Providore: Reinventing Filipino Favorites into Brunch Classics
My first visit to Providore created personal favorites out of their Zucchini Pecorino Fries and their Steel Plate Cooked Garlic Butter Salpicao Steak. I’ve always been partial towards fries of all kinds; however, theirs is my current obsession. Switching up our all time favorite root crop for some zucchini lends the famous finger food an extra crunch in each bite. On the other hand, the Steel Plate Cooked Garlic Butter Salpicao Steak boasts of a perfect marinade as it masterfully balances sweet, sour, and salty tones in the dish. You would definitely need some rice to accompany this dish.
I wanted to try out more of its dishes so I decided to bring along the rest of my family with me in this visit.
BEER BATTERED SEAFOOD “COCKTAIL” PLATTER (P595)
The Beer Battered Seafood Cocktail Platter is an appetizing feast as it elevates the classic squid rings and fish fillets by adding some crab rolls, stuffed shrimp, tawilis and crab into the mix. Mix and match the seafood to your preferred dips as it comes served with Lousiana hot sauce, tartar sauce, and cocktail sauce.
THE “YOU’RE GONNA NEED EXTRA RICE” BBQ PLATE (P375)
The “You’re Gonna Need Extra Rice” definitely whetted my appetite as I expected that it would boast of extremely smoky and charred meats such as the likes of classic Aristocrat and Alex III. Unfortunately, no amount of barbecue sauce helped in making us order an extra cup of rice since the dish simply was underwhelming.
PANCIT PALABOK (P295)
The Pancit Palabok featured a wholesome homemade rendition of a classic favorite as it came topped with tasty adobong baby pusit, crumbles of chicharon, and tofu cubes. A sprinkle of some fish sauce is a must to bring out the flavor potential of this dish.
WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER (P395)
The Winner Winner Chicken Dinner was unfortunately not a winning dish as it served up mediocre-tasting fried chicken. It aimed to make the dish value-worthy by serving it with some bacon and cheddar biscuit, mashed potatoes, and buttered vegetables; but overall its efforts seem to be wasted as it was a forgettable dish.
It was pretty disappointing that my second visit was grossly disappointing compared to my first visit. Luckily, I'm still won over by the Salpicao and Zucchini Fries that I'm not willing to cross this restaurant out just yet.
Providore
GF SM Aura, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Date of Visit: June 24, 2018 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua and Jem Chua
