Aurora, recognized as Michelin Selected in the 2025 Michelin Guide Manila, presents an 11-course degustation menu inspired by the team’s Terra Madre experience in Bacolod. It celebrates Philippine ingredients sourced from Slow Food farms in Bacolod, the Cordilleras, and even nearby Antipolo, reinterpreting them through a distinctly Asian lens. We loved how the menu is both educational and delicious, with a thoughtful progression that lets you appreciate each course without feeling overly full—or leaving you wanting more.
First time to finally taste the food of Chef Mark, who was part of the culinary teams of Chef Nicco Santos and Chef Nino Laus. Here’s our take on the tasting menu at Aurora:
about
Aurora is a spirited Makati bistro founded with Atty. Nilo Divina, honoring his mother’s home cooking through refined interpretations of regional Asian flavors. Its modern, ingredient-driven menu balances nostalgia with contemporary technique, showcasing the culinary team’s creativity and personality in an elegant yet welcoming setting. Opened in 2023, Aurora was recognized as Michelin Selected in the 2025 Michelin Guide Manila.
AURORA
📍 Pacific Star Building, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue cor. Makati Avenue, Makati City
🕐 Monday–Saturday | Lunch: 11:00 AM–3:00 PM | Dinner: 6:00 PM–10:00 PM
📞 +63 (917) 104 3672
📸 @restaurantauroraph
📘Restaurant Aurora PH
🌐 https://restaurantaurora.ph
Aurora unveils a new 11-course tasting menu by Chef Mark Jesraelle Sanchez, showcasing an ingredient-driven modern Filipino-Asian approach rooted in local produce and ingredients discovered through the team’s travels and collaborations with farmers and fisherfolk, priced at ₱5,800++ per person.
snacks
The meal opens with a refined sequence of one- or two-bite snacks, inspired by the chefs’ gastronomic discoveries across Asia. The progression traces a journey from the sea at the bottom upward to the highlands, mirroring the ascent through layers of flavor.
TUNA
Cured General Santos Tuna, Seaweed Croustade, Pickled Seaweed
This first snack represents the sea, with a delicate shell made from gamet, the Ilocos black seaweed. Inside is cured tuna with emulsified bihod, reminiscent of a termot salata, finished with crispy fried leeks on top.
DURIAN
Nori Roll, Gulai Tempoyak, Kaffir, Kamias Gel
A crisp nori roll filled with fermented Davao durian, reimagined as a savory curry inspired by durian tempoyak, accented with calamansi gel and puffed rice. Our favorite snack—the durian’s bold, acquired flavor beautifully balanced by the curry’s depth.
UNAGI
Bago River Eel, Green Apple Meringue, Foie Gras, Veil
Bago River eel, steamed and grilled repeatedly à la unagi, sits on a delicate apple meringue shell with silky foie gras mousse and a paper-thin apple veil. The eel brings a deep, savory umami, beautifully lifted by the apple’s gentle sweetness and acidity.
TARTARE
Angus Beef, Smoked Crying Tiger, Spiced Rice Crackers
Angus beef tenderloin sits atop a crisp curry-spiced rice cracker, layered with yogurt and finished with cilantro and mint. Ok lang.
A refreshing melon aperitif with a subtle hint of banana—light, fruity, and a lovely way to awaken the palate.
starters
OYSTERS
Soft Poached Negros Oyster, Oyster Cream, Sea Foam
Rache loves oysters, and this one did not disappoint—served with a silky oyster cream and delicate sea foam, bringing an intense, briny taste of the sea in every bite.
MUSHROOM
Mushroom Tea, Mushroom Espuma, Cordilleran Truffle
Inspired by milk tea with cheese foam, this savory interpretation pairs delicate mushroom cream foam with a clear mushroom consommé infused with bugnay, poured tableside and finished with Bu-o, the seasonal Cordilleran truffle. Sarap nito—earthy, creamy, and deeply umami, mainit init pa.
Japanese milk bread, as soft and pillowy as brioche, made extra special with fragrant curry leaf butter. light na bread course lang.
A delightful surprise course: crisp potato rösti topped with chili crab sourced from a 7-hectare crab farm in Bacolod, finished with rich mascarpone from Casa Formaggio. Like a bacolod-inspired pintxos intermission.
seafood
SNAPPER
Smoked Red Snapper, Fermented Coffee Tea, Saffron Emulsion, Sea Crisp
A creative take on Maya-Maya from Bacolod, wrapped in a silky saffron emulsion and topped with a crisp shrimp tuile. It comes with Baguio spinach chlorophyll and a strawberry-coffee bean sauce fermented like kombucha. Best to mixed together—sarap!
The Altas Cumbres Torrontés from Argentina brings bright acidity, floral and pear notes, and a hint of pineapple—refreshing the palate, cutting through the creamy sauces, and pairing beautifully with the next two seafood courses.
ASIAN BASS
Konbujime Asian Bass, Fish Milk, Mustard Aioli, Vegetable Noodle, Fermented Chili Caviar
Asian Seabass, also sourced from the 7-hectares, is gently cured in seaweed and served with a deeply flavored fish broth simmered for 4–6 hours. It comes with vegetable noodles of carrot, jicama, and radish, mustard-leaf aioli, and chili-oil caviar. Yum!
steak
IBERICO PORK
Joselito Iberico Pork, Fermented Guava Barbecue Glaze, Hoja Santa, Chimichurri, Pork Jus
Iberico pork steak, a refined play on inihaw na liempo, glazed with fermented guava barbecue sauce and paired with hoja santa–bugnay leaf chimichurri and silky cauliflower purée. Iberico is delicious on its own, but the dish invites you to mix and match.
Aruma Malbec from Mendoza is vibrant and fruit-forward, with ripe plum, dark berries, and silky tannins that complement the richness of the meat courses.
BEEF
48-Hour Braised Angus Beef Short Ribs, Green Curry, Pineapple Heirloom Rice
This was our highlight—two of our favorites in one dish: steak and curry! The Angus beef was incredibly tender and flavorful, perfectly cooked medium with a beautifully seared crust, while the curry added a rich, aromatic depth.
The curry was rich and creamy, perfectly paired with black and red heirloom rice and seasonal pickled vegetables—cucumber and onions—that added a refreshing acidity and crunch.
dessert
BANANA
Banana Compote, Banana Sponge, Custard, Davao Milk Chocolate
Inspired by Tokyo Banana, this dessert layers chocolate with banana compote, soft banana sponge, custard, and milk chocolate. A playful, satisfying finale to a truly memorable meal.
final thoughts
Overall, we loved the beef with curry, Asian seabass, and mushroom tea, while the snapper and Iberico pork mains were especially satisfying. What we appreciated most about the tasting menu was how the chefs shared the stories and memories behind each dish, along with the farms and sources of the meats and ingredients. Yes, they serve the steak and curry with rice, and the progression was just right—satisfying without leaving you overly full. The wine pairings also complemented the tasting beautifully. Congrats to Chef Mark and Team Aurora on a thoughtfully crafted and memorable tasting menu.
AURORA
📍 Pacific Star Building, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue cor. Makati Avenue, Makati City
🕐 Monday–Saturday | Lunch: 11:00 AM–3:00 PM | Dinner: 6:00 PM–10:00 PM
📞 +63 (917) 104 3672
📸 @restaurantauroraph
📘Restaurant Aurora PH
🌐 https://restaurantaurora.ph
Live an Awesome Life with Christ,
Founder & Digital Creator, Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: This article was written entirely by a human—reflecting my own biases, opinions, and insights—with grammar and clarity checked using AI assistance. Thank you to the Aurora team for hosting us.
p.s. Aurora’s Instagram account was hacked, so the team had to rebuild its IG presence with a new one: @restaurantauroraph