Village Tavern at Bonifacio Highstreet Central
When in Manila, everyone’s after a good discount. And what can be better than Village Tavern at Bonifacio Highstreet Central, one of the hippest dining spots around, offering their best-selling drinks and dishes at half price? One surely couldn’t pass up on such a good deal, so I just had to drag my family to Village Tavern for a weekend lunch to bring you the lowdown on some of their must-try’s as well as their special promo for September.
Village Tavern is more popularly known as a bar and lounge; it is the first international franchise of the famed American restaurant and is locally managed by the Bistro group, known for bringing us fine dining restaurants such as T.G.I. Friday’s and Italianni’s. Having just recently opened early in April this year, friends, families, and foodies surely have a lot to discover about this up and coming restaurant’s Classic American menu.
Our local Village Tavern offers a wide range of American dishes infused with some local favorites, making sure that there’s something for everyone to enjoy. For the month of September, Village Tavern is offering a selection of their signature cocktails and drinks as well as their best-selling dishes at half the price from Monday to Friday!
Enjoy Village Tavern’s specialty food and drinks at half the price off!
Monday: Mojitos and Crispy Chicken Tacos, Tuesday: Martinis and Tavern Flatbread, Wednesday: Wine by the glass & bottle & new small plates, Thursday: all local beers and BBQ pork siders, Friday: Sangria Pitchers.
Yet aside from their signature cocktails and invitingly cozy ambiance that attracts throngs of yuppies and weekenders, another aspect of Village Tavern worth mentioning is their simply scrumptious Classic American-fusion dishes. From appetizers to desserts, I’ve covered some of Village Tavern’s highly-recommended food to give you a comprehensive review of its unique tastes, and why I’d recommend them myself.
Appetizers: Blackened Shrimp (Php 595.00) – served with Bayou cream sauce and toasted garlic bread
Salads: Grilled Chicken Spinach and Mixed Greens (Php 595.00) – Fresh spinach, seasonal greens, bacon, apples, cranberries, spiced pecans, blue cheese, sliced egg and grilled chicken in sweet vinaigrette
Whole Wheat Flatbreads: Gruyere & Applewood-Smoked Bacon (Php495.00) – Gruyere, Applewood-Smoked bacon and caramelized onions
For their entrées, Village tavern offers a selection of quintessential tavern grub, tailor-made to suit Filipino taste buds. I find their Blackened Shrimp to be like a pint-sized version of a seafood stew, with tender shrimp and a deeply-flavored sauce perfect for dipping. Their Grilled Chicken Spinach and Mixed Greens came in a large serving that can easily serve 2-3 people, and had a refreshingly fruity sweetness with a cranberries, apples and sweet vinaigrette added to it. Village Tavern’s flatbreads are all made from scratch, with all-natural & 100% whole wheat flour. Their Gruyere & Applewood-Smoked Bacon flatbread is one of their best-sellers for a reason; served on a wooden plank, the fine and crisp flatbread served as an ideal base for the sweet and savory combo of Gruyere, Applewood-Smoked bacon and caramelized onions.
Tavern Specialties: Crispy Chicken Tacos (Php 475, but HALF-OFF every Monday for September!) – Chicken tenders with mango slaw and chipotle sauce, served with black beans and rice pilaf
Tavern Specialties: Maryland-style Crab Cakes (regular: Php 550.00, to share: Php 695.00) – Permium lump crab meat served with French fries, coleslaw and homemade tartar sauce
Tavern Specialties: Maple Cured Pork Tenderloin (Php 595.00) – Served with homemade apple chutney, garlic mashed potatoes and fresh seasonal vegetables
The Village Tavern specialties are a selection of hearty dishes with filling portions large enough for sharing. Their Crispy Chicken Tacos were nice and crunchy and was an interesting match for the mushy mango slaw; my sister and I very much liked the deep peppery chipotle sauce. The Village Tavern Maryland-style Crab Cakes was an absolute hit with my mom, those fat crab cakes were generously stuffed with thick slivers of juicy crab meat and served with a zesty tartar sauce that balanced out its subtle flavor. And for carnivores who just got to have their meat, Village Tavern offers their Maple Cured Pork Tenderloin, delectably tender slices of pork loin served with smooth mashed potatoes and some fresh crisp vegetables, a classic combo that never fails to satisfy.
Gourmet Burgers: Cowboy Burger (Php 595.00) – Applewood-smoked bacon, Cheddar cheese with caramelized onions and barbecue sauce (served with a side of fries)
If there’s one item you have to try on the Village Tavern menu, it has got to be the Cowboy Burger. Practically on everyone’s must-try list, the thick strand of bacon teasingly hanging out and the oozing cheese is more inviting in real life than it already is in this photo. And at the center of this awesome burger is a juicy slab of a half-pound Rastelli Pureland Black Angus Ground Chuck imported from the USA, talk about a very tasty international beef!
Desserts: St. Barth’s Chocolate Torte (Php 395.00) – Rich and very moist French cake, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce
We capped off our meal with a slice of St. Barth’s Chocolate Torte, a luscious warm torte with a rich chocolate sauce that crumbles into a delicious pulp under the cool vanilla ice cream. I was already well into a state of food coma but I just had to make room for this. So good!
You really have to give it up for a restaurant that manages to retain its signature culinary concept while managing to cater to the preferences of majority of their diners. I love how the Village Tavern staff is very accommodating when it comes to customer requests, making sure that every diner leaves the restaurant happy and satisfied. So When in Manila and wanting to try something new yet hits so close to home all at once, sample the wonderful dishes that Village Tavern has in store!
Village Tavern
2nd Level Bonifacio High Street Central, 7th Avenue corner 29th Street, 1630 Taguig
Mon – Thu:11:00-23:00
Fri – Sun:11:00-00:00
https://www.facebook.com/VillageTavernPhilippines
https://www.villagetavern.com/the-food.cfm?pid=39&name=Manila.+Philippines