Market Basket Alabang: The Modern take on Dampa dining

If you are living down south of Manila and have this craving for fresh seafood "paluto dampa" style, you don’t need to brave the SLEX traffic to get to the bayside restaurants. All you need to do is take a short trip to the Riverside Park? of the Festival mall and check out Market Basket.

Market Basket takes the paluto concept up a notch providing you the freshest catch from the sea, but with the ambiance and setup of a casual dining restaurant.

Market Basket serves fresh fish (tuna and salmon), fresh crabs, shellfish and other seafood—plus their sizzling lechon sisig is just amazing!

Market Basket only uses fresh ingredients to satisfy your paluto with their signature filipino dishes whipped by their resident Chefs headed by the owner's daughter Chef Jinelle Juson and her assistant Chef Arnel Arjona.

 Chef Jinelle Juson and Chef Arnel Arjona

Market Basket is located at River Park at Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa. 

You have to choose over the fish seafood counter downstairs and have it cooked according to your liking.  I love how fresh everything is including the "lato", The last time I ate "lato" was 5 years ago.

All ingredients, from vegetables to seafood to meat, are sourced from farms around Manila, so customers can be assured of freshness.

Lato and tomatoes

Market Basket is a restaurant offering modern takes on traditional Filipino food. I love how homey the interiors inside with the shabby chic feels to it.

Located at River Park at Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, one of the hottest dining clusters in the South, the restaurant concept marries together the freshest produce from farms around Manila, the sophistication of European food, and Filipino favorites.

We were seated upstairs with the nice view overlooking the river. It was relaxing and you got the "probinsya" feels to it. No to mention that I love their food. If you are watching your diet, you can order the Pomelo salad or Fruits and Nuts salad. (My favorites!)These are sooooo good and delicious without the guilt.

It was indeed a cheat day for me.  I never had anything after the sumptuous lunch.

We had "Sinigang na Ulo at Belly ng Salmon" for our soup.

We were served Fish Ceviche, Crispy parmesan tacos, and sizzling lechon kawali sisig for our Appetizer.

For the mains, we had Seafood Hotpot, Prawn Thermidore, Chili Crab, Steak and Shrimp, Mussels Mariniere, and Sweet Lapu Lapu. 

Pomelo Salad

Fruits and Nuts Salad

Tinapa Rice

Crispy Parmesan Tacos

Fish Ceviche

Chili Crab

Shrimp and Steak

Sweet Lapu Lapu

Market Basket also takes pride on their desserts. If you're craving for cheesecakes and smores. You should definitely include those on your visit.

Smores and cheesecakes!

Sizzling Fruit and Ice Cream

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

Plus they are serving cocktails anytime of the day! You can choose from Sangria to Pinacolada.

Cocktails!

Market Basket is best known for its seafood dishes. Specialties include their Sinigang na Ulo at Tiyan ng Salmon, their Fish Ceviche, Kinilaw na Tanigue with Lato, and grilled seafood dishes. However, the restaurant doesn’t only limit itself to Filipino food. Executive Chef Mauro Arjona, Jr., with his training under Chef Billy King of Le Soufflé fame, also dishes out takes on European classics such as Prawn Thermidore and Steak and Shrimp, the restaurant’s version of Surf and Turf.



Market Basket is part of the Chef’s Quarter Group, one of the most successful restaurant groups in the country. Owned by another Le Soufflé alum Larry Cortez, the Chef’s Quarter Group also boasts of restaurants such as Chef’s Quarter, Old Vine, Uncle Cheffy, Chef’s Barrel, and Kusé.