list of organic restaurants in Manila Archives - Between Bites

Hungry for Fresh Pasta Dishes at Linguini Fini

May 19, 2015 by Janey

Normally if it’s summer, I don’t feel like having a belly full of pasta or rice… like that will help curb my growing belly of wonder. At Linguini Fini, it can be quite an exemption, whether summer or any other season, more so with the new pasta dishes they introduced in their menu.

Jarod Kintz once said that “I am 1/7 billionth of humanity, and I am hungry for truth. I’m also hungry for love, knowledge, and pasta.” I echo that sentiment. Pasta is one of the successful dishes I learned how to cook at a young tender age and it’s one of my favorite comfort food. I’ve found much comfort in Linguini Fini’s Pappardelle “Nose to Tail Bolo” but my heart delights eagerly in their signature Chicken Liver Sugo. I love eating this pasta with a squeeze of lemon. It had prompted many returns to Linguini Fini since last year and it’s also what I ordered just 3 weeks ago.

Linguini Fini’s refined hipster diner vibe can make you think they’re casual with their food, but other than the relaxed fun dining ambience, their kitchen is all earnest in making their pasta and pizza made-in-house among other things, even the delicious pickled chilies (which you can now take home to enjoy for only Php 180/bottle).

There is no dish in history that has as many variations, colors, shapes, flavors, textures, and subtleties as a dish of pasta. Outside their original signature ones, Linguini Fini has included NEW pasta creations.

On the Table

Straccetti di Manzo P495

Seared rare beef slices, artichokes, gorgonzola, arugula, anchovy aioli

My favorite anti-pasti at Linguini Fini is a beautiful dish of lightly seared paper-thin beef, roasted artichokes that are like chips for a good crunch, chunks of gorgonzola for points of sharpness, and fresh arugula all brightened by the drizzle of peppery anchovy aioli dressing.

September 11, 2014 by Janey

A lot has been said about famous Italian-American restaurant from Hong Kong, Linguini Fini. They have opened this week on the 3/F of Mega Fashion Hall in SM Megamall, the wing where global restaurants keep launching. Linguini Fini Manila is a partnership between The Moment Group, who has birthed successful concepts like 8 Cuts, Manam, Phat Pho and ‘Cue, and Hong Kong’s Homegrown Foods, founded by Todd Darling.

Not that it hasn’t been done in the past but lately there’s been a boom in advocating “organic produce and sourcing ingredients locally” among new restaurants. Executive Chef Vinny Lauria, who provisionally held camp in Manila for a month, intended the Italian dishes to be authentic, from process to quality assurance, but keeping certain flavors slanted to the local penchant. Linguini Fini remains true to its roots yet gives respect to homegrown local ingredients and culture.

The restaurant interior is extremely vibrant, its dining room very spacious with upholstered booth areas, and easy casual tables and chairs for those who like it more open. Walls are designed with street art by Dee Jae Paeste. Linguini Fini has that refined diner vibe, cool and hip yet sophisticated, with refreshing retro pops of color and an ambience of a cheery disposition.

Their kitchen makes everything in-house, from bread, pasta, pizza, soup among other things. Linguini Fini promotes local sustainability using native farm-sourced ingredients as much as possible but rendering global techniques. Your appetite is about to get satisfied.

On the Table

Ananas Panzanella P255

Bread, sundried tomato, cucumber, grilled pineapple, olives, herbs

We started off with Linguini Fini’s Ananas Panzanella. Others may find it unusual for bread to be part of a salad but this works. The glazed focaccia cubes provide a somewhat crunchy exterior but softer inside hitching with the marinated olives, the sweet citrusy smoky grilled pineapples, cool cucumber slices and zippy sundried tomatoes.

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Straccetti di Manzo P495

Seared rare beef slices, artichokes, gorgonzola, arugula, anchovy aioli

Our second anti-pasti was also a beautiful dish. Ever-lightly seared beef slices, almost similar to a carpaccio, paper thin yet beefy, are lifted by the drizzle of peppery anchovy aioli dressing. The chunks of gorgonzola sharpen some of the bites mitigated by the bitter-mint arugula while the roasted artichokes give an interesting texture.