The Balcony Gastropub, Makati

After a long (stressful / busy) day, we all just want to unwind. Girls usually eat one of their comfort foods while guys would want to grab a bottle of their favorite ice cold beer.

Along with one of my best friends, Yem, we went to our first gastropub to hang out with fellow bloggers Aldous and Carol :)

Wait, what is a ‘gastropub’?

Traditional British pubs did not serve any food. Or if they did, they only offered cold dishes. The term ‘gastropub’ was coined in 1991 at the “Eagle Pub” in London [1] when the duo that took over this particular pub wanted to incorporate serving great food in its daily operations.

Typically a great place to kick back after a long day’s work, a gastropub’s atmosphere is convivial and casual.

The Balcony Gastropub Review

Owned by brother and sister tandem Peter and Christine San Diego, The Balcony Gastropub is turning 3 this September. Equipped with years of experience in the industry, Ms. Christine takes care of the operations from concept to management while Chef Peter is the king of the kitchen.

Finding it is easy - just let your ears lead you to a place filled with lively chatter and live music (it was Acoustic night if I remember it correctly) along C. Palanca.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Inside. [source: The Balcony Gastropub FB Page][/caption]

The venue screams of traditional, modern and eclectic feel characterized by brick walls, antique chandeliers, and framed mirrors. Free WiFi access, outlet sockets, daily newspapers and a LCD TV where you can watch the latest news or sports is available for all customers.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Balcony. [source: The Balcony Gastropub FB Page][/caption]

Food and Drinks

By daytime, The Balcony serves Express Lunch meals to employees in the area. At night it caters to friends and coworkers looking for a place to chill and dine. The menu is a combination of continental, American, and Asian cuisine.

Made with chopped pork ears, onion, garlic, spices and topped with creamy mayo, you keep coming back for more of their crunchy Pork Sisig [P 245]. This definitely raised the expectations for the night *nom nom*

Mac and cheese is on my top 5 side dishes! At The Balcony, we were able to try not one but two varieties with an Italian twist. An order of Twin Mac and Cheese [P345] gives you a serving of truffle scented with gruyette (bottom) and another made with cheddar & fontina topped with bacon (top) plus a piece of bread. Cheese + bacon sealed the deal <3

 My personal favorite is the Chicken Alfredo pizza [P335]! Just look at that pull! It has bits of chicken breast, spring onions, chili, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Thin crust makes you appreciate more of its bursting flavors.

Chicken Pot Pie [P230], served with grilled vegetable salad with balsamic vinegar dressing, was very creamy and had a flaky homemade crust.

The Balcony also serves Filipino favorites such as Chicken Inasal.

I don’t remember ever eating Sheperd’s Pie [P385], which I thought was an American dish (it’s actually a British classic for those who don’t know). I was starting to get full but who can resist ground beef + garlic mash potato + cheese? :)

My tummy was screaming FULL but I couldn’t end the night without have a taste of these two burgers. I was so relieved that I have to share it with three other people, otherwise I would have taken it home without a bite.

On your left is the American Balcony Burger while on the right is the Mexican Balcony Burger [both @ P285]. The American version has bacon and cheddar cheese while the Mexican one has tomato salsa, cream cheese sauce and jalapeno on the side. The beef patty was thick, juicy and flavorful on its own. You can choose between hand cut fries, shoestring fries or potato salad on the side. If you love Piknik, you should definitely pick their shoestring fries!

To cap off our meal, we were served Lava Cake [P120] which was chocolate cake with caramel syrup. Sadly, my tolerance for sweets that day was low so I wasn’t able to appreciate this. My companions said it was good :)

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Cocktails at The Balcony incorporate Bacardi in every mix, brought to you by Tim Walters. Beers, wine, and other hot/cold drinks are also avaliable.

Verdict

Gastropubs, like The Balcony, cater to satisfy both one’s hungry and thirst. Surrounded by condominiums and office buildings in Legaspi Village, it is not just your after office hours hangout but also your alternative lunch option in the area. Come as you are and enjoy great food, great drinks and great company :)

The Balcony Gastropub

"Where the food is as important as the drink!"

110 C. Palanca Jr. St. Legaspi Village, Makati City

Open from Monday to Saturday 11am to 2am

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DISCLAIMER

Yours truly was invited for a food review c/o Aldous. All photos and opinions are of my own.

Pardon for the photos, I was using Shaylee the HTC Radar at the time. It doesn’t give justice to how good the food was.