Naxional: Eat your way around South America in this diner at Uptown Parade, BGC

Want to travel by taste to Brazil, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and other countries of South America? This new diner at Uptown BGC will deliver quite a foodtrip to you, no passports required, introducing homey dishes and family recipes from different South American destinations.

Naxional South American Diner is a new restaurant in Taguig with a team that includes partners born and raised in South America. Initiallly, its concept began with Brazilian cuisine, which then extended its culinary horizons to include more food that South Americans enjoy everyday — their comfort food, traditional dishes, and family recipes. To buff up their menu, many of the partners went hands-on in collaborating with the executive chef, such as Brazilian celebrity Daniel Matsunaga and his sister Vanessa sharing their mother's recipes, and Lifestyle Network's Venezuelan host Cynthia Patos sharing her knack for whipping up delicious desserts.

Just how far will your palate travel around South America at Naxional? Expect top hits from countries like Puerto Rico, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia on the restaurant's menu–from pasabocas (starters) down to postres (desserts). There are familiar appetizers like Guacamole & Chips (P395), the Mexican platter of sweet potato crisps is joined by plantain chips and tortilla, the avocado dip served very fresh and bright. Another appetizer from Mexico is the Elote (P195) the chargrilled corn smothered with a lipsmacking mix of chili butter, mayo lime, and crumbled cheese. The Patacones (P220) from Puerto Rico were standouts during our first visit; an order gets you pieces of crisp and mealy fried plantains that come with your choice of meat (carne, pollo, or camarones) topped with sofrito and guacamole. My favorite discovery at Naxional, aside from a cocktail which I will mention later, is their these Brazilian cheese puffs called Pao de Queijo (P195) – they are baked cheese bread served with a creamy dip, and while they make look simple and resemble doughnut holes, these little round puffs are served freshly made, with a crisp outside and a soft and chewy inside, its tiny air pockets hiding wisps of cheese that make each nibble extremely satisfying.

The South American eats extend to salads and soups as well, like the Caldo Verde (P195) and Puchero (P265), a tomato stew of beef oxtail, smoked sausage, and garbanzos begging to be paired with some rice. For all-day desayuno (breakfast) fare and sandwiches, try the Eggs Benedict Fidel (P380), a rendition of the eggs ben using corn arepa, a pancake-like Venezuelan dish. It is served with ham, poached egg and orange chipotle hollandaise. The arepas can also be ordered on the side, or as a sandwich like Arepa Con Lecon (P320) filled with roast pork and topped with melted cheese.

For heartier and heavy-hitting items, save space for their entrees or platos principales. While keeping close to their South American roots, the menu offers familiar flavors closer to the local palate with their rice meals, like the Carne Desmechada (P295), a Venezuelan specialty of pulled beef short ribs in tomato stew. It comes with white rice and caramelized plantains. The Rabo Encendido (P350) from Cuba is for the meat lover who wants something punchier: a dish of slow-cooked beef oxtail and pork hocks combined with mushrooms and chorizo, a hearty blend you can plop down on a mountain of rice. A must-try at Naxional are the carnes, assorted meats flame grilled on their in-house Fire Pit. The Churrasco Especial (P1,350/good for 2-3 persons) is a delicious introduction to their meats, as it gathers a sampler of their proteins–grilled sirloin, chimichurri chicken, Portuguese sausage–served with charred pineapple and black bean rice.

Don't leave Naxional without sampling their array of postres–I think the dessert lineup at this new diner is quite impressive and memorable. Cynthia Patos, the self-taught dessert queen of this establishment, whips up signature sweets for Naxional, like the As South American as Apple Pie (P120), deconstructing the classic American pie into this luscious treat of crushed apple pie bits mashed with vanilla ice cream and swirls of dulce de leche. Simpler but no less delicious is Arroz Con Leche (P95), a rice dessert of  slow-cooked fragrant rice with cinnamon spice blend, served hot and wraps around the palate like a warm hug. If a nightcap is your preferred meal-ender, though, cocktails are offered at Naxional, and their bar concocts South American cocktails, like the Michelada — it's one of the best I've had in the metro, and if you do love this beer based drink or enjoy a cool glass of bloody mary, then this one is for you.

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Visit Naxional at the second floor of Uptown Parade, in BGC, Taguig. The diner is open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 1am, and on Sundays from 8am to 10pm. Follow Naxional on Facebook (/NaxionalSouthAmericanDiner) and on Instagram and Twitter (@NaxionalDiner).