MANILA, Philippines – Ever had tortang talong pizza? Or Neopolitan pizza with banana ketchup-tomato sauce? What about lechon on a pizza?
Amado Forés’ a mano and Chef Jordy Navarra’s Toyo Eatery have teamed up to create “Kamayan Pizza,” three unique pizza pies to celebrate a mano’s fifth anniversary while honoring the Filipino farmers of Good Food Community.
“We admire Jordy Navarra and Toyo Eatery so much,” shared Forés. “Toyo Eatery has always championed Filipino ingredients and those who produce them. We agreed that we wanted to give back to those who farm the ingredients we use every day.”
Starting end of July until August 26, a mano’s Kamayan Pizzas are available in all a mano’s branches, melding Toyo’s innovative Filipino takes with a mano’s traditional Italian techniques. All profits from the collaboration will go to Good Food Community, which advocates for ethical and ecological farming, supporting smallholder farmers through initiatives like deliveries and markets.
Two of the three inventive flavors may not be for the picky eaters, but adventurous foodies may enjoy them!
You can’t go wrong with the Si Margarita Pizza (P650), a classic and simple overall favorite that’s perfect for kids. that Using a mano’s crispy-thin Neopolitan crust, the toppings include banana-tomato red sauce (which adds a subtle sweetness to the conventional pizza sauce), creamy Kesong Puti, FiordiLatte Latteria Sorrentina, sulasi (holy basil), and fresh basil.
If you love eggplant in any way, shape, or form, maybe the Tortang Talong Pizza (P810) would pique your interest? The same pizza crust and banana-tomato sauce feature thinly-sliced grilled eggplant kesong puti-ricotta blend, and egg yolk sauce drizzled on top. Because of the grilled talong, this pizza leans towards a smokier flavor profile.
The Lechon & Pinya Pizza (P940) could be seen as a different and “localized” spin on the Hawaiian pizza. Strips of soft lechon porchetta are placed atop banana-tomato sauce and FiordiLatte Latteria Sorrentina. I liked the dehydrated pinya crisps on top – similar to paper-thin dried mangoes almost – that offered a sweet and tart, chewy element to the porky pizza. It’s topped with bits of crispy lechon skin, and is meant to be dipped in the homemade spiced vinegar on the side.
“Because we are a mano diners to begin with, when we were asked if a collaboration pizza was something we were interested in, it was a no-brainer for us to say yes,” Chef Jordy said.
Last September, AF Hospitality’s a mano made it to the 50 Top Pizza’s 2023 list of the 100 best pizzerias in the world. It was recognized as the 12th best pizzeria in the Asia-Pacific region and awarded the Best Pasta Proposal in 2024, five years after opening in 2019. a mano has branches in Bonifacio Global City, Gateway Mall, and Power Plant Mall.
Celebrating humble ingredients and traditional techniques, Makati City’s Toyo Eatery has earned accolades such as the Miele One to Watch Award and the Flor de Caña Sustainable Restaurant Award from the Asia’s Best Restaurants Academy. – Rappler.com
