european food – Jellybeans in the City

This past November, Dean & DeLuca opened its newest branch in Quezon City.

This much-awaited outlet is notable for many things, not the least of which is the fact that it is owned by actress (and idol of the titas) Bea Alonzo.

“Good old coffee. Just what I need today.” she posted on her Instagram.

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Good old coffee. Just what I need today. ❤️ I am happy to announce that we are having our soft opening today of Dean and Deluca in Quezon City. I’ve been so excited about this new venture and I can’t wait to dine with you guys and run you through our delectable menu. Visit us at Scout Tuazon cor Scout Rallos today. ❤️❤️❤️ . . . . @deandelucaph

A post shared by bea alonzo (@beaalonzo) on Nov 20, 2019 at 2:31am PST

(Oh, Bea… don’t we all?)

Dean & DeLuca started as a chain of upscale grocery stores in New York City but has since evolved into cafe operations. Its first three branches in the country are located in Makati and BGC, with more in the works.

This past Tuesday, my officemates and I made our way to QC’s Dean & DeLuca, a five-minute car ride from our workplace, for our lunch break.

With the exception of the guys who joined us for the midday meal, this bunch consisted mostly of titas, who all have been looking forward to dining at Dean & DeLuca.

Our orders included:

Truffle Fries (Php160). Crispy French fries drizzled with truffle oil and sprinkled with grated parmesan before serving with a creamy zesty dip.

Aglio e Olio Gamberini (Php450). Organic pasta tossed in traditional Italian garlic and olive oil base along with prawns and cherry tomatoes.

Prawn and Gorgonzola Pasta (Php495). Organic pasta tossed in a creamy paprika wine sauce along with fresh prawns, gorgonzola cheese, mushroom and basil.

Butifarra con Salsa Funghi e Tartufo (Php470). Organic pasta tossed in truffle cream along with slices of Butifarra sausage and fresh mushrooms.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich (Php380). Free-range chicken, grated cheese pimiento, pickled dill, slaw and dressing in yeast-free sourdough bread.

Umami Fried Chicken (Php390). Aburi fried chicken, miso glaze, slaw and lettuce in sourdough brioche.

Beef Rendang (Php590). Himalayan red rice topped with grass-fed beef cooked in rendang spice and coconut milk.

After lunching on these food items, we capped our meal with our chosen coffee drinks – Salted Caramel Latte, Cafe Latte and Cappuccino – all priced at Php160 each.

Dean & DeLucca does tick off all the marks when it comes to trendy cuisine (eg. grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, organic pasta, etc.) which I’m sure many foodies will appreciate.

Sadly, given its price points, I’m not as impressed as I hoped I would be when it came to my truffle pasta which I found too heavily flavored. My friends told me that I simply ordered the wrong item from the menu but how can I go wrong with ordering one of my favorite pasta dishes?

Oh, well. Maybe when I try the desserts on my next visit I’ll have a better experience!

Plus, my officemates and I still had a chill “tita-ish” lunch break here.

Dean & DeLuca is located at Scout Rallos corner Scout Tuazon Streets, Tomas Morato, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 9pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 916 2126535.

Some cuisines achieve more of their potential when combined with the cooking styles, ingredients and nuances of other cuisines.

Take Bistro Charlemagne: A Concept By Little Asia for example. Named after its owner, Charlemagne Lim, this high-end restaurant offers Asian and European fusion dishes.

With its first branch well established in Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, its second branch is situated in fifth level of Ayala Malls Feliz in Dela Paz, Pasig City, giving the denizens East of Manila a new and exciting dining option.

Walking through the lush greenery of Ayala Malls Feliz’ gardens (which gives you a breathtaking view of the nearby mountains of Antipolo) will lead you into the opulent interiors of Bistro Charlemagne. Mood lighting, plush velvet-upholstered chairs and large dark wood tables give diners a feeling of luxury and coziness. This place is great for romantic night-time dates and Sunday brunches with the family.

Together with other east-based foodies, I was invited to a foodie meet up held here where I sampled some of the resto’s delectable dishes:

Japanese Mixed Seafood Salad (Php315). Tuna, shrimp and kani tossed in spicy mayo and finished with ebiko (shrimp roe), tempura flakes and sweet soy. An exciting start to the meal with a bit of heat from the spicy mayo and contrasts in texture from the tempura flakes.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Php295). Unlike other spring rolls, this one is fried to a golden and crunchy crisp after being stuffed with glass noodles, pork and mushrooms, then served with the traditional Nuoc Cham dipping sauce.

Bistro Sisig Fries (Php295). Chopped and thrice-cooked pork cheeks sauteed in a creamy chicken liver sauce and served on top of crispy and golden French fries.

Little Asia’s Crispy Chicken (Php325). Have you ever noticed how some families have special recipes that get passed down through generations? This is one of them: a specially crispy chicken served with a freshly made gravy developed Charlemagne’s grandfather, enjoyed and shared to the world by three generations of restaurateurs.

Beef Tenderloin Rolls with Cheese (Php395). Don’t I always say that everything’s better with cheese? These rolled beef tenderloin slices sauteed in teriyaki sauce certainly are.

Shrimp Poppers (Php415). Plump and lightly battered shrimp deep-fried and tossed in the house’ special sweet chili mayo sauce and chili oil and served with a side salad.

Ox Sisig (Php325). Thrice-cooked ox tongue and ox tripe mixed witj the house’ special liver-mansi mayo and topped with chicharon bulaklak. A fresh take on the classic sisig dish!

S’mores (Php245) and Reese’s S’mores (Php245). We dipped graham crackers on roasted marshmallows laid on top of Ghirardelli chocolate ganache with the former and on top of peanut butter chips ganache with the latter.

Blueberry Custard Napoleones (Php245). Crisp puff pastry sandwiching vanilla custard and blueberry puree sauce, sprinkled with pistachio dust.

Pandan Crepe (Php245). Soft pandan-flavored crepe encasing shredded coconut stewed in coconut milk and coated in palm sugar. This is a surprisingly tasty dessert with a amazingly fresh twist on familiar flavors.

With these dishes and more on the menu, Bistro Charlemagne is where East meets West, and they do make a great combination.

And here’s some good news for people on a budget: you can sate your craving for your favorite Bistro Charlemagne dish with a set meal at only Php215! This already comes with rice, soup and iced tea.

Plus, birthday celebrants get the house special Little Asia’s Crispy Chicken free when they dine at Bistro Charlemagne with a minimum single-receipt transaction of Php1,995 within seven days of their birthday. Simply present a valid government-issued ID.

This Bistro Charlemagne branch is located at Fifth Floor, Ayala Malls Feliz along Marcos Highway, Dela Paz, Pasig City.

Another branch is found at GFF-6, Building B, Ayala Malls Solenad 3, Nuvali, Don Jose, Santa Rosa, Laguna.

For reservations and inquiries, call +63 049 2580846 or +63 917 8334223.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a Blogger Event held in this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Tag: european food

Dean & DeLuca, Tomas Morato

East meets West at Bistro Charlemagne, Ayala Malls Feliz