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Are you guys ready for my gastronomical experience treat for you? Warning! Before reading this blog of mine, be sure that you have a full stomach. Because, if not after you have read this article you're just going to drool and head straight right away to this restaurant place that gave me a wonderful treat. However, what restaurant am I talking about here? Do you have any idea? Well, have you ever heard of "Watering Hole Cafe Bar"? They are located in Forbes Town Center, Burgos Circle Bonifacio Global City. If not, you have to allow me to tackle a little bit of information, and how this restaurant even started (YAAAS!!).
Watering Hole, was established in 1995. They were the first independent brewery in the Philippines (Awesome, isn't?). It is a cool hangout place in Shangri-La Mall where kiddos and the young at hearts (haha) found themselves during their weekend night outs. They have live performances from various local acoustic band artists way back in the 90's (feeling a little bit too old?). But then, despite their booming business, they decided to shut it down (huhu). Don't you worry! Because they are back. Back in the mainstream. Back in a new environment, new home and an upgraded version of menu. Watering Hole, now serves a wide range of Filipino comfort food. And the good part here is that you won't need to shell out huge amount of money, just for you to satisfy your cravings.
They offer comfort food from the famous "putok-batok" sisigs, to Bagnet, to Crispy Binagoongan, to Gambas Al Ajillo, to Wagyu Tapa, to LumberJack's Breakfast, to Alugbati Salad. For the early risers, expect its doors to be open for you and will be serving breakfast as early as 8am since the re-opening of the restaurant. And for those of you who just wanted to chill out after a long day at work, during weekdays they will stay with you guys up until 11pm. It’s also a place where you can sober up after a long drinking session with your friends.
Let's get down to business. Shall we? So, last May 26 (if I can remember t'was a rainy Friday afternoon) I visited and tried out some of their famous and not so famous dishes in their menu. And what I've tasted so far and ofcourse with the help of our reliable server, Gerry, he was able to explain/discuss thoroughly each food that most of their customers crave and come back for.
Starting off from: "STARTERS LIST OF FOOD". I have tried their GAMBAS AL AJILLO.
Gambas Al Ajillo- The prawns were sautéed in olive oil, garlic and chili. Well if you really know me, you know that I'm one of those people who really loves to eat shrimps (YAAS). While the term Gambas al Ajillo describes a wide variety of dishes, given how many ways its possible to combine shrimp and garlic, one thing is consistent every time. It will be delicious. There has never been a time I’ve seen garlic shrimp on a tapas menu, and not ordered it. Never. I’m not being dramatic, I just mean that this is one of the most satisfying and flavorful meals around. With a good food like this, one can only really use the ingredients as guidelines, given that there is so much room for experimentation and play. It’s also one of those recipes, similar to guacamole in that you need to taste and alter it a few times before you get it ‘right’.
Let me say there are a whole lot of BAD versions of gambas out there, often overcooked, dried out mini-shrimps swimming in vegetable fat with minimal spices. Sometimes they are dripping in tomato sauce, yet other times the garlic is burned beyond recognition. I realize different strokes for different folks, but I would describe the ideal gambas as plump and juicy medium sized shrimp (not prawns), in olive oil with lots of garlic at the golden but not burnt stage, with chilli peppers to taste and sufficient salt to set off the sweet meat of the shrimp. It must be served hot. And they were able to give justice to one of my favorite dishes of all time (*kudos to the chef).
This was the absolute perfect tapas or pulutan for me. I wasn’t really into the chicharon bituka phase and I considered chicharon kind of like a snacking equivalent, but “gambas” and beer were just superb. And even if I didn’t have a beer, gambas were perfect with rice as an actual lunch or dinner meal!
All Day Breakfast: I ordered the WAGYU TAPA and the TINAPANG BANGUS.
Wagyu Tapa- Wagyu, meaning "Japanese cow" is any of several breeds of cattle, the most desired of which is genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat. The meat from such wagyu cattle is known for its quality, and commands a high price. Tapa is the term used to refer to salted, then dried meat. The meat may either be cured or uncured. Beef Tapa has since been made popular by the Filipino breakfast TAPSILOG - a combination plate of TAPA, SInangag (Fried Rice) and itlog (Egg). It is served with a side of sliced tomato or a spicy vinegar dipping sauce, to complete the meal.
Being a Tapsilog fan myself, I have always been aware that not all tapas are made equal. Some are juicy while some are just dry; some are tender while some need to be eaten with a knife on your hand. Otherwise, you won’t be able to fully enjoy the meal. As for the taste, I can say that it had the balance of everything—just the right level of saltiness and, at the same time, there was no overpowering citrus-y taste that could be found in other tapas. It went well with the not-so-oily fried rice and perfectly done sunny-side-up egg. It was definitely a tender one. Chewing it, in truth, reminded me of how effortless chewing beef strips could be. Your jaw wouldn’t hurt even a bit.
Tinapang Bangus (boneless smoked milkfish) - I was able to try also on their All Day Breakfast menu list. My mom loves bangus (milk fish). Not because she's a patriotic person (it is our national fish) but simply because bangus is delicious according to her. It’s rather hard to explain why or how it is delicious.
However, if you are going to put it this way... If salmon and tuna are great because of their unique flavors and textures, it’s the same thing with bangus — it has qualities that cannot be found in other fish and that makes it special. I am so enamored with this dish. That you can eat it at anytime of the day. Smoked milkfish or tinapang bangus is the product of curing the milkfish or bangus by smoking to extend its shelf life.
Watering Hole Favorites: I picked the PORK SISIG.
Pork Sisig- (Sizzling crunchy pork belly with onions, green chilies). There are several restaurants and even eateries and “carenderia’s” that serve this wonderful dish. It has been very popular to the point that it is available almost all over the world. I know that we all have our own favorite places that serve pork sisig, but it is still good to know, that my new favorite restaurant serves this kind of dish. There are hundreds of "sisig" variations that are available today ranging from the original pigs face (maskara) ingredients to a more healthy seafood concoction such as squid, tuna, milkfish (bangus), and mussels. However, nothing beats the original "pork" sisig that has been popularized over time. Watering Hole made it Savory, smoky, spicy, tangy, crunchy, melts-in-the-mouth, lip-smacking and if you may excuse this last word – fatty. This is how I best describe this monumental dish.
I know some of you will cringe in hesitation by the mention of the last adjective but hey, what would you expect? It’s a pork dish! You fitness bomb and squeamish walking calorie-counter, you can walkout all you want because this one is not for you. But if you have that "cheat kind of day", then why not. Sisig is not only a sought after pulutan (food to pair with alcoholic drink) that goes perfectly with a tall mug of ice-cold beer, it can also serve as filling to your favorite tacos and burritos. Sisig might not be the healthiest of the Filipino dishes but it certainly characterizes true Filipino creativity and ingenuity, and how out of survival, a culinary masterpiece would emerge that the world now glorifies.
Set Meal: They also have set meals. (Served with steamed rice and mango salsa). I chose CRISPY PORK BINAGOONGAN to try it out.
Crispy Pork Binagoongan (with shrimp paste)- And was never disappointed, even at first bite. But first, what is this so called "Bagoong" [bah-goh-ohng]. Bagoong, for the uninitiated, is tiny shrimp, fish or other shellfish mashed with salt and then allowed to ferment until it becomes an intensely pungent but flavorful paste. It's a perfect match for that Crispy and juicy Pork.
This dish is a simple Filipino dish made out of crispy pork pieces dressed with bagoong sauce, a good dish paired with garlic fried rice. If you want to try it out, I must warn you as the flavors of this one is so salty and strong, one small piece of pork will mean more than enough for one heaping spoon of rice (extra cup of rice please!). The saltiness of the bagoong and the comforting taste of pork make an unusual but delicious pairing.
Healthy Selection: After all this "putok batok" food that I have tasted, ofcourse I have to choose one healthy dish to atleast pay all the damages that has been done. Therefore, ALUGBATI SALAD to the rescue.
Alugbati Salad (Blanched alugbati, mango-tomato salsa, adobo flakes, salted egg, patis-calamansi vinaigrette)- Who then, says veggies are boring? Forget the lettuce for the meanwhile. The alugbati's dark green and slightly shiny leaves are loaded with vitamins and minerals. Staunch enemies of this humble, underrated vine say the leaves are only good as a poultice for boils. Fine. But if you ever come across alugbati leaves in the market, know that they make a wicked salad. This is the first time that i've tasted such salad. And, I must say... with a pleasant surprise, is not that bad after all. I like the freshness of the alugbati. And i'm pretty much sure that they use only the finest of ingredients: The freshest of fish for their seafood plates and the choicest animals for their meat dishes.
One of the delicious dishes you can make with these fresh ingredients is Alugbati Salad, a fresh bowl of greens that delights the tastebuds and cleanses the palate. All you need is some alugbati (also known as Vine spinach or Basella Alba), white onion, olive oil, tomatoes, calamansi juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Properly washed and tossed salad ingredients will give this dish the crispy cool texture and flavor you didn’t know your body needed.
It’s definitely a great way to eat healthy after treating myself for that "putok batok" meals.
Part of their MERIENDA LIST: TURON ALA MODE
Turon Ala Mode (Sweet banana egg rolls with vanilla ice cream)- I'm pretty much excited to share this one to each and every one of you guys. Because this is my favorite part (THE DESSERT). YAAAS! You read that one right. Ofcourse our whole meal wouldn't be complete without the finishing touches. Dessert. I have feasted their Turon Ala Mode and i'm not ashamed of that. These dainty pillows of banana, resting under the blankets of ice cream is superb! The caramelization on the wrapper was achieved by adding more brown sugar while they were frying it (yummm).
Another DESSERT: CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE
Chocolate Lave Cake (chocolate cake, dark chocolate ganache, and vanilla ice cream)- (hA little bit of history for the "famous" Molten Cake. In 1997, A recipe for “Individual Molten Chocolate Cakes” appears in Joy of Cooking for the first time. Joy of Cooking declares the cakes “worthy of an elegant dinner party.” Along these elegant lines, a recipe for molten chocolate cake appears in Food & Wine magazine, in a feature called “Simply elegant: quick recipes for stylish entertaining.” Also in 1997, Jacques Torres’s recipe for Chocolate Fondants appears in his book Dessert Circus. Torres recommends using “quality chocolate”—classy chocolate—such as Callebaut from Belgium.
Seriously, I can’t even begin to describe how amazing these individual lava cake is. They are crispy and firm on the top. Once you cut it through with a dessert spoon, the ooey gooey chocolate liquid inside just flows out elegantly. Moreover, the best part is they serve the chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream (again), oh my! It’s such a wonderful treat for me. Can you just imagine the amount of energy that I have that day (haha)? Strangely enough I’m at a loss for words to describe how heavenly this molten chocolate cake is. I mean, look at it. Just look. You must try this extremely decadent Chocolate Lava cakes that boast of a lovely coffee flavor combined with the richness of dark chocolate.
To compliment my meals. I had a glass of Bugnay's Wine. Every heard of this "Bugnay" wines? Its wine made from bugnay (Antidesma bunius) fruit has become notoriously in demand. Touted to be the next wonder fruit, bugnay or bignay fruit is known to contain phytochemicals with potent antioxidants, which function to protect the body from free radical damage. Bugnay, by the way, is the Ilocano name of the berry-bearing tree that is widely known as bignay in other parts of the country. Because I love giving you guys a little bit of history when it comes to my write up. Why not, share the history of this so called "Bugnay Wine" to all of you. It was started a few years ago thru the initiative of Dr. Bielmaju Waly-Bawingan aiming to help the community people increase their income as well as promote local culture and tourism in Ilocos Norte. The bugnay wine has this quirky but pleasant taste and aroma which is likened to a grape wine hence preferred by consumers. It is reddish to purplish in color, resembling like any other red wines. Truly, elegance can now be as simple as having a supply of bugnay wine in the house. Bugnay (or Bignay) wine has made the tiny town of Adams in Ilocos Norte famous.
Then, what are you guys waiting for? Head over to Watering Hole and have your scrumptious meal. They are located at Unit F132, Forbes Wood Retail, Forbes Town Center, Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City Taguig