Local Craft Beer and Neon Lights: Don’t Let the Weekend Pass Without Going to Polilya in Poblacion
Bar chow that's so good you'll still love it in the morning.
5658 Don Pedro Street, Poblacion, Makati City
Open from 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. (Monday to Friday) and 6:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. (Saturday)
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(SPOT.ph) Poblacion is so not through with us yet, and almost nothing is a better indication of that than Polilya opening their doors along Don Pedro Street.
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One of the first things you'll notice is the seamlessly eclectic furniture and the moody lighting. While it is very much a pub, the interiors designed by Lizzie Zobel, Junie Rodriguez, and Mia Borromeo are so well put-together: A chandelier of sample bottles graces the bar proper, tropical-inspiredÂ
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Ian Paradies, a.k.a. your new best friend and one of the minds behind Engkanto Brewery, has finally given his brainchild beer a home here—quite literally, "Bahay ng
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Comfortable is the polite word. In fact, if you're not careful, you could fall asleep on one of those couches. The all-too-drinkable beers certainly don't help. Some are peppery, some are light, and, shock horror, some are seasonal, so better get 'em while they’re on offer. Can't decide? A couple of Four O'Clock Flights (P280) might help. The Blonde Ale (P155/12 oz) and the Double IPA (P190/12 oz) are crowd favorites for their citrusy and fruity notes.
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(Left to right) Double IPA, Blame It On the Heat, Sandrapolitan, Cool Bird Spritz
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Feel like classing it up? The Sandrapolitan (P280) is for you. It's pink and it's delicious—thank God for cranberry-pomegranate cordial—and it may or may not make your pinky finger
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If you need to really drink but you remain adamant about your city-girl aesthetic, we suggest the Cool Bird Spritz (P290). Just as pretty, with a bit more punch to it. You'd never know that this was a beer cocktail if the menu didn't tell you so, and the same goes for the incredibly refreshing Blame It On the Heat (P145). It's all deceptively light and
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Now with these drinks and those aesthetics, cynical souls would be led to believe that the food would suffer, even a little. Two words for said souls: Heck, no! Bar chow will never be the same.
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"We didn't want the food to outshine the beer. The beer is the star," says Head Chef Luis de Terry, who's also from the family that owns restaurant Terry's Selection. "Instead of downplaying the food, we incorporate the flavors of the beer into it. My background is wine, and while [it sounds vastly different], the flavor principles are the same. We've given all these items an Asian twist, too."
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Fish & Chips
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And there is no way to go easy on you, here. The Chips + Dip (P160) alone are mind-blowing. The French onion beer dip that comes with it needs to be sold in jars for you to veg out in bliss over the weekend. It's salty, creamy, just shy of rich, and absolutely phenomenal, and we didn't think we would ever use that word to describe a dip.
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Somewhere in the middle of the heft spectrum lie the Fish & Chips (P325), which may sound like pretty classic pub fare, but don't let the name fool you. There's a hint of curry in the beer batter that perfectly complements the tartar sauce, prepared like a raita. It's the Eurasian fusion you never knew you needed.
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B-B-B-Bolognese
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Don't you dare sleep on the B-B-B-Bolognese (
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But if you're looking for more bite, and arguably more bark, order everybody's favorite, the Zen Chicken Nuggets (P250). It sounds simple enough on paper: The flavors of Hainanese chicken reconfigured into a crisp-and-dip situation, but once you get it in your mouth you'll realize there's so much more to it than that. You've never had
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The truth is there are only so many words we can use to tell you about
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Photos by Jericho San Miguel
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