2nd’s Restaurant – More than just Bacon Chicharon

When I first heard the words “Bacon Chicharon,” I instantly thought, “clogged arteries on a plate.” My mind conjured up images of chicharon wrapped in bacon and deep fried for a delicious, heart-stopping snack. Over time, I heard more rave reviews from friends about this restaurant in the Fort that served this dangerous delight. I was intrigued but not enough to try it because.. come on. Bacon Chicharon? No thank you. I value my life.

However! Last night, a good friend and I decided to meet up for dinner at Seconds. I got there early so I found myself wandering around trying to find it. Turns out, it’s tucked away on the second floor (I wonder if that’s why it’s called Seconds) where Magnet used to be. Also it’s actually spelled 2nd’s. It’s almost like a mystery quest. You have to find the open glass panel (took me a while) which leads you up a nondescript stairwell, then follow the signs. I was blown away when I actually found it. I was expecting that it would be an ultra-casual, playful, loud, bright and festive place. I was not expecting it to be cozy, quiet, dim, casual but upscale. After I got over my confusion and shock, I was instantly in love. I felt like I was in someone’s library.

And the Menu! To my surprise, it turns out they have other things on their menu apart from Bacon Chicharon! Why had no one mentioned anything?? Had I known I would’ve come here sooner. It is actually COMFORT FOOD. I was amazed. A little bit of everything, Filipino, American, Salads, Pasta. I wanted to try everything on their menu.

We started off with the Bacon Chicharon(P285), of course. I was in for surprise #3. Apparently it is not really chicharon. It is simply crisp deep-fried battered bacon. I was disappointed. It was okay. To me, it was crispy bacon and nothing more. (Maybe because people had already raised my expectations extremely high or because their other dishes were more appealing to me.) The spiced vinegar and muscovado mustard dip was a nice touch but I didn’t really feel that it was anything special. Next time, I will try it with the buffalo sauce and blue cheese dip.

My Entree was Beef Rib Adobo (P495) with Roasted Garlic Rice instead of plain rice. Oh my goodness. This dish is WOW. The slow-roasted ribs were so tender, the meat was falling off the bone. The meat in itself was very tasty, you didn’t need a lot of the adobo sauce however it was there if you wanted it. The garlic flavor was very pleasant and not overpowering. Same with the rice, just the right flavor of garlic. For those that are wondering, yes, it has the hint of adobo but is not very traditional.

Roasted Garlic Rice

My friend had the Truffled Three-Cheese Mac with Chorizo (P420) – Three types of cheese, with a potato chip crust and the chorizo for added flavor. As if this weren’t good enough, they put truffle oil!!!! Honestly, it was like there was a party in my mouth. It was SO GOOD. I have to warn you though, you might have to share this with someone since it is quite rich but I will not judge you if you take this on yourself.

For dessert we had the Chocolate Lava Cake (P265) and the Apple Crumble (P215). These were both terrific. It’s hard to compare because it literally is like comparing night and day. It’s a matter of preference. However, my friend and I both agreed that, put side by side, the Lava Cake outshines the Apple Crumble.

The Lava Cake is great for the chocolate lovers. You can’t go wrong with this. The Chocolate cake is not too dense and not too sweet. The strawberry compote doesn’t take away from the chocolate heaven, it gives it a good, subtle citrus/tangy sweetness.

The Apple Crumble is for the apple pie lovers out there. The apples are crisp and the pie crumble part is yum. Loved the textures and tastes. I’m not super into cinnamon and you could definitely taste it in this dessert.

Overall, this is an instant fave. I’ll be taking my entire family to dine here. Will most definitely come back for Seconds, Thirds, Fourths, Fifths and so on. They might want to consider re-naming

2ND’S
Quadrant III (where Nike is, behind that, entrance is next to Agave Mexican Cantina)
9th Ave., Bonifacio High Street
(02) 846-5293