European food for anyone, for everyone

MANILA, Philippines – European food can sometimes be intimidating for most Filipinos. Unfamiliar names and tastes may even result in an ordinary diner simply walking away. 

A new restaurant in the Fort aims to change that and make European food friendlier to the ordinary, hardworking Juan and his family.

Seven on 7th serves modern European food but with an Asian flavor. The people behind the new restaurant are particularly proud of their upcoming Wagyu station that will be giving their guests the full 7-parts Wagyu experience.

But it’s not just the Wagyu beef that diners will enjoy – their menu that offers a good variety of European dishes that hit closer to home is sure to be a hit for any type of taste palette.

Jay Rollan, International School for Culinary Arts and Hotel Management top alumni and faculty member, is the restaurant’s executive chef. Before crafting dishes for the menu, he had one thing to tell the owners: they should all be happy with the food they will offer.

This must have been a challenge as all 4 owners of the restaurant have different taste palettes. Flo Campomanes and Ellis Chua, two of the owners who were present during the interview, said they all gave Chef Jay a list of their favaorite dishes. This had him whipping up different versions of each dish and letting all four owners taste his creations for their comments.

The experiments turned out to be a success as the menu now has a good variety that the owners can be individually proud of.

Flo and Ellis say they do not want to put Seven on 7th in a box as they want to keep experimenting to let the menu expand. However, they have a vision for the restaurant’s clientele.

“Sometimes, people who pass by the restaurant ask our staff: ‘May dresscode po ba?'” Flo says. (Is there a dresscode?)

“We want it to be open to families. We also want it to be a hip place where young people can dine before heading off to a party, have a bottle of wine.” He adds that they are aiming for a hotel lobby ambiance – no dresscode with different types of people coming in to eat good food.

The ambiance of Seven on 7th is also less intimidating than most European restaurants. Its light colored walls with chic modern chandeliers offer a homey, casual feel with food that’s of fine dining caliber.

Before their grand opening tomorrow (Sunday, November 3), Seven on 7th invited Rappler to taste some of what they have to offer.

As far as soups go, their Wild Mushroom Soup is a feast on its own. It’s made with a variety of mushroom types: button, shiitake, cremini, and enoki. Served with truffle oil, the soup comes in a big plate and is enough to fill you up. So better pace yourself to save room for your entree. 

Their Spicy Caesar Salad comes with grilled cajun chicken making it friendly to people who are not big on eating leafy greens. The chicken’s spice is just right while the parmesan crisp, quail eggs, bacon, and romaine, add more flavor. 

Bacon’s probably one of the most well-loved in the world. With hundreds (maybe even thousands) of Internet memes dedicated to it, it has become a staple in most households for breakfast. But when you wrap bacon on a really soft piece of tenderloin and stuff it with sauteed spinach, lunch or dinner can be equally as fun as when you wake up to your mother’s bacon-sunny side up combo.

The Braised Shortribs come in soft with a delicious aroma. The red wine sauce goes perfectly with the meat that’s cooked to its perfect texture and tenderness.

When it comes to fish, Seven on 7th serves their Chilean seabass with a potato crust over it and leek fondue.

While for dessert, their cheesecake that comes in just the right amount of sweet-salty taste is paired with whipped cream.

Their French Beignet is served with 3 sauces: mango, chocolate with almonds, and vanilla bean. 

All in all, Ellis sums up what their restaurant can offer: good food that will never sacrifice the quality of ingredients for pricing. “That’s what we can assure our customers. They’re getting what they’re paying for.”

– Rappler.com

Seven on 7th is located at Forum South Global, 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City.