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.