The Cuisiniere Brasserie

Yes, I eat a lot... But unfortunately, not so much near our area because
I believe, the only fine dining restaurant near our place is Zucchini's...
And my monthly allowance isn't sufficient enough to pay
for my resto bill, haha!

The other night, as we were strolling the streets of T. Morato and Timog, we came across this new restaurant...
At first I thought, I shouldn't check it out and why should I bother,
no one's inside anyway?
But it came to me that there's no other place like this in QC...
We have been roaming around and all we see are
resto bars, with no parking spaces...

So when I saw this, I called the rest of the group and led them at
The Cuisinier Brasserie.

The interior is modern, European, chic, and classy.
(I sometimes think it is not appropriate in the QC area since most of the people here look for bars.)




But what the heck, I just found out another place to crash whenever I feel like having Wagyu... Mind you, the food here are reasonably priced... I can still count how many dishes were on the 4-digit range on the menu, 2??? And I'm talking about Cochinillo and Paella levels.
Which costs a whole lot more in other restaurants...

Cheers!!! Mojitos and Beer Night!

Loved the Mojitos concoction!

For Appetizers we had the Antipasto Misto - a selection of cheese, Parma ham, olives and grapes, or seasonal fruit
P595.00 or $14.00

and this sumptuous Canard A'la Orange -
roast magret of duck valette, served with orange and Grand Marnier sauce, and promine croquettes - P760.00 or $18.00

and the last ordered appetizer, the Coquilles Saint-Jacques Mornay -
Baked half shell scallops, piped potato, and Gruyere cheese sauce...

The presentation was great... But sadly, it was a disappointment...
The scallop in the middle is tough and chewy, plus it lacks flavor.
I didn't taste the Gruyere on the sauce, all I can taste is the bland mashed potato on all sides of the scallop...
P220.00 or $5.12 for 3 pieces.
(I guess the price speaks for itself)

Then came the heavy ones...

Pasta in cream Pancetta with white truffle oil - as expected, it was creamy and rich. But it was good. I recommend this as a side dish to your fish, chicken, or beef. Share it with everyone! P380.00 or $9.00

and (sorry for the blurry pic)

Aglio Olio - P320.00 or $7.45
Another disappointment... It was bitter, I guess the garlic
was too cooked,
which made it a bad dish...
Hope they improve on this...
It's my favorite, for crying out loud!!!

Then we also tried their Pizzas...

Pepperoni - Tomato, Mozzarella, Pepperoni, and Parmesan
- P480 or $12.00 (good for 6)

The sauce is very Italian, and I loved the Arugula on top...

Should have requested for more Arugula leaves!

And another...

Pizza Bella, Parma ham, Arugula, and truffle oil - P520.00 or $12.00
A favorite!!! Next time I'd really ask for more Arugula stalks!!!!!!

Next came the Buffalo Wings

it was good, an original Buffalo recipe I believe...
Around P320.00 or $7.00

and finally, Oysters!!!

Unfortunately, I missed this... Too full to try this out, plus, it was served in front of me and I thought it didn't smell good... Didn't dare try it...
But they said it was "just ok"... Costs around P300 or $7.00

Oh and yes, the dessert!!! This is to die for:

Gosh, the vanilla bean and caramel worked well together, and as you take each bite, small slices of crisp almond plays with your tongue and palate... A mixture of sweetness, creaminess, and crispiness... This is heavenly!!! P260.00 or $6.00

Tiramisu

The Tiramisu was ok... It's just not my favorite... P190.00 or $5.00

Pair these desserts with their Illy coffee... This is really good...

I felt very satisfied when we left the place... I was happy that I don't have to go too far to eat at a very comfortable place, with a European taste, at a reasonable price... Next time I'll order the steaks...
Yes of course, I'm coming back!!!

Over all, I am rating this restaurant, 4 out of 5 Toques !!!

Happy Eating!!!

The Cuisinier Brasserie
102 Timog, Quezon City
Tel. Nos: 586-8798
(0917)828-chef(2433)
email: cuisinier_brasserie@yahoo.com

The Purse Ladies at Elbert's Steak Room

At last, I can say that I found the best steak in the Philippines...  This is not an exaggerated statement, believe me...  Before, my all time favorite used to be the steak of "House of Wagyu", but now, Elbert's Steak Room has topped my list!  Guilty as charged, we were really starving when we got the bread basket, so nobody bothered to take a picture...  But the bread is TDF!!!  It is obviously freshly baked from the kitchen and it is the softest bread ever!!!  I love the way the butter melts on it as I spread it on top...  Jeez...  I'm so frustrated I couldn't even show you how it looks like...  But you gotta try it, really...

I ordered the Fillet Mignon because:  1-it is the  smallest steak, (I've had enough bread and the Cauliflower soup was a bit heavy so I was afraid I couldn't finish a serving of Angus rib eye, and, 2-It costs P400 pesos (approx.) lower than the Angus Rib Eye.

The steaks are served with soup and salad...  The rib eye set costs around P2,400 to P2,800, and the Fillet Mignon set around P1,800...

Yeah, it's a little bit pricey, but wait 'til you taste it!  You'll see that you got what you paid for...

Those are huge, tender, and juicy USDA certified steaks!!

But let me tell you that NOT ONLY did I enjoy the sumptuous meal at Elbert's...  I loved the interior!  Look how cozy and soshalll the place is:

 

Hallway (facing the bar) with a huge (Fine) Wine Selection

The Smoking Room

(in love with that leather sofa)

The opposite side of the Smoking Room

Hallway going to the function room (where Ms. KA had dinner with her son and some friends), and take note - she approached the Purse Ladies!!!  Well, actually she knows some of us, and she didn't hesitate to come near us and ask if there's a "Bag Conference" going on! 
What made her say that?  

I think she saw this:

Purse Ladies' Bags of the Night

The Bar 

(where Elbert was standing when he ushered us to the Smoking Room)

We were even complimented with these sinful and yummy Dessert Selection!

(That Panna Cotta right there? Ugh, I died)

 Thanks again to the Steak Room's Maitre d', who was really cooperative and made us stay beyond their operating hours...  Asking too much???  Well Elbert's Steak Room just gave us too many reasons why we have to come back...

We had a perfect night...

 

The Purse Ladies

Photo Credits:  Dennis Robles

Wee Nam Kee, At Last!

I've been dreaming of having Hainanese Chicken Rice since October...  I started this craving when Chuvaness revealed that a branch is opening here in Manila...  But I couldn't find the time to check it out because I've been busy social mountaineering...  Haha, yeah, attending parties here and there...  I'm a socialite (dream on)!

Anyway, since it's the first day of the work week, and my calendar isn't "loaded" yet,  I asked my eating buddies if they're in the mood for Hainanese...  Of course I got the answer I needed...  So we all went...

We arrived at 6:45pm.  The place is packed.  People are queuing up behind the podium, and I can see the receptionist not so pleased...  She gave us our #, which is 43, and were told to wait...  We asked, how long is the burden time, and she said, "it depends".  So I played Angry Birds...

We just stayed in front of the restaurant and decided to wait until we hear our number called.  I noticed some people decided not to wait anymore and left the place.  Time check:  7:45pm.  We stood outside, fronting the gardens of the Ayala Triangle.  Bitten by mosquitoes.

At last, we were seated.  No not yet inside...  But on the waiting area...  The waiting area has few chairs, that is why the front part of the restaurant looks very crowded.  I think they should at least provide more seats for the waiting patrons since the mosquitoes are already a burden...  Since the restaurant next door is still under construction, I believe they could at least ask permission to the management or whoever, and provide benches or plastic chairs for their waiting customers. 

Time check, 8:00pm.  Still on the waiting area, watching people ask the receptionist how long is the waiting time...  Hearing the receptionist saying "it depends"...  I really wanted to tell them that we've been waiting for 2 hours already...  But I saw that the people were already pissed at the receptionist...  It is because, when a lady customer approached her and had herself listed, I heard the receptionist say,  Ma'am, you're already at #46...  Her tone was undeniably annoying.  It's as if she is warning her that it'll be hours before your number be called...  Then the customer asked, how long is the waiting time?  Then she said, Ma'am, it depends...  The customer felt unsatisfied, she wanted to ask more, but the receptionist entertained other customer's inquiries...  The lady customer got fusing mad and told her to respect her time because she queued properly and patiently waited in line just for an inquiry and all she gets is, "it depends"???  She said Thank You sarcastically, then left the podium...

Oh well...  I can't blame both of them...  The receptionist looked so tired already, and the lady customer looked hungry too....

I went back to check my Angry Birds...

At 8:20, finally....  We got our seats....  We were all ready for our orders, a combination of Roast and Steamed Chicken, Cereal Prawns, Sizzling Squid, and Crispy Pork (Lechon Kawali), and of course, lotsa Hainanese Rice...  Unfortunately, we were informed that Cereal Prawns and Sizzling Squid are not available for almost a week already...  So, we ended up with Salt and Pepper Squid and Kailan Veggies to match our chicken and Lechon...

The service was, so-so...  We asked for water several times...  We were supposed to have 5 bowls of soup, but gave us only 4, no tissue or napkin at the table...  And, lastly, or probably the worst, we had to follow up to the waiters to serve our orders, or else, our food will be sitting on the kitchen counter for minutes... 

Since we've been starving for more than 2 hours, we failed to take pictures of our food...  We shamefully dug in as soon as the food started coming in...

These are the only ones that made it...

The food was great...  My favorite is the Steamed Chicken...  With it's ginger sauce that is so juicy and flavorful and not oily at all...  Super love!!!  And of course, the Hainanese Rice...  I wouldn't dare tell you how much rice I ate...  No no no...

Food wise, I think my palate was well satisfied...  My craving was nourished and I am not disappointed at all with the food....

But the restaurant, I think it is too early to rate the performance...  I could see the owners and managers last night, and undoubtedly, they were doing their best to serve their customers... 

I wish them luck and hopefully, I could come back next month and expect to be served better...

Gustavus' at Night

I am so lucky to be a member of this particular group.  We see each other once a month, we call, text, pm, dm, each other almost everyday about the latest happenings in showbiz, society, the blogosphere, the metro, the country, the world, or just about everything.  

We call ourselves the Purse Ladies group. 

It is because through purses that we got to know each other.  It is our common denominator.  

The group was formed in 2008, and gladly, we are still intact, whole, 

and we still look forward to seeing each other monthly.

Yes, we all love purses and bags, plus other accessories, and we can talk about them for hours,

from the threads, to stitches, to leather, straps, buckles, down to zippers, 

everything about women's accessories.  

But we don't limit ourselves to "high-end" brands...  

We appreciate and use local brands too. 

Anyway, since it's our Anniversary month, 

we want to celebrate weekly 

and try out different restaurants...  

We started our first week at Gustavus'.

The part owner greeted us as we entered the restaurant,

and showed us our reserved table.  

I instantly liked the interior.  The colors are subtle, neutral, 

making the bar in the middle stand up for its colorful choices of beers served.

 

Photo Credit: Our Awesome Planet

As I browse their menu,

I noticed that they serve oysters.  Since Oysters are not really easy to serve, 

(may be over or under baked, smelly, inedible ) 

I decided to try their Baked Gustavus Oysters Rockefeller.  

(Their Baked Oyster choices are Casino, Pepper, and Rockefeller)

I'm giving it a double thumbs up!  

These Oyster Rockefellers are remarkably good....  There's nothing quite like them!  

As soon as the oysters hit my palate, I knew then that those are freshest oysters I have ever tasted...  

And yes, we asked for another round.  

A plate of 10 costs around P400.00 ($9.00).

Here are the other entrees we had:

House Cut Potato Wedges

P150.00 ($3.00)

Grilled Romaine Caesar with Caesar Vinaigrette, Crispy Bacon and Pesto Crouton

P260.00 ($6.00)

 Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Roasted Veggie Lasagna 

in Tomato-Butter Sauce

P1,030.00 ($23.00)

This was the one I ordered.  Just the way I like.  It really turns me off when I see scales or fish bones in my meal, and of course, it should not smell.  What I enjoyed in this meal is the pasta.  I find the fish too light for a fancy dinner, but since it is served with vegetable lasagna, I really loved it.  I'm giving it a thumbs up too.

Ribeye Regular Cut

P1955.00 ($44.00)

Juicy.  Tender.  Tasty.  Filling.

 Mr. D's Ultimate Beef Burger

P525.00 ($12.00)

Grille Prawn and Scallop Tournedos

with Crab and Spinach Risotto and Chili Herb Butter Sauce

P650.00 ($15.00)

For our dessert, to our dismay, there were not too much selection.  

We love desserts!!!  

I wish they'd widen their dessert selection.  

They offered us Banana Split Ice Cream 

(with 3 scoops of all vanilla ice cream), 

and Tres Leches (Fried Banana with 3 kinds of cream)

Tres Leches

The restroom is quite disturbing too.  I am not a fan of "common" restrooms, wherein I see the -Pardon my language- Men's urinal beside me when I sit down.  Plus, the restroom was cluttered when I entered, probably because it was already late then, and I was almost the last one who used to lavatory...  But still!

Anyways, to top it off, I still think that the restaurant is worth trying.  The food is great, the ambiance is wonderful, the owners are friendly, and again, the food is great.  Will I be back???  

Definitely in less than 2 weeks.  

(I'm already dreaming about oysters)

Food Blog: Spasso

We all have different sets of friends...  I have grouped mine...  Of course they are all very nice, loving, sincere, and caring to me...  But they all come from different stages in my life so I had to categorize them...   I'm pretty sure you guys do the same too...

I have Travel/Coffee Friends....  These are the group of friends that randomly spends coffee nights at UCC, Starbucks, etc...  And we see to it that we travel out of the metro once a year to at least, relieve ourselves from the stress we get from the business...

Last Friday, they invited us to join them watch  

Acoustic Indulgence at Spasso (Italian Tapas & Enoteca).

Spasso is located at the Luxe Residences, 4th Avenue corner 28th Street, 

The Fort (Fort Bonifacio, Taguig). 

We had tapas, vino, dinner, and dessert while enjoying the music of the trio... 

Spinach Frittata

Chicken Diablo

Herb Crusted Chicken

Aglio Olio with Truffle Oil

The last one is my favorite!  I love garlic and olive oil...  The truffle made it more superb!!!

What's more interesting is, I love listening to Acoustic Indulgence!!!  

They played songs of Corinne Bailey Rae, Alanis Morisette, Alicia Keys, and other lounge music that made me feel relaxed sitting comfortably, 

with a glass of fine Bordeaux in my hand...