DINING | Makansutra Hawkers: Perfect for food-tripping

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You may or may not have heard of Makansutra Hawkers in SM Megamall. The fact that I found myself there is quite unusual, what with me considering every other place outside Makati "out of town." It's essentially a food court but one that's dedicated to a host of different Asian street food. Makansutra may oft be mistaken for Singaporean food because it's based in Singapore but it's not as it also has stalls featuring dishes from Hong Kong, Malacca, and more.

Interiors
The food court itself sports a lively design with walls of bare concrete, sections of flooring from scrap wood (or at least they make it appear that way), sheets of corrugated plastic for ceiling, and a variety of designs for seating, made from a mix of metal tubing, iron drums, wood, and what-have-you. It sure has a hip vibe going on.

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Quite a mishmash of elements in this decorative installation by the food court's entrance.

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Metal drums for chairs (never mind the spills on the side); reminds me of some chairs at Kapitolyo Gastro Park.

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Cool tables, huh?

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Here's more.

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I didn't know what these Singaporean slang words meants, so I looked them up. Chope means reserving a place or seat. Shiok, on the other hand, is an expression of sheer pleasure or happiness.

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Wooden planks make up the flooring right in front of the stalls.

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One of the segregated dining areas that can be booked for functions and small events.

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Here's another one.

The food stalls
While it's a food court, Makansutra has designated spaces that can be closed out for functions and small events. Meanwhile, here's a run-through of the different stalls. Of course, since it was just two of us dining, we only got to sample a few.

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Alhambra Padang Satay & Muslim Food
They have mee goreng, soto soup, and of course, satay.

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Bao Xi Jiang
Was curious about the fried paper-wrapped chicken but I was already full. Some other time perhaps.

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Ah Tee
They serve fried carrot cakes with prawns (Interesting!) but their fried oyster omelette is definitely a winner.

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Adam's Ribs
It doesn't sound very Asian but the dishes are very Asian, like sugarcane bak kut teh or braised tofu with sponge tofu.

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Gooba Hia
Beef kway teow and braised beef donburi are but some of the dishes they server here.

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Jin Ji Kway Chap & Braised Duck
Not a fan of duck but hey, it's as Asian as it can be.

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Curry Flurry
Catchy name, plus they had me at curry. And roti. And biryani.

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Donald & Lily
Care for some laksa and mee siam with prawns?

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Geylang Claypot Rice
How I wish I could expand (and contract) my stomach at will because I was curious about their dishes: slow-cooked goodness with either chicken, duck, or tofu. Coffee pork ribs, too. And there's more.

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Hong Kong Street Old Chun Kee
Chili crabs! Maybe next time.

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Mian Ji
They have fried Hokkien prawn noodles and prawn noodles soup, to name a few.

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Sips, Sweets & Snacks
This is the dessert and beverage counter right smack in the middle of the food court. Apart from the usual suspects, there's also bandung and lemon barley.

The food
Like I said, we only got to try very few dishes here since there was just two of us dining. But anyway, here's what I have to say of the ones we tried.

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Roti prata set
(From Curry Flurry, Php 250)
Ah, curry that's not too spicy - just the way I like it. The roti (with egg) was also great. I loved this dish.

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Fried oyster omelette
(From Ah TeePhp 250/320)
I got the smaller serving (Php 250) and had absolutely no regrets. It was just so...yummy.

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Black pepper beef
(From Hong Kong Street Old Chun Kee, Php 400~)
I'm naturally drawn to food with lots of black pepper in it, but ordering this dish was a mistake. First, as I dug into it, I realized the meat was raw, so I sent it back for fixing. Second, it just wasn't delicious at all. The black pepper was barely noticeable. A huge letdown.

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Bandung
(From Sips, Sweets & Snacks, Php 90)
I wanted to try two different drinks but this one came at a buy one, get one offer at the time. It's a nice rose-flavored Singaporean drink that's still quite light despite it's milky appearance.

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(Forgot name, from Sips, Sweets & Snacks)
I forgot what this is called but it was another mistake. It's made of rice and something topped with some cream. Simply put, it was unremarkable.

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In hindsight
Makansutra may have its own share of hits and misses but if you chance upon the hits, they're definitely good. Also, it's a food court and there's a lot more to try from its dozen food stalls. It's a cool and hip place to go on a food trip, more so if you're in a group because you get to try more dishes and share. Prices may not be dirt cheap but they're quite reasonable. It's a place worth trying.

Makansutra Hawkers is located at the 2nd floor of SM Megamall Building A.

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