BLACKBOOK BITE BY BITE Devouring Manila The Philippine capital has always had great local provisions, but, as BILL KNOTT writes, now the city features some of the region’s premier eateries as well Clockwise from top left: counterside dining with kitchen views at Kushikatsu Daruma; Michelin-starred chef Chan Hon Meng preparing his famous chicken; mango pancakes at Baker & Cook; Kushikatsu’s signature fried skewers; a basil and prosciutto pie by Plank Sourdough PIzza Manila’s hordes of eager foodlovers have never had so much choice, and – despite the success of Mecha Uma, Toyo Eatery and their like – it’s not just at the top end. Manilans can now graze the world at any number of casual eateries, and imports from Singapore are leading the charge. On Level One of S Maison at the Conrad, celebrity chef Dean “Global Baker” Brettschneider has opened a branch of Baker & Cook (bakerandcook.biz), his artisanal bakery and coffee shop, and – right next door – the ovens at his Plank Sourdough Pizza (plankpizza.biz) are already hitting 400ºC: the pizza dough uses the same starter as Brettschneider’s famous sourdough loaves. Then there’s Kam’s Roast Goose (krg.com.hk), a HongKong institution that also has a Singapore branch and will open in Manila later this year: expect rich, fatty, crisp-skinned goose – and a long wait for a table. Gourmets will be queuing around the block, too, when Singapore chef Chan Hon Meng’s Hawker Chan opens: his “soya sauce chicken rice” is often touted as the world’s best-value Michelin-starred dish. In the meantime, poultry fans can chow down at Bad Bird’s (bitebadbird.com) first standalone store in SM Megamall, where the chicken is cooked safe, spicy or – for iron palates – “chemical”; umamipacked sides include bonito flakes and miso butter. Or head over to the Uptown Mall for Kushikatsu Daruma’s (kushikatudaruma.com) legendary katsu skewers from Dotonbori, Osaka, perfect when dunked in their secret sauce … but the house rule is strictly “No double dipping!” You have been warned. ♦ CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: DANICA CONDEZ, ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES, IKIE BINOYA, DANICA CONDEZ, IKIE BINOYA 24 DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM CONTACT PLATINUM CARD SERVICE FOR BOOKINGS
BLACKBOOK SPORTING LIFE Spoke Power PIETARI POSTI For metropolises round the globe, bicycles are neither child’s play nor a nostalgic relic – they are the key to unlocking 21st-century urbanism. JOSH SIMS reports on the surprising growth of the two-wheeler We’ve worked on a new bicycle, and other forms of sustainable transport, because they’re how we’re going to get around cities of the future. You have to be new, but you also have to be relevant too,” advises Paolo Pininfarina. It’s an almost shocking statement, coming from the head of the Italian design firm best known for styling Ferrari supercars, but Pininfarina’s E-voluzione, its first electric bike – and winner of this year’s European Product Design Award – points to just » CONTACT PLATINUM CARD SERVICE FOR BOOKINGS DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM 25
