Scratch Kitchen. Craft Bar. Village Tavern Marks 5th Year with New Dishes...

And just like that, it's amazing how five years can just pass like a blur. And in those five years, Village Tavern has remained true to its original mission, serving made from scratch signature dishes using the finest and freshest ingredients reflecting the very best of classic American cuisine.

Scratch Kitchen, craft bar, aptly describes Village Tavern's culinary approach for their comforting American dishes. Now on its fifth year, Village Tavern celebrates this milestone with new dishes reflecting their unique culinary style. US-based Filipina Executive Corporate Chef Grace Viado and The Bistro Group Corporate Chef Josh Boutwood recently unveiled new dishes to mark Village Tavern's 5th Anniversary. The fifth year of Village Tavern is also special for me on a personal note, one of my blog's very first posts was on the Village Tavern (more on that first time at Village Tavern five years ago on my old post, Food news: Awesome New Dishes and Old Favorites at Village Tavern). And it's great to be back...

Conceptualized as a traditional old world tavern serving classic American cuisine back in 1984, Village Tavern remains true to its original concept with its comforting dishes. And when two talented chefs collaborate, you just know you're in for something tasty and exciting at Village Tavern.

Village Tavern's US-based Corporate Chef Grace Viado and The Bistro group's very own Josh Boutwood recently shared their new dishes with a cooking demo, just what you need to build up an appetite for that comforting Village Tavern dining experience. Start with a refreshing Malunggay Citrus (P 75)...

Known for their rich and honest flavors, craft cocktails, and stellar service matched with excellent value for diners with discerning tastes, Village Tavern continues this tradition of made-from-scratch All-American specialties with their newest dishes. And just in time too. "The foodie scene continues to grow. In terms of notable changes, the taste profile has become really sophisticated. Filipinos love to eat and travel, so they're always open to trying new creations. I continue to see a lot of diversification when it comes to cuisine," said Village Tavern's Corporate Chef Grace Viado. The first Filipina Corporate Chef for the US-based restaurant, Grace Viado is an inspiration to many young female chefs. And teaming up with Josh Boutwood, one of the metro's talented chefs at the helm of The Bistro Group's 15 restaurant concepts, is yet another remarkable culinary story in itself...

...creating new signature dishes in that unique Village Tavern style. Village Tavern's US-based Corporate Chef Grace Viado shared her Baked Brie, a sumptuous starter with baked brie topped with toasted almonds served with grilled French bread, sliced Granny Smith apples and dried fruits with a side salad. Chef Grace takes brie to a whole new level, adding the nutty and mildly sweet notes of toasted almonds enhancing the creamy richness of the cheese pairing well with the grilled crisp bread. The tartness of the green apples and dried fruits add contrasting notes for balanced flavors. It's the perfect starter before the mains...

After the cooking demo, Corporate Chefs Grace Viado and Josh Boutwood joined guests at the table as they presented Village Tavern's new dishes. And the two talented chefs definitely make a formidable team, both having their own unique culinary journeys to the top, truly inspiring stories recreated through their dishes...

The Bistro Group's Corporate Chef Josh Boutwood then served the first of the new signature mains, the Thyme-Roasted Chicken with Sweet Corn and Popcorn, delicately roasted tender chicken with flavorful thyme draped in a light yet rich and sauce. Topped with sweet corn and crunchy popcorn for both flavor and textural contrasts, the dish reflects the traditional and comforting style of Village Tavern's rustic cuisine yet infused with a modern and playful touch. 

The group was served a family-style version of the dish for sharing, and this was gone in minutes.

Village Tavern's Corporate Chef Grace Viado then served a taste of rustic Americana with her Southern Shrimp & Grits, a comforting dish with stone ground grits topped with Gruyere cheese, plump shrimps, bacon, mushrooms, and green onions. Grits, that iconic staple of the American south, is finally showcased at Village Tavern. It's been said that a man fed with grits is a man of peace, "given enough of it, the inhabitants of planet Earth should have nothing to fight about..." 

It used to be difficult and next to impossible finding authentic grits in the metro. Not anymore. Chef Grace brings this classic dish to local diners at Village Tavern. The soft and creamy texture of the ground corn is velvety smooth, bursting with the rich notes of butter and Gruyere cheese with every bite, followed by the briny sweetness of the shrimps, the sharp notes of the bacon, and earthy hint of mushrooms capped by the clean flavors of the green onions. True grit, you bet.

And here's the beef. Chef Josh Boutwood's Roasted Hanging Tender, a 36-hour marinated slab of premium beef topped with Village Tavern's signature relish. Perfectly grilled to medium with a juicy pink center,  each slice delivers bold, beefy notes with the pickled fresh vegetables and micro-greens tempering the richness for balanced flavors. Simple, clean yet vibrant flavors made with the freshest ingredients, each of the new dishes reflect the scratch kitchen concept at Village Tavern. Baked Brie, Thyme-Roasted Chicken, Southern Shrimp & Grits, and Roasted Hanging Tender, all must-try dishes at Village Tavern. And you can enjoy these new dishes starting April, just in time for the official fifth year anniversary of Village Tavern. I started my own personal journey through my food blog with restaurants like Village Tavern, and five years on, it still feels so special coming back to the place where my blog began. That's what makes Village Tavern special, and with new dishes on the  menu, it's going to get even better...

Village Tavern is located at the Second Floor, Bonifacio High Street Central, 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City or call 621-3245 for inquiries.

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