Table Conversation: Sometimes They Do Read

The Rediscovered Interiors of 1521

I'm not sure about this.

I heard from a fairly reliable source that the owners of 1521 Restaurant decided to upgrade their eatery partly because of the overt comments made in the blogsphere. It was not about the food, but about their uninspired restaurant interiors.

I admit. I was a bit more harsh than usual about the look of 1521. It was only because I loved their food so much that it paled in comparison to the rest of the dining experience. I'm happy to report that after an extensive renovation, 1521 is now open for business once again.

I'll have the Brains, Please?

With a new look, new dishes on the menu and the same witty passion for Pinoy food, I have no doubt that you will be enjoying your next meal at 1521.

PS. Check out my interview with Hell Kitchen UK's Chef Marco Pierre White.

Thanks to Erik Lacson for the more than decent photos.

1521 Restaurant
547 Shaw Boulevard
Brgy. Wack-Wack
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 794 0433

On the Table: Chef RJ Ungco

Chef RJ Ungco with his daughter, Raya

Trained at the Les Roches School of Hotel Management in Switzerland and with varied practical experiences from the basements of Italian eateries to the kitchens of Malacanang, Chef RJ Ungco has built a resume that would the envy of any chef. Driven by a passion for the gastronomic, he continues to innovate food with a touch of Pinoy thrown into the mix–first at his small Italian-inspired restaurant Ponzo’s and now in his newest venture (with partners, Tanke Tengkeko and Nica Miranda), 1521 Restaurant. At 1521, Chef Ungco and his partners have taken Filipino comfort food and turned it on its head–creating dishes that are not only delicious and but just plain fun.

Who in your life has influenced your cooking the most?

My Lola Gloria. Lola Alud. And my Lola Mel.

Which book has had the biggest impact?

So far, ang fave ko is Les Halles by Anthony Bourdain. But there are many other culinary-based books that give me inspiration.

What was your first job in the food business?

I was a lowly commissary cook stuck in the basement of an Italian restaurant in Italy, peeling garlic, potatoes and onions.

How did you get involved with 1521?

I was first a chef consultant for 1521. I came up with dishes and a menu for them. Suddenly we really hit it off (Tanke, Nica, and I) so from then on we became partners na.

What is your favorite item on the menu of 1521?

The Bonggang Bonggang Binagoongan and the Ang Tapa This.

Which restaurant meal (foreign or local) do you remember the most?

San Nick's Lasagna (from an Italian restaurant beside my school in Switzerland) and my lola's Menudo.

Besides your own place, what's your favorite restaurant in Manila?

Behrouz and Hossein's. I'm a Middle Eastern food junkie! Before, [I used to like] Ima Filipino restaurant.

What junk food do you love?

Clover Chips and cold pizza.

Is there a food you just can't seem to enjoy?

Prawns and crabs. I like eating them pero I don’t like peeling them.

Just between us, what are your future plans?

A couple more Ponzos and 1521s won’t hurt. To create, taste, produce, and conceptualize more mouth-watering dishes :)

1521 Restaurant
547 Shaw Boulevard
Brgy. Wack-Wack
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 794 0433

Rediscovering Pinoy: The Name Game at 1521

Potchero ni Tankeko: A Bestseller

It had been a while since Mother and I had a date, so I invited her to (KKB) lunch at 1521. I figured that if any dining companion would appreciate Pinoy food, it would be her.

When I got there, she had already started on her Kamias Cooler (P65). She would have wanted it a bit sweeter, but decided not to ask for syrup so that she could at least say that she had something healthy. Her comment? "It's something different. Akala ko pang-sinigang lang 'to. Pwede palang gawing juice!" Iced tea girl that I am, I ordered their House Blend Iced Tea (P65), which, I was told, had lemon and mango. It tasted very familiar--a lot like Almigh-tea, having hints of vanilla in there.

Much has been said about the witty names of the dishes served up at this fun Filipino resto, so I didn't expect to be as amused as, say, a more clueless diner. But I was surprised when quite a few names still made me (and Mother) chuckle. A couple of my favorites: Dual Citizen na Chicken and Oy! Oy! Oy! Batchoy! I imagined the restaurant owner one night prior to opening the resto, sitting around with friends (possibly with beers in hand), trying to outdo each other with funny food names. Whoever came up with "Pinakbet-ter than Best" deserves a prize, in my book!

Bad Banana Chips. Caution: Hot!

As we read through the menu, we munched on some Bad Banana Chips--and I don't mean that they sucked. They were just so named because these weren't your regular sweet banana chips; instead, the spicy slivers were coated with salt and chili. A lot like the usual mani served as pulutan. And because I am a lover of all things spicy, I really really liked this appetizer--especially since a small plate was given, on the house!

A lot of people have raved about the Potchero ni Tankeko (P265), and Mother was raring to try it, so try it we did. It's not your typical potchero in that the sauce is thicker than average--described by the menu as a "mush of yams, plantains, tomato sauce, and vegetables." "Mush" is indeed the best way to describe it. While some people may be put off by the consistency, the mushiness might be the reason the flavors seem so infused.

Pasta made Pinoy

People generally have high praises for 1521's Pinoy classics, so I wanted to see if their other offerings were just as satisfying. I thus ordered the Longga-Kalabasa Carbonara (P220). This Pinoy take on pasta had sliced Tagalog longganisa over spaghetti coated with what was supposed to be a creamy squash sauce. While the longganisa was wonderfully garlicky, the pasta itself was actually rather dry. I was hoping for something a bit creamier. I would also have preferred smaller longga slices--I found myself chopping each piece up into three or four smaller pieces.

The Leche Flan: A Sweet Ending

To end our meal, Mother opted for a simple Leche Flan (P80 for a solo serving). As it was set before me, I could already smell the lemon-y zing. Mother took one bite and remarked, "Ganito 'yung leche flan namin sa probinsya, may dayap." The citrus flavor added a different dimension to this old standby, tempering the incredible sweetness of the custard.

The service was great (Mother described the resto as "customer-friendly"), the food was unique, yet familiar and comforting. But the best thing about the resto is probably the creative names. What's in a name, you ask? Well, a humorous one can bring out a smile or even a guffaw. And any time you start a meal with a good laugh, then it's bound to be a good experience.

1521 Restaurant
547 Shaw Boulevard
Brgy. Wack-Wack
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 794 0433

Rediscovering Pinoy: 1521 Tries to Reinvent Pinoy Classics

I love Pinoy food. In fact, whenever I travel abroad, I can only last a week without Pinoy fare before I start pining away for adobo, sinigang and tinolang manok. So when I was told that 1521 offers some of the best-tasting Pinoy food ever, well, then I just had to go check it out!

1521 is along Shaw Blvd in Mandaluyong City, and just a minute or two from Shangri-la Plaza Mall. If you're driving fast from EDSA, you'll definitely miss it. The restaurant is tiny and modest. You'll find it if you're looking for the huge signs of its neighbors, Mr. Poon and Pan de Pugon. Parking is limited. Inside, the decor is very quaint but the service is sweet. While the place may look very stark, I loved that the plates are rimmed in gold!

My husband and I found the menu amusing. With names like Daimos (or daing na bangus in miso) and Munggo ng Mayaman (or your usual monggo bean stew but with prawns), we were more than ready to get entertained as well as fed!

We began our heavy lunch with Sisig na Masigasig (P230). It's sisig all right--crunchy, crispy and bad for you--but served in a ceramic leaf bowl and not on a hot metal plate sizzling away. We were a bit disappointed not to hear and see and smell any sizzling but since it tasted fantastic anyway, we give the masigasig sisig a 4 out of 5.

Next, we dined on Potchero ni Tankeko (P265). We got this because the owner's name is Tanke Tankeko so if his name's on it, it has to be good. And it actually was quite satisfying. The saba was crushed to a pulp, the potatoes were fried, the greens were crisp and fresh, and the meat was practically melting off the bone. Definitely gets a score of 5. I also think I can start a serious affair with that eggplant side dish!

While my hubby relied on dear old Coca-Cola for refreshment, I decided to try the much recommended Pipino Mint Cooler (P65). It was an interesting experience. It tasted like, well, cucumber and mint--a bracing drink indeed but it also tasted too salad-y to me. I'm sure this drink will be devoured by health-food fans but between this and a cold glass of water, I'd rather have water. I'm giving it a 3.

For dessert, I had the Bucoco Pandan (P90). It's your typical buko-pandan delight but what I found really wonderful about this cup of yumminess was the unexpected sprinkle of cheese on top. The cheese melts in your mouth and adds just a touch of saltiness to your sweet and creamy dessert. The result: a 3D taste! Its score is an enthusiastic 5.

The husband, meanwhile, had the Frozen Tropical Yoghurt in Chocolate-eh (P85).Okay, we heard a lot of good things about this dessert but, to be honest, it was much too thick and rich for us. One mouthful and we were drowning in chocolate. We felt it needed something to balance the sultry sweetness, like churros or a big dollop of vanilla ice cream. My husband, who belongs to a more upper class society than I do, assures me that this is what chocolate-eh -- forever made famous by Rizal's Noli Me Tangere as a drink served to the sosyal -- really is supposed to be: profoundly rich. Since I was raised on Milo (or as a friend once teased, "You don't get it because you're an indio!"), well, I just couldn't appreciate it so I'll give it a 2.

What we do appreciate is the presentation of well-loved recipes as fun food. Most of us now shun our classic Pinoy fare for the hundreds of new cuisines and fusion menus available in our cosmopolitan city. But with 1521's brave quest to promote the familiar and loved, Pinoy cuisine is in very good hands.

Franco Note: Much Thanks to France Amper-Sales of Topaz Horizon.

1521 Restaurant
547 Shaw Boulevard
Brgy. Wack-Wack
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 794 0433

Rediscovering Pinoy: Deconstructing 1521

Swak na Swak Chicaron Bulaklak

I love Filipino food.

I’ve been fortunate to savor the flavors of other nations but I always return to the food of my mother’s kitchen. There is really nothing like tasting the tangy sourness of a kinilaw, the fatty saltiness of a pork adobo or the deep earthy essence of slow stewed kare-kare. These are the flavors of home.

While eating Pinoy food at home is always a pleasure, eating Filipino food in a restaurant is another matter entirely. Admittedly, there are dishes that only a well-equipped professional kitchen can achieve vis-a-vis the normal home kitchen like the crisp crackle of lechon skin or pork sisig sizzling on a hot plate. But given the choice, many Pinoys would rather eat at home than pay for the expense of a restaurant meal.

Why eat out when you can easily make the same thing at home?

There are two reasons. First, the desire of that deep-fried crispy pata is just too great and you don’t want to spend hours in kitchen frying. Or second, the restaurant you are going to has found a way to elevate Pinoy food to interesting new heights.

Take for example, 1521 Restaurant.

This small, non-descript restaurant along Shaw Boulevard is the brainchild of three friends: Tanke Tangkeko, Chef RJ Ungco and Nica Miranda. This trio of food lovers have fashioned together updated Pinoy basics, family favorites and some interesting fusion combinations to create a menu that is, at first glance, humorously intriguing (to say the least).

White-washed Interiors

Before I move on, let me get a couple of bothersome issues out of the way. First, the restaurant's interiors are a bore, drenched in beige and white with tables and chairs that were as uninteresting as the color scheme. Yes, I did take note of the unusual ceiling (which has been described by a website as " [a] ceiling made of food crates with a patterned design in wood finish, reminiscent of modern Filipino colonial architecture". But honestly, how many diners really look at restaurant ceilings? Some people would call their design minimalist. I call it charmless.

Next, the service. The servers are courteous but sadly, not very engaging. And when your food takes much too long to be served, I guess diners would have time to admire the ceiling - not necessarily a good thing.

That being said, let talk about the food, starting with the menu.

1521's menu is like an open invitation. It is witty, funny and intriguing, so much so that a diner can’t help but want to try every dish. If there is such a thing as a perfect advertisement, this menu is it.

Grilled Kare-Kare Thai-Kenko

We start our meal with a family favorite, the Ensaladang Manga or, as they call it, the Chica-Manga (P178). It's a simple salad composed of crushed pork cracklings, small cubes of tomatoes, eggplant and white onions and slices of green mango all dressed with the fishy-saltiness of shrimp paste or bagoong. Plated untossed, guests are left to mix their own salad to their tastes. But once combined, this salad is a haramony of contradictions: the salty bagoong balanced with the sour unripe mangoes, the slightly bitter eggplant, the fatty crunch of cracklings and the sweet-soft tomatoes. A promising beginning after the long wait.

A. loves all kinds of chicaron but she most especially can't resist the siren call of the deep-fried goodness of the Swak na Swak Chicaron Bulaklak (P210). Pork intestines are fried till a crispy golden brown and served with a tart kamias relish and lip-puckering sinamak. Crunchy on the outside but soft and spongey on the inside, the little guilty pleasures are not much to look at but they are absolute a delight to savor.

Last but most definitely not the least, we are served the Grilled Kare-Kare Thai-Kenko (P330). I love this traditional Filipino pork and tripe peanut stew but 1521's deconstructed version may have upped the standard for me. The usual vegetable ingredients such as eggplant, string beans, squash and pechay and banana bud are grilled and served separately as sidings. The center of this dish is a fall-off-the bone stew of beef and tripe cooked in a sweet-savory peanut sate sauce. Instead of the usual shrimp paste or bagoong condiment, 1521 serves this dish with a generous serving of Khao Khluk Kapi or Thai-styled fried rice with shrimp paste. This unique kare-kare was a meal on to itself and is definitely a dish we will be savoring again soon.

Purirsts may disagree. But I believe that food like the dishes served at 1521 represent the future of our cuisine—putting a brave, new and inventive face on the food we all grew up eating. Admittedly, they may never replace your mother's paksiw na isda or rellenong manok but the food of 1521 has made dining out, Pinoy style, fun again.

1521 Restaurant
547 Shaw Boulevard
Brgy. Wack-Wack
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 794 0433