One bite and we were in love. There was no doubt about it—Grind Bistro’s foie gras burger is the best one we’ve had the pleasure of sinking our teeth into. The beef patty is juicy and flavorful, the brioche fresh and soft and the foie gras thick and perfectly cooked.
For that reason alone, we would gladly return to Grind again and again, but owners Steven and Cristina Carl give us more. The couple combines their experience in the hotel and restaurant industry in the United States with their family’s passion for food at Grind Bistro (and at Grind Burger which has opened in SM The Block North Edsa and SM Aura).
“We wanted to come here and try and do what we knew as a great American burger,” said Steven. “We have a special burger butter, our umami burger butter. It’s super potent in flavor and we brush a little on our patty before we add the cheese.”
They use 100 percent USDA meat, grinding their own beef, keeping it coarse to trap the juices inside.
“If we can make it, we will,” said Cristina. Everything—from their bread (seven different kinds!) and their corned beef to their ice cream—is made in-house.
“Our chefs are talking us into making our own bacon,” said Steven.
They age their own rib-eye, too. “It’s one of our best sellers.”
“We care about our ingredients and the process we use. We like to champion our local producers. We get produce from farmers from Malapayan farms. We see them as partners. Our ingredients are local for the most part except for the beef which is from the United States because we are an American bistro,” said Steven.
What we ate: Popcorn Shrimp (a great starter), the delightful Laguna Farmer’s Salad, Gourmet Burger (we love how the onion jam and balsamic syrup made the flavors of the foie gras sing) and the perfect ending to a great meal: S’mores and Hot Cocoa (toasted marshmallow, vanilla ice cream and chocolate feuillitine served in a hot chocolate cauldron).
If you’re a first timer, order: The Grind burger. “That’s the thing that everything is built around,” said Steven. “And the onion rings, you gotta do the onion rings.” Try the garlic fries, too which were a customer request that has become a permanent item on their menu.
Other favorites: The steaks, the Double Pork Chop, Cheese on Rye (“The rye bread is bread that Steven’s family has made. It’s from Estonia. When I first became part of the family, I would take that bread and I would make breakfast sandwiches with it, this grilled cheese is inspired by that,” said Cristina), Nutty Black Chicken (“We serve it with a hazelnut Romesco sauce and a sweet chili garlic, with coleslaw on the side. It’s a fun dish,” said Steven), Poke Nachos, Tomato Bisque (“I eat that for lunch and dinner,” said Cristina), Salmon Fillet, Linguine Pesto (“A lot of times in our home, Steven would make sauces on weekends. Pesto was one of those favorite things that we had at home,” said Cristina), Spaghetti and Meatballs (The marinara sauce is something Steven would spend a day making), and Beef Ravioli.
Drink: “It’s nice to pair our food with the local craft beers. We also have imported beers,” said Steven.
They also serve a good variety of wine. Cristina said, “We’ve curated the wine list to what we like to drink.”
Try the cocktails too. And if you’re in the mood for something sweet, try their unique take on shakes. The green tea and chocolate hazelnut shakes are a big hit.
Secret tip: If, like us, you can’t get enough foie gras, order Amor’s Foie Gras which Steven created for one of their regular customers. It’s seared foie gras served with brioche, mango brûlée and sea salt and it’s absolutely delicious.
Visit Grind Bistro at G/F Net Park Crescent Park West, 4th and 5th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
