Fely J's Homey Filipino Cuisine in Greenbelt 5, Makati
For the final stop of our #LJCxZomatoFoodCrawl, we had Fely J's - a Filipino restaurant inspired by the heritage brought forth by Larry J. Cruz's mom, Fely J.
Fely J's top-notch ambiance
I've been in this restaurant for a few times already, and I kept coming back because of the wave of comfort I feel each time I dine here. This is why, I was so elated finding out that the last stop of our food crawl would be here.
Fely J's had this warmly lit interior furnished with wooden and often quaint furniture. This gives the restaurant a push-and-pull of both retro and classic feels. But there's more than what meets the eye. Each time I visit Fely J's I can get an assuring sense of security and comfort -- likened to the feeling of a mother's love and protection.
Third leg of the food crawl
During this time, I was already feeling all bloated. Pigging out all day is no joke, and I also felt it wasn't "right". Hence, what I really did was to just taste portion of what was served. Hopefully, they were enough to give you an idea of the dishes here. Let's start off with the appetizers.
Everyone was given a time to settle down and digest what we had for the first two stops of the food crawl. Thankfully, the pacing slowed down, and we were given this Thai Shrimps and Pomelo (P270) to focus on. It was surely light and the shrimps were delicate and fresh.
Soup was also served afterwards to warm us up from the chilly weather, and we were given ample time to just bask in the comforting ambiance of Fely J's.
When they felt like we were ready to dig in once again, they started serving the main courses. These dishes are primarily derived from Filipino cuisine, but there were a few that infused some concepts from other cuisines. Take the Lengua Rendang (P399) as an example.
Mixing two powerful Southeast Asian cuisines (i.e. Filipino and Malay), the Lengua Rendang had this exquisite taste that was distinct yet had a controlled and balanced mixture of spices. This is a must-try here in Fely J's!
*Lengua-based dishes are perhaps inherited from our Spanish heritage, but I'm calling it "Filipino" since we had somehow made it distinct
We also had this Binagoongang Baboy (P325) which had a playful saltiness from the infusion of shrimp paste.
Though it has the capacity to scare children, this Tilapia with Sweet Plum Sauce (P399) was an interesting choice. The fish meat was rightly cooked, and the plum sauce just gave it a sweet-fruity character.
Last one up for the main courses was Fely J's Temple Crab (P190 per 100g). While it definitely looked very appetizing, my stomach already reached its capacity, even just for tasting. Hence, I'll update this as soon as I get to drop by Fely J's again.
Finally, we reached the last set of desserts we had for the day. I was crossing my fingers the whole afternoon. I wanted something fantastic to end the food crawl, and Fely J heeded my call.
The Cassava Bibingka (P120), which was served first, had a visual magnificence. The taste was rightly sweet, and the macapuno on top just gave this dessert wonderful variety of sweetness.
It was not just a dish -- it was also a work of art.
The last dessert (which also was the last dish for the food crawl) was the Snowy Mango (P195). I loved how every ingredient contributed in building up the comforting bite of this dessert. The sweetness of the mango (with its subtle sourness) blended well with the creamy goodness of the ice cream, while the shaved ice made sure that everything stayed perfectly chilled.
So folks, this marks the end of the post as well as the 3-part series on this #LJCxZomatoFoodCrawl. Thank you for reading, and do check this blog for more updates!
Fely J's - Overall Summary
Budget: at least P500 each for a moderate to heavy sharing type of dining experience for a group of at least 4
No. of visits for this particular restaurant/branch - 4 || Date of last visit - July 21, 2018
Fely J's ambiance is one of those that really stood out. It was where I felt comfort and "class" both at the same time. There was also a Filipino spirit lingering (and no, not that kind of spirit you have in mind) that made dining more festive and comforting. Dishes also had this "luto ni mama" feels, and the servers were all warm.
Dishes that I highly suggest are Lengua Randang, Kare-Kare (not included in this post) and Dilis Fried Rice (also not included in this post).
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Fely J's
Location: 2/F, Greenbelt 5, Makati, Metro Manila
Contact No.: (02) 728 8858
