To be very, very honest, I was not convinced about the food at The Girl and The Bull. (See post here.) I LOVED the Faux Twix - oh God, I could finish two orders by myself! - but the savories did not leave me jumping up and down with joy.
But YES, I admire owners Gab and Thea for what they do. I mean, all I did at age 23 was eat Happy Meals and daydream about New Kids on the Block, and here they are, running a restaurant. Now, two!
12/10 is their second baby, and I have to say, arriving without any expectations, I left rather impressed!
![_DSC2577.JPG DSC2577](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9BR-mjRgP5A/VGjgiH2f5xI/AAAAAAAA_dY/Fy04WKbCEpk/_DSC2577.JPG?imgmax=800)
The place is what my teenager niece would call "artsy"
![_DSC2579.jpg DSC2579](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-oS1AXIJ7gXQ/VGjglogftLI/AAAAAAAA_dg/qujkyoSxe3M/_DSC2579.jpg?imgmax=800)
There were strips of colored paper glued to the wall
![_DSC2581.JPG DSC2581](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cuUfpMi__Hs/VGjgoPX7IHI/AAAAAAAA_do/4Ldfe5V5uTM/_DSC2581.JPG?imgmax=800)
And artificial plants growing out of frames
![_DSC2583.JPG DSC2583](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZUZX9j3Ox-I/VGjgrF1N3iI/AAAAAAAA_dw/xngC2KN4gE4/_DSC2583.JPG?imgmax=800)
The place, in the middle of a very quiet area in Makati, was full on a Monday night, too!
These kids must be doing something right!
![_DSC2569.JPG DSC2569](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ORRxLgjkPug/VGjhzQuP05I/AAAAAAAA_gA/uv7Lobmxj6c/_DSC2569.JPG?imgmax=800)
12/10 was still on soft-opening when we visited. There were 12 items on the menu,
2 were not available. In our true "Love Food" group fashion, we ordered all 10.
I almost cried over how tiny the servings were. I get emotional like that.
It was later on that I realized they are meant to be in tasting portions so you can build your own little degustation, which is really a swell idea if you are not a big group of 9 clueless, hungry people.
We didn't know what to expect and ordered only 2 servings of each dish, which became 3, then later on, 4.
I know we can still handle up to 7.
I wish the servers informed us earlier so some of us didn't have to pretend to be all kind and patient watching others go ahead while waiting for our additional orders.
![_DSC2607.JPG DSC2607](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2jIFW9CFpss/VGjhJBXQ4bI/AAAAAAAA_e4/F5vlK82RyGo/_DSC2607.JPG?imgmax=800)
Just kidding. We love each other to bits. Love is patient, love is kind, love does not kill
thy neighbor when she is oohing and aahing ridiculously over mackerel ceviche.
![_DSC2587.jpg DSC2587](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bxY8m0sZ4RQ/VGjg7ININJI/AAAAAAAA_eY/V8Gr9lItHGY/_DSC2587.jpg?imgmax=800)
Instead, love is drowning hungry, evil thoughts in water
![_DSC2590.jpg DSC2590](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-R-_zGSggzOY/VGjg-9OaWpI/AAAAAAAA_eg/qkLIslt91WI/_DSC2590.jpg?imgmax=800)
Or better yet, a Mai Tai!
Don Papa rum, cointreau, lime, peanut syrup.
The food at 12/10 made me very happy.
Not all dishes though. On my next visit I will skip these two:
![_DSC2564.JPG DSC2564](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r3SBiyCV8mg/VGjgue8iQqI/AAAAAAAA_d4/skVJy2mJr9s/_DSC2564.JPG?imgmax=800)
Hijiki seaweed, candied anchovies, edamame, pink peppercorn
![_DSC2604.JPG DSC2604](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VsjSHCa0FsY/VGjhFc0mj2I/AAAAAAAA_ew/6SwyS0hbOkA/_DSC2604.JPG?imgmax=800)
Chicken skin, enoki, spring onion root, sea salt, sansho, lemon
And order to my heart and stomach's content the following 8 dishes:
![_DSC2567.JPG DSC2567](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8Wfk95UPAc0/VGjgxM4wIRI/AAAAAAAA_eA/htfb9jq-EWY/_DSC2567.JPG?imgmax=800)
Mushroom salad, rocket, pickled red onion, salted egg yolk, sesame, honey
![_DSC2571.JPG DSC2571](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2FnDSTFMnsg/VGjg0aeS5eI/AAAAAAAA_eI/fAks_69DQxs/_DSC2571.JPG?imgmax=800)
Mackerel ceviche, sriracha, coconut, coriander oil, radish
![_DSC2586.JPG DSC2586](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CGls1iyJ1M0/VGjg3YUOREI/AAAAAAAA_eQ/Tldt0z44Neo/_DSC2586.JPG?imgmax=800)
Raw tuna salad, kyuri, yuzu kosho, maple syrup, ebiko, shichimi, nori
![_DSC2598.JPG DSC2598](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jnzEzqqI_Ho/VGjhCUqw8II/AAAAAAAA_eo/D-afaHCk8rI/_DSC2598.JPG?imgmax=800)
Blowtorched salmon, uni, caviar, panko, nori, shiso, ponzu, sea salt
![_DSC2615.JPG DSC2615](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fkxSnTATXXU/VGjhMqBttAI/AAAAAAAA_fA/vxdxPOsvtEc/_DSC2615.JPG?imgmax=800)
Chicken wings karaage, fish sauce caramel, tobiko, scallions
![_DSC2618.JPG DSC2618](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oJSvTHPd1h8/VGjhQoVIw3I/AAAAAAAA_fI/IY_vW0KEYbo/_DSC2618.JPG?imgmax=800)
Salmon kushiyaki, truffle oil, aonori, black sesame, wasabi, curry, cornflakes
![_DSC2623.JPG DSC2623](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gCZ1GPO7osQ/VGjhU2RdALI/AAAAAAAA_fQ/FVzbGA78g9M/_DSC2623.JPG?imgmax=800)
Korean fried chicken, charred eggplant, gochugang, sesame, shiso, lime
![_DSC2634.jpg DSC2634](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-YTA85EBXoik/VGjhe83hjHI/AAAAAAAA_fg/R48nFVd0pTE/_DSC2634.jpg?imgmax=800)
Toro onigiri, foie gras, negi, dynamite, balsamic maple syrup
Everything was wildly delicious it was hard to choose a favorite. It was wow after wow after wow.
Honestly, I could not find any fault in the dishes.
![_DSC2637.JPG DSC2637](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_giZYbKCP8g/VGjhjVP7rfI/AAAAAAAA_fo/_nGBm73Cde0/_DSC2637.JPG?imgmax=800)
Except maybe the onigiri could do with less rice. Having said that, I still finished
every last grain. :D
![_DSC2619.JPG DSC2619](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4aaNVb6CbHY/VGjhup0Q2HI/AAAAAAAA_f4/V2f9zw9_3gE/_DSC2619.JPG?imgmax=800)
I am now a Gab-and-Thea believer
![_DSC2639.JPG DSC2639](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-j_umMW4UJVM/VGjhoDrye8I/AAAAAAAA_fw/a5OVJkK4T50/_DSC2639.JPG?imgmax=800)
I think we all are.
Only good food (and great company!) can bring out these smiles!
12/10: 7635 Guijo Street, Makati City
12/10 Facebook Page
Instagram: @twelvetenph
Monday - Saturday 5pm - 11pm