Merkato Cuisine: A Hidden Treasure in QC

One of the perks that comes with my job is being able to dine in new places and have the opportunity to try new dishes (to the detriment of my diet). One such chance came when my staff and I met with an events company for a possible partnership. Actually, when the meeting was set, the name of the place, Merkato Cuisine, didn't ring a bell. Of course I don't know all the restaurants in Quezon City as I am a Makati girl, but I should at least have heard of it or read about it even once.

On the day of the meeting, we even got lost because the restaurant is situated away from the famous Tomas Morato strip -- Scout Rallos corner Scout Santiago to be exact. Found Merkato eventually after a second cab ride but the effort was not put in vain. The stress of having been lost and late for the meeting was immediately replaced by a feeling of calmness and we were immediately at home as we were greeted by attentive staff as we marveled at the simple yet classy interiors.

I was delighted with the golden sunburst fixture that seemed to shine from the middle wall partition and I was enthralled with the simple stenciled leaves scattered on the white walls that matched the motif of the wrought iron furnitures and the lampshades.

It turned out that Merkato is barely a year old in the business and have been catering to guests who stay in the adjacent Casa Pura or residents and office goers near the area. Looking at the menu with its array of mouth watering offerings, we couldn't decide what to get. Good thing we got to meet the young but expertly trained chef, AC Agra, who guided us in our choice of food for the day. For starters, we sampled on Merkato French Onion Soup which was described as "slow-cooked onion broth with gratineed kesong puti served with onion tempura and cilantro creme fraiche." Their version of the onion soup was better than usual and the kesong puti made the big difference. The cheese was soft and more flavorful and the soup's texture smooth to the throat. Sorry there's no photo here of the soup as I immediately devoured it with gusto and forgot I have a camera with me.

To tickle our appetites, we ordered Vietnamese Springrolls with Sweet Garlic Veloute or simply sweet and spicy garlic soy reduction. The rolls were so light to the mouth and yet bursting with flavors --- a vegetarian delight!

For the main course, I ordered Grilled Tiger Prawns with Lemon-Cilantro Papardelle which was absolutely fantastic. I could really taste the grilled flavor of the prawns and the homemade lemon and cilantro-infused hand cut pasta with pomodoro sauce was unlike any pasta I've tried before. Not only did I see the yellow and green bits of lemon and cilantro in the pasta, the added flavor blended perfectly well with the sauce and prawns.

For dessert, we shared a slice of the the Sugar-free Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cake that was very chocolatety without the guilt.

I'll surely make another visit to Merkato with my family and friends for the place is well-suited not only for business meetings but also for intimate gatherings.

To know more about Merkato Cuisine, click here: http://www.merkatocuisine.com/