Hazel C.
Yelp
This was the first place we headed to once we got settled in our hotel. Lol That's how good this place is! Their food is definitely 5 stars! Service is 4 stars (very busy), but we don't mind too much coz the food comes out timely and they don't rush you out like in the US even when they're super busy. My husband Michael wanted us to stay in Makati just like last year, so we can eat here. :) Greenbelt is across the street from our hotel, so very convenient too!
We ordered the Fresh Lumpia, Garlic Rice, Braised and Fried Chicken and Pork Adobo, Puto Bumbong ( for dessert) and the Mango Pomelo Sago Shake (for our drink). We ordered the Medium size for all dishes which is perfect for 2 adults. They will ask the size for each dish. Note that portion sizes in Asia (and everywhere else) are never as big as in the US, so temper your expectations. We only paid $21 for all this food so it was a great value!
Fresh Lumpia -- I have not had Fresh Lumpia in a long time, and for Michael this was his first time having it. He loved it. I like Manam's version even though the wrapper was a little thicker than I like. My mom uses a really thin wrapper. The filling is julienned and sautéed palm hearts, and bits of pork and shrimp. The sauce (crunchy garlic bits, brown sugar, soy) was great! It wasn't too thick and had just a hint of sweetness. Perfect sauce really. It's a light dish, so perfect for an appetizer.
Garlic Rice -- Fried Garlic Bits, Rice, and Salt. What's not to like. So simple but so good. Not oily and perfectly seasoned.
Braised and Fried Chicken and Pork Adobo--this is one of the best Adobo dishes I've had in a while. Just about as good as my mom's. The pork had a nice amount of fat and lean meat ratio and they were fried along with the chicken after being braised, so they developed a nice crispy crust. The sauce was perfect. Nice balance of tang and saltiness. They had skimmed off the fat from the sauce, so the meat wasn't swimming in oil. We should have ordered this in large! Lol
Crispy Sisig--the pork was a little too crispy for me this time but Michael didn't mind. I remember this dish not being too crispy last time. The sauce that envelops the Sisig really makes the dish. It's light and the acid balances out the richness of the meat. We will order this again.
Puto Bumbong--it's Christmas time so this classic after-Simbang Gabi delicacy is a must. The sticky purple rice has a nice texture and is wonderful with the Muscovado Butter, Toasted Coconut, Freshly Grated Coconut mixed with sugar, and the Grated Cheese. We loved every bite of this dessert. Like most Asian desserts, you have a hint of sweetness, and as Filipinos like it, also a pop of salty savory flavor from the cheese. I really want to try making this at home but I don't have the special bamboo tubes to make it.
Mango Pomelo Sago Shake--share this with someone coz it's too much for one person. So refreshing! You can tell they blended fresh mango with ice and did not add sugar to the shake. It's not overly sweet and the sago is coated in coconut milk. Delicious!
My college friend from my study abroad year in Scotland who lives in Canada just happens to be here in Makati right now and as we were making plans to meet, she suggested Manam for dinner. She said they ate at Manam yesterday and want to go back already. Same here! Lol Can't wait for our next meal here. I wanna try the Watermelon Sinigang and I saw someone's order of the Crispy Palabok. Omg the noodles were crispy and were like 6 inches high on the plate. Looked so impressive! This place is awesome!