The college bar experience is recreated in the establishment called Craft. Inspired by the halcyon days of youth, Craft is a reimagining of the university watering hole, where people can grab a booth, order a burger and fries and just hang out. Even the interior décor—wood floors, chairs upholstered in red patent leather and shiny “blackboards” with the day’s specials—harken to the days of cramming for final exams, frat parties and first dates.
“While the overall theme is a college bar, we offer a fun and relaxed atmosphere for everyone,” says Ian Palabyab, Marketing Manager of Bar Concepts, which owns and operates Craft. “Since we’re in the Fort, we don’t just get students, we get a lot of young professionals looking to unwind after a day of work.”
The restaurant’s bestseller is the handcrafted Buffalo Wings. The six-piece medium hot dish (P185) serves up the right spicy flavor. The Craft Burger (P375) is 100 percent Angus beef served with French fries, while the US Peppercorn Steak (P465), a juicy cut of meat grilled according to guests’ specifications, is another crowd-pleaser. The restaurant also serves a selection of pizzas, sandwiches and a variety of appetizers, from Classic Nachos (P345) to Fried Mozzarella Sticks (P195) and Calamari (P365). As a college bar, beer is the drink of choice. Apart from the local brands, Craft serves artisan beers from Jim Araneta’s Global Beer Exchange. These are brews mostly from craft or independent breweries from the United States and other parts of the world. Rock bands play live on a stage, further bolstering the youthful vibe of the space. Theme nights, such as trivia competitions are planned to add variety to the restaurant’s offerings.
