Come for the Cacio E Pepe, stay for the Schneebälle: Vanderlust Bistro

At Vanderlust, bringing a hammer down on your food doesn't mean you hate it.  Before you try the Schneebälle, you place it in a bag, take a wooden mallet, and go Thor on it. Photos: Stanley Baldwin O.See

Vanderlust's name is not just a nod to German pronunciation but also a play on the names of the owners, Valerie and Mark Anthony Tan.

Don’t be confused by the Spanish donuts on the menu either, as these are the familiar churros. Now, their signature Schneebälle may be something new and unfamiliar to Pinoys’ palates, but it is actually a 300-year-old Germany pastry treat best enjoyed as street food.

The house rule new diners should know is Vanderlust’s system of pay as you order and uncommon practice (for bistros) of self-service; a method that, according to Tan, allows him to remove the service charge off the final bill.

Vanderlust owner Mark Anthony Tan with one of their best sellers, the Tuscan Chicken Spinach Pasta.

Before we get to the Spanish donuts and the Schneebälle, it is a must to go through the hot items on the menu; the Spanish, Italian, and German appetizers, pasta, and mains are, after all, the best-selling items in this two-month-old establishment.

For starters, there’s the Eggplant Caponata Bruschetta: six slices of toasted baguette topped with olives, eggplant—and chocolate. The bruschetta is nicely toasted but still chewy, while the olives give a salty/tart punch to the hearty eggplant topping. While I could easily taste the freshness of the basil on top, my palate could not locate any hint of chocolate.

The most popular and value-for-money dish, pound-for-pound, would be the inch-thick Porkchop with Mustard Cream Sauce. Served with sauerkraut and mashed potato, the moist and juicy pan-fried pork chop can be shared by two persons, or one very hungry diner. Both side dishes complement the chops well: the sauerkraut is imported from Germany, while the mashed potato is infused with sage.

The inch-thick pork chop is a German staple and served with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes.

Another dish that was inspired by the couple’s month-long European honeymoon a few years ago is the Tuscan Chicken Spinach Pasta. Al dente pasta is paired with generous slices of chicken and a creamy but light sauce. Other noteworthy pasta dishes on the menu are several varieties of Cacio E Pepe (literally cheese and pepper), where the pasta is finished on a parmesan wheel for more flavor.

Put in bag, smash, and eat

Right beside the order counter is a refrigerator/chiller than holds Vanderlust’s freshly-made pastries.

Choosing the flavor of your Schneebälle actually goes first before you get to smash this 10-centimeter shortcrust ball with a wooden mallet. Vanderlust offers plain dough options like Matcha, Peanut Brittle, Calamansi, Pineapple, and Strawberries & Cream. Chocolate-based Schneebälle include Mocha Tiramisu, Cookies and Cream, and Hazelnut Crunch.

I chose the latter, which was served on a clear plate together with a paper bag and a Vanderlust-branded wooden hammer. Following the instructions printed on the paper bag, I put the Schneebälle inside, folded the top part of the bag, then bore down on the treat with the hammer.

The ball is actually denser than it looks, requiring diners to put in some serious elbow grease to really smash it into pieces. The tasting of the chocolate-hazelnut pieces was just as fun as the smashing process; harder than cookies but softer than candy, the Schneebälle is perfect as an after-meal dessert, or as a quick, to-go snack.

The Red Velvet churro from the Signature line is served cold and already split into two.

As for the Spanish donuts, Vanderlust offers the traditional cinnamon-sugar variety with hot chocolate dipping sauce, as well as flavors like Chocolate, Choco Espresso, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Dulce de Leche, Valencia, Triple Choco, Maple Bacon, Parmesan Ham, and Red Velvet.

The last three types fall under the La Signatura category: served cold and split into two. Tan instructed me to eat the Red Velvet churros quickly as exposure to air will affect the texture and the taste of the fried dough.

According to the Tans, the conceptualization, design, and execution of this passion project took almost two years to become a reality, making the bistro feel almost like their second child after their 20-month old son.

If you're in the Timog/Tomas Morato area and are looking for some European-inspired dishes and treats, Vanderlust Bistro + Patisserie may just be the place to satisfy those cravings. — BM, GMA News

Vanderlust Bistro + Patisserie at 100 Scout de Guia St. cor. Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City is open Sundays to Thursdays from noon to 10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 2 a.m.