Tummy Traveler: Discovering the Wonders of Modern Basque Cuisine at Vask

Some people learn about different culture by travelling and meeting the locals. Though, this is something I also enjoy doing, I like to understand other nation’s culture better through their music and their cuisine. I love eating and I can’t survive without a fix of Mediterranean and Spanish food, hence, I had been trying out different spots around the Metro. 

My favorite spot!

Recently, I decided to introduce some of my friends to Vask, which is a huge favorite of mine. The experience had been a fantastic one for all of us. Given that the basque cuisine is highly regarded in France and in Spain, I was quite enthused to hear about the opening of this restaurant. Considered as one of the best fine dining restaurants in the Metro, Vask had been continuously earning a lot of raves from its patrons.

Nighttime at The Deck.
Perfect for those romantic dinners!
They also have an event happening
here every Friday. 

Well, what do I love about this place? Let me see, one would be the culinary genius of Chef Luis Gonzalez. He was known to have worked for world famous restaurants such as El Celler de Can Roca and Arzak. I can also say that the awe inspiring interior and art installations by Carlo Calma and other fantastic artists always leave me fascinated! Then there’s the sometimes sensual and sometimes vibrant music playing softly in the background. Add to that is the experience of those lazy afternoons of lounging at the Deck with my friends while gazing at the sunset with a glass of wine in hand. For a foodie and art enthusiast like me, Vask is more than just a fine dining dream, it’s a haven!

Here, I’ll be listing some of my favorite bits from Vask, which I can definitely recommend to first timers!

The best tasting Carpaccio I’ve had around Manila. The parmesan ice cream is a curious thing but it definitely compliments the taste of the wagyu beef.

I'm not a big fan of anchovies but this dish is simply delightful. The mix of Calamansi and beetroot complimented the anchovies and I like the added texture produced by the bread crumbs.

I love anything crispy and of course tuna is definitely a yes! The caramelized onion made this dish really interesting!

Salads are not my go to menu, but I love this one!  The smokey flavor of jamon and the bits of foie gras make this dish, a must try!

I have 2 words for this dish – delicious and delicate! I don’t know how they manage to prepare that egg but this is a spot on!

   Pintxos with wine, pintxos with kalimotxo, pintxos with water…. pintxos all day! 

          I can eat this little bunch of goodness all day and not have enough of this. And one must try the Tuna Sous Vide, it's a definite love at first bite!

          

        Now on with the desserts, what's a nice meal without some indulging 

        sweets on the side?

Anise in your dessert, anyone? I know what you’re thinking, this made me frown too. But  you'll definitely love this one.

The taste of summer lingering sweetly on your lips, you'll want to have another round of this.

Chocolate is the love of my life. The molten chocolate, the hint of orange and vanilla simply makes this a must for fellow chocolate lovers!

Another interesting piece of dessert. The pistachio bits and the mixture of chocolate and rum ice cream, make this another favorite of mine!

So tell me what's your poison, wanna have some sip?

The name of this drink definitely got my attention. (And if you know me quite well, you'll know why.) It's definitely my Vask Poison. Mellow, sweet and fiery at the same time. 

Sweet and intoxicating. I can always drink a good sangria all my life!

Feeling adventurous or looking for a refreshing drink with a bit of a kick? Then this one got you covered. 

There goes my go to dish, dessert and drinks. Each time I visit the place it sure leaves me wanting for more. It's also a big bonus that they have a very engaging and courteous set of staff. It always feels like love at first sight!

So have you been to Vask lately?

A Subversive Dinner at Restaurante Pia y Damaso

"Subversive was defined as seeking or intended to subvert an established system or institution." 

Restaurante Pia y Damaso is located at the second level
of Greenbelt 5

From the name of the restaurant itself it's quite obvious that Restaurante Pia y Damaso had been inspired by Noli Me Tangere, a novel written during the time when The Philippines became a colony of Spain. After dining there I'd totally say that their tag line "Subversive Filipino Cuisine" is rather apt and its not just because of the era that inspired the place.

The restaurant had been around for some time now, although I haven't really been there before since I'm a bigger fan of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food. (For Spanish or Spanish-Filipino cuisines my main pick would be Barcino and Amalia's.) Anyway, my friend and I were having our usual food cravings and we got attracted to the place as we were passing by so we decided to give a go.

The place is rather small but I found the interior to be rather charming. The seats are inviting and comfortable and the chandelier casts a soft glow to the whole place, giving it a classy ambiance. The table piece is made of paper with details about their restaurant and the menu book is a bit of an artwork itself. Scrolling through the list of menu makes it even more interesting as some of the menu's had been inspired as well by the famous Noli Me Tangere.

I ordered a Smoked Tapang Usa (deer meat) and my friend went for Smoked Bbq Mango Pork (now, that is seriously a long name for a menu.) The deer meat was quite tender and juicy, although, a little salty for my taste but the green mango gave it a zesty twist and the garlic rice with the roasted pepper omelette sort of balanced the saltiness of the meat.

I had a taste of my friend's order and I had two thumbs up for it.The pork meat had a rich smoked, zesty taste to it and the concoction of garlic rice, scrambled eggs, pinach, apple, raisin and pinenut, made it oh so good!

Though, the real highlight of our night had been the Guni-Guni (Sisa's Dementia). It's a truffle cake with white chocolate almond pastille, dark chocolate mousse and ganache. It really made me go oohhh and ahhh upon tasting it and judging my friend's reaction, I'm certainly not the only one who had that toe-curling experience. It has a bittersweet taste to it, with the almond adding the right contrast for the velvety texture of the cake.  I would definitely recommend this to every chocolate lover out there!

As for the service I'd say, not that bad. I didn't see the name of the waiter who primarily attended to us but he was rather lax as opposed to his colleague who had been more attentive. And if you're paying a service charge on top of your bill, of course you would want to receive an excellent customer service, right?

So would I go back to this place? Well honestly, I'd most likely go back there only to have a taste of Sisa's Dementia once again and as well as to try the other desserts and also for their ambiance.

Their take on the traditional Filipino food is indeed subversive, but I have expected the fusion to really explode on one's tongue and I did not entirely experience that. As for the serving and the prices I find them to be reasonable, although I'm sure that those with bigger appetite will not entirely agree with me.

Smoked Tapang Usa
       (Salted deer meat from Nueva Ecija, with green mango pickles, roasted pepper omelette on garlic rice)

Smoked bbq mango pork
(Smoked barbecue pork with a mango marinade - served with a spinach, apple, raisin, pinenut and garlic rice with scrambled eggs)

the delighful Guni-Guni or Sisa's Dementia!
(Sugar free version of Sisa's Dementia-truffle cake with Belgian white chocolate and almond pastille, dark chocolate mousse and ganache <3)