Dining Snippets: Chelsea Kitchen x Milky and Sunny x The Red Dot
CHELSEA KITCHEN
It took a long while for me to try Chelsea Kitchen out after its concept and branding revamp. I recall falling in love with its Frito Misto which was consistently served warm, crisp, and in a tasty batter. Glancing at its new menu, nothing actually popped up as familiar with the exception of the dish, Jones’ Tapa (more on this later).
SESAME SEARED TUNA AND MANGO (P350)
If you’re in the mood for a cold appetizer, the Sesame Seared Tuna and Mango salad guarantees a bright assembly of colors, and a beautiful medley of flavors. Beautifully pink seared tuna cubes are the stars of this dish; but I would have preferred them to be sliced more thinly. Go crazy with the two delicious dressings it comes with; there's the refreshingly sweet and tangy ponzu-honey on one hand, and the creamy miso dressing on the other.
CLAM CHOWDER PIZZA (P350)
The Clam Chowder Pizza is one item on the menu that’s hard to miss; I actually did a double take when I saw it! It grabbed our attention so much that we just had to order it! It was a bit odd, but the clam chowder concept surprisingly translated well into a pizza. Of course, I’d have it as soup at any given day, but it was a decent tasting pizza flavor nonetheless.
CRISPY PORK BELLY BAGNET (P420)
The Crispy Pork Belly Bagnet boasted of the kitchen’s technical prowess as the bagnet slices were flawlessly cooked: perfect crisp skin, tender and juicy meat which doesn’t leave any trace of grease on your lips. One major concern though was that they went overboard with seasoning the meat that it became too salty. Not even the onion apple jam it came with was able to temper it!
JONES’ TAPA WITH CHORIZO GARLIC RICE (P320)
The Jones’ Tapa has definitely withstood the test of time. I recall trying this dish out for the first time in the now defunct Mr. Jones’ in Greenbelt 3. I immediately fell in love with its tender strips of beef marinated in a perfectly savory and sour sauce with just the right hint of sweetness. When it closed down, we found that the dish was reinvented in another sister concept’s menu, Momo’s. It was a spicier take on their signature tapa aptly named as Mrs. Jones’. As Momo closed its doors, I’m simply relieved to discover that this beloved dish found its new home in Chelsea Kitchen; and that it’s still as delicious as the first time I’ve tried it.
Chelsea Kitchen
GF Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City
Date of Visit: June 18, 2016 with Lily Chua, Jem Chua, and Kino Mendoza
MILKY AND SUNNY
BREAKFAST NACHOS (P295)
Despite being a fan of all-day breakfast dining, Milky and Sunny never really appealed to me. It does have a range of choices on its menu which are reasonably priced, but I have yet to find a dish of theirs that I would come back for. For instance, their Breakfast Nachos promised to be loaded with bacon, Spam, hard boiled egg bits, salsa, cheese sauce, and sour cream; yet I barely could find a chunk of bacon or a hard boiled egg piece. Apart from that, the salsa tasted too much of ketchup (which sadly, I’m not fond of).
MOUTHWATERING MAC AND CHEESE WITH BACON (P295)
The Mouth-watering Mac and Cheese didn’t really look that appetizing. To be fair, it wasn’t bad but it was more reminiscent of a hearty bowl of sopas; rather than good old mac and cheese. The It’s So Fluffy Chicken, Bacon and Waffles (P280) grabbed my attention on the menu; but featured a plate of sad looking waffles. Taste-wise, it was decent. I loved the fact that they placed mustard inside as it complemented the smoky flavors of the bacon and the saltiness of the chicken. However, the waffles failed to have crunchy edges; which is a must-have quality for good waffles.
Milky and Sunny
GF Eton Parkview Greenbelt Bldg., Gamboa St. Legaspi Village, Makati City
Date of Visit: May 27, 2016 with Nick Castro, Kerwin Chua, and Dolf Constantino
THE RED DOT
Palanca Street’s slowly becoming a food destination as restaurants have decided to set up shop along this busy street. Ask people working in the area and they’re sure to know Belle and Dragon, Sicilian Roast, and Plantation. However, despite being a couple of minutes away from these restaurants, somehow, The Red Dot has maintained its under-the-radar status. If you’re looking for a hearty and affordable Japanese meal in the area, The Red Dot offers donburi’s priced less than P200; and bento boxes priced approximately at P300 to P350. With its crazy affordable prices, and quality execution of Japanese fare, I wonder why it doesn't generate as much noise as the others.
BUTA KAKUNI BENTO (P320)
Its Buta Kakuni is on the sweeter and saucier side when compared to Ooma’s; but it’s good nonetheless. Other good bento choices would be the Spicy Squid Teppanyaki (P330); whose sauce is interestingly spiced with gochujang; and its Salmon Shio Yaki (P365).
The Red Dot
110 C. Palanca Jr. St., Legazpi Village, Makati City
Dates of Visit: March 4, 2016/March 30, 2016/June 6, 2016 with Gwen Oliva, Tikay Yu, Michelle Cruz, Cesca Lacanilao, Den Avis, Norman Gatdula, and Marj Villacorte
