As girls' girls, we don't like to gatekeep. So, listen carefully 'coz we're spilling the tea on an exclusive secret menu hidden in one of Metro Manila's mall food halls.
Dubbed simply as the Secret Menu, this exclusive line-up of dishes is available at The Grid Food Market at Power Plant Mall, and was crafted in collaboration with SPOT.ph and Esquire Philippines. The key to unlocking this treasure chest of eats? A Unionbank Credit Card—this menu can only be accessed when you swipe the card for your order.
There's quite a lot on the menu, so we're making it easier for your hangry self with this cheat sheet:
What to order from The Grid's Secret Menu
For a quick work lunch out
Find yourself at The Grid Food Market with less than an hour to spare for your mid-work-day meal? You can't go wrong with a sandwich like Bun Appetit's Scallop Grilled Cheese (P390). With two buttery slices of potato bread stuffed with bay scallops and gooey emmental cheese, this is sure to chase away any blues caused by a grumpy boss or annoying officemate.
Need something more substantial? A glistening slab of half bone marrow lets you know immediately that Le Chon's Bulalo Steak (P498) is not your usual sizzling rice plate meal. But with tender bulalo meat, a sunny side-up egg, butter rice, and lots of gravy, this rice plate could be what gets you through your 9-to-5.
For spice fiends
For those who can handle the heat, Gochugang's Fire Noodles (P380) may just be the thrill your taste buds seek. Bouncy home-made udon noodles are coated in Gochugang's signature spicy gochujang pepper sauce that could burn off your tongue—but you'll enjoy the pain anyway. Tossed with chicken, shiitake mushrooms, kimchi, and roasted sesame, this noodle dish is one hefty, well-rounded meal, too.
Another fiery but tasty dish is the Shrimp Dumplings in Mala Cream Sauce (P430) from Pilya's Kitchen. Fans of the Netflix show Culinary Class Wars may recognize this famous dish, but you don't have to have watched the show to enjoy this platter of dumplings stuffed with shrimp and blanketed by a creamy, spice-laden house-blend Mala cream sauce.
For date night
Who says you can't have a classy small plate on your next date night at The Grid? Not when you can have Thomson Road's Fragrant Gambas (P450), a plate of fresh, juicy shrimps covered in a bright, garlicky herb sauce. It's the perfect sharing plate, even if you and your date have your own mains to dig into.
The most stable of relationships need some thrill every now and then—and so do the sweetest of desserts. Dripp knows the drill, and they deliver with their Swiss Chocolate Ice Cream with Honey Butter Potato Chips (P180), a toothsome treat you and your beau can enjoy together (the pink spoons are a nice, romantic touch, too!).
ALSO READ: 7 First-Date Restos For When You Finally Make It Out Of The DMs
For a hangout with friends
The London girls' trip might just be a pipe dream at the moment, but the squad can still get a taste of a British classic with Bored and Hungry's Fish and Chips (P590). Bored and Hungry keeps it simple but great with crisp-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside fried cobbler fillet plus well-seasoned fries and tartar sauce. Chef Gordon Ramsay isn't calling anyone an idiot sandwich here any time soon.
The worst thing that can happen on a friends' hangout is not being able to decide on what to eat. The solution? Present everyone with a variety of options. BLK 513's Blackout Rebel Dessert (P340) is a two-parter with their signature charcoal-black frozen yogurt and decadent Dark Side Cheesecake.
ALSO READ: 7 Stylish Restaurants In Manila For Your Next Reunion
For a payday splurge
You deserve a treat for a job well done—especially once payday comes around. If you have extra cash to splurge, indulge in La Chinesca's Toro Tostada (P810).
La Chinesca takes their signature homemade tortilla and tops it with all the good stuff: fresh ch?toro zuke, ?toro aburi, akamai, tomato pico de gallo, and chipotle aioli for a tostada that's bursting with fresh, savory flavors. Topped with dainty yellow flowers, this looks very cutesy, too.
Craving something heftier? You can also treat yourself to Ono Poke's Yuzu Salmon (P620), with thick-cut fresh salmon cubes tossed in a zesty yuzu sauce on top of the usual poke-bowl suspects.
