Juniper by Chef Josh Boutwood Shows Us the Uncomplicated Can Be Utterly Delicious
Uncomplicated doesn't equal vanilla, as we learn at the Mandaluyong restaurant.
Juniper
Streetscape, L/1 Shangri-La Plaza, Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Contact: 0927-412-3848
Instagram: www.instagram.com/junipermnl
Open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Sunday
(SPOT.ph) Citrusy, peppery, a touch floral, and a touch piney, juniper berries are one intriguing ingredient. It’s one of the defining botanicals in gin—Chef Josh Boutwood’s favorite spirit. It also happens to be the name of his new dining spot at Shangri-La Plaza’s Streetscape hub of dining spots.
The restaurant is on the small side, with a bar by the entrance and tables for small and big groups. An understated elegance it flaunts nonetheless, with shades of cream, slate, and caramel brown on the tables; on the chairs; on the walls. There are quirky touches, chief among them the figure of an astronaut (a signature of Josh Boutwood’s restaurants) standing by the side of the bar.
Boutwood describes Juniper to be a casual spot—one with a “more feminine” name than his other ventures (The Test Kitchen, Helm, Ember, and the soon-to-reopen Savage), and an expression of the “....little bit more gentle [and] emotional” parts of his personality in that it’s “delicate and playful at the same time.” “And it’s one of those concepts that is easy to understand, to find a dish you’re going to absolutely love and return back again and again for. It’s one of those emotions that I’m very happy to put out to the public, and hopefully the public understands and enjoys it.”
Easy to understand doesn’t mean vanilla or one-note by any means. Circling back to the origin of Juniper’s moniker, I ask what he loves about gin; Boutwood raves about the distilled alcoholic drink’s “complexity.” “I think it's a wonderful spirit that has so much, or so many different characteristics, but in essence, it's simple.” Naturally, Juniper is poised to have an extended gin selection that would form the basis of G&Ts served from the bar. Though an “extremely simple” beverage to whip up, Boutwood explains how it can be made their own when one incorporates into the drink their own flavors, aromatics, and so on.
These qualities cleverly extend to the food, with small and big plates on their menu that embody the same marriage of comfort and simplicity on one hand, intricacy and natural sophistication on another. Rather than cement itself on a specific cuisine, Juniper’s repertoire consists of distinctly Josh Boutwood plates that are “complex, but in essence delicious,” and designed to be “light [and] bright to a point]” while delivering “lovely rich and deep flavors.”
Also read:
The Bistro Group Brings LongHorn Steakhouse to the Philippines
What's Next for Savage BGC, From Chef Josh Boutwood
What to try at Chef Josh Boutwood's Juniper in Mandaluyong
The flavors are familiar for the most part with nothing too foreign, but the combinations are more novel, with Juniper taking subtle twists to make their dishes their own. There’s the Tapioca, Cheddar, Spiced Tomato, taking after Brazilian dadinho de tapioca—a classic dish of tapioca and cheese cubes fried to a crisp, similar to mac and cheese with a bouncier bite, though Juniper’s is made their own by a spiced tomato sauce for pizzazz. Chicken Wings, Koshihikari Rice, Shiso is a bit of an Asian-style take on buffalo wings that packs umami and heat thanks to Frank’s hot sauce, honey, and miso. And then there’s the Persimmon, Pumpkin Seed & Lardo which delivers the winning tandem of salty and sweet (similar to that of the melon + prosciutto combo well-loved in Italy), with pepitas for crunch.
Uncomplicated delicious is the name of the game in the Wild Mushrooms, Gruyere, White Wine, a fan favorite from Boutwood's previously open pop-up Anvil; and the Shishito Pepper, Spiced Mayonnaise with its namesake peppers simply charred to bring out its natural sweetness. The Cured Salmon, Smoked Sour Cream, Dill gets is soft floral-piney note from being cured in juniper berries. Balance can be had by way of their salads of Iceberg Wedge, Stilton, Applewood Smoked Bacon and the Caesar-esque Charred Romaine, Anchovy, Pecorino Romano. There, too, are stellar pasta dishes to tuck into: Gnocchi, Pesto, Pancetta that stars Boutwood’s pillowy potato dumplings; and Agnolotti, Ricotta & Parsley with a filling of Serrano ham and ricotta.
Heavier mains are available for those looking to dine like a champ—whether your taste buds are after the Mediterranean-leaning zing of the Oven Roasted Chicken, Gremolata, Chickpea; the warming Braised Lamb Saddle, White Bean & Roasted Vegetable with an agrodolce-like partner of stewed veg; the hearty and no-fail Mussels, White Wine, Parsley; the indulgent Ribeye given zip by gremolata; or the juicy Pork Chop Mustard M1, best had with sides (Fermented Potato Fries, Sweet Potato & Bagna Cauda, Sauteed Mushrooms, Truffle Mashed Potatoes).
For dessert, there’s the Burnt Honey Creme Brulee that brings to mind the leftover milk after downing a bowl of Honey Stars cereal, as well as the dense and decadent Dark Chocolate Tart, among others.
If there’s anything Boutwood proves through Juniper—even if perhaps less deliberately and more organically—it’s that good food doesn't always require big leaps and excess. Not with the right tweaks and a good amount of strategic creativity, anyway, which is exactly what we see in practice.