Dining News: Chef Chele González creates a pastrami taco with Taquería Franco, Bibio hosts guest chefs from overseas, and more

Friends of Franco and Friends is the group’s successful collaboration series where they invite peers from within the F&B industry and from others too (like music, fashion, or art) in order to co-create a range of special projects. For this installation, they invited chef Chele González to join in on the fun. Chef Miko Calo and Gonzalez present their pastrami taco, officially launching on February 4, and available for the rest of the month.

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Shangri-La the Fort, Manila’s speakeasy bar, Back Room, is welcoming two bartenders, Antonio Lai and Samuel Kwok from Hong Kong’s Quinary and The Opposites. On February 6 from 7pm onwards, they will take over Back Room to serve up their signature tipples. 

Izakaya Geronimo welcomes Curry Up from Tokyo, hosting their first-ever Southeast Asian pop-up. From February 7 to 10, they will take over the Geronimo Kitchens and serve up an array of their famous curry concoctions, from chicken keema and butter chicken to shrimp red curry and more. They will also be selling merchandise at Geronimo, from t-shirts to caps and sweatshirts with Curry Up’s playful cartoon designs. It doesn’t stop there—diners can even take home their favourite flavours by buying ready-to-eat curry sets too. 

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Steak and Frice in BGC introduces World of Wagyu, a curated selection of top meats that best showcases the glory of Wagyu. You can choose to try Japanese Ōmi Wagyu striploin, Australian Mayura Wagyu Tenderloin, or American Wagyu rib-eye, and enjoy either with Steak and Frice’s signature golden fries and rice.

On February 1, Sóbra Cafe by David Licauco opened its second brick-and-mortar location, and is now happily serving diners at Opus Mall. Expect to partake in a menu featuring fuss-free comfort food from around the world. Pop by for an easy lunch, merienda, or dinner. 

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Key Coffee Kissaten opened a new location in Opus Mall. Centrally located in the middle of Opus Mall, the new Key Coffee branch is easily accessible and brings you a new dining distinct from their flagship BGC location. Here, they explore the bounds of Itameshi cuisine (Japanese-Italian fare), introducing their new menu to a fresh range of diners.

Gateway Mall in Araneta introduces an upscale food hall called World Kitchens. On the fourth floor, you will find flavours of the globe housed in this dynamic space. At the moment they have opened a few eateries, but plan to finally have 15 in total. Unlike other food court experiences, they have made World Kitchens more streamlined and as easy for the diner as possible. After scanning a QR code, you can peruse all the available menus, place your orders, and check out—all online.

Take your pick from Chef Jesse’s (a tried and tested Filipino favourite), or try out a range of establishments brought in from overseas like Ma’s Bistro from Hong Kong or Pizzaiolo Dario Bonaccorso from Singapore. World Kitchens is a new ambitious project made in collaboration with Andrew Tan Hock Lai, a long-time consultant in the food and beverage industry in Singapore. 

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Foam Coffee, which originated in Baguio, now opens its doors in Antipolo. The new location is open for service from 10am to 12am, happily brewing their signature coffee creations. Foam Coffee’s expansive shops in Baguio have a consistent minimalist, rustic look that is light and airy with light-coloured wood and large windows that allow natural light to stream in. Notably, their flagship branch in Bagiuo with their roastery was created to look like a Japanese coffee shop, complete with a bonsai, tatami-style seating, and even a Hachico statue. Stop by their two-storey Antipolo location to experience a different side to their interior design.

A new ramen shop called The Underbelly is now calling Karrivin Plaza home. Brought to us by the Tasteless Group, we can expect tasty bowls of piping hot ramen with chew noodles and soothing soups, plus other tasty finds too. To top it off, there is also a new coffee shop inside of The Underbelly called Twelve Labors Coffee. 

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Mijo in Poblacion has just renovated its roof bar and revamped its menu. Expect the Spanish-Filipino fare that you have fallen in love with but with brand-new dishes designed to comfort and please the palate. This time around, you will find more tapas and small plates on their à la carte menu, well-suited to their bar programme.

Shake Shack Philippines introduced a mini Caesar menu, featuring a Caesar burger and Caesar parm fries for those who are craving the flavours of their favourite salad but are feeling a touch more peckish. Take a bite out of their fluffy buns and into their 100 per cent all-natural, antibiotic-free crispy chicken breast atop a romaine and red cabbage mix, dusted with parmesan and, of course, that quintessential Caesar dressing. 

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