Celebrity Chef Rob Pengson makes his grand homecoming as he takes the helm at Beso Beso - the restaurant he started in 2019 inside his culinary school Aleanza Institute of Arts. With the global pandemic disrupting everyone’s plans and with Chef Rob encountering some health problems last year, he believes now is the best time to return to Beso Beso as he brings new life to the Spanish asador, tapaos and, paella culture in the Philippines.
Beso Beso is a hidden gem located along Chino Roces Avenue Extension in Makati, just a few steps away from EDSA. The restaurant is on the second floor inside the Aleanza Institute of Arts, the third culinary school founded by Chef Rob Pengson which serves as a breeding ground for his budding chefs and service staff. This is why Beso Beso has been awarded as one of the best restaurants in the country by Tatler Dining Philippines for two years in a row.
Beso Beso serves dinner from 5:00pm to 10:00pm on Tuesdays to Sundays, and while reservations are suggested, walk-ins are also welcome. The cozy dining space can accommodate from 30 to 50 guests which makes it suitable for romantic dinner dates or intimate gatherings with friends and family.
They also have two smaller VIP rooms which can host more private functions and events. The restaurant and bar also comes complete with a fine selection of wines and spirits to accompany any occasion.
The best seats in the house would probably be the ones just in front of the open kitchen, where you can watch Chef Rob and his crew in their element. The restaurant is small enough that you can basically see everything that goes on inside the kitchen, something akin to a chef’s table, and this is part of the dining experience here at Beso Beso. Expect Chef Rob himself to be interacting with the guests on most nights as he works his magic at Beso Beso. The Hungry Kat was proud to be one of the few guests last week to preview the new menu Chef Rob has created for his return. He describes the cuisine at Beso Beso to be 60% Spanish, while anything goes for the rest of the 40%. It’s a playful and more creative take on our Spanish culinary influences combined with Filipino flavors.
Chef Rob even brought out some of the ingredients he will be using for our dinner that evening. He eagerly explained his techniques and ideas to create this new menu for Beso Beso that his guests will surely enjoy.
My husband and I were happy to welcome the coming long weekend with this special dinner at Beso Beso. The new menu will be officially launched on June 6, 2023, but don’t worry because most of these are already available now on their daily a la carte and tasting menus as Chef Rob takes Spanish cuisine to a whole new level.
We first got a taste of their Croqueta de Manchego Curado. These Croquetas are made with hard ewe's milk Spanish cheese from Lamancha Spain. We sampled three croqueta variants served with boquerones, jamon, and truffle honey.
I could really taste the high quality Manchego cheese with each bite. Among the three, my favorite was the croqueta topped with jamon which balances its sweet and salty flavors.
Next up was the heavenly Huevos Rotos which comes with poached egg and chorizo combined with black truffles, crouton and Spanish paprika. This was just a simple poached egg dish but I have never tasted egg as delicious as this one. The black truffles and paprika gives it a distinct flavor that feels both sophisticated yet very homey.
The Gazpacho is a unique Spanish dish as this cold soup seems like it is both an appetizer and a dessert. The chilled tomato soup comes with gazpacho sorbet served inside a red piquillo pepper. On top of it is anchovy. migas and basil. There’s a spicy kick to the broth but not too much, especially as you bite into the cold sorbet. It’s really a fascinating mix of textures and flavors.
Chef Rob then took us behind the scenes inside the kitchen to see how they were preparing one of their specialties, the Paella del Dia or Paella of the day.
For that evening, we were fortunate to be presented with their very special Paella de Paloma. This unique Pigeon Paella comes topped with French pigeon, confit leg, blood sausages, mushrooms, and cabbage. Chef Rob even adds some gochujang to give it an Asian twist. The result is a very flavorful paella that can be described as one of the best in Metro Manila.
The good news is that you can have their Paella del Dia for FREE just by mentioning that you want it! Just order anything from the menu and tell them that you read on The Hungry Kat that you can get a free paella. They will give you a complimentary serving as simple as that.
Next up is the Iberico Secreto which is often called the wagyu of pork. This very tender and flavorful pork comes from a thin cut of meat hidden behind the shoulder blade of an Iberico pig. It is cooked sous vide for 8 hours making it very juicy and tasty. The dish also comes with mashed potatoes and a teriiyaki glaze.
Finally, the highlight of our dinner at Beso Beso was the Chuleton. This is 1.2 kilos of 32-day dry-aged prime grass fed Irish rib eye steak. The premium beef is charcoal grilled and can be served medium rare or medium for up to 4 persons. I really love this rib eye steak which is also served with romaine lettuce, garlic milk and onions in the old Basque tradition.
To cap off our amazing preview dinner, the Leche Y Mango is a fitting conclusion with its milk and vanilla bean combiined with mango and pasion fruit. This is a sweet and refreshing dessert to end our very indulgent dinner.
We would like to thank Chef Rob Pengson for personally hosting our early dinner preview of his exciting new menu at Beso Beso. Chef Rob continues to create new legacies at his culinary schools and restaurants, so this new chapter will be another opportunity for old and new customers alike to enjoy his kitchen masterpieces. Congratulations Chef Rob on your upcoming grand launch!
Beso Beso
2/F Room 101-A Aleanza Institute of Arts, Autometics Center, 2257 Chino Roces Ave Extension, Makati
