Last August, Bubba and I headed out to hunt down a Swiss chalet-type of house somewhere in Greenhills. If you pay attention closely right after La Salle Greenhills, the red roof and green shutters are hard to miss despite the tall brown gate.
Bubba and I arrived first ahead of the others and were welcomed to a waiting-slash-reading room that looked like it was a setting taken out of the movie, “The King’s Speech.”
It felt so English except that the server asked what drinks we wanted and asked politely if we’d like to try their Tubig ni Maria. Curiosity didn’t kill the foodie and we found out that it is actually cucumber water lazed with ginger and lemon. I obliged since I barely drink colas or anything else –it’s an interesting take which still retained the purity and lightness of water.
If you’re familiar with Restaurante Pia Y Damaso, the restaurant that started that whole theme of Spanish-Filipino era from interiors to menu, the original concept was from Chef Bambi Sy Gobio. The Damaso restaurant in Greenbelt 5 took Filipino cuisine to a new light with her at the helm. Chef Bambi further opens your palate with scrumptious dishes taken from her family recipes at her lovely home. Damaso Residencia, is the newest private kitchen to open its doors to discerning foodies.
If you are celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, family occasions and in need of a venue for group gatherings, Damaso Residencia is a good option to hold a private dinner at. That evening, the spread was centered on Chef Bambi’s famous Roasted Turkey with Chorizo Stuffing.
The guests started piling up in the sitting room. The air was busy with talks of latest food discoveries while everyone munched on bite-size corn muffins and chicken skin served on a tier of silver platter.
After a short while, we gathered inside the dining area which was an elegant setting fit for a happy family ready to partake in a feast.
On the Table
Split Pea Soup
The warm soup of split pea felt comforting since it was raining that day. It’s in the shade of greyish green color that has a grainy composition that gives it texture.
Baked Fish
Of course, the roasted turkey is but lonely with the accompaniment of other viands like the baked fish. The sauce was delicious and combines ingredients of lemon, wine, caramelized onions, garlic and tomatoes.
Creamy Mashed Potato
Smooth smashed potato perfect alternative starch for “trying hard non-rice eaters” like me. The no-rice diet like most of my diets only lasted a day.
Roasted Turkey with Chorizo Stuffing
The star of the show comes out eliciting hushed enthusiasm from the crowd. It’s fairly-sized for our party’s number but Chef Gobio has bigger turkey sizes for bigger groups. After giving the turkey dirty looks, and snapping shots for food pornography, the server then starts to willfully glide the sharp knife across the breast part for easy serving.
He also places the chorizo stuffing and other vegetables neatly on the serving plate. With the hefty weight, turkey has the tendency to be dry, but these thinly sliced turkey meat were incredibly moist and tender than expected.
Turkey, being a healthy alternative to other meats, is not known to be the most flavorful but Chef Bambi’s roasted turkey with chorizo stuffing competitively tries to debunk that perception. For where there is mild taste of turkey flesh, the chorizo stuffing fetches the flavor. The minced meat has a slight salty shade and brings with it strong flavors.
Try to alter the flavor with the trimmings like the traditional gravy or on thelightly fruity sweet side, cranberry jelly. It’s also best paired with the candied sweet potatoes.
Beef Stew in Red Wine
In one of my non-existent diets, I try to cut down on beef some times (you know that’s only partially true) so I wasn’t able to taste this but Bubba didn’t let us down and he ate it with gusto in its dark rich red wine sauce.
Brown Rice Pilaf
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Bread Pudding, Baked Cheesecake with Cherries and other Desserts
That was such a spread and although the dining room felt sleek, it felt homey as well. It felt like we were just eating at a family friend’s house. In this case, we tasted what Chef Gobio’s family has been experiencing every single Thanksgiving dinner all these years. It doesn’t have to be November to celebrate a grateful heart.
Chef Bambi Gobio can also whip up other dishes for you and customize a menu. Plan a dinner party at Damaso Residencia and relish all the wonderful things that this private kitchen has to offer.
“Damaso Residencia” Private Kitchen by Chef Bambi Sy Gobio
311 Ortigas Avenue, Swiss Chalet House marked with green shutters and red roof
(63) 917 848 0620 / (632) 502 0106
Email: damaso@skybroadband.com.ph
Private Kitchen by Chef Bambi Sy Gobio Flickr Album
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