Manam's Comfort Filipino Restaurant

Manam Comfort Filipino Restaurant

For our regular Sunday family dine out, we decided to go for something close to our hearts - Filipino cuisine. We had been trying to give this place called Manam a try, but we keep on finding something more "interesting". Finally, we actually got to try it out that evening.

Manam in Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay

The place has a great neat modern interior but was undermined by the lack of comfortable spaces. Also, the room temperature was not as conducive as it may be. Other than these, I would say that this a such a lovely place!

Cramped interior of Manam Comfort Filipino in Mall of Asia

It took us about 20 minutes before we got seated because of the long queue, and it was expected since it was Sunday. What I wasn't able to anticipate was even if the orders were taken ahead, it still took 10 minutes before the dishes started coming in. Now, due to our growling hunger, we immediately kept ourselves busy eating.

Order Size Guidelines (as written on the menu)
S - Good for 1 || M - Good for 3 || L - Good for 6

House Crispy Sisig || S - P130 || M - P215 || L - P385

Pork jowls, cheek & ears, finely chopped, grilled and served on a sizzling plate

House Crispy Sisig - a Filipino favorite!

The sisig was nicely done with the creaminess from the mayo and the right combination of subtle sweetness, sourness and citrus (from the squeezed calamansi).

Pinakbet || S - P120 || M - P205 || L - P365

Okra, sitaw, eggplant, pumpkin, tomatoes, pork bits, bagoong, stir-fried

The Pinakbet of Manam Comfort Filipino

Although not as visually enticing, the pinakbet had this delectable goodness from the right blend of bagoong.

Kare-Kare with Oxtail || S - P285 || M - P485 || L - P935

Oxtail and tripe stewed in house-made peanut sauce and served with shrimp paste on the side

The not-so-adorable Kare-Kare with Oxtail of Manam

The Kare-kare had this sweet peanut goodness that made the sauce really appetizing and palatable. However, this dish failed to maximize value due to (1) the unappetizing presentation and (2) the lack of ingredients or sahog. In fact, I can't shrug that feeling of being "robbed" by this dish.

Lechon Dinuguan || S - P285 || M - P535 || L - P995

The interestingly curated Lechon Dinuguan

The dinuguan was interestingly sour with mild to no spiciness, and since I don't have a good benchmark for dinuguan, I was able to appreciate the dish!

A Not-So-Popular Kid in Manam Restaurant, Mall of Asia

To preserve my good memories with my family, I'm sharing this photo with you.

Manam - Overall Ratings and Summary

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Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★☆
Taste  ★★★★
Service  ★★★
Value for Money ★★☆
Budget: At least P300 each for a moderate lunch or dinner with a group of at least 4

When it comes to the taste of the food we had, Manam certainly counts as noteworthy. However, what bothered me was how the dishes may not be as sulit due to the lack of generosity in the serving sizes.

Other restaurant suggestions in Mall of Asia:

• SARSA Kitchen + Bar - Contemporary Filipino dishes by a celebrity chef
• ABE Filipino Cuisine - Filipino classic favorites

Will you be trying this place out?

Manam Comfort Filipino
Location: Ground Floor, South Wing, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City

Contact No.: (02) 511 8401
Service Charge: 10% before VAT