AN EXPLORATION OF FLAVORS
If you have not been to the Lanang area lately, there is a new restaurant at the Azuela Cove that will have you exploring and discovering new flavors.
Union Market recently had a Degustacion for the members of the media and the blogging community at its newly opened store in Azuela Cove. The restaurant is part of the Blue Post Group of Restaurant Concepts (BPG), a homegrown food company that also gave birth to Blue Post Boiling Crabs and Shrimps and Antonio's.
"Union Market, as the two words entail, is a union of different dishes from both the Western & Eastern parts of the world. It highlights the best dishes from Europe particularly Spain, Italy, France and the US as well... Putting it together in one roof makes it a market of choices and allows diners the exciting experience of something new and something different," the restaurant said in a statement.
The restaurant has three components -- Pasteleria, Taperia, and Braseria. Pasteleriá are the products of La Rose Noire and choice cakes and pastries; Taperiá are its cured meats and cheeses from international purveyors; and Brasseriá is its Filipino-Spanish fusion dishes.
For our Degustacion meal, we started off with their sandwiches while waiting for other guests to arrive. The restaurant served its Turkey Club Sandwich, CLAT Sandwich, and Lamb and Feta Olive Sandwich. Personally, I loved the Turkey Club Sandwich, I like that they use blueberry jam for this. It gave a nice balace between sweet and savory.
Also served on the table before the main event were Chicharones and Liver Pate with Bread.
Once the guests arrived, Union Market started the main event with their Sweet Beet and Citrus Salad and Caesar Smoked Salad.
The Sweet Beet and Citrus Salad was refreshingly good and light while I find the Caesar Smoked Salad to be quite heavy for a salad.
We were able to try two of their soups -- Gazpacho Soup and Wild Mushroom Soup.
The Gazpacho Soup is a cold tomato soup that they served with their Grilled Cheese Sandwich during the Degustacion. The two were a match made in heaven and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich was simply delicious.
They also served the Patatas Bravas and Callos Estofado. For the Patatas Bravas, I just love how the potatoes were generously bathed in gravy. It is quite a heavy dish for an appetizer but I think it was good.
Then we were served the Baked Mussels, which came in a variety of toppings from pesto to garlic. I don't usually eat mussels but this one was quite good.
The waiters then brought out the paellas. Union Market served us their Paella Mariscos
and Paella Negra. Personally, I liked the Paella Mariscos.
Next, the waiters brought out a tray with bite size servings of Lengua Estofado, Pesto Shrimp and Mushroom, and Salmon with Avocado Citrus.
The Pesto Shrimp and Mushroom was a hit for me. I love pesto, so this is quite biased. ;) The Salmon with Avocado Citrus was also good. The salmon we had was wonderfully cooked and was not fishy.
We were also served the Carbonara Fina and Meat Lasagna. I liked the lasagna, it was meaty and had lots of flavor. The carbonara may not be for all. Instead of the creamy white sauce, the restaurant went for the traditional egg and parmesan sauce for their carbonara. Some may find it bland and quite different from the carbonara we usally have here.
The meal ended with a slice of Belgian Chocolate Cake. The cake was fine but it was not as memorable as the dishes we had during the main event of Degustacion. I think it was just a regular chocolate cake. I did check their desserts on display and there are some that have caught my interest that I may want to try in the future.
Aside from the meals we had here, the restaurant also serves Stone Grill Steak. They are the first to offer steak in this manner in Davao City. They also presented to us their Stone Grill Pizza, also a first in Davao City.
Union Market is definitely a welcome addition to the growing food scene in the city. People in the Northern part of the city will not have to all the way down to the south or city center just to enjoy good food.