While indoor dining (at 30 percent capacity) is now allowed in Metro Manila under the new quarantine classification “GCQ with heightened restrictions” until June 15, outdoor dining remains the more ideal option when eating out – better ventilation is a great selling point.
Hence, more restaurants are offering al fresco dining – which is allowed at up to 50 percent capacity in NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna – to enable more diners to enjoy food outside while minimizing the risk of infection.
Eastwood banchetto
After more than a year of serving solely takeaway food for pickup and delivery, Eastwood Richmonde Hotel’s Eastwood Café+Bar on June 4 launched the Richmonde Banchetto. The restobar’s al fresco area is set up for a fun, casual dining with seats arranged to accommodate proper physical distancing.
Richmonde Banchetto is serving pork and chicken barbecue, isaw, pork and chicken satay, brick oven pizza, Birria tacos, chicken inasal, Peruvian chicken, goto, tokwa’t baboy, plus beer and other drinks. Diners can take their pick from the menu of choice comfort food prepared fast and fresh by the hotel’s kitchen team at the live cooking stations. Prices go for as low as P50.
Eastwood Café+Bar’s Richmonde Banchetto is open every Friday and Saturday from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. All freshly cooked items are also available for takeout, curbside pickup, and delivery. Charges apply for deliveries within Metro Manila but deliveries within Eastwood City are free. Call (02) 8570-7777 or 0917-821-0333 for orders or table reservations.
Newport food park
Restaurants at Newport City in Pasay bring their sumptuous offerings street-side at the newly opened Newport Parklet.
The food park houses restaurant pop-ups with designated dining areas for guests.
Available at the Newport Parklet are the signature Shanghainese dishes from Hilton Manila’s Hua Yuan. Special menu highlights include pork cabbage dumpling, spinach pork siomai, steamed pork bun, and mushroom bun, which are best paired with the restaurant’s bestselling Red Dates Fruit Milk Tea. Prices range from P500 to P700 for two.
Resorts World Manila’s Bolahan serves Filipino street food staples such as seafood and pork grilled items, Pinoy-flavored pizza, and halo-halo. Prices of a meal for two range from P500 to P800.
Sheraton’s Oori, on the other hand, offers Korean street finds including tteok bokki (rice cake and fish cake in sweet and spicy sauce), eomuk tang (fish cake soup), samgyeopsal, and tong dak (fried chicken with rice). Two people can enjoy Oori’s Parklet offerings starting at P400 to P600.
Hotel Okura offers classic Japanese favorites such as okonomiyaki, tamagoyaki, tonkatsu rice bowl, and sukiyaki udon bento along with a selection of sake, Japanese beers, and soda for a delicious dinner. Prices range from P800 to P1,200 for two diners.
Peri-Peri’s Parklet menu highlights a special dine-in group meal that consists of a whole signature Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, one Chicken Tenders Salad, a pasta to share, and four regular sides and java rice, plus the restaurant’s eight signature sauces. It also comes with one liter of drink, a choice of Lime-ade or house blend iced tea. Price starts at P999 for four people.
RWM’s Newport Parklet also offers dishes from Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, Macao Imperial Tea, Crustasia Asian Seafood Market, Fiery Style Southwestern Flaming Grill, Starbucks, and Marriott Manila.
This pet and bikers friendly al fresco place is open daily from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Parking at Newport Mall is free.