Ariel Manuel is back with Bistro Manuel

Metro Manila is a food haven. There are so many good places to eat here now and people are lucky to have a lot of dining options today.

Connoisseurs of fine food back in the day when Manila had not much to offer would remember Lolo Dad’s, the always-full restaurant set in a house in Manila where foodies would always flock to get their fix of amazing food, especially the restaurant’s unforgettable duck confit and foie gras dishes. It closed years ago and patrons certainly missed the fantastic cooking of chef Ariel Manuel.

Well, Chef Ariel is back with a three-concept restaurant in Poblacion,  Makati: Bistro Manuel, located on the second floor  of the building; Filipino-Spanish tapas bar called Taperia Poblacion, and The Sippery bar for pre- or post-dinner drinks, both located on the first floor.

Seared scallops and scampi.

I felt excited and nostalgic when I entered Bistro Manuel as I looked forward to the sumptuous dishes by Chef Ariel and the heavenly desserts by his wife, Mia.

On the menu were Lolo Dad’s oysters, which were a favorite back in the day,  so I immediately ordered them. The oysters were baked on angel hair pasta with cheese and topped with foie gras. They  were pure heaven.

Another delectable dish was the warm spinach salad with mushrooms. Each bite had the taste of smoked bacon enrobed with a roasted garlic vinaigrette. And of course, the to-die-for foie gras is a must-try appetizer.

Chef Ariel’s duck leg confit was as crispy and flavorful as it was in the past and the US Wagyu chuck was tender and full of flavor. I also liked the seared scallops and scampi  with rigatoni pasta stuffed with béchamel.

US Wagyu beef chuck flap with veal tongue.

I was finally able to try the “Only for the Rich” grilled pizza, which I have only heard of in the past. It was called as such because the pizza toppings included  lobster, smoked salmon, salami, prosciutto, scallops, foie gras and buffalo cheese on a truffle tomato spread. The crust was thin and crispy and the flavors went very well together. The pizza comes in six slices, so it is ideal for sharing.

Mia’s mango and mascarpone cheese is the dessert I liked the most. It was my first time to try a mango and mascarpone  combination and I actually enjoyed it.

From then till now, European cooking really is Chef Ariel’s forte. I, along with other Lolo Dad’s fans, can now rejoice and savor his delectable food once again!

(Bistro Manuel is open for lunch and dinner daily except on Mondays. It is located at Six Axis Center, 4347 Valdez St., Barangay Poblacion, Makati City. For inquiries and reservations, call 871-8566 or 0926-7341067. For more information, visit @bistro_manuel on Instagram and @bistromanuelph on Facebook.)

Celebrate the kids

From lfet: Ava Te Zabat, Shari Macainag, Say Alonzo, Michelle Estranero and Christiana Collings

Many on-the-go parents want to provide the best learning experience for their children. Aside from proper schooling, they want their children to gain knowledge through the games they play on gadgets and activities they spend their time on.

Pai Technology toys found a way to create activities that are perfect for parents and their children. Its playful, fun and safe technology prompts a love of learning essential to children’s development and growth.

Miho Nishida and her daughter Aimi enjoyed testing Pai toys. “It’s very similar to our educational system in Japan. A lot of hands-on experience is really best for kids,” she said.

Seen at the grand launch with their children were Mikaela Lagdameo-Martinez, Shari Macainag, Kelly Misa-Fernandez and Say Alonzo. During the event, they learned that apps and mobile games can also be made more fun by integrating them to real-time play.

With Pai toys, parents can visually teach their children to differentiate animals from each other or find easy ways to solve numerical problems while playing with a variety of objects related to the activity. Several activity options are readily available for download on both App Store and Google Play. This would be a good way for parents to spend more quality time with their kids and help children strengthen their critical thinking and develop their motor skills.

(Pai toys are available in all Rustan’s and Hobbes & Landes stores.)