Xi by Café Guilt: Elevated but Unfocused Comfort Food Dining

To escape the Chinese New Year crowd in Chinese restaurants, my family and I decided to spend CNY lunch in Xi by Café Guilt. It was a great decision as it felt like we had the entire place to ourselves. The gorgeous restaurant came with high ceilings and a beautiful tropical background that made it feel like we were dining inside a hotel resort.

I found its menu selection quite overwhelming and confusing especially since I struggled to find a common theme to it as there’s a little bit of everything from Asian dishes to grilled meats; from salads to pizzas. It feels like it’s trying to appeal to all sorts of diners.

XI’S TRILOGY OF CEVICHE (P990)

We opted for the Xi’s Trilogy of Ceviche – which features a trio of red snapper, tuna, and blue marlin ceviche. A lot of thought was placed in coming up with unique combinations and toppings per ceviche – resulting in an exciting spectrum of colors and flavors. Unfortunately, the fish used was not as fresh as we would have liked it to be.

CLASSIC BUFFALO WINGS (P350)

We also treated ourselves to some Classic Buffalo Wings – which came in the neatest and most sophisticated plating of buffalo wings I’ve ever laid my eyes on. I love how straightforward it was done though – juicy nicely-fried chicken in a crisp batter, glazed in a fiery lip-smacking sauce. Unfortunately, this isn’t available anymore in its current menu.

GRAVED SALMON SALAD (P875)

The Graved Salmon Salad was a delight – generous amounts of cured salmon served as the main protein of this salad mainly made up of a combination of lettuce and kale and dressed in a pleasant vinaigrette sauce.

PULPO A GALLEGA (P745)

We got the Pulpo a Gallega for our first main dish – and it was an utter disappointment. The octopus was rubbery and bland – truly, wasting such a generous portion of it. Even the chimichurri it came with wasn’t enough to salvage it in terms of flavor. An order comes with your choice of starch: potato, rice or mashed potatoes; and buttered vegetables.

B&B (BAGNET AND BRINGHE) (P900)

I have a deep fondness for Bagnet and Crispy Pata, so ordering the B&B was a no-brainer; however, one glimpse at the plate we were served with– and you can already tell that the pork’s not going to be crispy. The pork belly meat was tender, but boy was its skin undesirably tender as well. It was also quite bland – I’m not sure if this was intentionally done as it came with fragrant and flavorful rice cooked in turmeric and coconut milk. I like the rice, but definitely not a fan of the Bagnet.

GRILLED TOMAHAWK BERSHIRE (P2500)

We opted for the Grilled Tomahawk Bershire to share instead of their steak – and fortunately, we were quite happy with it. It could have been juicier, but it’s tender enough to be enjoyed. An order comes at a massive 400g and would come with your choice of starch: potato, rice or mashed potatoes; and buttered vegetables. It’s then served with barbecue sauce.

Ultimately, I loved the ambiance of the place; the service was warm and accommodating but nothing really stood out from the dishes we ordered that makes me excited to book that second visit immediately.

Xi by Café Guilt

Scout Rallos cor Scout Torillo, Quezon City

Date of Visit: January 22, 2023 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua and Jem Chua