A Mix of Flavors at Mesclun, Linden Suites

Who would have thought that you can actually find really good food at the 2nd floor of a business hotel that's located right at the heart of the Ortigas Central Business District (CBD)? That was one of our realizations after having such a yummy lunch at Mesclun in Linden Suites last January.

Last January, Paul and I have been eating out non-stop with friends and family who were so sweet to spend some quality time with us. I actually wasn't planning to say yes to dining invitations anymore given the state of our social schedule. However, the girls behind Mesclun were just so sweet (and persistent hehe) that we just have to say YES to their email/Twitter/Facebook invite (beat that!). Well, I honestly am glad I did. 

We have been to Linden Suites before to attend a work-related event as well as to be surprised by our own friends and my sister as they threw us a joint bridal/stag party in one of their suite rooms a few years ago. What I love about Linden Suites is that they have ample parking spaces at the basement levels of the hotel. No need to worry about having to leave your car out in the side street all night long. 

I'm so happy that all in-house guests of Linden Suites won't have to worry where to eat as they got Mesclun right inside the hotel! How convenient! We left the ordering to the Mesclun team and were surprised that they ordered a feast! Oh boy, coming from a buffet dinner the night before, we were indeed not ready for this. But, then again, we are not the kind who backs down so armed with our utensils, we digged in and ate with gusto. 

Lunch began with our choice of drinks. I tried the Power Shake (Php. 160) while Paul went for the Fresh Watermelon Shake (Php. 155). For a tall glass of freshly blended shake, I find the price very reasonable. The Power Shake was a mix of veggies and fruits making it a great detox drink before I started to attack the sinful dishes coming next. It was very refreshing too! 

We were given a loaf of complimentary bread which was also very yummy! Mesclun is operated by Chef Katrina Kuhn-Alcantara who's also the talented lady behind Chuck's Deli. Thus, it was no surprise that the bread served in Mesclun is equally just as good. 

To go with our freshly baked bread, we shared a bowl of Cream of Mushroom Soup (Php. 215). I love how you get to bite into tiny chunks of mushroom yet the soup remained so creamy. The addition of the truffle oil simply sealed the deal for me. It was one of the best soups that I've had in town. We loved it so much that we even made use of the bread to mop up the remaining soup at the bottom of the bowl. 

Mesclun has two different menus for lunch and dinner. One of the differences that I noticed was the omission of appetizers in the lunch menu. If you're the type who loves starters, then I suggest you visit Mesclun during dinner time. One appetizer that you shouldn't miss is the Buffalo Balls (Php. 395). This was one of their house specialties and just to give you an idea on how good it was -- this dish was wiped out in less than 5 minutes! 

We enjoyed how Mesclun gave an interesting twist to the usual (a bit too over-exposed) Buffalo Wings. This time, the chicken is rolled into balls, coated, deep-fried and served with their homemade bleu cheese dressing. It had a slight spicy kick which was pretty much manageable even for the non-spicy eaters. 

For those who really couldn't stand even the slightest spicy flavor, then you have to order the Yakuza Chicken (Php. 325). This one is a dish with Japanese-style crunchy chicken fillet served with Katsu sauce. To be honest, this one paled in comparison to the Buffalo Balls but was a way milder choice especially for those with kids in tow. 

Those were just our appetizers and I have yet to talk about our main dishes. Mesclun had a number of really interesting options that we had a hard time just choosing one dish each. Finally, Paul and I agreed to get three to be shared between the two of us. I got the Ulang Thermidor (Php. 795) as I've been craving for Prawns Thermidor for the longest time. Ulang is a type of fresh-water langoustine that's bigger than your average Tiger Prawns yet smaller than a lobster. It has long thin claws and the head is more plump too. I read that for a time, ulang was almost extinct and it's a good thing that local breeders are starting to cultivate this again. Yay for us langoustine lovers. I really enjoyed my Ulang Thermidor very much. Baked with lots of cheese and served with Squid Ink Risotto, it was very delicious and would make a great comfort dish. 

Paul, a big fan of sisig, couldn't resist not order the Sisig Spaghetti (Php. 245). While he loves this famous Capampangan pork dish very much, only a few sisig in town has passed his standards. Well, I'm happy to share that he was very happy with the Sisig Spaghetti served a Mesclun. According to him, the taste was spot on and it was a surprise that it actually goes well with al dente pasta noodles. This pasta dish is slightly spicy yet you can always asked the server to adjust the heat level for you. 

Lastly, we had the Grilled Pampano (Php. 555) as this was our way to balance out the two other rich and creamy dishes. This is definitely something my Mom will love. You get one whole pampano fish which was obviously so fresh that there was not a single hint of bad fishy odor and taste. The meat was very tender and I love the mango-tomato salsa served with it. 

As sides, we were also given an order of their House Fries (Php. 85) which was so yummy. It was crisp on the outside and still piping hot inside. The sauce was quite similar to the garlic cream sauce that I love when dining at Chuck's Deli. 

For dessert, we had one of Chef Katrina's homemade cakes. We were already so stuffed with everything that we ate for lunch yet as soon as this beautiful piece of Banoffee Pie was placed in front of us, we both knew we just have to take a bite. I'm no fan of cream frostings so I took a slice with the smallest amount of cream possible. I love the banana filling and the crust was simply perfect. Not to flaky neither was it too hard. 

What a delicious lunch at Mesclun! I can't wait to go back home to take my family to dine here. I'm definitely having all of the things that we ordered before and even more! 

Bulletin Board : Easter Celebration at The Linden Suites 

Linden Suites has a promo for this upcoming Easter Sunday. For only Php. 4,000 nett, local residents can stay the night in Linden Suites' Executive Room and this is inclusive already of buffet breakfast at Mesclun. They also have bigger suite rooms should you want to bring the entire clan. For only Php. 7,000 nett, you get to stay at the Two Bedroom Suite or the Three Bedroom Suite for only Php. 8,000. They will also be having a fun Easter party for the little ones to partake in.

*photo credit: Paul Ang

Visit Mesclun at The Linden Suites, 37 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Call them at 638-7878.