Firefly Roofdeck Bar, Citygarden Grand Hotel: Ish Eats Manila with a View
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| Breathtaking view of the Makati skyline from Firefly Roofdeck bar |
Ground level at the Poblacion area of Makati City (Philippines) is a bustling hub of bars and restaurants. However, its rooftops also offer a different scene altogether.
Classic rooftop establishments like Time in Manila (nightclub) and more recently, the Z Hostel rooftop have become hip hangout places for those in the know. In a recent pub crawl around the area, I discovered the Firefly Roofdeck bar at the 32nd Floor of the City Garden Grand Hotel.
There’s a small pool off to one side meant for hotel guests but most of the rooftop is utilized by the restaurant. The sweeping views of the Makati City skyline are breathtaking! Luckily, I was there right around sunset and my friends and I were able to enjoy the changing colors of the horizon.
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| The famous Manila Bay Sunset |
Our meal started off with some Asian Spicy Meatballs, Chicken Popcorn and Beer Battered Fish and Chips. I would have to say that these dishes were fairly underwhelming for me. After all, there’s really only so much you can do with deep fried appetizers.
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| Asian Spicy Meatballs (Php280.00) |
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| Beer Battered Fish and Chips (Php310.00) |
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| Chicken Popcorn (Php390.00) |
Luckily, the meal started to progress exponentially. A burger larger than my entire head arrived. We’re a big group so don’t judge me, I didn’t eat this all by myself. The size was quite impressive but I feel it’s more of an Instagram opportunity instead of being a real culinary treat. On the upside: lots of bacon!
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| Classic American Burger (Php565.00) |
The pizza that came next started to get things rolling for me. You all know that I’m a huge fan of pizza. This isn’t the Neapolitan brick-oven style that I like but I would have to say that their fully-loaded version is a sure crowd pleaser.
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| Supremo Pizza (Php395.00) |
The real gems came towards the end of the meal. We had a Miso Teriyaki dish which was quickly followed by some Lamb Sinigang. Then, the chef outdid himself by serving a mouthwatering Savory Style Chicken. The last two dishes both get 5/5 stars from me!
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| Miso Teriyaki |
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| Lamb Sinigang |
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| Savory Style Chicken |
I ate the meat out of that chicken right down to the bone! Some crustacean dishes also made their way to our table in the form of Crispy Crablets and Garlic and Shrimp Pizza. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you about those because of my allergies. My companions certainly enjoyed them though, judging by the rate by which the food disappeared from our table.
Overall, the Firefly Roofdeck bar at City Garden Hotel is a great place to chill out and to have a good meal. The views are amazing and it’s a nice semi-secret spot that you can use to impress your date. They offer a wide variety of cocktails too if you’re up for it. There’s also an extensive collection of craft beers.
Read more about the drinks that we had as part of a pub crawl in the area:
Poblacion Bar Crawl With LOCALLY Charged Cocktails: Ish Drinks Manila
Meanwhile, read more about other restaurants in the Poblacion area:
1. A’toda Madre: Ish Eats Street Tacos in Makati (Philippines)
2. Wicked Dogs: Ish Eats Specialty Hot Dogs in Makati (Philippines)
3. Pura Vida: Ish Eats Costa Rican Food in Manila
Tip: Firefly Roofdeck Bar also offers an unlimited Mongolian Barbecue for only Php795.00!