The Last Chukker, A Third Time ♥ ♥ ♥

 

It had been ages since my last meal at The Last Chukker and I was so happy when Stenie
suggested the place for our dinner some months ago. I had almost forgotten about 
this restaurant. Coming back was like reconnecting with an old friend. 

 

 

I arrived Polo Club so late and insisted my dinner mates go ahead without me, but Stenie and Joseph were too nice. They waited for me and pre-ordered food already so all I had to do when I got there was sit and eat.   

And take photos.

Joseph couldn't believe it! First, he had to wait for me to come, and then, he had to wait for me to finish taking pictures of everything before he could eat.

It was quite traumatic for him, I heard. Lol! :D

Everything was delicious.

 

Crispy Calamari

 

 

Pear, Walnut, Blue Cheese Salad

 

 

Prosciutto, Laguna Cheese, Basil Pizza

 

 

Pollo al Mattone - chicken roasted in a wood-fire oven

 

 

Linguine alle Vongole con Chorizo

 

 

The vongole was so good we ordered a second serving

 

 

And a third! The expression on Joseph's face - that was exactly how my stomach
felt about the pasta. 

 

 

Bread Pudding

 

 

Apple Tarte Tatin - so crisp and flaky! To this day, one of my biggest regrets in life is
 not taking that 4th slice. 

 

 

Thank you for dinner and for being so patient, Stenie and Joseph!!!

 

 

Love, 
Confetti 

 

 

See my previous posts on The Last Chukker
Pinoy Eats World: Last Chukker
The Last Chukker, Revisited 

 

The Last Chukker: Manila Polo Club, McKinley Road, Forbes Park, Makati City
Tel: +632 817 0951 local 273

 

Blackbird, Revisited ♥ ♥ ♥

 

Last time I was at Blackbird (see post here), I was so in awe of the dining room I forgot to take photos of the handsomely designed bar and lounge.

 

 

Bar

 

 

Lounge

 

 

Ladies Room 
Hahaha! Sorry, it was gorgeous inside I couldn't resist.

 

 

Months after its opening, it was still not easy to get reservations at the Colin McKay restaurant.
This was the situation on a weeknight. 

 

 

I had a Pussy Galore while waiting for my girlfriends.
Tanqueray, creme de peche, egg white, lemon, shaken and served straight up. 

 

 

Sheryl arrived shortly and ordered a Mango Passionfruit Mojito. It was as delicious as it looked.

 

 

I ordered my favorites (prawn scotch eggs, twice cooked beef short ribs, portibello mushroom lasagna, US prime ribeye) and tried a few new dishes because we girls possess big appetites anyway. :P

 

 

Prawn scotch eggs, betel leaves, coconut chili sambal

 

 

Twice cooked beef short rib, sweet fish sauce, hot and sour salad

 

 

Mushrooms, guanciale, fontina, thyme, truffle oil pizza

 

 

Buffalo mozzarella, tomato, oregano pizza

 

 

Portobello mushroom, asparagus, fontina, truffle oil lasagna

 

 

Pappardelle, duck ragout, mascarpone, rosemary chili crumbs

 

 

Lamb cutlets, fine beans, tsatsiki, muhammara, fried potatoes

 

 

Roast pork belly, noodle salad, chili sauce

 

 

Half portion US Prime Ribeye grilled to my liking

 

 

Medium rare for me and Sherylou. This is the ONLY way to go. 

 

 

The other half done medium well. Bleck. 

 

 

Unless you are pregnant, please do not do this to good steak.
XXXXXXXX

 

 

Our kind server had to distribute our pastas because there was no more space on our table
for all the food we ordered. Lol. 

 

 

We were stuffed, but desserts are always compulsory.

 

 

Cheesecake, macadamia praline, banana brûlée, dulce de leche

 

 

And my favorite dessert at Blackbird (and I don't even like sundaes!):
Burnt butter and vanilla seed ice cream, chocolate brownie, candied popcorn, salted caramel.
Seriously, heaven in a bowl. 

 

 

These girls and I go waaaaay back, from Shakey's "bunch of lunch" days, big, puffy bangs, 
jackstone, New Kids on the Block, slumbooks, and studio pictures with handwritten
dedication at the back. Thank God our friendship is strong enough to overcome the
differences in our steak doneness preference. Lol.

 

 

See my previous Blackbird post here.

 

Blackbird: Nielson Tower, Ayala Triangle, Makati City

Tel: +632 828 4888

Blackbird Website

 

Truffle Menu at Todd English Food Hall

 

The Black Truffles Have Landed!

Published on Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, September 18, 2014

 

Todd English Food Hall 

 

 

Chef Bobby G has always reminded me of Christmas. Seeing his smiling eyes, jolly grin, rosy cheeks and chin, and huggable figure (exactly like mine!) gives me that same feeling as when a child meets Santa Claus for the very first time. And Santa Claus, a.k.a. The Executive Chef of Todd English Worldwide, is in town for a month to work on the Food Hall’s new menu. And in true Saint Nicholas fashion, Chef Bobby brought with him the greatest gift of all – no, not love, but two pounds of fresh black truffles!

 

 

Chef Bobby G.

 

 

Black truffles are ugly and warty fungi that cling to the roots of trees. They are harvested by specially trained dogs and female pigs because their scent is said to be very similar to that of male pigs! Coined “Black Diamonds,” these tubers are also unmatchable in its ability to give pleasure to diners. A few shavings can create magic in the simplest dishes. They are also very, very expensive, which is why at Todd English Food Hall, the gems are kept safely under lock and key.

 

Because I have been good all year, I allowed myself the pleasure of a leisurely lunch with the power couple behind Todd English, Eric and Kidd Dee, at their restaurant last Sunday. We ordered a few new items: 

 

Squid Ink Lasagna with Crispy Calamari

 

 

And a superb Caviar and Smoked Salmon Flatbread, which I cannot recommend
highly enough, it was the sea on a pizza!

 

 

Mimosa, because it's Sunday!

 

 

 … And ALL of the truffle dishes on the menu. (I’ve been exceptionally good, I promise!) 

 

 

 Our meal began with “The Perfect Egg” sitting at the center of a truffled green pea puree
crown adorned with crispy oyster mushrooms and sprinkled with truffle salt.

 

 

Next came one of the restaurant’s more popular products - the flatbread – this time
topped with fontina, caramelized onions, and freshly shaved truffles.

 

 

Our mains were a mix of meats and seafood, starting with...

 

The wonderfully cooked, moist and fleshy Chilean sea bass with clams,
beet and leek emulsion, potato silk and fresh shaved truffle.

 

 

The sous vide duck was perched on top of truffled carrot puree and
wilted spinach, drizzled with aged truffle balsamic and capped
with dehydrated buttered popcorn.

 

 

The hanger steak and baby lobsters were arranged on a wooden board
with truffled silky potatoes, corn succotash, and fresh shaved
black diamonds.

 

 

My favorite of all was the plump and juicy scallops on a bed of spinach and the most gorgeous
beetroot orzo (wow!), drizzled with aged truffle balsamic and, of course, black truffle shavings.
Do not be shy to ask for extra servings of fresh truffles. You will be charged $$$,
but you will most absolutely enjoy it.

 

 

 

Watching the staff make our desserts was almost as fun as eating the
crunchy caramel ice cream they prepared using the miracle that
is liquid nitrogen.

 

 

They also sprinkled truffle salt on the sweets. Holy smokes!

 

 

The power couple Eric and Kidd Dee

 

 

Private room upstairs that is great for parties

 

 

Where you get this lovely view of Fort Bonifacio

 

 

The truffle menu is available in 3, 4 or 5-course meals starting at Php1,500+, and will only be served until supplies last. So hurry and run to Todd English Food Hall at 5/F SkyPark, SM Aura Premier, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Tel: (02)975-2318 or 0917-8633364.

 

See previous posts:
Todd English Food Hall
Todd English Food Hall Grand Launch