First Bite: Dean & Deluca

I always get curious and excited every time I see a new establishment opening soon. But it took Dean & Deluca quite a while before it opened. The place had mixed reviews—some say the original Dean & Deluca is better than the local one (well, I wouldn’t know as all I could afford when I was in NYC were hotdogs and Halal food) while others can’t stop raving about its desserts. There’s only one way to find out… to visit the place and try its food myself.

Hello, Dean & Deluca!

The place was packed when we arrived. Luckily, there was an available table.

Dean & Deluca has a nice selection of dishes and we chose the ones I read were good—Trio Field Mushroom Soup (PHP280), Gratinated Baked Oysters (PHP325), BBQ Braised US Beef Short Ribs (PHP850), and Seafood Medley (PHP980).

First served was the soup and it was lovely. The texture was slightly thick and the truffle cream was divine. I loved slurping it the thinly sliced mushrooms.

Next served was the plate of gratinated baked oysters. I read really nice reviews about this dish but… it wasn’t extraordinary. The oysters were indeed fresh and there was a nice contrast between the grated cheese and the smooth oysters but that was about it. Well, if you’re a fan of oysters, you’ll most likely enjoy this dish.

Soon, the Seafood Medley was served.

Plating was not as nice as I pictured it and the portioning of sea bass, salmon, prawns and calamari was a bit disappointing (especially since the dish was split into four). Just like the baked oysters, it was a dish of fresh seafood but that was it.

Dinner was saved by the BBQ Braised US Beef Short Ribs. The flavorful thick pizza was something else. I loved the combination of braised US beef short ribs with roasted garlic, béchamel sauce, caramelized onions and chimichurri. It wasn’t cheap but definitely worth the price.

I’ll definitely go back (hopefully soon) to try Dean & Deluca’s desserts!

Thank you, R, for the treat! <3

Dean & Deluca is located at Rockwell Edades, Rockwell Center, Makati City. Store hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.