Red Garlic: The World's Flavors On A Plate

A sampling of classic comfort food, a variety of dishes and flavors from around the world, and a great time with friends. That's a typical night at Red Garlic. 

Started by a group of friends who simply wanted a place to have coffee, a few bottles of beer and their favorite food from classic family recipes to some of their favorite dishes from their many trips abroad, Red Garlic offers a wide range of flavors with their extensive menu. And with over a hundred items on their menu, from ribs to pizza to rendang, you pretty much have the flavors of the world on your plate at Red Garlic. And as the partners envisioned it, Red Garlic exudes a casual and cozy vibe, just the place to have some great food and a few drinks with friends.

Our sampling menu began with Red Garlic's signature Pear Salad with Walnut and Bleu Cheese (P 455), fresh salad greens topped with poached fresh pear in sweet wine with crumbled blue cheese, watermelon and dragon fruit with Pom-Cran dressing. Sweet and tangy, with an Asian hint, a refreshing starter for Red Garlic's other dishes.

Santiago Chili Taco Poppers (P 255), with fresh hand-picked chili from Ilocos stuffed with Mexican taco filling and wrapped with red jalapeno dough. This. Probably the most interesting appetizer I've had in a long time. The fresh chili has a subtle sweetness as the heat gradually builds up, definitely a must-try. Some of the poppers pack quite a punch, and you'll never know if you'll pick up a fiery chili or a mild, kinder chili. Roll the dice and just go for it.

Cajun Style Baby Back Ribs (P 1199 full slab, P 699 half slab), char-grilled until fork-tender, glazed with Red Garlic's very own apple barbecue sauce, served with mashed potatoes. Nothing like a slab of meat on a wooden board, adding a cool rustic touch. Once the servers set up the wooden slab, it's game on. The rich glaze is so full of flavor, smoky and sweet. Seriously good.

Trio Pizza (P 659), Red Garlic's combo pizza with three flavors of your choice. Our Trio featured Red Garlic's signature Cinco de Mayo, a five cheese pizza with mozzarella, fontina, cheddar, ricotta and parmesan with special herbs; the Basillica con Tartuffo Fiorentina topped with sauteed mushrooms, grilled Italian sausages, fontina and mozzarella; and Torre del Greco, with roasted Italian tomato basil topped with sauteed rock shrimp, fresh arugula tossed in lime vinaigrette tossed with Grana Padano cheese. Ordering a Trio is a great way to sample Red Garlic's different pizzas, and it's great for sharing with family and friends.

St. James Beef Rendang (P 499), slow-cooked tender beef with authentic premium Asian spices and ingredients in Thai coconut milk, served with Jasmine Rice. The beef was tender and flavorful, and the sauce was just perfect with the steaming hot Jasmine Rice. A spoonful of rice, a slice of tender beef, and a lot of sauce. Perfect.

The Red Garlic Signature Roll (P 495), with Tamago, soft-shell crab, crisp ebi tempura topped with kani and spicy mango sauce. Much larger than the usual sushi roll, the dish offers a cool combo of flavors and textures, crisp and chewy, and the spicy mango sauce adds a nice sweetness with a little kick to round out the flavors.

And for dessert, we sampled Red Garlic's Lava Cake (P 275), served with a choice of vanilla or raspberry ice cream. Sweet, moist and rich, if you love chocolate, this should satisfy your chocolate fix.

Warm Bread Pudding with Sabayon Vanilla Sauce (P 215), a traditional and comforting dessert that's hearty and filling, and a great ending to cap a meal at Red Garlic. Great with coffee...or with any of Red Garlic's refreshing beverages...

...like the Pink Sparkling Lemonade (P 155), a refreshing lemonade with Sierra Mist and fresh mint.

Later in the evening, go for any of Red Garlic's cool cocktails, like the Blue Margarita...

...and the Mai Tai. After dinner, stay awhile for a few more cocktails. And you'll be glad you did. An extensive menu, a variety of flavors, all in one place. Good food. Good times.

Special thanks to Bing Benares, Manager; and Jacq Yap, Kitchen Manager, for an awesome dinner.

Red Garlic is located at the Ground Floor, Two Parkade, 30th Street, corner 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig or call 856-2822 or 856-1354 for inquiries.

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