At Pardon My French, Fine Cuisine and Nostalgia Are on the Menu

The pandemic shut many businesses down, temporarily or forever, and that includes the iconic Strumm’s, along Jupiter Street in Makati City. The restaurant and live music venue initially denied rumors of its closure, with the owner insisting in a Facebook post in 2020 that it was “relocating to a bigger and better venue.” 

But two years later, a French-themed restaurant now stands where Strumm’s used to be, its yellow door welcoming professionals, business leaders, office workers, and live music lovers once again. Pardon My French is still bringing us the music, but in a slightly different tune.

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The elegant interiors of Pardon My French

Photo by Pardon My French.

Mixing it up 

“The idea of Pardon My French as a supper club was borne out of my experiences of entertaining at home where I get to share my love for sumptuous food and great live music,” shares Jun Sy, president of PYC Foods Corporation. “Here, our focus is our food and, of course, our music.” 

While Strumm’s was popular for its live acts that played tunes of many different genres from the ‘80s and ‘90s, Pardon My French is bringing back the nostalgia and mixing it up with a more diverse lineup of live entertainment and employing state-of-the-art acoustics. Each night offers a different musical genre: Pop Jazz on Tuesdays, Party Retro on Wednesdays, ‘80s Dance on Thursdays, Latin on Fridays, the Artist Series on Saturdays, and Easy Listening on Sundays.

Live music can sometimes inspire impromptu dancing

Photo by Pardon My French.

“We also curate our music just like Strumm’s before, but with variety because every night has a different theme,” adds Sy. “On Saturdays, for the Artist Series, we get an artist and we ask them to do something they have never done before and go outside their comfort zone.”

Joie de vivre  

110 Jupiter is the address of the new restaurant which would be hard to forget as it is also the namesake of its house cocktail

A selection of croquettes and beef shawarma

Photo by Pardon My French.

 

“We hope this place transports you to a world of delicious food and phenomenal music where you can bask in pure joie de vivre (which means enjoyment of life or, in this context, joy of conversation, music, and food),” says head of restaurant operations Mia Mañosa. 

Being the newest sister to older trendy restaurants of PYC Food Corps like One World Deli, One World Kitchen, One World Butchers, and Chef Sau del Rosario’s Cafe Fleur and Sawsaw, Pardon My French already gives diners an idea of the quality of dining experience it offers from its name alone. 

Escargots in Burgundy Butter

Photo by Pardon My French.

Though French-themed, the restaurant offers an inventive and playful menu of French and Asian dishes from appetizers to desserts, curated by Ariel Manuel, one of PYC Foods Corporation’s cadre of corporate chefs. Start off your dinner with either the unabashedly French French starter:Escargot in Burgundy Butter and Garlic (P600) or the tender Shrimp Cocktail in Sweet Chili Sauce (P620).

A selection of Croquettes and Beef Shawarma

Photo by Pardon My French.

 

On the other hand, the Ceasar Salad (P460) is an impressively hefty serving of heart of romaine lettuce with anchovy, lemon, and parmesan dressing topped with smoked salmon, some crispy bacon, and a six-minute boiled egg. 

The highlights can come in the form of succulent seafood and perfectly cooked meat. Enjoy the deeply layered flavors of the Pondicherry Prawn Curry Indienne (P990), which are prawns cooked in Indian curry, butter, wine, and cream. Or perhaps, tuck into the juicy, flavorful Chateaubriand (P3,780 good for two), which is oven-roasted tenderloin topped off with mustard and herbes de provence for an indulgent bite. Close with an assortment of decadent desserts such as the elegant Dark Chocolate Delice (P320) served with coconut-whipped ganache and kaffir lime.

A portfolio of wines and other tipples complete the culinary escapade. And if you’re staying for a night of music and dancing (which, by the way, is the best part), bar chow like Mushroom Chicharron, Beef Shawarma, and Duck Fat Fries go well your choice of drinks.

During the day, whether you’re already in the area or looking for an excuse to make the drive down, Pardon My French also offers casual but elevated lunch sets (starting at P850).

Shrimp Cocktail in Sweet Chili Sauce

Photo by Pardon My French.

A mix of young and old market

Like Strumm’s, the new supper club was originally conceptualized to host slightly more mature patrons, particularly those who grew up listening to ‘70s and ‘80s music. However, Sy says they’ve found that even younger people have been making their way to Pardon My French.

“One of the big surprises we're finding out now is that even young people, I see them coming here and it inspired me to do revivals or a renaissance of ‘70s and ‘80s music,” Sy says. “It looks like this music is going to be something that's going to last even beyond our generation. 

“On the music side, we want to discover more talents out there and give them an opportunity to play here,” he adds. 

Pardon My French plans to continue to evolve and improve its menu, wine and spirit selection.

Filipino folk singer and composer Noel Cabangon serenades audiences during an intimate dinner

Photo by Pardon My French.

“The idea was really to provide something that you can be proud of, something very classy and a place where people really feel like when they come here, the people behind this place really put a lot of effort,” Sy says. “Give them a place where they will have a wonderful lunch or a wonderful evening.”

Pardon My French is open for lunch on Tuesdays to Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and for dinner on Tuesdays to Thursdays (5 p.m. to 1 a.m.) and Fridays to Saturdays (5 p.m. to 12 midnight). For reservations, contact 0917 823 0091.