(SPOT.ph) If you didn’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 layers of flavors. We believe those that go above and beyond their duty deserve necessary recognition. So here are our top picks among the dishes we ate throughout October.
Highlands Bistro’s Seared Tuna With Black Sesame Coating
It’s no surprise that Highlands Bistro serves excellent steak; they were once Highlands Prime Steakhouse after all. But Chef John Kingston is all set to prove he’s ready to branch out and his Seared Tuna With Black Sesame Coating is a step in the right direction. The tuna is seared to be tender, the black sesame adds a crust that provides the perfect contrast, and the salad, dressed with a hint of balsamic, is so tasty you’ll fool yourself into thinking you’re going to start eating more salads. Hey, if they’re all as great as Highland Bistro’s, you just might.
Highlands Bistro is at G/F Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Pasig City.
Rackshack’s Crack Fried Chicken
If you’ve eaten at RACKS—though with more or less 10 years under their belt, who hasn’t?—you know for a fact that their ribs are fall-off-the-bone and lip-smacking delicious. You can expect the same from their hip new concept, Rackshack. But their fried chicken does manage to steal some of the attention away from the ribs, proof of just how good they are. The mouthwatering smell is enough to turn heads, and lets you know that all the pieces are all seasoned to perfection. The first bite won’t disappoint, too, with chicken skin that gives off a resounding crunch. It’s not called “crack” for nothing—you’ll inhale a bucket in mere minutes.
Rackshack is at 5/F SM Aura Premier, Bonifacio Global City.
Café
Café Enye may look like your typical Spanish restaurant, but they’re anything but. Chef Claudia Schulze takes inspiration from the countries Spain either conquered or traded with, to add a different flair to classic Spanish dishes. Their new branch in BGC is the perfect excuse to revisit their “colonial-Spanish cuisine,” like their version of paella, which is flavored with a blend of curry, turmeric, and cinnamon. The result is a headier, almost intoxicating, dish, with juicy chicken chunks to keep the flavorful paella from getting too overwhelming for your taste buds.
Café Enye is at Mezzanine Floor, Citi Plaza, 34th Street, Bonifacio Global City.
Trigo’s Buffalo Chicken Panini
Trigo is a bakery first and foremost, so you know that any sandwich they have at their café menu is going to be exceptional just from the bread alone. Baker and owner Iñaki Araneta takes the classic grilled cheese sandwich a step further with his Buffalo Chicken Panini. Slices of bread are stuffed with creamy mozzarella and juicy chicken chunks slathered with a tangy buffalo sauce. But the real kicker is the melted mozzarella that coats the entire sandwich, giving it a nice slightly toasted crust. Satisfyingly filling and tasty, it’s what every sandwich should strive to be.
Trigo is at 9629 Kamagong Street, San Antonio Village, Makati City.
Kko Kko Home’s Chicken Cheese Fondue
With the newest Kko Kko branch also serving as Grace Lee and her mom, Song Soon Il’s, test kitchen, you can expect specials and exclusive menu items. No one can blame you
Kko Kko Home is at 67 West Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City.
Polilya’s B-B-Bolognese
Ian Paradies of Engkanto Brewery has finally given his craft beer a home at Polilya. With neon-themed décor, and superb beer and beer-based cocktails, you’d be ready to forgive them if the bar chow turns out to be average at best. But
Lucky Chick’s Sriracha Butter
With their move to a new location at Ayala
Lucky Chick is at 3/F Ayala Malls The 30th, 30 Meralco Avenue, Pasig City.
The Bottle Shop’s Lechon Torta
Nothing else goes better with an ice-cold bottle of beer than glistening slices of
The Bottle Shop is at Net One Center, 26th Street corner 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City.
Phat Buddha’s Char Siu Roll
Vietnamese food usually equates to freshness, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be packed with bold flavors, too. Phat Buddha’s Char Siu Roll is a great showcase—
Phat Buddha is at 42 Katipunan Avenue, White Plains, Quezon City.
Kiss The Tiramisu’s Original Tiramisu
Kiss The Tiramisu, which continues to draw in long queues in their home base, Seoul, is now in Makati City with their specialty tiramisu soft serve. Their Original Tiramisu goes beyond simply flavoring vanilla soft serve with coffee. Soft serve, mocha and chocolate cookie crumbles,
Kiss The Tiramisu is at Three Central, Valero Street, Makati City.