Boldly Flavored By Fire And Smoke, At Burnt Bean In The Podium

Almost two years since it formally opened, Burnt Bean continues to fire up the vibrant dining scene at The Podium anchored on a deceptively simple yet complex concept: to build flavor by fire and smoke. And it's definitely still smokin' hot... 

From its wood-fired grills and ovens, Burnt Bean brings rich savory flavors to smoky perfection with food gently kissed and touched by fire. From their signature steaks and delicately grilled seafood and charred vegetables, Burnt Bean flexes its mastery of the grill with their extensive menu (for more on Burnt Bean, see my previous post Holy Smokes, Burnt Bean Fires Up The Culinary Scene At The Podium from 2024). Fire up your appetite, it's time for lunch at Burnt Bean...

As you wait for order to be served, enjoy refreshing sips of the Raspberry Iced Tea...

...and soon your feast masterfully touched by fire begins with the Torched Salmon Poke (P 625), a sumptuous bowl with juicy slabs of salmon given the Burnt Bean treatment with its torched finish, seaweed butter rice, mango, cucumber, furikake, unagi sauce, wakame, nori and tobiko. A traditional and popular staple is dramatically transformed by fire, adding layers of rich flavors and textural contrasts to the dish. 

The buttery salmon with its torched outer crust delivers a flavorful depth perfectly complemented by the distinct notes from the bowl's supporting cast of ingredients for an intricate yet balanced play on flavors. The flavors are rich and clean, with the torched layer of the salmon completing the flavors in that signature Burnt Bean style. This isn't your usual poke bowl, and it works for me.

My go-to dish at Burnt Bean? It's the Steak and Frites (P 1,950) that's high up on my list of personal picks. Why? You just can't say no to a juicy and tender slab of Hanger Steak perfectly grilled to medium with its deep pink center topped by a lightly charred crust, the lingering notes of the herb and butter-based Sauce Entrecote and crisp Skinny Fries. 

Take a moment to pause and admire the plated symmetry before that first bite... 

...and dive right in. The savory richness of the Hanger Steak drapes the palate with its beefy fire-kissed goodness followed by just a whisper of smoky hints, tempered by the subtle yet sharp notes of the Sauce Entrecote for an elegantly balanced finish. And the Skinny Fries? That's the cherry on the cake. 

One more bite and then it sinks in. There's just nothing like the sheer simplicity of a slab of meat expertly touched by fire that brings out your inner primordial carnivorous nature. Nearly two years after it opened at The Podium, Burnt Bean is still firing it up with its specialty dishes like the Torched Salmon Poke and Steak and Frites. 

How to cap a sumptuous feast touched by fire at Burnt Bean? Just sit back and chill with their soothing Pistachio Latte (P 170) made with homemade roasted pistachio paste, creamy milk and bold espresso. When that craving for food touched by fire hits, you know where to find it. At Burnt Bean...

Burnt Bean is located at the Fifth Level of The Podium, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. You can also visit their FB Page and IG Feed at https://www.facebook.com/burntbeanph and https://www.instagram.com/burntbeanph/ for more information and updates or call 0916 642 6938 for inquiries. 

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