The tandem of Chef Mikko Reyes and Erwan Heussaff of
The Hungry Hound and
Niner Ichi Nana (conveniently located at The Globe Tower, The Fort) works to their advantage as great dishes are partnered with great cocktails, which will surely captivate and pique your curiosity.
Last May, they launched "THE CITY SERIES," featuring food and cocktails from different cities around the world. Kicking off the series with SEOUL, Mikko and Erwan prepared Korean influenced food and cocktails. Last June 19, I was invited at Niner Ichi Nana to sample yet another
great concoction of the duo, with Peru as a sequel to famed The City Series.
Admittedly, I do not know what the food in Peru tastes like. Heck, what only came to my mind when I heard I was tasting Peruvian food was only my dream of visiting the World Heritage Site that is Machu Picchu, located in Peru. It was
my first time to try out Peruvian food, which came across to me as a mix of European, Middle-eastern and Asian influences.
So as my taste buds was as good as
tabula rasa, I let the food and my mouth do the whole soiree. I ordered the
Papas Rellenas Sorpresa, which is stuffed potato croqueta + foie gras mayonesa de aji + dry aged steak bits. I love how the dish came together, with ingredients I love (foie gras, steak and potatoes). This is something I would crave for, once in a while.
Together with the Papas, I tried the
Piura for my cocktail. It's made of Rum, Blended Whiskey, House Aji Honey, Lime Juice, Grape Puree and Vanilla Syrup. The drink was perfect. It's not too strong, but you can still taste the distinct tastes in the blend which balances the liquors.
The
Anticuchos is the dish I was debating to get instead of the Papas Sorpresa, unfortunately the latter won. After seeing that it is with "beef heart" made me think twice. Contrary to my original hesitation, I realized that I should always follow my gut instinct. It turned out to be something I liked. The sous vide shortrib and the beef heart were tasty, you could not tell the difference between the meat and the heart. It was served with white corn salsa and parsley lime emulsion.
Another famous must try drink is the
Pisco Sour which is made of pisco, lime, agave syrup, chili bitters, angostura bitters, and ginger perfumed egg white. It may sound complicated, but once you taste it, you would not mind what is in it, or you would like to know how to make it on your own. It is something both aesthetically appealing and tastes really well.
The Hungry Hound is a stylish place for old-fashioned cooking, featuring English classics done differently. The place maintains a casual vibe with the new "freestyle" gastro pub menu, featuring traditional dishes with a modern edge. "I am always excited to try new things. But we are not trying to reinvent food here Chef Mikko says. "It is really up to each chef to see how to create a special dish with its own identity," he adds.
Meanwhile, Erwan explains that the concept behind Niner is inspired by cocktail bars from eras past, the concept of artisanal cocktails that are well prepared and properly portioned. "We also make quote a bit of Bespoke cocktails depending on the whims of our customers, based on our daily infusions and our market fresh produce. Just sit by the bar and have the bartenders make something for you," says Heussaff.
The Hungry Hound and Niner Ichi Nana are located at the ground floor of The Globe Tower, 32nd Street corner 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. For Reservations, call +63917 876 9999.
P.S. Thanks to Flo and Erwan for the warm hospitality and invite.
