When Chef Sau del Rosario opened the doors to his Cafe Fleur Poblacion in the middle of our ongoing pandemic, most considered the move a foolhardy one. But with gut and determination built into Chef Sau’s DNA, it’s proved to be a success story that can only improve as General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and our health protocols loosen up.

A visit to Cafe Fleur and Sau just last Sunday was a truly enjoyable one, as we got to indulge in their new dishes—appetizers, salads, main courses, and a bevy of desserts. For this Father's Day weekend, Cafe Fleur could very well be one of the best choices where you can book a meal with family and friends. It’s got a wonderful alfresco dining area if you’re still reluctant to dine indoors.

First up was the Cafe Fleur Burrata Salad. It’s served with generous slices of strawberries and tomatoes with a rich pesto sauce. This one was a cold-ish, refreshing opener, and I’d heartily recommend this to anyone looking for a young mozzarella starter that beats our tropical climate and heat.

Next up was the pulpo with chorizo starter, and this one is sous vide octopus that’s kept in 60°C for 24 hours to turn the pulpo into an enticing dish that’s even more tender than the chorizo! Loved this one, and in typical Fleur-style, it’s ideal for sharing, easily serving two to three persons.

Crispy pork belly with macadamia kare-kare sauce and bagoong! Just writing it out is enough to get my taste buds into hyperactive mode. This was a perennial favorite of mine when Cafe Fleur was a one-trick pony operating in Angeles City. Each and every time we’d drive up to Angeles, this was the dish I’d make sure was among the dishes ordered. It’s now available as a Cafe Fleur Poblacion takeaway that one pre-orders and it serves four to six persons. If it’s available in a smaller version, one can check if it can be served at the restaurant as it’s off-menu.

To accompany your meal, don’t forget the healthy smoothies that are color-coded: red, yellow, green, and white. Each one is filled with healthy fruits and herbs of that particular color, with one or two add-ons of a different color, that add to the health benefits of the concoction.

Now we come to their new desserts: the maiz de brazo, the passion fruit creme brûlée, and, here’s a kick of nostalgia, mango crepe samurai. The maiz has a wonderful Philippine food history tale behind it, and I’ll leave it to Chef Sau to tell you the story. The creme brûlée employs three fruits to adorn it, strawberries, pomelo, and orange. As for the crepe samurai, what more can I say? I’m certain for diners of a certain age, this brings back wonderful memories of indulgent desserts.

Chef Sau was especially busy that Sunday, but I’m happy he took time out to join us and present the new desserts. In such a short time, Cafe Fleur has come a long way, and it’s one of the food and dining beacons of today’s Poblacion.