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Sunday, March 26, 2017

Culinary Journeys in Asian Fusion at Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room

The vibrant and distinct flavors of Asian cuisine come together in one place...


Embark on a culinary journey of Asian flavors and experience playfully inventive combinations of rich and diverse regional notes at Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room, the newest dining concept from the same group behind Relik Bistro & Bar. The bold flavors of Asia are masterfully woven in a seamless tapestry of inventive and innovative dishes for a refreshingly unique flavor experience at the new Ayala Malls the 30th. Read on for a tasty preview...

Drawing inspiration from the culinary richness of Asian cuisine, the unique dishes are highlighted against the warm and rustic interiors of Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room, reflecting a cool "retro in the metro" vibe with its earthy and muted brick and wood tones. It's the perfect setting for their innovative cuisine...
 
At the al fresco dining area, one can enjoy a freshly brewed cup of coffee made from the finest local coffee blends. With summer already here, a refreshing Ice Cafe Latte seemed like the perfect way to start our dining experience at the new Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room.

Inside, you'll find the tasting room stocked with shelves of fine wine and a selection of premium single malts. Tempting. But go ahead and just go with the flow. It's never too early for a shot of single malt, on the rocks, at Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room. Still on soft opening mode, Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room is ready...


Chinese, Japanese, Singaporean, Thai and Filipino flavors are recreated, combined, and meshed together in a unique gastronomic mash-up reflecting the richness of the region's culinary heritage. The infusion of local ingredients or a cooking technique transforms a familiar dish, adding to the dining experience at Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room. Classic dishes become new and refreshed, setting the tone for exciting flavors, and that's what you can expect at Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room. Our Asian culinary journey began with a refreshing bowl of Chicken and Pomelo Salad, with grilled chicken thigh paired with sweet and tart pomelo tossed with garden-fresh salad greens draped in a rich and creamy coconut vinaigrette. The tartness of the pomelo and the delicate notes of the grilled chicken complement each other, perfectly finished by the subtle sweetness of the fresh greens and the rich coconut vinaigrette.


The wittingly named Gyosig typifies the Asian Fusion cuisine at Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room, with the classic and traditional pork sisig stuffed in soft and lightly crisp dumplings drizzled with a tangy and zesty citrus mayo. Soft with that lightly seared chewy bottom, the pork sisig adds its own flavorful twist to the popular Japanese dumpling with a distinct savory richness tempered by the citrus mayo for balanced flavors. 


And if you're after even more tasty bites, Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room also offers a selection of Yakitori, freshly grilled skewers with Chicken Wings, Shrimps, and Wagyu cubes glazed in teriyaki or soy sauce, and served with garlic or sweet and spicy sauce. The garlic and the sweet and spicy sauces add a nice layer of flavor to the mildly sweet and smoky hints of the yakitori. Think of it as yakitori with an extra flavorful punch with the choice of sauces. 


The Asian fusion concept is once again highlighted with the Tom Yum Meatballs, juicy pork meatballs richly seasoned with tom yum spices covered in tom yum sauce and melted cheese. The delicate richness of the pork meatballs are kicked up a notch by the flavorful tom yum spices and sauce, making each bite burst with bold flavors. 


Another must-try dish at Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room is their Slow-Cooked Pork Buns, a tasty pair of soft cua pao buns filled with tender and savory braised pork belly draped in spicy hoisin sauce, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs. The rich and savory notes of the tender and juicy pork belly are tempered by the sharpness of the spicy hoisin sauce, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs, rounded out by the subtle sweetness of the soft and chewy buns for balanced notes.


Thai-Basil Chicken Poppers, tender cubes of bite-sized chicken deep-fried and glazed with nuoc mam sauce and fresh basil for sweet and savory notes, is another refreshing starter at Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room. The bold and upfront flavors of the sweet and tart sauce complements the subtle notes of the chicken, with its juicy center capped by a lightly crisp outer layer for textural contrasts. Pop one, and you can't stop...


A traditional favorite gets a flavorful upgrade at Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room. Just how does one top a real Asian classic? The unique Blaksa, Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room's creative take on the traditional Singaporean laksa, is infused with squid ink to heighten the flavors of the creamy coconut broth for even richer notes. Stir the broth gently and watch the colors transform, slowly getting darker with the squid ink. The already rich broth is amplified with the addition of squid ink, making this dish another potential favorite. The complex flavors of a traditional laksa can be found in Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room's version, and more.


The innovative style of Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room is illustrated yet again with their next dish. The Twice-Cooked Pork with Salted Egg Fried Rice, soft and fluffy rice cooked with the sharp yet creamy notes of salted egg topped with braised and seared pork belly tossed in honey and topped with garlic, is a hearty meal in itself. The rich savory notes of the juicy pork belly pair well with the salted egg rice for a complete meal. Pork and rice, with salted egg, what's not to love? The serving portion is ideal for sharing, but I really can't blame you if you don't. 


Another Singaporean classic gets a creative makeover. Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room transforms another iconic Singaporean favorite, Hainanese Chicken, with its Sous-Vide Hainanese Chicken, with two pieces of chicken leg quarter fillet delicately seasoned and cooked sous-vide for 2-3 hours and laid on soft and moist Hainanese rice. The sous-vide technique results in a delicate melt-in-your-mouth texture releasing a burst of richness with every bite. Pour the pair of sauces and get an even bolder dose of flavor. You might want some extra Hainanese rice with this dish...


Even the comfortingly familiar crispy pata gets a creative tweak with Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room's Sous-Vide Crispy Pata, cooked sous-vide for 3 hours and deep-fried for that signature juicy on the inside and lightly crisp on the outside texture that everyone looks for in crispy pata. It's the little details, the innovative variations, that make dining at Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room so unique and special. 


And here's the beef. The Wagyu Beef with Chinese Broccoli, fork-tender premium Wagyu beef that just melts like butter with fresh broccoli and teriyaki sauce, elevates the familiar Chinese dish with the use of premium beef. The fresh broccoli, with is pure and clean notes, plays well with the savory beef, it's comforting and at the same time new and different. And that's probably the best way to describe what one can expect at Toast Asian Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room. It doesn't have to push the envelope for something totally new resulting in overly complicated and even confused flavors, instead it simply reinvents familiar flavors, enhancing it with delicate tweaks, and it works.  


If you're cravng for pasta, try Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room's rustic Longganisa Pasta, soft yet firm al dente fusilli pasta with fried longganisa in a savory tomato cream sauce served with focaccia bread. The familiar notes of the longganisa come through with its smoky and richly seasoned flavors, complemented by the tomato cream sauce. It's pasta with a local touch, completing our preview of Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room's culinary style. It's an impressive preview, with each dish reflecting the focused and single-minded culinary style and concept of Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room.

After a sumptuous meal inspired by vibrant Asian flavors, why not stay for a while and have a cocktail. Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room's also offers equally inventive handcrafted cocktails like the Jack Sparrow, a spiced rum blend with jackruit and apple, or the Nutty Evening with cognac, Frangelico hazelnut, and cocoa.


Comfortingly familiar yet refreshingly new and different, Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room's innovative dishes is another unique dining concept and a welcome addition to the metro's rapidly growing culinary landscape. And judging from the soft launch preview of their dishes, Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room is more than ready to take you on a flavorful culinary journey of vibrant Asian flavors, right here at the new Ayala Malls the 30th.

Toast Asian Kitchen & Tasting Room is located at the Ground Floor of Ayala Malls the 30th, Meralco Avenue, Ugong, Pasig City or call (02) 622-4312 or 0917-320-3338  for inquiries and reservations.

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