Chef Chris Locher, the man behind the popular C’ Italian Dining in Angeles, Pampanga, has finally opened a restaurant in Manila! A lot of foodies are quite excited about this latest development.
It is named My Kitchen by Chef Chris, and it replaces the Barramundi Restaurant of The Oasis Hotel in Paco Park. Yes, you have to brave the traffic of Manila to get there (but it is still nearer than driving all the way to Clark Field in Angeles).
Here is a first look at My Kitchen by Chef Chris…
Upon entering The Oasis Paco Park Hotel, you’ll notice it has the same old ambiance as C’ Italian in Pampanga (except you’ll see a lot of foreigners, usually with their Filipina partners).
Note: Oasis Paco Park Hotel does not have the same owner as the Oasis Hotel in Pampanga.
My Kitchen by Chef Chris is a casual dining restaurant but with a hotel’s fine dining prices.
The service is very friendly, but we felt a bit out of place with the Malate tourist crowd eating there.
Salads and Soup
Pasta, Gnocchi and Risotto
Main Course, Chef Chris Family Style Special
Chef Chris’ Panizza
Weekday Offer Specials (Mon, Tues, Wed, Thursday, Friday, Weekend)
We enjoyed munching on the wheat bread with pesto and oil dip topped with cheese.
Aidan loves to draw, and we believe he’s very artistically gifted. 🙂 We did a collaborative doodle where we drew our own bases and robots in a war for robot supremacy.
Caesar Salad (P480 +10% service charge). Romaine hearts dressed with our classic garlic and anchovies dressing, topped with parmesan cheese, bacon bits and freshly baked croutons.
We started with the Caesar Salad, which had generous servings of green vegetables and the garlicky sauce. Thing is, I don’t think the P500 price tag was justified.
Genovese Panizza (P710 +10% service charge). Panizza is Chef Chris’ very own creation. A fine, crisp dough layered with a blend of five different cheeses and perfected with your favorite toppings of pesto-infused cheese sauce topped with shrimp, grouper dices and capers.
Each panizza is served with one bowl of arugula and alfalfa sprouts. Additional serving will be charged with P90.
We loved the Panizza! It made our drive all the way to Paco worth it. The thin pizza was mostly nice and crisp on the outside and chewy inside (although some portions were a bit soggy).
It was fun going through the process of topping the pizza with the arugula and alfalfa sprouts, and rolling each slice. The bits of meat, shrimps and capers also contributed to a wonderful flavor experience.
Each roll is good for 2-3 bites, and it is good to savor each one.
Aidan was not familiar with its form and tried to eat the entire roll. 🙂
BISTECCA. Chef Chris Family Style Special (P900 +10% service charge). 250g/9oz good for 1 to 2 persons. US prime Angus flank steak with rosemary garlic marinade presented on oven-baked potato slices and macedoine of olive oil roasted carrots, and Italian broccoli.
Aside from the panizza, Chef Chris is famous for his meat dishes like the Bistecca, which is good to share with family and friends.
We ordered a medium-well but the meat we got was a bit rubbery. Just by looking at it, we could tell that it was kept for a long time.
We normally don’t return food, but we really could not eat it anymore. The head waiter was gracious enough to replace it with another dish.
Spaghetti con Ragu (P570 +10% service charge). The old classic way prepared with Certified Angus Chuck Roll braised in passata with assorted vegetables.
We tried the recommended pasta. This one was a bit watered down with the sauce. We will try the other pasta next time.
Tiramisu (P200 +10% service charge). Simply the most famed of all Italian desserts, perfect combination of cheese and cream, layered with coffee-soaked ladyfinger, topped with cocoa powder.
The Tiramisu was good, but it seemed like it had been stored for a long time also.
Overall, we loved the original Panizza by Chef Chris and the well-trained friendly staff, but we were slightly disappointed with the rest of the menu. The hotel tourist price of each of the entrees could also turn off the foodies who just want good food at reasonable rates.
Also, when we were there, Chef Chris was not around (and that usually influences a lot, particularly the quality of the food). When you visit, make sure to coordinate with Chef Chris (+63 917-PANIZZA (7264992)) so that you know when the chef is in the kitchen.
Aidan is so big already. He’s turning 7 soon… How time flies, no?
My Kitchen by Chef Chris
The Oasis Paco Park Hotel (beside Paco Church near Old Swiss Inn)
1032-34 Belen Street, Paco, Manila
Telephone: +632 521-2371 to 75
Website: www.OasisPark.com
Facebook: My Kitchen by Chef Chris
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Full Disclosure: Nothing to disclose. We paid for our meals. We are not connected with the owners or any organization promoting My Kitchen by Chef Chris in Oasis Paco Park Hotel.
P.S. You can also get to My Kitchen by Chef Chris along Romualdez St., but be careful about the trailer trucks that pass by there.
The problem with flank steak is that it can be tough, which is why it is highly recommended not to have it beyond medium rare. It also has to be sliced fairly thin and against the grain. By the looks of the picture, the slices were quite thick and the grain seems to be running alongside the slices, which looks like they cut it the wrong way. Kitchen staff needs more experience.
cool story, bro.
THey ahve different prices compared to their C’Italian branch?
Yes and it is a bit higher…
Sent from Mobile
P710 for a panizza?! Im a foreigner but i will not spend that amount for a pizza or panizza whatever they call it.
Ps.. Foreigners with their Filipina partners.. Hmm i think i know what this means.lol. I dont think ill be dining here with my family.
Sven
Interesting place, but I do hope they improve on the quality as C’s reputation, I think, will be a factor to draw in people to this place.
Off topic, ganda naman ng nails ni R! Hahaha!
this is a little tooo overpriced for me.. and there are a lot more restaurants with just as good, if not better, food that doesn’t charge these kind of prices. this is apparently targeted for the expat tourist market.
so do I! My family stopped going to C’ in Angeles a long time ago
I should really try out C soon. I’m from Pampanga but I have never eaten at C!
Yes I do agree.. the prices are expensive considering the location.. Its not The Fort or Greenbelt. Restaurant looks nice with new furniture. Risoto looked like congee, I asked the waitress and I was told this is how it is meant to be ?????
Anton, My filipina wife and I just returned from a wonderful meal at My Kitchen. The food was first class, every course from the Panizza through the bean soup, lamb, tiramisu and cannoli, accompanied by excellent white and red wines and dessert wine and coffee, The whole experience was excellent and the 4k bill was fair for the exceptional quality. We are returning soon with my in laws and our 3 children to eat a personalised menu Chef Chris is putting together for us. We have eaten around the world in the finest restaurants, we also lived for 5 years in Milan, Italy. We know good food and fair prices but we do not for one minute choose to impose our limited views on food, price or acceptable ambiance in a multicultural city venue as you do. What do you have against mixed families? Why are you so racist and stereotypical in your views? Would you feel comfortable if I blogged about a restaurant being spoiled by noisy, mannerless pinoys who evidently cant afford to eat there (its not Jollibee , eat all you can or buy a bucket of San mig!) If this place is too expensive for you or you only want to eat with fellow racists stay away!
You should not have commented on the foreign diners, you give a negative impression to Filipinos who are world known for being friendly.
Panizza price increased. Serving size decreased. Bummer. I’ll just buy a thin crust Shakey’s pizza, have them slice it lengthwise and bring my own alfalfa and arugula.
Its a given fact most but not all Filipinos are noisy in restaurants, I observed it at the MK…they are happy people but….