Mesclun Bistro is Chef Katrina Kuhn-Alcantara's follow-up to restaurants like Mesclun Restaurant & Cafe in Linden Suites, Chuck's Deli, and the discontinued Cuillere French restaurant.
The place takes inspiration from the type of salad, a mix of young leaves from different plants. Its menu features a range of European-inspired dishes, which may have been the product of Chef Katrina's exposure to international culinary techniques.
Mesclun Bistro is among the many (relatively) new restaurants in Bonifacio Global City that I've been dying to try. I'm so happy they opened a branch in the Quezon City area (Eastwood City Mall, to be specific), that way, it would be more accessible for me.
What I like about the place's ambiance and interior decor (with particular reference to the wine bottle wall and dim lighting) is the homey, intimate atmosphere, making it a great venue for quiet dinners or dates.
While waiting for your main course, they serve warm, freshly-baked mini baguettes paired with a light, herbed spread. I liked the slight crisp of the exterior, and the warm, chewy core.
Of their many Flammekeuche (Alsatian-style flatbread pizzas with homemade creme fraiche) and Sourdough Pizza varieties, our server recommended Goat Cheese (Php345) - cream sauce, goat cheese, arugula, walnuts, and honey. The first few bites of this pizza were light and refreshing, but I later on realized that because Mesclun's dishes are European-inspired, their stuff badly needed seasoning (to be done on the table, and according to your preference). If there is anything to note about this pizza though, it is the creativity behind combining ingredients like cream cheese and walnuts, making it a bit different from tried and tested pizza varieties in the metro.
Their Linguine with Truffled Cream Sauce (Php325) similarly needed a boost in flavour since the cream sauce, Portobello mushrooms, and shaved grana padano weren't quite doing it for me. To cut to the chase, I've had better.
You may want to check out the following pasta varieties:
Let me know which dishes I should have tried at Mesclun, if you have been to the place! I am willing to give it another shot haha :)
Taste - 2/5 | Ambience - 5/5 |Variety - 4.5/5 | Service - 4/5 | Pricing - 4/5 | Would Go Back? - MaybeMesclun Bistro | GF Eastwood City Mall; GF Serendra, Bonifactio Global City, Taguig