Chef Robert’s: Comfort Food

Manila is fast becoming a foodie haven. The well travelled pinoy has brought home the unique and different flavors of where they lived and worked. Numerous foreigners have also started calling the Philippines home resulting in a melting pot of flavors and cultures — truly a foodie’s dream come true.

This variety of flavors is reflected in Chef Robert’s menu where it doesn’t seem to have a unifying theme. Instead, the idea is the favorite (and commonly the simplest) dishes of different countries cooked exceptionally well. Chef Robert said that the theme is bringing guests “comfort food” from all over the world. The idea is simple and promising.

We were a big party when we visited, around 10 people. So we were able to order a lot of dishes. but of course, what we really wanted to try was the Manila’s Signature Dish of 2010 from this restaurant. The UFS signature dish was comprised of Ceasar Salad, Lengua ala Pobre, Panna Cota (where ingredients from Unilever Food Solutions were used) and Wine (from Casillero Del Diablo). Another sponsor of this promo was BPI.

The Caesar salad was delicious, again attesting to the freshness of the ingredients used. It had the right amount of cream (not too soaked), therefore making it just right to be given as an appetizer for the set meal.

The Lengua ala Pobre then came in. For those who oftentimes ask for extra sauce, you need not worry since the dish was drowning in sauce. The lengua was just the perfect firmness but since it had too much sauce, the beef was literally lost in it. A little improvement in the presentation could be made.

The wine was easy to drink and was enjoyable.

The Blueberry Panna Cota was good. The base had a subtle taste that went well with the blueberry toppings.

We also ordered other dishes. We started off with the Salad Rolls in Kani and Mango Dressing.

The vegetables were crunchy and clearly fresh. It was presented drenched in mayonnaise which made me think it was not going to be delicious, but I was wrong. It was very good. The vegetables were flavorful. This was fast becoming a favorite, a perfect start to a hopefully good meal.

We had the Crisp Tofu in Hondashi Dressing next. The flavors were well-balanced. You can clearly distinguish the taste of the tofu – it wasn’t drowned in sauce as tofu dishes normally are.

For our main dishes, we had the Chicken Teriyaki, Salmon Teriyaki, Yellow Fish Curry and the Korean Beef Stew.

The Chicken and the Salmon Teriyaki were quite good and meaty. i have been to restaurants where the strips of the chicken and the slices of fish almost vanish into thin air. Here, at Chef Robert’s, the teriyaki dishes have slices of meat and fish that are quite substantial.

next Dish: Yellow Fish Curry — The curry wasn’t too spicy; it was just right for the Filipino palate, who generally would order curry dishes and ask the waiter to make it “mild”.

My favorite was the Korean Beef Stew. Who would not want this? The beef was tender. The sauce was just of the right sweetness and you can mix the sauce with plain rice. It was the perfect comfort food!

For dessert, we added to the Panna Cota and ordered the Devil’s Fork Cake and the Chocolate Fondue. The Devil’s Fork Cake was sinful! It was so tempting and delicious. The Chocolate Fondue was your basic fondue where fruits and marshmallows (which my nephew loved) are dipped into melted chocolate. As I’ve always said, I don’t think anyone hates anything smothered in chocolate.

We got the chance to talk to Chef Robert and quite surprising, he looked young and yet carried himself quite professionally. He mentioned that in his family, there were no chefs since the family business was auto parts. He wanted to pursue his passion for cooking, so he took classes in Singapore.

Chef Robert creates well made no- pretentious dishes. My uncle who was a balikbayan loved it and enjoyed the very cozy and comfortable atmosphere. If you’re looking for comfort food after a particularly stressful day, you can’t go wrong with Chef Robert’s.

* The Manila’s Signature Dishes 2010 is sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions (UFS), which is the preferred foodservice business partner among restaurateurs. UFS felt the need to acknowledge notable restaurants that are developing Manila as a culinary city. They have partnered with select restaurants within the metropolis in coming up with signature dishes. UFS has synergized with these restaurants, both through dish development and promotion campaign for these signature dishes, in achieving one common goal: coming up with a different culinary experiences that provide value for money and culinary memories for diners.

If you’re a restaurateur (or an aspiring one) and in need of help in coming with your signature dish, call (632) 588-8855 or email at [email protected].

Contact Details:
Chef Robert Restaurant
847 Banawe St. corner Linaw St., Quezon City
Phone Number: 74093330 / 4130674
Email Address: [email protected]

Be Sociable, Share!

•