Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Restaurant Review: Earth Kitchen in Bonifacio Global City



I fully support natural and organic farming. Not only does this produces safe food, it also helps the environment. So I am very happy to learn that Earth Kitchen, a restaurant I recently visited, is very dedicated in supporting local farmers and indigenous communities around the Philippines.  

smiling with a happy tummy :)
Earth Kitchen's dishes showcase crops from the Got Heart Farms in Tarlac as well as the restaurant's more than 100 partner communities from Luzon to Mindanao. As a backgrounder, this establishment is a partnership of Got Heart Foundation and Hizon's Catering. Its interior feels like somewhere you'd like to relax in amidst fresh greenery.

interior of Earth Kitchen's BGC branch
Like many of us who have been advocating for organic agriculture, the founders of Earth Kitchen also believe that increasing demand for organic and natural produce will help sustain the livelihood of marginalized communities. This, in turn, also encourages farmers to raise good, clean, and healthy food without using genetically modified organisms (GMOs), chemicals, synthetic fertilizers, and other harmful inputs such as petroleum-based urea, herbicides, and pesticides.

watermelon and rocket salad

I've tried several of their dishes and all … are … delicious! I like the Watermelon and Rocket Salad (P300) because it is chock-full of my favorite salad ingredients -- organic/naturally-produced arugula, pili nuts, home-made kesong puti, and balsamic vinaigrette. One of the staff said they unfortunately ran out of edible flowers, which make the dish even more colorful. I hope they'll have those the next time I dine there.

beef and citrus salad
The Beef and Citrus Salad (P320) is another hit with me because it tastes exactly just like something I ordered once at a sidewalk in Bangkok! This yummy dish has boneless beef ribs, raw papaya, peanuts, cilantro, herbs and greens, and dayap vinaigrette.

shrimp spring rolls
I'd also recommend the Shrimp Spring Rolls (P220 regular, P325 large) because it has pickled mushrooms mixed with greens, peanuts, and lime hoisin sauce. The flavors are strong but yummy.

beef bulgogi
I'm glad the kimchi rice in the Beef Bulgogi (210 for 2pcs, P310 for 3pcs) wasn't spicy as I expected because that made me enjoy biting on this flavorful soft taco made with boneless beef ribs, salad greens, and seaweeds. Two thumbs up!

four mushroom and egg 
The Fresh Homemade Pasta dishes are likewise a must-try. The Four Mushroom and Egg (P385), their version of carbonara, is creamy and tasty. It has slab bacon, shiitake, milky, and bacon mushrooms, topped with fresh organic egg.

pumpkin goat's cheese paccheri
It was my first time to try an "open" version of ravioli but the distinct flavor of the Pumpkin and Goat's Cheese Paccheri (P340) with pili nuts and bacon (optional) is something pasta lovers would appreciate. 
  
sweet potato tops ravioli
One more interesting dish is the Sweet Potato Tops Ravioli (P400) with white cheese, pili nuts, pomodoro sauce, basil, and parmesan cheese. It is another indulgent and delicious treat given the richness of the ingredients. 

risotto uni negra
The Risotto Uni Negra (P350) gets two thumbs up from me because it has effectively combined squid ink and local scallops into one flavorful dish that I could definitely finish by myself!

milanese risotto
But, it was also hard to resist the Milanese Risotto (P640) with saffron, parmesan, butter, organic braised beef short rib, and gremalata (chopped herb condiment) because it's like savoring beef bulalo without the soup!

beef kebab
Love Middle Eastern cuisine? The Beef Kebab (P410) will have you wanting for more. This dish, composed of boneless beef ribs, grilled vegetables, choice of Ifugao rice pillaf or 3pcs flour tortilla and organic mixed greens, is full-flavored with very tender meat. It comes with tzatziki, a dip made from yogurt, garlic, and cucumber. A friend of mine has already declared this as her top favorite Earth Kitchen offering while I still remain torn between similarly delicious options.

braised bacon
For instance, the Braised Bacon (P580) is another strong contender for top favorite dish (hello? it's bacon! LOL) because it is another yummy viand that goes well with rice. The tender and easy to chew slab bacon is accompanied with red cabbage and marble potatoes. 

pastillas ice cream
For dessert, we tried a scoop each of Pastillas (P110) and Goat's Cheese (P270) ice cream, which are both heavenly sinful! It's hard to pick which one is better but I think I'll go with the latter because it comes with wild honey, dried figs, and cashew nuts that added texture and more flavor.

I forgot to take a photo of the highly-recommended fresh Guyabano Shake (got too busy enjoying it) but let me just reveal that I had two glasses full because it is that good!

goat's cheese ice cream
There are still a lot of items on the menu that intrigued me and which I'd love to try the next time I visit. For now, make sure to drop by the Bonifacio Global City branch at UG/F, Bonifacio High Street Central, 7th Ave. corner 29th Street or the branch in Quezon City located in Lot 10-B-10 White Plains, Katipunan Avenue, and see what dishes would become your fast favorites. 

For inquiries and reservations for the use of their function rooms, contact (+63) 925 688 8951 (BGC) and (+632) 577 9138 or (+63) 917 584 3278 (QC).


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