Warm Summer Evenings

The warm February evening felt much like summer already. And similarly, it felt much like a warm August evening during the Obon holiday season in Japan; with Valentine's having just ended and a holiday-like atmosphere pervaded the air. The fennel bulbs decided to do an Obon (お盆）theme, and firstly landed in a tonkatsu restaurant (which is aptly called Tonkatsu-Ya, which means the same thing in Japanese, トンカツ屋).

Located in the basement of Palm Towers in San Antonio Village, Makati City, Tonkatsu-ya is more or less a little nook serving Japan's favourite pork cutlet, in various kinds. And the offerings are nonetheless veritable.

The fennel bulbs ordered the regular tonkatsu set (Php200) and the miso hirekatsu set (Php245). "Hire (ひれ)" means fillet, and often pertains to more tender cuts of pork than what may be used for a regular "Rosu (ロス)" tonkatsu, although the difference in price is more or less negligible.

The quality of the pork was good and tender, and the breading was done very well in such a way that it did not peel off when one bites into it. The thickness of the pork was also optimal, and the size of the chunks were convenient enough to be held by a pair of chopsticks. A dollop of yellow wasabi was placed on the side.

A pile of shredded cabbage accompanied the dish, which one could dress liberally with the tonkatsu sauce. A bowl of miso soup and some cold vegetables were had, and the indispensable rice.

A lot of Japanese people frequent the place, even though it is located in a quiet residential area. The price is definitely more than worth it, and the fennel bulbs would gladly recommend this place to someone who would want a delicious pork cutlet meal, without the commotion of going to those popular Japanese joints found in the shopping malls.

Still not fully satiated, the fennel bulbs headed off to Hana (華）in nearby Little Tokyo. The lanterns were all lit and the place was filled with people, the humid air and the noise of people made it really feel quite similar to an Obon evening.

We tried the tako karaage (fried octopus, Php140), which was served with flavoured salt. It was a good accompaniment to a cold mug of draught beer. Afterwards, tuna rolled in seaweed with mayonnaise (Php200) was ordered. The tuna was of permissible quality, and the dollops of mayonnaise were a bit too excessive.

Lastly, ujikintoki (宇治金時、Php160) was ordered. This is a favourite of the fennelbulbs - green tea ice cream with red bean paste, and shaved ice. This encapsulates that feeling of a very humid Obon evening - a bowl of flavoured shaved ice (かき氷, called kakigoori) as a sweet refreshment.

A Second Visit

The Wildflour experience the first time around was a pleasant one that it seemed a write-up and three food selections were not enough to do the restaurant some justice. The fennel bulbs decided to come back and try more of what Wildflour Café + Bakery has to offer.

This time, some of their menu has changed; and this led us to think that they change some of the items in their menu regularly. For tonight, vegetable tartine (Php270) and escargot (Php445) were ordered firstly. The vegetable tartine proved to be a summer night's treat - it was cool, refreshing, light, and basically healthy. On what seemed to be a wheaten crunchy rusk were baba ganoush, and a cool salad of chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers and olives. The Middle Eastern taste was prominent, the tartness of the chickpeas blending in well with the slightly bitter and roasted overtones of the baba ganoush. The cucumbers and tomatoes provided a cool contrast.

Next was the escargot. They were served in individual cups which were initially hot. Covered in puff pastry like a pot pie, one has to use the small-pronged fork to get to the escargot. It was quite difficult to eat it, as the cups tapered towards the base and had little sense of balance. The puff pastry stuck onto the mouth of the cup that if one were to consume all that pastry the only option was to hold the cup and chew on the lid to eat the pastry.

In spite of the inconvenience, the flavours were the merit of the dish. The oil was just delicious, redolent with the herbs. The escargot had the right texture, and it was not tough to the teeth. The more typical way of serving escargot was on an escargot plate with several depressions. Even with the puff pastry on top, it would have been more practical to eat escargot that way. A fancier way of serving it would be creating little escargot pies, but with all the oil, a little bit of skill and innovation would be required.

For the main dish, Steak and Egg (Php495) were ordered. Oriental hues characterized the dish, as the steak and the egg were served over kimchi fried rice. The steak was done medium, and it was very good. The center was pink and the outer ring had the brownish-greyish color of cooked beef. The beef was definitely seared well, and it was tender to the bite. The dish would have worked better if thin chops of beef akin to Japanese-style teppanyaki were used. But then, we do not know whether the intention was to capitalise on the steak and egg, and the kimchi rice as a secondary means executed for delivering the dish. But then again, we feel organic unity should be deeply considered.

Lastly, Macaroni and Cheese (Php280) was had. A mixture of gruyere and cheddar was used. Not too salty, this must be the ode to the macaroni and cheese found in school cafeterias. The generous incorporation of cheese was just too comforting - the flavours pervade gently in the palate.

Wildflour Café + Bakery indeed does teach diners a lesson or two on what a good dining experience is. Good points abound, and so do points for improvement. And we also realise what it really feels like coming back after the initial try - a deepening of perspectives, as it were.

But definitely, this is one of the restaurants that we will always keep on coming back to. The fennel bulbs can only hope that Wildflour Café + Bakery will keep on doing their best!

Mexican: Achiote Taqueria

The fennel bulbs decided to do Mexican food one Friday evening. Mexican food wasn't just particularly existent in our vocabulary, and we ought to give Achiote Taqueria in Rockwell Center's Power Plant Mall a try.

When one thinks of Mexican food, the ubiquitous nachos, tacos, salsas, and refried beans come to mind. Fast food versions are quite popular, and sadly they do not impart a very good impression of Mexican cuisine. Achiote Taqueria serves good Mexican food and cervezas and cocktails too, including the famous "Margarita".

At first, the tortilla soup (Php160) was ordered. Free-range chicken broth was used together with avocado, crispy tortilla strips, Chihuahua cheese, cilantro and lime. The serving was good enough to be shared by two. The marriage of textures was delightful. The richness of the avocado and the broth were complimented by the use of cilantro, which markedly adds another dimension.

Next, Mushroom Quesadillas (Php360) was had. Chihuahua cheese was once again used together with wild mushrooms, and black beans. Fresh greens were served on the side. Salsa Verde (Green Salsa) was used as the sauce. The tortillas were cooked very nicely and evenly, more like a wheaten pancake. It tasted heartily, and also one need not worry about getting too fat as no meat was used.

Lastly, an Enchilada (Php380) was ordered. One can customise their own fajitas, burritos, or enchiladas. An enchilada does not really differ greatly from a fajita or a quesadilla since a tortilla is used to wrap the meat inside, but the meat is smothered in chili sauce or a  kind of salsa. The fennel bulbs chose steak and salsa rosso for the stuffing, and wheat tortillas. Black beans and white cilantro rice were served on the side, and all were just scrumptious. One has to mention that even though this is an enchilada, the quality of the meat was fairly good.

Good quality ingredients, good cooking, and overall good food were all part of our Achiote Taquiera experience. The staff were friendly and outgoing too, and despite being busy and full on a Friday evening, we did not feel the least neglected.

Wildflour Café + Bakery

Wildflour Café + Bakery at the Fort Bonifacio Global City's Net Lima Building has already garnered much acclaim in the local dining scene. The fennel bulbs would like to start off this entry by confirming the fact that yes, it rightfully deserves the acclaim.

The restaurant opens its doors from 0800h and this time, we decided to have brunch. The place was already full when we arrived, so we were given outdoor seats. It was okay, as it turned out to be quieter than indoors. The place is more like a bistro that bakes pastries and bread. From the outside, the restaurant, with its glass walls, its staff busily attending to the customers, a view of the kitchen where one can watch bread being kneaded, and freshly baked produce on display conjures scenes of a restaurant in some New York City neighbourhood, say, Tribeca.

For brunch, the Wildflour Breakfast (Php390) was ordered. This was a set comprised of two eggs, crispy potatoes, and homemade pork belly sausage. Some toast bread was served as accompaniment. Noteworthy was the sausage, which tasted very good. One could just imagine which herbs were mixed with the minced pork. And the taste of the meat did not have any of the occasional unpleasantness that comes with pork. Good quality pork belly was definitely used. The toasted breads were of course delightful. A very hearty meal indeed!

For vegetables, an arugula salad with bacon vinaigrette and parmesan was ordered. An egg, fried sunny-side up was placed on top. The parmesan and the bacon added the overall salty nature of the flavour of this dish. However, the vinaigrette complimented the saltiness. The vegetables were crisp and it could very well do as a light meal.

 

Fried Chicken Sandwich (Php390) was also ordered. Buttermilk buns were used for the bread. The chicken was golden brown, and had that perfect crisp to its breading, which tasted really good. The chicken was of the right texture and it was juicy. The jalapeno slaw was also very good, with sweet hints of the mayonnaise and the heat and acidity of the jalapeno peppers blending pleasantly well. This was a comforting sandwich, indeed. Fries came with the sandwich, with aioli dip.

Lastly, the pumpkin pecan pie (Php170) was ordered. This was a very good pie. The pumpkins were mashed and turned into a thick mixture of custard-like consistency. The pecans added another dimension in terms of texture and flavour. [A scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is sure to turn around the worst of moods.]

With great food and friendly and efficient staff, definitely, more will be tried out at Wildflour Café + Bakery.