Did you know that you can explore these French delicacies in Manila? French food is something new to the Filipino palette. Most Filipinos are more used to American and other neighboring Asian countries’ cuisine. French food can get a bit intimidating at first due to its unfamiliarity, but once you start tasting them? You will definitely love them!
In this blog post, we will discuss some of the best French delicacies that you can try in Manila. As 2 Frenchmen living in the Philippines for quite some time, we sometimes want to find some food that reminds us of home. These French Delicacies are some of the best you can try in Manila.
Charcuterie Board
If you’ve been to social media lately, you might notice that there’s a new food trend followed by foodies everywhere. From beautifully arranged ones on Pinterest, or a person creating one on IG Reels or Tiktok, and easy tutorials on YouTube, Charcuterie Boards are everywhere.
Basically, A charcuterie board or cold cuts and cheese platter is easy to make. Assemble assorted cold cuts, cheeses, dried fruits, and crackers. Set that in a wooden board, and you’ve got yourself a DIY Charcuterie board! But it’s quite a bit complicated for you to gather up all the assorted ingredients together, not to mention that you might need to buy them in bulk due to the packaging.
But this shouldn’t stop you from trying out a delicious cheeses and cold cuts on a charcuterie board. Many restaurants in Manila have their own interpretation to this French classic, but there’s this one in Dr Wine BGC that stood out! Aside from the delicious selections, you will definitely enjoy the beautiful rustique chic interiors of the restaurant that looks great on photos.
What to order: The Doctor’s Platter is a cheese and charcuterie platter. Each order is served with chicken liver mousse salmon rilettes, semi-dried grapes, and olives. Sounds appetizing right? Be sure to check them out. Aside from their version of charcuterie and cheese board, they serve more delectable French and European dishes. Check out their other branches in Poblacion, and their rooftop bistronomie.
Beef Bourignon
Beef Bourignon is another French delicacy to try in Manila. Boeuf Bourignon or Beef Burgundy is a savory beef stew dish braised in red wine (often Burgundy). Vegetables like carrots, onions, and garlic, are added, and garnished with crispy bacon bits, and mushrooms.
Beef Burgundy is best paired with mashed potatoes and a glass of red wine. It is one of the most popular dishes of France. Multiple versions and interpretations around the world are there, as homage to the cult favorite. Beef Bourignon is definitely one of the first dishes you need to try once you visit a French restaurant. We’re sure that you will love it!
Where to order: have a delicious order of beef burgundy is in Society Lounge. Society Lounge caters mouthwatering French dishes and pastries in Mati Avenue. The restaurant also can also be an event venue for all kinds of events. Aside from that, Society Lounge can deliver freshly prepared French food right at your doorstep.
Beef Tartare
Another French delicacy that you must try is Beef Tartare or Steak Tartare. The dish is made out of raw ground beef that is blended with minced onions, capers, peppers, and Worcestershire sauce topped with raw egg yolks. The dish is a bit intimidating, especially for people who are new to French cuisine. But if you’re up for something new, then an order of Beef Tartare is definitely for you.
Steak Tartare was a luxurious meal in the 20th Century. Today, the dish is served as an appetizer or hors d’oeuvres. Some people order the dish as their main course, but traditionally it is served as an appetizer.
Where to order: The best restaurant in Metro Manila that serves this delectable dish is Braserrie Sagana. The restaurant is home to authentic French food in the heart of BGC business district. Aside from Beef Tartare, the restaurant also serves other French food that you will fall in love with.
Seafood Platter
In the tables of people residing in Southern France, Seafood Platter is the best way for them to indulge in the fresh fruits of the sea. They do it best by serving delicious of freshly caught shrimps, oysters, crabs and more on a platter with ice that are not just pleasing to the eyes, but also to the belly.
But you don’t need to fly to Nice or Cannes just for you to enjoy this. Did you know that there’s a French Bistronomie in Makati that hosts brunch, serves delectable platters of seafood, and serves free flowing wines?
Croissant
Probably one of the most popular type of French pastry, Croissant is not new to the Filipino palette. Several bakeshops around Metro Manila have been creating their interpretations to the beloved bread. But did you know that the flaky pastry we all love today was not first served in French bakeries? Croissant is perceived to originate from a bakery in Austria during the 13th Century.
Through out the years of history Croissant made its way to the street boulangeries of Paris and then eventually to the hearts of people around the world. To achieve the flakiness of the bread, did you know that multiple layers of dough are used to create the perfect one.
Where to buy: All croissant we tried so far in French inspired Filipino bakeries are good. But one bakery stood out among them all. You should check out Simone and Amelia bakery. They are serving delicious and most authentic pastries and sweet delights that are closest to the ones we had at home. Aside from their delicious croissant, complete your experience by ordering other French pastries that takes you to Paris with every bite.
Escargot
Another must-try for Filipinos interested in French Cuisine is the escargot. The word escargot means snail in French. There are several ways to prepare this dish, some people like serving it with the shell, smothering it with garlic butter, and some even add cream and cheese on it to make it more special.
Escargot is one of the most beloved French food around the world. The taste of it is not too intimidating and we bet that if you love clams then you will like this too. Snails and clams have a very similar texture that’s why it wouldn’t be too intimidating for Filipino tastebuds.
Where to order: Almost all French restaurants in Metro Manila that you will encounter serve Escargot. These restaurants have their own interpretations and are all delicious in their own ways. But Metronome’s interpretation of the classic French favorite is probably one of the best ones we’ve tried! Aside from the snail per se, you get to try another French delicacy called foie gras. The two classics are bound together, that is further enhanced by vol au vent pastry, and parmesan foam. It’s the Escargot version you shouldn’t miss.
Now that you’ve learned the best French Delicacies to try in Manila, be sure to try them all and widen your palette’s horizons. All of these restaurants are located in Metro Manila.
Interested to learn more about food? Checkout these blog posts! Top 6 Best French Restaurants in Metro Manila or perhaps the Best Filipino restaurants every foreign traveler must visit!
