Friday, April 21, 2017

First Bite: Bistro United

I miss living close to Kapitolyo, one of the best food havens in the metro. Though it’s technically just 20 minutes away from where I live now, the traffic makes it seem a far away land. But good food conquers all and I found myself in front of this new restaurant in Kapitolyo one Tuesday afternoon. 

Hello, Bistro United.
This new restaurant by Chef Mia of The Round Table is one of the handful delectable additions in Kapitolyo. 

I was greeted by a beautiful marriage of industrial and garden-ish interiors that made the tita in me very happy. 
While waiting for our Pinoy feast (with a twist), we sampled some of Bistro United’s refreshing drinks. I went with Dalandan Juice which was perfect in quenching my thirst. 
I let the ice melt a bit as it was a bit too sweet for my liking at first. 

For starters, we had Smoked Fish Pockets (PHP125), Nacho Poppers (PHP105) and Crispy Ubod Salad (PHP125). 
I had smoked fish pockets during my super quick visit before and fell in love with its tangy tinapa taste. However, it tasted different this time. The delectable tangy taste was toned down a lot due to feedback that it was a bit too sour for most diners. *cue sad music* I guess I have to request for some vinegar or calamansi juice for that tangy kick I fell in love with. 
The nacho poppers may sound Mexican but it definitely tasted a lot Pinoy with the minced pork being topped with mango-tomato salsa and bagoong! 
Just be careful in getting your portion as the wonton cups are very thin and fragile. Mine broke down into two pieces just like how Moses split water.
The ubod salad was a sinful take on your usual bowl or plate of greens. The deep fried wanton was stuffed with your usual ubod ingredients namely heart of coconut palm, carrots, squash and kamote beans. Instead of dipping it in vinegar, the “salad” was drizzled with balsamic vinegar. It was pretty good and it could really turn non-salad eaters enjoy their portion of greens. 
I got so giddy when they served Arroz Caldo Overload (PHP155). The deconstructed arroz caldo allowed me to go crazy with calamansi and garlic. However, try not to put too much of the other toppings/ingredients as the congee itself is already flavorful enough. 
I sampled the sandwiches next and loved the Spiced Salmon Burger (PHP340) a lot. The delectable dense salmon patty was super flavorful that it didn’t even need the spiced kesong puti spread to enjoy it. The patty’s texture somehow reminded me of squid balls, in a good way.
The Fried Chicken Sandwich (PHP225) was quite filling for a sandwich with a thin pita bread for carbs. The thick boneless chicken fillet was like a Super Sized McNugget but made better with melted cheese, homemade srisacha (don’t worry, it wasn’t crazy spicy) and fried egg. I think it would have been better though with ketchup too. 

But if I were to choose my meal, I’d definitely go for The Amazing Roast Beef (PHP415), Adobo sa Mangga (PHP395) and Porchetta Kare-Kare (PHP345). Yes, I could not make up my mind on what I like best as these three are superb!
The roast beef of Bistro United is one of the best I’ve tasted. The US prime roast beef belly was so succulent that it made me tear up a bit. It was not surprising though on how Chef Mia got such heavenly result after finding out that they marinate the beef belly overnight and slow roast it for 6 hours. 
Though other places also claim to do these things, Bistro United is one of the handful that mastered this. 
Adobo sa Mangga surprised my taste buds and made me love the delicious green mango and bagoong combination in a whole new level. This dish didn’t use the traditional soy sauce and vinegar for its adobo as it turned to shrimp paste and green mango for the divine blend of salty and tangy flavors. And I absolutely love it! The grilled chicken was packed with flavor and the thick sauce was perfect with rice.
The porchetta kare-kare was another instant hit. I fell in love with the soft texture of the pork and its crispy skin. 
The thick peanut-y sauce was perfect as well and it didn’t even need bagoong anymore! It was that good.
I wasn’t too crazy with the Bagnet Ravioli (PHP245) and Dalandan Chicken with Ube Rice (PHP245) as these were overshadowed by the other dishes. But I’ll give these two another try soon. 
And I have to savor the ube rice in its fresh from the cooker state!
For desserts, we had the famous Tilapia ice cream, TuronCarrot Cake and Brownie.
I was taken aback when I had a bite of the turon. It was quite tangy as Bistro United went with mangoes instead of langka. 
Though good, I still prefer my turon with jackfruit. 
The chocolate brownie was pretty good. Moist, had a bit of crunch on the edges and very chocolatey! 
The carrot cake is divine! It was moist and have a lovely texture. It made a non-carrot cake lover like me want one whole order for myself.

But the winner for best dessert that night was the weird fish ice cream. I still could not comprehend how this fish turned into a delightful ice cream. I could definitely taste the tilapia and the texture was very evident but for some reason, it just worked. I love every bit of it and I will definitely order this again.
Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience. The dishes served were great and I loved the twist done for some. Each dish were priced at very friendly rates and it makes it a perfect place for family meals or reunion with friends. It’s even a great place for meetings as the function room can be used for just PHP5,000 (consumable). Winner? Definitely!
Bistro United is located at Ground Floor, D Strip, United Street, Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City.

Bistro United Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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