Less than 48 hours later: Brasas Revisited

By Julienne On November 4, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Okay, it’s official. We’re addicted. Tonight, we were supposed to go to The Fort for dinner. Mom goes, “you know what would be good…” but trails off.. and my brother chimes in.. “Brasas?!” and my mom exclaims “Yes!!” Long story short, off to Brasas we went. In less than 48 hours, we were back. We ordered differently though so this second visit needs a post of its own. We’re determined to try everything on the menu. Unfortunately, stomach space is finite so we can’t do it all in one sitting.

Here we go. Brasas, part 2.

Three words: Carne. Asada. Fries. – When we went on Friday, Brasas ran out of fries. This time, we were lucky to come early enough that they still had them. Whew. Finding decent Carne Asada Fries (CAF) in Manila is about as difficult as finding an honest MMDA officer. Thank you Brasas for changing all of that, at least the CAF part haha.. These crisp, not greasy fries were generously topped with grilled beef (“carne asada”), salsa, chipotle cream, chili and melted cheese. So good. We had to order two of these because it’s so great to munch on. They’re so tasty, you could just eat an entire order by yourself. Or we could, cuz we’re fatties.

Fighting for every last morsel of the Carne Asada Fries

Lomo Saltado – My brother’s order. I was too focused on the fries, I didn’t get to try this anymore. However, I blinked and the Lomo Saltado was gone. This can only mean that it was good.

Chicken Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette – This is a great salad. It has shredded carrots and radishes, fresh lettuce and tortilla strips for texture. The carrots and radishes reminded me of a coleslaw without the mayonnaise. The veggies were fresh and had a nice crunch to it. They serve the dressing on the side to ensure the salad isn’t wilted when it arrives at your table. The salad is topped with your choice of meat. I opted for chicken. It was quite refreshing and surprisingly filling. This is a healthy alternative to the rice platter, they use the same grilled meats.

While we were dining, we were wondering how Brasas was able to master the authenticity of Latin food. We made chismis one of the waiters. He told us about the couple behind the food — Natalie, the Head Chef (who is from Colombia) and Ian, the Corporate Chef (who is Filipino). I got a chance to meet Natalie, who preps right in plain sight of the customer. She seems really nice, the next time I go, I’ll gather up the courage to get the chismis on the full story behind Brasas.

“I Love Brasas” – The art we made with the Chipotle cream. It’s not every pretty, we should stick to eating.

I think it’s safe to say that pretty much whatever you order here will be good. The portions are significant, the prices are affordable, the ambiance is casual and laid back, the music is good, their ingredients are oh-so-fresh, the flavors are clean and easy on the palette, the food’s delicious. We can’t wait to come back. We’ve already planned out what we’re ordering next. Patacones, I have my eye on you.

Delicioso!