Recess: A Tribute to a Premature Departure

I've been a big fan of Chef Chris's My Kitchen, so when I heard that he opened up a new concept in Jupiter St., I couldn't help but be excited about it! Sadly, it closed its doors a few months after. I really don't know the reason behind such closure, whether it's over-expansion, lack of customers, or logistical problems. What I do know is that Recess served up quality dishes as expected from the famous chef; thus, it's just fitting to pay a simple tribute to it.

In contrast to the more sophisticated interiors of My Kitchen, Recess's concept resembled a Chemistry laboratory surrounded by red brick walls, complete with blackboard displays, school lockers, and some elements from the periodic table as ceiling fixtures.

I expected its menu to be interesting twists on school food or baon-inspired dishes, but I was greeted with a list of Continental main entrees, panizzas, pastas, and appetizers.

HYDROGEN (P790)

Chef Chris has always been known for his ultra-thin, ultra-delicious panizza creations; thus, it's no surprise that Recess had its own range of panizza selections. Naming these after chemical elements did make order selection a tad bit difficult, but we decided on the Hydrogen variant. Toppings included strips of Jamon Serrano, slices of bacon, slithers of smoked salmon, as well as crushed garlic and Jalapeno pepper. As expected, the rolls came out delicious and exquisite. The thin rolls were easy to assemble, and the greasy feeling during rolling is virtually non-existent.

RECESS FAVORITE (P690)

We ordered the Recess Favorite, which was a cream-based penne pasta dish topped with chicken fillet wrapped in beautiful golden-brown smoky bacon strips. The cream sauce was delightfully blended with walnuts and parmesan cheese, making the pasta dish enjoyable to eat. I just have a hard time grasping why the dish was named this way, because I'm pretty sure school cafeterias don't serve anything close to this during recess time!

RECESS CANNELONI (P590)

The Recess Canneloni for me was forgettable. The dish was executed with layers of cream sauce, pasta noodles, and cheese resembling a typical lasagna dish. Its high price point would have been more justified with a bigger serving size. Nonetheless, I don't think I would have eaten more than the few bites I had. It felt like a pricey side dish, instead of a pasta course that can hold its own.

PEPPERCURSTED US SKIRT STEAK (P950)

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Droolworthy Dishes:

Recess by Chef Chris

50 Jupiter St., Makati City

Date of Visit: May 11, 2014 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua, and Jem Chua