A Beautiful Breakfast at Malcolm's Deli, The Fort BGC

Drowsy run of egg yolk, glistening pieces of fat laden sauteed slices of beef flirting with mushroom and beautifully wilted spinach, freshly baked bread, bountiful greens of impeccable hue, and crisp cubes of perfectly fried potatoes with color reminiscent of golden sunset. It was a beautiful breakfast on a plate. So beautiful that it made my first visit at Malcolm’s Deli located at The Fort almost a communion with the sublime. The experience may be fleeting, but the palatable memories remained ephemeral.

That breezy morning at Malcolm’s Deli, the comforting jolt from freshly brewed coffee prompted me with the fact that breakfast was meant to remind us what our daily ways of survival lured us to forget. Breakfast was that merciful flicker of sustenance before we head for the hunt amidst the meandering chaos we sometimes called life.

Breakfast should always be beautiful. And that morning, it was. Not that it mattered in the grand scheme of human history, but it was a late breakfast disguised as brunch. Nevertheless, it was the breakfast fares at Malcolm’s Deli we feasted on, and sticking with the definite word breakfast could never break a bone. The great company I was with should be given credit for that beautiful morning feast. However, I am confident that no one would disagree if I said that the food deserved majority of the recognition.

Limited space could stir discomfort but not if you were served with great meal, at least for me. Perhaps an early reservation could do the trick, even more so, a strong conviction to partake in a breakfast that all known gods could smile about. A buffet breakfast boasting of usual albeit, fulfilling staples was a sure crowd-pleaser that day. Everyone was invited to enjoy the feast for a diminutive amount, despite the limited space; no one held the right to be Grinch about that.

A stranger on a supposedly breakfast table greeted me even before I took my first sip of my brewed coffee. Servings of Chicken Skin Cracklings took the center stage and demanded the spotlight by playing a beautiful prelude. An unlikely starter for a morning meal, it was. Yet, its strange presence on the table illuminated an inexplicable sense of belonging. Especially right after the sound of cracklings reverberated with a gleeful satisfaction from the mouth it fed. Indeed, the beautiful stranger stringed us through until the main meals arrived.

Ever so famous, the proverbial pancake soon arrived. A three stack of fluffy pancakes that carried a sense of honor through the recognition that it was regarded as one of the best pancakes in Manila by most, Malcolm’s Stack brought glory to its namesake. A little drizzle of honey could go a long way since it was already dusted with powdered sugar, but who’s counting? My fair share was generously drizzled with honey and smothered with equally generous butter. To say that I enjoyed it was an understatement, and no penance transpired after.

I could have given in to the enticing wagyu corned beef that beckoned since Irish Benedict boasted of Kitayama tag on its sleeve. But as tempting as it may seem, the unassailable logic that binds my deep affinity for corned beef and garlic rice combination took a strong hold. Hence, I bid adieu to the Irish and opted for the benedict with the deli itself as its namesake.

Reason why I did not even considered the classic rendition was beyond me. Yet, such decision did not reeked of regrets since the Malcolm’s Benedict proved to be a good option. Thinly slice Kitayama Wagyu Beef made the Canadian Ham on Classic Benedict worth giving up for. It went well with the richness of the egg and the hollandaise sauce, even the earthy flavor of the mushroom, onions, and spinach. And when eaten with freshly baked bread such as the local pandesal, it just made perfect sense. One could never go wrong on well executed eggs benedict for breakfast, and incorporating savory wagyu beef on it was all the more reason to indulge.

Despite my degree of satiety, the sight of Steak and Eggs lured me into creating a room for more. I could go on forever raving about how great Kitayama Wagyu Beef is, but as the only locally bred wagyu beef in our country, it warrants a separate write up of its own.

As one of the strong forces behind Malcolm’s Deli menu, other Kitayama carnivorous delights were also served. Smoked in-house Kitayama Wagyu Beef Short Ribs was mind blowing. The intense flavor of the beef coupled with its insane tenderness was impeccable it seemed illegal. Much as I felt implicated, I didn’t mind.

Equally amazing was the Kitayama Adobo Flakes, and dropping such description with a casual aplomb felt lame because in its goodness, it could be its own religion. I could not stress enough that this earth-shaking Kitayama merits its own blog post.

No sweets graced our table but it did not made the breakfast feast at Malcolm’s Deli at The Fort less of a stellar experience. The dishes were more than enough to account for the repletion we nursed hence, dessert was not necessary. After all, sweet endings transpired after everyone was fueled up to face the day head on, as we continued to hunt for the day’s small but sweet victories.