeared to be oily, it definitely didn't taste that way—the flavorful broth opened with strong seafood taste from the shrimp, followed by hints of garlic and black pepper. We loved how the black pepper gave the broth a refreshing aftertaste and quite a kick. There were around a ten or so molos encased in a delicately smooth wrapper that goes down easy.

5. Kabisera
Bonifacio High Street, BGC, Taguig; Rockwell, Makati

Kabisera's version (P175) was elegantly presented in a white tureen over a porcelain warmer. The broth, garnished with chopped spring onions and strips of chicken, was one of the most memorable on this list. We're not sure if it was the chicken flavor or a combination of chicken and pork, but the result was a lovely flavor-packed soup with just the right amount of garlic. It seems most of the oil was removed from the soup, but they had left just enough of it to lend some smoothness to the broth. The molos were small but delectable, with a particularly strong parsley flavor. Good for two to three people, we have to say it was quite excellent—one that you'll remember and crave for on a rainy day.

4. Romulo Café
32 Scout Tuason cor. Sct. Dr. Lazcano, Quezon City. Tel. 332-7275

This bowl of pancit molo made a good first impression. The soup was topped with spring onions and toasted garlic, and it was served at just the right temperature with enough steam rising from the clear broth that could make anyone with a cold feel just a little bit better. Wisps of egg white formed after the broth was poured into the bowl. Since it was a single size serving, there were not that many molos, but those we had were huge, showing off a generous amount of filling and tasty bits of shrimps. Overall, this pancit molo tasted as good as it looked—the kind that could earn a spot in stately manors in Iloilo City. The best part was it offered great value for money as it will cost you only P70 a bowl.

3. Milky Way
2/F 900 A. Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City. 810-8735

Its appearance may be underwhelming—a clear broth with only four pieces of dumplings that resemble siomai—but Milky Way's version (P130) was topnotch.  The broth was superb—clear with a sprinkling of finely chopped green onions and toasted garlic. The flavor was not at all oily, with the right level of saltiness and garlic aroma. The molos turned out pretty good as well as they were large, firm to the bite and generously stuffed. The lesson here? Never judge a book by its cover, definitely.

2. Adarna Food and Culture Restaurant
119 Kalayaan Ave. Diliman, Quezon City. Tel. 926-8712

The broth at Adarna is pretty unique. Unlike the other pancit molos on this list, it didn't seem to be flavored with garlic, soy sauce or shrimps, but a sour fruit similar to bayabas or kamias. It was an unusual choice of flavoring, but perhaps the intention was to let the mild sourness perk up the appetite. The four huge pieces of molos it came with were the best we tried. They were firm, with bits of carrots providing an extra crunch. But what we found even more amazing was how they managed to keep the pork and shrimp filling excellently moist, that you could taste the dumpling's juices when you bite into it. The flavor of the molo itself was meaty and perfectly seasoned with salt and spices. It may seem a bit pricey at P 140 for a single serving, but it is worth every peso.


1. Bacolod Chicken House
A. Soriano Ave. Intramuros, Manila; President's Avenue, BF Homes, Paranaque; Don Chino Roces Ave. Makati City.

We had an epiphany the moment we tasted this version: this was the pancit molo that all other pancit molos should be judged against. It was so good that we're confident even a sugar baron from Iloilo would love it! The broth's salty-garlic flavor was enhanced with crushed black pepper. Strips of pork and onion rings, plus a sprinkling of coarsely chopped green onions and toasted garlic added texture and flavor to the broth. We loved that the molo's meaty filling was nice and firm, and that it had plenty of loose wrappers in the soup for us to feast on. Best of all, it's a steal at P96 a bowl.