A & I shared a pot of Asiago fries with truffle salt (PHP 250) I’ve heard inconsistencies about this but ours was pretty good. The cheese had a nice mature flavour and I thought it would be grainy like most mature hard cheeses but it was smooth as it melted, stretched and settled on the hand-cut chips. The truffle salt was subtly sprinkled but the flavour was strong enough without overpowering the cheese. I wish we ordered two of these, but we didn’t want to overindulge.
I’ve had a number of pretty decent lobster rolls here so I wasn’t overly excited to try the Lobster and River Prawn Roll (PHP 450). But it was the first I’ve seen in Manila and I wanted to compare. Unsure whether the lobsters are sourced in the Philippines, I asked the servers where they get their shellfish from (and their foie) but unfortunately they didn’t know.
It came with thinly cut potato crisps and a simple side of greens. I didn’t care much for the filling to be honest. Fair enough, it was a chunky cocktail of prawn, lobster and mayo and there was a lot of it. BUT. That amazing tiger bread stole the show for me. Most lobster rolls here are served on toasted brioche but the tiger roll was actually perfect for a sarnie like that; it balanced the acidity and creaminess of the filling and the crust gave it a nicer texture. You wouldn’t want creamy filling with soft bread as it would just be mush on mush.
Now before we get all too mushy. Let’s talk about THE SANDWICH.
It came to us looking quite unassuming (as most good things do), looking like a boxed lunch gently glamourised on a plate. It was, after all, just a sandwich, a simple side of greens and potato crisps. But there was a certain je ne sais quoi about it that made it look so bold and so elegant and it had nothing to do with the poncey name. Ladies and gents, say hello to Lusso’s Foie Gras Croque Monsieur (PHP450).
It was a rich sandwich but it was delicately put together and all the elements just worked fantastically.
The bread? An amazing sheet of toast thin enough to make the dish look sexy and easy to eat but thick and firm enough to hold after a major bite.
The cheese? A really nice blend of creamy bechamel and salty gruyere. The type of creamy-salty that melts on your bread and is awesome in your mouth.
The filling? Surprisingly heroic foie that rose to the occasion. It was the perfect amount; cut any thinner you’d lose it to the cheese, cut any thicker you’d lose interest and your belt. It gave the sandwich a great flavour profile and rightly so, because when you say you’re having an ABC123 sandwich you want the ABC123 to shine.
