This open kitchen that is the envy of all open kitchens is the first thing you see when you land at
the W Penthouse and make your way to Manila's newest restaurant bar concept - Black Sheep
The main dining room
Request for the booth to get a lovely view of Fort Bonifacio and some of Makati
I don't know much about drinks, but the bar at Black Sheep seemed quite well-stocked
Okay, it was very impressive with over 100 single malts on the menu
I ordered a cocktail. Lol. A creamy one at that and with hint of coffee. Hahaha. :P
I loved my Russian Black Sheep (Johnnie Walker Black Label, Johnnie Walker Red,
coffee liqueur, sweet sherry, egg white, angostura bitters, cinnamon stick and cherry).
It tasted like an egg swallowed Christmas. I'd order it again.
El Padrino (Johnnie Walker Black Label, bourbon, amaretto, sweet sherry and orange peel)
BUT I SAID THAT, VIRGINIA WOOLF!!!!!!!!!!!!
Look what I saw under tight security under our see-through table! #timtan
I appreciate that Black Sheep took effort to personalize the menu by
printing out our names and date of visit. This is my photoshopped
version. I wish to remain anonymous. Thank you!
Service was great albeit a bit obtrusive. Our server explained every course knowledgeably, left us to enjoy each dish for about 8 minutes, then came back to ask for feedback, comments and suggestions. Repeat same process for the next 5 courses.
Amuse bouche of Chicken and Egg
Chicken meatball with soy and ginger, cointreau and beer foam, salmon roe
Second amuse bouche of Longganisa Ice Cream with pork flakes, crispy black rice
and vinegar jelly. This was insane!
Prawn
Steamed prawn, prawn dumpling with coconut milk and peanut, and deep fried prawn
with wheat flour wrapper and prawn head togarashi mayo.
Fresh River Eel
Three-clam soup (Manila clam, halaan, 5-year old clam), and river eel that was brought
in fresh then charcoal-grilled in the kitchen. I loved the clam soup. It was powerful.
36-Hour Pork and Free Range Chicken
Confit, truffle sand, vinegar foam, watermelon radish. More than the flavors, I liked how our
server described this dish as our very own chicken inasal done the sosy way. I thought the
sand was too coarse and too abundant, and the truffle and vinegar lacking in intensity.
Kitayama Striploin
My favorite of the night. It was beautiful to my eyes and to my lips.
That black smear was squid ink mashed potato!!! Eating this simultaneously with the tender beef
and crispy leeks was one of the highlights of my first week of 2014.
Praline
Chocolate praline mousse, chocolate cake, chocolate biscuit, hazelnuts, Malagos 65%.
Although this shouted chocolate, and chocolate IS my favorite food group, somehow,
I was not convinced. This was nice, but what I wanted was something wicked.
Cigar
1881 Perique, Singleton jellies. Like eating smoke with cream. I LOVED IT!!!
Foie Gras
There were also others in the bowl, like the dulce de leche truffle (too saccharine even for me),
hopia-mani-popcorn macaron (couldn't make out the flavors), and peppermint macaron (I skipped)
Foie gras covered in white chocolate and walnuts. I have mixed feelings about this one.
Despite the misses, I was quite satisfied with my dinner at Black Sheep. I saw much creativity and potential and a sincere willingness to improve, especially after having been asked one million times for feedback, comments and suggestions. Lol!
Dear Black Sheep, I suggest that when you send me a reservations confirmation text in the future, it will be at a more appropriate time than 12:05am. That's all. Thank you!
Love personalized touches like this thank you note that came with the bill :)
Black Sheep: The Penthouse, W Fifth Avenue, corner 32nd and 5th, Bonifacio Global City. Tel: +632 4784498, +639178714388
Black Sheep Instagram: @blacksheepbgc