Filipino Culinary Heritage: From Haliya’s Taste of Artistry to Toronto’s Taste of Manila 2025

The delicate balance between tradition and inspired creative renditions plays out in an exquisite tasting menu showcasing Filipino cuisine. Haliya Modern Filipino Cuisine at City of Dreams Manila presents a refined and elevated snapshot of local flavors in an exquisite tasting menu dubbed Taste of Artistry, a lavish 5-Course experience featuring our rich culinary heritage. The bold reimagination in the presentation of local flavors becomes an elegant expression of our rich culinary heritage, exquisitely plated and presented where the familiar becomes refreshingly new.

The Experience at Haliya Modern Filipino Cuisine

Located at the lobby level of five-star Nuwa Hotel Manila in City of Dreams, Filipino cuisine finally gets a proper stage. Inside Haliya Modern Filipino Cuisine, the luxurious space becomes the first lavish layer to your dining experience, with its impressive high ceiling and colorful art setting the mood for the restaurant's festive flavors. Open daily at 5:00 pm, Haliya Modern Filipino Cuisine is City of Dreams Manila's tribute to the colorful and elaborate weave of comforting local flavors.

Taste of Artistry: The 5-Course Menu

The Taste of Artistry tasting menu doesn't aim to reinvent Filipino cuisine; in fact, each course reflects a deep respect for tradition. It is presented in a curated tasting menu offering a variety of flavors in five elaborate courses:

• First Course: Features two popular offerings, the Binalot na Cochi and Lumpia Dinagat. The Lumpia Dinagat features a crisp shell filled with succulent prawn and crab meat with a dab of Kalamansi Aioli, served with rich Aligue Dip made with indulgent crab fat. The Binalot na Cochi is an homage to the classic lechon with tender and juicy slabs of savory Cochinillo topped with Papaya Atsara.
• Second Course: Kalabasa Krema, an indulgent yet soothing pumpkin soup course that warms the palate with its thick, velvety smooth texture, enhanced by caramelized pork longganisa and cheesy sourdough croutons.
• Third Course: Escabeche Scallop, featuring delicately pan-seared scallop garnished with an ornate and crisp tuille topped with caviar.

Regarding refreshments, a well-stocked bar with its extensive selection of Filipino-inspired handcrafted cocktails matched by an equally impressive array of non-alcoholic mocktails teases the palate. Signature cocktails include names like Perlas, Alab, Ulap, and Takip-Silim. This 5-Course experience is priced at P 2,990 per person, with the option for beverage pairing for an additional P 2,700.

Taste of Manila 2025: Canada’s Largest Filipino Street Festival

While fine dining thrives in Manila, the celebration of culture continues across the globe. Toronto’s Bathurst and Wilson area will once again transform into a vibrant street party as Taste of Manila returns for its 2025 edition. Celebrated as one of Canada’s largest street festivals—and the most attended Filipino festival outside the Philippines—the event will transform the neighbourhood into a lively hub of food, music, and community on August 16-17, 2025.

Festival Highlights and Theme

This year’s theme, 'Resiliency and Diversity,' celebrates the strength, unity, and bayanihan (communal unity and cooperation) spirit of the Filipino community. What’s New in Taste of Manila 2025 includes:

• Three Main Stages: Named Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The Luzon Stage will feature performers like Ruru Madrid and Kyline Alcantara, while the Mindanao Stage hosts Iñigo Pascual and Jason Fernandez.
• Flores de Manila Parade: A nod to the Philippines’ beloved Flores de Mayo tradition.
• Culinary Diversity: More than 100 vendors serving traditional favorites and inventive takes on classic dishes.

Street Food and Local Vendors

Visitors can dig into street food staples like pork isaw, kwek kwek, kikiam, balut, and mango with bagoong. Longtime favourites like Jollibee, Tagpuan, Wilson’s Haus of Lechon, and Mang RC Taho’s signature tofu-and-sago dessert will also be present.

Event Comparison Overview

To better understand these two distinct celebrations of Filipino culinary artistry, the following table summarizes their key features:

Logistical Information for Toronto Attendees

To accommodate the event, Bathurst Street will be closed between Laurelcrest and Wilson avenues from 12 a.m. on Aug. 16 until 2 a.m. on Aug. 18. TTC riders should note that the 160 Bathurst North and 7/307 Bathurst bus routes will be on detour during the festival, bypassing stops on Bathurst St. between Wilson and Laurelcrest.