The Good Life: Editors’ Picks of the Week
In every The Good Life: Editors’ Picks column, we round up our editors’ favorites—restaurants, cocktails, experiences, exhibits, and everything in between. Here is our latest list.
Marina Cruz Art Exhibition, Fractured Fabric, at Silverlens Galleries
Marina Cruz’s brushstrokes mirror threads, each one painstakingly woven into another and another, till they form a pattern, and later, pieces of fabric that come together as a rumpled dress.
Cruz is known for her paintings of garments found in her family closets. Frayed play clothes her grandmother sewed for her apos as children, using old sacks of flour; her mother’s worn baptismal dress.
For her ongoing exhibit, Fractured Fabric, at the Manila outpost of Silverlens Galleries, Cruz still uses the clothing as inspiration, but focuses on their textures: holes torn in unraveling cloth, a rumpled pocket, an astonishing pattern of colored balls on what appears to be a stained, ripped bedsheet.
The paintings are mesmerizing, drawing the viewer ever closer to study the minute details on canvas. – Yvette Fernandez, Chief of Editorial Content
Hálong at Legaspi Village, Makati
I’m a little late to this party. Hálong has been open for a while now and remained one of those under-the-radar restaurants I’ve always wanted to try. After visiting a couple of Saturdays ago, I can’t wait to return. (Often.) It caught me by surprise in its dishes’ sheer concentration of flavor and masterful balance, the tightrope which Chef Cara Davis treads impressively.
Davis has a chef’s résumé that reads like a passport stamped in kitchens that shape palates: Alinea and Eleven Madison Park in the U.S., Arzak in San Sebastián, Restaurant Story in London, then Arca and her own Mestixa in Tulum. That breadth shows. Her plates are small, yes, but they arrive like little gifts—each one a conversation between continents, filtered through the language of modern technique. There’s uni toast that hums with saline sweetness, crab tinga tostada that feels like an edible postcard from Mexico, shrimp ceviche that flickers with acidity, and lapu-lapu that tastes as if it’s been coaxed, not cooked, into tenderness. Do not miss the octopus carpaccio! Even the chicken wings were dialed in!
The space itself mirrors the cooking: elegant but never stiff. Rattan and solihiya weave warmth through the clean lines, while service glides with a kind of care that doesn’t smother, rare in the city. There’s an ease to the experience. Did I mention I want to go back?
We’re a city with a lot of deserving, mainstream favorites, yet while Hálong is tucked into the city’s dining scene with little fanfare, it won’t be for long. Davis is talented, and lets flavor lead. If the measure of a great meal is the urge to return with someone whose taste you trust, then consider this a strong recommendation. – Kimberly Rocha-Delgado, Digital Editor
Wasachi Tea Café Opens in Power Plant Mall
As a lover of all things tea, finding a good cup of matcha is always on my mind. While the matcha trend has been sweeping through the Philippines, not all cups or glasses I have tried have been satisfying. I was quite happy to discover Wasachi, a matcha café that opened in Rockwell, Power Plant Mall last week. Wasachi is the real deal!
Located on the mall’s third level and adjacent to the newly renovated Fully Booked store, Wasachi is the brainchild of former marketing and branding executive, Takuma Yamanaka, and has been brought to the Philippines by Jaime and Chris Daez. Manila marks Wasachi’s second location, with a third planned in Yamanaka’s native Kyoto later this year.
First opened in 2024, Wasachi Tokyo is a nondescript 10-seater café that is challenging to find. Serving the highest-grade matcha from around Japan, has already earned praise from many culinary creatives including Michelin-starred Chef Daniel Calvert of Sézanne, who calls Wasachi’s matcha latte the best in Tokyo.
At Wasachi, matcha comes in many forms: pure matcha, matcha latte, sencha, all available hot or iced, plus a Philippine-exclusive, a Cold Mango Matcha Latte. And if you want a little twist, the matcha affogato, a scoop of ice cream doused in warm matcha, is a must-try. A good cup of matcha is all about the color and taste. At Wasachi, the matcha comes in a vibrant hue. It is smooth and perfectly balanced—far less bitter than many others I’ve tried.
But it’s not just drinks. The matcha-forward pastries made locally are also delightful. I found myself torn between sampling the matcha mascarpone tiramisu, matcha cheesecake, pistachio matcha éclair, chocolate and matcha mousse cake, and an array of cookies in matcha, hojicha, and kurogoma flavors. So, I did what I needed to do and tasted them all!
If you are looking for something savory to enjoy with your matcha, there’s avocado toast or a tomato and whipped feta tartine that are also available. – Alicia Colby-Sy, Lifestyle Editor
Wasachi, 3rd level, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati.
Tohoku Drippers Drip Pack Assortment
Because they are as influenced by personality and location as wines, exploring independent coffee shops and roasters is wonderfully engaging. These beans and drip bag sample packs came from the coffee-loving town of Morioka two hours northeast of Tokyo by Shinkansen and the jump-off point for a visit to the Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi.
Packs are great ways to sample unique flavors as well as make very nice gifts for those that appreciate coffee and all its nuances. And the interactions almost transcend language barriers. – Carl Cunanan, Cars and Watches Editor
Also available online at https://tohoku-drippers.com/items/6268ca81b049a320bbf21b5c