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Greenbelt bistro Roux offers fine French food sans the fancy frills
It’s not unusual for most people to think of fine dining at the mere mention of French cuisine. My recent restaurant discovery, though, allowed me to experience fine French food sans the fancy frills.
Roux (pronounced “roo”) pleasantly surprised me. Don’t let its fancy name fool you. It may seem intimidating—to pronounce, at least—but its interiors are warm and welcoming with its minimalist but still chic décor.
The upholstered benches and wooden seats are simply casual, the brick walls look rustic, while the dark flooring is sleek. I like how the walls are peppered with colorful paintings and black-and-white photographs; plus, the embossed mirrors and blackboard menus add character. I felt like I was in somebody’s loft and not in a formal French restaurant.
The chef-driven restaurant movement
It was the first time I came across this kind of restaurant concept that focuses on two popular cuisines—French and American. The restaurant’s chef, Joseph Margate, was born and raised in the Philippines but just moved back from the US about a year ago.
“I chose the French dishes that would match the Filipino palate,” said Margate. No, he didn’t tweak them to make them sweeter, but simply selected familiar flavors that Filipinos would appreciate.
Since he moved back home, Margate made it a point to see more of the country and was also able to get food inspirations from his travels. The cuisine from Bicol stood out for him, as well as the organic food finds he discovered in a farm-resort in Bohol. He tries to source ingredients locally and gets a lot of greens, vegetables and herbs at a farm in Silang, Cavite. “I believe in trying to be as organic as you can be,” he said. “I think it shows in the flavor in whatever it is that you’re trying to make.”
Familiar French flavors
Roux’s cured salmon and warm potato salad dish is fast becoming one of their bestsellers. They say you eat with your eyes first—and mine feasted on this pretty dish served on a blue-and-white floral plate. The slices of pink salmon were layered on top of the warm potato salad, which were garnished with organic microgreens. The flavors were perfectly balanced and not overpowering at all. The fish was not too salty, the salad wasn’t overdressed—everything was just right. The restaurant makes it fresh all the time and I could actually taste it in this light starter.
Another notable appetizer is the chicken liver mousse topped with mango jam and served with crostini. It had a smooth texture—no grainy feel from the liver at all. I didn’t expect this sort of flavor combination, but it works like magic, with the sweetness of the mango complementing the liver mousse. I wish there was more crostini so we could’ve finished the whole jar!
If you plan to order flatbreads, I suggest you go for the lamb merguez sausage with spiced olives. I like the hint of spice from the sausage and the chewy crust. One order is big enough to share. According to the chef, an Italian restaurant used to occupy the space and it had a pizza oven that they decided to keep to make flatbreads. The sausage variant is also the chef’s favorite.
Meat lovers should not miss the specialty of the house, beef bourguignon with roux, local mushrooms and potato purée. This quintessential French dish is braised in red wine and cooked until fork tender. It has rich flavors but it’s not too heavy. The morsels of bacon added another layer of flavor to it. Bacon makes everything better, after all! It’s a very filling dish, especially when combined with the mashed potatoes, which is almost like a soup with its super creamy texture.
Seafood and spice lovers would get a kick out of the black pepper tuna steak with couscous, olives, yogurt and harissa. The dish is served with the fish in the middle, surrounded by a smearing of two sauces. Best to just get a dab of harissa (a hot chili pepper paste) and more yogurt to offset the heat. I have to say that the tuna was cooked just right—still moist in the center.
It was one of the most enjoyable meals I’ve had in a while and I have a feeling I’ll be back soon, especially since the restaurant has ongoing deals.
Every Monday, you’ll get a free French onion soup with either an order of Croque Monsieur or Croque Madame. Every Tuesday, there’s complimentary sautéed baby squid for every order of shrimp and Provencal tomato flatbread. Every Wednesday, milkshake is free of charge for every Roux cheeseburger. Every Thursday, the signature bread salad is on the house with an order of the spaghetti with lamb ragu and fried mint. Every Friday, gratis pork rillettes with the duck confit dish.
Diners may also avail of lunch specials for P250 that come with a free glass of iced tea, available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — BM, GMA News
Roux French-American Bistro by Chef J. Margate (729 0467) on the 2nd floor of Greenbelt 3, Makati City is open Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 12 midnight.
