(SPOT.ph) If you don’t already know, here at SPOT.ph, we love food. You need it to live, but we find that there are some dishes that go well past the virtue of necessity. While others content themselves with a deep fryer and the usual salt and pepper, there are some who make-or at least try to make-an art out of it, with delicious displays and even yummier flavors. We believe those that go above and beyond their duty deserve necessary recognition. Our top picks among the dishes we ate throughout September:
Reverse Champorado from The Terrace
A personal favorite deconstructed into four components: milk porridge, Belgian dark chocolate sauce, chocolate ice cream, and bits of tuyo. Too bad it’s only this September for Resorts World’s Chocolate Festival.
Strawberry Spiced Buffalo Wings from Melting Pot
This dish forces you to look at strawberries in a different light, its sweet and tangy profile giving the undertones of a classic spicy appetizer a new dimension.
LES Bagels’ LES Addiction
What’s not to love about this hefty bagel sandwich? Whopper in size, the pumpernickel bagel is packed to the brim with scallion cream cheese, lox, tomatoes, onions, and capers.
Choco Hazelnut waffle from Famous Belgian Waffles
Their menu is pretty extensive (who knew you could put so many different things in a waffle?), but it didn’t take us too long to decide on this one, and we weren’t disappointed. Warm, gooey, and slightly crunchy, this waffle sandwich makes for a satisfying snack anytime of the day.
Project Pie’s Mixed Greens Salad
We come here for the fun of making our own pizzas, but the salads are good, too: this Mixed Greens one with grilled chicken, feta, candied walnuts, and raspberry vinaigrette is a crowd-pleaser.
Matcha Lychee Cake at Saboten
It’s a little tiny on its own, but after a large tonkatsu tenderloin with unlimited rice, this earthy sweet confection with its pretty lychee crown is a sweet ending.
Earth Kitchen’s Beef Kebab
Three skewers of perfect melt-in-your-mouth beef that are juicy, beautifully smoky, and absolutely mouthwatering. The rice pilaf on the side is flavorful, too, but the pair just complements each other nicely.
Italianni’s Penne Mascarpone
Compared to the in-your-face Italian flavors of their other pasta dishes, this mild offering of mascarpone and cream creeps up from behind and hits a smackdown in terms of overall taste.
Sentro 1771’s Chorizo Rolls
A little salty, a little peppery, a little tangy. These new poppers from the first modern Filipino cuisine assault your palate with one bite.
Brotzeit Original
Brotzeit has been leading the way when it comes to German cuisine in Manila. Their 1.5-L beers help wash down all those sausages.