Village Tavern Bonifacio High Street Serves All-American Lunch Meals and Amazing Bar Treats
VILLAGE TAVERN in Bonifacio High Street has always been one of my go-to places for consistently good drinks, a nice, chill ambiance and good food. I usually come here to relax after work or to wait for traffic to subside before heading home (that takes forever).
My most recent visit was the first time for me to come to the restaurant for lunch. Luckily, they have a list of specials called the ALL-AMERICAN TAVERN LUNCH (M-F, 11:00-15:00). I came with a big group so we were able to order a variety of items to try. 
1. TEXAN BARBECUE RIBS (Php425): These ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender! The juicy, soft meat was smothered in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce that I wanted to lick right off the plate. This is served with a cup of rice and makes for a satisfying lunch. 
2. TAVERN FRIED CHICKEN (Php350): The thing about fried chicken is that you really shouldn’t do much to it. Stick to the basics and do it well. The chicken here is perfectly crispy and flavorful. Their brown gravy is nothing special but nothing to complain about either. Again, there’s some rice and some buttered vegetables to complete your meal. It’s a nice simple lunch if you want to play it safe. 
3. GRILLED CHIPOTLE PORK CHOP (Php395): This is one of our favorites. The thick pork chop is grilled until the chipotle glaze is perfectly caramelized. The dish is bursting with flavors and the serving is also fairly hefty for one person. 
4. PANKO CRUSTED FISH FILLET (Php350): I’m always a bigger fan of beer batter on fish. Panko feels a bit heavy for me but I know that many Filipinos prefer this substantial breading. The flavors are great, but the breading adds a heaviness to what should have been the light option in this spread. 
Aside from the lunch specials, we also tried a batch of VILLAGE TAVERN’s “EATS FROM THE BAR.” These dishes are a good option if you’re looking for a snack to share among friends while having some drinks.
1. VT ONION BLOOM (Php225): An innovative new way to serve the classic onion rings, this version is actually an entire deep-fried onion! The onion is first cut up into sections that spread out like a flower. It is then breaded and fried until crispy. Just like a flower, the aroma from the onion bloom will surely whet your appetite! This is served with a classic ranch dip and a spicy version for those who want an extra punch. 
2. BAKED POTATO SKINS (Php275): Another bar chow classic. Village Tavern’s version doesn’t disappoint either. These come with a hefty filling of herbs, bacon and sour cream. 
3. BURGER QUESADILLA (Php395): These are definitely not your usual quesadillas. The filling is just bursting out from the flour tortillas that are struggling to contain all the flavors. A filling snack for just one person, so it’s a good idea to share with some friends. 
4. CHORIZO CHEESE FONDUE (Php275): Anything that contains melted cheese is a sure hit in my book! My only complaint is that I need more tortilla chips with this dish!
5. TAVERN CALAMARI (Php350): These tiny squid rings are lightly breaded and fried until they are golden brown but still perfectly tender. No rubbery pieces of squid here! Unfortunately, the serving is rather small. It was so good that we had to order a second serving. 
6. MUSHROOM ARTICHOKE SOURDOUGH PIZZETTE (Php295): This can be a nice afternoon snack or a light dinner in itself. A cross between a bruschetta and a flatbread pizza, this is a filling yet light option to have alongside some cocktails. If I was to find fault in it, I would say that it needed a dash of Italian spices. Nevertheless, I would definitely have it again. 
Since we were there for lunch. We went for some refreshing cranberry drinks. These are served in a tall glass with lots of ice. Perfect for hot and humid Metro Manila afternoons. We had the CRANBERRY TWISTS (Php135) in three varieties:
1. ORANGE PINEAPPLE CRANBERRY
2. PEACH MANGO CRANBERRY
3. WATERMELON CUCUMBER CRANBERRY
We also tried a pair of VIRGIN RED and WHITE SANGRIAS. I’ve have the sangrias here before and these really tasted the same sans the alcohol content. I’m not certain I would go for a virgin drink on my return visit though!
Overall, it was a great dining experience. I was glad to have discovered dishes that I haven’t tried from previous visits. VILLAGE TAVERN will continue to be on my list of tried and tested hang outs in BGC.
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