This Poblacion Resto-Slash-Pub Proves Topnotch European Fare Need Not Be Pretentious
Aquavit Pub & Grill
Address: 8471 Kalayaan Avenue corner Fermina Street, Poblacion, Makati City
Contact: 0966-402-9622
Facebook: www.facebook.com/aquavitph
Open from 12 to 10 p.m. (Monday to Thursday, Sunday); 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. (Friday to Saturday)
(SPOT.ph) Poblacion is full of hip and happening dining spots that take on different genres and cuisines (Korean-American, Japanese-Peruvian, you name it) in their own ways. And we’re all for their creativity and openness to experiment as these establishments are home to truly flavorful plates—but what’s strangely underrepresented in these parts is timeless European fare that satisfies sans frills or gimmicks. It’s this gap recently opened Aquavit Pub & Grill fills with their range of classic European dishes, many from the French-Scandinavian realm, by Chef Robert Lilja.
Also read: The New Poblacion Dining Spots to Put on Your Must-Visit List
Chef Robert Lilja of Maria Luisa’s Garden Room keeps the culinary torch going at this European restaurant in Makati:
Lilja is no newcomer to the scene. The Swedish chef has lived in the Philippines for 35 years and worked in and opened numerous restaurants in the country—among them Maria Luisa’s Garden Room and Baker Brothers. For Aquavit, he partnered up with Chef Tom Hines (who also heads Kobe Jones in Salcedo Village) and officially opened their doors in November.
Like many good things in the world, Aquavit has a multiplex identity—at least insofar as the restaurant's divided into two parts. The main entrance leads you to their pub area, a dim, brooding domain with vintage posters (with cheeky quips, we should add) pinned up on the juniper walls; a central bar; and of course, bottles of alcohol lining their shelves. Do a bit of walking, though, and you’ll find Aquavit’s alter ego of sorts: the dining room, a well-lit space predominantly of a cream-meets-eggshell blue color scheme, with contrasting (but complimentary) patterns on the chairs, walls, and floor rubbing elbows with one another. The reason for taking on both worlds is simple. “In Europe, when you have a bar you have a restaurant. When you have a restaurant, you have a bar,” Lilja explains. People would typically have lunch at the dining area, then head to the pub side come evening for drinks, though you also have the option of cross-ordering from both menus.
We’ll begin with the dining room, which is where you’ll find classic continental fare—think classics you’d likely find at a bistro in Europe, done true to European tradition (“A lot of recipes are about a hundred years old,” Lilja shares) though they do go more modern on the presentation front. Fans of the OG Maria Luisa’s will be happy to know a number of their signatures can be found on this side of Aquavit, including the Escargot Bourguignon (P580). Yup, it’s the famous French snail dish that Lilja executes flawlessly, giving you tender—read: not overly chewy—meat, and a generous amount of herbed butter you’ll want to sop up with their house bread. Go ahead and order up the Salami and Chorizo Plate with Bruschetta while you’re at it; it’s great for passing around while you down a glass of the zesty Basil Lemonade.
The chef clarifies that this isn’t fine dining, but “casual classic dining,” i.e. classic European cuisine in a casual, yet inviting, setting. Still, this is food you could absolutely bond over with that special someone on a date—for which we can vouch for the Châteaubriand (P3,400/good for two). Here, beef tenderloin is roasted to a perfectly browned exterior and juicy interior, then paired with mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, bacon-wrapped haricot vert, and a proper Béarnaise sauce that makes every forkful all the more rich and just a touch bright.
The pub, on the other hand, is the place to troop over to should you be in the mood to unwind and dig into hearty, filling plates. The dishes on this side of the establishment are even more laid-back in character—but make no mistake. Aquavit maintains the approach of focusing on A+ executions of classics. It’s here that you can try distinctly Scandinavian dishes, including the Skagen Shrimp Cocktail (P480)—a simple but ultimately satisfying appetizer or light meal of shrimp in a sour cream-mayo mix, lent a hint of zing by horseradish and an anise-y note by dill. Pile on spoonfuls on the rye bread it comes with; the bread’s slight tanginess, depth, and dense crumb are just the thing to even out the richness of the shrimp salad.
Of course, the pub’s also got all your tavern essentials—among them an excellent take on Fish ‘n Chips (P780) with a batter that’s at once delicate yet crisp, making way to moist, clean-tasting fish within. And the chips part of the equation? Equally excellent, with thick potato wedges deep-fried to the perfect crusty outside and fluffy insides. Ya can’t have the dish without malt vinegar, which Aquavit rightfully provides, along with a wedge of lemon and tartar sauce—and don’t you miss the mushy peas underneath. Fancy-leaning as it appears with its swiped presentation, it delivers all the comfort of the classic British side, earthy pea taste and touch of mint and all.
Not to be skipped, either, is the Schweizer Schnitzel (P780). That’s no typo; Schweizer means Swiss, and the Swiss take on schnitzel differs from its more popular Weiner (Viennese) variation with the addition of cheese. Slice into its crusty exterior (which is crisper than most, thanks to what looks to be the use of panko in the breading) and into the clean-tasting fillet of pork, and you’ll be met with melty layer of nutty, subtly sweet gruyere that makes for even more indulgent fork-and-knifefuls. It's also given a loosely piccata-esque treatment with a topping of capers and Béarnaise sauce on the side.
No-frills as their food may be, their cocktail game—courtesy of Assistant Restaurant Manager Julio Veloso, who was previously with ABV Cocktail & Absinthe Bar—goes a tad more left field. They do have classic cocktails that stay true to the ways of the Prohibition Era, with subtle twists—think Whisky Sour (P300) finished with Angostura bitters for a hint of spice, and an Aperol Spritz (P320) with the more mineral-forward Portugese (rather than Italian) Prosecco as their way of highlighting wines from the said country.
But they pull all the stops for their signature cocktails. The Blended Fairy (P350) might resemble mulled wine at first glance (and sniff) given the citrus wedge and cinnamon stick it comes with, but this ain’t no demure dame—not when it’s spiked with Johnnie Walker whisky, cherry liqueur, sweet vermouth, and absinthe. “It’s like the bastard cousin of the mulled wine,” Veloso says with a chuckle. They also make a mischievous Black Russian (available upon request) with the addition of Moroccan arrack plus Angostura and chocolate bitters for depth, then layered with bourbon chips that lend its smoky aroma and essence to every sip.
Misconceptions surrounding continental classics are aplenty. On one hand, it can intimidate many Filipinos—understandably so, given our history—that it’s easy to dismiss it as being highfalutin. On the other hand, it can also be dismissed as old-fashioned amid the rapidly shifting trends in food today. Aquavit happily tears apart those notions with dishes that are, at their core, hearty and comforting, paying ode to tradition and appealing for the very mastery of their renditions. And when you do the classics right, you really don’t need to bank on fads to stand out.
Photos by Hans Fausto
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