BRUNCH BUREAU, now a chain of three, launched two things on Aug. 12: their newest location in S Maison in the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) complex, and their new Filipino dishes, designed to wake someone up at brunch.
BusinessWorld went to a tasting earlier this week, which featured the Filipino Paboritos (favorites) menu: Corned Beef Brisket Sinigang (entree platter or solo for P590 and Big Plates good for two to three, P1,150), Crispy Pork Sisig (P490/P960), Golden Squash Kare-Kare (P720/P1,400), Beef Tapa Bowl (P590/P1,350), and Haciendero Chicken (P420/P850).
While we did like the Corned Beef Brisket Sinigang (a sour soup, modified with large chunks of salted, very red beef), we’re afraid to say that someone else has done it before, and better. The Beef Tapa bowl, however, brings back the preserved beef dish into its juicier, saucier form; the Haciendero Chicken (Negros-inspired inasal — grilled chicken — but with red pepper aioli, pico de gallo, and lemon parsley rice) was a sure win — we haven’t had anything quite like this before, despite the addition of several familiar elements. We have unreserved praise for the kare-kare (peanut-based stew, but this sauce is creamier because of the hidden addition of creamed squash; we also like its use of vegetables like bok choi and French beans) as well as the Crispy Sisig: perfectly browned.
There were other dishes, of course: there was the Manila Carbonara (made with sausage crumble and a cream sauce, but which harkens back to the Italian original with a poached egg), as well as a steak and rice platter much more affordable than others in the city.
RJ Ungco, executive chef for Brunch Bureau and its parent company Brewers-Haven, Inc. (they have an affiliate called Gemini which owns Kas & Poly, a more evening-themed place), said that the Filipino menu is there for families who feast on weekends. It offers “more familiar flavors,” he said in an interview.
As for the focus on brunch, he said, “A lot of people don’t really wake up that early.” That, and Filipinos like shuffling their meals: breakfast for dinner, and the vice-versa. “Comfort food, anytime, every time, you like.”
The restaurant has three branches (if we don’t count Kas & Poly as a fourth): the new one at S Maison, one in Makati, and another in Alabang. Aside from the fact that the owners come from real estate (which should explain their ease in finding locations), their relatively fast growth from 2023 can be credited to smooth operations: “If you build a commissary, you can expand right away,” said Mr. Ungco. They still do finish everything in-store, he makes clear.
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it powers you for the rest of it. But there may be another reason why breakfast is important: someone once told us that a good breakfast meant somebody loves you, or you’ve paid someone enough to do it for you.
“That’s true. Every food that you take in and eat in Brunch Bureau, you’ll still feel that love,” he said. “Food laboriously made, elevated, seen through a creative eye… you really feel it’s made for you.”
Brunch Bureau is at S Maison, MOA Complex, and is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. — Joseph L. Garcia
