Top 10 Dishes 2019: Eat Drink Splurge Certified

2019 has been a year of discoveries. It is during this year that I learned and realized, good food does not necessarily mean expensive, and vice versa. I have rounded up the top 10 dishes I had this 2019, bringing you a list that features the best of the best. Read on, and hopefully, this will encourage you to try a dish or two from this list. Here is the Eat Drink Splurge certified top 10 dishes 2019 list, in no particular order:

Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza’s Bolognese Pasta (Php 315)

The yummy brick oven pizzas were Gino’s claim to fame, especially when you drizzle some of their spiced honey on them. However, their pastas are awesome, too. I have always avoided ordering Bolognese Pastas because they are often too salty, or too oily. But Gino’s changed my mind on this as they serve the BEST Bolognese Pasta — I can attest to that. Their freshly made pasta is perfectly al dente and delicious, and the bolognese sauce is tasty but not too oily. The kesong puti added a slight tartness to the pasta dish, but it paired wonderfully with the sauce. I loved it!

Din Tai Fung’s Dry Noodles with Spicy Shrimp and Pork Wontons (Php 245)

While xiao long bao is the star dish when in Din Tai Fung, it is undeniable that they have other dishes worth trying, too, like their Dry Noodles with Spicy Shrimp and Pork Wontons! A spicy sweet sauce coated the firm noodles well. 5 pieces of their shrimp and pork wontons, with super fresh and delicious fillings, acted as toppings for this dish. I loved how the shrimps had a fresh crispness to them, and the pork was well-seasoned, too. Don’t worry — while the dish looks really spicy, I can assure you that the spiciness is well balanced by the sweetness of the sauce.

Lola Cafe’s Pasta Negra (Php 310)

Lola Cafe serves mostly Filipino dishes with a twist, while having a laid back and minimalist atmosphere that you’d surely enjoy hanging out in with your friends and family. They have by far the best squid ink dish I’ve tasted as of this writing! A squid ink + aligue (crab fat) mixture coated each pasta strand, making it uniquely rich in flavor. Also, I’m impressed that they didn’t cheat on us by having a “diluted” squid ink sauce! The umami taste of the mixture definitely made it stand out, as it packed a whole lot of flavor. The baby squid toppings were really soft and delicious, too!

Fat Fook’s Beef Tendon Hotpot (Php 308)

Fat Fook is my go-to place for affordable Taiwanese food, but it wasn’t until this year that I got to try their Beef Tendon Hotpot. I gotta say, this is definitely the bomb! These fork-tender and flavorful strips of tendon will surely make you reach for more rice, especially with its thick and spicy sauce. I think I can finish a whole pot of this on my own!

Tomatito’s Arroz Negro (Php 840)

Tomatito is a chill spot in BGC serving authentic Spanish food. And while a glance on the menu might scare you into ordering as the dishes are on the pricey side, you will not regret eating here. The paella dish is flavored with squid ink, topped with sautéed baby squid and snow peas — a very delicious dish that is sure to impress! The creaminess of the aioli added a welcome texture to the dish, and the baby squid are soft, fresh, and delicious!

The Hill Station’s Lengua Estofado Con Vino Tinto (Php 470)

I got to visit Baguio this year on a 4D3N trip with my mom, and we were able to try a lot of sumptuous food during our stay. One of the restaurants that stood out was The Hill Station, a cabin type restaurant that serves fine dining dishes without leaving your pockets empty. Their Lengua Estofado con Vino Tinto became our instant favorite. Melt-in-your-mouth and flavorful ox tongue slices, served with creamy mashed potatoes, and other fresh vegetables. Simple as it seems, this dish captured our hearts and left us craving for it up until now.

It’s Something Something’s Umakara Wings (Php 99)

This unassuming wings place called It’s Something Something is something that definitely deserves to get discovered by more people. Can you believe that they serve 6-piece flavored wings (3 wings consisting of 3 canes and 3 drummets) for only Php 99? The Umakara Wings is a sweet-spicy glazed flavor that will surely get your hands sticky, but will make you want to lick them clean. Also, the medley of sweet and spicy was a perfect match with each other, and the perfectly fried wings will surely make you ask for extra rice! Plus, they have an awesome Facebook page with fun memes as ads.

Varra Resto Bar’s Steak Salpicao (Php 380)

Varra is the newest resto bar in San Juan, with a slew of delicious food on their menu, plus great cocktails, too. They served us with the best salpicao I’ve had in my whole life — well-deserving of having the restaurant name attached to its dish name! They sliced the tenderloin steak to the right thickness, and since it is served in a sizzling plate, you may adjust the doneness, too. To make it even better, there were A LOT of garlic, which brings out the best of flavors with the juicy meat. I swear I’m never eating cubed salpicao again.

Assad Cafe’s Spicy Chicken Rice (Php 160)

Did you know that there’s a secret restaurant beside Assad Mini Mart in UN Avenue called Assad Cafe? They serve various Indian food, and I got to try their bestseller, the Spicy Chicken Rice! Although it may look super simple, but this entire plate bursts with flavor. The chicken includes the leg and thigh portion (so it’s big!) and it is bathed in lots of chillies, so the spice really seeps through. It comes with a mildly sweet sauce to counter the spice a bit. I’m filing this under my awesome food finds under Php 200, and it definitely deserves a spot here in the top 10 best dishes 2019 list, too.

Pookaberry Cafe’s Special Chili Mushroom Spaghetti (Php 249)

Pookaberry Cafe is a New York pop art cafe with cute and Instagrammable interiors hand painted by Mr. Peter Marco, creator of Pookaberry the Alien Baby character featured in the 1998 Swatch watch. They serve awesome comfort food, and has great selections for vegan food, too. Their Special Chili Mushroom Spaghetti garners the final spot in the top 10 dishes 2019 list. The heat of the spaghetti dish was just enough to make it enjoyable, and the mushroom toppings added a unique flavor and texture to it. Warning: A single serving of pasta might not be enough — it’s that good! Moreover, their food tasted even better when I learned that 30% of their proceeds go to two foundations, Project Pearls and Basilia Women’s Foundation. Good food and great advocacy!

And that wraps up my 2019 filled with good food, without breaking the bank! Thank you for all the support this year. May 2020 bring us to more awesome restaurant finds, more yummy food, and more friendships made over these discoveries. Watch out for more content on my blog this 2020. Let’s all eat, drink, and splurge our way into the new decade!

Your Splurging Buddy,
Jomarie aka Eat Drink Splurge