Scrumptious sustenance and soulful sayings...
My grandfather recently passed away, and when it was time to commemorate his 9th day of passing, the whole clan gathered for prayers and dinner afterwards. We decided to try this new organic restaurant in BF Homes, Parañaque -- The Urban Farm.
Located along President's Avenue, near Tahanan Village, it is a fairly small space, but with ample lighting and garden-feel interiors of wood and greens. The lovely quotes painted on the walls are endearing, and dare I say fitting to what we were gathered for.
Together with my husband, kids, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephew, and nieces, we pretty much occupied half of the restaurant. We had ordered in advance as per advice of the staff when we made reservations, so that they could prepare the dishes beforehand, thus avoiding a long waiting period.
Pumpkin Soup
Tomato Soup (P120)
Cheese Sticks (P180)
Hoisin Quesadilla (P180)
The Urban Farm Salad (P150)
Sausage Bits (P180)
For starters, I tried the acidulous Tomato Soup, while some opted for the Pumpkin Soup. The Urban Farm Salad was a popular choice, but I was too busy scarfing down the Cheese Sticks in front of me.
I particularly loved the Hoisin Quesadilla, with that sweet property hinting in every bite. It reminded of Miggy's. I don't know if you remember or if you even know it, it's a little Mexican joint that set up shop just across the entrance of Tahanan Village more than a decade ago. My friends and I would usually hang out there before, and my favorite thing to order was their Chicken Quesadilla. Too bad it's now long gone, and every time I would pass there, I would crave in vain.
Anyway, I was told that 99% of the menu is organic (I wonder what the 1% is made of...), and for a concept that is usually perceived as bland, the food they churn out are decent really, some are even surprisingly good. It's amazing how none of them---from the starters to the viands---make you feel that you're eating something that's organic. Heck, we wouldn't even have a clue if we hadn't known prior to our dinner, and that was just because I noticed the "farm healthy good food" stated in their logo when I was looking up their menu in Zomato.
Chicken Nuggets and Fries (P150) and Baked Spaghetti (P150)
Oxtripe (P260), Shrimp Pasta (P220), and Beef Cubes and Mash (P350)
Vegetarian Pasta (P220)
I think we ordered every main dish available save for the Fish and Chips and Lamb Stew. Some that stood out were the Oxtripe, BBQ Beef Ribs with that sweet-tangy sauce, and the Salmon and Mash, wherein the salmon was perfectly cooked and the crisp salmon skin was so good.
A clan gathering means I get up from my seat sporadically throughout the meal since my relatives keep calling out my name whenever a dish of theirs arrives. They already know to refrain from taking a bite until I'm done taking a photo of it. Of course that is not without the occasional cameo appearance of hands in my camera's viewfinder, accompanied by teasing laughter, to which I remark to the culprit/s a.k.a cousin/s, "It's your call if you don't get your hand out of the way, stay starving then."
But the nice thing about my cousins, and even aunts and uncles, they may jokingly give me a hard time for postponing their food consumption just so I can get my food shots, but mind you, I constantly get interrupted while eating, because they keep handing me portions of their food so I can take a bite or two and get to try them as well so I have something to write about. All for the love of the FRM blog, hehe.
Fried Chicken (P200), Dijon Half Roast Chicken (P320), and Grilled Chicken (P200)
BBQ Beef Ribs (P420)
Fillet of Pork (P220), Mashed Potato and Gravy (P80), and Ox Tongue Stew (P320)
I stood still for a moment, looking at this particular quote and thinking about my grandfather. I fondly called him harabeoji, Korean for grandfather. He was 92, and while that is an age well beyond what most men live to see, I still felt that he left suddenly. He wasn't sick, in fact, he would eat more than any of us, a reason why we liked bringing him to different restaurants; a foodie you could say. Nothing is prohibited, though he has a penchant for baked prawns and baked salmon.
The last few weeks leading up to his passing, we saw a decline in his food intake. I thought nothing of it, chalking it up to a change in taste or perhaps tiredness or lack of sleep. At the back of my mind, I believed he would always be there, the pillar of the clan, celebrating with us in good times, and guiding the whole family through trials. He lived a full life, that even if my grandmother passed away two decades ago, he was strong enough to stay for his children and grandchildren.
After the tears and questions came the realization that maybe it was indeed time for him to be reunited with his beloved wife. My grandmother had been waiting for him for 20 years, and we drew strength and peace from the fact that they are now together again at long last.
Salmon and Mash (P390)
Beef Steak and Frites (P350)
Moving on...
My favorite dish of the night was my very own order -- Beef Steak and Frites. I was having initial hesitations about getting it since I wanted some steak and not the Filipino beef steak dish loved locally. Turns out that my Grandaddyo must be smiling down on me, and what was served before me was indeed steak and fries. Reddish pink on the inside and a nice brown on the outside, each piece of meat is so tender, I delight in each bite. I douse it with the savory jus, and smile in appreciation.
Grape Smoothie (P70) and Apple Smoothie (P70)
Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake (P125 per slice; P850 whole)
If you're a soda or iced tea person, you'll be hard-pressed to find one here since they're all about healthy food, and that includes beverages. Smoothies are the way to go, and do get the Herbal Coffee for that after-dinner drink. For dessert, opt for the Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake, although they have an assortment of other cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and pastries as well.
Good food, organic therefore healthy, affordable prices. I'd say those are good enough reasons to warrant return visits.
The Urban Farm
Spot: #4 President's Ave. cor. Adelfa St. BF Homes, Parañaque
Contact No.: 823.8495
Facebook: theurbanfarmrestaurant
0 comments:
Post a Comment