A Manila MICHELIN (Bib Gourmand and Selected) Food Guide

Finally, the MICHELIN Guide is here in Philippines! More than a month ago, the award-giving body has awarded 9 Stars (8 establishments), 25 Bib Gourmand, and 74 Selected.

Of course, the inauguration isn’t without controversy. There are establishments and Filipino regional cuisines that appear to be snubbed by the Guide. For me, this is understandable, as we cannot expect the inspectors to cover all establishments.

Still, I think that the coming of the MICHELIN Guide in the Philippines is really beneficial. Aside from giving recognition to worthy establishments, it will also boost sales and attract tourists.

In this article, I’m compiling our experiences in the MICHELIN Bib Gourmand and Selected food spots of Manila (and its environs). I will update this as I get to visit more spots.

By the way, if you are unfamiliar with the MICHELIN Guide distinctions, here’s a quick guide:

Bib Gourmand: Restaurants offering exceptionally good food at moderate prices

Selected: Restaurants recognized for quality food but still working towards a Star or Bib Gourmand (but I noticed that the Guide has removed this distinction)

Aida’s Chicken (Selected)

Aida’s Chicken is an institution in Bacolod City, a city in the Visayas region and the origin of the Chicken Inasal (grilled chicken). They opened a branch in Makati Central Square (formerly Makati Cinema Square), which got the MICHELIN recognition.

For the uninitiated, chicken inasal is a famous dish in Bacolod. The term inasal came from the Hiligaynon word asal, which means skewed. So an inasa/ is anything skewered. At first, only the breast, thigh, and wing parts of the chicken were used. Eventually, the others parts were also utilized. Unlike the usual marinade that's made of soy sauce and calamansi, an inasal uses a different kind. While the marinade ingredients vary, I think the staples are calamansi, garlic, ginger, and sinamak (coconut vinegar).

Aida’s inasal is juicy, tender, and smoky. In fact, I don't find any difference between the inasal of the their Bacolod branch and of the Makati branch.

Note: We recently visited Aida’s. Even at an off time, we waited for almost an hour for our food and the staff are inattentive at times. I hope their service improves and cope with their MICHELIN status.

Address: 2130 Chino Roces Ave., Legazpi Village, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Daily, 11AM-8PM | Facebook

Chie Chie’s Pancit Batil Patung (Selected)

This roadside eatery specializes in its namesake dish, Pancit Batil Patung. Originating from Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, a province in North Luzon, this dish is a pancit (stir-fried noodles) with a ton of toppings (“patung”) and served with an egg drop soup on the side (“batil”, which literally means “to whisk”). These toppings include ground beef, pig liver, and lechon karahay (deep-fried pork belly), among many others.

Chie Chie’s, whose owners are from Cagayan, serves an incredible version, a world of flavors and textures! You get a crunch from the lechon and the chicharong bulaklak (deep-fried pig mesentery), sweetness from the Chinese chorizo, earthiness from the liver, creaminess from the fried egg, crispness from the veggies, and softness from the noodles. This is easily one of my favorite kinds of pancit!

Address: 1827 Dian St., Palanan, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Please check their Facebook page | Contact No.: 0992-7265887 | Facebook

Kodawari (Salcedo) (Selected)

Kodawari is a Japanese restaurant that’s famous for their gyudon or Japanese beef and rice bowl. Interestingly, they have an untraditional take on it (for example is putting crispy talbos ng kamote or sweet potato tops on it) and their other menu items. It started out as a delivery service during the COVID-19 pandemic and opened a physical store in March 2023.

They have good food and a nice ambiance. Although they’re known for their gyudon, my favorites here are the Chashu (pork belly), Chilimansi (chili and calamansi) noodles, and Karaage (Japanese fried chicken).

Left to Right: *Chashu, Gyudon, and Chilimansi* Noodles

Address: Adamson Centre, 121 L.P. Leviste St., Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Daily, 11AM-11PM | Facebook | Instagram

Lola Helen Panciteria (Selected)

This establishment is the first MICHELIN-recognized panciteria, a place that serves Filipino-Chinese dishes. These include chopsuey (stir-fried vegetables), the iconic lumpiang Shanghai (deep-fried spring rolls), and different kinds of pancit/pansit (stir-fried noodles; the word “panciteria” literally means “pancit place”), among many others.

My favorites here include Hototay Guisado (stir-fried vegetables with more ingredients than chopsuey) and Miki Bihon Soup (soup with miki or thick egg noodles and bihon or thin rice noodles).

Counterclockwise starting upper left: *Lumpiang Shanghai*, *Miki Bihon* Soup, *Lechon Kawali* (deep-fried pork belly), and *Hototay Guisado*

Address: 425 J.P. Rizal St., Marikina City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9:30AM-9:30PM; Friday-Sunday, 9AM-10PM | Contact No.: 0927-5470111

Morning Sun Eatery (Bib Gourmand)

Morning Sun Eatery is a carinderia (eatery) in Quezon City serving authentic Ilocano food (Ilocos is the northernmost region in the Philippines). Even before the MICHELIN recognition, it’s already popular and has been featured by Chef JP Anglo and other food vloggers such as Jayzar Recinto and my friend Khee Leoncio a.k.a FoodieMommaPH (see our Filipino food crawl in Makati collab here).

Employing a turo-turo (literally “point-point”) style of ordering, the carinderia offers classic Ilocano dishes such as Dinakdakan (a dish made of boiled-then-grilled pig parts), Dinengdeng (vegetable soup), and Sinanglao (innards soup).

Left to Right: *Inihaw na Liempo* (grilled pork belly), *Sinanglao*, and *Kilawing Kambing* (goat “ceviche”)

Address: 170 J.P. Rizal St., Project 4, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Daily, 11AM-8PM | Contact No.: 0928-9139571 | Facebook

Pilya's Kitchen (Bib Gourmand)

Pilya’s Kitchen is a Chinese noodle stall in The Grid Food Market in Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center (Makati City). It’s helmed by Kriza Palmero, who worked as a sous chef at Very Fresh Noodles of Chelsea Market, an iconic culinary destination in the Big Apple.

Pilya’s Kitchen js famous for their biang biang noodles, which are thick, hand-pulled noodles named after the sound that it makes when it’s stretched.

Related Article: Pilya's Kitchen: Serving Freshly Hand-Pulled Biang Biang Noodles (Now with MICHELIN Bib Gourmand Recognition!)

Address: Stall 11 The Grid Food Market, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Amorsolo Dr., Poblacion, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Daily, 11AM-9PM | Facebook | Instagram

Super Uncle Claypot (Selected)

This restaurant specializes in Claypot Rice, a Cantonese dish composed of rice, proteins, and other ingredients cooked in a claypot. When done correctly, its rice will have a caramelized bottom, giving a nice crackle and smokiness.

I tried Super Uncle Claypot’s spareribs with add-on Chinese sausage. The pork is tender, the sausage is sweet and chewy, and the burnt rice is crunchy and smoky. So if I’m craving for legit claypot rice here in the Philippines, Super Uncle Claypot would be my go-to!

Address: G/F Aspect Apartments, 5887 Enriquez St. cor. Fermina St., Poblacion, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11AM-12AM; Friday & Saturday, 11AM-2AM | Facebook | Instagram

Ramen Ron (Selected)

Ramen Ron is a collaboration between Ukkokei Ramen Ron’s Chef Tamura and AF Hospitality’s Amado Forés with her mother, the late Chef Margarita Forés.

My favorites here are the Tantanmen (sesame-based ramen), the Steak & Truffle Shoyu Ramen (a limited time offering in collaboration with Mamou restaurant), and the Karaage (Japanese fried chicken).

Address: RS-103, G/F Edades Tower, Amorsolo Dr., Rockwell Center, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines | Operating Hours: Daily, 10AM-11PM | Facebook | Instagram