MANILA – An award-giving body recently released its shortlist for the best restaurants in Metro Manila.
The 2014 edition of Manila’s Best Kept Restaurant Secrets (MBKRS) Awards, which was inspired by the coffee table book of the same title, is set to hold its awarding ceremony on November 25.
Last held in 2012, the MBKRS is exclusive to homegrown dining concepts and reigning winners are not allowed to compete. Candidates are only nominated in one category, with the exception of the Manila’s Best Newcomer title.
Here are the nominees in the 2014 MBKRS, as announced on its official page:
CUISINE
Manila’s Best Italian Restaurant (2012 winner: Va Bene Pasta Deli)
Carpaccio
Caruso
Cibo
L’Opera
My Kitchen by Chef Chris
Manila’s Best French Restaurant (2012 winner: Brasserie Cicou)
Brasserie Girolle
Champetre
Chef Jessie
Le Jardin
L’entrecote
Manila’s Best Spanish Restaurant (2012 winner: Terry’s Selection)
Cirkulo
Donosti Pintxos y Tapas
Las Flores
Rambla
Vask
Manila’s Best Japanese Restaurant (2012 winner: Sugi)
Izakaya Kikufuji
Nihonbashitei
Sensei Sushi
Seryna
Tsukiji
Manila’s Best Chinese Restaurant (2012 winner: Hai Shin Lou)
Choi Garden Seafood and Shark’s Fin
Gloria Maris
Jade Garden
Peking Garden
President Grand Palace
Manila’s Best Continental Cuisine (2012 winner: Sala)
Antonio’s
Blackbird
Lusso
Stockton Place
The Gallery Vask
Manila’s Best Thai Restaurant (2012 winner: People’s Palace)
Azuthai
Basil
Nav Modern Thai Cuisine
Silk Road Thai Bistro
Som’s Noodle House
Manila’s Best Filipino Restaurant (2012 winner: Abe)
Café Juanita
La Cocina de Tita Moning
Milky Way
Manam (formerly Nam Nam)
Sarsa Kitchen + Bar
Manila’s Best Middle Eastern Restaurant (2012 winner: Hossein’s Persian Kebab)
Arya Persian Restaurant
Behrouz Persian Cuisine
Beni’s Falafel
Café Mediterranean
Ziggurat
Manila’s Best Korean Restaurant (2012 winner: Kaya)
Dong Won Garden
Jang Ga Nae
Korean Garden
Korean Village
Ye Dang Korean BBQ
Manila’s Best Indian Restaurant (2012 winner: New Bombay Indian Cuisine)
Queens at Bollywood
Kashmir
Legend of India
Queens Crystal Garden
Swagat Indian Cuisine
Manila’s Best Mexican Restaurant (Not competing: Chihuahua)
A’ Toda Madre
El Chupacabra
Hermanos Taco Shop
Mexicali
Orale! Taqueria Mexicana
Manila’s Best Specialty Cuisine (2012 winner: Corner Tree Café)
Brasas
Cyma
Juju Eats
Tao Yuan
Van Gogh is Bipolar
SPECIALTY
Manila’s Best Steakhouse (2012 winner: Elbert’s Steak Room)
House of Wagyu Stone Grill
I’m Angus Steakhouse
Highlands Prime Steakhouse
Mamou
Melo’s
Manila’s Best Modern Casual Dining (2012 winner: Sala Bistro)
Apartment 1B
Chelsea Market and Café
Green Pastures
Kettle
Wildflour Café + Bakery
Manila’s Best Burger Joint (2012 winner: Charlie’s Grind and Grill)
8 Cuts Burger Blends
Brothers Burger
Mr. Jones
Burger Project
B&B: Burgers and Brewskies
Manila’s Best Pizzeria (New category)
Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza
Nolita
One Way
Woodfire
Yellow Cab
Manila’s Best Bar (2012 winner: M Café)
Draft
Hooch
Rocket Room
The Black Pig
The Blind Pig
Manila’s Best Nightclub (New category)
71 Gramercy
Black Market
Hyve
Prive
Time
Manila’s Best Coffee (New category)
Craft Coffee Revolution
Edsa Beverage Design Group
Kuppa Roastery and Café
Refinery
Yardstick
Manila’s Best Dessert, Ice Cream and Cake Shop (2012 winner: The Cake Club)
Bizu Patisserie
Bono Artisanal Gelato
Cupcakes by Sonja
Purple Oven
Sebastian’s Ice Cream
Manila’s Best Newcomer (2012 winner: Wildflour Café + Bakery)
Blackbird
Grace Park
Green Pastures
Rambla
Your Local
HOTEL RESTAURANTS
Manila’s Best Hotel Restaurant: Hotel Buffet (2012 winner: Spiral at Sofitel)
Circles (Makati Shangri-La)
Crossover Buffet (Dusit Thani)
Escolta (The Peninsula Manila)
HEAT (Edsa Shangri-La)
Spectrum (Raffles)
Manila’s Best Hotel Restaurant: Fine Dining (2012 winner: Impressions at Maxims)
Cru Steakhouse (Marriott Manila)
Old Manila (The Peninsula Manila)
Prince Albert (Intercontinental Manila)
Sage Bespoke Grill (Makati Shangri-La)
Strip Steakhouse (Solaire)
Manila’s Best Hotel Restaurant: Specialty Cuisine (2012 winner: Shang Palace at Makati Shangri-La)
Benjarong (Dusit Thani)
Inagiku (Makati Shangri-La)
Li Li (Hyatt Regency)
Spices (The Peninsula Manila)
Summer Palace (Edsa Shangri-La)
Manila’s Best Hotel Bar (2012 winner: Salon de Ning at The Peninsula Manila)
Le Bar (Sofitel)
Long Bar (Raffles)
Sage Tapas Bar (Makati Shangri-La)
Sky Deck View Bar (The Bay Leaf Intramuros)
The Bar (The Peninsula Manila)
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT
Manila’s Best Emerging Talent (2012 winner: Martin Wisniewski of Raintree)
Chef Bruce Ricketts (Sensei Sushi)
Chef Celine de los Angeles (Stockton Place)
Dani Aliaga (Rambla, Las Flores)
Dedet dela Fuente (Pepita’s Kitchen)
Erwan Heussaff (The Fat Kid Inside)
JJ Yulo (Pinoy Eats World)
Manila’s Best Chef (2012 winner: J Gamboa of Tsukiji, Cirkulo, Milky Way and Azuthai)
Antonio Escalante (Antonio’s)
Colin Mackay (Sala, People’s Palace, Blackbird)
Cyrille Soenen (Impressions, Brasserie Cicou)
Jose Luis Gonzalez (Vask)
Robby Goco (Cyma, Green Pastures, Charlie’s)
Manila’s Best Restaurant Group Entrepreneur (2012 winner: Annabel Wisniewski of Raintree)
Abba Napa (‘Cue, Burger Bar, Phat Pho, 8 Cuts, Manam, Mecha Uma)
Dixie Mabanta (Mexicali, Café Mediterranean, El Chupacabra, Senor Pollo)
Erik Cua (Republiq, 71 Gramercy, Draft, Prive, Beso, Aracama, Imperial, Publiko)
Malu Gamboa (Tsukiji, Cirkulo, Milky Way, Azuthai)
Sergi Rostoll (Barcino, Las Flores, Rambla)
Werner Berger (Carpaccio, I’m Angus, Chesa Bianca, Santi’s)