With a new wing opening at Newport Mall Resorts World Manila, a new restaurant makes its way to open at this new section with an ambiance that brings art and good food in this part of town. Rafael's Tapas Bar and Restaurant is one of the first to open at the Garden Wing which expands the dining options for guest, tourists, and players.
Founded by Henjie Carmona, the restaurant is a showcase of Spanish cuisine and Filipino dishes paired with a wide selection of beverages and spirits. The menu is inspired by his father passion for home-cooked dishes, his mother elegant homemaking. His love for the arts also influenced how the restaurant would be as unique as possible with eye-catching interiors, paintings and furniture.
Named after his father Rafael, many of the menu items are inspired by dishes which was part of his childhood in the province. While his mother Petronila, is honored with a special private room in the mezzanine area which provides a premium space for clients.
“I want to offer them a place to come home to not only for familiar but original home recipes that have been leveled up for their discriminating tastes,” he said, “but also to cozy up, chill, and unwind after spending hours playing and gaming.”
“Opening Rafael’s isn’t a childhood dream, but everything that went into it has been inspired by my dad who taught me all I need about food and cooking,” Carmona confessed. “First, good food is all about freshness—meaning, nothing stays long in the freezer, nothing canned is used, and everything is made in-house, even the pasta and especially the sauces.”
He reminisces how his father never allowed helpers to cook, reserving that privilege and honor for the head of the family, and made sure to prepare their meals himself every weekend despite being swamped by his business all week.
“I’d remember craving for his signature dinuguan (pork blood stew) and lechon (roasted suckling pig) pairing while Matt Monroe wafts in the air,” he recalls, adding that this time it’s not just about taste, but also being Instagrammable. Thus, all Rafael’s dishes are plated with delicate artistry worthy of being photographed and shared (pun intended).
“Second, you never ask your guests if they have eaten already or if they want to eat or not,” Carmona explained. Not only would it put off guests as an excuse for lack of preparation or not having enough food, it would also give an impression that hospitality is not one’s forte.
For a more intimate dining moments the Petronila VIP mezzanine room is highly recommended which comes with its own WiFi connection, flat screen TV, and its own special restroom filled with gold, from the toilet, the bidet, and even the sink. It is available for a consumable price of P200K.
“For that, it’s the sky’s the limit from cocktail drinks at P400 per pop to exquisite bottles of Remy Martin Louis XIII and Dalmore 25!”
“Third, food is everybody’s game,” Carmona concluded, “just like my father said everything’s done with food: deals closed, relationships opened, victories celebrated, wrongs amended, and sins forgiven.” Nobody loses with food and the best businesses invest in it.
As art plays a big role in the ambiance of the restaurant, they were not just random items put together, rather they are select pieces that come from renowned artists. One of which are the towering Toto Aguilon wire spires, commissioned paintings from artists Tanya Gaisano Lee and Angelo Tabije, John Lloyd Cruz photographs, red and black draped tables, and golden trumpet chandeliers.
Rafael’s Menu
“All our dishes are all-time familiar favorites that offer a unique twist in taste and presentation,” Carmona beamed as he introduced Rafael’s house specialties, which have interesting, oftentimes intriguing, names.
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| CHICKEN THAT CROSSED THE ROAD Chicken chicharone, chili malt vinegar, pickled carrot and radish puree |
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| DUCK SISIG Spicy duck breast sisig, quail egg, and aioli |
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| MISS GUMP IN HOT FLASHES Flambe al ajillo gambas, black garlic, chardonnay, roasted chillies and grilled lemon |
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| DINUGUAN Fresh Pig's blood, pork lungs, pork belly, crispy, intestines topped with grated dark chocolate |
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| SMOKE BREAK In-house smoked tinapa, roasted cashew, ricotta pesto tortellini, spied pea compote and za'atar tahini creme |
For their signature tapas or appetizers, they have their ritzy rendition of chicken skin—Chicken that Crossed the Road (P380) served with chili malt vinegar, pickled carrot, and radish puree, which are extra crunchy along with their classy version of gambas—Miss Gump in Hot Flashes (P720) with black garlic and Chardonnay roasted chilis and lemon.
For dinner, they have First Love (P1150)—spicy soft shelled crab risotto with homemade chorizo and chicken thigh charged with lemon—which is as crispy as they are tasty and Blackened Angus Ribeye (P2900)—prime steak with corn and zucchini succotash and chimichurri sauce—which is the most expensive standalone item on the menu.
Capping every meal or visit, guests ought to make sure they try The Big Bang Theory (P390)—a delicately sweet triple nut, three-layered cake of butter and dark chocolate cake revelation, their version of “Choc Nut”, revealed Chef Jinggoy Fernando—for dessert to complete the Rafael’s experience.
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| FIRST LOVE Soft shelled crab, spicy crab risotto, chorizo, chicken thigh, and charged lemon |
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| RIB EYE TAPA Roasted prime rib eye, honey spided tapa sauce, corn bell pepper rice, poached egg |
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| SLOW MATADOR'S BULL Blackened roasted wagyu brisket caldereta with carrot puree and garlic potato puree and fried olives |
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| CHICKEN HITCHHIKER Brown sugar brinned roast inasal- caramelized pineapple, pineapple rice |
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| Maja Blanca dessert |
“The concept behind all these is simple,” Henjie Carmona said summing up: “I want Rafael’s to be that kind of place where you always want to come back to every day because it’s home and the food reminds you of family,”
For the full menu, reservations, and more information, please visit @rafaelsrwph on Instagram and Rafael’s Tapas Bar and Restaurant on Facebook.
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