I am an admitted foodie and love a good meal especially after a hard run. At the same time, I want to make sure what I’m fueling my body with will help me perform at my best.
Last December, I joined the Run365 group on one of their Sunday runs at the University of the Philippines Diliman, and afterwards we adjoined to the newly-opened Runners Kitchen at Creekside Square, Tomas Morato cor. Kamuning. Here’s your first look at it…
//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js
Runner’s Kitchen exterior
long center table seats barkadas like the Run365 crew
First things first, I have to say the interiors look amazing! Light and airy with an industrial feel, but the wooden tables and chairs also kinda reminded me of the old library and schoolrooms at UP. 🙂 There’s a long table in the center that a big group of people can take up, but solo customers can also sit and share the space. Some smaller clusters of tables and chairs are on the periphery for more intimate meals.
Speaking of which, let’s move onto the main thing: the food! That was actually their first day of operations, and they were still on soft opening so the menu was limited.
They will have a more full-fledged menu after the grand opening, and the chalkboard will be used to announce specials.
The whole idea of Runners Kitchen started when some members of Run365, including photographer Xander Angeles (who I interviewed in this podcast episode) realized that up north in Quezon City, there weren’t too many places for people to get healthy and wholesome food, particularly organic and gluten-free fare. They targeted runners because they themselves were runners, and partnered up with people such as Bianca King (who is also involved in Beyond Yoga), Rhian Ramos, and other young, hip entrepreneurs.
Fueling your body with the right stuff is so important, especially after running when your body is trying to rebuild itself. You want to provide the best nutrition so you can become stronger and improve performance.
Check out these menu items:
eggplant caviar on whole wheat crostini
chicken malunggay pesto on whole wheat pasta
baked meatballs on whole wheat pasta
“Runner’s Breakfast”: grass-fed tapa, brown rice, & zucchini-squash hashbrown with sinamak vinegar
Bayani Brew iced tea for refreshment
Whenever I dine at a new spot, I will almost always pick the dish that has the restaurant’s name, or is marked as their specialty. Why? Because anything that has the place’s name or is what they specialize in should be good; otherwise, it’s bad for business!
I had the Runner’s Breakfast and it was soooooo good. The tapa was tender and flavorful, the sour and spicy sinamak vinegar was addicting, the zucchini and squash hashbrown was a new flavor but delicious, and the brown rice was heavy and filling. Future versions of the Runner’s Breakfast will also have organic eggs served sunny side up. It’s a tapsilog reimagined by millenial sensibilities.
Runners Kitchen is open from 8am to 8pm, perfect for post-run meals. (There’s also a Footzee’z Spa next door if you need a foot massage after a long run!) They will start serving espresso coffee and offering WiFi, so it may become a favorite cozy hangout for me whenever I’m in northern Metro Manila.
Check it out and let me know what you think!
Runner’s Kitchen is located at Creekside Square, Tomas Morato cor. Kamuning. For more information, check out their Facebook Page and Instagram, or contact them at +639175273688.
Wow organic!
that pesto pasta looks delish coach noelle. we should visit that resto after a run at UPD sometime :))