Dining News: 5 New Restaurants in Metro Manila for March 2022

Dining Radar: 5 New Restaurants and Tasting Menus to Try This March 2022

March 10, 2022

Cover The huevos con jamon from Gallery by Chele’s newest tasting menu, Re-Encounters

Luxurious Korean barbecue like you have never experienced, the newest buzz-worthy Poblacion locale, and an inspired tasting menu from chef Chele Gonzalez—spring is off to a beautiful start

Now that we are well into the month of March, it is safe to say that spring has officially sprung—if not with the evergreen blossoms that grace our tropical climate, then certainly with the vivacity of our dining scene bouncing back into action. Revel in the delightful eats at these new restaurants (and an all-new tasting menu from one of the Metro’s best) as we take a big and exciting step toward the “New Normal.”

1. Ohachi

Above Ohachi’s karai beef ramen

Above The fresh rainbow roll from Ohachi

Location: SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City

If you’re a fan of Wee Nam Kee or Kumori, check out The Relish Group’s newest concept, Japanese comfort food outlet Ohachi. While the name of the restaurant translates to “a bowl for cooked rice,” the menu features much more than just donburi. In fact, casual eatery’s signature offering is actually ramen—so naturally, gyoza and karaage make an appearance, too. Meanwhile, those after lighter dishes can also opt for sushi or yakitori.

2. West 32

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Location: Poblacion, Makati City

Purists, turn away—this modern Korean-American destination is proudly fusion, and that’s a good thing. Though still on its soft opening, West 32 has stirred quite a buzz on social media as Poblacion’s newest hangout, decked out with moody, industrial interiors that promise an eventful evening.

The restaurant’s eclectic bites include crab and caviar gamja jeon (potato pancakes), cheesy rosé tteokbokki (rice cake), and the signature West 32 ssamgyeopsal (grilled pork belly). A slew of inventive cocktails enlivens the occasion even further; indulge in a Korean negroni with mangosteen-infused soju, a reimagined Gibson cocktail that uses pickled Korean radish and Soju, or even a matcha amaretto sour.

3. Tatatito

A range of appetizers from Tatatito

Tatatito fried chicken, bamboo rice, and gising-gising

Location: Legazpi Village, Makati City

There truly is no place like home, and upscale Filipino restaurant Tatatito proves it. Within the stylish yet comfortable interiors, diners are treated to comforting Filipino cuisine. From the sizzling sisig to the crispy pata and the champorado, many of the classics remain unchanged, but executed with exacting standards. Where the menu does get playful, as with the bamboo rice chicken tinola and crispy pata kare kare, Filipino flavours remain the rightful star.

4. Woori

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Location: Festival Mall, Alabang

Day by day, it seems that Korean barbecue grows in popularity as restaurants pop up on every corner. However, Woori is not your typical Korean BBQ house. The new Alabang restaurant features the highest quality of golden brown Hanwoo (Korean Native) cattle with a grade of 1++, producing a delectable marbling and mouthwatering juiciness well-worth the splurge.

This “only the best” philosophy extends beyond their ingredients and through to the kitchen, exemplified by offerings like the Woori Dae Galbi—made with 12 components, the complex marinade is fermented for 24 hours before the chunky slab of black Angus is left to soak up the flavours in a temperature-controlled bath for 48 hours. Treat yourself to these luxurious delicacies, plus fresh oysters from South Gyeongsang and even unique rice wines while the restaurant remains a well-kept secret.

5. Gallery By Chele: Re-Encounters

Above Pastrami pintxos with tomato marmalade and dill and basil mayonnaise, one of the Destinations bites from the Re-Encounters menu

Above The Hybrid, a marriage of the classic Basque calamares en su tinta and Filipino adobo

Location: BGC, Taguig City

Fresh from an extended visit to his hometown in Cantabria, Spain, chef Chele Gonzalez has returned to the Philippines teeming with inspiration, nostalgia, and a reinvigorated infatuation with his heritage. With Re-Encounters, the newest Spanish tasting menu now available at Gallery by Chele, the creative culinarian pours his heart and soul into every plate, producing an intimate and wonderfully personal narrative of his journeys through the motherland—a delicious, emotional autobiography of the man behind the kitchen counter. The completely revamped menu is even accompanied by thoughtful mementos that hark back to the chef’s treasured memories, completing the unforgettable experience.

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