Kevin Punzalan
Google
There are good restaurants, and there are great ones.
When I walked into the Pig & Palm on a humid and drizzly night, I was fully expecting to enjoy a nice range of eclectic dishes, incorporating the modern European sensibilities of a restaurant in Chelsea with the tastes of sea and soil of the Philippines.
What I got was much more - a restaurant that combined an avant-grade menu and interiors with the warmth of Filipino hospitality and the crisp attention of British service.
I started with their Potato Hash - thinly sliced and crisp with some tenderness at the center, topped with a mousse of Smoked Mentaiko and Balsamic Caviar. Starting from the texture of the hash which resisted just enough before yielding completely to the knife, to the perfectly balanced brine and sweetness of the roe, I knew I had found my new favorite appetizer.
The meal continued with a bowl of Miso-glazed Octopus, immersed in a foam of potato and pimiento, and bits of pork crackling. Each bite of octopus was surprisingly tender, and once again balanced salt and sugar in a satisfying way.
The star of the show was their Grilled Kurobuta Pork Chop, placed on a bed of sweet potato purée, and painted with a sweet apple glaze that was soaked up by their spherical Black Pudding balls that were fried like Croquetas. Their Maitre, Oliver, advised me that the dish is a favorite of their chef, who originates from Berkshire, where the Pork was likewise sourced.
Lightly charred and sliced to absorb the sauce, each bite of pork was tender, smoky-sweet, and perfectly complemented by the pudding. Alternating bites between the pork and potato purée allowed for one to cleanse the palate after sinking your teeth into such a rich piece of meat.
Dessert was a revelation. Initially, I considered their Poached Strawberries, but decided against it since it came with Meringue, which I am not fond of. Instead, I ordered their Chocolate Espuma, which came on top of a Raspberry Sorbet, topped with Crispy sheets of Cacao Nibs.
To my surprise, my server, Mae, spoke to the chef, who prepared a bowl of the strawberries without the Meringue! Sitting on a basil Sponge cake, and with drops of lemon curd, it was the perfect way to end a meal for someone like me who appreciates tanginess to end a meal. The restaurant offered me this with their compliments, which I did not expect, and which was very gracious of them.
A further surprise was that my Chocolate Espuma followed the strawberries. An indulgent mousse was sprinkled with hazelnuts and bits of gold foil, with a surprise of dark chocolate brownies within. The raspberry sorbet was the perfect foil to the richness of the chocolate, and the crunchy Cacao sheets offered a way to savor the chocolate long after it had passed my lips.
The service of the restaurant was sensitive and attentive without being intrusive. Both Oliver and Mae, the Maitre and server, were equally aware of the right dishes to recommend to me, and it was Mae who shared my preferences with the Chef without me realizing that.
For fans of FX’s The Bear, you may remember a pivotal episode in Season 2, titled “Forks”, where Carmy’s hapless cousin Richie is sent to learn about what it takes to bring a restaurant’s service standards up to the level of fine dining, and learns its all about the details. Putting your observation skills to the test, listening, and offering meaningful interventions that surprise and delight, all while remaining firmly in the background. That delicate balance of being helpful without overreaching is what separates the good from the great.
The Pig & Palm is great - from the receptionist at the door, to the chefs toiling in their open kitchen, to every waiter they have. How they manage this without the snooty starchy white tablecloth air of many other restaurants is something that still surprises me. I would not be exaggerating when I say that they are perhaps one of the best restaurants in the Philippines.
