Let's Eat November Issue

L E T ' S E AT NOVEMBER 2014 ISSUE NO. 18

T H E C UR ATOR • MECHA UMA • K I TCHEN 56 • 12/10 • SCOU T'S HONOR

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WHAT'S INSIDE

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KITCHEN 56

MECHA UMA

12/10

THE CURATOR

SCOUT'S HONOR

ISSUE NO. 18

LET'S EAT — November 2014

L E T ' S E AT E DITOR 'S NOTE A few months back, when our publisher Mikey suggested the inclusion of drinks in the magazine, we were all ecstatic.

Being slaves to the daily grind, we’ve always found ourselves in need of a drink at a regular basis. While some of us would prefer to collapse on our beds out of exhaustion, the prospect of grabbing a good, soul-soothing mix can be just enough to enliven our dampened spirits.

We’ve been doing this zine for over the year now (and some surprises await next year in the new chapter Let’s Eat), but we’ve never actually had drinks on the cover. With our title being an obvious giveaway as to what the image should banner in our front page, we decided to mix —pun not intended—things up a little bit this issue. Thus, we bring you The Curator’s ‘Obrigada’.

“Life’s too short for bad coffee, your liver’s too precious for bad booze and, more importantly, your time’s far more precious for service that doesn’t make you feel like you’re family,” proclaims The Curator’s home page, something that immidately gives you the gist of what they want to serve you.

Their entangled ampersand logo stands in as a conversation starter for the laidback night—or day—of drinking you’ll be having with them.

So, in honor of this issue’s headliner, I say, cheers!

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FERNANDO MIGUEL BELMONTE Publisher

ON T H E COV E R

DON JAUCIAN Managing Editor

THYSZ ESTRADA Editorial Associate

PATRICK DIOKNO Art Director

SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ Writer

GABBY CANTERO Photographer

NICO NYUDA Photographer’s Assistant

LUCIEN DY TIOCO Head of Sales & Marketing

ANNALYN DELGADO Editorial Assistant Golden Letter Publishing, 1497 E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon City For inquiries, call 5277901 local 132 or email letseat062013@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/LetsEatPhilStar Instagram: lets_eat_magazine

Obrigada Obrigada (Cachaca, Coconut Milk, Lime Juice, Lychee Liqueur, Coffee and Nut Bitters) from The Curator Photo by GABBY CANTERO

LET'S EAT — November 2014

IN THE FAMILY

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Tracing its lineage from Cabalen’s culinary royalties, Kitchen 56 is kickstarting its own green revolution

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ver the past two decades, the surname ‘Hizon’ became more familiar to many, thanks to the exploits of one of the most popular PBA players ever, Vince, and the accomplishments of an international newsman, Rico of the BBC. But in Pampanga, the clan’ has always been legendary for their culinary prowess: from the iconic heritage recipe ensaymadas from Hizon’s Cakes and Pastries to the decadent buffet line-ups of Hizon’s Catering.

David Hizon is the son of Octavia “Baby” Hizon, the founder of the aforementioned catering company that’s seemingly omnipresent in wedding receptions all over Metro Manila. While the Hizons of Pampanga are best known for their extravagantly rich recipes and extremely opulent dishes, the younger Hizon has decided to take on a decidedly different path, the road towards healthy eating. Along with his fellow chef, JR Trani, they’ve formed a partnership with the Got Heart Foundation, with a noble goal to support local farmers and indigenous communities all over the archipelago.

Kitchen 56 was established, just like Earth Kitchen, its one-year-older sibling in White Plains, to showcase

the all-natural and authentic organic produce of the Got Heart Farms in Tarlac, and their 200 community partners from Luzon all the way to Mindanao. The grand plan is to create a sustainable system for the kind of produce that uses not a single molecule of genetically modified organisms, harmful chemicals, or synthetic fertilizers. By popularizing healthy options made from scratch daily, using only the freshest greens, David hopes to increase demand for the harvests of the marginalized communities they are supporting.

It’s a mission of epic proportions, and admirable for the scope of its ambition. I’d like to call it the “New Green Revolution”.

But its success hangs on the balance of the menu of Kitchen 56. So just how good is the food in this brand new destination on Jupiter St. in Makati?

I’ll give the highest compliment a Cabalen can offer to a fellow Capampangan: it’s healthy cooking that’s so delicious, so satisfying, that it’s hard to believe that the fare is actually beneficial for my body.

Full disclosure: I am a Hizon myself, also proudly from Pampanga, and I did grow up eating everything on the lavish spreads our grandmothers prepared. I even coined

IT’S HEALTHY COOKING THAT’S SO DELICIOUS, SO SATISFYING, THAT IT’S HARD T O B E L I E V E T H A T T H E F A R E I S A C T U A L LY BENEFICIAL FOR MY BODY. 6­

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LET'S EAT — November 2014 1 Watermelon and Rocket Salad 2 Pumpkin Soup 3 Mushroom Spring Roll 4 Scallops and Aligue in Squid Ink Pasta 5 Chicken Kebab

RE COMME NDE D DISHE S Mushroom Spring Roll, Pumpkin and Kesong Puti Soft Taco, Watermelon and Rocket Salad, Scallops and Aligue in Squid Ink Pasta, Tablea Ice Cream

TIPS a term for the kind of luxurious cuisine we enjoyed from childhood: “Exagg!”

The most premium ingredients, cooked using the strictest and most traditional methods, resulting in the most intensely unforgettable dishes ever. Chef David, a distant cousin, grew up in the same culinary culture, and it shows in the food he’s showcasing in Kitchen 56. The unmistakable influences are all present and accounted for.

For instance, a deceptively simple salad of watermelon and naturally produced arugula becomes brighter and more colorful with the choice to use both red and yellow chunks of cool, fresh, and juicy watermelon, bright blue edible flower petals, and for an enhanced texture and taste experience, a sprinkling of crushed candied pili nuts.

Ditto for the bestselling pumpkin and kesong puti soft taco, carried over from the menu of Earth Kitchen. Perched on a bed of local salad greens, aioli, salsa, radish rounds, and organic white cheese, a melange of orange-yellow colored pumpkins cubes so vibrant and sweet, I mistook them for ripe mangoes.

Arguably, the healthiest wrap I’ve ever voluntarily eaten.

Translating one’s culinary heritage into much healthier versions for the next generations of diners is almost as daunting as their “local and sustainable” mission. But from all initial indications, Kitchen 56 is well on its way to success, winning hearts and minds, and satisfying healthy appetites along the way.

1. The first thing you notice about Kitchen 56 is its space. It’s huge but tables are very well spaced, none of that empty restaurant feeling. It’s great for large groups. A garden with a waterfall feature is at the back lending an even fresher look to the place.

2. Dining here is an opportunity to give back. Working with another organization, Kitchen 56 sources their fair trade and organic produce from small farms in Tarlac.

PRICE RANG E APPETIZER P265 (RISOTTO BALLS) TO P325 (SHRIMP SPRING ROLL) SOUP P190 (CURRIED SQUASH SOUP) TO P200 (FRESH MUSHROOM) SALAD P290 (WATERMELON AND ROCKET SALAD) TO P350 (POMELO SALAD) MAINS P370 (CHICKEN KEBAB) TO P470 (SHORT RIB LETTUCE WRAP) FRESH HOME-MADE PASTA P220 (SPAGHETTI POMODORO) TO P460 (SCALLOPS AND ALIGUE) RISOTTO P350 (UNI NEGRA) TO P620 (MILANESE) Kitchen 56 #56 Jupiter Str., Bel-Air, Makati 0917 584 3278 Kitchen56ByEarthKitchen

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STORMING THE KITCHEN

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

From his humble origins in Sensei Sushi, Chef Bruce Ricketts creates another wave of culinary sensation with his new restaurant, Mecha Uma 8­

LET'S EAT — November 2014

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ome stories write themselves, specially when the subject is a chef who has so much to say about food and so much passion for his or her craft. Such was the case a few months back, when I spent an entire afternoon with Chele Gonzalez; our talks ranged far and wide, from his rigorous training at elBulli to his grand vision for the cuisine of the Philippines.

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself deep in a similar conversation with Chef Bruce Ricketts of Mecha Uma. I found myself furiously writing in my notebook to document everything that he said; his intense commitment and deep knowledge of the culinary world reminded me of Chele, and when Bruce revealed that he reveres Vask’s main man as a mentor, I wasn’t surprised at all. That the chefs behind two of the most highly regarded restaurants in the city are very good friends. It makes perfect sense.

Mecha Uma has the most sought after seats in our food-crazy town.

MECHA UMA IS A SMALL RESTAURANT, BUT ONE THAT ALLOWS MAXIMUM INTERACTION BETWEEN THE GUESTS AND THE CHEF.

1 Duck Confit 2 Black Sesame Sponge 3 Scallops 4 Wagyu Cheeks

It’s a small restaurant, minimalist even, but one that allows maximum interaction between the guests and the chef. His ‘tasting menu’ is an ever-evolving degustation; dishes composed only of the highest quality ingredients, each prepared with the highest degree of difficulty. Bruce Ricketts has been nominated as the “Best Emerging Talent” in Manila’s Best Kept Restaurant Secrets, the prestigious Oscars of our restaurant industry. It’s the most esteemed honor a young chef can possibly get; it’s an award voted on by over a hundred of the country’s top restaurateurs, chefs, food critics, and writers. I have a feeling that by the time this article sees print, Bruce will have the trophy sitting on a shelf in Mecha Uma, or perhaps, more appropriately, in the restaurant where it all began for him, Sensei Sushi.

Four years ago, the then 21-year old kitchen novice opened a small Japanese eatery on the restaurant row in BF Homes Paranaque. The restaurant was a necessity. His father, Topher Ricketts, an icon in local martial arts circles, had just passed away, and Bruce, thrust into the role of head of household, had to find a way to help support his family. Having completed a culinary course in San Diego, California, the young man took a risk, and opened Sensei Sushi.

It wasn’t an overnight success; during its early days of existence, in order to make ends meet, Bruce personally prepared and sold Jollijeep-priced meals for the staff of the neighboring restaurants and spas along Aguirre.

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LET'S EAT — November 2014

RE COMME NDE D DISHE S Mechaviche Scallops Wagyu Cheeks Matsusaka Rib Cap Black Sesame Sponge

TIPS 1. Mecha Uma’s space is small by Manila restaurant standards that’s why it’s one of the most challenging dinner spots to reserve. Walk-in tip: keep the group small and head straight to the kitchen bar. Most of the time the stools are free and you get a view of Chef Bruce or his staff work their magic.

2. The ad hoc way Chef Bruce conducts his cuisine makes Mecha Una his avenue to surprise his diners. The day of our visit, his truffle supplier arrived with a box of rare white truffles which he duly inspected to the collective delight of our nostrils.

3. Check out for daily specials. The mirrored column in the middle is riddled with colorful scribbles noting the day’s freshest offerings, some never before served.

PRICE RANG E 03 But word slowly got around, and by 2012, Bruce’s initial tasting menu had become the talk of the town. The chef can’t pinpoint a specific date for his “break”; one day, Sensei Sushi was barely breaking even, and the next, diners from as far North as Quezon City were driving down to taste Bruce’s wagyu beef, plated with his signature charred eggplant.

Bruce believes that the turning point happened when he stopped worrying about what people might like, and started

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preparing what he wanted them to like. His inspirations and instincts were spot on, and Sensei Sushi soon gained a reputation as the best restaurant in the South. The clamor for a second restaurant was incessant, and the stars aligned when the chef found the right partners from The Moment Group. Mecha Uma opened in August, and it’s now the hottest restaurant in the The Fort.

What does the future hold for Bruce Ricketts? The best answer he can give is this: he will continue to grow along with

04 his customers, and as much as he craves for perfection now, he’ll continue to care even more, strive harder to improve his craft, to make his guests even happier.

On any given night in Mecha Uma, satisfied diners spontaneously break into applause. The restaurant’s patrons are already some of the happiest in Manila. I can’t wait to see what happens next, or even ten years from now.

The Master is in the kitchen, and he has no plans of holding back.

TASTING MENU P3,600++ (AT LEAST NINE DISHES) ALA CARTE MENU P195 (CHOCOLATE) TO P2450 (MATSUSAKA GYU) NIGIRI P320 (TORCHED SALMON BELLY) TO P620 (TORCHED TORO) Mecha Uma 25th street, 5th & 6th Avenue, RCBC Savings Bank Corporate Center, Bonifacio South, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig mechauma.ph

LET'S EAT — November 2014

BY THE NUMBERS

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Is there such thing as a Second Restaurant Syndrome? Thea and Gab of The Girl and the Bull dispel this notion with their second baby, 12/10

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any psychologists believe that birth order often leads to profound effects on the lives of children—behavior, intelligence, school performance, and even professional success—may be affected and influenced by the differences in latitude and leeway of parents’ treatment of their eldest to their youngest.

Similarly, in the restaurant industry, professionals believe that the order of opening often leads to profound effects on the success of restaurants—ambiance, the menu, media coverage, and eventually, revenues— will be affected and influenced by the differences in experience and passion of the owners’ treatment of their oldest to their newest.

“So who do you love more?” This was the unanswerable question and the gist of the conversation I had with two of the youngest restaurateurs— quite successful ones at that—in the city: Thea De Rivera and Gab Bustos, a.k.a. The Girl + The Bull, who are both just in their early twenties. Their eponymous restaurant in Paranaque will be celebrating its first birthday this December, but the “parents” are already deep into the nurturing of their second baby, which opened in October this year. I’m not sure if that’s by accident or by design, but even

the timing between their “children” fits. Just over 9 months from the first to the second, or one and two; both numbers, quite significant to their continuing story.

“12/10” is Gab and Thea’s anniversary. An “awww”-inducing revelation that certainly gives an indication of how their lives are tightly intertwined, and a validation of how they are progressing, not just as a couple, but as business owners as well.

Their second offspring is dramatically different, but equally charming as their firstborn. Number 1’s menu is unabashedly Western, its most popular item being the Buttermilk Fried Chicken; but Number 2’s? It’s surprisingly Japanese.

It’s a 180-degree turnaround for the couple, which may be surprising to the fans of their first venture. It would have been a no-brainer to open a second branch of one of the hottest new restaurants of 2014 in a more accessible location, but for those who know them well, the Girl does love to push the Bull, and vice versa. For them, it’s all about breaking boundaries, finding the new, and fearlessly barrelling forward.

Thus, an “Izakaya” establishment.

A beloved Japanese after-work mainstay—a sake and beer bar that happens to serve excellent small plates of food to go with the liquor. In other

12:10 CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A BAR THAT SERVES NON-TRADITIONAL JAPANESE FOOD, OR IT CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS A RESTAURANT THAT SERVES FINE OLD-SCHOOL COCKTAILS. 12­

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LET'S EAT — November 2014 words, a “tapas bar” by way of Japan.

12:10 can be considered as a bar that serves non-traditional Japanese food, or it can be classified as a restaurant that serves fine old-school cocktails.

I was impressed by their fine collection of the highe end bottles of gin, fragrant botanicals flowering from every whiff of the spirit. 12:10 passed the test I always judge a new bar by: can they mix a Classic Martini?

Definitely. And 12:10 likewise received high marks with their take on yakiniku, a very creative kushiyaki.

Tender pieces of salmon on a skewer, grilled just right with a hint of truffle oil and a tease of wasabi, with two toppings alternating on the pink bites: curry and nori, and black sesame and cornflakes.

I have to confess. I find #2 just a wee bit more endearing than #1, and I teased Thea and Gab with this revelation. I justified it by saying that 12:10, being half bar, speaks to my disposition—not to mention that its location on Guijo St. in Makati is much closer to home—but the couple, as expected, took exception and adamantly told me that I should love both The Girl + The Bull and 12:10 equally. And I think I will.

After all, as a firstborn child myself, I always listened well to parental advice and guidance.

RECOMMENDED DISHES Raw Tuna Salad Brussel Sprouts Katsu Sando Salmon Kushiyaki

TIPS 1. Catch Chef Gab prepare cocktails and libations at the bar, always ready to assist with pairings. Since most of the food is asian-inspired, his shelf full of Japanese whiskey complements well with the flavors and textures of the dishes.

2. Thea and Gab’s love of art carries over to their new baby as well. Colorful murals pop against the cement walls and even a jovial parade of insects painted on the floor. Reserve your Instagram-worthy selfie for the restroom though. We won’t spoil the surprise, you have to “see” it for yourself.

3. Chopsticks-only dining is among 12/10’s many quirks. It might require a bit of getting used to but as the giant eye that greets you at the door reminds us, you enter this restaurant with an open mind.

PRICE RANG E * selected MAIN MENU P180 (CHICKEN SKIN) TO P410 (TORO ONIGIRI)

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1 A selectionof 12/10’s dishes 2 Korean Fried Chicken Brussel Sprouts 3 Salmon Kushiyaki 4 Katsu Sando 4 Brussel Sprouts 5 Interior Details

12/10 7635 Guijo St., San Antonio Village, Makati 0905 572 2556 twelveten.ph twelvetenph

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LET'S EAT — November 2014

L E T 'SK D R IN

ALL IN GOOD TIME

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Find cures for all kinds of ‘feels’ in The Curator’s roster of concoctions

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The Curator is located at 134 Legaspi Street corner C. Palanca Street, Makati; 916-355-4129. Check thecurator.com.ph or facebook.com/pages/The-Curator

LET'S EAT — November 2014 1 Still Hurting 2 Obrigada 3 Maya 4 New Kid in Town

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till Hurting” is an irresistibly named cocktail that starts off sweet on one’s tongue; it then becomes citrus bright, up until the end, when the drinker is left with a bracing, bitter finish. The final flavor note, from a surprising ingredient: vermouth infused with espresso. It’s the perfect drink to soothe one’s soul after a heartbreak. The complicated mix, its sequence of flavors, an apt analogy for the end of an affair. It’s also indicative of the intense passion for perfection of this bar’s curators: men and women who don’t like to do the easy things. Bartenders whose every drink tells a story.

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D OW N L OA D IS S UE S O F L E T ’S E AT FOR F R E E ON B UQ O L E T ' S E AT D OWN L OA D T HE A P P

L E T ' S E AT T R E AT S Free Pitcher of Fresh Dalandan Juice for a minimum P500 worth of orders (*before service charge).

L E T ' S E AT X

Coupon is valid from December 2014 to January 2015. Not valid with other promotions and discounts. Coupon is redeemable at Earth Kitchen and Kitchen 56.

One Pitcher per coupon and one coupon per transaction. Not valid for take-out. Not replaceable when lost and nontransferable to cash. Only the coupon from Let’s Eat print edition will be entertained.

LET'S EAT — November 2014

E AT L E T ' SE E T S W S

SOFT BATCH

BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Scout’s Honor is an inventive take on the cookie shop concept

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ure, you can have a warm old-fashioned chocolate chip, baked to order, and a glass of ice cold milk, but why not stray into edgier territory with the best new cookie of the year? A green tea-milk chocolate cookie sandwich with a black sesame-white chocolate filling. Enjoyed with a bottle of bamboo charcoal-flavored fresh milk, it’s the most impressive pairing in the country’s first cookies and milk bar, the dream partnership of two of the Philippines’ youngest and most bemedalled pastry chefs, Miko Aspiras and Kristine Lotilla.

Scout's Honor is located at Hole in the Wall, 4/F Century City Mall, Kalayaan cor. Salamannca St., Makati ; Check facebook.com/ScoutsHonorCraftCookies

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Y OUR GUI DE TO THE C I TY’S B ES T FOOD S P OT S EVERY LA S T FRI DA Y OF THE M ON T H L E T ' S E AT The Wholesome Table (30th St., cor. 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig). Photographed by Gabby Cantero.