True to its name, Singular reimagines lesser-known Spanish heirloom recipes, showcasing the breadth and depth of a cuisine shaped by varied terrains, coastlines, and seasons.
Spain’s cuisine is woven into our own culinary identity, its flavors and techniques long embedded in our history. Yet when we think of Spanish food, our minds often jump to the classics: steaming paella, crisp croquetas, slivers of jamón, or bold gambas al ajillo. But the European country—shaped by sprawling mountain ranges, fertile plains, and sweeping coastlines—has far more to offer. Across its regions are dishes passed from grandmother to mother, served in everyday meals, and molded by local terroir into something inimitable. Spotlighting these understated culinary treasures is the driving mission of Singular, BGC’s newest fine dining concept from the team behind the Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Bolero.
Singular isn’t so focused on presenting itself as an unadulterated Spanish restaurant, but rather, a bridge connecting the Philippines with the lesser-known depths of Spain. “We want to do Spanish food from the Philippines,” shares co-owner Felipe Diaz de Miranda with Lifestyle Asia. True enough, 90% of the restaurant’s ingredients are sourced locally, save for a few that need to be imported from Spain, such as pork and pigeon.
As we arrived at the restaurant, the kitchen was already in full motion, led by Chef Fernando Alcalá, whose experience spans the Michelin-recognized Kava in Marbella and, closer to home, the acclaimed Bolero, where he serves as its creative force. Joining him is Chef Edu Fuentes, who leads the culinary team with quick precision.
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Inside The New Singular
The interiors of Singular are a visual metaphor for the ways in which the concept aims to bridge two nations. Rustic with an industrial edge, it has those traces of Filipino and Spanish warmth, a cross between the traditional and new. Seating is ample within its spacious, versatile areas, which extend into private dining spaces or nooks. A sleek bar sits on one side of the restaurant, serving an array of cocktails to complement the diverse flavors of its menu. Meanwhile, an open kitchen—meant to, as Miranda explains it, frame the culinary team in “cinematic” fashion—gives diners a close-up look at the magic happening behind the counter.
The Untapped Flavors Of Spain
Lifestyle Asia got a chance to try select dishes from Singular’s inaugural tasting menu, which, as promised, offered up techniques and flavors that break the mold of what we’ve come to expect from popular Spanish cuisine.
Of course, that isn’t to say the classics aren’t present. The meal began with Tapas y Bares, composed of three small but powerful bites that featured our favorites: a crisp, thin tart shell filled with mussels in a zesty vinaigrette (ceviche-style); a beefy bocadito-esque morsel; and a sweet-savory bread ball with spiced, house-made chorizo.
Seafood shines in the new restaurant, a reminder of the richness of the Spanish coast, and by extension, the cuisine born of salt and water. The delicate flavors of the day’s catch are accentuated, rather than overtaken, by subtle yet tasty soups (gazpacho being the cold soup, gazpachuelo being the warmer counterpart). The airy, refreshing summer of Andalucia was distilled into the Atún con Pipirrana y Ajoblanco: raw tuna served with a salmon and olive oil soup sauce, coconut vinegar, whipped gazpacho, and grilled cherry tomatoes.
On the headier side and a personal favorite from the menu, the Caballa en Adobo con Gazpachuelo presented delightfully smoky mackerel preserved adobo-style, with a silky seafood soup emulsion that takes after the traditional gazpachuelo eaten by fishermen in Málaga.
What’s Spanish cuisine without lamb? The Cordero Asado con Lechuga Alindaña turned the beloved staple into a decadent grilled meatball. Those who delight in gamier meat will definitely enjoy the juicy bite of the dish, its darker flavors balanced out with the tartness of fermented grapes, grilled lettuce, and prawns in Manzanilla.
While most of us are familiar with rice served as paella, the Mero Asado, Arroz de Caldero y Pepitoria presents the grain in another form that hails from the Mediterranean coast, Spain’s Moorish legacy in its DNA: arroz caldoso, an umami-packed rice similar to risotto, drenched in a broth of chicken stock, almond, and egg, then served with a slab of tender grouper.
Ending the savory portion of the meal was the Cerdo en Orza con Berza Gaditana. Based on winter cooking traditions that required simple yet hearty meals, where pork was once preserved in large clay pots called orza and slow-cooked in its own fat, the dish pairs chunks of this meat with the Cadiz version of cocido: a warm broth of chickpeas and vegetables. The dish is finished off with small, pork-filled dumplings that do a great job of soaking up all the soup, lending a burst of flavor with every bite.
The desserts that ended the meal carried on Singular’s vision of translating tradition and heritage into more modern, unconventional forms. The Plátano de Canarias was a nod to the Canary Islands, a part of Spain away from the peninsula rife with bright yellow bananas. The dessert was, charmingly, shaped just like its fruit, a shell with a filling of roasted fruit, rum, and corn that was pleasantly sweet without being cloying. Complementing this was the Chocolate con Pedro Ximénez y Vinagre de Jerez: a chocolate pastry treat with Pedro Ximénez and sherry vinegar that blends sugar and salt into one elegant bite.
Situated near some of the Metro’s trendiest bars and shopping hubs, the new restaurant’s location makes it an effortless choice for a special night out—especially when you’re craving something outside the familiar. And “different” truly is the operative word here: a dining experience that is, in every sense, memorably singular.
Singular is located at The Palace, 11th Avenue corner 38th Street, Uptown Bonifacio, Taguig. Visit Singular’s official Instagram @singularmanila. For reservations, contact 09173098027.
Photography by Jorem Catilo
