Right on CUE!

I've been wanting to try this particular restaurant in Bonifacio High Street (BHS), mainly because of all the good things I have read about it.

We were finally able to dine at CUE Modern Barbecue last May.

For starters, we ordered their Good 'Ol Chicken Skins and Bone Marrow & Steak Tacos. For our main dish, we decided to try the Angus Beef Belly.

The Good 'Ol Chicken Skins (Php 145) is served with 2 types of dip, Red and Green Chili Sauce and Sweet Honey. I tasted it first without dip, and loved how crunchy and tasty their version is. I found it a bit peculiar for chicken skin to be served with honey, since the main purpose of the dip is to lessen the oil. Lo' and behold, it worked perfectly with the chicken skin! The sweet honey gave it a caramelized taste which I loved. Kyle liked it better without any dip. I guess this is more of an acquired tastes, specially for those who like to dip their chicken skin in vinegar.



One of the best ideas to serve as an appetizer the Bone Marrow & Steak Tacos (Php 485). This way, it can be eaten in moderation. Given Kyle's love for bone marrow and steak, this is the perfect dish for him.



A spoonful of soft, sinful bone marrow combined with steak chunks, carefully placed on a flour tortilla, rolled into the perfect bite! This is just pure bliss! Unfortunately, I only had one serving since I didn't want to fill myself before the main entree arrives.

My entree choice was the Angus Beef Belly (Php 695), 200 grams of beef braised in dark ale and mustard crusted. You get one free side dish for every from The Chopping Board. We chose the mashed potato for our side dish and salsa verde for the sauce.



The meat was really fork tender and had a strong mustard flavor. I really didn't like how the mustard overpowered the flavor of the beef. I actually scraped of the mustard crust for me to be able to fully enjoy this dish.

All the dishes that we ordered did not fall short from our expectations. The only down side that I could find from Cue is their price. Admittedly, they are on the high-end side of the market and is not for those who are budget-conscious.

A major plus factor for this place is their very cozy interiors. It has a very homey and relaxing feel when you dine in here. Definitely coming back!

For the detailed menu, please click on the following links:

Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10, Page 11, Page 12

 

CUE Modern Barbecue

Space NELG 105, Lower Ground Floor, Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City  (02-6214052, 02-2121212)

Barley Gastropub, best bar-chows!

 

Last July 7, me and the bf had a late dinner at Barley Gastropub. We browsed through their menu and boy was it sinful!

We had our eyes fixed on their "Roasted Bone Marrow", so we got this along with their "Beef Salpicao", "Steak and Mash" and who could ever resist ordering "Chicharon Bulaklak".

Lucky me that Barley had a Buy1Take1 promo on their Signature Cocktails. I availed of this and ordered their "Lychee Mojito".

Our orders:

My Lychee Mojito (Php195) was served first, and it tasted divine. You could hardly taste the alcohol in it which made it a wonderful drink.



Next to be served was the Chicharon Bulaklak (Php 225) with a side of sweet-spicy vinegar. I loved the flavor and the texture of the Chicharon Bulaklak! It had both the crunch and the chewiness which means that it was cooked to perfection. Kyle was more into the crunchy bits, while I loved both the crunchy and chewy bites.



While we were enjoying our chicharon, we were served the Roasted Bone Marrow (Php 240). This was really the highlight of our night! The dish had  a full bone, cut in half and roasted just right to enhance its flavor. It was served with a whole roasted garlic, pink salt, a slice of lemon and a separate plate of crostini where you can smother the glorious bone marrow. This dish is both pure bliss and sin! I loved how the salt and the acidity of the lemon tamed the flavor of the marrow, while the garlic (which I sliced into bits) perfectly complemented every bite!



This dish is definitely for sharing! I was only able to finish half of one side of the bone since I couldn't handle the richness of its flavor. Kyle happily finished this dish since he just loves bone marrow!

Next stop: Kyle's "Rib Eye Steak and Mash (Php 450)"! (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of it :( )

We asked it to be cooked medium well so it would still be soft but without bloody juices gushing out. However, when it was served, it was a bit on the medium rare to medium side. Kyle still enjoyed the dish as he is just a carnivore, but there was no "wow" factor for this dish, just your usual steak. The mashed potato served with it had a nice texture since it was not pureed which makes you realized that it was made from scratch. On that note, I would have preferred it to be a bit more buttery and it also felt a bit under-seasoned.

Last but not the least is the Beef Salpicao (Php 395). Served on a small iron skillet, it had hefty servings of chunky beef swimming in olive oil and garlic, seasoned with just the right amount of salt and pepper. When I took a bite from a chunk of its beef, a symphony of flavors exploded in my mouth! The beef was so tender and the flavorful juices gushed out with every bite that I took. In my book, this is one of the best beef salpicaos that I have ever had!



Just a head's up: they impose a 10% service charge on your final bill :)

Overall, I loved their food offerings and it's really affordable. They also have a wide selection of imported beers displayed on their refrigerator. As for the ambiance, it has a really cozy and somewhat homey feel. It's a great place for get togethers or if you just want to satisfy sinful cravings.



(Photo grabbed from owner's website)

For more details on their menu, please see the following:  Barley_Gastropub, Barley_Gastropub2

Barley Gastropub

Address: Sgt. Esguerra corner Scout Bayoran (Just in front of Livestock)

Contact Nos: 376-0957 or 0947-9919110

https://www.facebook.com/BarleyGastropub