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UPDATED: What to Try at Dubai Chocolate Creator Nouel Catis + Chef Sonny Mariano's Rockwell Pop-Up
Lamb shank kaldereta, habibi cake, and more Filipino + Middle Eastern dishes.
by Bea Faicol, and Patricia Baes
Published on Jun 6, 2025
(SPOT.ph) Right after Your Local and the chefs of Culinary Class Wars kitchen takeover at The Balmori Suite's Chef's Table comes another exciting collaboration you shouldn't miss out on. This time, teaming up are Chef Sonny Mariano of the Tasteless Food Group, and Chef Nouel Catis, the Filipino chef behind the global sensation kataifi and pistachio-cream filled chocolate from Dubai. The pop-up collaboration called Khaiba serves a limited-time menu that marries Filipino flavors with Middle Eastern techniques.
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Chefs Nouel Catis and Sonny Mariano. Photo by Patricia Baes.
Chef Sonny Mariano teams up with Chef Nouel Catis for The Balmori Suite Chef's Table
"Khaiba" is an expression in Arabic that's used to express shock or surprise, and that’s exactly what Chef Sonny and Chef Nouel are aiming to achieve with their collaboration—for guests to be left speechless over their menu that can be described as ka-khaiba (heh). One of the dishes on the menu is the Laing Baba Ganoush (P420), the lovechild of the creamy Bicolano dish with the creamy, smokiness of a baba ganoush, topped with protruding pieces of papadum. Our other faves are the Beef Sinigang (P690), melt-in-the-mouth kebabs of USDA beef belly in a prune-tamarind glaze; and Tuna Kinilaw (P590) with Gen San tuna in coconut-sumac vinaigrette and atsara sorbet (!).
Small plates at Khaiba. Photos by Patricia Baes and Bea Faicol
For mains, there's Chef Sonny's Lamb Shank Kaldereta (P1,850) which has fork-tender lamb shank in caldereta sauce cooked with almonds, apricots, and figs, great with the smoky Sinangag with Kiniing (P340). Don't miss the Miso Prawns (P1,150), with large prawns with white miso in Mafti shrimp sauce, and the Chicken Inasal (P870) with tender chicken inasal stew under a paper-thin sheet of chicken skin with za’atar.
Must-try mains: Chef Sonny's kaldereta-tagine mashup; prawns in Mafti sauce; chicken inasal under a paper-thin sheet of chicken skin with za’atar. Photos by Patricia Baes and Bea Faicol
Given Chef Nouel's Dubai chocolate creation and his track record of pistachio-kataifi collaborations with restaurants a mano, Ramen Ron, and Steak & Frice, it's no surprise the dessert menu's full of standouts. Don't miss the Habibi, I’ve Come From Dubai (P825)—Chef Nouel’s translation of his famous bar in cake form, with a slice of moist, plush tsokolate cake with a pistachio filling and rich Davao chocolate frosting. You can also get the Habibi Cake (P2,200), a whole four-inch cake with a pistachio diplomat cream filling, Davao chocolate froting, pistachio-kunafa crunch, and Nutella sauce. There's also the more one-of-a-kind Halo Halo (P495) with a soft ube cheesecake, discs of phyllo on top, heirloom pinipig for crunch, and an evaporada pandan sauce that's poured over as it’s served.
Dessert galore—including the interactive halo-halo (ube cheesecake, phyllo sheets, and a pandan evaporada sauce poured over as it's served) and the breathtaking Habibi Cake. Photos by Patricia Baes and Bea Faicol
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How to reserve a seat at the Khaiba pop-up
The Balmori Suite's Chef's Table Khaiba pop-up will be available from June 12 to July 13—that's a whole month to catch it while it's still available! Reservations will be available by June 6 (Friday), and you can call 0995-639-3972 to make a reservation.
The Khaiba Pop-Up will be at The Balmori Suites, Hidalgo Drive, Rockwell Center, Makati City. For reservations and inquiries, contact 0995-639-3972. For more information, check out Tasteless Food Group's Instagram page.
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The girl who drinks way too much coffee (more than she would ever admit).
For Trish, food is as much a source of pleasure and fuel as it is an outlet for creativity; a medium by which stories can be passed on; and a way to connect with others.
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