If culinary icon Margarita Fores is wearing a bright smile these days, it’s for a good reason. Her popular restaurant, Grace Park, has just made it to the famous “Where Chefs Eat” this year. Published by Phaidon, it’s considered the “real insider’s guide” to where to dine—600 chefs from all over choosing about 3,000 restaurants in 70 countries.
Grace Park is a trailblazer of sorts, Fores’ initial foray into farm-to-table cuisine. At One Rockwell in Rockwell Center, Makati, it has developed a sizeable dining clientele the last few years, drawn to its meats (Muscovado Beef Belly) and fish (Baked Pampano) dishes alike, and to-drool-over desserts (Cuatro Leche).
Grace Park was chosen by top Filipino chef Antonio Escalante, who also included Terry’s, Elbert Cuenca’s Ramen Yushoken (Molito, Alabang), Umu at Dusit Thani Hotel, Gloria Maris (Greenhills), New Harlem (Pasay Road) and JT’s Manukan (Quezon City).