Mesmerizing—that’s what it’s like to watch melted raclette slowly dripping onto toasted pan de sal, fluffy scrambled eggs, sautéed mushrooms, flaky pork adobo, chunks of ham, and smoked fish on buttered brioche swimming in hollandaise sauce. Mild in flavor yet aromatic and creamy, raclette is a wheel of cheese that can be “poured” over, beside, inside or around a savory dish. No amount of finesse will prevent you from scraping what’s left of the solidified remains on your plate.
If, like us, your sweetest dreams are made of cheese, then head over to Población Dining Room in Makati—the restaurant can whip up every cheesy detail we’ve just described.
On alternating Sundays starting Feb. 12, Población will have the brunch menu special #CheesyLikeSundayMorning. Indeed there will be cheese aplenty on a buffet laden with gouda, brie, truffled cream cheese and the enticing raclette, all from La Petite Fromagerie. The spread also includes fresh and dried fruits, assorted nuts, homemade bread, crackers and toasts.
Brunch consists of Caprese Salad in Citrus Vinaigrette, Wild Mushroom Toast, Smoked Tanguige Benedict, Pork Adobo on Pandesal, Ham and Ensaymada, Pasta and Eggs, with meal enders of Lemon-Meringue Tart and seasonal fresh fruit salad.
It’s a sit-down buffet-style setup, meaning diners can have seconds (or more) of their favorites and each time the food will be served warm, freshly prepared in chef Mickey Garcia’s kitchen.
Trained at Institut Paul-Bocuse in Lyon, France, Garcia co-owns Población with Iñigo Alvero, who oversees operations, and Ros Juan, who started the entire enterprise (including Commune Café+Bar and an event space, now all in one building) in 2013.
Their main advocacy, said Juan, is to always go local.
Hence the coffee beans from Benguet, Cavite, Davao, Bukidnon; desserts supplied by the likes of Carmen’s Best and Cookie Bar Manila; and pastries sourced from home bakers, most of whom run start-up businesses without retail space.
The Población partners love working with other Filipino foodies as well, which explains the collaboration with Karla Reyes of La Petite Fromagerie and food stylists Chichi Tullao and Kay Isabedra. There are plans to get other chefs involved for private dinners, said Juan.
For now, we offer this piece of advice especially to those who sleep through or skip breakfast the rest of the week: Wake up and reward yourself with a leisurely Sunday brunch oozing with cheesy goodness.
#CheesyLikeSundayMorning runs every other Sunday starting Feb. 12, 11 a.m. Brunch with cheese buffet package is P1,500/head.
Población Dining Room and Commune Café+Bar are at 36 Polaris St., Makati; tel. 09198595848.
Follow @PoblacionPH on Facebook and Instagram.
Visit www.commune.ph.
