Ariana L.
Google
Manong is the newest addition to Fairmount with a unique menu and inspiration from Outback! We loved the service and drinks, but found the ambiance and some dishes lacking.
We ended up sitting at the bar because the tables were super close together, very glad we did. Eli, our bartender, was awesome. Very informative and helpful about the cocktails and dishes. The bar was definitely the move!
For cocktails, we got the ube halaya and otso otso. I absolutely loved the otso otso, fruity but not overly sweet. The ube halaya was so creamy from the coconut. Top tier cocktails.
For food, we started with the bloom shroom, their take on the blooming onion but with enoki mushrooms. It was battered and fried well, with the tops crispy and the base softer. The sauce was your standard ketchup/mayo + seasonings. It was executed well and presented beautifully. We also got the chicken and beef skewers. The chicken was tender but lacking a little flavor. The beef was chewy but had great flavor. I feel there are a lot of other options on the menu, so these could be skipped.
The dynamite lumpia were so delicious. It was almost like a flaky, savory pastry filled with pork, jalapenos and mozzarella. The sweet chili sauce added a nice tang.
We got the 1/2lb balong burger and fries which took 45 minutes to come out. Our apps came out very quickly, so there was 30 minutes between appetizers to entree which at that point, we thought they may have forgotten to put it in. The burger was very tasty though, a lot of sweet elements to it. Hawaiian roll, banana ketchup. Cooked medium and juicy. The fries were a total miss, oversalted and tasted like a frozen french fry you’d get at a grocery store. The ginataang kangkong also took 45 minutes. It’s essentially a creamed spinach and unfortunately it was so bland. The notes of garlic and shallot did not come through.
Overall, I love the concept and innovative menu. I think the execution is lacking on some dishes, and the space needs a bit more of an ambiance, but there is a lot of potential! I hope they can work out the kinks and become a neighborhood staple.