I don't go south often, but when I do it's almost always because of food. The south offers a number of food hubs that foodies can explore. You have the ever-so-popular BF Homes, Paranaque, some amazing food finds at Westgate Alabang (Ehem, Neil's Kitchen), and the classic Alabang Town Center.
What's unknown to most is that SM Southmall, with their renovated Food Street, should definitely be on your list of go-to food destinations in southern Metro Manila.
Here are 5 reasons you'll love dining at SM Southmall's Food Street.
Mesa Filipino Moderne
Mesa Filipino Moderne is a Filipino restaurant that serves a number of classic, mouthwatering Filipino dishes. They have 10 branches all of the Philippines with the SM Southmall branch as their only location in Southern Metro Manila.
The Tinapa Roll Wrapped in Lettuce (Php 155) was really a top-notch appetizer. I really loved the combination of smoked fish, salted egg, onions and tomatoes wrapped with a crisp fried lumpia wrapper and fresh lettuce. I was very happy that the dish wasn't so oily and was nicely balanced. The moment you nibble a bite, it would be difficult to resist having another one!
The Chicken Binakol (Php 260) is a soup dish that originates from Iloilo City. It's a chicken soup that's simmered in broth with young coconut and green papaya. Being an Ilonggo myself, I was surprised with the flavors of Mesa's Chicken Binakol - both rich and authentic. The chicken and coconut flavor makes for a nice, rich soup. It's perfect when paired with rice, so more rice please!
These are two amazing appetizers that you can get to kick-off your Food Street food crawl.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Check out my Zomato Mesa review here
Yabu: House of Katsu
If you're feeling hungry, you can drop by Yabu for a heavy meal. The classic 120g Rosu Katsu (Php 380) or 150g Hire Katsu (Php 430) are great, safe options that everyone loves. You can also upgrade to a 120g Kurobuto Pork Set (Php 595) if you're looking for a more premium cut of pork. The pork is perfectly crisp on the outside and juicy inside, beautifully paired with their sesame sauce.
You can also try out the Salmon Don (Php 490) and Gyu Don if you aren't craving other delicious Japanese dishes. They are both pretty tasty but I really loved the Salmon Don. I mean, who doesn't love well-cooked Salmon?
As always, their sets are served with unlimited Japanese white rice or brown rice, miso soup, pickles, cabbage with your choice of dressing and a bowl of soup. That's what I call a feast!
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Check out my full Yabu review here
Cafe Mary Grace
Cafe Mary Grace, on the other hand, is a merienda staple. The Mushroom and Garlic Pizza (Php 498) is layered with bechamel sauce and tapped with sauteed mushrooms, garlic, fresh arugula, and truffle oil. The Shrimp Salad on Batard Bread (Php 284) and the Pasta Amatriciana w/ Italian Meatballs (Php 260) are also solid merienda options.
Of course you can't visit Cafe Mary Grace without having the popular Mary Grace Ensaymada (Php 80) or Mary Grace Cheese Rolls (Php 50). Perfect with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate!
On the other hand, why wait for merienda?
Overall Rating: 4.0/5
Check out my full Cafe Mary Grace review here.
Project Pie
Craving for pizza that's perfectly made just the way you like it? Project Pie gives you all the power to create the perfect pizza by allowing you to choose your own pizza toppings! I particularly loved the Kenobi (Pesto Artichoke, Red Onion, Tomato, Feta, Mozzarella) and the Hamlet (Prosciutto, Caramelized Onions, Mozzarella, Parmesan) from their range of Master Pizzas. Any pizza only costs an affordable Php 285!
You can't miss the Banana Nutella Pizza (Php 145) for dessert. Trust me, order one and thank me later.
Overall Rating: 4.0/5
Check out my full Project Pie review here
Tenya
Tenya Tempura Tendon is a Japanese franchise that's known for their tempura and tendon dishes.The Spicy Salmon Salad (Php 225) is a dish you just can't miss. It's a fresh garden salad vegetables with salmon fillet and spicy japanese mayo. It's really good!
If you're craving for tempura, you'll enjoy the Asakusa Special Tendon Set (Php 315) or All-Star Tendon set (Php 325). The tempura batter is light and the sauce is matches the tempura perfectly.
Tenya also has this very cute Ningyo Yaki, a cake snack from Asukasa Tokyo. It's available with either Nutella or Dulce De Leche fillings. I'm sure you'll love biting the heads of these cute pandas to get that burst of warm Nutella or Dulce De Leche all over your palate. Yum!
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Check out my Zomato Tenya review here
Hungry yet? SM Southmall also has a branch of Sambo Kojin for a quality Asian buffet, Zark's Burgers for massive burgers, Racks for prime ribs, Conti's for decadents desserts, and many more!
What are you waiting for? I'll see you in SM Southmall Food Street!
Further reading you might like:
- Cafe Mary Grace: Your Second Home
- Yabu: House of Katsu Is My Favorite Place for Japanese Katsu
- Project Pie: A Pizza That's Truly Yours
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Cheers,
Chef Jay
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored review. The author did not pay for any of the dishes mentioned in this article. This, however, does not impair the unbiased opinion of the reviewer.
I already tried Yabu and there food were amazingly delicious. I'd like to try the Cafe Mary Grace. By the way, Thanks for sharing these wonderful restaurants!
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