IL Ponticello

Iraxgee

4.0

If you are familiar with Valero St. which is at the back of PB Com building, is Antel Building and at the 2nd level is a posh restaurant by the name of Il Ponticello.Il Ponticello, which means little bridge in English, is a restaurant bar that specializes in whiskey and Italian dishes with a twist. From appetizers to desserts, they have something that would capture your taste and heart.The interior is designed to be a saloon with a modern touch. Lights are set with dimmers that help set the mood of the place. Since it is situated inside a building, they have created a space for their whiskey and smokers too. With marble table tops, comfy chairs to sit on and attentive staff, they make sure that your dining experience would be worth your time and money.The Food: Portobello Alla Griglia (490)It is slices of Portobello mushrooms grilled lightly to release its earthy flavor, combined with mozzarella and ricotta cheese, grilled cherry tomatoes and drizzled with virgin olive oil and basil oil.It is light and flavorful which stimulates the palate to other dishes that they have. The combination of mozzarella and ricotta with the grilled cherry tomatoes, gives you that flavor that we are familiar with Italian dishes. The basil oil gives this dish added flavor, giving it its own signature.Seared Spice Tuna Loin (490)Slices of tuna crusted and seared lightly and seasoned with wasabi aioli.The wasabi aioli is a perfect match to this seared crusted tuna slices! The oil of the tuna combined with the flavored crust, makes it a delightfully light dish perfect for the malt or whiskey that is available in the house.Rotolo Originale (480)Signature rolled pizza with Italian meat and cheese from the famed Emilia-Romagna region.The dough is hand rolled and is baked to a crisp. The dollop of pesto on top adds flavor to this classic Italian treat. Before Yellow Cab came out with their Dear Darla, this is something that has been going on in the stretch of Italy. Pizza Valdostana (520)Chef’s signature recipe! This is a union of North and South Italian flavors; Parma ham, gorgonzola cream, Mozzarella and arugula.Looks simple but it definitely packs a punch in flavor! The gorgonzola is a strong flavor that goes well with the light salty flavor of the ham. If you think the cream is strong for you then you should add the arugula. The slight bitterness of the arugula controls the strong flavor of the gorgonzola making it bearable for those not into strong cheese flavor.Lasagna CarbonaraIf there is any pasta creation that is worth repeating again and again, then this is it! It is your basic lasagna but instead of tomato sauce, they have made use of heavy cream sauce typical of a carbonara. The egg on top, when broken and mixed with the sauce and pasta, transforms this dish to a whole new level in pasta goodness.Makers Edition 4-Cheese Waagyu Burger (360) 1/3 lbs pound of beef, smothered with their homemade cheese sauce served on top of a buttery brioche bun with ale-battered French fries.The beef patty is juicy and sweet! The cheese is a question that I have regarding this dish. I find it one level and simply has a strong cheddar taste. The brioche is good and the flavor goes well with the beef and cheese.Cheesecake Caramel Panna Cotta (290)This is creamy vanilla cream cooked to perfection! Served with cheesecake bits, caramel drop sauce and muscovado bits, this is one dulce worth sinking your mouth into. The panna cotta is soft and smooth! Tennessee Marble Chocolate French Toast and Butter Maple Bourbon MilkshakeThe French toast is ok. It is buttery good but not soggy. The flavor is there but not that absorbed that I have a taste of dry bread but it also made the toast not oily, which is good.The Butter Maple Bourbon Milkshake is heaven!! The smooth creaminess of the butter with the maple is sooo good that when mixed with the bourbon, it is brought into new heights! As a whole, the dining experience – provided by website, was a pleasing experience! The bourbon milkshake totally capped it right and served as perfect ender to a night of dining wonder.Il Ponticello is one place that you can bring your love one and have a night of wonderful dining moment. The place is designed to be cozy and near romantic. If you wish to dine with friends, away from all the noise and fuzz of the city, then this is a good place to go too. The prices may be a bit high but it is worth the expense with the flavors that they will serve you, dish after dish.Il Ponticello is located at the 2nd level of Antel Building at Valero Street in Makati City.Read my blog about this place in icemagehigh.blogspot.com

Madeleine Avanzado

4.0

Many will agree with me that locally there's a lot of authentic Italian and American-Italian cuisine that's hearty, filling, and good - but can you name one that gets you really excited about Italian food all over again? I name Il Ponticello as that one Italian restaurant, whose take is - admittedly - trendy, with "gastropub" written all over it, yet more give-it-all and soulful than most. Ponti's Chef Panky Lopez, who worked at EDSA Shangri-La and Solaire before finding his way here, has access to top quality ingredients, which he uses to great impact - so much so I must find fault with them for misnaming their appetizers and entrees. For instance, an appetizer on the menu named "Portobello alla griglia" (grilled portobello) is much more than the already delicious thinly sliced morsels of portobello - ignoring the sweetness of the mozzarella and the ricotta, and cherry tomatoes that come along with it, is a crime! This dish is much, much greater as the sum of its parts. Another simple-looking entree, the Pizza Valdostana, is a winsome combination of perfectly risen Roman-style pizza dough, sweet, young Parma ham, blue cheese cream, mozzarella, and baby arugula. Another memorable choice. Il Ponticello then pulls all the stops when it comes to "lasagna carbonara," which I'd never heard of, much less ever eaten. There's homemade lasagna pasta dough, two kinds of cheese, pancetta, and a whole egg yolk crowning this dish. Deliciously evil and a win - but make sure you share it, so you live another day to have it again! Same with its own version of porchetta.Now, here's where I come out and say that I've lived in Italy for more than 10 years, and believe you me, I would fly out a whole battalion of Italian chefs from North to South to come and check out what fireworks Filipino chefs have made with porchetta. Italian porchetta is made with lean meat and tied into a roll, with an herby flavor consisting mostly of sage, a bit of marjoram, and maybe a bit of rosemary. It can be quite bland. Also, the skin is usually soggy, and most people PEEL IT OFF when they're about to eat. Honestly, I don't miss it - because Filipino chefs have made kings and emperors out of this dish. I'm dead serious.What has Ponti done? It used pork belly (fatty, but not overly so). It made the skin maddeningly crispy. It serves the porchetta with a dash of a sweet-yet-tart pommery mustard to accentuate the meat's own sweetness. Well done, guys. Well done.That's not to say, perhaps, that I like all items we sampled equally, but I say let's chalk it up to personal taste. For instance, the wasabi aioli on a slate tray of cumin-crusted added little to the tuna's flavor, nor did the two kinds of pesto on their stuffed bread "rotolo" do it for me. We can agree to disagree.I also think that theri deconstructed cheesecake panna cotta is okay, just as their bread pudding, whose "sauce" you drink like a milkshake is oookay. They're crowd pleasers. What's most worth noting is that there a level of sophistication in Ponti's flavors that's easy to overlook these days of casual, family-style dining. Ponticello also cares about their ingredients, and while you have to pay a premium for them, I'd say it's a reasonable premium.I'm glad Il Ponticello works hard to to earn its keep - and deliciously so, all the way.Once again thanks to website and to Il Ponticello for hosting this visit.

Monica Gatmaitan

4.0

It's my first time to eat at Il Ponticello. I've heard good things about it which made it all the more exciting for me. We were served with Portabello Alla Griglia, Rotolo Original, Pizza Valdostana, Lasagna Carbonara, and Cheesecake Caramel Panna Cotta. The gracious chef and the owner also made us sample some of Rye's offerings: Seared Spiced Tuna Loin, 4-Cheese Wagyu Cheeseburger, Panino Porchetta, and I think the dessert was called Tennessee French Toast served with a bourbon milk shake.Everything was awesome but, of course, I have my favorite(sssss :D). Here goes:Portabello Alla Griglia - P490They say appetizers are a preview of what's to come. When Portabello Alla Griglia was served, I knew at once that we'll be served with fancy dishes full of flavor. I think this is the "healthiest" YOLO meal in the menu. I urge you to start your meal with this one. Pizza Valdostana - P520O.M.G. I LOVE this pizza. I wish I could eat more. I kept adding more arugula to my slice; it totally complements the Gorgonzola cream and mozzarella. You should order this!!!Lasagna Carbonara - P420Party in my mouth. 'Nuff said.Seared Spiced Tuna Loin (P490) almost made it to my list, but the spice was too strong for my taste. If you're a fan of bourbon (as some of my blogger friends at the table are), you'll also enjoy the French Toast with bourbon milk shake (390) but I like Cheesecake Caramel Panna Cotta (P290) more.All in all, Il Ponticello is one of the best YOLO restos in the metro. ###Thanks again for the wonderful experience, website and Il Ponticello! :)