Just before the onslaught of typhoon Glenda,  the boys and I found ourselves enjoying a sumptuous all organic dinner at GREEN PASTURES  at the  East Wing of Shangrila Mall.  Owner/elite chef  Robby Goco and his pretty wife Chinky sat with us as we sampled the delicious fare.  “Every food that is served, every ingredient that is used, has its own story, “ Chef Rob narrates.  “In order for the restaurant to serve quality food, I have to make sure that I source quality ingredients. I travel all over the country to find farmers who raise animals that eat grass instead of feeds, that don’t inject their stock with growth hormones, and let the livestock roam freely.  Yes, for now , we are supplier dependent — but it’s the only way to ensure the highest quality in our food. “

DINNER IS SERVED
Say Cheese!
I told Chef Rob that our palettes were not “sophisticated”.    “Don’t worry, I’ll serve you entry level food that will excite your taste buds,” he said reassuringly.

RICOTTA (PHP225) – Cow’s milk, made fresh daily with onion jam and roast garlic. MY FAVORITE!

The Chef demonstrated how to prepare the dish.  First, spread (yes, spread!) one clove of garlic over the crusty bread which was drizzled  with a little bit of olive oil. Then add the ricotta with the onion jam.  For me, it was love at first bite!  Chinky said it was one of her favorites too.
In my previous dining post, I mentioned that my son M was a picky eater.  He doesn’t eat cheese.  Well,  lo and behold, he ate two slices of bread with heapfuls of ricotta on it!

The Sub Salad
 “Instead of eating rice, order a hefty bowl of salad. “
GREEN PASTURES offers a wide variety of farm fresh greens and ingredients in their salad bar.  Recently, they launched the “Salad of the Month” because customers have been asking for vegetable and fruit mixes other than those in the menu.  “For this month,  the inspiration is  the fourth of July.  We have star-shaped watermelons (red), cheese  (white) and blueberries (blue) combined with the greens.

Customers can order from the menu or make their own salad combinations.

 

FARMHOUSE SALAD (PHP550) – shredded kale, dinelli bacon, corn, grape tomatoes, corn, konbu roast chicken, goat cheese with honey mustard dill vinaigrette. WE’LL COME BACK FOR MORE! Who needs rice ?

Chicken Fried Bacon! (195)
This dish was consumed by  M in seconds!

Bacon fried in chicken breading and fried in duck fat. Gone too soon!

Mmmmm …Mushrooms! (PHP 300)
“Go ahead, bite!” Chef Rob prodded. “The flavors are intense!”  I can’t help but smile at the good chef.  He was so proud of his  creation – and rightfully so!

THE HUBBY’S FAVORITE – Homemade ricotta, quail eggs, bacolod caciovallo cheese with toasted organic mushrooms from the Ministry of Mushrooms. SUPER DELICIOUS!

There’s Lechon In My Pasta
If you’re the adventurous type and would like to  try  chunks  of braised suckling pig  with your carbs, then go ahead try this dish!

Braised Suckling Pig Pasta with arugula and parpadelle (PHP455)

Pinoy Egg (PHP 125)
Only the hubby tried this egg dish coated with longganisa.

Five minute free range duck egg wrapped in homemade longanisa over fiddlehead fern salad.

Glazed Lapu-lapu (PHP525)
This dish is new in the menu.   My ten year old son asked Chef Rob if it was teriyaki sauce on the  top of the fish.  🙂  The savory glaze turned out to be miso tapuy.

The flavors just married well in this dish. On the side : buckwheat noodles, marinated mushrooms and asparagus.

Agua Fresca (PHP 230)

WATER REINVENTED – Agua infused with Sagada oranges, limes, lemons, cucumber, mint and honey. Toss the soda , please.

Delectable Desserts
Milk, Egg and Honey  (PHP155)
 This award winning dessert (SPOT) had layer upon layer of  delicious flavors!  Sugar overload with a tangy lemon topping.  FANTASTIC!

Prepare for an explosion of flavors in your mouth! Made with organic honeycomb, house made Greek yogurt and citrus curd.

 
Salted  Caramel Ice Cream with Popcorn Crunch (PHP235)
An oxymoron of a dessert,  if there was one.  You MUST TRY this heavenly sinful ice cream combo!

THIS seals the deal! Scoops of salted caramel ice cream from Carmen’s Best, popcorn crunch and cashew nuts on the side on a bed of homemade chocolate syrup. Let’s not forget the whip cream on top! Perfection in a bowl! Definitely, my favorite!

QUESTIONS:  (Answer in the comment section of the blog and WIN A SPECIAL PRIZE!)
1. Which dish would you like to try at Green Pastures and why?
2. What is my favorite dessert?

THE BQP HIGHLY RECOMMENDS GREEN PASTURES
I never thought that I would be so gastronomically ecstatic over organic food.  The boys and I kept on saying “Wow”, “Delicious” and “Sarap no?” (expressing one’s self in the vernacular always drives home the message more clearly).   But aside from the wonderful food that was served,  we got to know the Master Chef behind it all.  Chef Rob started cooking at nine years old because he wanted to make money to buy bicycle parts.  He has always had an entrepreneurial spirit which accounts for the many successful restaurants he has opened (Tequila Joe’s, Buddy’s, Cyma etc).

Chef Robby and Chinky Goco with the BQP and my son M.

I admire Robby Goco’s passion for his craft.  In his quest to offer and create organic culinary wonders, he has given work to many local farmers and breeders.   He  has made successful business ventures by uplifting the common “tao.”  Some suppliers now have electricity and television sets. One was able to buy his  own jeepney! How inspiring is that?  There is always the easy route of buying milk or cheese from the grocery but the chef believes otherwise. NO SHORTCUTS!   I love the story behind the man who makes food with stories.  I’m glad that I brought my boy to dinner.  At the end of the meal,  the chef looked around and noticed that almost all the nearby restaurants were empty.  M told him “ That’s because you’re awesome!’  We all had a good laugh. 🙂
I’m sure this post made all of you hungry.  This writer will be heading back to Green Pastures (4th floor , East Wing of  Shangri la Mall)  with her whole family this weekend.  I hope to see you there! 🙂

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23 comments

  1. I want to try Salted Caramel Ice Cream with popcorn crunch..:-)because i really love icecream and now with popcorn i wany to try the combination.
    Your favorite dessert is Salted Caramel Ice cream with Popcorn:-)

  2. I wanted to try Glazed Lapu-lapu. The picture says it all. I am drooling right now. Your favorite dessert is Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Popcorn Crunch. I am hungry now. hehe

  3. 1. I want to try the farmhouse salad. Looks healthy and delicious!
    2. Salted caramel ice cream with popcorn crunch.

  4. I want to try the ” Lechon In My Pasta ” .It sounds new to me and it looks so ‘yummy & delicious’. Your favorite dessert is the ” Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Popcorn Crunch “. It looks so yummy too.. I’m now craving for that ice cream.

  5. 1) I want to try the – RICOTTA (PHP225), because I so love cheeses and just by reading your blog, the dish looks really, really good. Can’t wait to try this. Maybe later. 😀
    2) Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Popcorn Crunch (PHP235) – is your favorite 🙂

  6. 1) I would love to try the Mmmmm …Mushrooms because, the dish looks really, really good. I am drooling right now!. 😀
    2) Your favorite desert is the Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Popcorn Crunch

  7. 1) I would love to try the FARMHOUSE SALAD because, the dish looks really appealing. I want to try if the taste is much better than it looks.
    2) Your favorite desert is the Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Popcorn Crunch

  8. I’ll have the Bacon fried in Chicken bread crumbs- sounds delectable!!! BQP’s fave, liked by the child in all of us, is the salted caramel ice cream with popcorn. Yummy in my tummy!!!

  9. 1) I want to try the Braised Suckling Pig Pasta with arugula and parpadelle because I want to satisfy my curiosity if this combination is good?! I will try this soon! Looks promising.
    2) Your favorite desert is the Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Popcorn Crunch

  10. 1) I want to try the Glazed Lapu-lapu because the picture looks so enticing. I am getting hungry now. 🙂
    2) Your favorite desert is the Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Popcorn Crunch

  11. I like to try the glazed lapu-lapu, looks yummy and healthy,, Your favorite dessert is salted caramel ice cream with popcorn crunch hmmm i cant wait to try this,, 🙂

  12. hi BQP ! 🙂 I don’t know where to start because there are too many choices but i will try them all in one sitting next week —-ricotta, then the bacon fried in chicken, the generous serving of mushrooms, lapu lapu and the salted caramel ice cream with popcorn! i also love their veggie burger there ! 🙂 This review rocks! I admire Chef Rob for always introducing one-of-a-kind dishes that make those taste buds go haywire with excitement! Interesting combinations all the time. Gosh i’m hungry now! 🙂
    p.s. looking good in the pic. stay happy! 🙂

  13. 1. I want to try glazed lapu-lapu. It looks yummy in the picture!
    2. Your favorite dessert is salted caramel ice cream with popcorn crunch.

  14. I want to try the Chicken Fried Bacon because it’s new that bacon fried in chicken breadings 🙂 It seems that it’s yummy because it was consumed by M in seconds 🙂
    Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Popcorn Crunch – your favorite dessert

  15. I would love to try the FarmHouse Salad! I honestly don’t eat veggies and I DON’T LIKE SALAD! But it makes want to try this dish because it looks soooo appealing in the photo!! And it looks sooo yummy! I bet your favorite is the Salted Caramel ice cream from Carmen’s best! 🙂

  16. I want to try the Glazed Lapu Lapu because it looks good and your favorite dessert is Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Popcorn Crunch (mine too!).

  17. Wow, Queen P! This post is making me want to head over to Green Pastures right now! hehehe! Everything seems soooo yummy, especially after reading what you had to say about each dish. Hope Chef Robby will open a branch in Alabang soon!

  18. Hi BQP! Was in Green Pastures yesterday and relied on your recommendations. The Mushroom Toast was really good. Healthy yet delicious. It was best paired with their Farmhouse Salad. I tried too hard to be healthy, but was not able to resist ordering the Chicken Fried Bacon. But I skipped dessert though. The fresh melon juice with green tea was refreshing enough it quenched my need for some dessert. 🙂

    1. Your comments always make me smile! I’m glad my recommendations didn’t disappoint. More dining posts coming up! Thanks Kristine! 🙂

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