Epicurious

I get thrilled when I go deli shopping.  There's a wonderful feeling of abundance and fulfillment.  It was a holiday (one of many this month), and we got to the basement of the Shangri-la Plaza just before noon.  Kong quickly got out of his wheelchair, and together with Gwammy and Monique, they merrily went about to purchase our lunch.  We were at the Epicurious, a deli cum resto operated by the Cravings group; and we spent some P800 per person for our lunch.  Busog!

The parents started off with some clam chowder and tossed greens.  The chowder was thick and creamy, and Gwammy started to reminisce about the clam chowders she tasted in New York and San Francisco (Monique was too young to remember).  The salad came inside a bottle, the shape of which we associate with mayonnaise; it had just enough caesar salad dressing to keep Gwammy happy.  Monique and I had smoked salmon and bacon soup; this was something different that we wanted to try.

Gwammy's meal choice was sliced salami and diced gruyere with baguette; this combination typically comprised our mid-day snacks when I was young.  Monique and I were not too happy with the pasta that we got though--the lasagna had a sweet tinge to it (probably the tomato sauce they used); while the baked mac and cheese was definitely on the bland side. Kong had sliced frankfurters sprinkled with caramelized onions; this was quite appetizing. The piece de resistance was the rib eye steak (around P950), which was grilled medium rare (exactly how we wanted it done).  Monique and I couldn't resist the fats--we had this grilled extra toasty, it was oh so delicious!

Deli dining ensures that you get your food fresh, but the best part is that you can specify how you want the food prepared.  I think that the chefs of Epicurious play a good role in getting the job done right, except for the so-so pasta, we did have a field day!  We were just lucky that we got in at the right time and had good seats; if you come in with a big group, the steady stream of diners will make it hard for you to find a long table.