Having exhausted the surprisingly extensive arts scene in Manila during the previous two days, Saturday was going to be all about the food. Heading back over the bridge to the district of Makati on foot, we ventured towards the renowned Salcedo Market in search of lunch. Named after Salcedo Village, where it is situated, this market sells a diversity of foods from many nationalities to eat for brunch or lunch (we had to ensure we got there before closing time of 2pm; no more excuses about jet lag sleep ins for us!). The colourful market offered a boggling array of French, African, American and Filipino food from the Ilocos, Pampanga and Bicol regions. The market itself is relatively new, opening in 2005, having been established by a group of expat residents from surrounding condominiums. It soon grew from 27 to 150 stores; but the only problem with this was that it took us about 30 minutes of walking around to finally decide on what to eat. The availability of street food style seafood balls on sticks assisted us to warm up with an appetiser whilst we decided on the main fare.
After enjoying appetiser, main course (fusion enchilada for me and spiced corn for Andy) and dessert of a home-made banana icy pole we ventured over to the hip and grungy suburb of Plobacian to check out the location of Agimat, a restaurant we were told offered fire and drumming alongside cocktails and intended to return when it opened at 6pm, which is twilight in the Philippines. Plobacian, previously notoriously renowned as a red-light district and for the somewhat unPC theatre of ‘dwarf’ boxing has undergone a renaissance and is now quite a hipster suburb replete with street art and artisan bars. Heading back towards Mandalulong, I was thirsty and Andy was hungry so we gravitated towards yet another market which offered home-made lemonade, juices, plenty of seafood and traditional stir fries, which Andy partook of. Like most parts of the Philippines, the market was also the home to a number of underfed, probably stray cats. I noticed that most cats in Manila were ginger, and across town there was little deviation from this prompting me to consider that they may all be related.
As it was our third day out in Manila, we thought it time to try the local public transport and later that evening we flagged down one of the many colourful and decoratively customised tricycles (a motorbike with a covered side car) to arrive gracefully at the posh Agimat Bar and Restaurant in time for opening at 6pm. For 100pesos (around $2.30AUD) we curled up in the small seat unrestrained by seat belts and rules and squealed with laughter as the rattly and bumpy side car snaked its way between cars, jeepneys, trucks and pedestrians across the busy bridge over the Pasig River. Our driver obligingly posed for a selfie at the end, happy to empathise with our giggly delight at our virgin ride.
From the relative grime of the back streets of Plobacian, we were transported to a far more sophisticated and mysterious world, where we were met at the door and escorted upstairs, breathing in the moody and creatively decorated ambience of Agimat. The title Agimat reflects its Filipino term for talisman or lucky charm in local folklore, the talisman being noted for warding off evil. The Restaurant/Bar is a unique partnership between famous cocktail creator, Kalel Demetrio, aka Liquido Maestro and Chef Niño Laus. As it was Saturday, all the tables were fully booked, but this turned out to be a bonus as we were seated at the bar and had front seats to the theatrics of the cocktail making and food creation. Andy, who sat on the right, plied the cocktail waiters, mainly female with questions, while I sat on the left and watched intently as each dish was created, sculpted and arranged before being delicately delivered to its recipient. Central to the bar is a Balete Tree situated between cleanskin bottles resembling science experiments rather than branded spirits. Apparently each bottle is a produce of Demetrio’s experiments. So with good luck on our side we ordered, (as recommended by a friend in Australia) the fire themed cocktails. I ordered the Ritual ng Agimat under the Apoy (fire) category. This tart drink uses the southern Tagalog staple, lambanog mixed with gin and calamansi liquor. The customer is warned in advance that their cocktail is nearly ready to ensure you don’t miss out as the entire crew takes part in a noisy and fiery ritual performed with ethnic masks on, drums, and chants.
Sadly the cocktails relating to the other elements aren’t quite as theatrical in their delivery but are equally creative and tasty. For our second cocktail (we decided to stay on after the first) Andy ordered an earth related one which included burnt flower petals and earl grey tea amongst other ingredients related to the earth. We complimented our cocktails with several of the appertisers, a highlight being a Crab dish with hummus and coconut foam; my choice featured eggs and special crackling; you consumed the egg yolk mixture through straws. Visit https://www.instagram.com/agimatbar/ to find pictures of these dishes and peruse other cocktails and exciting dishes from Agimat.
During our time in the Philippines we did not quite try all the traditional dishes; the idea of eating Balut, a 10 day old duck embryo was pushing the boundaries for me and the gigantic billboards of suckling pigs and witnessing a dead pig flapping in the wind, draped over the side of a trike similarly did nothing to pique my interest in this level of challenge. We didn't try tamilok (raw shipworm marinated in vinegar) or Etag (maggot infested pork), and finally, if you do travel to the Philippines, and order Soup No 5, just remember that the key ingredients are a bull’s penis and testes. Bon appetit!