El Born, on the second floor of Mitsukoshi Mall, is the place to go if you’re ready to experience quality Catalan cuisine. Business partner Andrés Poy is adamant in stressing that this is a Catalan eatery, and not just another restaurant offering Spanish dishes.
A new food concept from the Lucerne Group, management brainstormed with Andrés in bringing El Born to life and they found the key to the puzzle when Barcelona chef David Amoros and his wife Ivone, agreed to move here, and run “the back of the house.”
El Born’s Chef David Amoros and wife Ivone
A truly eye-opening and wonderful dinner for a select group of food writers gave us the opportunity to appreciate why the insistence on distinguishing these as Catalan dishes, and not Spanish. Yvonne Yao-Lee forewarned us that people who’d walk by and inquire would quite often be surprised by how certain go-to and traditional dishes Filipinos would expect in a Spanish restarant are glaringly absent from the El Born menu, and how the staff have been trained to patiently explain how this is Catalan cuisine. El Born is an old district in Barcelona that was gentrified, and is now known for its winding streets, and being a center for the Arts and culture.
La Burrata
First up, was a trio of starters. The La Burrata, was a ‘boule’ of Burrata cheese sitting on a bed of mixed greens and a special pesto sauce. And it was the special pesto sauce that made this different, as chef David had mixed other exotic flavors into his pesto, that made the Burrata and greens just pop.
His Croquetas Caseras de Pollo, was similarly unique as he opts to use a very thin outer shell, and load the Croquetas with the chicken filling. There’s an option with black truffle added to the chicken. The La Bomba De La Barceloneta is a giant potato ball stuffed with spicy pork, and served with tomato salsa picante and aioli - this one had the right element of spiciness that didn’t overpower, but transformed the dish into a fiery delight.
As Barcelona is a coastal city on the Mediterranean, we next had Chef David’s bounty from the sea. The Tartar de Atun (tuna Tartar) is served with Pane Carasau, where the pane is a paper-thin flatbread. While I can’t fault this dish, this would be the one that most resembles what we’ve already experienced in other Spanish restaurants here.
The Mejillones Al Josper
The Mejillones “Al Josper,” with Chef David’s signature tomato-based sauce has to be one of my absolute favorites of this meal. The sourdough bread, the way the sauce became a dipping sensation, and the meaty French-sourced mussels all grilled on the Josper, made this my find of the evening.
Carpaccio de Pulpo
The Carpaccio de Pulpo, is Chef David’s octopus dish, thinly sliced octopus sitting on a truffle potato parmentier. The Lubina Al Horno is baked sea bass with potatoes, and it’s deceptive for its simplicity - but don’t be fooled, as the fish meat is expertly deboned and presented, and the sauce is a profusion of herbs and spices that give the fish dish a unique flavor.
Arroz de Carne Iberica
There is no paella as such served at El Born, as paella is not popular in the Catalan region. But we do have the Arroz de Carne Iberica, which is pork rice that’s best described as a risotto without the cheese. It’s wet, it’s delicious, and it’s filling.
The Pollo Al Josper, was dubbed the best roasted chicken in Metro Manila by a number of those sharing the dinner with me. It’s served with vegetables and potatoes, but it’s how the Josper kept all the juices of the chicken intact with still bringing it to roasted perfection that had everyone silent, while gnawing on their chicken pieces.
El Born Cheesecake
And then there’s the unbelievable El Born Cheesecake! Unbelievable, because the excellent crust and crazy soft texture of the cheese filling, are both out of this world. It’s fast become the absolute favorite of the El Born first-timers. And unbelievable because Chef David isn’t a pastry chef, and yet, came up with this beauty.
El Born is a great addition to the dining landscape of BGC, and I’m happy it’s found at Mitsukoshi Mall. It pushes the Mall as a home for unique experiences.