In the past few weeks, we found some new interesting restaurants. Behind the Filinvest Mall in Alabang is a strip offering dining options to nearby residents on the lookout for places to bond and eat. Then there is one in Makati with a directional name.
Red Kitchen and Bar
River Park, Filinvest Mall, Alabang; tel. 8937651.
This is the first restaurant on the new strip with a big sign in red, which stands for “Relax, Eat and Drink.” Quite a come-on, this diner’s group decided to do just that, but with not much of the “drink” part. Parking is rather difficult on the curb, but cars can go around and park across.
Dining area—Deep and narrow but ends with a view of the beautiful park. That natural attraction is a refreshing bonus for those waiting for their orders. A photo shoot can even be done before or after a meal. Interiors are basically in black. The bar is set up against the main wall; tables and chairs, however, are a bit too closely set up.
Service—The menu card is presented immediately and orders are taken.
Staff—Male and female wait staff wearing gray and black outfits are efficient.
Suggested orders—This is basically a Tex-Mex restaurant with the chef tweaking some dishes, with great success at blending flavors. Our starter was a Caesar salad given a new taste and texture by the bagoong dressing with bits of bagnet. The kitchen pulled a very unexpected surprise with Triad Churrasco or mixed barbecue. There were skewered portions (four in each) of beef, pork, chicken and prawns. On its base were rice, roasted vegetables and three kinds of dips that included Chimichurri. The barbecue was savory enough, we hardly used the dips. Then we reveled at the 72-Hour Braised Pork Belly set on pilaf rice. The salad, with which we started, and the dessert at the end of the meal, with robust coffee, sealed our approval for Red.
Government and service charges are added to the bill. Senior cards are honored.
Rating – 2 Spoons.
One Way Restaurant
200 Concord Building, Benavides and Salcedo Streets, Salcedo Village, Makati; tel. 869 8958.
The owners/management were ingenious to have named their outfit like a directional sign. While this diner had frequently gone around Makati, it was always a challenge to find a particular street. Somehow we would always get lost. But this time, One Way was quite easy to find.
Dining area—Mainly done in black, mostly stripes. It was quite blinding but we got used to it, eventually immersed in a black-and-white mood, which was dramatic. Needless to say, tables were clothed in the same color with white.
Service—Fast. Orders were served in quick succession.
Staff—Friendly and efficient.
Suggested orders—We were told that guests who came wearing the color of the place, black, would have their steaks on the house. Unfortunately the promo had ended when we got there. However, the menu was vast and included food for all times of the day: sourdough hamburgers, salads and sandwiches, steaks and even Lebanese Mezza.
In our company was a frequent diner who had a keen sense of taste. Immediately, upon taking his first forkful of pasta, he noticed the change in flavor. The reason, which he extracted from one of the staff attending to us, was that the restaurant had changed chefs.
In any case, we found the Duck Confit and Tender Lamb in wine sauce quite up to our
expectations. We won’t have second thoughts dining here again.
Service and government charges are added to the bill. Senior cards are honored.
Rating – 2 Spoons