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.

(This image is from: www.thefashpack.com/2010/10/lets-eat-lincontro.html)

Entering the place surprisingly transports you into a refined and sophisticated atmosphere. It is sprawling and elegantly enveloped with bright, alluring white walls. The windows gave way to the ample light from the sun while the wooden cabinets and furnishings give the restaurant a contrasting homey feel. It was peaceful, light, and all-in-all, classy. I imagine it to be the perfect lunch setting for the Sex and the City cast, where girl friends could catch up and enjoy a glass of bellini, a cup of espresso, and a nice Crispella Tartufo. Truly, the place lives up to its name, L’incontro, which appropriately means, “Meeting place”.

While the service is impeccable with the waiters attending to your every need, the menu needs some improvement. It was printed on hard paper, loosely fastened together… something I did not expect of the highly-praised restaurant. Yet, reading through the list of antipasti, pasta courses, meat dishes, and salads gave me the impression that the food was well-thought of. They retained certain Italian classics and jazzed some up with modern innovation.

Four Cheese Pizza (P 645.00)

I am a big fan of pizzas with a thin and rustic crust like that of Café Caruso or La Nuova - crusts that bubble up with apparent burnt edges and traces of loosely sprinkled cornmeal. L’incontros version however, is an exception. Even if the crust was sturdy and slightly crisp (qualities comparable to the crust of Cibo’s pizza), it unexpectedly offered a nice chewy quality to the dough. The pizza was generously laden with a silky mélange of cheeses that were distinguishable. We could taste bursts of pungent blue cheese, creamy mozzarella, and perhaps a sharp pecorino that played and melted beautifully on the palate. This is the type of pizza that I could eat every single day, without hesitation. I thought to myself that, in the years of my gastronomic adventures, this would have to be one of the finest four cheese pizzas I have ever consumed! :)

Fettuccini Carbonara with Pancetta (P 485.00)

Seeing a crisp, curled strip of bacon atop the carbonara made me smile. More so did the chunks of salty pancetta that was evidently mixed into it. They definitely didn’t scrimp on the good stuff! I knew this was going to be heavenly… and it certainly was. One forkful after the other, I just couldn’t stop myself from digging into the al dente fettuccini that was clearly made from scratch. If only all Italian eateries can do their customers a huge favor of making home made pasta or at least using fresh pasta. It makes all the difference! Punches of salty and peppery flavors from the crisp bacon and pancetta successfully complemented the sauce. It was a pleasant surprise having to bite into crunchy pieces of bacon as the beautiful texture of the pasta slickly glided in the mouth. Thankfully, the cream sauce wasn’t too satiating.

Gnocchi Gorgonzola (P 510.00)

This is honestly my first time to try gnocchi and it surely won’t be my last! There’s just something so alluring and sexy about the taste of gnocchi. Gnocchi are small pasta dumplings made with potato and flour. In Italy, it is usually eaten as a first course. Just pronouncing the word is already a treat on its own! Nyo-kee! How Italian can that get? J Enunciations aside, Lincontro’s gnocchi is dense and slightly larger than a typical Italian gnocchi, but the pillows delicately melt in the mouth. We couldn’t resist closing our eyes while trying to compose ourselves all at the same time. It was that heavenly! What made even more sublime was the robust and rich gorgonzola cheese that smoothly accented the pieces of gnocchi. I could also taste hints of nutmeg and brown butter adding a new dimension to its flavor profile and bringing the entire dish together. You might want to split the dish because it is quite filling.

Lamb Lasagna (P 540.00)

The lasagna came in last. Despite being stuffed already, eating the piping hot lasagna was indescribable at that moment.  I didn’t expect that a simple lasagna can be this delicious and complex at the same time. It was like eating a rich and hearty stew, but neatly layered into sheets of fresh pasta. The bold flavor of the ground lamb really came through, intensifying the taste of the Bolognese ragu along with the bechamel. It was quite clever I must say. Italian herbs accented the sauce and brought a nice freshness to the dish. Finished off with a blend of melted cheeses - the dish was perfect and comforting! I can imagine devouring an entire dish of this on a cozy, rainy day.

Despite the steep prices, every peso was definitely worth it. The premium ingredients, the homemade pasta and the delectable pizza made the experience truly unforgettable. It undeniably stands out among the numerous Italian restaurants in Manila. This makes me look forward to sampling all their other inspiring fares! The warmth and delight that it brings is bound to last for the days to come. The uncomplicated, straightforward Italian food of L’incontro is one that I surely will be back for. 

L'incontro Italiano
207 Nicanor Garcia St. (Former Reposo St.)
Brgy. Bel-air Makati City
Contact No: 899-0638