Catalogue Is The Cool New Hangout Spot In Makati

It’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of Makati City, especially this holiday season. But in a quiet corner of Legazpi Village, you’ll find Catalogue, a bar, café, and full service restaurant nestled in the ground floor of a newly opened hotel.

Though located in a hotel,  Catalogue offers a respite of sorts for young professionals seeking rest from the demands of their fast-paced lives while also encouraging diners to try its enticing blend of flavors and curated beverages.

Chef Katrina Kuhn-Alcantara has been in the industry for a while, almost half her life. She’s the mind behind catering favorite Mesclun, CDP Global Table in Rockwell, Chuck’s Deli + Bakery, Growcery MNL, LIT Manila, and LAB Manila. Her expertise, honed through years of classical training in French cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, shines through in Catalogue's menu, which reflects her unique culinary approach—Asian flavors married with European sensibilities.

And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you dine at Catalogue. The food, as our editor described it, is like what a chef would cook for herself and her family on a lazy weekend: hearty, uncomplicated, and most especially, delicious.

Make sure you start your meal strong with Chef Katrina’s signature Salt & Vinegar Chicken Skin, a dish that blew our minds with its flavor and mystery. We were looking for the vinegar dip, which was nowhere to be found. But one bite and you’ll realize that they’ve somehow infused the salt and vinegar flavors into the crispy chicken skin, turning it into a moreish delight that’s begging for an ice cold beer any time of the day. 

We also had the Chicken Liver Mousse, a silky pâté paired with their crisp house-made crostini. It’s a nice contrast of mild flavors and textures with the Salt & Vinegar Chicken Skin.

Catalogue’s take on the trendy Spinach Cream Pizza has a sourdough crust, giving it more character and flavor. Each bite is creamy and flavorful without being cloying, while the crust has a nice tangy bite to it. I could honestly imagine enjoying this with a nice bottle of wine since it tastes like a bite off a charcuterie board without the cold cuts.

Chef Katrina describes her Anchovy & Kaffir Pasta as something that she came up with when she raids her fridge for a quick and tasty meal. She tossed al dente spaghetti in some brown butter with Italian Anchovy, Kaffir Lime leaves (one of Chef Katrina’s favorite ingredients) and chili flakes. She then grates Grana Padano on top for added umami. The result is a satisfyingly savory pasta.

The Pappardelle Pork Ragu is a labor of love with boneless pork shoulders stewed with tomatoes until ridiculously tender. It is then shredded and mixed with the flat pappardelle so the tangy and meaty sauce clings on to the pasta. This is a forkful of nostalgia.

If you feel like eating some rice, make sure to get the Grilled Frenched Pork Chop. It features bone-in pork belly that’s been grilled until charred yet still tender. It’s served with Catalogue fried rice (like zhuzhed up garlic rice), burong mangga (fermented/pickled mangoes), and a vinegar dip to balance the richness of the pork. This dish works so well. If Westerners can pair pork chops with stewed apples, it becomes 10 times better with burong mangga with its refreshing tanginess and subtle sweetness.  

For dessert, Chef Katrina served Passion Fruit Taho, a hit from an event she catered a few years ago. It’s literally taho: silken tofu with beloved arnibal (burnt sugar syrup that's not quite caramel) and house-made sago (tapioca pearls). To step it up a notch, she topped it off with some passion fruit seeds and syrup. It was pleasantly sweet with a slight sourness from the passion fruit.

And while the food here is indeed superb, Catalogue is not just a haven for food enthusiasts but also a great spot for coffee lovers. The menu boasts of a carefully curated selection of classic and modern coffee as well as tea preparations. From expertly brewed coffee made with locally sourced beans to a variety of teas and healthy smoothies, there's something to suit every palate and preference. Make sure to try the Sea Salt Iced Latte, which features a simple yet life-changing addition to the familiar iced latte. It’s a nice drink to nurse while you’re lounging with a book and enjoying the abundance of natural light from their floor-to-ceiling windows.

As the day turns into night, Catalogue seamlessly transforms from a vibrant coffee shop into a lively cocktail lounge. The bar comes alive with skilled mixologists concocting innovative cocktails that tantalize the taste buds, including the signature cocktails like Technical Issue (Olmeca Tequila, Yuzu, Chili, Rosemary, Bitters) and Hibiscus Sour (Chivas 12, Hibiscus, Lemon, Cointreau, Bitters). 

Whether you’re looking for a quiet breakfast spot (they serve Citadine Hotel’s guests, too), a brunch spot with friends, a hearty lunch with the family, a trendy afternoon coffee or snack, and maybe even date night, Chef Katrina and her team will make sure to have something to satisfy your cravings at Catalogue.

Catalogue | 0917 165 7404 | IG: @cataloguemnl.ph | FB: @cataloguemnl.ph | G/F Citadines Hotel, 110 Benavidez Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City | To check out the menu, click here.