Today, I woke up having in mind one of the best meals I've had this year so far - the Pollo a la Brasa set and the Barley Risotto with mushroom, bacon, and leeks from Viajé by Kev. I had it on a lunch time one Friday and as what a great meal could do, it literally washed away all the stress of the week and made me hanker for endless possibilities of good meals in the coming days.
I could say it was the kind of meal that do not just nourishes the body, but feed the soul as well.
There's a lot of things that's already been written on the internet about chef Kevin Uy and his brainchild Viajé. Just a few clicks in the world wide web and you would know that Viajé by Kev is an interpretation of what chef Kevin Uy learned for having been exposed to many cultures from his travels and work experiences - with heavy emphasis on bringing adventure to the plate.
I am going out on a limb here by saying that chef Kev's background in cultural diversity in terms of creating food is yes, impressive. But having been blogging for more than a decade now, I am well aware that we got a lot of that here in the country, especially in Manila. We have met several chefs of that calibre, some of them have graced pages of this blog.
But what impressed me about Viajé by Kev is the sincerity. A sincerity so palpable I could taste it in every bits and morsels of the food I was invited to partake.
I have quite a few Peruvian friends who welcomed me into their kitchens and served me impeccable dishes they would normally prepare back in their motherland. The Pollo a la Brasa set I have tried from Viajé brought me the same kind of feeling I felt during the times when I willingly sashayed my way through the wonderful world of spices and bold flavors distinct to Peruvian cuisine.
I have tried decent amount of Peruvian food I can get my hands on and the offerings from Viajé by Kev was the closest thing to what made me fall in love with the cuisine.
According to chef Kev, they can only offer food order pick ups for now. In the time that we are in now, they are currently understaffed hence, he is always in the kitchen and delivery service is put into a halt. Regardless, I am one of those who can say that effort is going to be worth it.
There are several things to love about Viajé by Kev. First, is the way they package their food. I am Platinum member of most delivery food apps so I can confidently say that when it comes to food packaging, I've seen the best and worst. Thankfully, Viajé by Kev belongs to the best tier when it comes to the way they package their food. No spillage, part of it I give credit to the delivery service used, of course.
I was able to try the Pollo a la Brasa Set Tortilla Combo (Php980). And since I am fond of putting together food to enjoy, the process of making pollo wrap is an experience for which I find great satisfaction.
The flavorful pollo (chicken) I can say can be a meal in itself since it's packed with flavor we cannot get if we are to rely on the usual chicken rotisserie shops most of us are accustomed to. This one pays homage to the land where the use of spices is as normal as breathing. Eat it on its own or generously place it in your wraps you will still enjoy the distinct flavor of Peruvian chicken either way.
I've had several Salsa Criolla in my life and Viajé's rendition was one of the best. I love how they incorporate kernels of white corn in it because it made a delightful difference in terms of flavor and texture. It was a kind of accompaniment that you can put in anything decent enough to be eaten with onion. Next time I'll order, I'll make sure to buy some extra.
The set comes with three kinds of sauces; white garlic sauce, Aji Rojo, and Aji Verde. The white garlic sauce was reminiscent of the usual yogurt-based sauce which I love putting on soft tacos while the Ajies, especially the red one (Aji Rojo) that looks deadly was surprisingly spicy with a fruity note hence it's not meant to assault the senses.
The Fried Yuca was also bursting with flavors and spices. If you are into bold flavor, it can put your usual fries to shame. I was told that it was meant to be eaten as an accompaniment but I have tried adding it into my wrap and it was equally amazing mixed with all the other components of the set.
I shared the set with my family and everyone had a great time with the interactive way we create our own wraps.
While the Pollo a la Brasa in terms of flavor and serving portion impressed me, the Barley Risotto with Mushroom, Bacon, and Leeks (Php900) just cemented the fact for me that Viajé by Kev is something well worth raving about.
The risotto was hearty it felt like eating a warm meal that your beloved grandmother made especially for you. Yes, I got that feeling as I took spoonful after spoonful of it. And will you get mad if I tell you that I also sneaked in a spoon of it in my pollo wrap? Please do not. Because apologize to the purist, but it made the wrap even more amazing.
I know there are some really amazing meal that you cannot sum up in one blog post. And this is one of them. It's the kind of meal that begs to be had again and again because it's so good you would want to share it with everyone you love.
To order from Viajé by Kev, you may call (0917) 702-1695, or message @viaje.bykev on Instagram and Viaje by Kev on Facebook.
