Angelo Comsti, 33, is a staple in Manila’s food scene as a writer, cookbook author, and stylist. Before moving to Ortigas CBD, where he’s been based since 2008, Angelo was living at his parents’ house in Barrio Kapitolyo, Pasig.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR LOCAL: Kapitolyo is a pretty convenient neighborhood as it has a growing number of good restaurants and cafés, its own church, supermarket, banks, medical and dental clinics, bakeries, salons and schools.
COFFEE: Epic Coffee Roastery (102 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo. Tel. No. 631-0057). I’m not a big fan of coffee yet I still head to this café just because it’s cozy, nice to hang out in and a cool spot to get some work done. What’s nice is that the aroma of their fresh brews fills the room. Their beans are sourced locally, some from Bukidnon and Benguet. As I’m not fond of coffee, I end up ordering French tea, which comes as hand-torn loose leaves in silk mesh bags. Premium quality! I like their rum cake, Belgian chocolate cake, lemon cake, muffins and sandwiches to go with my tea. They also offer homemade ice creams and heavy-hitting meals like pastas and meatloaf. Prepare to shell out PHP75-PHP350.
I lived here: East Capitol Drive, Barrio Kapitolyo, Pasig
I lived here: 28 San Ignacio St, Barrio Kapitolyo, Pasig
BRUNCH: Charlie’s Grind and Grill (16 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo. Tel. No. 501-0137). A hearty and hefty burger might be too much for breakfast (or not). As an alternative, choose from their wide range of brekkie items, ranging from pancakes, egg and cheese sandwiches and Eggs Benedict. My reco, though, is the Charlie’s Platter: all-you-can-eat buttermilk pancake with either hash browns or skillet potatoes, scrambled eggs or sunny side up, and sausage patty, bacon or ham. It comes with refillable coffee or iced tea, too. Prepare to shell out PHP95 to PHP380.
LUNCH: Café Juanita (19 West Capitol Drive. Tel. No. 632-0357). This institution of a restaurant was among the very few that started the whole food scene in Kapitolyo. And from the day it began operations until today, it still packs in people who want a sampling of good Asian food in a quaint and kitschy setting. Its bestsellers include the adobo cooked two ways, catfish mango salad, deep-fried lapu-lapu in tamarind sauce and sticky toffee pudding. Prepare to shell out PHP110 to PHP595.
DINNER: Nav Modern Thai Cuisine (16 United St. Tel. No. 655-8395) You can dine internationally when you’re in the neighborhood. There’s Banoi’s for Vietnamese, Haru for Japanese, Silantro for Fil-Mexican and soon-to-open is Persian Grill. But of the lot, I always end up in Nav to satisfy my penchant for Thai cuisine. They have the traditional fares like the pomelo salad, pad thai, and tom yum goong. And if you feel like trying out something new, they also have their monthly specials. And some of the most delicious dishes have come out of that like the shrimp-stuffed squid and their wok-fried curries. Prepare to shell out PHP150 to PHP460.
DRINKS: Poco Deli (21 East Capitol Drive. Tel. No. 477-4332). Poco means little in Spanish but this deli-slash-diner is the least bit small as it has become one of the biggest and busiest shops in the area. And it’s no mystery why, as it is among the few that carries good wine and equally good food to pair with that. German sausages, cold cuts, cheeses, pastas, pizzas, gourmet sandwiches and crowd pleasers such as bacon slabs, lamb curry and callos to go with bacon rice. To down those, you can have French reds or European beer like Stella Artois, Hoegarden or Estrella Galicia. Prepare to shell out PHP180 to PHP450.
Angelo Comsti is the author of ‘From Our Table To Yours’ (Marshall Cavendish), exclusively available at National Book Store and Powerbooks for PHP795.
