Using the words Bulalo, Burgers and Healthy in a sentence, is as crazy as saying that the MRT will be arriving safe, on time and without people spilling out from its doors.
Another word that doesnt always go well with Healthy is Delicious–especially if you grew up in the city like me who are used to fastfood and instant meals.
City living may have its perks but just like the pollution levels, our stress levels are also rising fast; and though more people are focusing on living healthy by going to the gym and exercising, we are left with so little time to cook and prepare food, and thus go for whatever is quick and convenient — but not necessarily healthy.
And for Pinoys who associate celebrations with food, its often hard to go for the healthy choice, especially when the temptation of comfort food is just so hard to resist.
Well I guess that is about to change, with the opening of Organico Gourmet, which brings together good food and wellness.
I chanced upon this restaurant, a day before its opening as we were invited by our good friend Jemuel Salterio who simply could not stop talking about his new discovery.
Organico Gourmet is located at #916 Luna Mencias Street in the San Juan—Mandaluyong area, its easy to find if you are coming from Shaw Boulevard as its just four or five houses away from the main road. Luna Mencias is the street across Dumlao Gym, another landmark is the pizza place at the corner.
Located in what used to be a house, Organico exudes that homey feel unlike most restaurants that are look too commercial.
The Executive Chef behind it is Gloria de Vera, an accountant– who eventually pursued her first love—cooking—and put up Organico for the love of her daughter.
She shares the story with as much passion as every dish that comes out of the kitchen.
“Like most Filipino families, eating has been the bonding time of our family ever since. It’s like a fiesta on weekends. And cooking has always been a passion of mine. It was the journey of trimming down my then 12-year-old youngest daughter and helping her lose weight that gave the impetus to start the resto.”
“You can say it was my youngest daughter who inspired me into putting up this dining place after seeing her slim down. I started with the Atkins diet and then the South Beach diet thereafter. In two weeks, she lost ten pounds.
“Slowly she lessened her steak eating and replaced it with chicken until she finally turned to fish. Now she’s semi-vegetarian. That’s when I decided to share the advocacy to people other than my family.”
Now at sixteen, the once overweight Shobe at 170 lbs. now flaunts her trim and healthy 115-pound frame.
It all boils down to eating good food and making healthy choices—something that Chef Gloria and her team at Organico Gourmet live by. But a big part of their effort is dedicated to making people realize that healthy food can also be tasty and delicious. “A lot of people think that just because it’s healthy and organic, that it can’t be delicious,” says Chef Gloria.
DELICIOUSLY ORGANIC
Dishes are prepared with pesticide-free, hand-grown, non-GMO (genetically-modified organism) ingredients and are therefore very nutritious. They contain no MSG, preservatives, nor artificial taste enhancers. The culinary team of Chef Gloria and Chef Mark aim to blow diners’ expectations with their flavorful concoctions.
“That’s why our motto is ‘Deliciously Organic’. We want to show people that organic food can also be delicious, and it’s healty too,” explains Chef Gloria. Thus, Organico Gourmet is not only a place open to vegetarians, but caters to just about any palate.
The food is served in a very charming, country—inspired setting with wooden tables and chairs and decorative items Chef Gloria gathered from her trips abroad.
The restaurant’s menu, which Chef Gloria drew up with Sous Chef Mark Bernardino, makes full use of organic, all-natural, pesticide-free, hand-grown and non-GMO ingredients. Chef Gloria makes sure that even the meats they use come from animals that have been grass-fed and not treated with any form of chemicals.
The menu is as extensive as the menus of regular restaurants, with appetizers, soups, salads, seafood, chicken, pork, pasta, pizza, sandwiches, and even steaks, rice bowls and desserts.
Their signature dish is the Bulalo Steak, an heirloom recipe of Chef Gloria’s family, the Reyeses, which she has perfected. To make it healthier Chef Gloria only uses Australian beef that is guaranteed to be grass-fed, antibiotic-free and non-GMO.
Can’t eat without rice? Organico Gourmet gives you the choice of having brown rice, red rice or black rice, which go very well with their other must-try dishes such as Bellychon (pork belly stuffed with garlic and leeks, prepared into a roulade, and slow-cooked in the oven) Grilled Prawns (marinated prawns grilled and served straight from the griller with a unique sweet-and- sour blend of passionfruit butter sauce) Grilled Salmon Barbecue (Salmon steak grilled to tender perfection, soaked in special marinades and served with red rice and crisp vegetables) Chicken Tamarind & Honey-glazed Chicken (Soft and juicy chicken inasal marinated in goodness overnight served piping hat With brown rice and toasted garlic.)
Here’s what you can expect from Organico Gourmet’s menu:
Steak au’ Poivre— Bite into a savory steak of Angus rib eye breaded with cracked peppers and smothered in brown sauce.
Filleto ala Organico – Banish your hunger with an Angus rib eye steak seasoned with sea salt and served alongside marbled potatoes and caramelized onion and red wine demiglace.
Sardines Pizza – Try this treat of oil-based sauce along with sardine flakes straight from our indoor super grocer, black and green olives, organic mushrooms, and roasted bell peppers.
Rice Bowls
Spicy Tofu Rice Bowl – Excite your tastebuds with a soy-based meal of brown rice, silken tofu, and black beans.
Panang Gai in Black Rice – Paint your palate with our special homemade red curry and savor the herbs and spices bathed in organic chicken breasts served with steaming organic black rice.
Chiu Chow Fish in Red Rice – Steamed sole lish, black beans, and earthy sesame oil all in one dish filled with rich organic red rice.
Sandwiches
Organico Gourmet Burger – Highlight your day with our signature burger of ground grass-fed angus rib eye beer: freshly sliced organic salad tomatoes, crisp organic lettuce, and aged cheese.
Mushroom Burger – Make your taste buds explode with our special organic mushroom-filled burger served mouth wateringly hot.
Banhmi – Had a long day? Dig into this delicious sandwich of grilled organic chicken, liver pate, pickled organic vegetables, and various Asian herbs, all in freshly baked baguette.
Agnew Oyster Fritters – Decadent oysters served with crisp and fresh organic iceberg or organic lettuce and garlic kefir.
Fried Cauli Florettes – Crispy organic cauli florettes done tempura-style and given a generous helping of rich garlic kefir.
Smoked Fish Croquettes – Locally loved tinapa with a musky smoked flavor and seasoned with fresh sea salt in tangy mustard cream sauce.
Stuffed Mushrooms – Delicious mushrooms bursting with goat cheese, gruyere, and bread crumbs cooked salamander-style
Oyster Fritters – Decadent oysters served with crisp and fresh organic iceberg or organic lettuce and garlic kefir.
Fried Cauli Florettes- Crispy organic cau/i florettes done tempura-style and given a generous helping of rich garlic kefir.
Smoked Fish Croquettes- Locally loved tinapa with a musky smoked liavor and seasoned with fresh sea salt in tangy mustard cream sauce.
Stuffed Mushrooms- Delicious mushrooms bursting with goat cheese, gruyere, and bread crumbs cooked salamander-style
Soups
Minestrone – Rich and warm fuss/ll vegetable soup. A perfect partner for the palate.
Three-Mushroom Cream Soup – Shiitake, oyster, and button mushrooms together in a bowl of creamy soup served hot.
Roasted Pumpkin Soup – Special squash fresh from the organic farms of Benguet turned into delicious soup topped with sour cream to give it that blend—in-your—mouth flavor
Salads
Mixed Greens with Roasted Sesame Dressing – Crisp and fresh vegetables given that special zing with our roasted sesame dressing Mixed
Greens with Truffle Balsamic Vinaigrette – Fresh all-organic vegetables in a one-of-a—kind dressing of truffie oil mixed in other healthy ingredients for a veggie experience you’ll be pining for
Goi Ga – Indulge in layer after layer with this tower salad made of various fresh organic vegetables and shredded organic chicken given a helping of Special nutty dressing
Dessert
Mango Pudding with Chia Seeds – Reward yourself with an unbelievably sweet blend of smooth Philippine mangoes nestled in heaven/y chi/led whipped cream with marinated chia seeds.
Sweet Potato S’mores – Indulge in sinfully delectable combination of sweet potatoes topped on graham cuts with a touch of cinnamon and honey.
Coconut Pannacotta – Our own version of the classic French pannacotta served beside pineapple hinted with vanilla and topped with roasted desiccated coconuts for that one-of-a—kind dessert experience.
Bring Organic treats home as Organico Gourmet also has a mini market or deli where you can buy organically—grown produce and meat, dips and sauces, chips and other snacks and condiments. You can also buy fresh herbs there.
Another attraction of Organico Gourmet is their personalized meal program costing P1500 per day and consisting of breakfast, lunch, dinner, two snacks and juices which they can deliver.
Organico Gourmet aims to ignite a healthy dining revolution in the country. For reservations, inquiries and meal plan deliveries, call +639l73790888.
