A cherished name from the Tagaytay dining scene has quietly found a new home in the capital. Azela by Balay Dako, the latest venture from The Antonio’s Group of Restaurants, brings the comforting flavors of its highland sibling to the heart of Manila—this time with a more relaxed, city-savvy twist. It’s a warm, unfussy love letter to Filipino cuisine, reimagined for urban appetites.

The timeless flavors of beloved Filipino classics | Photo: Azela by Balay Dako

At its core, Azela is a homecoming—one that celebrates memory, tradition, and the kind of food that nourishes more than just hunger. For Chef Tonyboy Escalante, Azela represents more than just a new chapter. In a letter addressed to the media, he shared that he never set out to build an empire of restaurants; he simply wanted a place where good food and genuine hospitality could live side by side. That personal mission has since grown into a family legacy, now carried forward by his son, Basti Escalante, whose own voice and sensibilities bring fresh energy to the brand.

Basti Escalante | Photo: Azela by Balay Dako

Azela draws its name and inspiration from Lola Azela, the Escalante family’s matriarch, whose home in Bacolod was once filled with the warmth of Ilonggo cooking and stories passed around the table. 

“Azela is actually my grandmother. She’s the one who inspired my father to cook,” shares Basti. “We also named our smaller function room in Balay Dako ‘Azela.’ So coming down to Manila and into the mall, it made sense to call it Azela because Balay Dako means ‘big house’ and since this is a smaller branch, we named it Azela.”

The restaurant is an homage to her spirit—her love, generosity, and unwavering commitment to quality. With Azela, the family hopes to keep those memories alive for a new generation of diners, especially those in the city craving the comforting tastes of home.

Unlike the fine-dining elegance of Antonio’s or the grandeur of Balay Dako in Tagaytay, Azela leans into a refined-casual format, making its soulful dishes more accessible to everyday diners. Designed with busy professionals and urban families in mind, Azela offers a thoughtful yet unfussy space, blending nostalgic design elements—breeze blocks, wood accents, and heritage-inspired motifs — with modern comfort. The result is a dining experience that feels intimate yet familiar, like stepping into a well-loved family kitchen.

Fried Inasal | Photo: Azela by Balay DakoBasti explains, “Balay Dako was really a family restaurant… We brought some of the most loved dishes here. There are some things still aligned with our original menu, but we’re not able to bring the entire menu here since it’s quite vast… We’ve just reworked a few dishes a little bit, just to have something exciting.”

But what truly sets Azela apart is the food. The menu delivers a curated selection of hero dishes that have become synonymous with the Balay Dako experience. Here are just some of the must-tries at the very first Balay Dako restaurant in the City of Manila.

“We try to do everything from scratch and make things the way they used to be made,”  shares Tricia Benedicto, Azela’s restaurant manager. “Like for example, our kare-kare—it’s not made with peanut butter. It’s made with roasted peanuts.”

While Basti is personally fond of the Binagoongan and Fried Inasal, here are the hero dishes from Azela by Balay Dako:

Crispy Pancit Luglug | Photo: Azela by Balay Dako

Crispy Pancit Luglug

Crisp-fried noodles topped with a rich seafood sauce made from shrimp, crab, squid, and tinapa, then garnished with dried hibi, green mango, kamias, crispy garlic, tulapo, and egg.

Pinakbet Rice | Photo: Azela by Balay Dako

Pinakbet Rice

Fried rice mixed with stewed vegetables, flavored with fermented shrimp paste.

Kansi | Photo: Azela by Balay Dako

Kansi

An Ilonggo favorite described as a cross between sinigang and bulalo, made with beef brisket, pork leg, lemongrass, finger chilies, fresh langka, and batuan.

Sisig na Baby | Photo: Azela by Balay Dako

Sisig na Baboy

Chopped pork face garnished with onions and chilies, served on a hot cast iron platter.

Crispy Maskara | Photo: Azela by Balay Dako

Crispy Maskara

Pork mask deep-fried to a crisp.

From our visit, we highly recommend the following: Tawilis,  fried to a crisp and edible from tip to tail, this little fish offers big flavors, especially when dipped in some spiced vinegar. Lumpiang Shanghai Wrap filled with fried lumpia Shanghai and served with Nuoc Cham dipping sauce, this appetizer combines Vietnamese-style street food with local flavors.

Lumping Shanghai Wrap | Photo: Azela by Balay Dako

Camaron Rebosado with its light and crisp batter, and the shrimp well-cooked without being rubbery. Make sure to eat it right away and enjoy it with some sweet chili dip. Kare-Kare Klasik with oxtail, tripe, and knuckles stewed in peanut purée sauce with eggplant, pechay, and string beans.

Kare-Kare Klasik | Photo: Azela by Balay Dako

House-made Sorbetes: One word: Avocado! Their avocado sorbetes (ice cream) is a revelation. And if you pair it with their queso sorbetes? It’s a winning combo! You’d also be happy to hear that they have sugar-free sorbetes in dark chocolate and barako (coffee) flavors. 

“Yes, the ice cream is house-made. We brought our Filipino flavors here. They’re all made from scratch… We use the best ingredients — we even make our own dairy mix,” Tricia points out.

Basti adds, “The flavors here are exclusive to Azela. You won’t find them at Breakfast at Antonio’s or Balay Dako.”

Puto Bumbong | Photo: Azela by Balay Dako

Oh, and Basti has a very important reminder: “We have unlimited white rice and garlic rice… It’s something we also did in Balay Dako when we opened, so now we’re doing it again here.”

With Azela, Balay Dako once again proves that something rooted in tradition can be elevated in execution. With meals priced between Php 500 and 700, it caters to a generation of hardworking Filipinos who value authenticity over trends and quality over shortcuts. Office workers, small business owners, call center agents — those who seek comfort food that feels worth every cent — now have a new place to gather, unwind, and remember.

In bringing Azela to Manila, the Escalante family has not just expanded their culinary footprint, they’ve extended an invitation: To pause, to taste, to reconnect, and to remember that the food that raised us still has a place at the table.

Welcome home, indeed.

Azela by Balay Dako is now open at Robinsons Place Manila, Level 1 Center Atrium. Follow @azela.ph on Instagram for updates.