HCuisine: Soon, The House That Angus Beef Belly Built

The list of iconic dining establishments built by their signature dish is both long and inspiring. Mention a dish, and you can easily associate a restaurant with it. Many of these established institutions have been built around their house specialty, and have grown to become an integral part of the culinary landscape. Now, you can add one more restaurant to the list... 

HCuisine, Home of the Most Awesome Angus Beef Belly, recently opened its second branch in Makati, expanding both its reach and access for their signature dish. HCuisine is definitely on its way to becoming the house that Angus Beef Belly built... 

At HCuisine's second branch, the vibrant signage sets it apart from the neighboring establishments, pointing you to the home of the "Most Awesome Angus Beef Belly." It's a bold claim, but it probably is. It's the rock on which HCuisine's growing foundation rests, and the driver for the opening of its second branch.

Inside HCuisine, the bright interiors with its bold splashes of yellow and light wood tones exude a homey and comforting warmth, matching the home-cooked style of dishes to a tee. A refreshing carafe of Dalandan Juice and Iced Tea (R) welcomed us at HCuisine, and our unique dining experience began...

One of the country's young culinary talents, Chef Hannah Herrera-Bagatsing is the founder and creative force behind HCuisine and every aspect of its operations, including catering, a private chef service, food trays, bulk packed food, seasonal giveaways, gourmet gifts, and souvenirs. And the Most Awesome Angus Beef Belly.

Chef Hannah then demonstrated how easy it is to prepare her signature Angus Beef Belly as she opened up a frozen pack. Still frozen with no need to thaw, simply place the Angus Beef Belly on a pan without any oil, the oven or even a microwave, and it's done. As the Angus Beef Belly rendered in its own fat, the aroma filled the room...

Chef Hannah's Angus Beef Belly was then transferred for plating as we sampled some of HCuisine's salad and other mains. Chef Hannah described her cuisine as "simple, no-frills" and comforting dishes, the kind of dishes she loves to serve at home.  And you can taste and feel the same love and warmth with HCuisine's dishes, like the Loaded Taco Salad (P 228), with garden fresh lettuce, salsa, nachos, beef, grated cheese, and aioli. The creamy aioli, salsa, and cheese weave layers of rich and distinct flavors to the fresh greens, while the crispy nachos add contrasting textures to complete the salad. Add a dash of hot sauce to spice things up for that whisper of soothing heat. Simple, uncomplicated and comforting dishes with honest flavors, with still more dishes to be served...

...like the Poached Fish on Lemon Dill Garlic Butter (P 298), soft and tender fillet of fish served with fresh vegetables...

...and Chicken Mushroom Melt (P 258), breaded chicken fillet draped in bechamel and cheese with mushroom and bacon bits, both hearty dishes with a homey vibe. The delicate notes of the fish are enhanced by the lemon dill garlic butter, while the bechamel, cheese, and bacon add bold flavors to the chicken. Both dishes represent the comforting culinary style of HCuisine, with rustic and homestyle dishes.

The parade of homey flavors continued with HCuisine's seafood pasta dish, Clams in Garlic Infused EVOO Linguine (P 288), a hearty pasta with basil, parmesan, roasted tomatoes, capsicum, and clams served with a bread stick. The firm and chewy linguine are coated in rich extra virgin olive oil, with flavorful hints from the basil, parmesan, and smoky and tart roasted tomatoes adding distinct layers of complex flavors.   

Classic Mediterranean flavors add to HCuisine's wide and diverse menu with their Eggplant Moussaka (P 208), loaded with ground beef on a tomato-based sauce, and covered in cheese. Almost like a lasagna, with eggplant instead of flat pasta, it's a meal in itself.

Then, HCuisine's signature Most Awesome Angus Beef Belly (P 328 Single with Rice/P 558 For Sharing with Rice) was served, slow-roasted, fork-tender slabs of beef draped in demiglace gravy, with a side of vegetables and marble potatoes cooked in beef tallow. The beef belly is unbelievably tender, almost melting in your mouth releasing rich beefy notes. The homemade gravy adds even more flavor without overpowering the tender beef, lining your mouth with a buttery feel. The buttered vegetables have a fresh "snap" with clean flavors, while the marble potatoes, cooked in beef fat, round out the flavors. Could this be the best Angus Beef Belly in the metro? It definitely is. And I go for yet another slice. And another. HCuisine's signature Most Awesome Angus Beef Belly, a well-deserved superlative, is also available for take-out with Chef Hannah's pre-sliced and frozen food trays, packed in 2-Kilo portions good for 12-15 persons (P 3,600), or Ready-to-Eat 2-Kilo packs (P 3,960), and 2-Kilo Ready-to-Eat packs with Buttered Vegetables (P 4,360).  

Chef Hannah also served her special Fried Rice, cooked in the same pan as the Most Awesome Angus Beef Belly from the cooking demo earlier, with shreds of beef belly and vegetables, the perfect pair for your beef belly dish at HCuisine.

For dessert, Chef Hannah served her signature Flourless Chocolate Cake (P 148) with two scoops of velvety smooth vanilla ice cream...

...the unique and indulgent Cookie Dough Cheesecake (P 98)...

...and the elegant Pink Salted Toffee Pudding (P 148) topped with ice cream and pecans to cap a hearty and comforting feast at HCuisine. The wide and extensive menu, from starters to mains and desserts, and reasonable prices for excellent value for money, makes it one of the metro's must-try restaurants, a culinary destination for your next food trip. And the Most Awesome Angus Beef Belly is definitely worth the drive. HCuisine, now with two branches, is clearly on the way to becoming the house that Angus Beef Belly built.

HCuisine is located at 7247-B Yakal Street, San Antonio Village, Makati or call 887-2370, 0917-590-8000 or 212-1212 (WE DELIVER) for inquiries and deliveries.

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