Photos courtesy of Madelene Uyehara
Cross-post from MoneyDoctors Blog.
Pampanga. The birthplace of many chefs extraordinaire. So it is no wonder that there are some great restaurants in the province. But only some. Hubby and I wondered about this and surmised that because every other Kapampangan is a cook, every Kapampangan is a food critic. I mean, the standards are set so high! Before you can entice a Kapampangan to come hither to a restaurant – the cuisine has to better than what their mothers and lolas cook. And that is a tall order.
One brave soul is Araceli Timbol, a graduate of the Center for Culinary Arts, Manila, who also trained at The Blue Elephant, Bangkok and Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley. Tucked away in what was once the neighborhood of the rich in metro Pampanga is her The Village Chef.
We heard about The Village Chef from hubby’s sister and brother who were raving about it. It was hubby’s birthday and we thought, what a great excuse to splurge!
And so we did. (splurging is allowed some of the time)
Italian Bread (P50)
We started with bread meant to be dunked on a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I would have wanted some parmesan on it. It is just okay.
Quatro Formaggi Con Arugula (P380)
We started with an appetizer of a four-cheese pizza topped by a generous serving of arugula (reminded me of the panizza at C’Italian, which, incidentally, is also in Pampanga). It was on paper thin crust, with just enough cheese and tomato sauce. I could have finished it all by myself. *smiles* We also ordered a Pepperoni Pizza (P300) but we were not able to take a picture of it (too many hands wanting to get a bite!). However, I still like the simplicity and charm and yummy-ness of the Quatro Formaggi Con Arugula. But then I am partial to four cheese.
Spaghettini Al’Arrabiatta (P180)
My sister-in-law ordered this pasta dish, which she had before on 2 different occasions (she really loves it). It had some skewered meat kebab on the side. It was one of the cheapest in the menu and it did not disappoint.
Braised Chicken Cacciatore (P190)
My brother-in-law ordered this dish. He is a cook himself (self-taught, like most Kapampangans) and he liked this chicken dish that is lightly seasoned and smothered with light mozzarella cheese and mushrooms.
Pan Seared Australian Prime Steak 200 grams (P350)
The birthday boy ordered the steak, which comes in two sizes, 200 grams and 300 grams (there’s a difference of P100 in the price). He actually ordered the bigger one but was served the smaller cut (this is a fairly new restaurant so the waiters were still a little confused and confusing). Hubby loves steak but he likes it in its pure form. This means he does not like seeing it swim in anything and steaks from Mamou, Myron’s and C’Italian top his list. According to him, no matter how great the gravy is, the test of a really good steak is the meat – how juicy, succulent it is in its medium rare goodness. With this one from The Village Chef, he was not sure, because it was thinner than what he is used to (well, the price is relatively cheaper, I must admit) and there’s the bordelaise sauce that masked the succulence (or otherwise) of the meat. So no verdict on this alleged 31-day-aged steak.
Lasagna Al Forno (P160)
My other brother-in-law ordered the lasagna and he raved about it. Personally, I am not a big tomato sauce fan so I did not get to try it. A sister-in-law ordered the Cannelloni (P160) but it looked the same so no pictures (excuses, excuses).
Pasta Aglio Oglio with Grilled Salmon Fillet (P210)
Last of the entrees to arrive was mine (good thing I was not too hungry). But it was worth the wait – my aglio oglio had just the right mix of olive oil and rosemary and garlic and salt and pepper. My only beef is that the Norweigan salmon fillet had 3 fish bones (I counted!). Master Chef Gordon Ramsay said this is a no-no for top notch restaurants. And I am kind of afraid of fish bones (long story). Overall, though, I still liked this pasta dish. I hope Chef Araceli would be more careful in deboning her salmon next time.
Panna Cotta (P80)
5 out of the 7 of us had the Panna Cotta. It was delicate and wobbly and airy and wonderful. The waiters brought 6 which caused some confusion in the group and I got almost a little angry with the almost-accusing tone of the waiter (I am not sure he knows it is never the customer’s fault). But Chef Araceli made amends and gave us an extra Choco Capuccino Souffle (see picture below).
Choco-Capuccino Souffle (P130)
I had the chocolate soufflé with a siding of kahlua creme anglaise. It was one of the more expensive desserts in the menu so you can just imagine that my expectation was a little high. It was okay, kind of bread-pudding-y. I would have wanted a real ooey-gooey chocolate surprise but this was not it.
Chef Araceli (in white chef’s uniform) with our group
The experience was pleasant and the place was pleasant (ranch-style with an opening looking out into the moonlit garden), and Chef Araceli was pleasant and also friendly and camera shy (she did not want to be photographed alone). At the end of the meal, she gave us each a free serving of Tarragon Tea (P30), which was quite a charming ending to the experience.
All in all, The Village Chef was a nice surprise tucked in the formerly very affluent (some of the houses are still grand and beautiful) but now busy street of Marisol Subdivision in Pampanga. They are open only on weekends (Friday to Sunday) from 6pm to 11pm. Cash basis only. Please call to reserve.
The Village Chef
406 Broadway Street
Marisol Subdivision
Angeles City, Pampanga
0917-5106070
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