Naks

Claypot adobo rice lands tableside and gets mixed hard: chicken, pork belly, garlic rice, bay leaf. That plate is the easy order at Naks on First Avenue. Chef Eric Valdez, born in Makati and a Dhamaka alum, opened the room in December 2023 with Unapologetic Foods partners Chintan Pandya and Roni Mazumdar, in the former Jeepney space. An 18-course kamayan tasting ran at the start; by early 2024 the house shifted to à la carte dinner and weekend brunch. The board still sends pancit batil patong onto banana leaves for hand-eating, plus kanto fried chicken, inihaw na liempo with banana ketchup, and a lechon platter for two. Dinner runs Tuesday through Sunday, 5 to 10 p.m. Brunch is Saturday and Sunday. Reservations open about fifteen days ahead.

Tables come back for adobo rice, fried chicken, grilled pork belly, and cocktails with calamansi or ube. Shares add up fast, and some diners find portions light for the price. The front bar is louder; the back room is tighter and calmer. Book ahead. Weekend brunch is easier when dinner is sold out.