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49-B Heirloom Kitchen’s holiday menu makes festive use of olive oil
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Even when it was just a cozy little restaurant, 49-B Heirloom Kitchen impressed me with its food. Although it had no particular cuisine, its menu was well curated with a collection of family recipes passed on from one generation to the next. There are Filipino, Asian, and European dishes and some of its popular dishes were the paella, the beef lengua, and the chocolate chip cookies.
But during my last visit, I was surprised by its new location and look. It was more like a hole-in-the-wall before. Now, it’s a bigger, two-storey dining establishment where you can comfortably dine with a large group, which is just perfect for this holiday season.
Olive oil in the limelight
Instead of indulging in restaurant favorites, I was able to sample 49-B Heirloom Kitchen's Festive Flavors Holiday Menu specifically made for Doña Elena. This limited edition menu highlighted the use of three olive oil variants: extra virgin, pure olive oil, and pomace. Executive chef Erica Aquino was able to combine her favorite international cuisines and recipes with a taste of home.
We started with some Grilled Shrimp on Patacones, a South American-inspired appetizer. The twice-fried plantain slices are topped with cooked shrimp, minced onions and tomatoes, and cilantro. It was served with a chilled cucumber yogurt soup drizzled with olive oil. I enjoyed the play of textures and flavors here—there’s the crunch from the patacones, the soft shrimp, and the cool chilled soup that neutralized my palate.
There are three new savory entrées and I was able to try them all. My favorite was the Tilapia Fillet that came with a red onion relish, warm Greek orzo (rice-shaped pasta) salad, and chimichurri sauce on the side. The fish was cooked with the skin on and was still moist and flaky when it was served. I liked how the salad's Mediterranean flavors went well with the South American chimichurri sauce. I would have never imagined that these would go well, but the ingenious chef was able to create a harmonious fusion of flavors.
Chef Erica also merged cuisines in her Cuban Beef Stew dish. It was plated with yellow rice and a side of black beans and fried saba. I feasted with my eyes first, as this vibrant dish features a myriad of colors—red, black, yellow, green, and brown. It tasted as good as it looked, too. The beef (which reminded me of mechado) was flavorful and fork-tender and the side dishes were filling. An overall hearty dish.
What’s good for sharing is the Olive and Chorizo-Stuffed Roast Chicken. With the mashed potatoes, veggies, and homemade gravy, it’s a complete meal in itself. I’m a fan of roast chicken and this doesn’t disappoint because the meat is juicy and not dry at all.
The best surprise of this holiday menu was the Cheese Panna Cotta, a simple-looking dessert that delivers more in taste. Here, the mound of cold custard topped with crumbled kesong puti, crushed pistachios, and lemon zest is swimming in a sea of lemon-infused pure olive oil. It’s deliciously creamy and the oil had a certain richness to it, plus the lemon added a bright note. I didn’t expect to love this treat—but I finished the whole serving, and I’m not really a custard lover.
I wouldn’t mind having all these dishes again because they’re not just tasty but also made with olive oil, which is supposedly a healthier alternative. Since we tend to be indulgent during the Christmas season, we should consciously choose better options—at least that’s what I try to tell myself.
Diners can sample this special menu until January 17, 2017, and those who will avail of it will get the chance to receive special gift pack from Doña Elena. Winners will be announced 4th week of January 2017.
— BM, GMA News
49-B Heirloom Kitchen (+63 (2) 653-3711; 49bkitchen@gmail.com) is at 146 Scout Gandia Street, Barangay Sacred Heart, Quezon City. It is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.
