TL;DR
Chef Miko Calo, celebrated for her refinement at Metronome, launches Coquette — a more instinct-driven, playful dining pop-up at Casa Buenas, Newport World Resorts. Running until November 29, 2025, the pop-up offers both à la carte and five-course menus featuring bold, heartfelt cooking paired with Champagne Florence Duchêne. Expect French precision with a lighter, more personal touch.
Roasted pigeon with kamias — perfectly roasted, glazed with a reduced kamias sauce.
There’s a new energy in the air at Newport World Resorts. Step into Casa Buenas and you’ll find Coquette by Miko Calo — elegant, relaxed, and just a little cheeky, as its name suggests. The pop-up, open until November 29, marks the celebrated chef’s return to a more instinct-driven style, one that feels as personal as it is playful.
“I’m getting to express my more playful side,” Calo shares. “It’s about taking a lighter, more heartfelt approach to my food.”
Known for the razor-sharp refinement of Metronome, Calo shifts gears here. The polish is still evident, but at Coquette it wears itself casually, in dishes that lean bold, vibrant, and full of heart. Guests can go à la carte or surrender to a five-course set — either way, it’s confident cooking that keeps flavor at the center.
The Food: Bold, Honest, Heartfelt
Highlights include:
- Shrimp Kinilaw — made from live suahe served raw, thrillingly fresh and delicately sweet.
- Fregola with Buro, Mussels, and Camembert — comforting yet surprising.
- Ox Tongue with Calamansi Bigarade Sauce — bright, balanced, and deeply satisfying.
- Iberico Presa with Tamarind Barbecue Sauce — smoky, bold, and perfectly charred.
- Veal Sweetbreads with Mushroom Duxelles, Conpoy, and Chilis — one of Calo’s most personal dishes.
And, of course, there is always rice.
But one dish stood out most for me: the Roasted Pigeon with Kamias. Perfectly cooked — tender yet not gamey — it was cloaked in a reduced kamias sauce that sang with the ideal sweet-sour counterpoint. A dish that lingered both on the palate and in memory.
The Shrimp Kinilaw was equally exciting — my first time tasting raw shrimp, and it was a revelation: fresh, alive, and vibrant.
For dessert, the Durian Crème arrived with its signature strong scent, but melted into something unexpectedly light and elegant, the perfect end to dinner.
Shrimp Kinilaw — raw live suahe, bright and alive on the palate.
Champagne, Flowers, and a Light Touch
There are no elaborate pairings here, but the pours of Champagne Florence Duchêne — crisp, expressive, and deeply personal — complement the menu beautifully. The space remains simple, adorned with fresh flowers, allowing the food and the energy to shine.
“I wanted to get back in the groove before working on something more permanent,” Calo explains.
About Chef Miko Calo
- Born in Butuan, raised in Manila under the guidance of her aunt, the late Susan Calo Medina.
- Trained at FERRANDI Paris, graduating top of her class.
- Spent seven years at Joël Robuchon International, working across Paris, London, and Singapore.
- Opened Metronome in 2019, which has since earned acclaim from Tatler Dining and Asia’s 50 Best Discovery list.
- Named Chef of the Year 2022 by Tatler Dining Philippines.
- Recently honored with the Innovation Award at Tatler Philippines’ Front & Female Awards 2025.
Her international collaborations — from For Her in Bangkok to Queens in Paris — spotlight her as one of the Philippines’ most compelling culinary voices.
About Casa Buenas
Casa Buenas, Newport World Resorts’ signature Filipino restaurant, is designed like a modern Bahay na Bato. The 120-seat space is filled with heritage details — Machuca tiles, intricate marquetry, and hand-carved hardwood floors — creating a warm, cultural backdrop to heartfelt Filipino hospitality.
Details
- Dates: September 2 – November 29, 2025
- Location: Casa Buenas, G/F Grand Wing Newport World Resorts, Portwood Street, Newport City, Pasay
- Schedule: Dinner only, Tuesday to Sunday (Closed Mondays)
- Reservations: +63.2.7908.8988 or +63.917.878.8312
With Coquette, Miko Calo strips back the polish without losing her edge. It’s Calo, unfiltered: sharp yet relaxed, playful yet heartfelt — and, most importantly, unmistakably hers.
