ANGEL'S KITCHEN

A few friends of mine have been recommending this place since last year and we actually tried dining here before....... There was this one time when we couldn't get a seat at Lugang (just beside Angel's Kitchen) that we thought about trying the place out. But alas, without a reservation (and it was near 12noon) they could only manage a table for two (while we were a party of four).



Just last week, I made sure that we would get a table so I called in early for a reservation .......


While waiting for our orders, we were served some Complimentary Bread and Chicken Liver Pate.



Pate is creamy and seasoned just right...... bread is a bit too crispy for my personal taste. (but mom really enjoyed it)


Tuscan Tomato Soup



No cream in the soup, it's all tomatoes, herbs and spices (plus soup stock) Really delicious .... Enough said.


Longganisa Bolognese



The ground meat doesn't really taste like longganisa (at least not  the taste that I'm accustomed to) but overall, still an enoyable dish of  al dente pasta and flavorful harmony of olive oil plus the herbs and  spices.


Lamb Curry with Apple Raisin Chutney



The brisket was a little over so it's kinda dry and stringy. Indian  inspired curry sauce was a bit instense but should be alright if taken  with the sweetness of the apple chutney.


Atlantic Salmon in Aioli Potato Crust



Perfectly cooked salmon, mashed potatoes are a bit bland but good when you mix with the wasabi mayo.


Pinakbet Rice with Lechon Kawali & Chocolate Bagoong (Shrimp Paste)



(According to the menu, this is an award winning dish) Rice has the subtle flavor of bagoong so adding more of it  will only make it too salty. Veggies are crispy though the ampalaya are a bit too bitter. The pork is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside though was a little lacking in flavor. (guess thats where the bagoong comes into play, which by da way has very little distinct taste of chocolate)

Overall, I still think its a good dish though I'd personally skip the big slices of fried pork.


Rustic Apple Pie with Butterscotch Sauce



Not the prettiest to look at (I guess thats the rustic part of it), but overall it's still a good dessert. Apples were still semi crispy and they went really well with the sprinkling of cinnamon. Minor issue would be the top crust as its really tough to the bite.


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My Ipod touch indicates that they have wifi connection, but I didn't ask for the password.


Angel's Kitchen is located at 57 Connecticut Street, San Juan, Metro Manila  (just in between Lugang and this japanese grocery called Kombin)

CAFE REPUBLIQ

 

Quesadilla
Beef Short Ribs "Kalbi", Fresh Cilantro, Kimchee and Cheese Mix



When the dish was served, I noticed that the skin had a significant charr and that had me worried. Not that I don't like charred quesadillas but I had a feeling that the skin has become brittle that it's going to be a messy piece of quesadilla. (in the end, i was right about the brittle part)

Brittle Quesadilla notwithstanding...... It had good flavor with the right balance between the meat and the cheese. Though I was wondering about the Kimchi and the Cilantro part as I did not taste any of it (even if it was written in the menu).


Pulled Pork Barbeque Sandwich, Horseradish Mayo and Crispy Onions



Pork was overcooked so it had that dry and flakey texture. The Mayo had very little (if none at all) of the horseradish and the onions were not crispy.


Grilled US Porkchop, Thick Cut



Nicely cooked, very tender and quite flavorful even without the use of any sauces.


Grilled US Porkchop, Shoulder Steak



When we sliced the pork, we noticed that the insides are still raw. We sent it back to the kitchen so they can grill it some more. When it came out, I was a little concerned that the meat might have dried out but thankfully it wasn't the case.

And as it turned out this was my faveorite dish for the night as they managed to make this porkchop taste like a piece of beef steak.


US Beef Potroast in Mushroom Sauce and Soft Mashed Potatoes



Definitely overcooked so it was already dry on the insides. The mushroom sauce did little to help moisten the meat.


Miso Glazed Salmon, White Rice and Steamed Vegetables



Looks like it was grilled nicely on the outside but the fish is still raw on the insides.

Not that I'm afraid of fish with a raw center (remember I love sashimi) but I forgot to ask the server if it was the intention of the chef to do so. if it was intended by the chef, then the fish is cooked just right. but if it wasn't, then what we have here is a piece of undercooked salmon.


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CAFE REPUBLIQ is located at Resorts World in Paranaque