Dining Snippets: Le Petit Soufflé x Matgalne x Freezer Burn
LE PETIT SOUFFLÉ
The restaurant already won me over by its indulgent classic, the Foie Gras Mac and Cheese, which commands a steep price when compared with other mac and cheese dishes in the Metro, but I guarantee your money’s worth as the kitchen generously lays down gloriously huge foie gras slices atop the noodles. However, in this visit, I decided to check out its other offerings.
SESAME CRUSTED TUNA SALAD (P345)
We started our meal with a light Sesame Crusted Tuna Salad. I was disappointed that the seared tuna came in such tiny slices that I failed to appreciate its flavor and texture as they were gone before I knew it. Fortunately, the seared tuna was served in a well-balanced salad in terms of color, and flavor. Fresh greens to be dressed in sesame wasabi are tossed in with shimeji mushrooms, kani, and bonito flakes. My only request is to make the slices bigger; and perhaps add an additional one to two pieces to attain a nice ratio of greens to tuna.
CLASSIC FRENCH ONION (P220) and KINOKO FRITES (P235)
Its Classic French Onion soup was executed well. Layers of caramelized onion, melted Gruyere and Emmenthal cheeses, and rye bread make up this hearty starter. Classic as it may be called; the soup surprisingly came with bacon bits that lent its smoky savory taste to give it a dash of attitude. On paper, the Kinoko Frites seem like a light appetizer that can be snacked on while waiting for the main dishes. Boy, were we wrong! These deep fried enoki and oyster mushrooms aim to quickly fill you up. Lightly battered, seasoned with matcha salt, and paired with Tonkatsu mayonnaise; these delectable fritters are a highlight of their own.
JAPANESE BEEF CURRY SOUFFLE (P525)
The Japanese Beef Curry is a testament to the adage that good things come to those who wait. This dish takes 20 minutes to give enough time for the soufflé to rise. This beautiful crust opens up to a large serving of deliciously cheesy beef curry rice; that I, as a non-curry fan, was able to appreciate and enjoy. This dish was definitely worth the wait!
Le Petit Soufflé
3F Century City Mall, Kalayaan Ave., Poblacion, Makati City
Date of Visit: July 5, 2016 with Kino Mendoza and Jem Chua
MATGALNE
Prior to this visit, my Matgalne experience was just limited to its ‘unlimited’ meat concept in its Makati branch. This was why I was a bit taken aback when I was presented with an ala carte menu in its Shangri-la branch, for I thought I wasn’t going to get my money’s worth. However, seeing and tasting its excellent banchan selection quickly put me at ease.
Many Korean restaurants (here and in Seoul) fail to give enough attention to the taste quality of their banchan offerings. Perhaps they think diners tend to look past this as these unlimited bowls of sides are usually complimentary. For this reason, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of flavors, colors, and ingredients Matgalne sprawled out for us. (The minimalist plating earned brownie points for me as well!)
SOY GARLIC CHICKEN (P355)
Its take on classic starters were mediocre. Despite being stuffed with seafood, the Haemul Pajeon (P345) still turned out tasting bland. The Mandu (P195 for 4 pcs, P255 for 6 pcs) came in beautiful golden brown wrappers; but the filling lacked in flavor. Surprisingly, it was the Soy Garlic Chicken that caught our attention. Not only did it came in a generous serving size, the chicken pieces were insanely crisp, juicy, and coated in a zesty soy garlic sauce. Move over Bonchon and Kyochon, as Matgalne offers both quality and value for money!
SAMGYEUPSAL (P345 for 150g) and WOO SAMGYEOP (P395 for 150g)
Its meat dishes were just alright for me. They were cooked well; but were in want of more marinade. Perhaps I never noticed the mediocre quality of their meats before as I was focused in making the most out of my money’s worth in their unlimited offerings. Of course, the blandest of meats can be made delicious when masked with scoops of gochujang so you won’t have to worry about that as long as they have this sauce in stock.
Matgalne Korean Restaurant
Level 6, Shangri-la Plaza Mall, East Wing, Shaw Blvd cor EDSA
Date of Visit: July 6, 2016 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua, and Jem Chua
FREEZER BURN
KETCHUP AND MAYO WITH FRIES (P295)
Although I’m not a fan of Ketchup or of Mayo (I actually cringe when I see blobs of them), I couldn’t resist ordering the Ketchup and Mayo for my first scoop in Freezer Burn. To complete the experience, I opted for its Composed Dessert version which came with fries. The verdict? It was undoubtedly weird; as you can taste the tartness of the ketchup. Yet, I couldn’t stop myself from getting scoop after scoop because for some reason, the flavor works. I recommend everyone to try it at least once. I doubt I’d order another scoop of the Ketchup and Mayo flavor, but its Maple Bacon is a completely different story. If only it were nearer to my place, I’d be tempted to have that as a weekly treat!
Freezer Burn
GF Q3, Bonifacio High Street, 9th Ave., Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Date of Visit: July 9, 2016 with Lily Chua
