<p>Singular, the Bolero Group’s new fine dining restaurant in BGC, offers a modern Spanish tasting menu that reimagines regional flavors with precision, creativity, and sensory flair.</p>

Regina Troy Barrios

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Singular by the Bolero Group

Geolette Marie Esguerra

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<p><strong>Singular</strong> is not positioned as a concept-driven restaurant as much as it is a continuation of memory. Its name, derived from the Latin <em>singulāris</em>, meaning solo or unique in its kind, feels personal. Before it became a dining room in Manila, Singular existed as a recollection of Spain: kitchens scented with vinegar, fires managed with restraint, broths cooked slowly and deliberately, and meals that unfolded over time with family and friends.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768981221027JAR_4024a.jpg" style="width: 960px; display: block; height: auto;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"></div><div><br></div><p>That sensibility shapes the restaurant&rsquo;s approach. Singular gathers these memories around a table and translates them into food that is recognizably Spanish but consciously reworked. The flavors are familiar to anyone who knows Spain, yet they are lighter, cleaner, and more precise, shaped by years of cooking, reflection, and refinement rather than repetition. The goal is not replication, but interpretation: Spanish cooking viewed from a distance, filtered through experience, and adapted to a new context.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768980565525JAR_3876a.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"></div><div><br></div><p>At the center of Singular is chef <strong>Fernando Alcal&aacute; Garaizabal</strong>, a Spanish chef from Marbella whose cooking has consistently reflected a balance between tradition and evolution. Raised by the Mediterranean, his palate is informed by the acidity, brightness, and restraint characteristic of southern Spain. Before committing fully to the kitchen, Fernando studied law, a background that perhaps explains the discipline and clarity that define his work today. Self-taught and methodical, he belongs to a generation of chefs who see cuisine as both craft and language.</p><p>Fernando is best known for <strong>KAVA</strong>, his restaurant in Marbella, where he developed a culinary philosophy rooted in Andalusian tradition while remaining open to global influence. His cooking begins with the product: vegetables sourced from nearby farms, fish from the local market, and meats and broths prepared with patience and technical care. From there, he introduces layers of complexity&mdash;fermentation, subtle Asian influences, and precise techniques, always in service of clarity rather than excess.</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768980607827JAR_3915a.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"></div><div><br></div><p>His work has earned recognition from Spain&rsquo;s most respected gastronomic institutions. In 2019, he was named Cocinero Revelaci&oacute;n (Best New Chef) at Madrid Fusi&oacute;n. That same year, he received the award for Best Cheesecake in Spain, a dish that became emblematic of his philosophy: technique applied in the service of simplicity. KAVA was awarded a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide in 2020 and has held one Repsol Sun since 2021. He has also been recognized by the Basque Culinary Center as one of Spain&rsquo;s Young Talents of Gastronomy. These distinctions underscore not experimentation for its own sake, but consistency, restraint, and a strong sense of identity.</p><p>At Singular, this philosophy takes shape through a tasting menu that reflects both memory and method. The opening snacks&mdash;<strong>bollo pre&ntilde;ao, mejillones en escabeche,&nbsp;</strong>and <strong>serranito de pastrami</strong>, establish the tone: traditional formats presented with precision and balance. They all link to locations in Spain, bringing together the dishes and the memories associated with them. To mark the locations, each dish is served with a trading-card that tells the story of the provenance of the dish and where it came from.</p><div><br></div><p>Dishes like <strong>At&uacute;n con pipirrana y ajoblanco</strong> and <strong>Caballa en adobo con gazpachuelo</strong> highlight acidity and freshness, combining tuna, tomato, almonds, vinegar, and clam cream in compositions that feel direct and deliberate.&nbsp;</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 960px; display: block;" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768980801224JAR_4284a.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"><span class="fr-inner">Caballa en adobo con gazpachuelo&nbsp;</span></span></span></div><p>The menu moves comfortably between land and sea. <strong>Sopa de puchero con caviar</strong> pairs Iberico pork custard with bellota ham broth and oscietra caviar, while <strong>Cordero asado con lechuga ali&ntilde;ada&nbsp;</strong>balances roasted lamb with grilled lettuce and fermented grapes. Seafood courses such as <strong>Mero asado, arroz de caldero y pepitoria</strong> and <strong>Sopa de pescado de mi madre con langosta</strong> reference Spanish home cooking, elevated through technique but grounded in familiarity.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 960px; display: block;" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768980924706JAR_4292a.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"><span class="fr-inner">Cordero asado</span></span></span></div><div><br></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 960px; display: block;" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768981030987JAR_4310a.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"><span class="fr-inner">Mero asado</span></span></span></div><p>Later courses lean into deeper, more structured flavors: <strong>Cerdo en orza con berza gaditana&nbsp;</strong>and <strong>Pich&oacute;n asado con escabeche de naranja</strong> reflect preservation traditions and the Spanish use of vinegar as both seasoning and narrative device. Desserts&mdash;<strong>Pl&aacute;tano de Canarias</strong> with rum and corn, and chocolate paired with Pedro Xim&eacute;nez and sherry vinegar&mdash;close the menu with restraint, echoing the same balance of sweetness, acidity, and memory found throughout the meal.</p><div><br></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 960px; display: block;" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768981104609JAR_4331a.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"><span class="fr-inner">Pichon asado</span></span></span></div><div><br></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 960px; display: block;" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768981149329JAR_4335a.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"><span class="fr-inner">Platano de canarias</span></span></span></div><p>Singular does not aim to overwhelm. Its intention is quieter: to create a space that feels warm, familiar, and personal, even at a distance from Spain. Through Fernando Alcal&aacute; Garaizabal&rsquo;s cooking, the restaurant presents Spanish cuisine not as a fixed tradition, but as a living one&mdash;rooted in place, shaped by time, and capable of finding a sense of home wherever it is practiced.</p>

NEW RESTAURANT: Singular, A Modern Spanish Tasting Menu In BGC

<p><b>NEW RESTAURANT: Singular, A Modern Spanish Tasting Menu In BGC</b></p>

Singular, the Bolero Group’s new fine dining restaurant in BGC, offers a modern Spanish tasting menu that reimagines regional flavors with precision, creativity, and sensory flair.

Singular, Bolero Group, BGC restaurants, Spanish tasting menu, fine dining Manila, modern Spanish cuisine, regional Spanish flavors, culinary experience, gourmet dining Philippines, tasting menu Manila, Spanish gastronomy, new restaurant alert, elevated dining, food journey Manila, contemporary Spanish dishes

NEW RESTAURANT: Singular, A Modern Spanish Tasting Menu In BGC

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NEW RESTAURANT: Singular, A Modern Spanish Tasting Menu In BGC

Published September 11, 2026 03:34 AM PHT

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Updated August 14, 2026 11:36 AM PHT

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