Photo: Taruc's Tuna Tartare/Instagram
Cover Photo: Taruc's Tuna Tartare/Instagram

Welcome to Foodie Finds! This is an article series by Tatler, chronicling where and what to order according to the food-obsessed

I myself have never understood non-foodies. How can one not love flavours, spices, aromas and all the cultural nuances and memories that come with every bite? Dining is an experience meant to be savoured and is even more fun when shared with loved ones. Dining around a table means sharing, conversing, bonding and learning. A dish can tell you so much about a person, a culture, and a country. It speaks volumes of a nation’s history and is an art form on its own. Skilled hands are trained over years or are born out of pure passion and practice. Professional chefs and home cooks alike, from young stars to grandmothers, have been cooking up meals filled with emotion and have truly made us foodies, happy.

Through Foodie Finds, we ask our epicurean friends to share their favourites. In this feature, we tackle takeout and delivery. Hear what Maxine Marcelino-Sanz, co-founder of Carlito's Catering, Butternut Bakery, Ginza Gyu, Made in Bangkok and the Raspberry Group has to say. She shares her go-to shops for takeout here: 

See also: A Taste of Home with Sommelier Arlene Oliveros

Tatler Asia

Don Bakes

@donbakesmanila

I’m a sucker for a succulent, crispy pig! Three weeks before Christmas 2021, I was looking for cochinillo to order and the usual suspects were fully booked. I decided to try out Don Bakes and it was fantastic. The meat is tender, while the skin is crisp to perfection. What makes it unique is that it comes with tortilla flour wraps, and a variety of sauces (chimichurri, hoisin and garlic, and nuoc cham). 

Taruc’s Tuna Tartare

@tarucs_tunatartare

Michelle Taruc makes these addictive tuna and salmon tartare served with wanton chips from her home. The seafood is fresh, dressed in a light mayo dressing with a bit of heat, and chopped to perfect little cubes. The wanton chips that come with it are irresistible. This is my go-to appetiser when I have friends over. 

See also: These are the Best Food Photographers in the Philippines

B&W Kitchen and Seaxalt

It is a tie for me, between B&W Kitchen and Seaxalt! I fell in love with flakey pies in 2021, and it’s my single most-ordered item of the year. I’ve tried almost every single pie out there. But one of my favourites is B&W Kitchen in collaboration with Apo Baking Society by a talented duo of sisters—Frances & Alexa. They create inventive pies depending on what’s in season, and are quite consistent in nailing the sturdy and flaky pie test! My favourite flavour to date is the strawberry Nutella pie.

See also: Where to Order Pie in Metro Manila

China Blue

I have a weak spot for China Blue because it’s by a talented chef Jerome Leung who created Puben, which is one of my go-tos when I lived in Shanghai. In Manila, China Blue has to be our favourite Cantonese–style restaurant. Their take-out food is just as good as what you would order when you dine-in. Some of my favourite dishes are Peking duck, sweet and sour pork with strawberries, beef hofan, and xo seafood fried rice. They also have the best house-made chilli sauce so make sure to ask for extra! 

Seryna

@serynaph

It’s quite hard to find good Japanese takeaway food. Thankfully, I was able to rediscover an old fave, Seryna during my birthday weekend in lockdown. Here’s some of my must–orders: chirashi sushi, mapo tofu (just order it!), crispy salmon skin roll, and spicy hotate sushi.

See also: The 23 Best Japanese Restaurants in the Tatler Dining Guide

1919 Chocoalte

@1919chocolate 

1919 Chocolate is an award-winning, small-batch, family-owned, tree-to-bar chocolate maker led by couple Karl and Kay Lactao. They have their own cacao farm in Batangas. While I love their award-winning 62 per cent dark chocolate, I also love their unique chocolate bar flavours—horchata bar, strawberry and lemon, milk and cereal bar, toasted milk and strawberry, etc.

See also: 7 Of The Best Filipino Chocolate Brands

Kusina

@kusina___

Run by passionate home cook Marky Mercado, Kusina serves honest to goodness, comforting food trays. I love their crispy bagnet and sinigang rice, while the crispy fried chicken thighs with rosemary gravy and spicy honey is to die for. 

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