This New Food Hall at S Maison Has Something for Everyone

My South Hall
G/F S Maison, Marina Way corner Seaside Boulevard, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

(SPOT.ph) It's decidedly not your ordinary food hall, with the unusual amount of elbow room and sleek vibe—but the things you do love about a food hall are all right at this ground-floor corner of S Maison, with the bonus reassurance that you can’t go wrong, whatever you choose.

The bright and loose atmosphere doesn’t hurt, either. Combining bright colors with semi-industrial fixtures, and sprinkling in some Spanish-tile-esque floors, it’s easy to get sucked in and not leave for hours.

Chef Josh Boutwood’s new baby, My South Hall, seems to reflect his personal values as a chef, namely, putting innovation above tradition. Yet in a way you can see—especially at the fresh pasta stall—that Boutwood acknowledges that there must be a balance of both.

The place may be new, but everyone will be able to recognize old favorites on the menus. The first thing you see is WCKD (as in “wicked”), the milk-tea leg of this massive operation, serving up stuff you immediately know you’ll love, like the Black Sugar Milk Tea (P100/regular, P120/large). The Taro Matcha (P110/regular, P130/large) is listed under their specialties with good reason, with just enough richness to make it feel like a luxury without ever unsettling one’s stomach. But if that’s not your cup of tea, the Citrus Fruit Tea (P95/regular, P110/large) might be, and in the constant heat of Manila, who doesn’t need something light and refreshing in the middle of the day?

After that, the world is your oyster. You can get some unfailingly tasty meals over at Roast’d, where it’s hard to go wrong with a dish like Roast Chicken with Rice (P248), which is basically your new excuse to never roast fowl yourself again—it’s that good. For something slightly more posh, there’s the Roast Duck with Rice (P298), crispy skin and all.

If you’ve got some time on your hands, Seoul Hotpot and Golden Treasures makes for a pretty good contender for your attention. Our favorite is the USDA Angus Beef Sirloin Set (P398), which comes with a box brimming with leafy greens, chili, sauces, and the plumpest mushroom you ever did see. Pair that with the sizeable and wonderfully tender Steamed Siumai (P188) from the other stall, and you’re set. If there’s a celebration, though, you’re going to want the Birthday Noodles (P198)—this dish is just the right amount of slippery-salty-sweet.

That is, of course, unless you’re looking into a different sort of noodle. We mentioned Roma earlier, which looks to share the magic of fresh pasta—and we do mean magic. If you’ve never had it, having it fresh truly makes all the difference. Dive in head-first with the Truffle Pasta (P355), and choose the conchiglie (shells) as your base. You’ll get the full richness of the truffle, balanced out with the smooth but chunky texture of the pasta.

For a little bit of adventure, we highly recommend Tabemashou, the Japanese cuisine section of the hall. The Salmon Aburi (P345) may convert even the fish-phobic, because the crispy fried nori goes perfectly with the smooth salmon and strong soy sauce. The skewers are surefire hits, too, with variants like Pork Enoki (P105), Roasted Beef & Spring Onion (P110), and the simple but succulent Chicken Thigh (P55). It might seem like overkill, but pairing the skewers with the Chasu Tonkotsu Ramen (P255), which is neither too rich nor too thin, could make for an excellent rainy-day meal. Long story short—too late?—you need to get your butt over there.

Photos by Kit Singson