Kos

I've been very happy that the foodie scene in Metro Manila has been spiced up with so many new eating places.  Thirty years ago, you'd have only a handful of good places to dine in, aside from the restaurants at the five-star hotels.  Today, just go any mall, and you can find a fairly decent restaurant to dine in; these may not be as fancy as those at the hotels, but you can get value-for-money anyway.  My theory is that a lot of our countrymen have gone to work in various kitchens abroad, both on land and at sea, and the knowledge of how to run a good kitchen has already been absorbed.  A lot of these chefs come back to Manila, very confident of bringing fresh dining concepts to the local market.

Who would have thought that an ouzeri (Greek Tavern) would make it to Manila?  The dining experience in the island of Kos is replicated in the UP Town Center, and it seems that I'll forever be a fan of their souvlaki.  Monique and I started with a round of Pitsiladis Ouzo, which turns louche when mixed with water (I think this is an effect of the anise).  We ordered some artichoke-cheese dip, and we were very happy with the "unli-bread" concept that the restaurant had; we just kept the bread coming in!

The chicken gyro wasn't bad, but I felt that it needed more stuffing to be worth the money. The moussaka was quite good though, it was rich and flavorful.  The grand prize of the evening?  You guessed it right--lamb souvlaki!  This is one aroma that I distinctly remember enjoying in Manhattan, that of grilled roadside souvlaki, and it was a pleasure to have it once more right next to home.  So far, this is the only version of souvlaki that I have truly enjoyed in Manila.

We spent something like P750 per head, but that was including the alcohol.  The lamb souvlaki is around P500 and if you are on a budget, this can be shared by two people (you can probably get by with P350 per head).  The interiors are clean and bright, and the staff give you very pleasant service.