Words by Louise De Luna (@louisedeluna) / Photos by Liezl Pineda (@liezlpineda)

Sobremesa is an untranslatable Spanish word that refers to the time after meals during which the people on the table stay and talk to each other about everything and anything under the sun. Untranslatable as it is to Filipino, we definitely don’t have a lack of it. Eating in our culture is as much as a social function as it is a necessity, after all.

Sobremesa by Chef Benjo Tuason understands this perfectly. Located at Sapphire Bloc at Ortigas, Pasig City, customers are immediately welcomed by a warm staff and a cozy, intimate interior. Taking the best of both worlds from South America and the Philippines, Chef Tuason meticulously creates each and every one of the dishes in their menu. He also comes up with new dishes to amaze the public every month.

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This month, they added two new delicious dishes and one amazing dessert to their menu: Cuban Porkchop, Cured Meats Selection and Lecheroon.

Cuban Porkchop (Php420) – thick and slightly sour, complete with creamy mash potatoes and atsara.

Cured Meats Selection (Php495) – chorizo pamplona, salchicon, vela de lomo and chorizo de bilbao.

Lecheroon (Php200) – the perfect marriage between leche flan and coconut macaroons!

Queso Fundido (Php320) – crunchy nachos and creamy cheese = love!

For starters, try their Queso Fundido and prepare for your tastebuds to sing with its creamy cheese and thick nachos. It tastes best when it’s hot, so make sure to pounce on it the moment it lands on your table!

Bulalo Estofado (Php490) – sweet potatoes, soft meat and a perfectly tasty broth.

Aside from their new dishes, make sure to try their Bulalo Estofado. It’s Chef Tuason’s ode to his late mother, saying that he drew from the memory of helping his mother out in the kitchen: wrapping lumpia and eating his mother’s bulalo as a child. It’s sweeter than your average bulalo, so don’t be surprised!

Peruvian Roasted Chicken (Php380/half, Php700/whole) – perfect for your family or barkada!

Mango Cheesecake (Php230) – a definite favorite for dessert lovers out there.

For dessert, make sure to order their Mango Cheesecake! Creamy cheese, sweet graham and, sweet and acidic mango will definitely tease your senses for more.

For the unli-buddies out there, Sobremesa is offering an Unlimited Australian Rib-eye steak promo (Php750) that you can enjoy in three different ways: coffee-crusted, herbed, and salt-and-pepper rubbed. However, note that this is only unlimited until supplies last! Pencil in your visit in your planner and head there as soon as you can!

We had the opportunity to talk to Chef Tuason about his creative process and how he comes up with new recipes and dishes.

He fondly remembers the number of trial and errors he and his team went through, the disastrous first results and the victorious final ones and the contest they had going on in the kitchen. Smiling, he said; “Creativity strikes everywhere.”

Are you stuck in an artistic rut? Head over to Sobremesa, enjoy great food and drinks, talk to friends, and creativity might just strike you there!

Sobremesa

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