REVIEW: Todd English Food Hall, SM Aura

In SM Aura, there’s been quite a buzz going on about its latest baby called Todd English Food Hall, that soft-opened last month.  Todd English is a US-based celebrity chef who’s probably most known for Beso, his resto co-owned by Eva Longoria, and the Food Hall is the chef’s first restaurant outside of the US.

The space is stylishly luxurious.    I hear it’s the exact replica of the New York version.   The obscenely busy Almario sisters did the interiors for the Manila outlet.

I love everything about it–but best of all, I like the mix of white and yellow lighting.  Does wonders to the skin.

As it was expectedly full, we patiently waited until they ushered us to our seats.  In my opinion, the elevated bar seats are the best ones in the house.  Unless you came with a group, of course.

Jett was always ready for his latest photo-pose suggestion. This is called the pamewang-and-chest-out-while-doing-a-45-degree-making-sure-your-face-doesn’t-look-flat-on-cam look.

Which I refused to do.

Their menu looks compact but promising.  (I like not having to flip through 200,000 pages of a menu like in Chinese restaurants–it’s sometimes packed with too many options that I end up having top of mind stuff, like sweet and sour pork).

There are sandwiches and burgers on one side, seafood on another, and yummy-sounding meats.  We got ourselves Greek salad for starters, with nicely tossed red onion, lettuce, cucumber, olives, Greek yogurt, and feta cheese (always a necessity), and drizzled with oregano vinaigrette. It’s served with feta cheese triangles.  Excellent first choice;  the dressing was not overpowering, and the flavors were subtle, balanced and fresh.

While awaiting the arrival of our mains, we chatted up with the sushi/seafood chef, who gladly shared some tidbits of info on Todd English while expertly shucking oysters.

These are absolutely mouthwatering.  Look at those big fresh pieces.   I’d want to slide each one slowly, down my gaping, willing throat.   Except that these aren’t ours.

Their tuna sashimi looks basic. And the size of each slice, a bit small for me.

And then came our orders: crab fried rice…

…and what they call the Todd English Half-Chicken.   First, the rice: truly excellent choice, if I may say so.   Aromatic, sincere, ‘crabby’ and smoky.   Could actually be eaten solo.  And nope: it wasn’t greasy at all.

And ah, the chicken.  Brined for 24 hours, with sauteed corn and tomato, and served with mango vinaigrette, the half-chicken dish was a beautiful sight to behold.  It was truly good–it was cooked pretty well, and the flavors were not predictable.     The entire ritual was punctuated with this delightful and yes, fatty, creamy, unapologetic serving of ice cream.

 

Try Tood English soon.  I can’t wait for the next opportunity to come.