Banchetto-Emerald, a gem to find in Ortigas!

If you think F. Ortigas Jr. Avenue (formerly Emerald) is just a typical corporate district, think again, because every Friday midnight (until next day, Saturday 11am), the place transforms into a food haven called “Banchetto Emerald”, which offers an array of dishes that you can imagine!

“Banchetto” (Italian word for feast) in Emerald, aims to promote tourism in Ortigas Center, attracting residents in condominiums and subdivisions within the area and visitors from nearby villages. This also became beneficial to the employees working in Ortigas area especially people from call-center firms who do graveyard shifts during weekends.

Tents filled with “sea-foods” and “sin-foods” are lined up for your enjoyment. Must-try Filipino dishes such asInihaw na Liempo (grilled pork belly), Fish or Pork Sisig (fish or pork marinated in vinegar, seasoned and fried),Adobo (chicken or pork cooked in vinegar and soy sauce, pepper added), Litson Kawali (crispy pan-fried roasted pork), Calamari (fried squid) and other meat or vegetable based viands served with freshly cooked rice are offered in most of the stalls.

In case you come with full stomach but still have room for desserts and other finger foods, there are booths that serve bread with fillings, cakes, cold salads (cream/milk based), cheese and pizza sticks, crepes (best seller!), biscuits and even fresh fruits.

Craving for other European, American or other Asian cooking? Sure you will enjoy stalls that sell pizza, big hamburgers, Hungarian sausages, pasta, shushi, sashimi, maki, Korean beef stew and more. Servings are definitely good enough even for sharing.

Once you have your meal, you have a choice of either “Take Out or Away” or “Dine in” and savor it in Banchetto, as tables and chairs are already provided for everyone’s convenience. So if you are in a strict diet and your resistance to temptation is low, you better stay away from Banchetto-Emerald because all servings are, indeed… irresistible.

TO EAT? OR NOT TO EAT?

To Eat:

• Banchetto Emerald offers wide collection of dishes that are absolutely enjoyable; all kinds that you can imagine are already in front of you!
• Best to bring your family or friends, spend a different kind of early morning fun there!
• Prices are very affordable.
• Chairs and Tables are provided for those who would want to stay and eat.

Not To Eat:

• Manila weather is unpredictable. It could get very warm or hot outside or unexpected rainfall will happen.
• The place can become so crowded especially on paydays. You may find it hard to score a table and chair.
• Thinking of those additional calories that are very hard to burn.