I have a lot of favorite Filipino dishes but I'd say there are several that top my list. I was glad to find out that Berting's Grill serves a few of them and that this restaurant's versions are really, really delicious!
The first time I went there with a few girl friends, Berting's Adobong Kangkong became a fast favorite. I liked it so much that I brought home an extra order to share with my hubby.
Last Monday, I went back to Tomas Morato in Quezon City with hubby and some friends to try out more of the dishes in Berting's menu line up. Since I'm not fond of spicy foods and my tongue got burned the last time I took a bite of the Lumpia (or what we called "mini dynamites"), I opted not to try it again. The guys liked it though.
Lumpia ni Berting - P195
What I attacked with gusto were the crispy pieces of sinful Chicken Skin dipped in vinegar. Yum! (Yes, I threw the thought of cholesterol out the door that night).
Crispy Chicken Skin - P195
I declined the Bicol Express with Lechon Kawali on the side because my tongue might go numb and I won't be able to enjoy the other dishes. I like this dish's presentation though. I bet those who love spicy food would enjoy savoring the layers of taste that the Bicol Express offers.
Crispy Bicol Express - P225
We next tried Berting's bestseller, the Lechon Manok, which has been marinated for 72 hours in special, secret ingredients before it is cooked fresh upon order for around 45 minutes. Chef Andrew Wijangco, the establishment's owner, shared that the true measure of a good lechon manok is one that needs no sauce or dip because it is flavorful in itself. I agree! I prefer eating nicely-cooked grilled chicken as is without the liver sauce that many Pinoys are used to.
Lechong Manok ni Berting
P360 (whole), P180 (half)
When the Crispy Kare-Kareng Pata was served, I readily transferred pieces of meat and veggies to my plate and ladled them with the peanut sauce and fish paste. Golly, that was the best Crispy Pata I've tasted in a long time!
Crispy Kare-Kareng Pata
P485 (regular), P535 (large)
And then there's the crispy and flaky Cream Dory with its special dip made with capers and butter. For me, the slightly sour sauce perfectly complemented the taste of the fish.
Crispy Dory - P225
Of course, we ordered my favorite Adobong Kangkong topped with lots of toasted garlic and I was glad to know that some of my friends found it uniquely different and delicious too.
Adobong Kangkong - P60
To cap off our totally satisfying dinner, we divided an order of Leche Flan among ourselves. It is very creamy and not too sweet. Just the way I like leche flans to be.
Leche Flan - P60 (single), P195 (whole)
Before we left, we checked out the second floor where they hold Acoustic Nights every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Too bad we went there on a Monday! The place is very spacious and would be ideal for big meetings or press cons. They have free Wifi so we were able to check emails and post Facebook statuses using our individual gadgets.
Aside from the Scout Rallos cor. Tomas Morato branch (open Mon to Sun), you can find the other Berting's Grill at Ortigas Home Depot along Meralco Ave. in Pasig (open Mon to Sat). Both branches operate from 11am to 2am. To place advanced orders (for the Lechon Manok) and for more info, call 441.2757 (QC) or 706.7800 (Pasig).
Oh, and if you're wondering who Berting is, it's anybody's guess. Chef Andrew revealed that it is just a Filipino name he thought of when they were conceptualizing the restaurant :)
3 comments:
I went there a while ago. It was my second time since it became Berting's Grill from Celsius. My first visit last December was okay. I like their food, no doubt. It just pissed me awhile ago. I, with my ex-colleagues, had our few shots. We came there at about 11PM. Their menu says that there is additional Php 10.00 for their drinks that it below zero. So, my friends ordered but the drinks were just 'normal' cold. It's forgivable, ok. However, my group was the only one left at around 12:30 AM. It was okay if the crew cleaned the other messy tables left by the customers. We were situated outside because we couldn't feel the aircon. It was hot inside, and we were drinking alcohol so imagine how hot it was for us so we transferred. Again, I let it pass.
What really pissed me off were their crew, especially the small guy, who closed the glass door on the 2nd floor. Obviously, if we still have orders, we're going to knock on that glass door. When I ordered for a San Miguel (Apple flavor), I kept on knocking the glass door. Both the girl in ponytail and the short guy looked at our direction but didn't mind our call. The girl went downstairs and the guy kept on texting. I made my knocks a little bit louder so he came. When he went back with my order, he opened the door with obvious irritation. I have nothing against the place. Food is nice and the temperature upstairs is unforgivable. Just don't give me a crew with an attitude. That will really ruin my night. Hopefully, the owner can read
this and reprimand that short guy. Really irritating.
Hi Tina, I'm sorry to hear that. I'll mention the incident to my friend who knows the owner so they can read your feedback.
Owner is informed regarding the incident and will take action on this matter.
-Management
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