Salvatore Cuomo Café: A Work In Progress
I’ve been wanting to try out Salvatore Cuomo’s branch in Uptown Mall for so long but simply couldn’t find the opportunity to do so. Fortunately, it decided to open up its latest concept in Podium, which is fortunately more accessible for me due to its close vicinity to both my home and workplace.
There was quite a considerably long Sunday lunch queue when we arrived since the restaurant was still in its soft opening and everyone was raring to try it; despite this though, we were seated within half an hour. The interiors were gorgeous as it boasted of high ceilings and indoor plants; lending the café an air of chicness and coziness.
FRIED MOZZARELLA CHEESE (P380)
Salvatore Cuomo Café aims to be a more relatable and affordable concept than its flagship branch in Uptown BGC as seen in how its menu prices are pretty were dropped down to be comparable with that of Cibo’s and other casual Italian concepts.
FRIED SQUID AND SHRIMP (P430)
For appetizers, we enjoyed the Fried Mozzarella Cheese; which comes topped with cherry tomatoes and lightly drizzled with EVOO. The mozzarella cheeses were on the gooey and gummy side; which made it quite a struggle to eat. I’d actually prefer mozzarella sticks that come clothed in a nice crisp batter (like that of Yabu’s). Another appetizer we ordered, the Fried Squid and Shrimp featured gorgeously golden deep-fried seafood pieces which possessed a perfect batter-to-meat ratio and were well seasoned. Unfortunately, it came in bite-sized pieces which weren’t enough for sharing.
HAM AND MASCARPONE (P420)
We had the Ham and Mascarpone, which served incredibly tasty penne cooked in vegetable stock and paired with forest ham cubes, green peas. Its savory mascarpone-parmesan truffle cream sauce was splendid!
SALVATORE STYLE AGLIO OLIO (P360)
The Salvatore Style Aglio Olio was a definite departure from the traditional aglio olio dish as it opts to add in some juicy cherry tomatoes and cheese on the place. It’s also saucier than what I’m accustomed to. It was definitely a tasty plate of pasta; but it's definitely not what we were looking for.
SMOKED SALMON PIADINA (P380)
We ordered the Smoked Salmon Piadina primarily because my dad got curious what it was when he saw it being served to a neighboring table. Ultimately, the piadina makes for a perfect light lunch or as an afternoon snack. The toasted pita was too chewy and crusty for my liking; but the filling is to die for. Fillets of beautifully hued smoked salmon, zested with lemon and dressed with mayonnaise, ricotta cheese, lettuce, and capers makes a for a relatively straight-foward classic; but I definitely enjoyed the balance of flavors it had.
PORCHETTA (100g – P200)
My family’s introduction to Porchetta began with Linguini Fini, The Moment Group’s discontinued Italian concept which was previously housed in SM Megamall. One bite into their incredibly flavorful and juicy Porchetta was enough for us to be instant fans so naturally, we've been in want of tasty Porchetta ever since Linguini Fini closed down, so we were pretty psyched to see it on Salvatore Cuomo Café’s menu.
The restaurant served the Porchetta as thin slices of tasty pork piled on top of each other instead of the carefully assembled circular pork slices I’ve grown accustomed to. Salvatore Cuomo Café’s also seemed to have opted for leaner parts of the roasted pork; but since these were sliced thinly, you wouldn’t have to worry biting through dry and tough meat. It's definitely not the same as Linguini Fini's, but it's tasty enough to be a good-enough substitute.
GRILLED RIBS (P575)
Another good choice from its mains would be its sous vide cooked Grilled Ribs. Apart from its smoky charred burnt edges, the ribs are wrapped up in parsley, lending them an interestingly earthy green hue. The ribs were not only wonderfully tender, but the deliciously spiced flavor of its rub and marinade were unmistakably noticeable.
MIXED MEATS NAPOLI STYLE PIZZA (P670)
Its pizza was average. It came with a mediocre-tasting dough (albeit one which boasted of beautiful charred edges); and was stuffed with just the right amount of toppings. Sausage, salami and bacon pieces make up its Mixed Meats Pizza; but honestly, I get more satisfaction chowing down slices from similar flavors from Shakeys and Yellow Cab. Motorino Pizza and Pizza Express prove to be superior options among its contemporaries.
Ultimately, it was a good enough first visit to Salvatore Cuomo Café especially as the restaurant was still on its soft opening. Perhaps it needs more time to work out its kinks; which is why I won’t say no to a second visit.
Salvatore Cuomo Café
GF, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City
Date of Visit: August 4, 2019 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua and Jem Chua
