Dive Into the World of Catalan Cuisine at This New BGC Dining Spot

El Born 
2/F Mitsukoshi BGC, 8th Avenue corner 36th Street, Bonifacio Global City
Contact: 0917-316-9129
Facebook: www.facebook.com/elbornbgc
Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Sunday

(SPOT.ph) It feels like finding a hidden gem when you come across El Born’s gilded signage surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass windows that give a good view of its open kitchen and bar. It’s a rare sight to see a restaurant that serves Catalan-Mediterranean cuisine inside a Japanese-themed mall, but its welcoming aura would lure you to dine here and sample its specialties.

Also read: Here's Your Definitive Guide to Restaurants at Mitsukoshi BGC 

Check out El Born at Mitsuokoshi BGC, Taguig:

El Born is actually named after a trendy neighborhood in Barcelona that features a pocket of art galleries, shops, restaurants, and bars. Inside the establishment are a couple of wall murals that show images of the said place, and little touches all around that would make you feel like you’re at some bistro there. The vibe is industrial yet inviting—brick walls, exposed ceiling, hanging Edison lights, wooden furnishings, splashes of greenery—all these elements come together in this space that could comfortably accommodate around 70 guests. The main dining area is pretty spacious, but if you want a more private setting, El Born has a couple of VIP rooms and even a Chairman’s Room that you can reserve for intimate gatherings.

Naturally, the main attraction is the state-of-the-art kitchen that includes a Josper charcoal oven. It functions both as an oven and a grill, and coincidentally, is made in Barcelona. It’s an indoor barbecue oven that’s 100-percent charcoal operated and can heat up to about 700 degrees Farehneit or more. “We especially imported the oven,” revealed Business Partner Andrés Poy who also mentioned that they use coconut charcoal from Davao, which adds another layer of flavor to their dishes. According to him, the restaurant highlights “modern reinterpretations of the classic recipes”.

El Born, which started cooking and grilling last July 1, brought in Chef David Amoros, a chef from Barcelona who's had a couple of restaurants there before relocating to the Philippines with wife Ivone. “My cuisine is 70 percent ingredients, and 30 percent heart,” shares the chef—who spent part of his younger years in the streets of El Born, but has been living in Metro Manila for over a year now. He still stays true to his Catalan roots, and it shows in their offerings that highlight “slow food” where he basically follows traditional cooking methods using high-quality local ingredients. Since the cuisine comes from the Catalonia region, an autonomous community that occupies an area in northeastern Spain, it showcases different kinds of seafood in its well-thought out menu.

Grab a table or get a seat by the counter and the server would give you complimentary bread sticks fresh out of the oven. If you were a serious food lover, you’d unabashedly crane your neck just to peek into the open kitchen where you can see the staff prepare bread sticks on one end, and work the grill on the other. It’s like a food theater and each course in an act, until you reach the main that is the star of the show.

Dishes to Try at El Born

One good example of Catalan dish is their off-the-menu salad called Ensalada de Gambas. It’s one of their special dishes of the day that changes from time to time based on which ingredients are in season. Try it if you chance upon it. This particular salad contains both ingredients from the sea and the land—local shrimp and mixed leafy greens, as well as imported French mushrooms. It has a light mustard dressing that gives oomph to this starter—a good way to whet your appetite.

A more fiery choice is the La Bomba De La Barceloneta, also known as Barceloneta’s Bomba, which is potato stuffed with a spicy pork meat. It’s probably the biggest deep-fried stuffed potato you’ll ever see, and it’s served on a bed of salsa tomato picante and aioli sauce. It may look intimidating with its generous dash of spices, but the heat level is pretty tolerable, especially if you balance it out with the creamy aioli. You’ll appreciate the contrast in textures you’ll get from the crispy breading to the soft potato stuffing, and it’s quite filling too, so your best bet is to share it with your lunch or dinner companion.

Something that’s worth trying is the Mejillones “Al Josper”, also called “Josper” mussels with Chef David’s signature sauce. Essentially a pot of imported mussels that are cooked in tomatoes, onion, and a medley of Mediterranean herbs, this dish is as comforting as it gets. Let the sourdough bread slices serve as a vehicle for the plump and juicy shellfish and addictive sauce that packs a bit of heat. The sauce is real flavorful—a little goes a long way—so don't be surprised if you find yourself wanting more bread to finish the rest of it. This is actually a typical home-cooked dish in Catalan—from the ingredients, down to the presentation of the dish on a copper casserole. Probably every abuela or grandma has her own version of this dish.

A must-try signature dish is Chef David’s rice. If Spain has its paella, Catalonia has its own take on it, and you must not miss the chef’s specialty, Arroz De Carne Iberica. Don’t be fooled by its minimalist look: this Iberico pork rice may not be generously topped with garnishes, but each grain is full of flavor. In fact, it doesn’t need that soccarat—the crust that forms underneath the rice—to add more taste to it. Just give it a good mix and you’ll get a consistently savory bite each time. The cooking technique is like a fusion of paella and risotto, so you’ll get the best of both worlds here, but in this case, the chef finishes it in the charcoal oven for a couple of minutes—enough time for the rice to get more aroma and flavor from the coconut charcoal. Add bits and pieces of the fatty Iberico pork to the mix and you’ll have a rich and scrumptious meal on its own.

But if you were to pair this rice dish with a protein, a good accompaniment would be the Pollo Al Josper, or chicken roasted in the Josper oven and plated with mixed veg. Mind you, this isn't your run-of-the-mill roast chicken. This one takes it a couple of notches up by marinating it overnight in olive oil, mustard, and a secret blend of Mediterranean spices—then vacuum sealing it and cooking it sous vide, before finally grilling it in the high-temperature charcoal oven. That final step locks in all the flavors and juices that come out in every bite. Even the veggies are equally as appetizing because of the fragrant herbs and the whole roasting process.

Whether you’re dining solo or with a companion or two, you must save room for dessert! A slice of El Born Cheesecake is well worth reserving stomach space for as this is Amoros' signature cheesecake. One look and you would think it’s the rich and dense kind of cheesecake—but it’s actually really smooth, creamy, and surprisingly easy on the palate. It uses mascarpone cheese, characterized by its ultra-creaminess, and has a thin layer of graham crust for that needed contrast. What sets this cheesecake apart from the rest is that it’s garnished with lemon zest and flakes of Maldon salt, so you’ll get hints of citrus and bursts of saltiness in every bite.

Another dessert option is the Chocolate Cake that's made with internationally awarded Filipino tree-to-bar chocolate brand Auro Chocolate. At first glance you might think it’s more like a brownie, but even though it’s fudgy-looking, the cake texture is unexpectedly light. The base itself is not too sweet, but you’ll get that sugary boost from the bits of candied walnuts, which also provide a good balance to the Maldon salt flakes garnish.

El Born is the kind of place where you’ll want to stay and linger, so why not indulge with a glass of wine? Connoisseur or not, you’ll find the Camille de Labrie, a full-bodied and versatile red wine to pair with the arroz or pollo. Enjoy your meal while you watch the chefs at work in the kitchen or simply take in the trendy vibe. Who knows, you might even spot Chef David in action as he demonstrates his passion for cooking.

According to the chef, “My house, [is] your house.” And you’ll definitely feel warm and welcomed in El Born. Here, it's all about fine food that respects tradition while giving it a contemporary touch. What the chef serves here is the kind of cuisine he learned from his parents and grandparents, but gone modern in a sense. Everything here is homemade—not fast food. You’d be proud to share this new restaurant discovery that's all about Catalan comfort food—think familiar flavors that'd take your taste buds on a journey to this delicious destination.

Photos by Hans Fausto

Also read: 10 Great Places for Spanish Food in Metro Manila

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