The Hearty, Healthy and Comforting Flavors of Nonie's Boracay Finally Arrives at Molito Lifestyle Center

Expanding from its island base in Boracay to Manila marks a milestone moment for the proudly homegrown brand as it takes on a much wider audience in the metro's competitive and cluttered culinary landscape. Bannered by its unique approach to fresh local flavors, Nonie's opens its first ever location outside of Boracay at Molito Lifestyle Center south of Manila as it embarks on an exciting and transformative journey with a renewed commitment to the brand's original vision of inclusivity, sustainability and a fresh and innovative take on comforting cuisine. Take in the cool island vibe with a fresh reinterpretation of comfortingly familiar local flavors at Nonie's without leaving the city, now open at Molito Lifestyle Center...

Founded by Patrick and Shria Florencio seven years ago, the couple along with new Manila-based partners brings Nonie's to the big city presenting a new chapter in the brand's inspiring journey. From the casual and laid-back island vibe to the hectic pace of the city, Nonie's is all set to showcase its cuisine in an established and extremely competitive urban setting (for more on Nonie's, see my posts Flavors of Boracay: Eat Good, Feel Good at Nonie's from 2019 and Flavors of Boracay: Reinterpreting Filipino Cuisine with an Inventive and Healthy Twist at Nonie's from two years ago). 

At the heart of the brand's expansion is its hearty cuisine guided by an advocacy for locally sourced produce and sustainability. And a refreshed brand identity reflecting its core values highlighted by its mango icon. "After seven years of growth and evolution, we felt it was time for an updateーa fresh, new look that reflects our journey and vision," explained Derrick Perez, head chef of Nonie's. "We wanted to maintain our focus on locally sourced ingredients and Filipino-inspired cuisine while enhancing the overall dining experience." 

At its new location in Molito Lifestyle Center, Nonie's exudes that casual and cozy laid-back warmth along with its clean modern minimalist aesthetic in a harmonious and seamless weave creating a homey and welcoming space from the city's mad rush. But first, some libations. As the sweltering summer heat reaches new highs in the city, a refreshing selection of soothing cocktails at Nonie's kicks-off your memorable experience. 

Nonies has just what you need to cool down with its extensive selections of handcrafted cocktails. And here are my personal picks...

Start with the indulgent sweetness of The Malaya, a gold award winning cocktail blended with ube liqueur for that light yet decadent sip to open up the palate...

...followed by the Southside Fizz with its refreshing mix of gin, fresh lime juice, homemade cilantro cordial and blue pea soda. The layers of colors teases the eyes before the palate, with that first sip taking you off to the sunny beaches of Boracay. Another sip just seals the deal. 

The light yet deep and refreshing notes of the gin base makes this the perfect libation to beat the summer heat. One more round? Absolutely. 

The Alabang Piña Colada with its blend of sake, fresh pineapple juice, homemade pineapple cordial, coconut milk and pandan syrup offers a contrasting play on refreshing tartness and sweetness with each soothing sip for another must-try summer libation. The torched pineapple crisp is the perfect garnish completing the cocktail. 

Can there be anything more classic than an Aperol Spritz for summer? The palate-pleasing play on refreshing sweetness and tartness tempered by just a whisper of mild bitter hints from the blend of Aperol, Prosecco and soda immediately cools you down and sets the tone for your dining experience at Nonie's. 

You can also go for the Classic Margarita or the Pinya Mimosa at Nonie's. The extensive cocktail selection has that one drink with your name on it. Guaranteed. Off the bat, Nonie's has you covered with its opening salvo of refreshing cocktails. 

If you prefer a non-alcoholic option, Nonie's has that covered too with their line-up of cold press beverages and smoothies like the aptly named Detox made with fresh beetroot, apple, carrot and ginger. Other refreshing options include the Lean & Green with malunggay, celery, cucumber and pineapple; the Liquid Sunshine with pineapple, mandarin orange and apple; and Rehydration with strawberries, watermelon, apple and mint. The Smoothies menu include Mango Turmeric Ginger, Malunggay Pineapple and Strawberry Thai Basil. 

Pair your round of cocktails with tasty bites like the Jackfruit Dip made with sweet jackfruit, coconut cream and a rich blend of local spices topped with garden-fresh herbs and served with fresh-baked lavosh or crisp unleavened bread. A popular menu staple from Boracay, the Jackfruit Dip brings a delectable nutty sweetness to the palate followed by a layer of soothing heat for balanced flavors. The lavosh adds the crunch, becoming the perfect vessel to scoop up the dip.

The pronounced briny sweetness of the fresh Tuna Rolls is another tasty starter at Nonie's with seasonal greens adding both vibrant notes and textural contrasts to the sashimi grade tuna with the spicy Yogurt Dip completing the rich medley of flavors.  

The traditional Ceviche features the freshest catch of the day in a thick and creamy spicy coconut vinaigrette served with lavosh. Fresh, clean and uncluttered flavors drapes the palate lingering long after the last bite. The spicy finish from the fresh chilies brings all the flavorful elements together in another masterfully executed dish from Nonie's. 

The Vegan Sisig takes on the popular and ubiquitous local pork staple with a playfully inventive twist with crisp tofu and vegetables. Nonie's recreates all the familiar flavors and savory richness with its vegan spin on a local classic, and it works. Paired with crisp lavosh, the famous Vegan Sisig has been one of many flavorful surprises from the island destination. And now, you can get your fresh and healthy fix right here at Molito Lifestyle Center. 

For the savory mains, the Nonie's BBQ Pork Bowl with tender and juicy marinated pork skewers, soft-boiled egg and sautéed greens in coconut milk on soft barley grains is a complete meal in itself. It's yet another creative example of Nonie's reinterpretation of familiar local flavors. 

The savory richness of the bbq pork skewers are complemented by the soft-boiled egg adding one more layer of flavor to the dish enhanced by the mix of vegetables cooked in coconut milk and the nutty notes of the barley grains. The fresh grilled chili and the duo of sauces cuts through the richness of the pork for that perfectly balanced finish. 

The Sticky Pork Ribs is another mainstay in Nonie's menu with slow-cooked pork ribs marinated in pineapple juice and local spices gently laid on sweet potato mash. Fork-tender and fall-off-the-bone, the sharp sweetness of the pork ribs comes through with the crisp shallots, fresh chilies and red onions tempering the richness of the pork ribs. The thick gravy completes the play on flavors, perfect with the sweet potato mash. 

The Bistek Tagalog with slow-braised brisket, rich and thick bistek sauce, seasonal greens, local buffalo cheese and sweet potato mash is Nonie's modern and updated twist on another local staple. Call it an elevated upgrade, with the fork-tender brisket delivering a savory punch perfectly complemented by the thick gravy-like bistek sauce and sweet potato mash. The dish retains the familiar notes of the traditional dish, yet is refreshingly new with its lavish and elegant rendition. Add this to your list of must-try dishes at Nonie's in Molito Lifestyle Center. 

One of my favorites from my visit years ago is the Fish and Prawn Curry with the fresh catch of the day and succulent prawns slathered in homemade curry and served with organic black rice. The homemade curry ties each of the ingredients together in a flavorful weave, completed by the fresh herbs and vegetables. There is a lingering sweetness to the homemade curry sauce followed by a gentle heat from the spice blend. The dish is a multi-layered rendition of contrasting flavors and textures, elegantly plated in that distinctive style of Nonie's. 

In between bites, another round of cocktails is in order...

...as the kitchen serves up more of their signature dishes like their famous Tempeh Kare-Kare. Made from fermented soybeans, the vegan twist on the traditional kare-kare is given a luxurious spin with its thick and nutty cashew sauce and seasonal greens on organic black rice. 

The soft yet firm texture of the tempeh becomes the star of the plate with its nutty and deep earthy notes enhanced by the cashew sauce. A dab of shrimp paste brings that contrasting sharpness to bring out even more flavors from the tempeh and cashew sauce. I remember the first time I tried it years back in Boracay and was honestly skeptical at first. How can you replace oxtail and tripe with fermented soybeans, right? 

But one bite clearly makes the case for tempeh, recreating the meaty textures to complete the dish. The richness of the cashew sauce and seasonal vegetables alone makes this a meal and the tempeh is a flavorful and textural bonus. It's unique executions like this that sets Nonie's apart from the usual dining options with so many more surprises from its bag of tricks. 

Like the Chicken Pork Adobo. There are as many variations of the popular adobo as there are islands in the archipelago, and Nonie's recreates the classic Cavite style yellow sauce without soy. The result? One lavish and savory homestyle feast in a bowl. Imagine grilled chicken marinated in adobo sauce, 72-hour crispy pork belly, soft boiled egg, rich and flavorful yellow adobo sauce and organic black rice, that's one comforting and even nostalgic meal. The dish includes a number of components prepared separately from the juicy marinated grilled chicken to the tedious 72-hour crispy pork belly brought together by the savory yellow sauce. The soft-boiled egg is the perfect finishing touch to the dish. 

For dessert, let Nonie's tempt you with their indulgent offerings...

...like the Nonie's Halo-Halo. The version by Nonie's includes fermented halaya, toasted pinipig, homemade buko pandan and honey shaved ice combining for the classic iced dessert. Topped with ice cream, the version of Nonie's offers not just sweetness but deeper flavors for a heat busting and indulgent treat. 

The Flourless Chocolate Cake made with local chocolate sprinkled with cashew nuts and raw cacao nib praline on smooth calamansi curd brings bold and unrestrained notes to the palate. Pure indulgence with every bite, this dessert pairs well with a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

The Strawberry Cashew Cake with its novel layered presentation prepared two ways, cacao nibs and sweet lemongrass sauce gives the picture-perfect sweet ending to your sumptuous feast at Nonie's. From starters to dessert, Nonie's doesn't skip a beat from its journey from Boracay to Molito Lifestyle Center. 

One more cocktail for the road? Why, yes please...

The stories of regional restaurants entering the competitive Manila market is an all too familiar narrative in local culinary landscape. But Nonie's brings something totally unique to the big city built around its distinctive brand, advocacy and identity. And if you ask me, Nonie's is a welcome addition to the southern metro's growing restaurant scene. From Boracay to Manila, Nonie's finally arrives at Molito Lifestyle Center with its brand of hearty, healthy and comforting cuisine.