Wild Flour Italian featured on Our Awesome Planet!

As seen in original article on Our Awesome Planet by Anton Diaz (https://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2019/09/wild-flour-italian.html)

Wild Flour Italian is a BGC neighborhood corner restaurant featuring Italian comfort flavors made the Wild Flour way—quality ingredients with flavors that speak finesse. It serves curated antipasti, cocktails, pizza, pasta and desserts for a satisfying Italian night.

Here’s what to expect at Wild Flour Italian restaurant in BGC…

Wild Flour Italian Restaurant
Ground Floor, The Finance Centre, 9th Avenue corner 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Open daily, Monday-Sunday
Lunch: 11.00 – 3.00 pm Dinner: 5.00 – 11.00 pm
Telephone: +632 244-3930 (landline)
Mobile: +63 917 632 9384 (mobile)
Instagram@wfitalian
Websitehttp://www.wildflour.com.ph/

First Things First

Wild Flour Italian is located at the corner of 9th Avenue and 26th Street (just opposite Osteria Danielle). The facade features floor to ceiling glass walls with wooden jalousie windows that give a sense of mystery and a little privacy.

Inside, it features the same Matchuka tiles, Wildflour’s signature flooring, and cavern-like high-ceilings with a weave pattern to give a homey enclave vibe.

Antipasti

Stick bread was served to nibble on while waiting for the rest of the group to arrive.

Tricolore Salad (₱495). arugula, radicchio, endive, olive oil, lemon, parmigiano

This gave all the nutritious colors you could ever want in a salad, with snowy finely shredded parmigiano that enticed one to dig in.

Aperol Spritz (₱420). aperol, sparkling wine

Sometimes, you just need a good quality cocktail to start the night after a hard day’s work.

Frito Misto (₱480). prawns, calamari, green beans, onions, basil aioli

Fried seafood that was crunchy (but not too bready), still juicy and less oily.

Mandrarossa (₱390 glass / ₱1,625 bottle). 2017 Costadune Grillo Sicily (Vivino rating of 3.6)

Pair your salad and frito misto with a glass of citrusy white wine with floral notes and hints of minerals.

Pasta

Agnolotti (₱495). sweet potato, brown butter, balsamic

Pillowy soft pasta that burst with silky smooth sweet potato and oh so yummy brown butter sauce!

Pizza

I loved their pizza because of the crust—with a bit of foccacia but with the right thickness, with just enough body to hold the toppings and with a center that was not too runny.

Pepperoni (₱795). tomato, spicy sausage, mozzarella

One of the best pepperoni pizzas in town. (I like mine with a bit of chili spice.) This was literally gone in 60 seconds.

Italian Sausage (₱795). bechamel, fennel, kale

This if you prefer your pizza with creamy white sauce and healthy kale to cut through the flavors of the Italian sausage.

Secondi

Your food is guaranteed good when Chef BJ Mantuano runs the kitchen. You could see how they meticulously prepare your food.

Branzino Al Forno (₱1,195 / ₱2,195). lemon, olive oil

Mediterranean sea bass grilled to perfection, just right with a bit of lemon and olive oil.

We could see our steak was grilled and rested, waiting for the perfect time to be served.

Bistecca Florentina (₱9,995). Mayura A5 beef T-bone

Sometimes, you deserve that T-bone steak to celebrate a milestone or that special occasion.

Lamadoro (₱330 glass / ₱1,250 bottle). 2017 Primitivo Puglia (Vivino rating: 3.4)

Pair your steak with a glass from their curated list of Italian wines or their house Italian red—medium-bodied and rich with fruity berry notes.

I like my steak as is. Make sure to request to put the salsa and garnishes on the side so that these do not conflict with the meat flavor.

Dolci

Tiramisu (₱300)

We love desserts at Wild Flour because we know we’ll get an authentic Tiramisu recipe with the highest quality ingredients.

Torta Di Cioccolato (₱320). Frangelico, hazelnut

If you like your chocolate with flavors of hazelnut and liquor…

Mascarpone Cheesecake (₱300). mango passion fruit

Ah, the best! I loved how the tartness of the passion fruit cut through the cheesiness, and I enjoyed this dessert throughout.

Lemongrass Panna Cotta (₱300). lime, cucumber

Pannacotta topped with ice with refreshing flavors of lime and cucumber to clean the palate.

Zeppole (₱200). chocolate

Doughnut balls, chocolate and a cup of coffee to end the night.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I love the overall modern Italian and cozy urban retreat vibe with food executed the Wild Flour way.

I would go back here for their pizza, pasta and, specially, desserts. Their house wines and signature cocktails are the perfect complements to the food to celebrate a hard day’s work. Budget about ₱1,500/head plus cost of steak.

They are better than the other new Italian places because of their pizza and desserts. I wish they had more options for steak that could fit anyone’s budget.

Congratulations to the Wild Flour Italian Team for the awesome concept, enclave ambiance and delizioso food!

Wild Flour Italian Restaurant
Ground Floor, The Finance Centre, 9th Avenue corner 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Open daily, Monday-Sunday
Lunch: 11.00 – 3.00 pm Dinner: 5.00 – 11.00 pm
Telephone: +632 244-3930 (landline)
Mobile: +63 917 632 9384 (mobile)
Instagram@wfitalian
Websitehttp://www.wildflour.com.ph/

Live an Awesome Life,

Founder, Our Awesome Planet

Disclosure: I wrote this article with my biases, opinions and insights.

P.S. Wild Flour Italian is located on the ground floor of The Financial Centre, so you can park across at the High Street Corporate Plaza.

Our very own Chef Allen Buhay featured on Philippine Tatler!

As seen in original article on Philippine Tatler by Isabel Martel Francisco (https://ph.asiatatler.com/dining/chefs-table-with-allen-buhay)

Who is Allen Buhay and why should you get to know a little bit more about this chef?

He is the executive chef and partner at at Wild Flour Group, overseeing the day-to-day operations of all its branches, and the newly opened Wild Flour Italian.

Allen started cooking professionally in California, USA when he was just 17 years old. He had spent a lot of time in the kitchen prior to this pivotal moment in time, bonding with his mom and grandmother. These two Kapampangan women taught him the basics and served as inspiration for a young Allen growing up in the Philippines.  

It was in California though where he learned the importance of being ingredient-driven, basing food off of nature and local farmers. He was trained to do things ingredients first. To look at gorgeous fresh produce and then build your menu from there. From then on, his mantra became, freshness first. “I am all about putting local produce first” shares Allen. He is happy to see that more people in the Philippine food industry over time are following suit.

This chef earned his degree at Le Cordon Blue, worked at Jean-Georges, and Church & State where he spent time working under his superstar mento, Chef Walter Manzke. Years of hustling in some of the busiest kitchens honed his skills and solidified his passion for food. After further sharpening his culinary talents, at the age of 25 Allen came back to the Philippines to help Walter and Margarita Manzke along with Ana De Ocampo open the mega successful Wildlfour, which has since become a staple in the Philippine dining scene.


Learn more about chef Allen Buhay, here:

Last three courses or three course meal?

Uni, foie gras, and a fatty steak.

What do you want to be known for? 

I want to be known as one of the chefs that believed that we can cook depending on the farms in the Philippines. Six years ago they all thought we were crazy to source locally. But look at where we are now! Our advantage is that we have 15 restaurants with Wildlfour so we can support certain farmers in more ways than others can.

Where do you gain most inspiration from?

My mentor Walter Manzke (who is chef-owner at Wildflour) our staff and the farmers who supply our food. I learn a lot from the staff and love to gain inspiration from them. We have built a business where we can change peoples lives, providing livelihood to more than 600 people. I love giving people a chance at something more, and hoping that we can help to improve lives. People’s personal stories give me so many ideas, from complete dishes, to new flavour combinations, or on how to use ingredients.

Favourite ingredient to cook with?
 
Fat.
 
Least favourite ingredient?
 
Bitter flavours or gamey proteins.
 
What is the most challenging meal you have had to prepare?
A few years ago, Walter and I had to prepare a meal. It was the Pebble Beach Food and Wine event in Monterey Bay. We had to cook dinner for the founders of the event with Thomas Keller and Angela Pinkerton, the ex-chef of 11 Madison Park. It was two courses by us, two by Keller, and two by Pinkerton. The dinner had to be prepared in this house by the beach that didn’t have a professional kitchen (there was a makeshift kitchen in the garage in a tent that we had to deal with). It was so stressful because while we were cooking and plating while Keller and other chefs were standing right beside me, watching!

Who would you most want to cook for?

Anthony Bourdain and Barack Obama.

If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?

An astronaut because I’ve always been interested in outer space. Or a lawyer because I like to argue.

How would you say your style is different from that of your peers
 
The goal is not to be the most unique or super different but to inspire other chefs to work how we work so that we can lift farmers up in the industry. My goal is to keep promoting going local and pushing the local agriculture industry forward.
 
What is your definition of risk?
 
Risk to me is going with your gut feeling. It is totally going after what you want despite the odds.
 
What would be your perfect day? 

It would be having a picnic outdoors, somewhere far away. Cheese, charcuterie, wine and really good friends.


Head to Wildlfour soon and try their food! To find the branch nearest you, check our their website at http://www.wildflour.com.ph/.

Wild Flour Italian gift cards & eGifts are now available!

Have you been having trouble trying to think of the perfect gift? 

Look no further, because we’ve got you covered!

Wild Flour Italian eGifts are now available in denominations of Php 500, Php 1000, Php 2500, and Php 5000. Looking for a value not mentioned? No problem, we’re giving you the option to customize your eGift’s value. 

Check out our eGifts on Giftaway: https://giftaway.ph/card/wildflouritalian?catalog

Physical gift cards are available in the branch as well – just approach any of our staff members at the restaurant.

Wild Flour Italian is now open daily!

In the mood for Italian? Always!
Why not do yourself a favor and head over to Wild Flour Italian for a lunch or dinner you won’t regret?

Beginning August 5, 2019 (Monday), Wild Flour Italian will be open to serve you all week – including Mondays!

Worried you won’t have a table? Reach out to us at 244-3930 or 09176329384 and we’ll book one just for you.

Find us at the Ground Floor, The Finance Centre, 9th Ave. Cor. 26th Street, BGC, Taguig City
Branch operating hours: 11AM to 3PM and 5PM to 11PM daily


Get your Farmacy fix in Little Flour Salcedo!

Craving for some fresh homemade ice cream, milkshakes, and sodas? Head over to our Little Flour Salcedo branch and satisfy your Farmacy cravings today! In fact, why not have some coffee and pastries to go with that too?

Find us at the Ground Floor, The Stratosphere, 136 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City
Branch operating hours: 6 AM to 12 AM (Monday to Saturday), 6 AM to 4 PM (Sunday)
For inquiries and reservations, reach us at 09177028522

Wild Flour Podium is now open til midnight!

Heads up to our favorite following in Ortigas – we heard you!

Starting July 20, 2019, our Wild Flour branch in Podium will now be open to serve you until midnight daily.

That’s right, you now have more time to kick back and enjoy all your Wild Flour favorites even in the late night hours.   

Coming with a big group or just want to secure a table? Give us a call at 571-8588 or 09176289572 and let us make it easier for you!

Find us at the Ground Floor, The Podium, 18 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center
Branch operating hours: 6 AM to 12 AM (Monday to Sunday)

New hours for Little Flour BGC!

Little Flour BGC now has a new schedule!

Starting Monday (July 15, 2019), our hours will be as follows:

Monday to Friday – 5 AM to 12 AM
Saturday – 5 AM to 10 PM
Sunday – 6 AM to 4 PM

For big groups who will miss our late night hours, don’t worry! Make sure to call the branch ahead of time and we’ll stay open just for you.

Wild Flour Italian is now open for lunch!

You heard that right, your new favorite Italian restaurant is now open for lunch! Head on over to Wild Flour Italian to satisfy your lunch cravings. Come find us at Ground Floor, The Finance Centre, 9th Avenue Corner 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

Wild Flour Italian lunch service is available Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 3pm.

Check out our full lunch menu below!

Celebrating Pink's 80th Anniversary!

Millions of reasons to stand in line for a hot dog at Pink’s

As seen in original article on LA Times by Amy Scattergood (https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-pinks-hot-dogs-by-the-numbers-20190701-story.html)

16 million: The approximate number of hot dogs sold at Pink’s since the hot dog stand opened in Los Angeles in 1939.

Pink’s will celebrate its 80th birthday in November, at the same location on La Brea Avenue where Paul and Betty Pink opened the stand with a $50 pushcart bought with a loan from Betty’s mother. Pink’s sold hot dogs for 10 cents at the time. “They were lucky to sell 50 hot dogs a day in those early years,” says Richard Pink, Paul and Betty’s son, who now owns the business with his sister, Beverly, and wife, Gloria (Paul and Betty retired in 1985). Pink’s existing hot dog stand was built in 1946.

Thanks to local popularity and not a few tourists, Pink’s sales have reached about 547,000 hot dogs per year for the last 15 years. Richard said that his father used to say about the hot dog business: “After 40 years, you begin to make a few bucks.”

In addition to those half-million-plus hot dogs, Pink’s goes through 152,880 pounds of French fries, 65,520 pounds of chili, 146,000 pounds of Polish dogs, 312,000 pounds of bacon and 10,092 pounds of sauerkraut every year.

Trivia Night at Pink's Hotel Bar!

To some, it’s hump day. To us, it’s the day brains battle for booze!

Hotel Bar challenges you to a night of quizzing at our first ever Trivia Night! Test your knowledge on a variety of different topics, including music, movies, and TV shows, while chowing down on Pink’s all-American favorites and Hotel Bar’s signature cocktails! A bottle of hard liquor awaits the winning team!

See you there on Wednesday, July 17, 9-11 PM featuring beats by DJ Tom Suplico and hosted by Hans Braga. Happy hour on select beers and cocktails ’til 10 PM, and feel free to continue to party on with us after Trivia Night.

Win or lose, we still booze. So invite all your friends – the more brains, the better.

Register your team at bit.ly/hotelbartrivianight or call 772-1147 or (0917) 315-4300 for inquiries or reservations. Free entrance, and limited slots only!

Hotel Bar is located inside Pink’s Hot Dogs at the Ground Floor of Shangri-la at the Fort, 5th Avenue, BGC, Taguig City. Open from 5pm-2am Sundays-Thursdays, and 5pm-3am on Fridays & Saturdays.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @hotelbarmanila.