Or why I would prefer Angels Kitchen over a Michelin star restaurant serving nouvelle cuisine

Between a Michelin star restaurant serving nouvelle cuisine and a Michelin star restaurant serving traditional dishes, I would still go for the latter.

So far, all the Michelin-rated restaurants I’ve been to, the ones serving traditional dishes still hold a memory in me. I still look forward to going back to them with my kids in tow. The few exceptionally rated ones I tried in Spain were all good, but I do not remember any of the dishes. While trying each dish in a nouvelle cuisine restaurant, it would fascinate me how fantastic and creative the chef’s inventions were and wonder what went on in those minds.

Without thinking twice though, it’s traditional all the way for me.

Here in the Philippines, whenever I get an invite, I prefer the dining places that serve traditional dishes to the ones that serve fusion items. I was never really a fan of fusion cuisine. When I was doing a Foodprints feature in a province, I was served a traditional Pinoy dish called salpicao, but instead of using beef cubes, the chef used ostrich meat. I immediately pre-judged the dish, thinking it wouldn’t be any good. Boy was I wrong! It was one of the best salpicao dishes I’ve experienced. I’m sure a major factor also was the chef who made it. Chef Benji of Limketkai was the one manning the kitchen. I also learned that ostrich meat not only tastes like tender beef but is also a lot healthier because of the absence of saturated fat. All meat is comparable to beef sirloin and tenderloin. It’s that tender. Very interesting.

So one day, I got an invite for lunch with Eric. He suggested we go to a place I had never been to along Connecticut Street in Greenhills. Angels Kitchen has been around for many years but I had never really been there.

I love looking at menus. As I was browsing over the menu at Angels Kitchen, I noticed the items were traditional, homecooked, and basic dishes. With so many people dining, I was sure it had good food. To take the risk of making dishes that were served in many homes, the kitchen must make very good versions of these, I thought to myself. I was correct.

We had a tender and delicious beef calderetta Antigua made of short ribs and a very good ostrich salpicao. The salpicao I just couldn’t resist. It brought back memories of the Foodprints experience. This version was equally good. Then we also had the poached Atlantic salmon topped with mashed potato and wasabi garlic mayo and a traditional gambas con huevos. The gambas were perfectly cooked with toasted garlic slices and chopped chorizo in olive oil. Sarap! Eric insisted we try the other traditional beef salpicao. Also very good but I guess knowing that ostrich was healthier, I kind of preferred the ostrich.

What it offers is our usual dishes at home made even better, mostly traditional, well-made Spanish dishes.

I love the selection at Angels Kitchen. What it offers is our usual dishes at home made even better, mostly traditional, well-made Spanish dishes. I miss this kind of food. I’ll be back to try the dishes on the menu. Except for the Caesar salad, everything was spot on.

I don’t mind dining at a fusion Michelin star restaurant once in a blue moon, but I’d go to a place like Angels kitchen any day of the week. Angels Kitchen- 57 Connecticut Street, Greenhills. 28 721 8822

Check them out! This is my latest discovery!

Happy eating!

My Japan Food tour has started. Next one will be in late September. Please email Pia [email protected]