Elias Restaurant at the Fort
When in Manila, the most authentic thing you can do is taste the local cuisine. Filipino food can give you a lot of insights to the local culture, and there are plenty of places where you can dine and discover, one of which is Elias Restaurant. This new restaurant at the Fort is the brainchild of Chef Florabel Co-Yatco, the award-winning chef is also behind other establishments such as Florabel, Crisostomo, Felix, Market on 5th Avenue, Floring’s, and Sweet Pea.
Elias Restaurant interior
The inspiration behind Elias Restaurant came from the dishes and interior aesthetics from the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. This is also apparent in the restaurant’s wall décor, which is beautifully adorned with paintings of the main characters from Dr. Jose Rizal’s novel “Noli Me Tangere.” You’ll also notice that some of the menu items are named from the characters in the book.
Elias Restaurant just opened last February and it highlights “turn of the century Filipino dining.” You can start with some soup or salad but I went straight to the main course since the dishes looked so appetizing.
I gravitated towards Elias Restaurant’s Tinapa and Salted Egg rice (P250), which seemed like a meal itself. The smoky flavor of the tinapa went well with the saltiness of the red egg. The serving size of the fried rice is good for two to three persons, depending on each one’s appetite.
I also spied some Elias Restaurant Laing Pizza, which is not your typical pizza topping. It’s the first time I saw this unusual combination and it intrigued me. It’s just not for the faint of heart though, since there are some siling labuyo bits on top of the laing. This is perfect for those who love hot and spicy food!
As if I haven’t had my fill of carbs, I had to taste the Elias Restaurant Pinoy Paella, which had pieces of chicken, pork, shrimps, egg slices, and even some bits of kesong puti. This dish is pretty filling and it’s best shared with a couple of other diners.
Meat lovers would delight in the restaurant’s main courses. A must-try is the Elias Restaurant Don Rafael (P550), which is your classic crispy pata that is served with garlic sauce, atchara, and soy vinegar. The crunchy goodness of this pork dish is good to the last bone.
Another notable dish is the Elias Restaurant Binagoongan ni Pia (P295), which is crispy pork cooked in shrimp paste. The presentation of this dish is fabulous, as a lone green chili sits on top of the pork pieces—giving the diners the option to add more spice to it. Other must-tries are the Callos de Aguinaldo (ox tripe stew with chorizo, pine nuts, and green olives) and Mechado ala Bonifacio (fresh tomato stew with batok ng baka).
A nice side dish is the Elias Restaurant Pilosopong Pinakbet (P325), which features assorted native vegetables with lechon kawali chips. The traditional components of pinakbet were there–squash, eggplant, ampalaya, and okra. The healthy veggies were a good complement to all the rich meat.
End your meal with some delectable Elias Restaurant Iday (P180), which is suman with chocolate fondue. I like the fact that this dessert is easy and interactive. The suman was served barbecue style (on a stick) and in bite-size pieces. The green sticky rice combined with the sweet and creamy chocolate makes for a happy ending.
When In Manila, the next time you’re craving for some good Filipino food, head to Elias Restaurant at the Fort. You won’t be disappointed.
Elias Restaurant
North East Superblock, Upper Ground Level, 30th Street corner 7th Avenue, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Ppen daily from 11am to 11pm.
For reservatios, call (02) 546 7977.
Elias Restaurant at the Fort serves Filipino Favorites
