Mock Duck: Soy-based concoction. MARGAUX SALCEDO
MANILA, Philippines—“Slumdog Millionaire” and then watching Nicole Scherzinger and the Pussycat Dolls perform “Jai Ho” over and over again on TV made me crave for Indian food. I decided that this week, jai ho (my destiny) was to eat some curry.
I went on an Indian food frenzy. Drove up Tomas Morato and slithered into each side street until I found Grilled Tomato just by Reyes Barbecue, somewhere in the middle of Morato. Initially, as I realized the dearth of Indian and other Mid-Eastern restaurants here, I realized that Indians in this country must converge in Makati. Quezon City must belong to other foreign demographics.
Nevertheless, I was very happy with my find for the night: Grilled Tomato. This place is an amazing cheap eat. Sure, the place is puny, with just around 30 seats. You order from a small counter to a waiter whose attention you will be lucky to catch. If you come during dinner hours, be prepared to wait and wait and wait for your turn. Also be prepared for the waiter not to get your order at first instance. He may forget that you had ordered a bottle of water or an extra siding of this and that. But he is manning several tables, so just give the poor guy a break. Anyway the restaurant is really just a Tapa King or Rufo’s, except with Indian food.
The food is not exceptional, don’t get me wrong. The hummus could use more flavor; as could the beef keema. But for the price (P60 to P100 for a combo meal, i.e., rice and ulam), it’s a sure winner. Especially if you order the more sinful and daring items on the menu, such as the side of sauteed liver, which will get you delirious from the cholesterol it carries. Note to reader: Order this with a friend and have the paramedics on speed dial.
If you are looking for exceptional Middle Eastern/Indian food, you must take a trip to Queens on Jupiter Street in Makati. Queens is an international Indian and Asian fusion restaurant chain. Its setting is a bit highbrow, with glass walls and über high ceilings. Service is attentive, although on an exceptionally busy day, you may get a taste of discrimination in your own country: the Middle Easterners get served first.
But the chef’s creations are worth the wait. Here, the ingredients are flown in from India and everything is made by the chef himself, including the powdered seasonings and the cheese.
The chef is Thaman Adhikari, and the Yoga Guru and I got to chat with him after one lunch.
We had just had an amazing tandoori pizza and I wanted to discover what was in it, layer after layer. The topmost layer is simple: plain ol’ mozzarella cheese. The bottom-most layer is simple as well, dough baked in a clay oven. The middle layer is what is distinct: It’s lamb. And the flavors that accompany the mutton are the big deal: coriander, cumin, and garam masala. Chef Thaman gets these all the way overseas and creates their powder form with a blender in his kitchen. The result is a pizza that will make your eyes become as big as an Indian’s. You know there are secret ingredients in there, but they are so ingrained in the pizza you can’t pinpoint what they are.
Other dishes are less impressive, such as the Mock Duck, a vegetarian soy-based concoction served kebab-style. Of course I am biased against anything mocked, especially meat. Its texture reminded me of a towel although the sate sauce that it was served in was rich and went perfectly with the Naan bread. Or the chicken curry, which appeared too simple to be distinguishable. But the paneer was amazing, again because everything in it, including the cheese, was made by the hardworking hands of their Indian chef.
Be prepared to have other distinctive Indian touches accompany your meal, such as the Bollywood music videos that play on the restaurant’s flatscreen TV, and the Indian music that booms out of its speakers. But all in all, if Indian food is your destiny, Queens is a pretty good destination. •
Queens. 146-B Jupiter Street (between Makati Avenue and N. Garcia Street). Tel. 8951816 or 1316. Wheelchair access through front door. Limited parking. Major credit cards accepted. Approximately P500 per head.
Grilled Tomato. Tomas Morato. Tel. 4150760. 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Wheelchair accessible. Cash basis. Parking is too limited although street parking available. Approximately P200 per head.
I went on an Indian food frenzy. Drove up Tomas Morato and slithered into each side street until I found Grilled Tomato just by Reyes Barbecue, somewhere in the middle of Morato. Initially, as I realized the dearth of Indian and other Mid-Eastern restaurants here, I realized that Indians in this country must converge in Makati. Quezon City must belong to other foreign demographics.
Nevertheless, I was very happy with my find for the night: Grilled Tomato. This place is an amazing cheap eat. Sure, the place is puny, with just around 30 seats. You order from a small counter to a waiter whose attention you will be lucky to catch. If you come during dinner hours, be prepared to wait and wait and wait for your turn. Also be prepared for the waiter not to get your order at first instance. He may forget that you had ordered a bottle of water or an extra siding of this and that. But he is manning several tables, so just give the poor guy a break. Anyway the restaurant is really just a Tapa King or Rufo’s, except with Indian food.
The food is not exceptional, don’t get me wrong. The hummus could use more flavor; as could the beef keema. But for the price (P60 to P100 for a combo meal, i.e., rice and ulam), it’s a sure winner. Especially if you order the more sinful and daring items on the menu, such as the side of sauteed liver, which will get you delirious from the cholesterol it carries. Note to reader: Order this with a friend and have the paramedics on speed dial.
If you are looking for exceptional Middle Eastern/Indian food, you must take a trip to Queens on Jupiter Street in Makati. Queens is an international Indian and Asian fusion restaurant chain. Its setting is a bit highbrow, with glass walls and über high ceilings. Service is attentive, although on an exceptionally busy day, you may get a taste of discrimination in your own country: the Middle Easterners get served first.
But the chef’s creations are worth the wait. Here, the ingredients are flown in from India and everything is made by the chef himself, including the powdered seasonings and the cheese.
The chef is Thaman Adhikari, and the Yoga Guru and I got to chat with him after one lunch.
We had just had an amazing tandoori pizza and I wanted to discover what was in it, layer after layer. The topmost layer is simple: plain ol’ mozzarella cheese. The bottom-most layer is simple as well, dough baked in a clay oven. The middle layer is what is distinct: It’s lamb. And the flavors that accompany the mutton are the big deal: coriander, cumin, and garam masala. Chef Thaman gets these all the way overseas and creates their powder form with a blender in his kitchen. The result is a pizza that will make your eyes become as big as an Indian’s. You know there are secret ingredients in there, but they are so ingrained in the pizza you can’t pinpoint what they are.
Other dishes are less impressive, such as the Mock Duck, a vegetarian soy-based concoction served kebab-style. Of course I am biased against anything mocked, especially meat. Its texture reminded me of a towel although the sate sauce that it was served in was rich and went perfectly with the Naan bread. Or the chicken curry, which appeared too simple to be distinguishable. But the paneer was amazing, again because everything in it, including the cheese, was made by the hardworking hands of their Indian chef.
Be prepared to have other distinctive Indian touches accompany your meal, such as the Bollywood music videos that play on the restaurant’s flatscreen TV, and the Indian music that booms out of its speakers. But all in all, if Indian food is your destiny, Queens is a pretty good destination. •
Queens. 146-B Jupiter Street (between Makati Avenue and N. Garcia Street). Tel. 8951816 or 1316. Wheelchair access through front door. Limited parking. Major credit cards accepted. Approximately P500 per head.
Grilled Tomato. Tomas Morato. Tel. 4150760. 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Wheelchair accessible. Cash basis. Parking is too limited although street parking available. Approximately P200 per head.
There is no sincerer love than the love of food. - George Bernard Shaw
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