The Pig-Out Special: Grilled Perfection (Part 2 of 2)

After recovering from the grease, the fat, and the guilt from the first installment of the Pig-Out Special, this installment will be devoted to perfection, in the form of succulent cuts of deliciously grilled pork chops. We want them oozing with juice, tender to the bite, and packed with a whole lot of flavor. On the chopping block would be the chops from Apartment 1B, Dome Café, and ‘Cue Modern Barbecue.

APARTMENT 1B

Apartment 1B’s homey and laidback atmosphere makes it a favorite haunt for that weekend brunch we all love to have. Its well-lit interiors and excellent service immediately make you feel-at-home and immensely comfortable. The restaurant is mainly known for its brunch fare, yet it also boasts of an array of meat and seafood entrées that you can enjoy anytime of the day.

GRILLED PORK CHOPS (P530)

Apartment 1B’s Grilled Pork Chops would have to be the most photogenic in this feature. Its chops come with an aesthetically gorgeous pattern of grilled streaks, while the sautéed vegetables and mashed potatoes lend color to the dish. These divinely grilled chops did not only pass the juicy, tender and tasty test; but were also topped with a dollop of apple sauce which beautifully harmonized with the smoky tones of the meat.

EGGS BENEDICT WITH SMOKED SALMON AND SPINACH

(P460 for 1 pc/ P790 for 2 pcs)

One of my all-time favorite brunch items would have to be the Eggs Benedict. Apartment 1B provides its diners with two topping choices, the Canadian Ham and Spinach for the carnivore (P300 for 1 pc/P460 for 2 pcs); and the Smoked Salmon and Spinach for the more indulgent. Its Eggs Benedict was executed well; but lacked the pizzazz generated from the Grilled Pork Chops, on its own. The element which made this dish spectacular would have to be its House Fries, which featured perfectly deep-fried potato quarters, with their edges wonderfully crisp, and tossed in with luscious caramelized onions which made this side dish to-die-for!

Droolworthy Dishes: Grilled Pork Chops, White Toblerone Cheesecake, and House Fries

Apartment 1B

GF One Rockwell East Tower, Amorsolo Drive, Makati City

Date of Visit: April 12, 2014 (with Lily Chua)

DOME CAFE

A number of years have passed since I last dined in Dome Cafe. I was relieved to find the coffee shop-restaurant still maintain its rustic ambiance, attentive service staff, and good food in its Shangri-la branch. I decided to celebrate me-time in this visit; and it felt like a wonderful homecoming.

GRILLED PORKCHOP (P495)

Dome Café had a lighter approach to its pork chops. Serving it with a zest of lemon, made the tender-juicy-tasty certified chops give off a feeling of spring season. Melt a layer of garlic herb butter on each slice, and enjoy how sumptuous each bite could be! It took a while for me to get used to how the chops tasted with the barbecue sauce. It tasted odd, but it didn’t make the meat unappetizing. The chops were served with a side salad in need of more vinaigrette; and an unflattering cup of buttered rice. A cup of plain rice would have suited my needs better.

CHOCOCCINO (P80)

A visit in Dome Café is not complete without ordering from its drink selection. For today’s visit, I decided to try its Chococcino, upon the kind recommendation of one of the restaurant’s veteran waiters. It was a lovely cup of hot chocolate, topped with milk froth and Dutch cocoa; a perfect bittersweet ending to my lunch.

Droolworthy Dish: Grilled Porkchop

Dome Café

GF Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City

Date of Visit: December 6, 2014

‘CUE MODERN BARBECUE

I’ve only been to ‘Cue once, but a visit was enough to make me drool upon hearing the name of the restaurant. ‘Cue is a carnivore’s paradise, as it serves up a wide array of sumptuous meat dishes that aim to please.

The restaurant serves up perfectly seasoned barbecue popcorn as its house appetizer. I appreciated how they made sure that the house appetizer is light enough (so as not to spoil your appetite for the upcoming main events) but still a delight to devour.

CHARLESTON SHE CRAB (P260)

A spoonful of its Charleston She Crab chowder was enough to heat our stomachs up while waiting. Mixed with chives, and cooked with dry sherry, the soup was flavorful but lacked the thick consistency I look forward to in chowders.

BONE MARROW AND STEAK TACOS (P485)

I’m definitely not a fan of bone marrow (in my mind, it’s simply a solidified burst of oil); but I didn’t regret ordering this indulgent appetizer because of its to-die-for tasty steak chunks. It is quite a struggle to wrap these soft tacos, because the oil of the marrow and meat made the tortillas greasy; but the marriage of flavors and variety of textures you get from the whole package makes it worth the trouble!

BLISTERED TOMATOES AND ROASTED GARLIC (P285)

We wanted a light pasta dish to complement our heavyweight mains so we opted for the restaurant’s matured aglio e olio pasta, the Blistered Tomatoes and Roasted Garlic. Little did we know that this white tequila-laced pasta dish was intensely packed with flavor that it didn’t need any help from the meaty dishes to be noticed. Definitely an underdog dish packed with surprises!

ANGUS BEEF BELLY (P695)

Each of ‘Cue’s main dishes comes with a side dish of your choice. We paired our 250g Angus Beef Belly with ‘Cue’s Chili Monggo (P125 a la carte). The beef belly seemed to have underwent a number of cooking techniques before it was plated for us; the menu narrates that the beef belly was “braised, charred, and mustard crusted”. We probably devoured this tremendously tender beef belly within a fraction of the time it took to prepare this dish, but I believe that such fact does it justice. Dab it with some horseradish to make each bite more mouthwatering!

On the contrary, the Chili Monggo seemed quite mediocre for me. I’m a big fan of mung beans, and of chili; but they just don’t seem to be a perfect fit for me.

THE BABY BACK RIBS (P645/P1185)

‘Cue’s The Baby Back Ribs comes in two options: the dry house-made spice rub version, or the wet house-made barbecue glaze version. Since the dry-rub also comes with its own barbecue dip, it seemed like the variant which allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds. Fortunately, we just got half of a slab of the ribs because this dish definitely underperformed. In fairness to the restaurant, the execution was flawless; the ribs were tender, juicy, and tasty; yet, it’s far from the best out there. We paired this dish with a cup of garlic rice which costs P50 a la carte.

KING HENRY CUT PORKCHOP (P625)

The best dish I’ve tasted from ‘Cue so far, and the best one in this feature, would have to be the King Henry-Cut Porkchop. It may look like the least appetizing in the pork chop dishes featured in this article, but it’s definitely the best tasting by far! The chop’s lovely juices ooze as you slice through it. Each piece is a tender piece of heaven! We loved it so much that we had to get a second order of it. Just an insider tip: if you don’t mind not having a photogenic pork chop, ask the kitchen to slice it up into chunks. This way, not only are you certain that the meat is cooked thoroughly, but the extra-charred chunks become even tastier!

It’s just fitting that the best main dish we had was paired with the best side dish we have chosen for the meal, the Onion Strings (P65 a la carte). This side would have to be the best onion ring (or onion ring-like) dish I’ve ever tasted! Wary of having just enough batter coating, the kitchen was able to keep these strings immensely crunchy and tasty. The best part is it wasn’t greasy at all! Definitely, a winning combination!

Droolworthy Dishes: King Henry Cut Porkchop, Onion Strings, Angus Beef Belly, Blistered Tomatoes and Roasted Garlic

‘Cue Modern Barbecue

LGF Bonifacio High Street Central, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig

Date of Visit: December 26, 2014 (with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jem Chua, Jared Chua, and Stephanie Marquez)