Sunday at the Market: Mercato Centrale at The Fort

December 19, 2010 – Mercato Centrale, Taguig – I. Love. Sunday. Market. Whether it’s the wet market at the sleepy town of Tagudin in Ilocos, or slightly more upscale food fairs like the Mercato Centrale located near Bonifacio High Street. The energy and aroma are just intoxicating. And you can’t help but admire the unique creations from some hardworking artisans.

I haven’t had the time to go around the whole venue on my first go, but I have already managed to run into some really interesting food items I would like to recommend:

5. Rafael’s Smoked Fish in Olive Oil
Definitely sharing these with my guests at Christmas.

Smoked Fish in Oil

4. Meaty Mama’s Lasagna
Marie Hugo is Meaty Mama. For inquiries, contact her at asuncion_hugo@yahoo.com.

Marie Hugo’s Delicious Lasagna

Marie Hugo is Meaty Mama

3. Ha Yuan’s Open-Faced Sandwiches
Of course, I couldn’t settle with just one so I tried them all!

Refreshing Chicken and Mango

Tofu and Mushroom

Pulled Pork Sandwich

2. Baked by Anita’s Cupcakes
Unique must-try mini cupcakes that come in some really interesting flavors like Peanut Butter Truffle, Saffron and Black Salt, Bacon Maple and (all-time favorite) Red Velvet.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

1. (My Top Mercato Find) Spring Fortune Cookies
Single most memorable taste and purchase were these unassuming Fortune Cookies in Green Tea and Pink Lemonade flavors. Other available flavors are Lemon Almond and Black Sesame. I do not kid when I say, “The Green Tea Fortune Cookies gave me goosebumps.” Do not miss this treat! Send your inquiries to springbyhy@gmail.com.

Green Tea and Pink Lemonade Fortune Cookies

Fortune Cookies by Spring

Dining at Cav Wine Shop is Far from Impressive

December 8, 2010 – Cav Wine Shop, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig – Cav is one of the most lauded restaurants in the Metro located at Bonifacio High Street – a shopping oasis at the heart of Taguig.

The dimly lit dining area was decorated in the nice urban version of a wine cellar that makes it casual, cozy and chic. On a Wednesday evening, the restaurant wasn’t packed, but it took a while for me to locate a waiter who could direct me to the function room I had reserved. Everything went downhill from there.

The room was dark and barely decorated – following the general wine cellar theme – with the odor to boot. The smell of rotting wood, dust and stored ancient antiques pervaded the function room. I was livid. Even when reserved ahead of time, none of the restaurant’s personnel made sure the room was set up and ready. It’s noteworthy to mention that the room came with a price tag – Php20,000 consumable.

I stormed out of the room asking for waiters to do something about the odor and explain the specials to my guests. And what about the wine pairings? I was promised an explanation of the offerings but untrained waiters had none to give. No explanation given. Nothing could be done about the stench. We had to endure and hoped the food’s aroma would mask the smell or render the horrible service moot.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Melons, Pumpkin Soup Shooter and Croquettes

The evening’s dining was opened by an amuse-bouche of prosciutto-wrapped melon balls with pumpkin cream soup shooter and croquettes. The melons with prosciutto were bland and needed seasoning or an additional flavor component to liven the dish. I’ve had the same dish at Duo – located at Serendra – that came with a divine vinaigrette. Cav’s version did not compare in flavor, and the presentation was overbearing. This was made even more depressing by the one-note pumpkin soup and croquettes. The pretentious presentation gimmick made me dislike the dish even more.

Truffle Salad of Edible Flowers, Organic Greens, Sprouts, Vegetables, Nuts, Seeds

My prix-fixe menu began with the Truffle Salad of edible flowers, organic greens, some sprouts, nuts and seeds. It was beautiful enough and edible flowers on my plate was interesting. Witty and unbalanced, the salad’s bitter components overpowered every other flavor dimension, while the nuts – neither candied nor toasted – added texture but did not add anything else to the dish.

The lobster raviolo with cognac bisque was astoundingly horrible. There was nothing delicate or complex about the dish. The bisque was an amalgam of the rich creme and an overpowering fishy taste from the lobster. I was dumbfounded. It tasted like I was downing a bowl of thick, bad milk! Fresh lobster is delicate with a slight hint of the sea. The lobster note of this dish was like being run down by a freight train of concentrated seafood flavor. I was floored.

Does this look rare to you?

Next to me, a colleague went for the Angus Beef Tenderloin with mountain rice, portobello ragu and foie gras foam. Specifically asked prepared rare. It was very near well-done, dry and the center had almost lost the touch of pink. Does this steak look rare to you? Having to spell this out to the waiter was exhausting, so he decided to let it slide.

I had the black cod with two-mustard froth. Incredibly salty and sour. If the goal of this dish’s chemistry was to hide bad fish, I’d say it was pretty successful. But it also succeeded in making me keep to my diet with what little of it I ate.

Chocolate Souffle Cake with mixed Berries and Grand Marnier Cream

Dessert was no better. Chocolate Souffle Cake with mixed Berries and Grand Marnier Cream was an equally unimpressive mess. The chocolate basket was burnt to an indedible state and Grand Marnier cream could not save the sour heap of preserved berries – why the chef did not opt for fresh berries is a mystery. The only bearable dish was the Warm Apple Galette with Cinnamon Ice Cream, but nothing about this dish improves on what I’ve tried before. Dulcinea’s Frech Apple Tart still satisfies best – the perfect play of Granny Smiths and sweet reds.

Warm Apple Galette with Cinnamon Ice Cream

Cav has very high aspirations. It seeks to present innovative dishes and bring haute cuisine to the urbane Metro, while educating the adventurous and willing on the growing obsession that is wine-tasting. It promises a competent mastery over classic cooking techniques, while introducing new concepts for diners. It promises fresh ingredients and top-notch preparation with stringent standards for freshness.

From start to finish, all that is apparent is Cav’s big talk and no substance. A huge selling point, with nothing delivered. The menu presents a complex gastronomy, but the execution falls flat in its face. While some things like taste are relative, service and technique failures are absolute. Not since Lolo Dad’s have I been severely disappointed by a restaurant that overcharges for poor service and shoddy execution. How can all the dishes go so horribly wrong? Didn’t the chef taste any of his creations before serving them up for the public’s scrutiny?

N.B. I was offered a gift certificate by Cav as an apology for their shortcomings – 10 percent of my total bill from 15 guests’ ruined Christmas dinner. I am overwhelmed with shock. Not for generosity, but for the same hubris found in their overbearing food. This, like the dining experience they served up, fails to impress.

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao: Local Taste of International Repute

September 19, 2010 – Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, Greenhills – Rumors of long lines and much clamored entry through the vaunted doors of Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao could not keep me away, and a late night call for reservations revealing a month-long waiting line did me in. Convinced that Sunday lunch would have to be spent at Crytal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, I took it upon myself to ensure a spot for my family by going an hour early from the scheduled 11am service. I must have my Xiao Long Bao fix!

Light-filled, Cream Interiors

The guests were ushered in one at a time and the restaurant was filled to capacity before waiters started to check on diners for their selections. Order taking should have been painless and organized with a system I thought brilliant at first. Each table was provisioned an illustrated menu and a separate checklist with number codes diners reference before making their mark.

Make Your Mark

Famished and barely lucid, I gingerly marked my first order from the inventory and asked for an order of Spicy Chicken La Mian (Php288) while I waited for my family. The noodles looked soggy, but the texture was perfection – tender and firm to the bite. The dish itself was inundated with chiu chow oil which had less heat than it looked. After a long hot day in line, spicy noodles and a glass of Iced Honey Lemon (Php110) was just what I needed.

Ice Honey Lemon

Tender La Mian

Spicy Chicken La Mian

As soon as my party arrived, the rest of my inventory swiftly took to the waiter’s hands and the dishes materialized on our table one after the next.

The Pièce de résistance came first – xiao long bao (Php158) – which also proved to be a source of major disappointment. I have tried this particular dim sum in many local Chinese restaurants and it did not do much to stand out.

Xiao Long Bao

Xiao Long Bao with Chinese Vinegar

Of the five pieces, only one had some soup intact which brushed lightly with Chinese vinegar to give it some bite without overpowering its delicate taste. The rest were barely moist and did not live up to the dish’s reputation. They were horrible as xiao long bao, but made a barely passable, moist pork dumpling.

Fried Pancake with Scallions

Fried Beancurd Skin with Shrimp

We had some Fried Pancake with Scallions (Php98) and Deep-fried Beancurd Skin Rolls with Shrimp (Php135) too – and both offered little to surpass my already lowered expectations. The former was shredded beyond recognition, flaky and salty. The latter tasted extremely salty like the whole meat filling was drenched in salt water before serving – completely overpowering the taste of shrimp. The beancurd skin was soggy from the oil and could have benefited from a few seconds on absorbent paper so as not to lose the crispy texture.

A few dishes we order at every Chinese restaurant to get a solid basis for comparison. We definitely had to make sure we got the Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao versions of popular staples – Yang Chow Fried Rice (Php248), Seafood Fried Rice (Php288), Chicken Fillet in Lemon Sauce (Php288), Sauteed Sliced Beef with Broccoli (Php290) and Shredded Beef with Mushroom in Spicy Sauce (Php290).

Seafood Fried Rice

The grains from the rice dishes were clumpy and ended with a pool of oil at the bottom of the dish. Both beef dishes were bland with a hint of Chinese vinegar – which I found off. While the chicken never made it to the table despite being marked for consumption.

The afternoon got really awkward when an extra order of Spicy Chicken La Mian found its way to our table despite our insistence and evidence that we already had it as a first dish. The waiter was soon followed by the captain waiter who argued with us on the fact. I showed the inventory sheet, order slip and recently emptied plate of the first La Mian. My gracious aunt – who did not want to create a scene – offered to have it to go. Left to my own devices, I would have not let the issue go so easily.

By the end of the meal, I came to the conclusion that the restaurant’s very typical interiors matched an equally standard fare that left little to be desired. I refused to be blinded by the hype, and saw the food (and service) for what it was. I’m off to Choi Garden for a rave well-deserved.

There’s Always a Reason to Go Back to Chelsea Market & Cafe

Chelsea Market & Cafe Prawn Gambas in Chorizo-Parsley Butter

April 30, 2010 – Chelsea Market & Cafe, Pasig City – Ortigas is a bustle of culinary activity with representation from some of the best restaurants opening one after the next. And rounding off my roster of favorite epicurean haunts is Chelsea Market & Cafe, newly opened at Podium. Thankfully, getting an order of Classic Creamy Fettucine Carbonara with (fabulous) seared egg yolk does not have to be a tiresome drive to Taguig.

Drenched from the evening downpour, I met Bonnapart for dinner at the much anticipated restaurant. It’s the first day of operations and I’m as eager as always to see how the new branch holds up to the original. And I was not disappointed!

The same familiar atmosphere pervades the restaurant – from the eclectic decor lining the shelves, warm tones and comfortable chairs to pleasant and impeccable service. The interior is unpretentious and mildly elegant – mismatched opulent pieces and decadent sconce line mirrored walls to brighten the room. It is at once cheerful, exciting and calming. I feel like I have come home.

I don’t even give Bonnapart much time to decide what he wants when I start going for some favorites. I’ll explore the next time I’m here – I keep telling myself but end up ordering practically the same thing. The waitress comes from the branch in Taguig and gives me a familiar smile.

I suggest some new offerings that I found exceptional for my guest. Creamed Cauliflower with Sweet Figs was refreshingly witty and rare of restaurants in the Philippines. Rich crème fraiche mix with cauliflower, and cut into by playful sweetness from the figs. The sweet, dark syrup swirls into the soup and you find yourself wanting more.

Half-way through his soup, I order the Prawn Gambas in Chorizo-Parsley Butter. These prawns in particular, were tender and had just enough give when you bite into a piece. They are well cooked and retained a delicateness about them. Swimming in beurre noisette infused with parsley, pepperoncini and rendered fat from chorizo, the dish was rich, decadent and unhealthy – just as it should be!

Chelsea Market & Cafe Prawn Gambas in Chorizo-Parsley Butter with Bon

I usually have the Classic Creamy Fettucine Carbonara with seared egg yolk next because I worship it. I love carbonara made from egg yolk more than cream. And I must confess, the bias stems from my own creation of Egg Yolk Carbonara with Prosciutto. Their classic carbonara was truly unique in that an execution topped with seared egg yolk is something I have not seen in any other local restaurant. Mix the egg yolk into the pasta and let the heat cook the yellow creamy mess – what a delight! Instead, we opted for another new creation – Roasted Clam and Sundried Tomato Vongole. The pasta was overcooked and the dish is as unimaginative as the rest you’ll see in any other Italian restaurant offering Vongole.

Chelsea Market & Cafe Roasted Clam and Sundried Tomato Vongole

I offered to order dessert for Bonnapart, which he declined to my relief. I generally love Chelsea’s offerings, but I despise their desserts with the force of life. The cakes are dense, heavy and inelegant. With the exception of a few premium ingredients that make it expensive, the cakes’ quality was akin to that produced by the cheap bakery down the street. I have never enjoyed a dessert from Chelsea and each cake is a bigger failure than the next. Someone needs to know why we fold to introduce air into cake batter, and how to tell when it’s done baking.

Cafe 1771: Justifying Mismatched Decor

Cafe 1771 Whimsy

March 19, 2010 – Cafe 1771, Ortigas Center – Blessed Friday has come, and Cage volunteered to accompany me for the night’s culinary adventure. I’ve seen how intense the dinner crowd can be, but I was not willing to put this off another day.

The waiters were courteous and the evening’s best wishes were quickly followed by a lengthy explanation of the restaurant’s concept. And how could he have not? It was a mash-up of formal and casual decor that was as mismatched as their conceptual attempt at “whimsy.” The restaurant is divided into two sections – step into the “whimsy side” for a more informal dining experience where everything is bright and colors are subdued hues of cream and salmon, or scoot over to the “lounge side” where it is cozier and the walls are lined with books and graphic art words like “Love,” “Friendship” and “Believe.” It was unusually camp and contrived.

Cafe 1771 Lounge

I had no expectations for the “whimsy” side because being called just that was license enough to be garish. The “lounge” was both annoying and hilarious. Furniture is a mismatch of transparent plastic chairs and plush couches. Tables are wobbly and I don’t get the subliminal messaging on the walls.

Cafe 1771 Lounge Shelves

It was a ridiculous recreation of a library with quite the unimaginative collection of books. The novelty of a ’90s Encyclopedia Britannica set wore off in two seconds.

Cafe 1771 Lacquered Salmon

But in the end, I surrendered and let scent of food wafting through the air remind me of my purpose. Order up!