L'entrecote: Indulging on Steak Frites in Manila

 

     Steak and Fries. Three glorious words that can easily arouse anyone’s appetite.  Recognized as Steak Frites in France, the lovely pairing of crisp fries with a large slab of sirloin has increasingly become a staple in the European diet. Walk into any brasserie in France, Belgium, or Switzerland, and they’re most likely to have Steak Frites at the top of their menu. Filipinos have been accustomed to the Western approach of eating steak. Often times, we douse the meat in brown, starchy gravy with a passé topping of sautéed mushrooms. In Europe however, they choose to savor it with a classy siding of béarnaise – a sauce composed of clarified butter, emulsified egg yolks, and herbs. 

L'incontro Italiano: For Unpretentious Italian Goodness

     
      
      Situated in the heart of Makati, at Reposo St., is a quaint restaurant that emanates a certain old-world charm. The stone walls make the restaurant look timeless. Since high school, I always passed by the place and never really attempted to give it a try. Despite its charm, it radiated a certain quiet aura that I thought could not be appreciated by the teenager that I was. Until recently, after reading through blogs and articles about how wonderful L’incontro was and how much it has improved - considering the change in menu, owner and head chef (Chef Tina Pamintuan), we decided to finally experience the restaurant for ourselves.

Hai Shin Lou Seafood King : The All-around Chinese Restaurant

 I do apologize for the year-long hiatus. For the past year, I've been quite busy hitting the books and reviewing for the board exams. Thankfully, the arduous journey did bear something good! :) All the stress however did not stop me in my pursuit for the best that the Manila food scene has to offer. Each week, I still made it a point to visit a restaurant and take a careful mental note of the entire sensory experience. I guess the foodie in me will always live on :)