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Showing posts with label bijin nabe in manila. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bijin nabe in manila. Show all posts
Monday, September 4, 2017
EPILOGUE: An Afterthought to a Great Meal in S Maison

If there's a date place that I could recommend to anyone visiting S MAISON, it would be EPILOGUE. Granted that it may look a bit intimidating from the outside, it's actually cozy and quite homey inside. With a dash of cosmopolitan, this Japanese European Fine Bistro is the perfect place to bring your love ones to celebrate a special event or even just to hangout and relax, away from it all.
 From my point of view, EPILOGUE in S MAISON is divided into three key areas: a BAKERY, a BAR, and the MAIN DINING HALL. As guests arrive, they are greeted by a variety of freshly baked goodies at the entrance. This is a good sign of things to come.
Here, you could actually check out the different pastries and sweet after thoughts that you may like to try out. Take note that they even give discount near closing time to ensure that there's minimal wastage.
Special mention though must be given to this GREEN TEA DESSERT. Not overly sweet, you get a hint of that bitter taste every matcha lover looks for. The texture is crunchy and crumbly at the same time. But, I am getting ahead of myself.
After the soft opening phase, EPILOGUE removed the tasting menu and went full blast allowing diners to pick and share their dishes with their companions.
One look at the spread and one might say that the names of the dishes and the parts of the menu might be a bit pretentious.  For me, it's creativity. Riding along with the theme, epilogue is part of a book hence the terms used, I guess.  Going back, things started off with the SIGNORE CARDINI (360Php) and the SEAFOOD TABLET (440Php). The Cardini is quite similar to caesar salad. Huge crisp bacon is placed on top of a harvest salad and partnered with coddled egg and shaved parmesan. The Tablet is basically couscous with calamari and prawns with a touch of balsamic vinaigrette.
Pasta is something that is always a good idea to share. Given that first dates should stay away from these dishes, it's fun to eat and filling as well.
There's the Amatriciana (480Php) and also the Veneto (580Php) to try out. The Amatriciana is your red sauce, basil, tomato confit and artisan pancetta all combined to give you that home cooked flavor. The Veneto, on the other hand, is EPILOGUE'S Gnocchi. Prosciutto di Parma, fresh cream, and handmade Gnocchi were tossed to produce this dish.
A definite partner to pasta would be pizza. EPILOGUE creates wonderful artisan pizza with the help of an imported brick fired oven. The Margherita (670Php) must be the simplest one on the menu but it is delicious. The crust is not super thick and carries the toppings pretty well.
Termed as CHAPTER AND VERSE, the Mains are heavyweights. The attention to detail and the quality of ingredients for each one speaks volume in the final products. Hands down, these dishes made me want to come back again.
The YUZU DORI (620Php) is crispy chicken flavored with SHIO-KOJI. It's placed on top of quinoa. The skin is crunchy while the meat is juicy and moist. The same goes for the CONFIT de CANARD (775Php). EPILOGUE'S DUCK CONFIT. This baby was slowly cooked and is partnered with potato lyonnaise.
People behind EPILOGUE must love their FOIE GRAS as they have a couple of entrees that has them as main components. It's buttery heaven.
For something "light", the FOIE'S GOLD (1,100 Php) is a 50g Pan-Seared Ernest Soulard Foie Gras placed on top of mushroom risotto and portobello. Each bite is like have an orgasm as the flavor and texture is spot on. But if you're a hungry person, the MAESTRO (1,550Php) might be for you. It's US PRIME ANGUS TENDERLOIN paired with Seared Foie Gras. It's the best of both worlds. It has gratin on the side as well just in case you need something to carry all that flavor.
If that wasn't enough the KING'S CUT (1,690/3,990Php) might do it for you. US PRIME ANGUS RIBEYE and potato gratin goes well hand in hand especially if you want something very straightforward as this. To add twist, it has demi-glace and wasabi in the fray.
I know I wrote about that green tea dessert awhile ago, but there are other noteworthy sweet delights. One could go for the COCOON (320Php) where a Belgian white chocolate dome is drowned in hot chocolate to produce homemade Italian gelato inside. Wishful thinking, maybe they could have placed a brownie inside as well. If that's not your drift, the TARTE TATIN or apple tart with tahitian vanilla ice cream might do the trick.
EPILOGUE seems intimidating at first but it grows on you. Dishes might be priced on the high side but you get what you pay for. Quality and taste wise, I couldn't find fault.

RELATED LINKS:
Siam Thai in Kapitolyo
Bijin Nabe in S Maison

Bijin Nabe: 5 Things to Remember


EPILOGUE
Ground Floor. S Maison.
SM Mall of Asia
Pasay, Metro Manila

Disclaimer: wrote this based on my experience. Visited this restaurant twice. Paid for my meal the first time and was the second was an invite from our good friends from Epilogue.
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Thursday, August 24, 2017
BIJIN NABE in S MAISON: 5 Things to Remember

More than just a fad, healthy eating is the way to go. If you want to prolong your life and live to your full potential, one of the things that I realized was that food must not ever go over and under the limit. The quality is also important. Although taste is a big part of enjoying a meal, nutrients are pretty much the things to look at. 
 A restaurant that has recently entered the Philippine scene that would exude healthy eating while being delicious at the same time would be BIJIN NABE. Located in S Maison Mall, this particular Japanese place serves collagen hot pot that aids in digestion, keeps your skin firm and fresh, and is even quite light. Here are 5 things to remember when visiting the restaurant for the first time.
1) Sharing is Caring. An order is roughly around 750 Php and it's good for 2 persons. Albeit it's a bit pricey but the main ingredients are all shipped in from overseas and are prepared generously.  Quality wise, you won't be able to deny it. It's pretty good.
2) Eating this dish is a process. Simple as it might seem, it starts with waiting. The collagen itself is boiled to create a semi-thick stock. It's light and has a chicken flavor.
3) Once you get to try it out, vegetables are added in. Then Shrimps. Then either noodles or even rice to create a porridge. It's here that different flavors pop out. It's as if the stock has absorbed all the nutrients. Hence, the flavor change. 
4) It's nutritious and delicious. Everything is great for your skin. Some friends have suggested going back just because they felt better after eating some. Also, the aroma and the smoke coming from the dish would entice you to return for more.
5) Sides are your best friend. It might be a bit too much to just eat soup and chicken, but at BIJIN NABE, they also offer delicious side dishes to accompany your meal. One could go for the chicken and even their version of an onigiri. Rice balls wrapped with pork belly. IF you're watching your diet, you might enjoy the eggplants. These babies tastes like sweet potatoes and are definitely must tries.
Granted that you can't eat this everyday, it's a good introduction to healthy living as dishes in this restaurant aims to provide nutrients and delicious flavors to its guests.

RELATED LINK:

BIJIN NABE by TSUKADA NOJO
2nd Floor S MAISON MALL,
Conrad Hotel, Pasay City, Metro Manila

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Tuesday, December 27, 2016
BIJIN NABE by TSUKADA NOJO in MANILA: Time for Something Healthy


Sometimes more than just taste, food must also be full of nutrition and good for our health too. At BIJIN NABE in S MAISON, they aim to provide collagen filled hotpot that is perfect for our skin and digestive system.
Located on the 2nd floor of S MAISON MALL / CONRAD HOTEL in Pasay, BIJIN NABE by TSUKADA NOJO is a well known brand from Japan and Singapore.
More than just hotpot, they also offer delicious side dishes that accompany the collagen filled soup.
 One could start with the FRIED EGGPLANT. These babies are their healthy version of fries. Almost like potatoes, you won't distinguish between the two texture wise. Very nice way to start the meal.
Cooked to perfection, the CHICKEN NANBAN is a dish that originated from MIYAZAKI. Partnered with homemade tar tar sauce, it wasn't overwhelming and goes well with plain rice. You won't feel that rancid oil flavor here.

Another crowd favorite would be the NIKUMAKI ONIGIRI. These are rice balls wrapped with pork and baked with a special soy sauce. Some would like it with cheese on top but having some Yuzu-Mayo also works.

The main dish of this restaurant though would be the GOLDEN COLLAGEN CHICKEN SOUP. Imported from overseas, a pot is good for one to two persons. Made from Jidori Chicken that is stewed for 18 hours, the broth is both light and healthy.After trying out the broth in its simplest form, the staff would assist the guests by adding more toppings and meat into the hot pot. By putting in different organic vegetables, seafood, and meat, the flavors are absorb and it becomes a bit sweeter.

If it becomes a little too overwhelming or repetitive, you are given different sauces like the yuzu kosho to give everything more depth.
Patrons are also asked for your preference with what type of noodles will be added. You could pick from three choices, egg noodles, thick ones and rice noodles.

Granted that 750Php is a bit too much for two persons, you may want to go in a group so that you could try other dishes as well.
The soup may not be for everybody but the side dishes and other items on the menu are definitely must try when visiting BIJIN NABE by TSUKADA NOJO.



BIJIN NABE by TSUKADA NOJO
2nd Floor S MAISON MALL,
Conrad Hotel, Pasay City, Metro Manila
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Disclaimer:Visited on my own. Paid for my meal. Wrote this based on my experience.
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