Archipelago 7107 by Barrio Fiesta at Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato

I've been to Il Terrazo along Tomas Morato several times to take yoga classes but I had not really gone the rounds of the restaurants there save for one. So when Rowena invited me to try out the menu fare of Archipelago 7107, which happened to be just a level down from the yoga studio, I gladly agreed.

So a few Wednesday nights ago, right after a great yin yoga class, I joined the Food Club at Archipelago 7107.

Some trivia first.

Archipelago 7107 is the brainchild of young entrepreneurs Aimee Tan Cosiquien, Katherine Uy Chan, and Clifford Uy. They teamed up with a 3rd generation restaurateur, Tyrone Ongpauco. If that last name strikes a note, it's because Tyrone belongs to the clan behind the Barrio Fiesta chain of restaurants.

But unlike Barrio Fiesta which is known for its very Filipino ambience in bamboo and wood, Archipelago 7107's ambience is casual but chic.

While some Filipino restaurants focus on recipes from the owner's region, not many provide the whole array of food served up in different provinces. This is what Archipelago 7107 aims to do, which is why I am guessing they named their restaurant this way (Archipelago, to represent the entire Philippines; 7107 being the total number of islands).

Here's a sampling of their menu offerings which we tried that night.

Kuhol sa Gata (PhP 215)

I must confess that never, ever in my life have I eaten kuhol (the culinary name for snails) and I certainly was not planning to break that, even with this well presented Kuhol sa Gata. So contented myself with taking pictures of it while the rest of the Food Club relished it (and they said it was good!).

Ilocano Rice (PhP 245)

Tuyo Rice (PhP 175)

Next we tried two types of rice: Ilocano Rica and Tuyo Rice. The Ilocano rice (obviously from the Ilocos region) is a combination of bagnet, Vigan longganisa, salted egg, onions and tomatoes that served as toppings over flavored rice. Tuyo Rice, on the other hand, is a southern kind of rice preparation. It is garlic rice topped with dried fish and scrambled eggs and served with onions and tomatoes. Both were very good but if I had to choose one, I'd go for the Ilocano Rice. By the way, I checked their menu and these are not the only rice choices they are offering. They also have Seafood Rice and Paella Negra Rice for 3-4 persons per order and Garlic Rice and Pandan Rice available as single serves.

Cafe de Bonifacio: A Revolutionary Filipino Cuisine

There is a new restaurant that some blogger friends and I tried a few days ago -- Cafe de Bonifacio, located at the Podium.

Taking inspiration from their youthful days of activism, two friends (one with Molave and the other with Kabataang Makabayan) put up Cafe de Bonifacio. The restaurant's logo sports a sun which is very similar to the one found on Andres Bonifacio's personal flag. And several of its signature dishes bear names from the Katipunan era.

Initially I thought that their cuisine was an Asian fusion, much like some other restos I've tried. But Alfredo Wenceslao, Managing Director of Cafe de Bonifacio, corrected us and said it's basically a Filipino cuisine with a 'revolutionary' twist. He introduced us to the chef whose specialty is Roti (and you will find lots of Roti dishes, both in the main dish list and dessert) and the chef told us they scouted around for the different spices that would give a different take on each of the Filipino dishes.

Alfredo Wenceslao (right) with Cafe de Bonifacio's chef

Juned was already there when I arrived but the others were still stuck in traffic so to while away the time, I ordered a unique beverage called Mango and Basil Cooler, a fusion of green mangoes and fresh basil leaves. I did not really know how basil leaves, added to a fresh fruit drink, would taste but it sounded healthy so I went for it. Surprisingly, my palate liked the basil touch to the drink and it's just a perfect summer-y drink.

Mango and Basil Cooler (PhP 95)

Here are the dishes our tummies went through that night.

Ensaladang Talong was a smokey eggplant tossed in with other fresh veggies and mixed with a special vinaigrette dressing. A slice of salted egg added a touch on top.

Ensaladang Talong (PhP 140)