It was too early to have beer and wine at 3 p.m., but Paolo Durante, Italian general manager at Brera Delicatessen in Makati, had an interesting description of the drinks: the draft beer, Efes, is from Turkey; and the cabernet sauvignon wines, Carnivor and Dark Horse, are from California.
As it turned out, the time of day didn’t matter, because Efes had a refreshing taste, and Carnivor and Dark Horse were both invigorating.
But the drinks are not the only attractions at Brera, a newly opened deli at Ayala Center’s Park Terraces. Named after an upscale neighborhood in Milan, Brera offers a wide selection of Mediterranean cuisine from Spain, France, Greece, Turkey, also Germany, and of course Italy.
Standouts from the sample dishes served:
Pera Serrano, a salad of fresh romaine lettuce, blended with Brera’s creamy Italian dressing, Iberian jamon serrano, pear soaked in red wine, balsamic glazed nuts, Roquefort croutons and aged Parmesan cheese. The romaine lettuce, noticeably dark green, is grown in Brera’s own farm in Tagaytay.
Jalapeño Corn Quiche (corn, jalapeño, lemon juice, cheese) and Broccoli Quiche (broccoli and Swiss gruyere). I’ve never enjoyed quiche this much until now.
Brera Burger half-pound of well-marbled premium Wagyu beef served the old-fashioned way: with lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup and garlic aioli on homemade brioche bun with fries and coleslaw. It was packed with beefy goodness but not nakakaumay, and it was big enough for sharing.
Medium rare Australian grass-fed rib-eye steak. Don’t be afraid of the blood-like part of the meat, Durante said, that red liquid is actually myoglobin, a protein found in the cow’s muscle tissue. He added that well-done steak ruins the quality of the meat, aside from making it tough on the bite.
250 kinds of cheese
There’s a lot of other dishes to discover at Brera including pasta, 100 charcuteries and 250 kinds of cheese. It has its own dry-aging room for meats, temperature-controlled with a wall made of Himalayan salt.
The wine list boasts 98 labels from various countries.
Maximo Sobrero, master winemaker of Salvano Wines from Piedmonte, Italy, will conduct a wine tasting session on Dec. 12, 7 p.m. at Brera. There will be a complimentary bottle of Italian wine with every purchase of any other wine of the same value.
Happy hour is at 3-6 p.m. on weekdays, with unlimited pour pf wines of the month (red, white, rose) for P695 with complimentary chef’s sampler.
Brera Delicatessen-Park Terraces, G/F Park Terraces, Arnaiz Ave. Makati; open daily, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; tel. (02) 4787384
Brera Delicatessen-Molito, Molito Lifestyle Center, Madrigal Ave. Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa; open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. weekends; tel. (02) 7760845