Offbeat in Makati: A Playful Spin on Filipino Comfort Favorites
At Offbeat, nostalgia meets inventiveness in a vibrant space defined by red walls, blue accents, and a lively open kitchen. The restaurant’s energy mirrors its philosophy, familiar yet forward-thinking, where traditional Filipino recipes are reworked with playful flair.
Under the hands of its duo chefs, well-loved dishes are given an innovative spin, resulting in creations that feel both comforting and refreshingly new.
IMAGE from Offbeat
IMAGE from Offbeat
Here, the monghe, deep-fried pork and cheese patties paired with banana ketchup, emerges as a fresh and refined take on a dish with street-food roots, while the piaparan fish draws inspiration from Maranao cuisine, reflecting the kitchen’s appreciation for regional Filipino flavors.
Behind Offbeat are longtime friends Don Baldosano and Angeo Comsti. Their story began long before the restaurant opened, built on Sundays spent hanging out at Don’s place over food and drinks. One drunken night, the two agreed to open a business doing exactly what they had been enjoying during their weekend habit.
From that spontaneous idea, Offbeat was born, an expression of their shared passion for Filipino regional food and their curiosity in exploring the cuisine’s capabilities.
IMAGE from Offbeat
This spirit carries into the menu. The Fried Chicken Inasal is a unique interpretation of a Visayan favorite, featuring breaded chicken thigh served with toyomansi cream, tanglad chili crisp, cucumber atchara, and saba-banana ketchup, bringing together smoky, citrusy, and savory notes in one plate.
Fried Chicken Inasal (Php 390/pc.; Php 950/3pcs.) / IMAGE from Offbeat
For dessert, the Mamon Tres Leches offers a coconut soak and cream layered with cereal crumble and finished with patis caramel, balancing sweetness with a subtle savory edge.
Mamon Tres Leches (Php 430) / IMAGE from Offbeat
Meanwhile, the Bibingka arrives as a thoughtful reimagination of the classic rice cake, paired with shrimp salad, smoked queso de bola, cured yolk, burnt coco powder, and salted egg sauce, an interplay of smoky, briny, and creamy flavors that captures Offbeat’s inventive approach.
Bibingka (Php 630) / IMAGE from Offbeat
Recognized with a MICHELIN Selected distinction, Offbeat stands as a testament to how nostalgia and creativity can coexist, honoring Filipino culinary roots while confidently pushing them somewhere delightfully unexpected.
