Since the Philippines’ first Michelin Guide list was released last year, I’ve been curious about how the food would taste in the restaurants included.
Last year, I had the chance to dine at Automat, which is part of the Michelin Selected list.
The restaurant is tucked away on the second floor of Building A in Karrivin Plaza, Makati. I find it amusing that you wouldn’t spot it immediately since it doesn’t have a storefront like most restaurants. The building itself seems primarily used for offices, which makes Automat feel refreshingly out of place in the best way.
THE PLACE
The restaurant features an open kitchen with an intimate dining area, designed to look like a modern-industrial home kitchen.
I love the open kitchen concept — it creates an immersive experience. Watching the chefs and cooks move around, preparing dishes while the aroma fills the room, is fascinating. The action in the kitchen, the scent of food, and the soft chatter of the staff already had me excited to eat.
There are two dining areas. We were seated in the main dining area, an elevated section overlooking the kitchen. Here, counter tables give you front-row seats to the action, while the high tables at the back (where we sat) tend to be more crowded, since most diners are seated there.
The second dining area is on a lower level and doesn’t have a view of the kitchen.
THE FOOD
My companions nearly ordered everything on the menu (LOL!)—not that I’m complaining. We ate a lot.
For starters, we had the Deviled Eggs with fried squid, chili tuyo, and celery; and the Shrimp Kilaw with roasted vegetables, avocado, and romaine. Both were a tasty way to begin the meal.
For the appetizers, we ordered the Pancit-pancit (Lucky Me noodles, chicken liver, roasted carrots), Lumpia-Lumpia (“Hubad salad” with ubod, peanuts, and a sourdough wrapper), and Keso-Keso Puti (house kesong puti, Malabon longganisa, tomato salad, duck fat pandesal).
The Pancit-pancit was interesting — definitely the most elevated pancit canton I’ve ever had. While I’m not a fan of liver, I appreciated that it wasn’t overpowering. The flavor profile reminded me of what makes a nostalgic plate of Lucky Me pancit canton: sweet, salty, spicy, and sour.
The Lumpia-Lumpia was a great salad. I loved the sourdough wrapper and the tableside cracking and mixing. The Keso-Keso Puti was fine, though not the most memorable dish of the night. The duck fat pandesal, however, was delicious.
For our mains, we ordered the Grilled Lengua (chopped lengua in tamarind glaze with veal and white wine sauce, topped with fried egg), S.R.F. Beef Cheeks (served with grilled bone marrow, tutong rice, calamansi kosho), and Scallop Express (Bicol express, bagoong XO, braised cabbage, ensaladang kai lan).
The beef cheeks were my favorite—tender, flavorful, with the tutong rice adding texture and the calamansi kosho brightening the dish.
I’m usually not a fan of lengua, but the Grilled Lengua was surprisingly good, especially with the tamarind glaze. The Scallop Express was also delicious. I thought the bagoong XO might overpower the scallops, but the dish was well-balanced.
Lastly, for desserts, we had the Caramelized Pandesal with keso ice cream and Malagos chocolate; and the Pan de Banana with Auro chocolate, Madagascar vanilla sauce, and burnt caramel ice cream.
Dessert was my favorite part of the meal. The Caramelized Pandesal had a satisfying crunch, and the keso ice cream was delightful. The Pan de Banana was essentially a delicious slice of banana bread, elevated by the burnt caramel ice cream. Both desserts perfectly capped the meal.
THE SERVICE
I appreciated the service here.
What stood out most was how the chefs personally served and explained each dish. Knowing what went into the food made me appreciate it even more. The chefs were friendly and approachable.
The dining staff was proactive — topping up water, clearing plates promptly, and checking in regularly.
BOTTOM LINE
While I don’t have a benchmark for what makes a Michelin-recognized restaurant, Automat left a strong impression on me.
I enjoyed the food and the way the courses progressed: light starters to tease the appetite, appetizers that built anticipation, mains that were filling and flavorful, and desserts that tied everything together without being overly heavy. The sweetness was just right.
The menu felt cohesive, every dish made sense, and complemented the others.
Dinner at Automat was memorable, and I genuinely loved the food. If you’re in Makati, I recommend booking a table.