First Bite: Hatch 22

As I grow older (and hopefully wiser), I learn to appreciate my alone time. Being alone does not automatically mean lonely. It’s just that you are capable of doing things on your own. The only downside I could think of when eating alone is that I couldn’t order a lot as (1) I could not finish everything and (2) I’ll be too poor if I always do that. A few Sundays ago, I decided to have lunch at Hatch 22, a restaurant many warned me about. But since I was alone, I could eat wherever I want (and order whatever I want).

Hello, Hatch 22!

The place had a few empty tables when I arrived. I noticed that it’s more of a family place; that or simply because it was a Sunday. (And so, I was the only solo diner that time.)

I spotted a few salmon dishes while browsing the menu and so I ordered: Salmon and Lemon Caper Salad (PHP375 for half), Salmon and Rosti (PHP455), Pumpkin Spice soup (PHP185) and a glass of Grilled Lemonade (PHP110).

First served was my Grilled Lemonade.

I was warned that the drink has a bit of spice and true enough, it reminded me of Juju Cleanse. It was refreshing though and the lemon was really grilled!

The soup arrived next and it was a creamy bowl of heaven. The pureed roasted squash was delightful. The slightly sweet taste of squash went well with the salty chorizo bits.

My salmon salad was also great. Though it looked small, the marbled potatoes made the salad a filling dish. I liked the generous serving of goat cheese which added extra flavor to the salad. Yum!

I was slightly full when my main dish arrived.

But salmon is salmon so I still ate half of it. While munching on my lunch, I realized how unplanned my meal was. My salad and main were pretty much the same only the main course had potato rosti instead of marbled potatoes. I liked the mix of the seared salmon medallions with the sous vide egg and hollandaise sauce though.

I have to admit, I was surprised that I had a good lunch. My expectation was very low as several foodies told me that Hatch 22 serves mediocre food. I guess, it really depends on the person.

Hatch 22 is located at Ground Floor, Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City.