Finding it hard to book a seat in some of metro’s newest restaurants? No fret. Here are eight notable options from established and trusted brands.

Duck prosciutto on toast at The Test Kitchen (@thetestkitchenmnl)

Josh Boutwood has just dropped more than a handful of reasons for diners to go back to The Test Kitchen in One Rockwell. There are recent additions to the appetizers, mains and even desserts so you can enjoy a totally new set.

For starters, there’s a wedge salad composed of iceberg lettuce, smoked bacon lardons and Stilton blue cheese; cured hamachi with orange segments and ponzu; burrito with beets, local tomatoes and balsamic glaze; and my recommendation, thin slices of cured French duck breast on brioche toast with feta and garlic emulsion.

Heftier options include pumpkin and ‘nduja agnolotti, lamb shank with mushrooms, halibut and Manila clams with cauliflower puree, lamb sausage with bacon gravy and dry-aged Wagyu striploin.

There are three sweet numbers to choose from to cap your meal: a decadent cooked cream with wild honey and honeycomb caramel, baba au rum with rum syrup and date puree and toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream.

Mortadella Supreme at 717 Deli (@717deli)

Lance Ngo, the young talent behind San Juan’s hottest deli, has been churning out delicious sandwiches like Patty Melt, Halibut Sandwich and Philly Cheesesteak since May last year. Just recently, he came up with two new subs to add to his already notable roster—the Caprese, because he wanted to offer a vegetarian option, and the Mortadella Supreme, which has everything the former has (homemade focaccia, pesto, mozzarella and tomato) plus slices of mortadella and lettuce. Like the sandwiches that precede them, these too are worth the hype.

Slipper lobster with yuzu garlic aioli at the Nobu Weekend Brunch (@noburestaurantmanila)

The buffet at Nobu Restaurant in City of Dreams has become more luxurious with the addition of more mouthwatering dishes in the form of the 16-hour roast Wagyu beef carving, black cod butter lettuce, the selection of seafood on ice including fresh Irish Gallagher oysters and blue crabs and my pick, the slipper lobster with yuzu garlic aioli from the all-you-can-eat a la carte menu. And that’s on top of the unlimited servings of Nobu new-style sushi and sashimi.

Decorate-your-own dessert at Le Petit Chef (@le.petitchef)

The world’s smallest chef continues his run at The Grand Hyatt Manila, but this time in a different location at the same hotel. Together with this move, he is offering a new menu and a new show. Now located at The Gallery, Le Petit Chef lays out an animated repertoire (referring to both food and performance) titled “How To Become The World’s Greatest Chef.”

The multisensorial dining experience will have diners enjoy five different courses, each hinting at how to be a culinary great, from placing importance on ingredients and plating to cooking with passion. There’s Italian burrata, Scottish salmon and French chicken. Of the lot, my favorite would have to be the dessert as each guest gets to participate in composing their strawberry shortcake. (Call tel. 88381234; email [email protected].)

Firecracker Shrimp at Refinery (@_refinery)

Third-wave café Refinery has been a staple in Rockwell for 10 years now. Just last week, it opened a new branch at the Streetscape of Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Ortigas, the first in that revitalized row. And along with its opening is a slew of new dishes, including salmon ceviche, beer-steamed clams and my pick, battered fried shrimps slathered with a spicy sauce. It will definitely require ice-cold beer to douse the heat.

Josper-baked ‘carabineros’ at El Born (@elborn.ph)

One of the best restaurants of 2023 makes for an even stronger case this year as chef David Amoros adds delicious ammunition to his arsenal. The Mitsukoshi BGC-based restaurant has dishes of the day that are sure to make mouths water: Spanish beef steak tartare with smoked butter and artisan brioche, cod rice a la llauna with vegetables and aioli, and my pick, Josper-baked carabineros, one of the most prized and coveted shrimps in the world, seasoned simply with Maldon salt and Virginia olive oil. This will be available only until supplies last.

Guava and cream cheese flaky tart at Key Coffee Kissaten (@keycoffeekissaten)

The team at Key Coffee has recently come up with a base pastry as a canvas—crisp, flaky crust with a creamy cheese filling—and ran with it by designing an array of flavors, both savory and sweet. There’s smoky bacon and tomato, forest ham with gruyere, truffle mushroom, pineapple with sharp Parmesan and black cherry with blue cheese. My pick is the guava and cream cheese as the marriage of sweet and tangy is nostalgic, reminding me of a California favorite.

‘Lechon de leche’ two ways at Casa Luisa (@casa_luisa)

Laguna’s hidden gem has been regularly introducing new items, which have been luring people over to nearby San Pedro. There’s Jen Gerodias’ version of sinigang, soured with kamias and made hearty with maya-maya, and a beef rib caldereta bourguignon. Also, there’s a perfect-for-sharing whole, boneless free-range chicken that has been marinated in leeks and lemongrass, then grilled over tamarind wood and brushed with homemade banana ketchup BBQ sauce. It comes with an array of condiments and sides.

But the piece de resistance has to be the lechon de leche two ways. Young pig is marinated in tanglad, native garlic and San Miguel Pale Pilsen before it’s roasted for four hours. It comes as a lettuce wrap with mango mostarda, and then simply with rice and pebre or lechon sauce.

Follow the author at @fooddudeph on Instagram.