First Bite: Sobremesa

Sobremesa has been one of the most talked about restaurants when it opened. And how can it not make it to the social media world when it tries to address the society’s extreme addiction to gadgets. I’m sure that you remember this restaurant that had the witty idea of putting adorable small bird cages on every dining table where diners are encouraged to put their phones in. Yes, the idea behind it is to have a gadget-free meal and for people to actually talk to each other, in person. And to whoever cannot resist to check his or her phone, that person has to pay the bill of the whole group. Though I’m not exactly sure if diners actually locked their phones in, especially now with the need to document everything, it was and still is a great idea. I’ve been meaning to visit that restaurant for months now but traffic always gets in the way and I couldn’t drag anyone to go with me. But it was a different story a couple months back.

Hello, Sobremesa!

I was invited by The Menu Group to its blogger meet up a few months ago and I figured that this is finally my chance to visit the place as I have other foodies going with me.

We were greeted by a homey dining area with high ceiling. There are also a few couch seats by the side of the restaurant perfect for groups of four.

Sobremesa prepared a beautiful spread for us and we started off with Shrimp Ceviche Salad (PHP250).

The light appetizer was perfect to start any meal as it sure whet my appetite. The shrimps and greens were undeniably fresh. And the shrimp's natural sweetness was  beautifully complemented by the tangy dressing.

I also enjoyed the Queso Fundido. As a cheese lover, I drooled over the sight of melted cheese and actually eating it was heavenly. Though it wasn’t as cheesy as I thought, it was great for it didn’t overwhelmed my taste buds or the other dishes.

Sobremesa also offers a good array of wines and of course, with wine comes meat cuts. We didn’t have wine during our visit though but we were treated with Selection of Cured Meats (PHP495). The platter comes with Chorizo Pamplona, Salchicon,Vela de Lomo, Chorizo Bilbao, Ham and Potato Balls in the middle. Though flavorful and good with wine, the meats were a bit try for my liking.

The Peruvian Spiced Roasted Chicken (PHP380, half | PHP700, whole) was delectable! One order comes with Jalapeño and Corriander, Chimichurri and Garlic Yogurt Sauce. I prefer mine as is though as it was already flavorful without any of the sauces. Each bite was juicy and I loved how the spices made this dish addicting. I could eat one whole chicken with ease.

If you’re a fan of pork chops, you might like the Cuban Pork Chop. This grilled meat is marinated to delight the taste buds. Each bite will give you a scrumptious sweet and salty flavors which are beautifully balanced by the creamy mashed potatoes.

One of the items Sobremesa has been promoting is its Rib Eye (PHP600) and they even had a very enticing promo for it where you could endlessly feast on it for only PHP750 and have an option to have it coffee-crusted, herbed or the classic salt and pepper rub. Recently, I heard that Sobremesa will hold an unlimited steak and wine promo. Now that’s what I call a perfect romantic date!

However, if I were to choose, I’d go with Bufalo Estofado (PHP490). This slow braised beef stew is what I call the best dish to indulge in when feeling down as its superb taste will brighten anyone’s day. The blend of sweet and salty flavors of the broth and the succulent and almost melts in your mouth beef chunks made this dish a winner. I’d definitely order this again when I drop by Sobremesa!

For desserts, we sampled Lecheroon and Mango Coconut and Almond Cheesecake (PHP230).

The Lecheroon was an instant hit to those who love leche flan and macaroons. I liked that the dessert had the custard taste of leche flan and the grainy texture of macaroons.

But I liked the cheesecake more which gave a stronger impression. The combination of mango and coconut with cheesecake was genius! Sweet yet well-balanced.

Overall, it was a great lunch. Though not all were stellar for me, I left with a handful of favorites in mind that I’d love to go back for.

Sobremesa is located at Ground Floor, Sapphire Bloc, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.