Let's Eat April Issue

L E T ' S E AT The SOUTH Issue APRIL 2014 ISSUE NO. 11

T H E G IR L + T H E BULL • THE BLACK PI G • R AMEN YUSH OK EN • SAN MIG PU B • L ARCY'S

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WHAT'S INSIDE

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RAMEN YUSHOKEN

THE GIRL + THE BULL

LARCY'S

THE BLACK PIG

SAN MIG PUB

ISSUE No. 11

L E T ' S E AT T he SOU T H Issue

editor's letter

FERNANDO MIGUEL BELMONTE Publisher

on the co v er

DON JAUCIAN Here in Let’s Eat, we’ve always maintained a steady sense of fun.

Looking back our last ten issues, it’s a marvel that we’ve continued to run with a healthy dose of ecstatic energy—something that you’ll need the most when you’re putting up a food zine.

Relatively small but packed with a delicious zest for all things food, Let’s Eat has always been about the enjoyment of dining.

And what better way to pair the search for the best place to eat than with a road trip.

All of us here in Let’s Eat are consigned to what we can eat in the northern part of the metro. So it’s about time that we head south and discover the great new places to satiate our cravings.

From the cheerful stretch of Aguirre Avenue, where we stopped for the charming new restaurant, The Girl + The Bull, which is run by a lovely twentysomething couple, to Muntinlupa City’s busier roads, where The Black Pig and Ramen Yushoken are located, we bring you a fun-filled guide to the best Southern eats, with plenty of room for dessert (Larcy’s Cupcakery) and a bit of cocktails, too (San Mig Pub, as featured in our new section Let’s Drink).

Load up your car and get on the road, it’s sure to be a great trip.

Connect with us on Facebook (LetsEatPhilStar) and on Instagram (@lets_eat_magazine). Starting this month, we will also be available on the digital newsstand Buqo, which you can download on the iTunes Store and Google Play.

Managing Editor

THYSZ ESTRADA Editorial Associate

PATRICK DIOKNO Art Director

SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ Writer

GABBY CANTERO Photographer

LUCIEN DY TIOCO

Head of Sales & Marketing

ANNALYN DELGADO Editorial Assistant

Golden Letter Publishing, 1497 E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon City For inquiries, call 5277901 local 132 or email letseat062013@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/LetsEatPhilStar Instagram: lets_eat_magazine

Pork Belly Confit from The Girl + The Bull Photo by GABBY CANTERO

LET'S EAT — April 2014

Food For The Gods

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Years after its opening, and despite proliferation of other ramen places, Ramen Yushoken still remains as the city’s definitive ramen destination

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he beachhead for the Ramen Invasion that’s taking over the country was established by Ukkokei on Pasay Road around three years ago. The restaurant’s master chef became legend for his spicy Tantan-men and his even spicier persona.

His restaurant wasn’t the first though—there was Shinjuku on Makati Avenue and a multitude of Rai Rai Kens all over Metro Manila—but the “Ramen Nazi” certainly was the first to cause a deafening buzz among dedicated foodies, the first to serve an authentic, artisanal bowl of ramen. In November of 2012, Mitsuyado Sei-men, a franchise from Japan, began the takeover of Filipino palates in earnest when it introduced “Tsukemen”, a deconstructed ramen of sorts, freshly made noodles served separately from the rich broth, which is then used for dipping. One month later, right before Christmas, Ramen Yushoken opened its doors, and in doing so, detonated the biggest explosion of ramen obsession the Philippines has ever witnessed, and the repercussions of that big bang in Alabang are still being felt to this very day.

Yushoken is considered by many of the ramen cognoscenti as “primus inter pares”: first among equals. Ramen is a dish that, by its very nature, is as unique as the individual ramen craftsmen who assemble the components of their bowls like samurai sculptors. Fans of ramen are absolutely loyal to their favorites, and are deeply partisan with their opinions. While there really is no empirical manner on how to determine what constitutes a “best bowl” of

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RECOMMENDED DISHES Shio Maze-soba, Tantan-men, Karai Tokusei, Shio, Shoyu

TIPS Ramen Yushoken has a list of reminders printed along with their menu. Some of these include: 1. Eat the ramen while its piping hot.

2. Slurp the ramen to help it cool down and pull more soup along with the noodles.

3. Ramen Yushoken only has chopsticks—no fork and spoon—like any proper ramen house.

4. A healthy dry ramen is also available off the menu, as your server about it.

PRICE RANG E ramen, Yushoken seems to have hit on the magic formula, and it is, not surprisingly, simple, yet sublime. Quite Zen. It’s all about “balance”.

“It is all about the assembly of ingredients. We don’t claim to have the best noodles or the best broth or the best toppings. But Yushoken, we know, has the best balance of all three. And that’s why people love our ramen,” Elbert Cuenca reveals to me. He is the passionate gourmet who brought steak to a whole new level in his famous steak room; he is also the man I have to thank for bringing a “Ramen God” to our shores.

The god is not literally in Alabang, but a blue figurine of Kazuo Yamagishi stands guard on a shelf overlooking the kitchen of Yushoken. Yamagishi-san is one of the most esteemed ramen chefs in Japan; he’s now well into his eighties, but he still regularly visits his restaurant in Tokyo. He personally

1 Clockwise from top left: Karai Toku sei, Gyoza, Shoyu Ramen, Karage, and Tantan-men 2 Mazesoba 3 Ramen Yushoken’s interiors 3 Smoked Duck Crepe

assigned one of his champions, Hideoki Aoyama, to guarantee that the impeccable quality and the impossibly high standards of his mentor are maintained in Yushoken.

This partnership between Filipino ramen devotees and Japanese ramen icons has succeeded magnificently, and has exceeded all expectations.

A year and a half into its existence, in order to meet their extremely loyal customers’ endless demand for Miso, Shio, and Shoyu, Yushoken now needs to boil over five tons of pork bones every month

to distill their signature Tonkotsu broth: milky from the marrow and silky from the collagen from the melted down tendons.

The noodles are prepared in-house daily, using flour imported from Japan, kneaded with “kansui”: the specially treated water with the perfect level of alkalinity that gives the al dente noodles their unmistakable bounce and brightness. The toppings, crafted with the same exacting level of precision. Yushoken’s Aji Tamago, those jewel-like marinated eggs, half boiled at a precise 62 degrees, are indisputably, the best in the Philippines.

It would be extremely easy to open a successful chain of Yushokens. Elbert and his partners are often asked to do so.

But that is not to be. A shrine to excellence has to stay true to its nature. There must be only one. One inimitable venue, one singular destination, to worship the one true Ramen God.

Tonkotsu Ramen P320 (Shio) to P380 (Tantan-Men and Miso) Tsukemen P390 (Tonkotsu and Gyokai) to P420 (Karai Tokusei) Cold Ramen P370 (Hiyashi Chuka) Side Dish/Extras P80 (Aji Tamago) to P220 (Chahan)

Ramen Yushoken Molito, Madrigal Avenue, Muntinlipa City (02) 808 7424 RamenYushoken

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LET'S EAT — April 2014

A Table of Stories

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Art, love, and gastronomy all find a table in the South’s charming new haunt, The Girl + The Bull

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his is a love story. Three stories about love, actually. First, a sweet love story about a girl and, well, the bull. Second, an intense love story about art. Third, a passionate love story about food.

The first story is about a girl, Thea, as sweet-looking as a young Natalie Portman, but with an even brighter spark: the dazzling green highlights in her hair reflect her undeniable charm.

The bull is her young man, overflowing with enthusiastic determination, hence the nickname. His real name is Gabriel, and for an easy frame of reference, recall KC Concepcion’s dad during his younger years. It’s not surprising at all that they met when both were cast in a schoolmate’s short film. They look absolutely perfect together, like fresh-faced teenagers in a television commercial, ready for their close-up.

The inevitable happened, and the cinematic reel developed into a real romance. They’ve been together since.

The second story is about a talented but impulsive artist who couldn’t seem to find the fulfillment he sought in the halls of academe. After a succession of starts and stops, he finally found what he was looking for: Gab realized that his form of expression was not limited to the visual, but extended to the visceral. More than just the sense of sight, he discovered that what he truly loved about art was the joy in

satisfying his audience’s sense of taste.

From eyes to mouth, from viewers to diners, from palette to palate.

The third is about Thea and Gab’s love story. It’s the kind of love that exists not just between the two of them.

What started out as a brief vacation in the United States for the young couple turned into one of their great journeys together, one that goes on to this very day. The trip serendipitously led to their discovery of a shared passion for the one thing that could rival their affections for one another: good food.

Inspired by the genius of Thomas Keller in Napa Valley’s French Laundry, and moved by the creativity of David Chang in New York’s Momofuku, Thea and Gabriel had an epiphany, and realized what they both needed to do upon their return to the Philippines.

Which brings us to their baby, The Girl + The Bull, only five months young, but already, one of the hottest restaurants in all of Metro Manila, in spite of its location deep inside BF Homes in Paranaque. It’s not uncommon to encounter diners who have come all the way from as far north as Fairview, foodies who have braved the traffic of EDSA and SLEX to savor specialties such as Gab’s bestselling Buttermilk Fried Chicken (available only on Fridays and Saturdays, take note). Think Pan Chicken with attitude: it’s served with a brioche

But the main event, the chicken pieces d e e p ly s p i c e d , l o v i n g ly m a r i n at e d , a n d p e r f e c t ly f r i e d , m a k e s t h i s o n e o f t h e m o s t m e m o r a b l e f r i e d c h i c k e n s t h at I ’ v e e v e r fa l l e n f o r .

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LET'S EAT — April 2014 1 Grass-fed Beef 2 Roast Garlic Soup 3 Interior details 4 Buttermilk Fried Chicken 5 Faux Twix

RECOMMENDED DISHES Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Grass-fed Beef Tenderloin, Pork Belly Confit, Faux Twix

TIPS 1. Do remember to reserve a table; especially if you’re dining with a large group, the place can fill up quickly.

2. The Buttermilk Fried Chicken is only available on Fridays and Saturdays (11 A.M. to 11 P.M.) so if you’re planning to head south for it, this information is essential.

3. Just in case you want something modified in your dish, do ask your server about it.

4. The restaurant “takes a nap” from 3P.M. to 6P.M. They are only open from Thursday to Monday (closed on Tues-Wed).

PR IC E R A N G E Appetizer P180 (House fries) to P265 (Wild Arugla Salad) Mains P320 (100% Beef Burger) to P530 (Grass-fed Beef Tenderloin) Dessert P110 (Vanilla Ice Cream) to P210 (Brioche Bread Pudding) Cocktails P180 (Ginger Mojito) to P270 (The White Rabbit) The Girl + The Bull 346 Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque 0905 572 2556, (632) 519 6152 TheGirlAndTheBull @thegirlandthebull

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French toast and a balsamic maple syrup; the sides by themselves, already an attraction. But the main event, the chicken pieces deeply spiced, lovingly marinated, and perfectly fried, makes this one of the most memorable fried chickens that I’ve ever fallen for. Thea’s quite partial to a lighter, but no less impressively curated collection of diverse ingredients: a Wild Arugula Salad, the nutty-tasting greens tossed with a truffled Dijon vinaigrette, blessed with parmesan cheese, fresh apple slices, roasted bacon, and because it looks beautiful on top of everything, a fried egg. And for dessert? Faux Twix.

A homemade chocolate bar that just may be better than the real thing. 03 “Hipster”, is a word often used to describe this restaurant where food is art and where art is food. I disagree.

That term is actually a disservice to its owners, as it undermines the essence of their fledgling establishment. “Hipster” implies a conscious effort to try to be cool by being different. Thea and Gabriel’s restaurant is different, true, but not because it tries hard to be. It rises above the rest because its vibrant menu, ever changing, is always being refined into the best version of what it should be. And that is why it’s beyond hip. This early, The Girl + The Bull is already showing signs of becoming a beloved classic.

LET'S EAT — April 2014

SWEET DESTINATION

E AT L E T ' SE E T S W S

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Larcy’s Cupcakery is still the south’s ultimate stop for the sweet tooth

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he put the Durian Republic on the culinary map by creating the original Durian Cheesecake. One of Davao’s legendary culinarians returned to her roots in Paranaque a few years ago to open a nostalgic bakery not too far from the neighborhood where she grew up. Larcy Diaz-Gatchalian’s eponymous shop quickly established itself as one of the premiere dessert destinations down south.

Her Quezo de Bola cupcake is essentially an ensaymada topped with Marca Pina frosting, and her Bananutella, the moistest banana bread crowned with a burnished Nutella icing. Every bite rekindles a warm childhood memory. Larcy’s is proof that yes, you can go home again.

Larcy's is located at 178 Aguirre St., BF Homes, Paranaque; 478 2849; Facebook: LarcysCupcakeryCafe 9­

LET'S EAT — April 2014

Black is the Warmest C olor

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

The Black Pig reins in on a stellar menu that combines European flair with homegrown sensibilities 01 10­

LET'S EAT — April 2014

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harcuterie”, from the French.

That magical, mystical word, replete with promises of rich savory treasures, deeply and intensely flavored meats, matured and aged, preserved precisely at their peak; a bespoke butcher’s delicatessen. Shelves groaning under the weight of whole legs of pork, magnificent and munificent in their marbling, the mingling of darkened red meat and decadently opaque fat.

An ancient knife with a weathered wooden handle, passed on down through generations, slicing through marbled animal flesh cleanly, its blade, strong and sharp enough to cleave enamel and bone.

Alright, I have to admit, I do have an overly-inflamed imagination, specially when it comes to delicacies I adore. The word “charcuterie” flashed through my fevered mind in bright blue upper case neon letters, when, at a dinner in Vask last November, the gentleman seated across me described the specialty of the restaurant he was about to open. I was fortunate to meet Anton Garriz, who, as it turned out, was on the verge of opening a place of his own, serving a cuisine built on a foundation of charcuterie and its various permutations, inspired by the owners’ appreciation for Spain’s Black iberico pig, the source of the finest ham in the world, the wagyu

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1 Ravioli 2 Interior details 3 Veal Cheeks 5 Home made sorbet 6 Cheese platter

of Jamon. A restaurant with all the potential to offer food as spectacular the one which happened to be where we were enjoying a sublime dinner that evening. My new friend Anton promised to invite me to dine at his restaurant The Black Pig in Alabang when it opened, and he was true to his word. Unfortunately, I wasn’t. I missed opening week early this January.

It took me over three months, but I finally corralled someone to accompany me on the long drive to The Black Pig. By the time I made my first visit, the restaurant had already seeped into the collective consciousness of the city’s foodies, the dedicated and the dilettantes alike, and their verdict was unanimous: “absolutely worth the trip, the toll fees, and the calories!”

The restaurant, on the second floor of the Commercenter on Commerce Avenue, is surprisingly rustic. I’d half expected a formal dining room with a strict dress code, but no, one can come in a comfortable t-shirt and walking shorts and not feel out of place. There’s a lovely, breezy veranda for al fresco drinking and smoking, and a tender bar with high stools and four kinds of Australia’s Holgate craft brews on tap. In the family friendly dining area, the seats are all molded, rounded wood and soft leather. The tables, expansive and uncomplicated, ready to be dotted with the delights coming out of the kitchen.

The food is doubly delightful, approached with European techniques and Filipino sensibilities.

Each dish is made with the most premium ingredients— imported and local. A duet from The Black Pig’s two chefs: Carlos Garcia from Spain, who earned his chops in London’s

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LET'S EAT — April 2014

RECOMMENDED DISHES

I now envy the folks who live down south;To have a t r u ly w o r l d c l a s s r e s ta u r a n t i n their midst, run by world-class chefs

Open Ravioli of Local Vegetable with Quail Eggs, Rack of Lamb, Pulled Shoulder of Lamb, Braised Veal Cheeks, Chocolate Praline Mousse

TIPS 1. Ask your bartender about the beer’s IBU and alcohol percentage, just in case you’re feeling adventurous and you want to try some new beers. The higher the beer’s IBU, the more bitter it is.

2. Check out the chalkboard first for the day’s specialties. It changes from time to time, and so do some items on the menu, depending on the ingredients that they’ll have in store (such as the cheeses) so ask about it first.

PR IC E R A N G E Lunch Menu P220 (Baked Pumpkin, Lemon Grass and Ginger Soup) to P680 (Braised Veal Cheeks)

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Courses Two Courses (P450 and P650-with 1 glass of wine or ½ pint craft beer); Three Courses (P600 and P800with 1 glass of wine or ½ pint craft beer) Charcuterie P250 (Salachichon Iberica and Morcilla Iberico) to P850 (Jamon Iberico de Bellota 60g and The Black Pig Charcuterie Board) Mains P380 (Poached Egg and Open Ravioli) to P1200 (Grilled 45-day Aged, Grass-fed Rib Eye) Craf Beers P70 (local craft beer) to P350 (Beer Fight, Holgate Craft Beer, large) The Black Pig Commercenter Alabang, Commerce Ave. cor East Asia Drive, Filinvest Corporate City, 1708 Muntinlupa City (02) 808 1406, (0917) 8450744 theblackpigbar.com TheBlackPigManila @blackpigmnl @theblackpigmanila

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Michelin-starred Gauthier Soho; and Tricia MacDonald, a Filipina who studied at Le Cordon Bleu.

Their epic credentials result in epic meals, from appetizers to desserts.

The bread basket, Dali-esque in presentation, is filled with a variety of freshly baked focaccias and crusty fragrant slices. The cheese plate, gorgeous in composition, is a canvas surreal with its variety of flavors and textures. There’s a steadfast line of impressive main courses, from grass-fed rib-eyes to a slow-cooked sea bass, but one should always check out the daily specials, scrawled on a blackboard. That’s how I discovered the most tender melt-in-your-mouth veal cheeks ever; almost too sexy for words. Succulent and silky and savory and sensual, it is definitely one of the Best New Dishes of 2014.

I now envy the folks who live down south even more. To have a truly world-class restaurant in their midst, run by not just one, but by two world-class chefs, is almost too good to be true. But thankfully, for all of us, my dream of a restaurant dedicated to charcuterie, The Black Pig, is now a reality.

' S E AT L E TTREATS

' S E AT L E TTREATS

Free Glass of Table Wine for every order of charcuterie board, cheese selection or sausage selection between 3P.M. to 5:30P.M.

Free Faux Twix Bars

' S E AT L E TTREATS

' S E AT L E TTREATS

VVIP cardholders 10% discount for food and drinks OR 35% discount on ALL food from 11A.M. TO 3P.M.

Get a free cupcake of the month for every one dozen of cupcakes purchased

L E T ' S E AT

L E T ' S E AT

Coupon is valid from 25 April to 25 May 2014. Only one (01) coupon can be redeemed per transaction. Use with other discount or promotion is not allowed.

Not replaceable when lost and non transferable to cash. Only the coupon from Let’s Eat print edition will be entertained.

Coupon is valid from 25 April to 25 May 2014. Only one (01) coupon can be redeemed per transaction. Use with other discount or promotion is not allowed.

Not replaceable when lost and non transferable to cash. Only the coupon from Let’s Eat print edition will be entertained.

L E T ' S E AT

L E T ' S E AT

Coupon is valid from 25 April to 25 May 2014. Only one (01) coupon can be redeemed per transaction. Use with other discount or promotion is not allowed. Not replaceable when lost and non transferable to cash. Only the coupon from Let’s Eat print edition will be entertained.

Coupon is valid from 25 April to 25 May 2014. Only one (01) coupon can be redeemed per transaction. Use with other discount or promotion is not allowed.

Not replaceable when lost and non transferable to cash. Only the coupon from Let’s Eat print edition will be entertained.

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LET'S EAT — April 2014

L E T 'SK D R IN

BAR NONE

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Why The San Mig Pub is a beloved classic

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t was almost like one of those “guy walks into a bar...” jokes. But this is the one bar I take most seriously, a bar I’ve long revered. I walked into San Mig, and found myself transported back in time. The dark polished mahogany walls, the luxurious leather seats, the oldfashioned stained glass signs, the soft yellow lighting— everything was as it was. Everything as it should be.

The namesake beers, ice cold. The bar chow, meaty and garlicky. The music of the Eagles, of lying eyes and desperadoes. After a decade’s absence, I finally returned and nothing had changed. And that is a very good thing.

San Mig Pub is located at 2/F Corte de las Palmas, Alabang Town Center, Alabang; 807 3595 or 0928 500 9631; Facebook: San-Mig-Pub 15­