mocktail – The Jellybeans Edit

The #DayOfHearts is fast approaching and if you’re tired of your usual foodie haunts, let me present you with someplace new for your Valentine date: Silverspoon Kitchenette in Quezon City.

Here are three reasons why this newly opened restaurant is the perfect venue for a romantic outing with your special someone.

1. It’s a cozy nook, well-suited for an intimate meal.

Who want’s to go on a date where everyone is hanging out at? A Valentine’s Day rendezvous should be in an intimate setting far from the madding crowd that occupy malls during this holiday which also coincide with the payday rush.

Located along Scout Gandia just off the trendy restaurant row that is Tomas Morato Avenue, Silverspoon is a quiet and cozy haven from the metro’s hustle and bustle.

Al fresco seating provides diners with an open-air space where they can take in the neighborhood’s relatively more laid back pace.

Inside, a minimalist yet whimsical decor serves as a cozy backdrop for a tete-a-tete between lovers as they share delicious comfort food.

2. Silverspoon lovingly crafted its menu and dine-in service to give you and your date that “spoonful of happiness.”

Owner Decebelle Montefrio started Silverspoon as an online food business in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, bringing delicious comfort food to the metro’s denizens who can’t go out to eat. However, she still held on to her dream of having her own brick-and-mortar restaurant someday.

Well, dreams do come true since at the tail-end of 2021, Decie, together with her partners, head chef, line cooks and service crew, have successfully launched Silverspoon Kitchenette in the foodie-friendly Tomas Morato area.

The restaurant offers International-Filipino cuisine, a delectable curation of well-loved and classic dishes lovingly prepared and beautifully served by Silverspoon’s staff.

3. It’s Valentine’s Special Menu is a tasteful curation of dishes that is not to be missed.

As a treat for lovers during this season of love, Silverspoon has prepared special a special four-course set meal that will set hearts ablaze while tantalizing taste buds and sating appetites. This set meal includes:

Pumpkin Soup. A thick and creamy soup made from seasoned pumpkin puree blended with a flavorful broth and accompanied by crunchy croutons.

Caesar Salad. Fresh greens, tomato slices and croutons tossed in house-made Caesar salad dressing, accompanied by crunchy breadsticks seasoned with sumac chili.

Baked Salmon with Truffle Pea Sauce. Hefty salmon fillets seasoned then air-fried and baked before serving topped with arugula and fresh vegetables on a bed of grilled asparagus and green pea puree flavored with truffle oil.

12oz USDA Angus Ribeye Steak. A sure hit with meat lovers, this 12oz piece of well-marbled Angus steak is grilled to the diners’ preferred doneness (mine is medium, of course), then served with steamed vegetables and creamy mash potatoes.

Special Brownie Ala Mode. To end the meal on a sweet note, Silverspoon serves a fudgy brownie bar topped with vanilla ice cream, fruit slices and a chocolate heart.

Glass of Wine. The meal also comes with a glass of vino (diners’ choice between red and white) to make this outing extra special.

You can enjoy these dishes with these especially curated sets available from February 11 to 28:

Pumpkin Soup, Ceasar Salad, Baked Salmon, Brownie Ala Mode, Wine and Lemonade: Php1,599
Pumpkin Soup, Ceasar Salad, USDA Angus Ribeye Steak, Brownie Ala Mode, Wine and Lemonade: Php2,950

Mocktails. Not keen on ending the date? Extend your time together over Silverspoon’s refreshing specialty drinks at Php145 each such as the Blue Lagoon, a concoction made extra colorful and citrusy with the addition of blue curacao, or the Pink Sunset which gives the vibe of a leveled up Four Seasons drink.

Be sure to bring your special someone to SilverSpoon Kitchenette for a delicious celebration of love and good food!

Thanks to Decie and the people behind Silverspoon for a very memorable pre-Valentine’s Day treat for me and my fellow foodies!

Silverspoon Kitchenette is located at 81 Scout Gandia Street, Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City, open daily for dine-in, takeout or delivery from 10am to 9pm. For inquiries, reservations or delivery orders, call +63 917 1603327. It also delivers via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

For updates on its latest offers, follow Silverspoon on Facebook or Instagram.

Disclosure: I attended a food-tasting event held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to facilitate an honest review and were not paid for by the attendees.

After hours is that precious time when the day’s work is done and we can finally sit back to relax and spend time with friends.

After Hours is also the name of a newly opened bar in foodie haven Tomas Morato. This is where my foodie friends and I, shortly before the Covid-19 and the ECQ came down upon all of us, were able to enjoy a few hours chillin’ in each other’s company while discovering all the fun to be had after hours.

1) The buzzy welcoming vibe

You would think that Tomas Morato would already have its fill of concept bars but there’s definitely room for more, especially this one.

With its ample parking space, trendy decor, comfy furnishings, a playlist made up of 80s and 90s hits (which my friends and I sang along with!), excellent chows and a well-stocked bar, After Hours is a haven for those looking for some well-deserved R ‘n R.

2) Chill drinks

According to co-owner Rey Trillana, the focus of After Hours are on cocktails, whiskey and a bit of wine, drinks to chill with after work. Each cocktail is handcrafted (no pre-mixes). For whiskey connoisseurs, the bar also boasts of a well-curated whisky collection. Guests even have the option of getting the bartender to craft something Out of the Blue, based on their favorite liquor and taste profile.

During our visit, my foodie friends and I were able to sample:

Jack Estate’s Pink Moscato. A fresh and fruity wine from Australia.

Perfect Pear. A fruity non-alcoholic mocktail for lightweights like me.

Smoked Old Fashioned. The classic mix of bourbon, simple syrup and Angostura bitters, served with a bit of smoke and flair.

Red Sangria Spritzer. Handcrafted sangria made with wine, brandy, mixed berries, chamomile honey, calamansi and soda.

After Six. Gin mixed with elderflower liquor, lavender syrup, egg white and lemon juice.

Punch Drunk Love. After Hours’ signature cocktail made with spiced rum, chai pandan syrup, lemon and pineapple juice, Angostura bitters and clarified milk, served with a dehydrated pineapple.

3) Tasty bar chows

Of course, we needed some chows to go with those drinks, and After Hours has a very good kitchen going managed by Chef Miggy. He and his crew whipped up some tasty bar chows to complement our drinks, such as:

Beef Salpicao. Tender USDA beef tenderloin sauteed in a garlic butter sauce, definitely a favorite among tipplers and foodies.

Buffalo Style Chicken Poppers. Spicy, salty and slightly sweet bite-sized chicken breasts.

BBQ Beef Pockets. Crispy wonton pockets stuffed with ground beef doused with bourbon BBQ sauce and cheese.

Four Cheese Pizza. Mozzarella, feta, parmigiano reggiano and gorgonzala, all the good stuff on a thin-crust pizza.

All-Meat Pizzadilla. Gooey mozzarella sandwiched in two flour tortillas and topped with pepperoni, sausage, bacon, BBQ sauce and even more cheese.

Pork Binagoongan Pasta. Spaghetti with crispy-fried pork cubes tossed in shrimp paste.

Bacon Mushroom Truffle Pasta. Creamy truffle spaghetti topped with crunchy bacon.

Oh, such a happy time! There were good food, good drinks and good company.

But then, the community quarantine came and, sadly, After Hours had to close its doors for a while.

It seemed like the entire bar industry had been severely affected by the community quarantine.

However, a few weeks ago, I had the pleasant surprise of finding out that it had resumed operations to enable its loyal customers to get that After Hours experience even while at home through Buy One Take One offers on its wines, its signature cocktails by the bottle, as well as a selection of its bar chows, all available for delivery or pickup!

Thanks to Rey Trillana and the rest of the management and staff of After Hours Bar for having us and congratulations for succeasfully pivoting your business to operate in The New Normal.

So until the next time I can visit After Hours again, I can enjoy my after hours at home.

After Hours is located at 125 Don A. Roces Avenue, Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City. To order its bar chows, wines and cocktails for pick up or delivery, fill up this form, send a message over Instagram or call +63 917 1767383.

Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I attended a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare to facilitate honest reviews and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Tag: mocktail

3 reasons to treat your Valentine to a meal at Silverspoon, Tomas Morato

1. It’s a cozy nook, well-suited for an intimate meal.

2. Silverspoon lovingly crafted its menu and dine-in service to give you and your date that “spoonful of happiness.”

3. It’s Valentine’s Special Menu is a tasteful curation of dishes that is not to be missed.

Bar chows and chill drinks at After Hours, Tomas Morato