New spots to look forward to
Two new food options at SM Aura are the subject of this article. One is the well-travelled Greyhound Cafe, a bastion of Thai cuisine, which finally has a home here in the Philippines, and the second is Est, a Japanese bakery/cafe, that boasts of their famous Castella Cake.
Greyhound Cafe can be found on the Ground Level of SM Aura and has been brought in by the Viva Group, as part of their ever-expanding food portfolio, and we should see at least three other Greyhound Cafe spots sprouting in the metropolis within the year. It officially opens to the public on Sunday, Feb. 6.
Greyhound Cafe is Thai food given a Western twist, and if like me, you traveled to Hong Kong pre-pandemic, and would visit IFC Mall at Central, I’m pretty certain you would have seen their big restaurant there, and enjoyed the young vibe. It’s provenance lies with the Thai fashion brand that diversified into the food business, and how it became instantly famous and popular in Bangkok back in 1997.
It’s since expanded globally in leaps and bounds, even adding sister brands such as Sweet Hound and Another Hound. I’m heading back to sample the dishes leisurely, as the pre-opening event was safe but quite crowded for my own tastes—and it’s something I’m looking forward to. SM Aura’s Steph H. Dela Peña swears their Salmon Sashimi in Spicy Hot Sauce is to die for.
Est on the Skydome floor is an altogether different experience. It’s from the food group known for their renowned Castella Cake, but they were asked to extend the menu so that it could be more than a one-trick pony of said cake. And so it came up with other Japanese snack-type offerings, and offers quality Japanese coffee.
Their Classic Sando - which is the Japanese version of a sandwich—have options that are unique for the sandwich category. The Sukiyaki Sando is what I had, and it was delicious. There’s a Tamago version, a Pork Katsu, a Teriyaki Chicken, a Salmon Katsu, an Ebi Katsu, and that’s just the start.
Besides the Pomodoro, Ricotta, & Basil pasta, the one that I ordered as it caught my eye, was the Uni-Cream & Nori pasta. Loved how the Sea Urchin sauce adhered to the noodles, and how the Nori accentuated the dish. This one is quite filling on its own, such that when I got my dessert, the Hokkaido Roll, all that cream and soft bread was just too filling.
These are just two new, good reasons to head to SM Aura in the coming days. It’s quality food, comfortable ambiance; and in the case of Greyhound, a dash of hipness.