Chef Steven Scudder‘s claim to fame? He was the chef behind the success of Paper Moon in Jupiter (do you remember that?), Endangered Species in Malate, and Aresi restaurant and bar in QC (then Subic). After a short stint in Tagaytay Highlands, he finally decided to open his new restaurant — Bistro Mondo, in partnership with Edna Sandejas, owner of Blue Leaf and Alley 8 hotel.
It was very interesting to talk to him. He shared how he was first assigned to Intercontinental Manila in Prince Albert, fell in love with a Filipina, and decided to stay in Bulacan for good. He is very friendly, so don’t miss the chance to engage him in some chitchat.
Bistro Mondo (meaning world bistro) serves Chef Steven’s favorite American, Italian, and French dishes in an easy neighborhood hangout in Bel-Air gilid. It is indeed a breath of fresh air in the budding foodie street of Polaris (at the back of Burgos St.) in Makati.
Drinks Menu | Alcoholic Beverages | Charcoal Grill | Main Course Specialties | Pizzas and Pastas | Salads of our world | Soups & Sandwiches | World Class Starters | Desserts
The second floor is not yet finished, but when it is done, it will most likely be THE bar destination in this side of town. There will be an al fresco roof deck with a big tent (similar to the ones you see in Alphaland Mall) and a U-shaped bar. This is where the smokers hang out at the moment.
The restaurant is beside Alley 8 (so called because it is a boutique hotel with only 8 rooms) located on the Ebro St. alley. Most of the foreigners who stayed in Alley 8 raved about it because it is clean, pest-free, and only costs P2,000-P2,500/night.
Baked New Zealand Mussels (P350 +10% service charge) in a garlic white wine sauce finished with parmesan cheese.
The chef recommended the Baked Cheesy Chicken Dip but we decided to go with the mussels. It was simple, di malansa, and presented neatly. A bit ordinary, but it is good as pulutan.
Bistro’s Special (P390 +10% service charge). 12-inch thin-crust pizza with their own original pizza sauce and mozzarella, cooked in their world-class wood-fired oven with Tomato, Smoked Bacon and Quail eggs, finished with fresh basil.
The pizza was good — thin and crusty on the outside, and a bit chewy on the inside. It was cooked well (only the edges were burnt).
I usually like my pizza with just cheese, but they don’t have 4-cheese available. The Bistro’s Special has quail eggs, which is unique, but I don’t think it added any flavor to the pizza. The bacon used was not that tasty, though. I’ll try the Chicken and Mushroom Pesto pizza next time.
Pugon Chicken (P420 +10% service charge). Half chicken braised in olive oil, garlic and herbs cooked in their wood-fired oven.
The Pugon Chicken caught our attention on the menu. The chef warned us that the serving sizes are for Americans, but my business partner, Tom, and I were able to finish it easily.
The chicken was juicy, and the taste was very basic. I did love the sweet roasted vegetables and tomatoes that came with it.
Pork Tenderloin Alla Bistro Mondo (P425 +10% service charge). Oven-roasted whole pork tenderloin served with creamy mandarin and green peppercorn sauce with garlic-flavored mashed potato and grilled vegetables.
We ordered this other main dish, but it was a bit too hefty for us already (considering we were full after the chicken). The pork was very tender and went well with the sauce. I liked the added touch of the orange slices. This is good to share with 2-3 people.
The owners Edna and Chef Steven were very friendly, and they chatted with us about the origins of the resto. Edna is very happy that her Alley 8 customers now have a place to eat for breakfast. She is also excited about the completion of the al fresco dining area on the second floor.
Overall, Bistro Mondo is worthwhile to check out with its good food (check out the pizzas) and big serving sizes. Expect to pay around P500 per main dish. The acoustics were somewhat bad despite the high ceiling — you could hear the conversations at the next table. Nevertheless, when there’s background music, the place becomes conducive to meetings or a get-together with a good old friend on a Friday night.
Bistro Mondo Restaurant and Bar
4893 Durban Street corner Ebro Street
Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City
Telephone Number: +632 519-0042
Mobile: +63917 840-7521
Email: sascuddr@yahoo.com, bistro_mondo@yahoo.com
Currently open for dinner only, from 6pm to 12mn.
Directions: From Jupiter St. near Mang Inasal, turn into Polaris St. and go straight. Turn left after you see Alba’s restaurant. You should already see Bistro Mondo on your right after you find yourself on Durban Street.
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Full Disclosure: Nothing to disclose. We paid for our meals and we are not connected in any way with the owners.
P.S. Here is an interesting post by my friend Lori of Dessert Comes First during my segment in the Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho shoot in Kubli Springs, Quezon: Tailing Mr. Awesome Planet in Quezon Province. The Food Bloggers Segment features Joel of Market Manila, Lori of Dessert Comes First and me of Our Awesome Planet, plus two more food bloggers. 🙂
Those baked oysters look a lot like mussels in the photo…
Thanks for catching that wrong description. I changed it already.
So glad to find the chef is back! Nawala na ung Aresi – bumalik – tapos nawala uli 🙁 Ha-ay. Will check this out! Thanks!
i happened to be walking by two weeks ago and accidentally ran into steve. the space looks incredible from the outside.
he gave me tour of the resto while it was under construction. i love the interior and exterior design of the structure.
i hope to get in there and try the food soon.
Looks like another great find. Can’t wait to try this one.
yes ms , cathy your correct .as a former original staff of Aresi before in T.Morato it is realy good thing to know that there’s a new Aresi that you can find in the new Bistro that chef steve put up .Am sure it will be a good one . And with all the menus that realy enticing am sure it will be best .More power to Bistro Mondo and congratulations Chef
Steve!!!!
The mussels look good, so does the pizza. I love the restaurant’s exterior and lighting. Looks very clean and modern.
Hi, I really love the Endangered Species Restuarant in Malate! However, that establishment changes its name very often and I don’t know why. It’s because of that reason why me and my family don’t go back there to eat anymore. We’re afraid the food might have already changed. Any news regarding that restaurant?hehe
Endangered Species Rest. in Malate was sold to a Korean(now CocoMoon) when
it was at the peak of success because of internal problems. And Chef Steve Scudder has left ES after that. When I checked some months back they have changed the menu to Korean but retained some of the Chef’s menu cooked by a Filipino chef. But sad to say, it is not the same taste of Chef Steve’s. Now that Chef Steve has opened Bistro Mondo, he is now back in his elements and creating more appetizing meals to satisfy every customer’s palate.