At Osteria, Chef Josh Boutwood Keeps Things Simple and Delightful

What’s Chef Josh Boutwood up to this time? 

This was my first thought when I got the invitation to check out his latest pop-up, his own version of an ‘Osteria,’ at Rockwell’s Balmori Suites. It doesn’t seem like the man can keep still, although if you know him in person, you’ll understand that that’s exactly the kind of guy he is.

Best known for restaurants like Helm, Test Kitchen, Ember, Juniper and the sorely missed Savage, Boutwood is also the corporate executive chef of the Bistro Group, which is the restaurant empire that includes in its roster favorites like Italianni’s, Texas Roadhouse, TGI Friday’s, Denny’s, and many others. Clearly, he knows a thing or two about pleasing people and palates.

This isn’t his first pop-up at Balmori: around this time last year, he had Anvil, where he presented a menu anchored on fresh, seasonal ingredients.  

Radicchio Salad

In Osteria, though, Boutwood leans into the cuisine of the so-called Bel Paese, but stops short of calling it authentic Italian. In truth, this is food he himself grew up eating: simple, rustic, hearty, and flavorful.  

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The meal starts with his signature freshly baked sourdough bread: a thick, crusty loaf, with a golden exterior crackling and its inside soft and airy. Served with a smidge of homemade butter, it’s a meal unto itself, and one that might actually get you full if you’re not careful. 

Burrata 

Mussels

The radicchio salad might be deceptively simple: just a tumble of ruby and green leaves topped with Gorgonzola and Pecorino Romano, but it’s just as addictive as the bread, with the slight bitterness of the radicchio tamed by the cheese. It’s the kind of salad that's the complete opposite of boring. 

Waitstaff then presented a plate of mussels, plump and glistening in a broth that was equal parts briny and aromatic. Each mussel was tender, infused with the sea but lifted by hints of garlic, parsley, and white wine. It was a dish that demanded crusty bread for soaking up every last drop—and thankfully, that sourdough was still within reach. (I wouldn’t have minded rice, though). 

The Fennel Roast Chicken seemed like a safe choice for a main, but there were no regrets. It might seem like a simple dish, but everyone knows it takes great skill to cook a simple chicken perfectly, and that was certainly achieved. The lasagna was also lovely, with layers of silky pasta sheets alternating with rich ragù, béchamel, and cheese. It was a comfort dish if there ever was one. 

Fennel Roast Chicken

Pork Cotoletta

Other mains worth ordering: freshly made hand-rolled pastas (Tortelloni, Bucatini, Rigatoni) in tomato or dairy-based sauces; the extra special Bistecca alla Fiorentina served with roasted garlic and Gremolata; a breaded Pork Cotoletta; and a beaitiful Barramundi al Forno. 

Dessert was a foregone conclusion. The tiramisu arrived first, light but indulgent, with coffee-soaked layers that melted into mascarpone cream. The panna cotta, meanwhile, was delicate and barely sweet, with a silky texture that was a quiet contrast to the richness of the tiramisu. Both were high points of a truly already stellar meal.

Throughout the service, Chef Josh stood inside the open kitchen, calmly expediting orders and sometimes checking on what’s steaming on the stovetops. His movements were subtle and his voice modulated, but he was constantly on the move, conversing with his team, issuing reminders to waitstaff, and taking the occasional photo with starry-eyed diners. He may already have established restaurants to his name all around the city, but at Osteria, it seems he’s more relaxed and more vsibly engaged. Perhaps it’s the temporary nature of the pop-up, but it’s yet another reason to visit this latest effort from a man who just can’t seem to sit still.

Osteria is open until September 28 at The Balmori Suites’ Chef’s Table. For reservations, contact +63 956 593 8835. Follow @popupsbyjoshboutwood.