One tradition in Renegade Junctures that we have maintained since we started in 2022 is having a unique Christmas dinner annually. After all, what could be the perfect way to wrap up the year by having a one-of-a-kind dinner during the most festive season? The rules are simple: have our dinner where we never had before, and try something new.
Our first one was in Tahanan Bistro in Antipolo, followed by Crustasia Asian Seafood Market in McKinley Hill, then Lan Hot Pot in BGC. All were unique in their own way which practically captured the point of the Christmas dinner the way we envisioned it: new, sumptuous and memorable.
Renegade Junctures Christmas dinner though the years: 2022 to 2024.
Came 2025. We were having our evening walk through the streets of BGC when we chanced upon a restaurant with the Michelin Guide signage along 30th Street. As the Philippines got only to the prestigious guide in October 2025, such sighting made us mightily excited that right then and there, we have made up our minds: we will do our Christmas dinner in Uma Nota, a Michelin Selected restaurant.
Uma Nota located in Shangri–La The Fort, BGC.
Uma Nota, which means one note in Portuguese, is an upscale Brazilian–Japanese restaurant which took inspiration from the Japanese immigrants in São Paulo, Brazil. It first opened in Hong Kong and then Paris before expanding to the Philippines, bringing in fused culinary traditions of South America and East Asia.
We reserved a table seating for two 10 days before our intended date for Christmas dinner. Reservation costs PHP 1,000.00 per head, which is consumable and is deductible from the final bill. As Uma Nota is a fine dining restaurant, a dress code of smart casual is required.
Our reservation was slotted at 07:30 PM and we were in the venue 30 minutes early. Despite that, we were immediately accommodated and led to our table. After passing through the hallway, we went down to a wide staircase that led to the main dining area which features art deco interiors and the iconic hanging tree.
The welcoming ambiance of Uma Nota,
We would have taken their signature Chef’s Menu, but we were told that it was sold out, hence we opted to mix and match à la carte. Eumir, our assigned table attendant for the night, was kind enough to walk us through every item on the menu, making the experience extra special.
We ordered three starters, one side dish and one main. The main, of course, was the star of the night. For our drinks, we both opted out of anything alcoholic and settled for fruit juices. We opted out of the dessert since by the time we were done with the main course, we were already too stuffed.
The Starters
Salmon Ponzu Rolls
We are definitely not new to Japanese rolls, but to have ponzu caviar on top of the fresh salmon was a wonderful delight, providing a tangy burst that excites the taste buds.
Tuna Tataki
Similar to ceviche or even the Filipino kilawin, tuna tataki is unique as the balance of citrus and sweetness of the pineapple elevates the natural flavor of the tuna.
Truffle Pao de Quiejo
Our assigned table attendant, Eumir, was the one who recommended the truffle cheese buns and we do not regret listening to him. Fresh from the oven, it was fluffy, cheesy, and earthy all together in a single bite.
The Side
Furikake Fries
Not your typical fries as the touch of Japanese wasabi furikake and the citrusy mayonnaise makes the humble sweet potato a noble on a plate.
The Main
WX Wagyu MB5+ Grass–Fed Ribeye
High-grade Australian grass-fed Wagyu cooked medium rare.
If your steak ain’t bleeding, it ain’t right. Our main course was just too heavenly that there was a party in our palates. With high-grade marbling cooked in a perfect medium rare and served on a hot stone, the beef was literally melting in our mouths. The knives seemed to have lost their purpose.
The fuzz about the Michelin Guide only made sense to us after we have dined in Uma Nota. The experience was not just about gastronomy. It was a complete sensory experience, memorable at the very least.
Happy tummies!
We would rather not post the final bill here, but the cost is very well justified. The experience did not only satisfied our need to eat. It was also able to make us feel a certain warmth that a physical embrace would give off through food carefully curated and served with the highest standards. There is no doubt that the food not only made us full; it made us feel good as well.
Our fourth time doing our Christmas dinner was definitely a higher notch experience, probably the highest so far. It was our first time dining in a Michelin Selected restaurant, our first time trying the Brazilian–Japanese fusion, and our first time trying a Wagyu steak. We got a lot of first times in our 2025 Christmas dinner, but if you come to think of it, that’s actually just the premise of this online journal. That’s how you do it the Renegade Junctures way.
After our hearty meal—and I really mean hearty—we started our walk back home. It was almost Christmas and the breeze of the December night was cold, but the surroundings certainly felt filled with warmth. It could be the spirit of Christmas or just because of the food we just had, I cannot tell for certain. At least for Ran and I, while we take a slow walk back home in the midst of the people coming to and fro, in a rush that is characteristic of BGC, we knew we had a great time.
2025 was not yet over for us though. In an another first, we would turn out ending the year on a different note. Aptly put, 2025 was our year.
Renegade Junctures 
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