UPDATES

Chelsea 3.75 Cuillere 3.5

I already wrote on Chelsea and Cuillere...but I've eaten there several times again, that I just couldn't resist whipping out my camera and taking pictures of the other dishes that I've ordered. I won't describe the restos any further (just check the links provided above), but I will give some comments on the dishes. So far, Cuilliere will have to remain at 3.5 stars, while Chelsea will go up from 3 stars to 3.75 stars. The latter restaurant has gotten accustomed to its dishes, and is able to execute them well consistently. They have also expanded their menu to include separate sections for pizzas, pastas, cheeses, sandwiches and meats (ribs, chops & steaks). On the other hand, Cuillere has stayed the same. At least it hasn't gotten worse, either.

On CHELSEA:

The Chelsea 100% Pure Angus Beef Burger
P350.00
Beer battered Onion Rings/ BBQ Sauce/ Ginger-Lemon Mayonaise

It was a really good burger!!! The beer-battered onion rings topped the burger, and they were generous to include another side of thick-cut wedge fries. The meat was rich, and juicy and looked so appetizing with both sauces, jumbo tomato slice and onion rings. Orkun ordered this, and though I always chastised him for ordering dishes that are too "safe" (as a foreigner, he never tried venturing out into the more exotic dishes), these are one of the few "safe" dishes I didn't mind him ordering. I even finished off his fries, dipping it it in the yummy tangy mayo. The prie isn't so bad either for its size.

Pan Roasted Gourmet Sausages

P495.00

Bacon Soaked Sauerkraut/ Mashed Potatoes/ Creamy Peppercorn Sauce

This is Pao's (mika's boyfriend's) favorite dish, and I felt bad he ordered it with all of us there. Being the nice guy that he is, he shared it openly with all of us. Being the "walang-hiya" (shameless) people that we were, we just chomped down the pieces of meat down happily. This is also a great dish! There were 4 different kinds of sausage. I'd love to tell you what they were, but this pic's real old, my apologies. How can you go wrong with sausages and cream? It even had spices such as chopped parsley, different-colored peppercorns and salsa in it. The sausages also came from their very own deli, so you know that the quality is fresh. And the sauerkraut? Yes, fried in bacon drippings. Again, how can you go wrong?

Slow Cooked Norwegian Salmon

P350.00

Salsa Verde/ Classic Mashed Potatoes/ Toasted Pinenuts

Mika ordered this for herself, and this is one of the dishes that has stayed on the menu even with their menu overhaul/expansion. This is what I said about it before:

My other friend, Moe, had the Slow Cooked Norwegian Salmon (350 PhP). It was served on a dark Japanese-inspired plate, with salsa verde, roasted tomato rice cake, toasted pine nuts and blanched asparagus spears. The steamed fish looked kind of bland, and Moe said it was just okay. He agreed with my comment on it looking like it tasted “healthy” (Oh no! Spa food :S) . The salsa verde reminded me of pesto, because that was what was usually paired with pine nuts, though I never got to taste his dish because I was too full. I’ll just assume that he liked this dish enough to not leave a crumb on the plate. But still, Chelsea reminds me of a cooking school where they have all the freshest resources at their disposal, but then the complicated cooking techniques were somehow a bit off, as if we’ve got the end result of the culinary students, and not the chefs.

This time, the salmon tasted better! It still tasted healthy, but looked more appetizing. They kept the salsa verde as a siding, and were more generous with the portions. It's not in the picture, but the vegetables were slowly roasted and taste even great by itself (and reminded me of a ratatouille). The salmon's blandness (because it was steamed) was spiced up with a pesto-based sauce, toasted pinenuts and a circular drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction and olive oil. It tasted good on its own, but when you combine it with the salsa verde, it felt like it was brought to life. And the price hasn't changed after two years!

Jalapeño Cheddar and Emmenthal Cheese Fondue
P395.00
Crispy Tortillas / Bread/ Potatoes/ Market Vegetables

Myta ordered this for the group. She says it's one of her faves, as well. It certainly isn't the famed fondue of Old Swiss Inn spiked with kirsch, but it's actually a pretty good variant of the fondue. It had more items to dip with, with me loving the marbled potatoes and cherry tomatoes. The jalapeno cheddar gave the fondue a little kick, and for 395, it's way cheaper that Old Swiss's 700 a piece Waatlander.

Chelsea Market and Cafe
Serendra Piazza Ground Level McKinley Parkway, Fort Bonifacio
Taguig City, Metro Manila
909-7011
Su, M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 9:00 am - 10:00 pm


On CUILLERE:

Chorizo Arrabiata
P295.00
Angel hair pasta in chorizo arrabiata sauce

Anya made me taste this and its simplicity is what made it delicious. I also love the fresh shaved parmesan on top. I wish though that there were more chorizo than tomato chunks.

Here are the pictures of what my other friends ordered. Sorry I didn't get to check it on the menu, but one is lamb on skewers, while the other one is a stuffed chicken leg. I won't comment on these because I didn't get to taste them.

What I did order, though was the Filet de Bœuf, Sauce Fromage Bleu (Tenderloin Steak with Blue Cheese Sauce, P545 - not in the picture). I ordered this because this is what my cousin got the last time I blogged about it, and I was raving about it. This time I won't rave about it so much anymore. It was good, but not spectacular. The meat was hard to cut through, and the artichoke pieces were missing with the spinach siding. The steak lacked that robust flavor associated with quality cuts of meat, and the blue cheese dressing was actually a way to mask what it lacked. Though I did like the rice pilaf that I chose as a side (it's either that or mashed potatoes).

Cuillere
Serendra Bonifacio High Street
The Fort Taguig City, Metro Manila
(02) 856-3325