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Grind Bistro: Burgers, black chicken, and rainy-day cheese on rye
From hole-in-the-wall establishments to chef-driven restaurants, Metro Manila’s food scene is brimming with excitement. I could hardly keep up with the new dining places popping up around town, but I do try to visit recently opened restos whenever I have time. My latest discovery serves burgers and classic American cuisine: Grind Bistro.
Opened last May, this trendy full-service restaurant was originally conceptualized as a casual American diner bordering on fastfood, but evolved into something a little more upscale than just a burger joint.
Restaurateur couple
Steven Carl and Cristina Imperial Carl are the husband-and-wife team behind Grind Bistro. The couple had formal culinary training, and Steven used to be a hotel executive chef and food and beverage director. “During our recent trips to the Philippines, we’ve seen how the food scene has grown so much. There were a lot of chefs who were focusing on local produce, local ingredients, and that’s what Steven’s food is really about,” says Cristina.
Grind Bistro is the second food venture they put up within a year, after their original burger concept. “But this is our showpiece. We get to have fun and experiment with the food and do a little more upscale dining and service,” says Steven. Another restaurant is in the works and its set to open before the year ends.
This food-loving couple enjoys setting up elaborate dinner parties at home, and most of the dishes in their restaurant menu came from those events. Way before they opened the restaurant, they did a lot of food tasting with family and friends to fine-tune recipes. The result is a relatively small menu that features select dishes.
Going locavore
The Carls say that Grind Bistro supports local farmers by sourcing organic and sustainable produce from nearby farms. “Steven’s always cooked from what’s available locally. He starts to come up with new things because that’s what’s available in any given market,” says Cristina.
Their Laguna Farmer’s Salad, for instance, features housemade kesong puti, but its greens vary due to availability so you may want to ask your server about it. A more indulgent offering is the Wedge Salad with Crispy Pork Belly: iceberg lettuce topped with shaved onions, chopped egg, blue cheese and vine ripe tomatoes. It has a side of crunchy bagnet slices that add a savory component to the dish.
Diners enjoy complimentary serving of freshly baked bread—rye, brioche, and rye—served with pili-flavored butter. If you have room for more starters, go for the Poke Nachos, a dish inspired by the couple’s trip to Hawaii: ahi tuna marinated in soy chili and sesame, local chevre (goat cheese), orange and wasabi tobiko (flying fish roe), pico de gallo, plus taro and sweet potato crisps. This is a light appetizer, as opposed to the Grind Meatballs—one serving consists of three huge pork and beef meatballs that are seared, roasted, and cooked with marinara and lemon-scented ricotta and topped with pesto.
If you want to go straight to the mains, the Grind Burger has become of the bestsellers. You can really taste the quality of the burger's USDA-certified beef, in between brioche bread fresh from the oven and topped by vine-ripe tomato, iceberg lettuce, sweet onion, American cheese, and Tiny’s secret sauce.
Those who have a spicy palate, go for the Heat. Its USDA beef is topped with house-pickled peppers, onion rings, chipotle barbecue, cheddar cheese, and spicy mayo. It comes with a side of crispy potato chips as well. A very filling meal.
My personal preference is the Cheese on Rye, the restaurant’s version of the classic grilled cheese sandwich and roasted tomato soup. Swiss, cheddar, and mozzarella cheeses are placed between two slices of housemade rye bread. The tangy soup balances the richness of the sandwich. The combination is just perfect and it’s my ultimate rainy day treat.
Also try the Nutty Black Chicken for something different. Don’t be surprised if you’re presented with a plate that looks like a block of charcoal. The chicken breast is actually coated with a squid ink tempura batter that gives it its ebony color. It comes with some hazelnut romesco, sweet chili sauce, and classic coleslaw. These may not traditionally go together, but it works for some reason.
You can also create your own steak: select the temperature (my preference is medium) and your desired sauce. Indulge, break the bank and go for the tender and tasty house aged rib eye steak. You have to taste it yourself to know that it’s worth it. It was lunchtime when I dined there and I wasn’t able to try this with wine—unfortunate because the restaurant has a pretty good selection displayed in its wine cabinets. Some of the bottles are from the couple’s personal wine cellar, most of which come from Oregon, where Steven’s family has very deep roots.
Grind Bistro’s desserts are made from scratch. A chocoholic? Get the Molten Chocolate Cake that comes with housemade peanut brittle ice cream and salt and pepper tuile (baked wafer). The warm chocolate oozing from the cake goes well with the cool ice cream. Those with sweet tooth would appreciate it.
For a more memorable ending, try the Calamansi Pie, which is a play on the key lime pie, but this uses the local lime variety. Instead of the typical pie, the vanilla bean whipped cream, calamansi yogurt, and custard are layered on top of each other. On the side is calamansi-flavored ice cream and some sort of basil sauce. It’s cool and has a bite to it, much like my dining experience, which makes it more unforgettable. — BM, GMA News
Grind Bistro (946-3870) is in Crescent Park West on 4th and 5th Avenues, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
