#DiscoverNewMOAEats: Delectable Discoveries at SM Mall of Asia's New North Wing

Japanese, Thai, Southwestern, and Filipino flavors are just some of the delectable discoveries at SM Mall of Asia's new North Wing. Add some refreshing teas and indulgent desserts, and that's all the reasons you need to visit the new North Wing.

SM Mall of Asia adds a world of flavors, from familiar favorites to exciting new culinary discoveries, each one located next to the other at the new North Wing. Dubbed as the new Entertainment Mall Food Zone, it's the perfect spot for a classic food crawl. Read on and take a flavorful peek at the new #MOAEATS...

SM Mall of Asia recently hosted a culinary Discovery Tour showcasing the wide selection of dining options at their new North Wing. At the Discovery Tour, SM Mall of Asia's management along with the participating dining establishments (L) welcomed guests to the North Wing tour, a full itinerary with nine restaurants.

For the discovery Tour at SM Mall of Asia's North Wing, guests were handed special visas for the day's food crawl, a special pass to nine restaurants. First stop, Tenya, an old favorite, classic Japanese cuisine with their All-Star Tendon, Asakusa Special Tendon, and the Chicken Mayo Tendon.

Guests were also served Salmon, Ebi, and Kani draped in their signature batter and perfectly deep-fried for that signature crispness (for more on Tenya, see my previous posts, A Peek at the Next Japanese Food Trend on their exclusive preview and Tempura Tendon Tenya Unleashes the Tendon Invasion at SM Megamall).

That day, Tenya offered a new spin to enjoy their all-time favorites. Enjoy your favorites at Tenya with their new selection of flavored salts, available in Curry, Yuzu, and Wasabi, delivering sharp hints to bring out more of the flavor while retaining the crispness. You can still enjoy your favorites with Tenya's thick Tare Sauce, but give the flavored salts a try for a change of pace and experience how tempura is traditionally enjoyed back in Japan. 

For the second stop of the Discovery Tour at SM Mall of Asia's North Wing, diners get a taste of authentic Thai cuisine at Basil, with their Crispy Fish with 3-Flavored Sauce...

...and the classic Pad Thai. The flavors are fresh and clean, with the full range of delectable notes from sweet, sour, salty, and mild bitter hints to a soothing heat from the spices. Other must-try dishes at Basil include the Fresh Spring Rolls, Shrimp Cakes, and Chicken with Cashew Nuts.

Third stop, Botejyu and their take on traditional Japanese cuisine. Established back in 1946 in Japan, Botejyu serves rustic homestyle Japanese comfort food led by their popular Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki.

Start with the refreshing Botejyu Salad, a refreshing dish with thin strips of crisp wontons, garden-fresh vegetables and noodles...

...followed by a comforting bowl of Paitan Ramen with Chicken Tempura for a tasty combo of textural contrasts.

Not to be missed is Botejyu's All-Star Takoyaki, your favorite Japanese staple executed in a variety of ways.

For heftier appetites, Botejyu also offers satisfying meals with their Garlic Rice Bacon and Egg (L), a meal in itself with slabs of bacon; and the Premium Moonlight Okosoba (R), a hearty pancake with cabbage and yakisoba noodles topped with an egg. 

Craving for some pork love? Botejyu's got that covered too with their Amiyaki Grilled Pork Ricebowl, with fork tender and savory pork on rice with a side salad. Draped with a mildly sweet sauce, the richness of the pork comes through with every bite, followed by a whisper of grilled smoky hints.

And there's more. Filipino-Spanish flavors take the spotlight on our fourth stop at SM Mall of Asia's new North Wing, at Agos by Chef Mike "Tatung" Sarthou. His newest dining concept features traditional Filipino and Spanish cuisine inspired by the historic Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. Using the freshest local ingredients, Chef Tatung recreates classic flavors, including his light yet flavorful Tuna Ceviche...

...tasty Croquetas (L), soft and tasty bites capped by a delicately crisp outer layer; and the equally tasty Fried Eggplant (R). Pair it with Chef Tatung's soothing Manila Galleon Cocktail, a tasty blend of white rum, fresh fruits and spicy siling labuyo for that sweet, tart and mildly spicy finish.

Chef Tatung combines meatballs and shrimps with his Almondigas con Gambas draped in rich tomato sauce. The tartness of the tomatoes play well with the meatball and shrimp combo, rounded out by hints of garlic. 

And did you say bacon? The Crispy Bacon, served with a creamy dip, is just pure pork love. And it just doesn't get better than that.

The Paella Fiesta Filipina, soft and fluffy rice topped with chicken, seafood, smoked chorizo and vegetables cooked with atchuete oil caps our festive feast at Agos.

Sticky bones and ribs highlight our fifth stop at Morganfield's, with their line of signature ribs. The new Inasal Pork Spareribs, a full slab of fall-off-the-bone ribs marinated in a rich blend of herbs and spices glazed with a sweet homemade and spicy soy-based BBQ sauce, is impressive (for more on Morganfield's, see my earlier post, Sticky Bomes and Ribs at Morganfield's). But Morganfield's has another flavorful surprise...

Morganfield's served guests their new Inasal Pork Ribs, Cheesy Cheese Dog, Smoky Bundit Sausages, and the crispy Pulled Pork Ribs, another new dish. The rich, smoky notes and crunch of the Pulled Pork Ribs served with rice and egg delivers full flavors, perfect with a refreshing Ginger Peach Cooler or the Midnight Blue.

Guests at the Discovery Tour were treated to a welcome pause at the sixth stop with TenRen's Tea's signature Green Tea with Fresh Fruits, Green Tea Mango Slush, 914 King's Oolong Tea, and Black Milk Tea with Pearls. Taiwan's leading brand for the highest quality and freshly brewed whole leaf teas, TenRen's Tea brings its line of signature handcrafted teas to the new North Wing. Using the freshest fruits and ingredients, TenRen's Teas contain absolutely no transfat or artificial flavoring for an authentic tea experience, just what you need before or after a sumptuous meal at the new North Wing of SM Mall of Asia. 

Mexican flavors from south of the border were highlighted at the seventh stop, Fiery Style Southwestern Grill, bannered by their Chicken and Rib Platter fresh from the grill along with steaks, burgers, fajitas, tacos, and burritos. Fiery Style's comforting Southwestern cuisine is a welcome addition to SM Mall of Asia's new North Wing, offering even more dining options.

Fiery Style Southwestern Grill served up tasty bites during the Discovery Tour at SM Mall of Asia's North Wing, including their Mexican Street Croquettes...

...flavorful Cheese Quesadilla with Grilled Lime Chicken (L) and creamy Baja Mixed Seafood (R). Not to be missed are Fiery Style's Onion Rings Stacker, Fiery Nachos, Bucket of Bones, Fiery BBQ Bacon Mushroom Burger, Chimichangas, and Bottomless Margaritas and Mojitos.

And if you're looking for a cold beer and authentic yakitori, welcome to the eighth stop at SM Mall of Asia's North Wing Discovery Tour. Direct from Kyoto, Japan, Tori-Ichi Yakitori & Bar offers a wide selection of tasty yakitori, from chicken to pork and vegetables, along with ramen, tonkatsu, tempura, and torikara set meals.

Delicately grilled, each skewer has its own distinct flavors, and going through several sticks can be a light and satisfying meal in itself. The semi-open kitchen layout gives diners a peek of the different types of yakitori on the grill like Butabara (pork belly), Kawa (chicken skin), Tebasaki (chicken wings), Shisomaki (chicken thighs), or Kimo (chicken liver), just name it and Tori-Ichi Yakitori & Bar does the rest.

Finally, our Discovery Tour at SM Mall of Asia's North Wing ends on a sweet and indulgent note. Out ninth stop, Paper Moon Cafe, caps our food crawl with delicate yet sinful desserts. Founded by Japan's grand dame of innovative and specialty cakes, Emy Wada, Paper Moon Cafe offers a selection of light savory dishes and beverages, and a whole lot of desserts. You'll find Strawberry Shortcakes, Chocolate Checkered Cakes and Paper Moon's Original Mille Crepe in a variety of flavors (Original, Chocolate, Mango, Matcha, Ube, Queso Real, and Coco Pandan), a delicately layered and indulgent dessert that's definitely another reason to visit the North Wing. The layers of thin crepes deliver rich buttery notes, an indulgence that's so definitely worth it. A visit to Paper Moon Cafe makes it an official cheat day to reward yourself with their signature Mille Crepe.

Nine restaurants, all in one place. But the new North Wing has even more restaurants and dining options to be discovered. Experience and savor your own delectable discoveries at SM Mall of Asia's new North Wing, or better yet, embark on your own foodcrawl for a taste of everything. 

Visit the new North Wing at SM Mall of Asia, Seaside Boulevard, Pasay City, Metro Manila.

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