Let me start out by saying that although my relatives own shares in the restaurant which I'll be reviewing in this post, it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I loved the food so freaking much... It was a surprise really. I NEVER expected (or perhaps dared not expect for fear of being dissapointed) the food to be as excellent as it was.
The delicious revelation happened one great day (Day 1) when Liv, Baby Andrea and I met up with friends Ingenious Jen and Pastry Guru Elaine. It was the day I walked into Bellore a skeptic and came out a believer. I've had two Bellore days in a row now and I can't wait to go back.
It has been around a couple of years (I believe) since the idea of putting up a restaurant was first considered by some relatives (cousin and uncles). A brainchild born out of our family's love for eating (I believe) and a burning entrepreneural spirit. Two initial driving forces that eventually turned into an unstoppable will with the interest and involvement of my uncle Paul (now chef and father of the restaurant's menu).
Thus the birth of a place that has been clearly imprinted and sealed with the mark of commitment to affordable, honest to goodness, quality food delivered with the warmth of one big family working together with love.
A restaurant that offers a great value for money by providing scrumptious and exciting food that is prepared fresh with utmost care for quality and perfection from preparation to plating with a menu that introduces gourmet innovations and daring fusion concepts brought to life by the talent of the chef Paul Reyes.
Bellore
Here are the things we've tried so far (before going any further though, I have to warn you that the following pictures still punish me whenever I see them on an empty stomach).
Gula Malacca Wings : Chicken wings glazed with gula sauce and topped with sesame seeds.
Gula Malacca is a type of sugar which originated in Malaysia and as its name suggests, Gula Malacca Wings glides into the palate with a playfully sweet taste that is trailed by a barrage of spices accented by the crispness of the coating and an occassional burst of sesame seed inside the mouth. (P140)
Pollo Al Forno/Italian Roast Chicken: One of my favorites in Bellore. It is a simple roast chicken dish that stands out with a delightfully sharp flavors of citrus and spice on tender to the bone meat. Roasted to perfection, the skin is crisp and beautifully browned while the flesh remains so juicy. (P160 served with rice or bread, soup and salad)
Miso Glazed Salmon: Very intriguing and ultimately rewarding. This dish offers generous slabs of fresh salmon perfectly cooked. The pink flesh was moist all the way to the core. It was so soft it felt like butter melting inside my mouth. The Miso glaze was brilliant with it and gave bursts of flavor to keep the dish very interesting to the senses. It almost drove Liv crazy.
(P240 served with rice or bread, soup and salad) I was further impressed.
Osso Bucco: A dish I enjoyed for the rich sauce which was heavilly flavored with the taste of olives, tomatoes and herbs which smothers generous pieces of extremely tender beef.
Bellore's version of this popular Itallian food definitely holds it's own.
(P240 served with rice or bread, soup and salad) The serving is quite big.
Day 2 was lunch with Liv, my brother and mom. These were what we enjoyed.
Hairy Prawn in Danielle Sauce: Be awed. This interesting looking creation packs a delicious serving of plump prawns at its core. The "hair" actually provides a pleasurable twist and play in textures as you slowly get to the heart of the dish nestled in creamy Danielle sauce.
(P240 served with rice or bread, soup and salad) compared to most restos offering prawn dishes. I have to note that this price is pretty good.
Scallopini in Pomodoro Sauce: Tender porkloin cooked in Pomodoro Sauce. Unfortunately due to too much photographing, I failed to have a taste from my mom who was the one who ordered this. Although she said it was very tender, she didn't find it as good as all the other dishes she's ordered in Bellore before.
(P180 served with rice or bread, soup and salad)
Cream Dory with Lemon Butter Dill Sauce: Now this is one of the bestsellers. Dory fish cooked in light batter just to give a perfect crisp as you cut into the soft juicy flesh. The chef recommended that we fork a few strands of dill and dip into Bellore's lemon butter sauce. Wow...
(P 250 -Family Serving- Good for 2-3 persons and comes with a single serving of rice)
That's a lot of scrumptious Dory. =)
Liv again had the Salmon in Miso glaze for lunch. She's obssessed with it I must say.
How could I have forgotten this (this is a late addition to my post). Baby Back Ribs with Roasted Apple: Meaty ribs in thick, fruity glaze/sauce served with roasted apple slices with flavors that are quite bold and intense. More subtle senses may find the tastiness overwhelming but this is just how I like it.
(P240 served with rice or bread, soup and salad)
The sides:
Vegetable salad in strawberry vinaigrette comes free with the regular Entrees. I don't fancy vinaigrette too much but Liv liked it.
Curried Pumpkin Soup- Now this is what I'm talking about. Rich pumpkin soup with a curry twist. My favorite. I couldn't believe this generous bowl of heart-warming pumpkin was free with the Entree. (P70- Ala carte)
Old-Fashioned Assorted Mushroom Soup- A close 2nd to the Curried pumpkin Soup for me. The lovely texture of small mushroom bits makes a strong argument for this soup. It's delicious.
