Nonie’s Brings Sustainable Dining From Boracay To ABV In Manila This July

The anxiety for Boracay’s reopening has been heating up, but luckily for us, some of the island’s top restaurants have been popping up around Metro Manila. One of those places happens to be TripAdvisor’s #1 restaurant in Boracay, Nonie’s.

Nonie’s started as a passion project of husband-and-wife Patrick and Shria Florencio. Thanks to their love for food, they quit their corporate jobs to build a haven of healthy eating in Boracay. Named after Patrick’s mom, Cenona Florencio, Nonie’s has been the go-to place for hungry vegans, vegetarians, and salubrious carnivores in Boracay since 2017.

One of the city’s top bars, ABV (or Alcohol by Volume) is collaborating with Nonie’s this July as a way of supporting them while Boracay is temporarily closed. ABV is doing so by hosting two events to cater to the different cravings of diners. The first is the Supper Club which offers a 6-course set menu of Filipino dishes that reflect Nonie’s sustainable philosophy. The dinners are paired with cocktails crafted by ABV’s award-winning bartender, Lester Ligon, the Diageo World Class Philippines Bartender of the Year 2018.

 

READ: ABV Bar’s Lester Ligon Rules As Diageo Worldclass PH’s 2018 Bartending Champ

 

If supper isn’t your thing, Boozy Brunch features a 3-course menu filled with Nonie’s signature healthy dishes like Eggs Benedict, Vegan Champorado, and a fresh bowl of Chicken Salad, paired with one cocktail. Guests also have the option to avail of unlimited Prosecco for P800+, and a variety of sides for an additional price.

 

Nonie’s Eggs Benedict consists of soft boiled eggs, lemongrass hollandaise, sweet potato garlic focaccia, and sweet potato chips

 

Chicken Salad made with adobo chicken breast, seasonal greens, local buffalo cheese, and house dressing

 

At a preview of the Supper Club, we got to sample the dishes and cocktails to be featured this July at ABV.

 

Peach Americano

 

The meal began with a Peach Americano cocktail to neutralize the palate and set the tone for the gastronomic experience ahead. This drink is a mix of Campari, Crème de Peche, Mancino Rosso Amaranto, topped with soda. It may look fruity and fizzy, but the drink surprises with its light and bittersweet orange flavors.

 

A bowl of fresh Ceviche

 

The first dish served was Ceviche made with fresh tanigue, mixed with a spicy coconut vinaigrette, and enjoyed with lavosh bread. The light acidity marries well with the fish giving off a pleasant mix of sweet, sour, and tangy once it hits your palate.

 

Santol Dip with baked lavosh

 

Another appetizer was the Santol Dip, memorable for its strong fresh flavors reminiscent of buro or fermented rice. Santol is mixed with dilis, coconut cream, and local spices, perfect as a dip for freshly baked lavosh.  

Before the main dish was served, we first sampled a bitter tasting palate cleanser shot with a hint of pineapple to remove the acidity from the appetizers, getting diners ready for the next wave of dishes.

 

A healthier take on Chicken and Pork Adobo

 

Next came a different kind of Chicken and Pork Adobo using grilled chicken, crispy pork belly, and soft-boiled egg. The dish is topped with a creamy Cavite-style adobo sauce that sports a vibrant yellow color thanks to hints of turmeric. The adobo is served with candied garlic under a bed of organic black rice.

 

Birds of a Feather

 

The adobo was paired with a tropical-inspired concoction made with Jim Beam Black Bourbon, fresh pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, homemade cinnamon syrup, and angostura bitters. The drink may impart a strong bourbon flavor at first sip, but finishes with sweet pineapple notes.  
 

Bistek Tagalog

 

The next course, Bistek Tagalog, was a crowd favorite. Crusty on the outside but tender inside,
the braised beef brisket comes with a calamansi-soy sauce, seasonal greens for color and crunch,
as well as local buffalo cheese and sweet potato mash.

After the bistek came a second palate cleanser, a mix of thyme liqueur and fresh grapefruit,
which proved to be quite popular with the guests.
 

A light play of textures in a Sarsiado Grain Bowl

 

The last main dish was the Sarsiado Grain Bowl made with fresh squid cooked in a sweet and hearty tomato and egg sauce mixed with onions, leeks, and sorghum—a kind of grain rich in carbohydrates, fiber, and protein. The sweet and creamy tomato and egg sauce serves as a light blanket that tucks in all the fresh flavors of this dish. While we enjoyed this grain bowl with squid, the dish will feature whatever is the fresh catch of the day.

 

The Black Swan

 

Strawberry Cashew Cake

 

For dessert, the gluten-free Strawberry Cashew Cake is a loose butterscotch pastry with a hint of tanginess.

Made with cashew flour, the cake is topped with strawberry jam and fresh strawberries, cacao nibs, orange zest, and drizzled with lemongrass sauce.

The dessert was paired with the Black Swan, made of Dewar’s White Label Blended Scotch, Frangelico, Amaro Averna, with a hint of Amadeo Coffee Liqueur at the end.

Who said eating healthy has to be bland and boring? Come and join the #eatgoodfeelgood movement today! The Boozy Brunch Series is open to the public every Saturday starting July 14 to 28, from 11 am to 2 pm, priced at P1,300+ per person. The Supper Club is available from July 12 to 26, every Thursday and Friday, 7 to 9 pm, priced at P1,950+ per person.

 

ABV is located at the basement, 22 Jupiter Street, Bel-Air Village, Makati City, (0917) 704-0942