This two-year old restaurant is the product of post-honeymoon experience of Valerie and Mark Anthony Tan. The idea of starting a business started when the couple toured Europe to celebrate their honeymoon. Having been caught up in the experience of travel, the two decided to bring Europe back home with them. After a year and a half of consulting, market research, and product development, they finally established their dream business at the heart of Tomas Morato.
Experience: I was excited to go this restaurants because I don’t usually get to try European dishes often and I wanted to try their famous Schneeball, a dessert you literally hammer inside a bag before eating.
I met the owners and they were very accommodating. We ended up trying almost 80 percent of their menu! It’s a good thing this writer really knows how to put it away!
First up, we tried their appetizers. The Jamon Serrano Croquettes and Arancini al Margherita, which is essentially potato and risotto balls. I love the crunchiness outside and the rich flavor on the inside. The margherita sauce complemented the risotto perfectly.
The pastas we were served were Cacio E Pepe Classic and Cacio E Pepe Mushroom Truffle. For those who love simple flavors, I recommend Cacio E Pepe Classic, and its more subtle, refined flavor. The Cacio E Pepe Mushroom Truffle was amazing in its own right. There was no shortage of truffles in the dish, so each bite was an intense burst of flavor. It can be very easy to go overboard with truffles, but this was done just right. It’ll have you dreaming about it.
Our entrees were Pollo ai Funghi sul Riso which is chicken and mushroom rice, and Schweinekotelett with Mustard Cream Sauce, a dish that is reminiscent of our own crispy liempo. This was my favorite of everything we ordered. The cut of meat cut were quite thick, but superbly tender, and the skin, goodness, the skin was so crisp!
To end the meal, we were served the Peanut Brittle Schneeball, Cannoli, Red Velvet, Maple Bacon and Tradicionale Hot Churro. You might not think so, but that Scneeball is tough. You really have to put some strength behind your swings to get to that dessert, but it’s all worth it, of course. One would order it as much for the experience, as the dish itself, and I do suggest you do so yourself. Churros are a tricky beast to tame, but fortunately, theirs is done perfectly, with the right crunch, and no soggy, oily feeling after the last bite.
Writer’s tip: Forget your dream European tour, we’ve got our own here.
Location: 100 Scout De Guia Corner Tomas Morato Avenue, Tomas Morato, Quezon City
Contact no.: (02) 954 0401