getting purple feet

it was an impromptu lunch. b texted me asking me if i am free, and of course i'm always up for a food outing. so off we went to n. garcia, formerly known as reposo.

the free style cooking method at purple feet could catch anyone off guard especially if you are totally clueless. surrounded by three waiters made it confusing because they were talking simultaneously without any substantive recommendations so to speak. so it does really matter to know what you want. there's some freebie liver pate and melba toasts. b liked the chewy texture but i on the other hand prefers it crisp all throughout.

we opted for lamb with tarragon sauce and risotto (714+VAT). the lamb was cooked well, except for one of the chops. the tarragon sauce was still a bit bland for me, i also expected it to be piping hot. similarly, the risotto is not that hot either. the rice was well cooked but the strong flavor of the cheese did not suit our palates. the garlic buttered veggies is something to take note of.

we also had some creamy mixed seafood pasta (267+VAT ). i have no idea on what sauce they were talking about..it sounded like amore. the seafoods are fresh, the sauce has this distinct flavor which i could not describe but it was good.

for dessert, we had panna cotta (133+VAT). it was smooth and creamy. i just didn't like the syrup on top which seems to be flavored honey or sugar syrup infused with a flavoring. the grape flower also looked lonely on top and we were expecting that the panna cotta is served out of the ramekin, inverted on a plate with some apt presentation.

overall, the food was good. what is noticeable is how the wait staff seemed to be untrained. several misses on this part, they did not allow us to sit on the table we wanted; while explaining the menu, they don't seem to be helpful at all; no substantive descriptions on what could be paired and done with what; and in another case, it was over explaining things as if we were idiots. i guess the total miss here was the service which b explicitly pointed out. i appreciate good service it makes the whole dining experience pleasurable and notable. good food is just half of it.

purple feet

nicanor garcia

makati city