I have been finding a reason to visit this place ever since I glanced upon that pretty picture of the Souffle Carbonara. I mean, it had to be sunshine on a plate. But it was during one of those totally unplanned occasions that we would finally be able to. It was late one afternoon, after attending quite an unsuccessful (unsuccessful in terms that we were not able to be seated) opening of a restaurant in Megamall. We were famished after waiting in line for so long, but that turned out to be a blessing in disguise because what awaited was quite an experience.
When we arrived at the predominantly yellow (but not cloyingly so since it was contrasted with dark brown and some green, I love the color yellow, and brown, anyway) place we were greeted by very friendly staff. There were a few empty seats and we were led to a couch near the entry way to the bakery (I did not mind that at all, I was spying on the treats immediately).
I was straightforward in ordering. I was hungry so I pointed to this and that. And a Flat White. I was egging on the daughter to try the Forest Berries Crafted Iced Tea but she was too grumpy from lack of sugar intake so she just grunted for a soda instead. How about that? She ordered a soda! And she was even grumpier than Batman that I cannot even get her to be interested in a serving of the Furikake Pomme Frites (where is my daughter?).
It did not take long for our orders to arrive and while waiting, a friendly server engaged us in a lively chitchat that I did not mind at all. I also noticed that most of the customers around us seem to know each other. And, eerily enough, they all had this porcelain dolls with them as if they were all playing dress up (if I had known there was going to be a doll convention I would have brought Annabelle along, seriously, we named our doll Annabelle). And now we're off topic. Moving on...
First to arrive were the coffee and unappealing soda. I have been ordering Flat White from a few cafes and could barely distinguish it from the latte. Seriously, I like saying the words flat and white, it feels like I know a lot more than I should about coffee. But I do not want to be pretentious and seem to be that knowledgeable when all I do is Google stuff up. Though, the Flat White I had here finally matched the definition I read. It was milky yet strong, and it had a velvety mouthfeel. It was great coffee, and a good start.
Next was the Croque Monsieur for me. It was a simple dish compared to the next two, basically an upscale version of a ham and cheese croissant, though here the ham slices were not scant while a blanked of yellow, melted cheese covered the pink slices of meat. As with all croissants, it was buttery and flaky...and I could not help but wonder how many calories I was ingesting at the moment. But, who cares (aside from my doctor)? Oh, did I mention how pretty the lettuce was? It was like a large, green flower with a purple middle. It was fresh and crisp. And it somehow alleviates some of the guilt.
Next came the much awaited Carbonara Souffle. It was like happiness on a plate. I mean, it was bright and yellow like sunshine. And the egg was pillowy soft like clouds and the yolk nesting in the middle was like the sun. I mean, I could almost hear birds chirping in the background if not for kuya interrupting my reverie to inform me that I should be breaking up the egg any moment now for it to mix and continue cooking with the hot pasta. But I just could not bring myself to destroy such a work of art that I took more pictures than necessary.
At first glance, the serving did not seem large enough. But, as heavy eaters of pasta, trust me when I say that the serving is good for at least two, or three if you are the carbo conscious type. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, covered just enough with the thick white sauce and egg souffle, the bacon slivers providing a little crunch and saltiness.
Ah, the Squid Ink Rice. It was misleadingly sunny when brought to the table. But when you did inside that soft, yellow egg, there is nothing but black. The fragrant rice was too black that it would probably scare those on a first date. As in if you are going to order this, try to smile less if you are still trying to impress someone. But appearances aside, it the rice was very flavorful, redolent of the sea with tender squid, mussels, shrimps rounding up the filling dish.
To end the meal, we ordered the Valrhona Guanaja Souffle. It was served in a dainty cast iron serving bowl with cream on the side. When it was brought to the table, it looked simple yet there was something elegant in it. I have read, and heard, several myths about preparing a souffle that I never tried making it (and macarons) by myself. I leave it to the pros.
The smell was smile inducing, as in it smelled of chocolate, warm, bitter yet sweet, chocolate. I had to be very careful in turning the pot, though, since it was very hot to the touch. It was puffed and airy, with a crust on the outside. The center was steaming, moist and silken. The Princess was not so grumpy after finishing most of it.
Before going home, we just had to sample a few items from the bakery. We had takeaways of the Banana Cue - a small banana loaf on a stick, covered with a layer of chocolate, Caramel Cheesecake - a layered treat (easily my favorite) and the Basque Burnt Cheesecake - a cheesecake without the crumbly layer, with a dark brown, crusty exterior. I cannot really fault any of them.
Final thoughts, food was great, service was very warm and friendly, ambiance as warm as the yellow and browns, homey, comfortable.
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