It's amazing that I was invited to try out the new dishes which Solstice by Ilustrado launched. Conceptualized by Chef Bernice Pimentel, there are now more food choices to feast on during gatherings and special events.
While waiting for the other bloggers who were invited to the launch, we were served this soft warm bread which is good with butter, a little salt & pepper.
For appetizers, here are what was served:
Shroom Pizza
I like how the thin crust sour dough pizza was flavorful and crunchy which blended perfectly with its aromatic truffle flavored shrooms.
Chorizo Pizza
The chorizo was on the salty side but it's good with the thin crust sour dough pizza. I think with beer, it'll be even better when partnered with beer!
Sisig Kapampangan
It's not the regular sisig with mayo, calamansi, hot sauce and egg. It's crispy, meaty with bell pepper and carrot bits and sliced jalapeño pepper. Really good.
Baked Eggplant, Black Olives and White Cheese in Filo
It's the right balance of creamy, salty with a crunchy skin. Instead of having crunchy nachos dipped in a creamy sauce, it's like the sauce is in the crunchy pastry.
Truffles Hummus with Sour Dough Pita and Crudités
The hummus is creamy, salty with a right balance of spice good with warm pita. For those health conscious folks, the crudites is a great substitute to carbs.
Serrano and Manchego Skewers with Balsamic Glaze
I love the pairing of jamon serrano and manchego cheese. It's like it's made for each other. With wine, it's a lovely pair!
Before moving to the main entree, I ordered this unique Coconut Juice + Strawberry drink that's refreshing, light and healthy.
Chef Bernice introduced that the next dish is actually not new but new to Solstice which have been a favorite well-known dish in the famous Ilustrado in Intramuros. The Paella Ilustrado is something which patrons of Ilustrado in Intramuros never fail to order. The paella is cooked al dente with lots of perfectly flavorful seafood which I feel is a wonderful discovery why it has become a favorite in Ilustrado which I hope will also be a favorite in Solstice.
Callos Madrileña is another well-known dish in Ilustrado which was brought into Solstice. Now, there's no need for those in Makati CBD to go all the way to Manila to enjoy this dish. Out of all the dishes that night, this is one of my favorite. It's very rich in flavor with thick sauce and good with rice. It feels like a feast in itself already if you'd like to indulge yourself with good food for those stressful days.
Adobong Bagnet with Crab Fat
The crispy bagnet paired the salty and creamy soy sauce with the aroma of the crab fat makes it amazing. It's like a genius invention! With lots of rice, it'll be wonderful too!
Stuffed Chicken Ilustrado
It's an upgrade from the average chicken galantina during noche buena. It's really amazing on how soft the chicken was and it was infused with vegetables which gave it more flavors. I also like the extra crunch from the french beans and the rich gravy which makes the chicken really good.
Roast US Long Island Duck Al Orange
The skin of the duck is crunchy and the meat is soft, salty with a bit of sweetness which is good.
Norwegian Salmon Ceviche Poke
Since poke bowls have been invading the Metro, Chef Bernice shared that this is her version of the poke bowl except she wanted to serve it on a nice plate so that all the amazing stuff in this dish can be seen. Plus, it'll be easier to mix the items up in a plate which is true. The edamame beans give a certain crunch to the mix.
Pasta Aligue with Crispy Soft Shell Crab
This rich seafood dish is simply amazing! It has that deadly but good sinful taste which wants to make you dig in for more.
If you feel all the dishes above are GOOD, the best is yet to come because the desserts are fabulous!
Mango Jubilee with Sampaguita Ice Cream
I like the mix of sweet and tangy mangoes with the aromatic sweetness of the sampaguita ice cream can make one smile and say, "It's a good day!"
Matcha Cookies and Cream
This dessert feels like a Christmas morning where a day is out of the ordinary because of such crispy sweet and creamy treat. The matcha cookies paired nicely with the dreamy panna cotta. It's like cookies and milk in another way but a good one.
All these new dishes are satisfying yet comforting and hits the spot. For those celebrations in life or get together with friends or even just a food trip, go ahead and try these dishes soon! :)
To reserve a table, please call (+632) 802 1891 or (+63 977 748 8861). Solstice by Ilustrado is open from 11AM to 11PM daily. For more updates on the restaurant, follow @solsticebyilustrado on Instagram or in Facebook, go to http://facebook.com/SolsticebyIlustrado/.
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