My visit to Chelsea Kitchen located at SM Mega Fashion Hall in SM Megamall happened amidst the time when attending to pressing matter at hand hinders me from throwing affirmative response to dining engagements. I guess luck was on my side the time a friend, Ramil of Pinasmuna.com asked me to join them for an intimate lunch at Chelsea Megamall.
The luncheon schedule indicated was the exact time I was free to do blog related things. That rarely happen these days, truth be told. So I guess I was destined to dine at Chelsea Kitchen for the first time to finally experience the creations of the talented chef Kalel Chan. Meeting new people and catching up with some blogger friends – the proverbial icing on top.
Under Raintree Group of Restaurants, Chelsea Kitchen at Megamall is the laid back version of Chelsea Grand Café in Serendra. It occupies the space at the ground floor, EDSA side entrance of the bustling SM Mega Fashion Hall.
Chelsea Megamall is not really easy to miss. The restaurant is not confined within closed walls, instead, the open kitchen serves as the focal point that invites with tables and chairs scattered neatly in front of it. With its open ambiance held together by colorful flair of Chelsea Kitchen, dining there can be a good respite from tiring rounds of shopping.
I got to the area a tad early so I was able to witness the state of Chelsea when it was not yet swamped with people, a rare scenario since nearby H&M opened, I was told. My dining companions were not yet around but the manager gladly assisted me to my seat and offered a drink.
The Pour Over Yardstick Coffee on the menu sounds enticing but a carafe serving of it yields 2 cups. I don’t want to proceed to the day with trembling hands especially that I was about to take food photos of our meal. So instead, I opted for their Cappuccino Smile (Php145), one of Chelsea's offerings made out of Illy Coffee brand.
Served on a thin wooden plank, the cup of cappuccino smile remained true to its name – a smiling face made out chocolate powder decorated the foamy surface of the coffee. It comes with three packs of sugar substitute, small glass of coconut sugar for options, and two bars of choc-nut. I sipped through my cup and it immediately drew out a smile on my face, I thought this Cappuccino Smile is so aptly named.
Chelsea Kitchen menu features gourmet comfort food that chef Kalel formulated with the help of his equally able band of kitchen staff. While the word gourmet can sometimes hold an intimidating factor to it price-wise, food at Chelsea are surprisingly affordable. I have to admit that I was surprised seeing the price point of their offerings since big names like them rarely boast of that feat.
Minutes later, dining companions arrived one by one, thus the feast ensued amidst the friendly chats.
Our lunch started with a colorful prelude to the feast through the serving of Chili Lime Chicken and Chorizo Nachos (Php295). A welcome break from the usual beef laden nachos that I usually enjoy, Chelsea's rendition made use of chicken and chorizo for a flavorful creative spin. It has everything that one may expect from a well executed nacho dish; thin and crisp corn chips, band of veggies including cilantro leaves, sour cream, cheese sauce, and the amazing guacamole.
The nachos was lovely, but what made me fall hard for Chelsea was their Mushroom Chicharon (Php195). It was not my first time to eat this healthy version of a well-loved sinfully good chicharon, but it was at Chelsea that I experienced the best tasting one. It was perfectly cooked that even if it turned cold it was still downright crisp and flavorful.
The spiced vinegar it comes with was a good combination for dipping by the virtue of legit chicharon experience. Yet, the basil lime aioli sauce was the one that took me by a pleasant surprised. It was the kind of sauce I could put into anything and remain a happy camper.
There is a section at Chelsea Kitchen menu that features handful of salad choices that diners could mix on their own. What was served to us was The CK Chicken Salad (Php250). It is basically a medium sized glass bowl filled with Asian slaw, fresh basil, cilantro, mint leaves, and shredded char grilled Asian pesto chicken.
It comes with two kinds of dressing inside two separate mini glass. One is peanut plum dressing which taste I love in contrast to the flavor of the chicken and the veggies. The other one was the lemon vinaigrette.
Part of the line of side dishes at Chelsea which diners can order in combination of their meal is this Creamed Bacon, Spinach, and Corn (Php175). It can be a good accompaniment to any meal on the menu but in my opinion, its impressive goodness could earn it a glaring rave as a star of the meal other than the often overshadowed side dish.
The aroma of truffle wafted through our table seconds before this Truffled Mushroom Cream and Bacon Spaghetti (Php320) was served to us. I am a big fan of anything with truffle and this one was one of the best truffled pastas I have tried. The texture of the noodle was perfect. The bacon bits adds smokey flavor to an otherwise earthy taste of mushroom. The impeccable creaminess balanced everything out. I swear I dreamt of this pasta days after our lunch at Chelsea.
Aside from other delectable things on the menu, Chelsea Kitchen prided itself with their line of 12" Stone-fired Pizza which doughs are made fresh everyday and fermented for hours. We were served the Tinapa Cream, Cherry Tomatoes, and Arugula (Php295) pizza and while I was already happy with the pasta, this one completed the classic tandem.
Thin and slightly chewy, the pizza dough was a clear indication of freshness. The toppings was in good proportion to the dough. The tinapa taste was very apparent but pleasantly tempered by the creaminess of the entire pie.
We were also served with this huge plate of Chicken Parmigiana (Php320) with brown rice on the side. The serving portion was so big it can feed a group of three. It is essentially breaded fried chicken fillet topped with fried eggplant, tomato sauce, cream sauce, and melted mozzarella. I also spotted some grated cheese thrown in the mix.
All of the dishes we tried are all impressive in my opinion. But what made me want to burst into an applause with matching tears of joy running down my face was Chelsea Kitchen's U.S. Roast Beef and Gravy (Php495). It's so simple but really just so damn good. It's like meeting a person for the first time and realizing that he's your soul mate, seriously. I was THIS close to standing up and hugging everyone in the kitchen with utmost sincerity while uttering the words, "Great job, you guys."
The tenderness of the thinly sliced roast beef smothered with gravy filled with mushroom (and I am not sure but I sensed some bits of bacon) was so good and perfect words are not enough. I don't mind eating it on its own but the grilled butter bread that comes with can also be a perfect accompaniment.
I should say, this is one of those dishes that made me feel thankful to be alive. Pardon, I am such a fan.
I was so satisfied by the time the desserts came but I can't really say no to Chelsea Kitchen's Donut Holes (Php195). These balls of bread are stuffed with dulce de leche and are perfect when eaten with a bit of chocolate sauce for added richness.
Their line of Artisanal Cakes is also a big hit to the diners so they let us try a slice of Burnt Chocolate and Honeycomb Cake (Php195). Not to sweet but the richness of the chocolate was what hold this cake together. The chunks of honeycomb are thoughtful addition that lends different dimension of flavor to the cake.
Aside from dessert and other dishes, Chelsea Kitchen is also great when it comes milkshakes. We tried their Strawberry Milkshake (Php295) and their Mango Cream Pie Milkshake (Php295) and I swear it was one of the best I have had considering I rarely pass when offered this delicious treats in restaurants. Between the two, it was the Mango Cream Pie that I love the most.
For drinks, I had their Cherry Berry Coke (Php150) part of Chelsea's line of crafted refreshment. It is essentially a glass of Coke with cherry syrup and bits of berries in the mix.
Chelsea Kitchen bears the tag "Good Eats, Big Smiles" and after my dining experience with them, I could understand why they choose to stand by that phrase. I went back at Chelsea a couple of more times days after the lunch with some blogger friends. The dishes I tried during that succeeding visits were nothing short of delectable and impressive. When it comes to food, I can see the consistency.
Now, I realized the big smiles come not just after tasting their food, it is also within the process of the entire dining experience. Food attendants at Chelsea Kitchen Megamall are some of the most friendly and attentive people I have encountered. Always with a smile on their face, and I appreciate that. The photo below are taken during my first visit, and those friendly smile still greeted me every single time I visit them. Amazing, these people. The good thing is that the happiness in their faces clearly translate on the food that they serve.
Chelsea Kitchen
G/F Fashion Hall
SM Megamall
Mandaluyong City
Contact No.: (02) 909 7012
Website: www.raintreerestaurants.com
Facebook Page: /raintreechelseakitchen
