Let's Eat September Issue by Tammy Mendoza

L E T ' S E AT SEPTEMBER 2014 ISSUE NO. 16

R EF I NER Y • BUR GER S & BR EWSK I ES • ST. PATR I CK ' S • HOOCH

S EPTEMBER 20 14

WHAT'S INSIDE

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REFINERY

HOOCH

BURGERS & BREWSKIES

ST. PATRICK'S

ISSUE No. 16

L E T ' S E AT E DITOR 'S NOTE An ice cold bottle of beer. It’s what winds me down after a really rough day at work. The daily grind can really get to you. After all that pyschological grime torturing you all day, a really cold bottle of Pale Pilsen can just wash it all off, like magic. It used to be a routine that my friends and I used to do, calling each other up randomly after an exhausting work day, making one of the booths at Burger Bar home and we’d just sit and drink that glorious ice cold Pilsen—the kind of beer, as I recalled, that my dad also used to drink after work, hence my association of Pilsen as a tito kind of beer. My boozy teenage years were all San Mig Lights, but once you’ve tasted Pale Pilsen, there is no turning back. These days, there’s a resurgence of craft beers: meticulously brewed and far from the generic bitterness of beers served in your regular nightly haunts. From Katipunan Craft Ales to Holgate, these are alternative brews that play on different tastes and textures; rich revolutions for your tastebuds. This issue of Let’s Eat is a prelude to the wonderful delights of Oktoberfest, hence the pubs, bars, and drinking places you’ll probably want to go to and celebrate that Bavarian spirit. And, as always, remember to drink moderately.

FERNANDO MIGUEL BELMONTE Publisher

on the co v er

DON JAUCIAN Managing Editor

THYSZ ESTRADA Editorial Associate

PATRICK DIOKNO Art Director

SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ Writer

GABBY CANTERO Photographer

chezca garcia Photographer’s Assistant

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

Kandi Burger from Burgers & Brewskies Photo by GABBY CANTERO

LET'S EAT — September 2014

A FINE FRENZY BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

From the finest coffee—made from beans likened to 24-carat diamonds—to craft beers, find out why Refinery is one of the best new restaurants of 2014

ne of the hottest cafés in our city started with a cup of Lamill. It’s a coffee from a California-based company that’s become world famous for sourcing the rarest, most premium single-origin coffee beans from all over the globe, from Ethiopia in Africa to Colombia in South America. Lamill is also renowned as the true masters of the art coffee bean roasting; the company likens its expensive beans to uncut diamonds, and their ultra-precise roasting methods, the fine cutting process. The analogy is completed by the finished cup of coffee, one of the finest

on Earth, as stunning as a 24-carat diamond. Five years ago, newlyweds and coffee connoisseurs Carlo and Jackie Lorenzana brought the brand to the Philippines, where Lamill quickly gained a devoted following. Five months ago, the couple opened their Refinery. Why “Refinery”? As is my wont, I over thought it. Refinery because they serve the most refined, i.e. classy, coffee in the country? Refinery, because it’s right next to the Power Plant Mall, some sort of insider industrial theme? Turns out, I couldn’t be farther from the truth. Jackie set 1 Interiors 2 Holgate Beers 3 Banana Nutella French Toast 4 Sardine Pasta 5 French Lavender 6 Eggs Benedict 7 Selection of beers and coffees

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LET'S EAT — September 2014

the record straight: “Refinery, simply because it sounds cool, and somehow, perfectly appropriate.” Apparently, based on its overnight dominance of the coffee scene in its ritzy part of Metro Manila, thousands more agree. Refinery is one of the coolest hangouts in Rockwell. How can it not be? It’s got something for everyone. They have excellent coffee, craft beers, irresistible milk tea, fine wines, and bespoke cocktails. And here’s the big reveal: Refinery’s also one of the best new restaurants of 2014. From breakfast to brunch to lunch to afternoon tea to happy hour to dinner to midnight snacks, Refinery’s serving some of the most soothing comfort food around. I know, I know.

T h ey h a v e e x c e l l ent c o ffee , c raft b eer s , irre s i s ti b l e m i l k tea , fine w ine s , an d b e s p o k e c o c k tai l s . A n d h ere ’ s t h e b i g re v ea l : R efinery i s a l s o o ne o f t h e b e s t ne w re s ta u rant s o f 2014.

Comfort food? Again? But trust me on this. Refinery does it right. There’s nothing self-conscious about their dishes. The menu is composed of the food that the owners like. A lengthy, but uncomplicated menu, developed organically, and not via exhaustive

focus group discussions. Many of the key ingredients, made in house, painstakingly, from scratch. A team of young cooks, most of them fresh graduates from Benilde, led by a very able veteran of the kitchen wars, Chef Hatch Bodegon. Together, they come

LET'S EAT — September 2014

RE COMME NDE D DISHES Salmon Benedict Banana Nutella French Toast Bacon French Toast Sardine Pasta Feel Good Fudge DRINKS Espresso Creme Brûlée Blanco y Negro Darjeeling Sour French Lavander 75 St George Gin Martini

TIPS 1. Brunch fare is king here and good thing, it’s served until 5pm! Have your fill of the eggs benedict and various versions of the French toast with the usual coffee or be bold and pair it with their refreshing but deadly French Lavander 75. 2. It’s a restaurant, a bar, a cafe — it can get confusing. But Refinery’s always ready and very friendly servers will guide you through the extensive menu offerings. Order food and ask for what’s best to drink with it, be it coffee, beer or a cocktail.

06 up with food that’s surprisingly good. And there’s an even bigger surprise in store. The food’s shockingly affordable. Probably the best bang for the buck in one of the chicest districts in the city. The salmon benedict, for example: premium smoked salmon, two perfectly poached eggs, and a rich hollandaise sauce, on English muffins. It comes with a side salad with fresh arugula leaves and alfalfa sprouts. I’d be willing to shell out P500 for this hefty, tasty dish, and I still shake my

07 head when I recall how much this is on the menu: P320. The golden orange yolk alone, which spreads out with the deep hues of a blazing summer sunset, is worth every penny. While Refinery first and foremost is a venue for great coffee—and we all know how essential that beverage is as a balm for hangovers—the café/bar/restaurant thoughtfully developed a special guaranteed to eradicate any remaining after effects of too much drinking: the hangover pasta has

smoked bacon, asparagus, and Parmesan sauce on a bed of linguini. And one more essential component: rendered smoked bacon fat. This glorious, decadent cure? P260. And yes, you read that right, unless you’re already tipsy as you read this, and that might be due to Refinery’s Darjeeling sour, a bourbon-based cocktail, that ought to guide you straight to Nirvana. And with that, finally, I realize what Refinery means to me: a destination for a truly refined state of bliss.

3. A cup of any of their delicious coffees or a bottle from their packed beer rack plus a corner table is all that you need for a relaxing afternoon hangout here. People from different backgrounds campout and claim seats as if it were their own — it’s that homey. Refinery G/F Joya Building, Joya Drive, Rockwell, Makati (02) 781-0344 RefineryPH @_refinery

LET'S EAT — September 2014

one FOR TH E ROAD

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Wash down the toll of the daily grind with some of Hooch’s reinvigorating mixes 7

LET'S EAT — September 2014

here gorgeous cocktails are blended, beautiful women flock, and adoring men will inevitably follow.” Great bartenders are respected not only for their skill and talent in mixing the most unforgettable drinks, but revered for the nuggets of wisdom that they dole out to their favorite guests. Such is the case with the lady who established Hooch, which has just been named as a finalist in the Best Bar category of “Manila’s Best Kept Restaurant Secrets”, the Oscars of the Philippine F&B industry. Dixie Marinas grew up in Manila and studied Hotel Management in Switzerland’s Glion Institute. She has a hotelier’s exacting attention to detail, and an epicurean’s appreciation for food and beverages of the highest quality. She’s also known as “Icy”, a fitting nickname for the mixologist who’s renowned for the coolest bespoke cocktail in the city, her signature “Hoochside LN2”; a drink so frosty, it’s served upside down. Icy has established a drinking destination that is now creating an enviable new template for success in the ever-expanding, everchanging, and ever-competitive Manila restaurant scene. Hooch is the bar that’s bent on recreating

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1 Dark and Stormy, Salcedo Ave, Hooch side LN2, Smash 2 Hoochside LN2 3 Apple Crumble Shooter 4 Smash

H o o c h i s t h e b ar t h at ’ s b ent o n re c reatin g t h e “ l o s t c o c k tai l s ” , t h o s e c reati v e m i x e s o f y o re , in v ente d o u t o f ne c e s s ity d u rin g t h e Pr o h i b iti o n in t h e Unite d State s d u rin g t h e 1 9 2 0 s .

the “lost cocktails”, those creative mixes of yore, invented out of necessity during the Prohibition in the United States during the 1920s, and almost a century later, are just being rediscovered, thanks to the resurgence fuelled by passionate bartenders in New York and Chicago. Hooch serves cocktails made with syrups patiently produced inhouse, carefully crafted infusions, and only the most premium spirits. It’s a bar with no pretensions. It’s neither too dark nor too bright, not too quiet or too loud. The interiors, an elegant homage to steampunk, and the concoctions, dangerously strong and wickedly edgy. I’m partial to the “Cinnamon Jack”: Old No.7 from Tennessee, homemade cinnamon and honey syrup, lime, and sour apple.

LET'S EAT — September 2014

RECOMMENDED DISHES DISHES Golden Pre-bytes Pulled Pork Pao Lamb Shank Caviar Blini with Vodka Tequila Lemon Cheesecake DRINKS Hoochside LN2 Dark and Stormy Smash Salcedo Ave Chocolate and Apple Crumble flavored shooters

TIPS 1. Hooch is conveniently located beside Lulu, its sister restaurant that serves up unique contemporary takes on comfort food. Cross order from both restaurants for interesting food and drink pairings.

But barflies shouldn’t limit themselves to the bar list. Challenge the bartenders to come up with something that suits your mood. They’ll only be too glad to oblige. Had a bad day at the office? Ask for a mix that’ll allow you to release pent-up stress and fully relax. A “Hoochie Coochie” would be apt; it is an off menu item, but say ‘please’, and you’ll be very pleased you did. Hooch ‘s mixologists are highly esteemed for their religious dedication to detail, their devotion to the classic recipes, as well as their depth of flavor of

their cocktails. Go ahead, take a moment to savor the “nose”, the aromas of the diverse range of liquors, the sweetness and tartness of freshly sliced fruits, and the flavor notes from the intense bitters, seamlessly uniting into a new singularity. After the first sip, let it linger, and then pause: these cocktails are not meant to be gulped down; savor the finish, and exchange knowing smiles, sly evidence of shared secrets between barfly and bartender. Sliding doors separate Hooch from LuLu, its sister restaurant that’s run

by Dixie’s partner, Chef Tom Hines. Deep into the evenings, after dinner service, when the conversations start getting louder and their bodies start getting warmer, these doors are opened, signalling the start of more serious drinking, spilling over to a larger area that befits the patrons’ expanding bonhomie. At that point, the sensuous late night cuisine of LuLu seamlessly merges with the consensual concoctions, of Hooch, just as a perfectly prepared cocktail marries flavors and colors and scents: a most beautiful blend.

2. Order one of the more adventurous items on the drink menu — the Hoochside LN2. It’s vodka-based mixed with elderflower liqueur and sour apple and dramatically topped with smoking liquid nitrogen, served upside down. 3. Avoid the dinnertime horde and drop by Hooch during their happy hour that starts from 12nn to 6pm. Get twice the buzz with drinks at 50% off. Up for a pre-game drink? The crowd thins out at around 10pm and the bar is open till the last man standing. Hooch G/F Corporate Center, LP Leviste St., Salcedo Village, Makati 0927 375 9467 /hoochph @hoochph

LET'S EAT — September 2014

BREWED AWAK ENING BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Burger and Brewskies is more than just cutesy burgers

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LET'S EAT — September 2014

ove in the Age of Friendster. That’s how the whole affair behind Burgers & Brewskies began. You do remember Friendster, right? The pioneering social network that once held us all in its thrall? It’s long gone now, but once upon a time, cyberstalking was considered sweet and innocent, thanks to Friendster’s “Who’s Viewed Me” feature. And so it was with a bartender from New York named “Kiko”, a Filipino expat, who came across the profile of a Filipina named “MayOne”, based all the way in Manila; her real name, by the way, not an alias. The enamored swain sent a ‘private message’ to the lady, one that would eventually lead to marriage: “I know you don’t know me, but I just want you to know that you’re absolutely cute.” It’s the very same sentiment I expressed when I first caught a glimpse of one of their B&B signature burgers. Love in the Age of Burger. Burgers & Brewskies have, bar none, the absolutely cutest and irresistibly sexiest burgers in the city. It’s easy to fall for them, as they are so innately lovely, so intimately sensual, that taking a picture before biting into one becomes mandatory. When I find myself in times of hunger, my iPhone comes to me, and I gaze at a photo of “Kandi”, a burger with roasted garlic

aioli, cheese sauce, onion confit, and a teasing tapestry of spiced candied bacon, like a cherry on a sundae, topping off the whole production. Sometimes, it’s the “Walk of Shame”, a lustful ode to the morning afters of fulfilled carnivorous desires. It’s a cheeseburger with spiced mustard aioli, crispy bacon, crunchy potato hay, slathered with B&B’s signature “lemonnaise”, all stuffed in an “eggin-a-hole” bun. The B&B that I lust for the most, however, is one that gets diners so heated up, it’s appropriately named “Call the Nurse”: a glistening deep red bark of spicy sriracha honey bacon balanced on a slab of creamy and crusty macaroni and cheese, both straddling a third of a pound of a freshly ground U.S. all beef patty, grilled medium for maximum tenderness and for optimum juiciness. In case I’ve not been obvious enough, let me spell it out: Burgers & Brewskies is 100% pure Burger Porn. But there’s more to B&B than their namesake items. I recall the first time I encountered Kiko and MayOne just a year and a half ago, at the Best Food Forward food expo in the NBC Tent, where they introduced the “Cuban Missile”: grilled sweet corn, brushed with mayo, and showered with spiced shredded cheese. It was the breakout

I n c a s e it h a s n ’ t b een o b v i o u s en o u g h , l et m e s p e l l it o u t : B u r g er s & Bre w s k ie s i s 1 0 0 % p u re B u r g er P o rn . 02 11

LET'S EAT — September 2014 1 Walk of Shame, Call The Nurse, Kandi Burger 2 Craftpoint Summer Sessions, Tripel Slaapmutske, Super Bock 3 Barbaro 4 Chicken Wings (from left): Buffalo, Salt and Pepper, Sriracha

RECOMMENDED DISHES DISHES Salt and Pepper wings Cuban Missile Walk of Shame Burger Call the Nurse Burger Kandi Burger DRINKS Blue Moon Hitachino White Ale Katipunan Indio Pale Ale 7107 Belgian Dubbel (B&B Exclusive) Holgate Roadtrip Indian Pale Ale

TIPS 1. When you order Call the Nurse, shout out “We want the ER!” and your burger arrives with double the patty and double the mac and cheese. Only for the very brave.

2. The burgers are endlessly customizable. The buns can be brioche or whole wheat, the beef patties can be changed to chicken if you’re feeling “healthy”. Best combos are chicken patties for the Salamanca and Relish burgers. 3. The bar features curious-looking, multi-colored bottles of spirits. The baconflavored Bourbon and chili tequila will make for an extra interesting night.

Burgers and Brewskies Unit E, Belagio II, Forbes Town Center, Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (02) 403-4038 BBBurgersandBrewskies88 @burgers_and_brewskies88

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hit of that event, and not too long after, inspired by the reception to their edgy offerings, the couple, with their partners Chef Marc, Mike, and Donny, opened B&B at the Forbes Town Center in the BGC. From inception to inauguration took just over half a year. Sometimes, quickies lead to the most lasting and satisfying relationships. And great relationships give birth to even greater offspring. B&B’s Breaking Bad-inspired badass burgers, the “Heisenberg” and the “Hector Salamanca” are bestsellers. I swear by the deceptively plainly named “Salt and 03 Pepper” wings fried and seasoned with Five Spice powder. It’s perhaps the best Chinese Style fried chicken you’ll find outside Binondo. Last but not the least, the other B in B&B. The beers are carefully selected by Kiko himself, from the craft Philippine wheat microbrew, the “7107” to the Aussie Holgates on tap. There are no hard and fast rules for pairing at B&B. Desirous of something harder? There’s a full bar with Hibikis and Macallans and even Bacon-infused Bourbons. The other B in B&B might as well represent booze too. Burger & Brewskies has succeeded in creating an authentic New York vibe. No frills. Just great brews. And even greater burgers.

LET'S EAT — September 2014

ALL THAT YOU CAN’T LEAVE BEHIND BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

St. Patrick’s brings the comforts of an Irish pub with a deft touch of Pinoy

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LET'S EAT — September 2014

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t’s every young boy’s dream. No, not becoming an astronaut. Not owning a Ferrari. Not even dating Kate Upton. Every young’ boy’s dream— well, let me clarify that—every young boy who thought like I did during my peak drinking years, always dreamed about owning a bar on a beach somewhere, and ditching the stressful nine-to-fives of the urban corporate grind for the blissful unstructured life of a bartender surrounded by bikiniclad babes all day and all night. For the five young men who collectively own St. Patrick’s, their dream bar has now become a reality, in a manner of speaking, or to be more accurate, in a manner of drinking. One of them, Kit, was so sure of his destiny that he once called his family’s living room “Da’ Bomb Bar”. The character of that home bar slash speakeasy has infused what’s become one of the hottest new drinking destinations in Pasig. The dream bar has “food like Mom’s, and booze like Dad’s.” It’s a bar obviously inspired by the owners’ love for all things from the Emerald Isle and “ye olde pubs” from the United Kingdom. Let me make clear, however, that none of the owners are Irish. Every single one is

1 Sheperd’s Pie 2 San Miguel Beer on tap 3 Guiness Ice Cream 4 Spam Fries 5 Selection of beers

100% Filipino, but I’d like to call them our local “Black Irish”, the name given to people of Irish origin who have dark hair, eyes, complexion, and even features. It’s not impossible to assume that somewhere along the way, one of the partner’s great-grandfathers had a bit of the Irish in him. That would explain the irresistibly charming and generous character of this bar. In St. Patrick’s the first day of the week is called “Black Jack Monday”. Bottles of Jack Daniels and Johnnie Walker Black are sold for the unbelievably low price of only P1,000 each. It’s perhaps the best booze bargain in the city, where single shots of these premium brands can go for as high as P250. It’s an establishment designed by drinkers, for drinkers. The bar area has very comfortable deeplycushioned high chairs—deep green in color, of course— custom made for the patrons who sit there for hours and hours. The bar itself is of polished wood, wide enough to rest one’s elbows on while noshing on a large order of bangers and mash, guzzling a pint of dark Guinness Foreign Extra, nursing a bottle of Jameson’s Irish Whiskey, and snacking on a plate of the bar’s signature pub grub, Spam fries. The smoking area is upstairs, with two powerful overhead fans spinning madly to drive away the humidity and the lingering cigarette fumes. Outside, there are picnic benches of black wood for the drinkers who prefer to chug-a-lug al fresco. Upstairs and downstairs, inside and out, out of the speakers come a carefully curated playlist dedicated to rock; expect to hear a U2 song at least once every hour. This is, after all,

LET'S EAT — September 2014

RE COMME NDE D

St . Patri c k ’ s m a g nifi c ent foot-long b eer b attere d s er v in g s , c h i p c ri s p o n t h e s u rfa c e w it h an i m p o s s i b ly ten d er p u re w h ite fi l l et w it h in , i s a s g o o d a s any I ’ v e h a d in any f o r m er Briti s H c o l o ny . a quintessential Irish bar. Hip-hop? Not so much. Never to be played or heard in St. Patrick’s. To paraphrase Bono and the boys; I’ve found what I’m looking for. This is the bar I could have put up myself. The high point of their menu is the superb take on fish and chips. While halibut and haddock are quite prohibitive in the Philippines, cream dory is not. And St. Patrick’s magnificent foot-long beer battered servings, chip crisp on the surface with an impossibly tender pure white fillet within, is as good as any I’ve had in any former British colony. And the exclamation point? A homemade dark chocolate ice cream made with Guinness Stout.

DISHES Fish and Chips Corned Beef and Cabbage Bangers and Mash Spam fries & chips Shepherd’s Pie DRINKS Guinness Foreign Extra Fuller’s London Pride Mojito (House mix)

TIPS 1. Large TV screens showing local and international basketball or football games pepper the pub — a boon for sports-loving patrons. Grab a seat/table early during big sports events as the place gets very packed quickly. Bonus: You might just brush elbows with local sports celebrities. 2. New menu items are written on the chalkboard in front of the bar. Up this month are desserts made in collaboration with their sister restaurant, The Royal Picadilly. Guinness Ice Cream, anyone? 3. St. Patrick’s can be booked for private events. With 80 seats and more room for standing guests, you can host a large party for 60K (consumable) on weekdays and 70k on weekends.

St. Patricks 24D East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig (02) 654 4881 st.patricks.kapitolyo

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rea d l et â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eat o n y ou r p ho ne an d ta blet f or free us ing t h e b uq o a p p L E T ' S E AT Download BUQO at the Apple App Store and Google Play

' S E AT L E TTREATS

Get 1 FREE Mojito for a minimum of P500 food purchase.

Free SPAM ® Fries or SPAM® Chips

' S E AT L E TTREATS

15% discount for a minimum single receipt worth P500

L E T ' S E AT X

Coupon is valid from 01 October to 31 October 2014 and for dine-in only. Only one (01) coupon can be redeemed per customer during the valid promo period. Coupon must be presented prior to order. Use with other discount or promotion is not allowed. Not replaceable when lost and nontransferable to cash. Only the coupon from Let’s Eat print edition will be entertained.

L E T ' S E AT X

Coupon may be used from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday only from September 24 to October 24, 2014 for DINE-IN only. Not valid on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Only one coupon can be redeemed per transaction. Use with other discount and promotion is not allowed. Only the coupon from Let’s Eat print edition will be entertained. Not replaceable when lost & not transferable to cash.

Y OUR GUIDE TO THE CI TY’S BEST FOOD SPOT S EV ER Y LA ST FRI DA Y OF THE MO N T H L E T ' S E AT The Wholesome Table (30th St., cor. 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig). Photographed by Gabby Cantero.