LUMIERE *

4 out of 5 stars

I know I already wrote about M Café’s Brunch Buffet, but here’s another Sunday brunch you should be sure not to miss --- in Lumiere. Lumiere is both a gallery and a restaurant, very elegant and minimal with their style of architecture, and they carry this style into their food. Their set brunch menu is put into one simple equation: 1 brunch entrée + 1 drink + 1 dessert + coffee or tea = 715 PhP.

It may be pretty pricey, but the quality is evident in their dishes and service, and every single centavo is worth it. For example, their entrée garnishes are baked tomatoes sprinkled with thyme and olive oil, which is just as yummy to eat as the real food. The mimosas or orange juice taste freshly squeezed, and is probably made by them since you can even see the orange segments through the drinks. The pancake syrup is light and transparent, of the Grade A type that is often termed as “fancy.” The tea brand that they use is Twinning’s, always a safe bet. As for the service, your water glass is never left empty, each course is presented with perfect timing and the waiters are very attentive of a customer’s call.

Always wanting shortcuts and using the least amount of effort, I’ll quote heavily from the descriptions that they use for the brunch entrée. First, we have Eggs Benedict, described as freshly baked, home-made, fork split English muffins, served with a choice of Smoked Salmon, Smoked Ham, Spinach or Home made Corned Beef (no hollandaise) and poached eggs blanketed with a creamy Hollandaise Sauce. Next is the Oeufs Phillipe, a delicate balance of Baked Eggs, Fresh Cream, and your choice of Dulong, Talangka or Foie Gras baked to mouthwatering perfection. It is served with freshly baked, home-made fork split English Muffins. Third, we have the Quiche Royale, a traditional French Quiche beaten to an “unbearable lightness of being,” flavored with a choice of Australian Bacon or Arugula and Mushroom. Next, we have Ricotta Pancakes, described as hot off the griddle, fluffy Pancakes cooked with Ricotta Cheese, flavored with vanilla cream plus Basiled Scramble eggs. The fifth choice would be Truffled Eggs with Anchovy-Garlic Sauce, and the final one being Steak and Eggs (additional 25PhP). I joined the last two together because there was no description of either, where I can’t say much about the first because I’ve never ordered it in the times that I’ve eaten there.

For drinks, you have a choice of 1 Mimosa (Champagne with freshly squeezed orange juice), 1 Bloody Mary, 1 Orange Juice or 1 Soft Drink. The dessert of that day was Banana Crumble, and there’s either Coffee of Tea, with a choice of Green Tea, Chamomile, Earl Grey or Mint.

I got a Mimosa, as I always do when I eat here. It wasn’t so cold when they handed it over to me, but they were quick to accede to my request in chilling it a little more. While waiting for our entrees, the waiter put down two bowls --- one contained a salad with a Caesar dressing, the other contained deep fried potato croutons sprinkled with parsley. Both were so simple to make, with the salad merely containing lettuce and dressing, but it was still delicious and carried us through our wait.

For that day, I got the Oeufs Phillipe with Foie Gras, while soon-to-be-foodie Pao got Steak and Eggs. Before I start with how it tasted, I’d like to apologize for the pictures. We were so hungry that we forgot to take pictures of them before ravaging our meals. Anyway, the Ouefs Phillipe stood true to its description in the menu. The foie gras blended well with the baked egg, and since it was cooked this way, the entire thing was infused with the foie gras. The sauce may have been a little runny even with the addition of fresh cream, and the foie gras piece not as large as I expected, but the dish in its entirety was delicious. I think the reason why I thought the foie gras didn’t seem as big was because it was put as an entire chunk in the eggs. They didn’t dice it within the dish, which is usually what cheaper restaurants do to extend their expensive ingredients. Moreover, the muffin was the perfect sponge for the yummy sauce that I drizzled over it upon finishing the baked egg with foie gras.
The Steak and Eggs was also a good choice for a filling Sunday Brunch. The grilled steak tasted very rich, and it was probably marinated very well, where it carried two eggs on top. It was accompanied by a mustard-horseradish sauce that brought out the smokiness of the meat. And of course, we gobbled up everything, even its tomato garnish baked in thyme.
At this point, we were so full, but I really had fond memories of their ricotta pancakes, so I got a side order of it with an extra glass of mimosa (I also got this because I downed the first one without taking a good picture of it, haha!). For side orders, one may get English Bangers (pork sausage), Australian Bacon or Ricotta pancakes for 175 PhP, or English Muffins for 70 PhP. An additional soft drink or OJ will cost you 55 PhP, coffee or tea 85 PhP or an alcoholic drink for 170 PhP. They also have a kid’s menu, which is a half portion of any of the set menus for only 350 PhP.

The Ricotta Pancakes were just as good as I remembered them. It was really light and fluffy, and you could taste the delicate flavor of the ricotta blending well with the sweetness of the pancake and maple syrup. Pao described it tasting like bibingka, though I could see why because of its rich taste, even without having to put the slab of butter and syrup that came along with the dish.

We were so full that by the time the Banana Crumble arrived, I was only able to finish half, even if the dessert was just a handful. Not that it wasn’t good…I really just didn’t have any more room (which is a surprise because I eat a lot). It tasted like an apple pie crust, only that it was bananas, and they sprinkled heavy cream over the top to make it even more decadent. Good thing we had mint tea and coffee to wash all that sumptuous food down.

Lumiere is definitely worth a try, if only to experience what a true brunch is all about. And to cap off this review, I’d like to lift off what this restaurant has to say about their take of a Sunday Brunch (cos it’s wittily hilarious):
xxxxx
THE SUNDAY BRUNCH
What’s Eat All About

“Few dishes rival eggs benedict in their ability to simultaneously cement friendships and arteries.”

There is no more apt description of what Sunday Brunch is all about. Eggs Benedict --- standard fare of those cooler than cool New York Sunday brunches --- is the perfect meeting of breakfast and lunch. Mixing elements of one and the other, Eggs Benedict originated in the 1900’s in New York’s lower Manhattan where a certain prominent gentleman, after a late night of socializing, rising too late to catch breakfast yet too early for lunch requested this culinary discovery. Since then, it has become the foundation of all good, upright, self-respecting Sunday brunches the word over.

This brings us to the Sunday Brunch story. Sunday Brunch is the soothing palliative to the morning after the night before, to end of the week-end blues, start of the work week angst, or simply, a dose of more cholesterol to dull the effects of a hangover. Floating in time, neither lunch nor dinner, Mimosas or Bloody Marys --- intrinsic to a brunch menu --- work well with the food to create a relaxed, intimate atmosphere that encourages “food for thought” conversations or non-conversations, catching up on that thick wad of Sunday Times or just plain hanging out with family or friends.

Now what better way to spend a Sunday?
Xxxxx

Indeed! Couldn’t have said it better. Happy eating, everyone!

Caveat: Since it is near the British embassy, it can sometimes turn into Caucasian Land.

Lumiere
812 2976
A. Locsin building, Makati Avenue corner Ayala Avenue, Makati City (right beside the PLDT building,& across Greenbelt 4)
lumieremakati@yahoo.com
(no need to reserve, but it never hurts to do so)

GALILEO ENOTECA

4 out of 5 stars

There are a few places where you really feel like you’re away from the city. This place exudes that feeling, along with the likes of Lavigne and Barcino (more of the latter to come). I compared them to each other because they all fall under the “secluded wine cellar” category. And as much as I’m writing about this, I do hope they maintain that comfy niche that is often taken away by popularity of the masses.

Simply put, Galileo is your “wine and cheese” barkada hangout. I would not actually recommend this as a date place because as a couple, you’d share communal tables with strangers, and no perfect lighting or ambience (which this place does have) would compensate an irate neighbor who eats sloppily or talks noisily. Thus, I invited my foodie friends over, all nine of them. That way, we were able to reserve a whole long table for us at the end, which had its own almost private room. By almost, I mean that our table had its own alcove connected to a main hallway through an arched opening.

Galileo is a charmingly rustic place, with aged red brick foundations, and fancy murals and extensive wine vaults housing their specialty wines that decorate their walls. Upon entering the place, a small glass-encased deli storage rests on the left that houses their cold cuts which they use extensively in their dishes. The main hallway is to the right, and there are small nooks, housing the long communal wooden tables that remind you of a basement in Italy.

Its menu is simple but put-together. You either order “Galileo’s set menu” (which includes wine, antipasto, a pasta of the day and coffee at 400 PhP/head), or an assortment of bruschettas(220PhP for 4 pcs.), paninis (around 130-160 PhP), cold cuts (around 140-350PhP), cheese (from 145 PhP to 350 PhP), wine (120 PhP for house red/white and 150 PhP for Spumanti) and coffee (55-100PhP). They also have an a la carte menu, but it comprises mainly of sidings like salad (120-220 PhP), prosciutto with melon (200PhP), a cheese platter (150PhP), a cold cut platter (190PhP), sundried tomatoes(190PhP), olives(190PhP), sardines(190PhP), fresh mozzarella (390PhP) and pesto pasta (270PhP). (insert menus here)

Never to skimp on food, all of us (except for Patty, who ordered a salad since she had dinner already) ordered the set menu. We began with a simple broth laced with basil and macaroni noodles. Quite a good start as we picked our house wine (or a 50 peso upgrade to Spumanti) as we talked over plans of our careers, our friend Rosh’s wedding plans and reminisced of our carefree college and high school days. We also nibbled on their fresh bread which we dipped in a tomato-sardine ragout, balsamic and olive oil mixture, or porcini gravy mix.

Our individual antipasto plates arrived next, and the pictures do not do justice to its taste. There were three types of cold cuts, one salami, the other prosciuitto, and another smokier meat of two slices each. It was accompanied by generous slices of manciego and crumbled pieces of a firmer and saltier type of cheese. They all fit well together with the bunch of olives and a huge sun dried tomato atop a bed of lettuce.

I was full enough as it is, but of course I would save room for their pastas of the day (penne con porcini, spirali con salsiccia [Italian sausage], penne con gorgonzola [blue cheese] or spaghetti con melanzanie [eggplant]). Being a mushroom freak (in a wholesome way, of course ;P ), I got the porcini. It was delicious, though nothing spectacular. The pasta was properly cooked al dente, the gravy complemented the rich flavor of the porcini mushrooms and pancetta. Its presentation was simple and elegant with Italian parsley or basil on top. By the time our coffee came, we were stuffed silly.

Over-all, I had a great time in this place, and would gladly come back, but only as a big group when we need catching-up. The food was good, but what really stood out were their wines and cold cuts, which they really pride and specialize themselves on. So, to fellow foodies out there, be sure to reserve for your barkada or family In Galileo for that “wine and cheese” experience. This is just about as steady as it gets.

ate in:
Galileo Enoteca
Ground Floor, Reyes Gym
Calbayog corner Malinao Streets
Mandaluyong City Philippines
Tel. Nos.: 719-1038, 534-4633, 532-0482
Email: galileo@mydestiny.net
Su, M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 9:00 am - 10:00 pm

other branch:
Galileo Enoteca, Makati
Unit 14 La Fuerza Plaza, #21 Chino Roces Avenue
Makati City, Metro Manila
(02) 817-9118

*please reserve before dining.

Way to go, SANGO!

5 out of 5 stars

It is not often that I do write-ups on fast food. I mean, fast food is fast food is fast food. But every once in a while, you hit a gold mine, and you’re able to please not only the foodies, but also the “fullers” --- my own invented term for people who’d pay the least to get full the most. Welcome to Sango.

Obviously, Sango is not your typical fast food, else I wouldn’t write about it. It’s a Japanese-themed store, and although it carries your staple burger and fries, it carries these foods to new dimensions. Admittedly, there aren’t a lot to choose from. There are 11 types of burgers, and though they may seem like a lot, there aren’t big differences from one to the other. For posterity’s sake, I’ll just name them all: Menchi Kats (85 PhP) [haven’t ordered this yet], Hamburger (50PhP) [too plain], Cheese Burger (65 PhP) [same], Master Burger (88 PhP) [the one with meat sauce], Chicken Burger (75/90 w/ cheese PhP), Fish Burger (75/90 w/cheese PhP), Chicken Teriyaki with Tar Tar Sauce (90 PhP) [sounds interesting, will try next time], Teriyaki Burger (80 PhP), Chicken Teriyaki Burger (80 PhP), Master Cheese Burger (103 PhP) [this is what I usually get], Tonkatsu Burger (85 PhP), Master Double Burger (128 PhP), Plain hotdog (65 PhP) and Master Double Cheese Burger (158 PhP) [this is what my guy friends usually get]. There are also two types of salads, fries, chili hotdog, hotdog on a stick, shakes and corn flake shakes.

As much as their menu seems limited, I’ve always believed that it’s better that they do that and perfect their limited specialties rather than have hundreds to choose from and be mediocre in all of it. In Sango, you can practically do no wrong in choosing anything. But of course, I have my favorites that I’m very enthusiastic to disclose.

The first is their Master Cheese Burger or for the hungrier ones, their Master Double Cheese Burger. It’s beef patty with carefully folded lettuce, a huge slab of tomato, a couple of really mild cheese slices, a tomato-based beef sauce (like Bolognese) and silky cream cheese sauce blended with generous portions of carmelized onions. I’m not really sure why the Japanese like tomato-based sauces with their hamburgers (i.e. the Hamburg dish in UCC Café), but it’s hella good! =) And different in a good way. Although I must warn you, it’s not “date” food because eating this can be real messy. But that’s the beauty in ordering their thickly sliced fries. You get to sop up all the wonderful sauce that spills out of these burgers.


To be different this time, I tried their Yakiniku Rice Burger. It tastes like sukiyaki with rice, although it's really supposed to be really popular with the Japanese. The meat was really good, cut thinly and tasted fresh, although the condiments were spare, (just lettuce) and the rice wasn't as firm as the rice burgers that are selling like hotcakes in Mcdonalds. I'd guess I'd rather much prefer the Master Cheese Burger, or will plan to trying the new Chicken Teriyaki with Tar Tar Sauce next time.

Next is their Goboh Salad (68 PhP). I know salads don’t really mix with burgers and fries, but for some odd reason, this one does. Nothing special with their fresh lettuce, tomatoes, shredded onions, sesame seeds and bits of corn. But the magic is in the sauce and the stringy vegetable “gobohs” on top. I don’t really know what it is, but the Net says that it means “burdock” which is this long, thin root vegetable that is indigenous to Japan. The watery salad sauce was similar to a salad dressing my friend bought in Sakura, and it’s so delicious that my friend even drank it up ;) For ten pesos less, you don’t have the “goboh”s, but then that just means that it’s not as fun to eat.

Finally, there are the Shakes and Corn Flakes Shakes. For the shakes, they have your typical vanilla, coffee, melon, orange and strawberry (35-45 PhP) plus an additional 15 PhP a la mode, but since you’re in Sango anyway, get the Green Tea flavor. It doesn’t taste as weird as it sounds. Get the shakes as your “side drink,” but if you want a dessert to cap off that master burger, go with the corn flake shakes, with flavors strawberry, blueberry and Maccha Azuki. (50-60 PhP). I’d highly recommend the Maccha Azuki (I tend to capitalize the words of the meals I like, don’t I?), a green tea shake with ice cream, corn flakes and beans. It’s scrumptious but not overwhelming at the same time, because it’s not too sweet. It actually reminds me of the maccha crepe that I order in UCC Café. One of my friends, Maita, loved the corn flakes concept so much that during her despedida, our dessert was an ice cream float with corn flakes (if only we could find that green tea ice cream easily....)

Moreover, the owner, Mr. Kobayashi, is really accommodating, and very sweet. He even made origami cats, plants and dinasours for us as we ordered our food. The kitchen is open air, divided in the side by a transparent plastic drapes and at front by a glass wall. It's all very Japanese, which I associate with sterility, meticulousness and quirkiness.

So that’s about all the food tips and descriptions you need to know about Sango, besides the fact that you feel as if you’ve been transported to Japan. An air humidifier/purifier puffs away in one corner, making the place feel very sterile. On the same side is a plasma TV showing the latest Jap noontime show or telenovela. On the other side is a whole cabinet full of reading material ---- in Japanese, no less. And people around you are all either Japanese businessmen or funky teenagers who look exactly like anime cartoons. This place is worth a try, if not a million times instead of your typical Mcdonald’s, Jollibee or Hot Shots. And with that, I end as I begin: Way to go, Sango!

ate in:
Sango! The Burger Master
Room 5 Ground Floor CreekSide Mall
Amorsolo St., cor. Legaspi Village
Makati City
830-0391 (No more waiting!!! Just phone in your orders before visiting the store)
delivery from 10 am - 10 pm for a minimum of 300 PhP
Su, M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

other branches:
Sango! The Burger Master, Pearl Drive
8101 Pearl Drive Plaza, Pearl Drive St., Ortigas Center
Pasig City, Metro Manila
(02) 636-1991 (delivers)
Su, M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm

Sango! The Burger Master, Alabang
South Supermarket, Phase III, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang
Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila
(02) 986-8621 (delivers)
Su, M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm