The party in our maws started off with a plate of sweet, fresh seared scallops and watermelon (P200) and topped with herbs. Light and refreshing, it was the kind of dish that I like to call a "reset button"– something to reboot your taste buds for things to come.
Sure enough, a tart of four cheeses (P250/ P650 with foie gras) came topped with a massive chunk of honey and pepper glazed foie gras and was accompanied by a well dressed salad of greens grown by the Mrs. herself. This was not the little cornflake sized bit of foie that a lot of local restaurants serve–this was more the size of Yao Ming's earlobe. The exterior had a great crispy bite, which then just melted into bliss when eaten with bits of the apple, the cheese filled tart, and pulled-out-of-the-soil leaves. Foie gras can be heavily abused these days–heavy handed, crappy techniques can easily ruin it–but this alone was worth the trip. A signature dish, for sure.
In a demitasse, a seafood dumpling floated in a parmesan inflected tomato soup, perhaps a wink at Pancit Molo and Escalante's Ilonggo heritage, quickly followed by a nicely tart sorbet to clean up all that flavor. We were given the freedom to choose a main from the menu–my eyes were drifting to an old school sole meuniere, but the good chef pretty much dictated to me and my friend that we were having steak. Well, gee.. as a peace-loving man, I am not one to argue.
I hadn't been here in years, and had forgotten all about this steak (P4,200/ 700 grams) of his. Most places I've been to lately, with the exception of a handful, all offer a typical half inch slab or so of ribeye – what I call the "Pinoy's favorite" because of it's fat content. Sure, it can be tasty, but like I said there are only a few places in Manila that have really impressed me with the way they handle their meat. When this steak arrived, my eyes almost popped out. By American standards, this was maybe average, but for here, man! It looked like I could snap a bicycle frame onto it and ride away. Almost weighing in at a kilo (okay, it's for two people, but still), topped with crispy onion strings, well seasoned and served sizzling on a plate straight out of Hades' ovens–serious stuff. Thick (I'd say an inch or more) and cooked to a perfect medium rare, with a nice outer crust (that only salt and dragon's heat could form) that gave it great texture before your teeth sunk into the fresh, prime beef–this was a STEAK–and it was making my saliva drip. After all that, there was still some Chantilly cream, coconut ice cream, and madeleines to sample. HELP ME! My mind was racing–how the heck was I going to drive home?!
To distract me from my slowly emerging food coma, I put my thinking cap on. I began to notice everyone else's food–my seatmate's cumin crusted lamb rack, Tonyboy's roasted pork (awesome, by the way)–and it said lots of things about the way this restaurant works. He's not doing anything crazy here–no going out on a limb with avante garde combinations, nothing trendy–but he is making amazing, classic food with best of the best ingredients. You simply cannot go wrong with vegetables and herbs grown a few steps from your kitchen–as the best restaurants in the world will attest to. They are simply making food people will love, and will come back to again and again without tiring of it.
This former dental student and PAL steward had gotten the secret restaurant formula down pat. Words and awards mean nothing to him and Agnes–it's a restaurant built on true passion, and a genuine love for making people happy. I've read about foreigners saying this was the best restaurant in the Philippines–big words ultimately backed up by the winning food coming out the kitchen, and we are all the luckier for it.
If you've never been or if it's been awhile, you're due for a visit. If he's there and you can convince him, ask Tonyboy to pass you a shot of his homemade limoncello. It 'll make the food–and the long drive home–go down much easier.
RATING: 4.5 SPOTS ••••.
Photographs by JJ Yulo.
