Kettle Restaurant: Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Mac & Four Cheese

I am a big fan of Ina Garten, otherwise known as “The Barefoot Contessa.” I’ve wanted to make her oven-fried chicken since I first read the recipe in one of her cookbooks, but I couldn’t find buttermilk anywhere. Marinating chicken in buttermilk keeps the meat tender and juicy even as it goes through the frying process.

When I read about Kettle and its buttermilk fried chicken last year through Anton’s blog, I immediately set a date with my brother for lunch so we could try out the place. The buttermilk-brined crisply crusted chicken had an ethereal crunch that is, indeed, crave-worthy, especially drizzled with gravy and honey. Just a tad more seasoning and it will be perfect.

On my recent visit with my foodie family, I discovered items that rival the chicken in terms of comfort food points.

Take this Mac & Four Cheese. This simple, back-to-basics food is turned into a gooey masterpiece by the combination of Cheddar, Gruyere, Fontina and Parmesan. Topped with bacon bits, it is at once creamy, nutty and tangy. Genius.

We also enjoyed the clam chowder soup. In fact, we liked it so much that we ordered two more after the first bowl. I usually prefer mine chunkier but no one can argue that this is good clam chowder, creamy and full of flavor. The best part is when the sourdough bread bowl has absorbed enough of the soup that you can scrape just the right amount of soup and bread with your spoon. Perfect cold weather food.

Even my youngest niece Julia is a truffle pasta lover. Much as I’d like to like Kettle’s Truffle Gorgonzola pasta, however, I found the two main flavors at odds with each other.

Jenna ordered this Angues Roastbeef Hash because she loves potatoes. The beef was tender and the chewy potatoes were addictive. I've had better versions of roast beef, however, so I can't say I'm a fan.

Joy ordered the Shimp Po'Boy, which she shared with Che. Che liked the crunch but thought it needed a little more remoulade. I didn't get to try this but I am happy to discover that the Po'Boy (a contraction of "poor boy") has an interesting history.

Kettle
5th floor East Wing
Shangri-La Plaza
Mandaluyong
Phone (632) 654-7077

Duck & Buvette: Small Plates, Big Flavor

You can certainly cobble together a fine, grown-up meal from Duck and Buvette’s small plates. The selection is substantial and the tasty morsels are well conceived.

The name is derived from the restaurant specialties—crispy duck confit and buvettes, small bites (to be more precise, the French version of a tapas bar). Because I had another full meal in my schedule, I came for the buvettes.

I enjoy this type of dining because it allows me to sample a variety of flavors in a single meal without having to overindulge.

I began my grazing with a serving of grilled Black Angus meatballs, nuggets of beautifully smoked beef stuffed with feta cheese sitting in freshly crushed tomato sauce. I wish they served this in full portions.

Another winner in my book was the crispy potato pavé and salty duck egg, a novel combination that works. The cubes were made of potato layers that became crispy and chewy with the frying. Be generous with the crème fraîche and salty duck egg, and you’ll have a perfect bite.

I always enjoy cheese and charcuterie so I ordered Duck & Buvette’s Le Deli Slate, which was a well-curated serving of Grana Padano cheese, prosciutto, brandade de bacalao dip, herbed feta with olive and garlic confit and warm bread.

The char roasted cauliflower with white truffle oil and garlic olive oil was a hit at our table but I was looking for a little more crunch and smoke.

I met my match with the maple candied bacon drizzled with lemon juice. So much goodness in such an abbreviated slice of sticky, caramelized meat. I am coming back for this and the three specials—duck confit, slow braised beef Burgundy and steaks & frites.

Buvettes Menu

Mains, Baked Goods and Specials

Duck & Buvette
2/F Main Wing Shangri-La Plaza Mall EDSA
Mandaluyong, Philippines