Helm

Helm is the restaurant of Josh Boutwood, a British-Filipino chef who grew up between England, Boracay and Spain, and it was the first restaurant in the Philippines to be awarded two Michelin stars. It opened in 2018 as a ten-seat chef's table in Bonifacio Global City and moved to its current home at The Shops at Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati in April 2023, growing to around 24 seats arranged around an open kitchen.

The format is a multi-course tasting menu, and the menus are themed and seasonal. Past menus have ranged from an all-monochrome menu to one inspired by Filipino street food and even courses based on films, so what you eat depends on when you visit. The Michelin inspectors describe the flavours as layered and bold and the presentation as intricate, and they single out the warm, professional service. The cooking draws on the chef's half-British, half-Filipino background, with Spanish influences from his years in Spain.

Most of the seats face the kitchen counter, which is the point of the place. You watch the team plate each course and can talk to the cooks as the meal unfolds, which makes it a good choice for food lovers who enjoy the theatre of a chef's table. It also works for a special occasion or a date night, though larger groups may find the counter layout less sociable than a table.

Reservations are required and are handled by the restaurant, not through third parties, so book well in advance through its website, particularly for weekend dinners. The restaurant serves dinner from Tuesday and adds lunch on Fridays to Sundays, according to the Michelin Guide, but confirm times when you book. Allow around three hours for dinner and mention any allergies or dietary needs when reserving, as the menu is set.

Helm is on the third floor of the shops at Ayala Triangle Gardens, in the middle of the Makati business district and a short walk from many of the area's hotels. Parking is available, and the gardens below are pleasant for a stroll before or after the meal. Smart casual dress is sensible. If you are building a food-focused trip to Manila, Helm sits at the top of the city's fine dining scene alongside the one-star restaurants in Makati and Taguig.