Letseatfinal

Aug 2013

No. 3

Whole Wide World

Felix offers a wealth of dishes from around the globe

Katsunami!

Tonkatsu by Terazawa is the hot new kid on the block

Hot off the Grill

Smokin’ Hot BarBQ’s take on comfort food

Let’s Eat Issue 3

WHAT'S INSIDE

Aug 2013

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WHOLE WIDE WORLD Felix offers a wealth of dishes from around the globe

p.5 KATSUNAMI! Tonkatsu by Terazawa is the hot new kid on the block

p.16 MAP

p.8 HOT OFF THE GRILL Smokin’ Hot BarBQ’s take on comfort food

p.17 COUPONS

AN APPETIZER One of the great things about working in a zine like Let’s Eat is the opportunity to talk to some of the great minds working in today’s restaurant business. It’s no secret that it takes a great amount of effort and dedication to put up a restaurant, let alone sustain it as a thriving business for several years. But there are those who follow it through despite the challenges, all for the love of bringing good food to people.

It’s not just a matter of refining your menu, getting an excellent staff or sourcing the best ingredients, it’s also about putting your passion into your work. This is something that customers can clearly see in your food, in your interiors, in the way you craft your dishes.

Take Chef Florabel Co-Yatco of Felix for instance. She’s been in the business for less than a decade but she’s already opened several restaurants, including Felix (Greenbelt 5), Market on 5th Avenue (St. Lukes, Bonifacio Global City), and Corazon (Shangri-la Plaza Mall, East Wing). It takes great skill in juggling restaurants and a catering business (not to mention being a full-time mom) but Chef Florabel does it all easily because she loves what she’s doing.

There’s also the case of The Bistro Group, one of the most hardworking restaurant groups in the country. Their newest concepts, Smokin’ Hot BarBQ (Greenbelt 3) and the fast-growing (yet less than a month old) Tonkatsu by Terazawa (Greenbelt 2) are proud testaments to their passion in giving Filipinos the best places to eat in the city.

This issue of Let’s Eat brings us to places we’d willingly go back to, all for a great dining experience.

Kain na!

On the cover: Tango: Duo of Sea Bass and Canadian Scallops with foie gras and green asparagus Cover Photo by GABBY CANTERO

FERNANDO MIGUEL BELMONTE Publisher DON JAUCIAN Managing Editor THYSZ ESTRADA Editorial Associate SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ Contributing Writer GABBY CANTERO Contributing Photographer LUCIEN DY TIOCO Head of Sales & Marketing ALLAN PALOR Visualizer ANNALYN DELGADO Editorial Assistant

Golden Letter Publishing, 1497 E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon City For inquiries, call 5277901 local 132 or email lets.eat2013@yahoo.com

Katsunami!

Tonkatsu by Terazawa is the hot new kid on the block

By SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ Photos by GABBY CANTERO

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here’s a new Japanese Invasion of sorts that’s been taking over Metro Manila these past twelve months or so. Ramen was the first wave; restaurants specializing in those bowls of broth and noodles have been opening one after the other, and there now exists a passionate fan base for Ramen, a dish so simple and yet so nuanced at the same time. Another Japanese staple has established a beachhead, and I’m almost sure that this will become even more popular: the tonkatsu, breaded and deep fried premium pork, served with shredded cabbage, a cup of soup, and a steaming bowl of white rice. Fried pork and hot rice: two Filipino favorites. No wonder Tonkatsu is so dear to our hearts, and so appealing to our appetites.

A brand new player in the market has been open for less than a month, and it’s created quite a buzz in the Makati area. I had a late lunch in Tonkatsu by Terazawa last week, and at 2:30pm, long after the end of the corporate lunch hour, the restaurant in Greenbelt 2 was still buzzing, tables full with late lunchers lingering over their dessert, and new groups filing in to fill the tables. Apparently, business has been booming since Terazawa opened his doors — a need has been fulfilled, a tonkatsu vacuum in the area, filled.

Terazawa is a real person, a native of Nagoya, Japan. As a young man, he challenged himself to make the best tonkatsu in his town. He utilized the most traditional methods and ingredients of the highest quality, and he succeeded. Twenty years later, Akinori Terazawa now has six restaurants across Japan, one each in Singapore and Malaysia, and now, a first in the Philippines. His tonkatsu restaurant, opened in partnership with The Bistro Group, the same culinary innovators who recently brought in Watami, another very popular chain of in Japan.

If I were to define Tonkatsu to a newbie, I’d say it’s a breaded pork chop. And in a most basic way, it is. But in an establishment like Terazawa’s, it’s certainly more complex. The secret to his tender pork? Ageing. For at least three days, each precious piece is carefully wrapped in a white cloth for dry ageing, to seal in the flavor and to guarantee a tender and juicy tonkatsu. The fine pork slices are then coated in fresh bread crumbs called “nama panko”, which provide the irresistible crunch and the golden brown color after deep-frying in fresh vegetable oil. The meal is complemented with refillable Japanese rice, very popular with carb-loving Filipinos, and to refresh the palate, the coleslaw-like salad with a choice of two dressings: creamy sesame, and a tangy option with a bright carrot base. The tonkatsu platter is completed by Tonjiru, a bowl of Miso with, you guessed it, more pork!

The restaurant’s bestsellers are the “Rosu” (pork loin) and the “Hire” (pork fillet), both from imported Kurobuta meat from

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HEALTHY OPTIONS Tuna, Shrimp, and Chicken Teriyaki Salad Chasoba Salad

PRICE RANGES

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Berkshire hogs, an oriental strain renowned for their marbling and flavor, and considered to be the Angus of pork. I enjoyed both but preferred the Rosu, which has a layer of fat which makes for a juicier bite; the Hire is a leaner cut —no fat— but surprisingly, even more tender!

My top recommendation, even more surprisingly, would be Deep Fried Oysters, the Kakifurai. Imported from Japan, the bivalves were bursting with briny flavor, almost unctuous, their fatty texture coated with the same crunch from the nama panko. I loved these bountiful babies so much, I was tempted to ask for some bread, drench it in the sesame dressing, and make my own version of a Po’ Boy sandwich!

My Tonkatsu by Terazawa experience can be summarized in eight words: Come for the pork. Stay for the oysters.

Starters – from P125 (French fries) to P190 (Fried chicken wings, and salads) Rosu Katsu – from P345 (Rosu Katsu sets) to P575 (Tokusen Kurobuta) Hire Katsu – from P330 (Hire Katsu sets) to 575 (Tokusen Kurobuta Ippon) Miso Katsu – from P345 (Miso Rosu Katsu set) to P425 (Negi Hire Katsu set) Jumbo Ebifurai - from P575 (1pc Jumbo Prawn Set ) to P675 (Ebifurai Rosu uJmbo Prawn and Katsu sets) Kakifurai – from P395 (Oyster set) to P585 (Crab Croquette set) Okonomi Katsu – from P350 (Katsudon set) to P485 (Prawn set) Assorted Katsu – from P475 (Prawn porn loin and chicken roll set) to 545 (Deluxe Katsu set) Liquor – from P175 (Japanese shochu by the glass) to P355 Japanese Sake by the Carafe)

TIPS

Most Katsu joints have mortar and pestle sets where you pound the sesame seeds first and add the katsu sauce from a pot. At Tonkatsu by Terazawa it’s a little different. You’ll be handed a hand grinder with sesame seeds inside. On a sauce plate, you must first pour a dollop of katsu sauce then using the hand grinder, sprinkle it with freshly-ground sesame seeds then mix it to flavor the sauce with sesame.

There’s a bit of salt served on the condiments plate since the pork is served only very lightly salted. You can add salt as desired.

The Pork dishes were supposed to be served medium rare but after feedback from guests, typical of Filipinos who frown at pink in meat, they have now started to serve it well done.

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Rosu Tokusen Kurobota Jumbo Ebifurai (Deep fried prawn) Deep fried oysters Kurobota Hire (Deep fried pork fillet)

G/F Greenbelt 2, Paseo de Roxas cor. Legaspi St., Ayala Center, Makati (Beside Italianni’s) (+63 2) 729-9121 Open from 11am to 10pm daily

TonkatsuByTerazawa

LET’S EAT AUG 2013 7

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hot off the grill Smokin’ Hot BarBQ’s take on comfort food

By SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ Photos by GABBY CANTERO

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almost chocked on my Kare-Kare and gagged on my Crispy Pata when, just a couple of months ago, I was at a meeting where a foreign consultant who had been in the Philippines for less than two years, confidently declared that he advocated ‘Nouveau Filipino’ as the next big thing in our local culinary landscape. Well, DUH. ‘Noveau’ is so overused and trite by now, any chef or restaurateur worth his or her chops wouldn’t even want to say those words out loud, or risk being laughed out of the industry.

There’s nothing wrong with Filipino Food. There’s no need to ‘nouveau’ it at all. It’s absolutely great the way it is; if there’s anything that needs to be adjusted for our cuisine to be become more popular worldwide, it really is a matter of presentation and plating. Why mess with perfection? There’s no need for molecular this or foam that Filipino Food, as our grandmothers and mothers have prepared it for generations, stands on its own. And that’s what a new restaurant in Greenbelt 3 wants to prove.

“We want our guests to eat with their hands!” That’s the rallying cry of the folks behind Smokin’ Hot BarBQ: Global Filipino Cuisine, the very first All-Filipino restaurant of The Bistro Group, which first gained fame with their All-American TGIFriday’s concept. “But why is the name of the restaurant so American?”, I asked? Well, apparently, in a mall like Greenbelt, teeming with tourists and balikbayans, foreign corporate types, and young upscale professionals, a little marketing nudge is in order; the rickety old ‘kamayan’ messaging just isn’t sexy enough in this age of Instagram. And then I got it; Smokin’ Hot is basically, a Stealth Sugba establishment. A step up from the smoky roadside grills Pinoys so adore: a cooler, cleaner environment, but still serving the same great “ihaw-ihaw” favorites.

The star of the show is exactly that: Inihaw na Manok, or in this case, “Smokin’ BarBQ Chicken”, the restaurant’s signature dish.

Marinated for 6 hours in a sweet and tangy marinade, and then grilled with just the right amount of charring and smokiness, the end result is a magnificent platter of aromatic and citrusy chicken that tastes like a cross between Inasal from Iloilo and a backyard barbecue from Texas Even better, all the pieces are legs and thighs. Sorry to those who love chicken breasts, but the tastier dark meat parts rule the proverbial roost in Smokin’ Hot.

Diners are encouraged to choose ‘sides’ to go with their chicken; but not the usual mac & cheese or muffins, please. The side dishes are so Pinoy, you’d think you were in your favorite carinderia: pinakbet, ginataang sitaw at kalabasa, gising gising, ensaladang LET’S EAT AUG 2013 9

Make Memorable Experiences, Spend a Staycation in Makati

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icture yourself spending an unruffled day or two enjoying buffet breakfast, sipping an afternoon tea, pampering yourself at the spa, listening to soulful music at the lounge, enriching your mind by visiting museums and galleries or joining the city tour, shopping or unwinding in the malls and theaters, partying at night in unique bar and restos or drinking Makati Luxury Sling at the world renowned Long Bar in Fairmont, and resting in a relaxing room from an iconic global hotel brand– all of these without leaving the metro.

All of us deserve a break from the daily hustle and bustle of life and what better way to enjoy than to take a staycation? – the very idea of a vacation by staying relatively close to home.

An advantage of which is that it saves you from the stress associated with travel, such as packing, long drives, or waits at airports, giving you more convenience.

With this, Makati launches an exclusive promo to allow families and friends to have an ultimate staycation in the city and make memorable experiences happen. In partnership with MasterCard, the Makati Staycation will be available from the four iconic global hotel brands located within Ayala Center: InterContinental Manila, Holiday Inn & Suites, Raffles, and Fairmont Makati. It’s as easy as swiping a MasterCard credit, debit, or prepaid cards to enjoy special discounts and perks from the participating hotels starting August 27 to December 31.

Availing of this promo is just one-click away. All you need to do is visit www.makeitmakati.com, click on the Makati Staycation icon at the homepage, choose a hotel, and register. Representatives from each hotel will then contact and assist you in completing your reservation.

Watch out for the “Make It Memorable” online raffle promo at www.facebook.com/makeitmakati to get a chance to win free staycation vouchers.

Grab this opportunity to relax, unwind, pamper yourself, and make memorable experiences. Enjoy and discover Makati to its fullest, the country’s leading city for business, lifestyle, entertainment, and culture.

So why spend a staycation in Makati? Why go anywhere else?

mangga, itlog na maalat, and even pancit canton!

See? Smokin’ Hot really is your cozy childhood dining room relocated in a posh mall.

And what’s an All-Filipino meal without rice? In this case, ‘Rice Reloaded’, a selection of sinangags, served in large coconut husk bowls: Sisig Rice, Aligue Rice, Dinuguan Rice, Dulong Rice, and Chicharon Rice. All good and all addicting, and all best paired with crispy bacon belly, which is our local liempo, cut bacon-style, and fried to a crisp, just like chicharon!

For dessert? Turon 2.0, banana ice cream swirled with banana compote, in a dirty ice cream-sized caramel cone that tastes exactly like Good Shepherd’s Peanut Brittle. At the bottom of the cone, a charming Halo-Halo surprise.

Definitely one of the best new desserts of 2013.

Much has been said and written about Filipino Food becoming the ‘next big thing’ in the U.S.A. And if our culinary ambassadors stateside promote Pinoy Cuisine as well as Smokin’ Hot does, “BarBQ. More Fun in the Philippines” just might be one of our new tourism slogans!

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HEALTHY OPTIONS The entire Hearty Salads selection

PRICE RANGES Smokin’ BarBQ Chicken – from P235 (2pcs) to P,1105 (8 pcs plus three side dishes) Starters – from P195 (Chicken Sisig) to P295 (Nilasing na Hipon) Hearty Salads from P95 (Ensaladang Kangkong) to P195 (Pako Salad) BarBQ Feast Platters – from P795 (barBQ hits) to P795 (Smokin’ Faves) BarBQ & Roast – from P125 (Pork BarBQ) to P325 (Tuna belly) Simmering Soups – from P90 (Mongo soup) to P485 (Bulalo) Fiesta Favorites – from 195 (Tokwa’t Baboy) to P625 (Crispy Pata) Rice Reloaded – from P195 (Dulong Rice) to P295 (Chicharon Rice) Desserts – from P95 (Ice cream scoop) to P235 (Turon 2.0) Bar List – from P65 (Beers) to P245 (Smokin’ White Sangria)

TIPS

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Kuhol sa gata Smokin’ BarbQ chicken Rice reloaded: black rice and sisig rice Bulalo Turon 2.0 (topped with ice cream)

Smokin’ Hot BarBQ encourages customers to use their hands (“Kamayin”) to eat if they want to.

They have very big portions for some dishes so it’s ideal to eat in groups.

Their concoction of ‘sukang tuba’ (coco nectar) from Ilocos goes well with the BBQ The different rice selection also goes well with everything on the menu 3/F Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati (02) 729 – 7431 to 32 Open 11am – 10pm daily

SmokinHotBarBQ

12 LET’S EAT AUG 2013

whole wide world Felix offers a wealth of dishes from around the globe

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By SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ Photos by GABBY CANTERO

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ooking out through the windows of the Felix Restaurant & Cafe-on an overcast afternoon, watching the first drops of rain shower the lush gardens outside-- I flashed back to another place, another time, to another fine dining establishment that used to stand not too far from my current vantage point.

I distinctly recall how much I enjoyed sitting by the windows of Larry’s Bar, named after its owner, the late, great Larry J. Cruz. It was located at the corner of De La Rosa and Legaspi Streets. How I loved that bar, specially on rainy days, when the glass would fog up and droplets would languorously trickle down as I peered outside, waiting for my girlfriend to arrive, a bit wet and somewhat flustered, but always looking as sexy as hell. I got the exact same feeling, a deja vu of sorts, in Felix, which I consider to be, in many ways, the spiritual (pun intended) successor to a beloved bar of yore. Same extensive selection of premium wines and liquor. Same excellent service. Same extravagantly good food.

And the same lovely ambiance.

The proprietor of Felix, Chef Florabel Co-Yatco, likewise reminds me of LJC. In less than a decade, the young mother has successfully launched over a dozen restaurants in some of the best locations all over the metropolis: each one with its own distinct character, its own compelling interiors, and each, focusing on a specific cuisine. Florabel 14 LET’S EAT AUG 2013

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has certainly leveraged her gourmet’s pedigree; after graduating from the University of Santo Tomas with a degree in HRM, her first kitchen job was at Via Mare, under the supervision of another Philippine culinary legend, Glenda Barretto. And then, 8 years in the kitchen of the unforgettable Le Soufflé at The Fort. In 2005, she opened her first restaurant, Florabel at the Podium. Felix, named after her father, opened in Greenbelt 5 a few years later.

The menu is muscular, a strong variety of Filipino Classics revitalized for the district’s discriminating patrons, and a healthy selection of international comfort food, guaranteed to please the expats who frequent the area.

I always start off with the Arata Salad, crispy tempura prawns and scallops on a bed of the freshest organic greens with a sesame dressing, and a delightful play on tasty textures from the candied walnuts and the wedges of strawberries, melons, oranges, pineapples, and pomelo tidbits twinkling through the salad. The Biscay usually follows, a prawn bisque dish that tastes exactly like a New England lobster bisque, but served over a plate of pasta, rather than a bowl.

Carnivores will go ga-ga over the “LC”, succulently marinated and perfectly grilled lamb chops in a port wine sauce, accented by authentic Parma ham and homemade goat cheese from Davao’s famed Malagos

HEALTHY OPTIONS 05 Farmhouse. For a quicker bite, Felix’s “CY Royale”, a Wagyu burger topped with Cranberry sauce rather than ketchup, and instead of a the usual slice of cheese, a deep fried slice of Mozzarella! I prefer my Wagyu patty cooked to “medium” for the full umami experience.

The “Tango” is a seafood lover’s dream that ought to satisfy meat lovers too. Fork-tender Sea Bass and springy, buttery Canadian Scallops. And for good measure, just to make the dish just over-the-top-decadent? A generous slab of Foie Gras! This is seriously good. My numero uno favorite in Felix.

There’s a vast selection of sweet endings to cap off a date at Felix, but I always order the “Lipa”, Suman sa Latik, served in shot glasses brimming with thick and rich Tsokolate from Batangas. Foodgasm ensues.

Speaking of which, perhaps this is why Felix is such a popular destination. It’s simply one of the best settings for a romantic date in the city.

But be careful. The Greenbelt Church is right outside the restaurant’s doors.

Your significant other may get other ideas, not necessarily limited to those on the menu.

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Arata salad LC (Lamb chops in port wine sauce) Wagyu Burger Prawn bisque pasta Felix’s interiors

Customers can ask food to be prepared according to diet restrictions Some dishes are marked with which diet (e.g., South Beach) they are compatible

PRICE RANGES Power Lunch Menu – P895 Desserts – from P195 (Angelina) to P240 (Sharon) Soups – from P180 (Mambulao) to P425 (Neal) Salads – from P275 (Caesar) to P595 (Sonoma) Appetizers – from P195 (Hanoi) to P450 (Colchester) Pasta – from P425 (Ala KC) to P4595 (Marco) Rice – 175 (Foie gras fried rice) From the Grill – from 794 (Tenderloin beef) to P2,500 (Wagyu Gold rib-rye) Entrée – from P425 (St. Pierre) to P1300 (Tango) All Filipino – from P400 (Dyesebel) to P850 (Juanita)

TIPS Happy hour is from 4pm to 6pm with 50 percent off on all wines If the vast menu overwhelms you, the manager can give you a walkthrough of the most loved Felix dishes G/F Greenbelt 5, Paseo de Roxas cor Legaspi St., Ayala Center Makati 632 729 9062 Open from 11am to 11pm (Monday to Sunday)

www.felix.ph

LET’S EAT AUG 2013 15