As featured in 10 Best NEW Homegrown Restaurants in Manila of 2019!
METRONOME is a modern French restaurant in Makati by Joël Robuchon-trained Chef Miko Calo, RJ Galang of Bakere/Man Eat Manila fame, Restaurateur Elbert Cuenca and Alain Borgers, formerly from the Shangri-La Group.
This is the much-anticipated restaurant opening of 2019 in Manila because of the rave reviews about Chef Miko’s food in the underground supper clubs, not to mention the place was featured in Chris Dwyer’s CNN article—Great plates: 15 new restaurants to try in 2019.
Is it all just hype? Or is this the best French restaurant Manila has been waiting for?
METRONOME by Miko Calo
G/F The Grand Midori Makati, Bolanos St., Legaspi Village, Makati
Operating Hours:
Monday to Saturday 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Reservations taken between 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Mobile: +63 917 147 3776
Telephone: +632 618 4337
Email: reservations@restaurantmetronome.com
Facebook: Metronome
Instagram: @restaurant.metronome
Website: www.restaurantmetronome.com
Metronome Menu: Small Plates | Mains | Tasting Menu | Desserts | Coffee, Digestif
Drinks Menu: Champagne, White, Rose | Red | Bar List Spirits | Cocktail, Beverages
First Things First
The concept of the restaurant was already brewing in Chef Miko Calo’s mind ever since 2014. When the time came to open the business, she already knew what she wanted for her signature restaurant—French blue, gold and Filipino wood themed interiors, modern French cuisine and the name of the restaurant.
The name of the restaurant was inspired by the metronome, a guiding instrument by a musician to practice with a pre-determined beat/minute. For Chef Miko, French cooking techniques are her metronome to execute the food with precision and deliciousness.
Make sure to reserve Metronome’s banquet tables (good for 5-6) with a backdrop of sleek interiors by Noel Bernardo.
The banquet dining set up reminds me of Bob Bob Ricard, the iconic London Soho restaurant famous for its Beef Wellington.
Make sure to reserve the private dining room (good for 12) for the family gourmand’s special celebrations.
Small Plates
Bread service included pandesal, baguettini and sourdough brioche served with butter.
This most raved about dish was precise in execution—perfect runny egg with truffle, mushroom and texture from strips of crunchy lumpia wrapper. It was so good and simot sarap with the bread.
So simple—spaghettini with sauce from crushed shrimp heads topped with salmon eggs—and yet you’d close your eyes and savor every flavor.
Loved the contrast of foie gras and tamarind and the best amuse-bouche to start the Metronome experience.
The belly was tender and fatty, with a ginger-sweet bbq glaze. Nothing wrong with it but also nothing to rave about.
Mains
The meat was cooked medium with just the right sauces, and you could taste the duck flavor. Simply delicious.
The mashed potato almost had the consistency of butter, and it was truly the best one in Manila.
Halibut was cooked just right with bacon-like bits from pork jowl and onion confit and soup to complete the dish.
The only disappointing dish was the lamb, which was not memorable. We wished we ordered the iberico secreto instead.
Desserts
Filipino Chocolate served 3 ways with different textures and the best one hidden inside—Risa’s chocolate fudge. 🙂
So light and creamy, not too sweet and just the perfect classic French dessert to end the meal.
Final Thoughts
Overall, at the end of the meal, we asked Chef Miko, “Why is your food so good?” It looks simple, classic French (not fusion), but when you taste it, the flavors overwhelm you with their simplicity. Ang galing!
For the best experience, make sure to reserve the banquet tables which are very conducive for conversations with friends until closing time. Definitely, order the Egg and Spaghettini for the small plates, the Duck for the mains, Chocolate Textures and Baba Au Rhum for dessert. Budget ₱2,500/head for the dining experience or + ₱1,000 for the tasting menu + drinks.
Indeed, it deserves all the hype and the food is worth every peso.
Congratulations to Chef Miko Calo, RJ Galang and the Metronome team for creating the best French bistro in Manila!
METRONOME by Miko Calo
G/F The Grand Midori Makati, Bolanos St., Legaspi Village, Makati
Operating Hours:
Monday to Saturday 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Reservations taken between 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Mobile: +63 917 147 3776
Telephone: +632 618 4337
Email: reservations@restaurantmetronome.com
Facebook: Metronome
Instagram: @restaurant.metronome
Website: www.restaurantmetronome.com
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: We paid for our meal. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions and insights.
P.S. Love this painting. Do you know the artist and the story behind?
