Filipinos love good food so it is always a treat to discover new dining places that serve excellent cuisine created by passionate cooks!
Peppermill Restaurant and Mixology Bar by Chef Vince Rodriguez is one such place. I am familiar with his flavorful dishes having tried them in Red Garlic Bistro and Krave Restobar before. When a good friend invited me and my husband to lunch in Katipunan recently (which is quite far from our home in Alabang), I didn't think twice and said yes when she mentioned who the chef behind the restaurant is.
We were not disappointed. All the food we got to try at Peppermill were, as usual, deliciously great! We started with the Shrimp Popcorn (P325) that has Rock Shrimp in Beer Batter and Signature Sauce. This is a must-try for shrimp lovers! I love the crispiness of the shrimp which goes well with the slightly sweet sauce.
I didn't attempt to try the Chili Taco Poppers (P235) though because I am not a big fan of spicy foods. I tried one like this in another restaurant before and happened to chance upon a really, really spicy chili inside. This dish is made out of Ilocos Chili, Mexican Spiced Beef, and Jabanero Dough. Hubby and our other companions love it though :)
For those who love Sushi Rolls, I'd highly recommend the Fire Cracker (P395) and the Rainbow (P395). The Fire Cracker is a California Roll with U.S. Scallops, Shrimp, and Kani. Surprisingly, it wasn't as spicy as I though it could be. My tentative small bite became a big one after I discovered how flavorful it is! Rainbow, on the other hand, has Smoked Salmon, Fish Tempura, Cream Cheese, Mango Salsa, and Cucumber. It is equally divine and one dish I'm going back for next time I visit Peppermill.
Our Trio Pizza (P565) showcased three flavors: Ilocos Bagnet (Eggplant Casserole, Bagoong Relish, Scrambled Egg, and Mozzarella), Torre Del Greco (Arrabiata, Rock Shrimp, Sundried Tomato, Arugula, Mozzarella -- add on Anchovies for P75), and Cinco de Mayo (Mozzarella, Cheddar, Fontina, Cream Cheese, and Padano). It's quite hard to choose which one I'd like best because all tasted really good. But I think given just one choice, I'd go for Torre because I love that it has arugula, dried tomato, and shrimp which are some of my favorite foods.
Pasta fan? We tried Vigan (P445) and loved the firm Spaghettini mixed in with Vigan Longganisa, Sundried Tomato, Artichoke, Olives, and Olive Oil. It was a refreshing change not to eat pasta with a creamy white or heavy red sauce.
I heartily welcome the dish called Thailand (P315) when it came out from the kitchen. This one is Thai Bagoong Rice with Sweet Pork, Green Mango, Peanut, and Scrambled Egg. Give me anything with mangga at bagoong and I am sure to eat a lot! I super love this dish. If there weren't other foods to try, I would have probably eaten everything on this plate; no sharing!
I paired Thailand with Ilocos Bagnet (P375) that comes with Bagoong Relish and Steamed Rice. According to Chef Vince, who hails from Ilocos, his brother prepares the bagnet himself, cooking them for hours in different oils at various temperatures, which result in the softest and crispiest bagnet I've every tasted. Promise! I've had bagnet in other restaurants before and felt like I was chewing gum by the time I got to the tough meat! Peppermill's bagnet is different and something every bagnet lover should have!
For those who are looking for fish dishes especially this coming Holy Week, order Norway (P395) or Black Sea (P455)! Norway has Encrusted Salmon with Sesame Nori, Unagi Sauce, Mango Salsa, and Steamed Rice while Black Sea is Halibut with Corn Tortilla, Tomato Relish, Olives, Capers, and Mashed Potato. Yum!
If you prefer to eat chicken, there's Monte Carlo (P395) served with Baked Half Chicken, Italian Herbs, Sundried Tomato, and Mashed Potato. Kids, for sure, would go for this one in a heartbeat!
I guess though that the main highlight to any meal made by Chef Vince would have to be his steaks and ribs dishes. This time, we had the Steak Roulade (P625) and Agave-Passion Fruits BBQ Beef Ribs (P795 half slab, P1245 full slab). Steak Roulade is made of Angus Rib-Eye, Asparagus, Red Wine Sauce, and Peppermill Mashed Potato while the other is Smoked Beef Back Ribs, Corn on the Cob, French Fries, and Passion Fruit BBQ Sauce.
Chef Vince makes his own smoked meats and, interestingly, uses imported wood chips to infuse unique flavors. He is a very hands on chef who also make all the sauces and dressings himself -- from scratch! He doesn't use ready-made ones for his dishes so clients are really assured to have the best dining experience with his meals.
For dessert, we had his famous Bread Pudding (a long-time favorite of mine) that is best eaten when warm, creamy Mango Cheesecake, and Hush Puppies (round, Buttermilk Danish Pancakes served with Vanilla Ice Cream).
Our drinks were House Blend Ice Teas in Raspberry (P75) and Passion Fruit (P110) flavors which are perfect refreshments to beat the summer heat! In case you're craving for some spirits, try Mixology's Mo Boston (P185) made with gin, fruit tea, and pandan or the God Father (P185) composed of tequila, cucumber, and basil. Be careful though because they taste sooooo good, you might forget they contain alcohol! I only took one small shot each to avoid getting intoxicated as I have very low alcohol tolerance :p
By now, you must probably be thinking how many people Peppermill can accommodate in case you want to hold a party there. The restaurant's capacity is for 45 to 50 guests but they have a function area at the topmost floor of the building that can accommodate up to 300 persons.
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| with Chef Vince who puts delicious in every dish he makes! |
There are lots of other dishes that I've yet to try at Peppermill so I'll be sure too come back there, soon. Do visit at Place One Building, 205 Katipunan Extension, Quezon City. They are open Mondays to Sundays from 11AM to 10PM. For inquiries, please call 9617129. Don't forget to like their Facebook page too!
For more photos taken during our lunch, please click here.
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