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Porchetta kare-kare and tilapia ice cream: Bistro United’s elevated Filipino food
Filipino food continues to be in the limelight both in the local and international food scene. New restaurants have been popping up all over the metro, but not all are able to elevate Filipino food and its ingredients like the newly opened Bistro United.
Glass walls beckon diners as they enter the spacious establishment, which has an industrial yet still warm and welcoming vibe. My eyes immediately went to the wall with the vertical garden—its lush texture and vibrant green hue add eye appeal. The exposed beam ceilings, white painted brick walls, and wooden furnishing with touches of solihiya bring a lot of character to the place.
Its ambience actually reflects the cuisine of Bistro United, which executive chef Mia K. Capay calls “feel-good food.” “It’s not pretentious, it’s not something that’s going to intimidate you, but at the same time, we’d like to highlight the local ingredients,” she says.
Not your usual mom’s home cooking
To be honest, Filipino cuisine would not be my first choice whenever there’s a chance to dine out because it’s my usual food at home. Of course I’d want something new when I go out and I was pleasantly surprised that Bistro United met my expectations.
First, the trendy ambience added oomph to my dining experience—it was light, roomy, and it framed the food well. I was there for lunch and the natural light was fantastic. I could clearly see the pieces of candied Iligan nuts, thinly sliced heart of coconut palm, carrots, and kamote beans underneath the tower of wanton crisps in the Crispy Ubod Salad. It’s one of the chef’s recommendations. “It’s our take on a deconstructed lumpia, but it’s also what we call salad for the non-salad eater. There’s the crunch element, a tinge of sweetness with the candied nuts, and our dressing is coriander,” says Capay.
The chef is known for her roast beef, but I just had to sample the Bagnet Ravioli, its freshly made pasta filled with tasty bits of bagnet with sisig spices and topped with bagnet bits and creamy aioli. It has another sauce option that has an olive oil base, but I think the creamy version brings out the flavor of the bagnet more.
Another indulgent dish is the Crispy Ribs with Bone Marrow Rice, which looks exactly as it sounds. The beef ribs are cooked until crispy and carefully placed on top of rice infused with bone marrow.
Meat lovers would also enjoy the Roast Beef-Silog: sunny side-up egg, crispy roast beef flakes and roast beef fried rice. I’m a big fan of breakfast meals and this doesn’t disappoint.
Yet another heart-stopping dish is the Porchetta Kare-Kare. It’s the first time I’ve come across this combination and it’s a winner in my book. The chef said that they roast the rolled pork belly and then put it in the salamander to make it crunchier. It's served with peanut sauce and a medley of vegetables, including braided string beans. The healthy veggies balance out the savory pork. It wasn’t just a pretty-looking plate, it delivered on taste, too! Best eaten with plain rice.
One more standout dish was the Dalandan Chicken with Ube Rice (top). The chef revealed that flavoring the rice with ube was a long process, but it's worth it, as the ube adds a different flavor profile and visual appeal. The grilled chicken had a citrusy taste because of the dalandan, and it was the perfect pairing since it added zest to the yam-flavored rice.
The menu also includes burgers, sandwiches and other well-curated feel-good food items. Diners can choose from the different sides (ube rice, roast beef rice, bone marrow rice, fries) so they can mix and match it with the proteins.
But before leaving the restaurant, I ended my filling meal with an unforgettable dessert—Tilapia Ice Cream. I initially had my doubts, but when I didn’t experience that fishy taste after my first spoonful, I enjoyed it.
The chef disclosed that they poach the fish with herbs and spices, then mix the poaching liquid with the cream. The ice cream is topped with chili flakes, but don’t worry, the spice level is tolerable. There were chunky bits that I thought were cheese curds, but were actually clumps of tilapia and there was still no fishy taste! It’s worth a try, especially since it’s just P55 per scoop. But if you’re not the adventurous type, you can always go for the banana and mango turon with salted yema sauce. — BM, GMA News
Bistro United is located at the Ground Floor of D Strip Building, 20 United Street, Brgy. Kapitolyo, Pasig City; tel: +63 (2) 706-1668; email: bistrounitedph@gmail.com. It is open every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
