There is a brownout when we arrive Isabelo. For the benefit of our friends who do not live in the Philippines and have zero clue what it is, brownout is a temporary interruption of power service, and it happens very often in the Philippines. Lights go out, ovens won’t function, fans and air-cons die… The event wreaks havoc not only on electrical appliances, but also on people. Tonight, it wreaks havoc on my grandma.
I say a silent prayer for Frances, the mastermind of tonight’s dinner, that she be safe from grandma’s wrath, and not be disowned after this unfortunate event.
Brownout-induced candlelight dinner with family. So romantic… NOT!!!
Ms. Portia, the young mistress of this homey garden restaurant in Marikina, comes out to greet us and apologize for the power outage. She promises to bring out as many food as fast as possible given the condition, but explains that the dishes that need baking have to come a bit later.
Italian Paella
When the Italian pasta arrives shortly after, everyone is too hungry to care whether I am able to get a decent shot before they attack my subject, so forgive the blurred photo, it doesn’t do justice to the deliciousness that this dish is. My eating tactic is to always eat less rice so I can eat more dessert, and so with much discipline, I stop myself from coming back for a third serving.
Portobello Pasta
And then carb overload. The pasta is not as al dente as I would have liked, but the sauce is awesome. The sweetness of the white wine and the tang of the lemon keep me wanting more. I guess someone is skipping dessert tonight.
Beef Bourguignon
Simmered for hours and hours in red wine and its own broth, beef bourguignon is not an easy dish to make. But Ms. Portia has done it, and she’s done it well. This is a version that will make Julia Child proud.
And then there is light. Woot woot! Now we finally see the dining area, the garden, and all these big and little things hanging on the wall.
Flower paintings, people paintings
Solo portraits, couple portraits, family portraits
More paintings, pots and pans, kettles and bottles
Mugs, mugs with faces, pans, baking pans, ducks, elephants, cactus and empty perfume bottles… Kenzo, Davidoff, Bulgari, Armani… you name it, they got it!
If dining under the stars is your thing, you can choose to sit at…
…this rectangular table under a tree in a quiet corner
…or in this gazebo at the center of the garden
…or at this long table amongst seashells, pans, pails and whatnots
…or you can sit with this bald and lonely daddy-o. Peace, Uncle Rolly! Hihihi!
Now back to the food…
Creamy Artichoke Dip – yummy, but be careful, it’s hot!
Roasted Pork Crackling, 4-hour pugon roasted pork served with 4 special sauces. No wonder it is so tender. A hit with everyone.
Greens with roasted vegetables, walnuts & orange
Quattro Formaggio and Pizza Mia – I’ve had better four cheese, but I love Pizza Mia. After all, who can resist bits of bacon, Italian sausage, garlic and onion on a perfect thin crust?
Mushroom Soup – Everyone takes a sip and then pushes the bowl away. The soup tastes wrong, and there’s not a hint of mushroom. So far, this is the only miss, but it is a BIG miss. Major. Fail.
Watermelon Sorbet
Frances assures me that she has ordered something chocolate for dessert, but instead the waiter gives me this healthy watermelon sorbet and explains that they are out of chocolate. Bummer! I guess that’s what people get for OD-ing on carbs.
Despite the brownout, the mushroom soup fail and the disappointment of not getting my chocolate fix, dining in Isabelo is an enjoyable experience. The food is good but nothing fancy, the place is laid back, and service is friendly.
Isabelo feels like home.
The Fatterside cousins and Ms. Portia, the pretty lady on my left
Ms. Portia writes in her website, “ISABELO was built on faith and love, and these very things are what my mom and I would like everyone to experience and share every time they dine with us.”
And we feel it, Ms. Portia.
The food in Isabelo is love.
Isabelo Garden Restaurant: Isabelo Street, San Roque, Marikina City, Philippines. Tel: +632-510-6914; Mobile: +639087401645
