Dining at Miguel and Maria in Lilac Street is my mom’s dream-come-true. Ever since we featured it on Poptalk, she has been hinting at us to visit the restaurant as a family and try the same dishes we had in the “food crawl” episode (click here to watch) back in 2015. A few days before Mother’s Day, I still didn’t have a good place in mind, so I asked her for some suggestions. Without hesitation and as fast as she could type on Facebook Messenger, she replied “Miguel and Maria.” Her wish was granted. 🙂 It was a happy Mother’s Day indeed!
After 1.5 years, I was back in Miguel and Maria. The restaurant layout and quality of food remained the same. One difference I noticed was the wall. Well, our pictures are on it. 🙂 I was too surprised. Thank you, Miguel and Maria! This “comfort food” restaurant is truly reliable, one that won’t smack you or your credit card across the face.
Review of Miguel and Maria (Lilac Street, Marikina City)
Since it was Mother’s Day, the restaurant was packed, a testament to the management’s commitment to quality dishes that draw huge lines and massive crowd appreciation. We were, as I remembered, fifth in the list, so we stayed in the car and ordered ahead. We got a table after an hour. Food was immediately served and everything was absolutely worth the wait. We started lunch with the Bacon Chowder (PhP 80). It was creamy, rich, and comforting with a smoky jolt from bacon. Yum!
Coated in sweet, salty, and savory flavors, the Salted Egg Wings (PhP 220) had a crisp crust and a drippingly juicy interior. The skin gave way with a satisfying crunch to the steaming insides. The chicken wings were delectable alone, and similarly so when consumed with Miguel & Maria’s mayo jalapeno. Aside from salted egg (an ongoing food trend), there wasn’t anything fancy going on; it’s just hearty, satisfying soul food that sticks to your ribs.
We love salmon and almost always order it when present in a restaurant’s menu. The Honey Garlic Salmon (PhP 300) looked more interesting than usual and it definitely deserved a space on the table. It was garlicky, made with sweet-seasoned baked saffron, and served on a bed of mashed potato with a side of roasted vegetables. The fish came out deeply flavored, moist, and tender. The kick of garlic and the sweet, floral notes of honey are a match made in foodie heaven.
Presented as a generous slab of baby back ribs, Miguel & Maria’s Baby Back Ribs (PhP 265) was marinated and perked up by the zing of their homemade rib sauce, grilled to perfection, and served with coleslaw and java rice. The meat itself was suitably tender, almost falling-off-the-bone, but with just enough bite, and a pleasant amount of char. It was tad fatty and fortunately not overwhelmingly so, with a good fat-to-lean ratio. So good!
Creamy Pesto Shrimp (PhP 220) would be a true standout for fans of pesto since it’s lustily-flavored with pesto sauce and filled with a lot of thick, creamy goodness. The pasta took in the summery flavors of freshly picked basil leaves, topped with shrimps, and served with garlic bread. Shrimps were the tender element that made the dish more scrumptious.
We also enjoyed the crispy and crunchy Roasted Pork Belly (PhP 290) with garlic parsley rice. There are better versions of pork belly that I’ve had in recent memory, but this one also passed with flying colors. Flavor was bold, staying true to the quintessence of Filipino dish. It’s an awesome addition to any meal and a treat that’s hard to beat. Veggies on the side were a good accompaniment to the taste and texture overall.
For a sweet ending, we shared a slice of Blueberry Cheesecake (PhP 150) and an ample serving of Stuffed Nutella Cookie Ala Mode (PhP 150). Loaded down with cream cheese, the blueberry cheesecake was worth every calorie. It’s a classic, a darling dessert that seemingly never goes out of fashion. The warm cookie, on the other hand, was also good. It had just the right amount of sweetness, and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it instantly took our taste buds on an island vacation. 🙂
Price for Value:
Again, Miguel & Maria in Lilac Street didn’t disappoint, and we’re happy to have celebrated Mother’s Day right here. Featuring a comfortable theme and a casual vibe, this restaurant delivers excellent and delicious dishes with attention to detail. Enlivened with modern presentation for great style and flair that was complemented with friendly service, the food receives a special nod that leaves diners feeling cherished. Prices are fair based on value. We’d be glad to return for another visit next time! 🙂
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
That bacon chowder and those desserts look fabulous! And those ribs all of it looks delicious. I have never had Java Rice.
I just love how detailed your reviews are; I read them to determine if a particular restaurant is worth a try. The ala mode and cake look very delicious 😀
The food and the place look awesome. The dishes you had are something I would order. I will make sure to bookmark this page so when we are on vacation we can visit the restaurant. The blueberry cheesecake just made my mouth watery. Looks delicious.
What a sweet things to do .. lunch with mom for Mother’s Day. Miguel and Maria looks like such a wonderful place to go. I’d love to order the honey garlic salmon and have a few bites of my husband’s cookie a la mode!
Gosh, everything looks so delicious! I’ve made salt cured eggs here at home, but I’m assuming that’s not the same as the salted egg coating on the chicken wings? I now want to hop a plane to Manila so that I can load up on all of this good food!
that Blueberry cheesecake and Nutella cookie ala mode make me drool right now…
I am also interested with that salted egg wing.. I initially thought that it was a weird combination but when I tasted that Salted Egg Yolk Chicken of KFC.. it surprisingly taste good!
thanks for the review, I hope I can visit this place soon
Thank you my dear for the treat, I really appreciated this mother’s day lunch with US all complete. I would love to return here, as the prices are fair and super delicious. I would like to try other menus also. Love you so much. Mwah!
Everything looks delectable. I’d go for the Honey Garlic Salmon and Babyback Ribs plus the Blueberry Cheesecake to csp my meal.
Is it a second time around you have treated your mother to said “Miguel and Maria” resto? No wonder you mother so requested it to dine with that place for the foods are worth for the price and you rating is nearly perfect.