Metro Manila in 18 hours

THE HOTEL

Manila must want me to return. Or rather the Shangri-la hotel must want me to return. Unexpectedly, I was given an upgrade to a suite. The suites are as expected.  A spacious living area which included a 4-seater dining table and guest bathroom. Opened in 2016 and located in Bonifacio Global City (commonly known as BGC) Shangri-la Hotel at the Fort did not disappoint.  This is a large business hotel (576 rooms) with all the facilities and amenities that one expects from a 5 star property.

Shangri-La The Fort, Manila
30th Street, corner 5th Ave, Taguig, 1634 Metro Manila, Philippines

THE FOOD

PINK’S A HOLLYWOOD LEGEND SINCE 1939

With only 1 hour to get grub before my meeting, I trooped down to the shopping mall (all easily connected via link bridges, a mere 5 minutes) to check out Pink’s Hot Dogs.  This LA outpost made you feel you were in the US of A the moment you stepped in.  Pink’s offers a great selection of hot dogs, burgers and sides.  Go with an empty stomach or lots of friends. With 12 hotdog selections, you are spoilt for choice.  I went with Don’t Mess With Texas.  Bacon, American Cheese, Coleslaw, Homemade BBQ Sauce and Onion Rings.  The bacon was wrapped around to beef hotdog and grilled until it was nice and crispy on the outside. Generously topped with the accompaniments, each bite was super flavourful and simply delicious. Side Orders were equally vast in selection.  From a Cesar Salad to a Bowl of Chili to Sweet Potato Fries. The choice is yours. I went with Popcorn.  Topped with dried bacon bits and salted egg powder – this is one mean snack.   You could even taste the bacon fat on the popcorn.  For those who like their popcorn savoury, this is the dish. Being greedy I went for the classic Onion Rings with Ranch Dressing.  The rings were thin and each bite gave a crunch. I had asked Mr. Google for some burger recommendations in Manila and surprisingly Pink’s Burgers were listed.  So of course – I ordered a Cheeseburger.  1/4 pound beef patty, American cheese, burger sauce, lettuce, onion and tomato.    It was a good classic burger.  Definitely worth the bite.

Pink’s Hot Dogs
Shangri-la, 5th Ave, Taguig, 1634 Metro Manila
11 am – 12 am (generally)

RAGING BULL BURGERS

Just round the corner from Pink’s is Shangri-la’s steak and burger offering.   If you want to have a sit down formal steak with great cocktails then the Raging Bull Chophouse & Bar located on the 3rd floor of the hotel is your go-to.  For those like me, on the run, the ground floor Raging Bull Burgers is a great alternative.  Using aged beef from the same source as the Chophouse, these burgers have a great smokiness to them.  I ordered the Kickass Burger. Each bite had a great beef flavour and meatiness that one misses nowadays in burgers.  Just one problem –  I did not take to the burger bun as much. There was no space in my belly to order any of the sides.  One has to save something for the next trip!

Raging Bull Chop House
30th Street Corner 5th Avenue Shangri-La The Fort, Manila, Taguig, 1634 Metro Manila, Philippines
Temporarily Closed (Updated: 31 Jan 2022)

Raging Bull Burgers
Corner of 30th St, 4th Ave, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
10:30am – 10pm

MANAM

Food must always be enjoyed with friends.  I was so lucky to have my Filipino friend take me to dinner at Manam. Another friend had mentioned this restaurant to me previously so I was thrilled when I knew I was going to dine there.  Just 10 minutes from the hotel, this casual eatery sees long queues so be prepared to wait. Garlic rice, Bagbagis (crispy deep-fried pork intestines), pork and chicken Adobo, Sisig (pork jowls, liver and ear on a sizzling plate, name it and we had it.   This was a culinary experience for me.

Garlic Fried Rice (fluffy rice topped with crispy bits of fragrant garlic. Delicious even on it’s own.)

Bagbagis (Crispy deep-fried pork intestines)

Adobo – Chicken & Pork

Manam
Robinsons Place, L1 Midtown Wing, Pedro Gil St, Ermita, Manila, Philippines
10am – 9/10pm (different on specific days)

Salamat at Paalam Manila! Thanks for a great trip.

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If you would like to experience this hotel, feel free to visit their website here: https://www.shangri-la.com/en/manila/shangrilaatthefort/

Otherwise, feel free to contact us for any questions or recommendations.