#uptownbgc

It was a rainy Friday evening when we went to The Island but we really just wanted to relax and enjoy the evening after a very tiring week. It was still quite early in the evening so thankfully there weren’t any long lines yet. Reservations are highly encouraged but walk-ins will also be accommodated depending on availability.

Patrons will enjoy dining with friends and family in this very colorful and huge outdoor establishment. No need to worry about the rain because the place is fully covered from the rain clouds, so you can still enjoy the cool breeze and the trendy ambiance even during the rainy season.

There are several dining areas to choose from at The Island, each with its own quaint charms. You can choose a table near the bar if you are hungry and want some quick orders.

This area is best suited for big groups but there are also some cozy dining spots on the side for more intimate dates.

If you are coming here for post-dinner drinks, then the sofas and tables at the center of The Island should be the spot for you and your friends. This is also closer to the DJ booth so you can dance and party the night away.

The Island also offers a couple of private VIP rooms for exclusive events like birthday parties, graduation parties, corporate activities, or any other celebration you can think of.

These rooms can accommodate bigger groups and come with their own bars as well.

Come early because The Island has its Happy Hour promotions from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Take advantage of their Buy 1 Take 1 offers with shots starting at only P80. You can also order some cocktails like Darla’s Fizz (P320), a creamy concoction made with gin, strawberry, soy milk, and egg white. There's also the Legends of the Hidden Temple (P320) which is a Yes, Please classic. This comes with a mix of bourbon, green mango, tamarind, and lime as a twist to the classic whisky sour.

On the other hand, you can also go for some healthier beverages like the Lemon Yakult Shake (P150) or fruit shakes like the Watermelon Shake (P150).

But the main reason I am here is to try The Island’s brand new menu. The Palace Manila’s Head Chef Ron Cruz pays tribute to our Filipino heritage and created a delectable lineup of local Filipino dishes. These will give you a taste of home with dishes that our moms and lolas would cook for the family.

We ordered the Cheesy Baked Oysters (P390) for our starters. These yummy oysters are baked with quickmelt cheese and garlic miso butter. Each piece was topped with generous amounts of cheese so I really enjoyed eating them.

Since everyone was drinking, we also tried the Crispy Drunken Shrimp (P520) so even the shrimp could get in the action. These white shrimp are deep-fried with hibe, fried onions, and spiced vinegar to create a tasty bite-sized appetizer.

We were quite curious about the Mussels and Oyster Sisig (P620) so we had to try it for ourselves. Instead of the usual pork sisig, this is a healthier seafood version which comes with calamansi soy, cream, onion, and chili.

Of course, we couldn’t have a proper Filipino dinner without rice, so we chose to get the indulgent Aligue Rice (P240). One order is good for up to three persons, but this is just right for my husband and me. The aligue rice is cooked with aligue butter and topped with onion frites to complete the dish.

The Ginger Garlic Crispy Tilapia (P470) is a crispy fried tilapia cooked with ginger garlic oil and served with patis sweet chili and salted egg tartare. It’s a good companion to our meaty main course which we are eager to dive into.

We couldn’t wait to get our hands on the Sizzling Short Ribs (P965). This big sizzling plate comes with big cuts of short ribs doused in truffle gravy and served with french beans, roasted garlic, and shiitake confit. It’s honestly good for up to three persons so we really enjoyed having this all to ourselves.

Groups and barkadas can also order their Boodle Feast which is good for 5 to 6 people. For our dessert, we went for the Mango Graham Wafer Meringue (P310) with its mango chutney and graham streusel topped with whipped cream.

The Island at The Palace is still one of the most popular nightlife destinations here in the city. Whether you are coming here after long hours at the office, or meeting up with your friends and college mates, The Island’s new menu and Happy Hour promotions will keep you all talking and partying all the way up to the late evening. See you at The Island!

The Island PH

9th Avenue corner 32nd Street, Uptown Bonifacio, BGC, Taguig

(0917) 689-8888 / (0917) 680-8888

www.thepalacemanila.com/the-island

The first in modern Filipino cuisine, Sentro 1771 pioneered the concept of playing with our favorite local dishes using a variety of Western and Asian influences. The restaurant comes with beautiful wooden interiors and bright natural lighting, setting up a sophisticated, native feel that’s perfect for hearty dinners and get-togethers. 

This branch also has a small private dining area which can host around 20 to 30 guests. The room actually connects to both Flatiron 1771 and Sentro 1771 so it can serve both restaurants depending on the occasion. This is where my friends and I gathered for lunch that afternoon. 

I can’t believe that this is only my first time to dine at Sentro 1771, but it couldn’t come with a better group of friends. We started with a few of their Filipino beverages like the Avocado Shake (P150) and the classic Bottomless Sago't Gulaman (P150). They also have other local drinks like the Native Hot Chocolate and original Filipino-style Sentro Cocktails using buko pandan, calamansi, and even sampalok as ingredients.

Sentro 1771 shot to fame with their original Filipino twists to classic dishes. One of these is the Fried Kesong Puti (P420) which comes with native white cheese, breaded and deep-fried until golden brown. This is served with sweet chili guava sauce and garlic dip. These soft and pillowy cheese balls are great appetizers to start with.

There is also the Macao Chorizo and Cheese Tidbits (P380) which are mini spring rolls filled with Macau chorizo, shallots and keso de bola. I love the contrasting textures and flavors of both starters, with this one giving us crunchy and salty bites.

The Rated GG (P550) is one of Sentro 1771′s signature dishes. This can serve as an appetizer or part of the main dishes if you prefer. The galunggong fillets (round scad) are fried in garlic oil and topped with browned garlic, giving it a majestic flavor and aroma. I have never tasted galunggong as good as these!

Aside from its signature favorites, Sentro 1771 also has some new items on the menu like the Shrimp Cracker Salad (P550). This comes with shrimps and singkamas (Mexican turnip) flavored with lemongrass, lime, cilantro and garlic in lime mayo on a bed of shredded lettuce, then served with kropek.

Another new vegetable dish is the Seafood Laing (P580) which is a levelled-up laing that comes with garlic shrimps, fried hito flakes and grilled squid. This seafood and vegetable combination is a healthy dish to have on the table and fortunately, it’s not as spicy as it looks.

The Bangus Pandan (P560) is another one of their new specialties. The bangus or milkfish is wrapped just like a chicken pandan with a stuffing made from miso, tomato, and malunggay grilled with pandan leaves. It’s a cute and different take on the fish that we all love.

Joining their list of signature dishes is the Garlic Steak (P860) with its marinated slices of beef top blade topped with fried garlic bits and garlic butter. This is a steak done the Filipino way, with loads of garlic and simply oozing with flavors.

Don’t forget about their classic Specialty of the House - the Corned Beef Sinigang (P640). I thought that this was just a usual pot of sinigang but I was so pleasantly surprised with how good it was.

The sinigang is a tamarind-based broth mixed with native vegetables and meat or seafood. This hearty dish comes with generous portions of corned beef short plate and boneless beef shanks, cured in-house for 3-5 days, which give it a sour and savoury combination.

This turned out to be my favorite dish that afternoon, especially with the very tender corned beef chunks and the flavorful sour broth. I had to order a plate of white rice just because of the sinigang. I call this a truly elevated Filipino dish.

Of course, this other classic Filipino favorite is always welcome on the table. The Boneless Crispy Trotter (P696), otherwise known as Crispy Pata, is part of every Filipino celebration. The crispy skin just crackles with every savoury bite, and the juicy pork dipped in soy sauce also goes so well with rice.

Time for desserts! The Keso Flan (P230) is a baked, no crust cheesecake served with a slice of queso de bola and red egg. This sweet and indulgent dessert is perfect for the Filipino’s sweet tooth.

You can also try the Fried Suman with Mangoes (P200) which comes with rolled-out suman fried to a light crisp. This is then topped with slices of ripe mangoes and served with sweet coco jam.

One of their most popular desserts is the Coffee Pie (P250) which remains to be the only one of its kind in the metro. This a must have even for non-dessert lovers with its chocolate-cashew crust and coffee fillings topped with cream cheese and toffee sauce. My first ever visit to Sentro 1771 turned out to be such a sweet and satisfying experience because I was able to try some of their best specialties all in one go. Sentro remains to be one of the best places to bring your family and friends, so I will definitely be back here real soon.

Sentro 1771

G/F Uptown Place Mall, 36th Street corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig