Caught Between Brunch and a Bad Place in Rockwell. Thank God for Refinery.
You're in Makati, caught between brunch and a bad place nursing a bad hangover; with a pair of jet-black sunglasses on acting as shutters for the unforgiving light, and a cheap cardigan and a pair of old sweats on concealing the smells of Poblacion debauchery from last night. Good food fare is an age-old remedy then: coffee, your choice of silog, maybe something cheesy or greasy, maybe a Mimosa. Maybe. Christ, it's only Monday.
Maybe, too, you'd like to try something new. How about the newly renovated Refinery just around the corner at Joya Lofts in Rockwell, Makati. They've earned their being a classic now even if they've only been around since 2014. The pandemic forced its other branch in Greenhills, San Juan to close down completely, but not this one. This one's here to stay. We're staying here, too, to join the morning crowd.
There's Refinery co-owner Bernice Tenchavez. She says that the morning crowd and the evening crowd here are polar opposites. "In the morning, it's more of residents and foreigners," she continues, "while the evening crowd is for the after-office people."
She shares an anecdote, too, for good measure. "It's funny. I have a friend who is a single mother and she's here in Joya. And then I met her daughter. She (mother friend) introduced her to me, saying, 'Oh say hello to Tita Bern. She's the one who owns Refinery.' And then the daughter says, 'Oh yeah, that's where my mom goes to hide. When I look for mom and she's not home, I know she's downstairs.'"
View this post on Instagram>pHere we are downstairs with the mothers who are hiding and the mothers who aren't. There're yuppies up in here, too, working on their laptops, working up a sweat about things like targets and office drama. We'll also be joining the hustle culture frenzy in a little bit. Tenchavez says they've optimized the menu so much that the wide selection allows for the indulgence of everyone, from children (give them a gelato or a milkshake) and busy adults (Refinery flexes its new Salted Cream Cheese Latte) to the after-hours crowd (unli-wine, two-for-one craft beers, nachos) and Manila's finest Titos and Titas (maybe have a Lemon Drop Martini with the Rib-Eye Salpicao). You can go solo or go for sharing, go wholesome, go wild. The range here is splendid.>pThe Salted Cream Cheese Latte and the Mushroom Soup. Hangover cure.>p
Photo by BRYLE B. SURALTA.>pAnd so is the new stuff on its menu. Give it a second look. We want something nice and creamy. Start off with a warm bowl of Refinery's Mushroom Soup and the Salted Cream Cheese Latte. Be careful with your teeth. Both are bold and have been curated for comfort; the soup, with its natural flavors isn't overbearing and strikes a balance between herbiness and creaminess. Meanwhile, the coffee, with its whipped cream, whips you into a functioning adult, finally.>pSpeaking of comfort, a friend from work shoots you a text, "Where are you?" You invite them to co-work here. Let's call the guy Mark. You think to yourself, "What kind of food would get the ball rolling, work-wise?" Productive exchanges are facilitated by productive appetizers, right? We'll try some of the Salted Egg Wings, a Singaporean specialty that's packed with umami and yolky, buttery madness. There's some spice to it, too. That should butter up Mark for sure. We also order some Chorizo Fundido. Mozarella, chorizo, pico de gallo, laced with cilantro and cheddar. There's some tortilla chips in there. Mother of god, amazing. He'd like that. This is grade-A chow, friend.>pThe Chorizo Fundido and Salted Egg Wings.>p
Photo by BRYLE B. SURALTA.
>p"I'd still say that everything is still well-curated. We have quality breakfast," notes Tenchavez. We check the menu again. How about pasta? Mark arrives and he asks for the menu. We point to the Creamy Pesto Chicken Risoni. Quite the entree. The chicken is tender and juicy, complemented by a batch of spinach, parmesan cream sauce. Very nice, Mark. We go with Tomato & Basil Spaghettini because we want to go Mediterranean for this noontime rendezvous. You can never go wrong with cherry tomatoes, basil, and pasta. We need something fresh to get us through the next two hours.>pThe Spaghettini and the Creamy Pesto Chicken Risoni. Hey, that rhymes.>p
>pALSO READ:>pThis Neo-Japanese Private Dining Concept in Cubao Serves the Chef's Best 'Food Memories'>pThis Revamped Dining Hub is Redefining Food Courts>pBut Mark says that he's in the mood for cocktails now because the hard parts of his excel sheet are over. The meeting's been cancelled, as well. It's that kind of day. We're just in time because it's Happy Hour (2 p.m. to 6 p.m.) It's time to get comfy. Tenchavez recommends the Big Four. We get them all. For vodka people, the Lemon Drop Martini is nice. It has orange liqueur and lemon juice and has the sweet, the sour, and the right vibe for the afternoon. The Frozen Bahama Mama, on the other hand, is best served for rum people. It has two kinds of rum in it, white and coconut, mixed with fresh orange juice, pineapple juice grenadine, and pineapple garnish. There's an emphasis on the tropical.>pThe Rib-Eye Salpicao and a glass of the Lemon Drop Martini. Now, that's brunch.>p
