Nothing is more comforting than good food and a pleasant service from a restaurant. Fortunately, I have experienced these comforts at Vanderlust. Vanderlust, inspired from the word wanderlust, which means to travel to discover yourself, is located on the corner of Scout de Guia and the busy Tomas Morato streets, and serves fancy European food without emptying your wallets.
I visited one Friday night with friends from work, and we were greeted cheerfully by their staff, Hazel. Hazel is very hospitable, sometimes you will think that she is on sugar overload. She is also helpful as she tried her best to find us a parking space. She also does great food recommendations. The visit was worthwhile because of her.
Vanderlust has a comfy ambiance with bright lights and a tavern-like set-up. It was good that we were a group of 5, so we can try more of their menu. We started with Chorizo and Roasted Garlic Soup, a light garlicky soup with chorizo bits. Definitely a great starter to any meal. It has deep flavors and not filling. While waiting for our main courses, we also picked on a Sausage Platter with Potatoes and Sauerkraut. This platter is perfect with alcohol. It has generous slices of Bratwurst, Kielbasa, and Hungarian Sausage. The perfect way to eat this is to get a slice of the sausage and eat it together with the sauerkraut provided and dip into the sweet German mustard to have that sweet-salty-sour taste, something to play with the senses.
For the main meal, we had Catalan Baked Fish with Potatoes and Asparagus, Cacio e Pepe e Mushroom Truffle Pasta, Osso Buco Milanese, and Schweinekotelett with Mustard Cream Sauce. The dishes were nostalgic as they are authentic. They remind me of my trips to Europe. The Schweinekotelett or porkchop is tender and the German mustard just adds the perfect touch. The mashed potato is soft, creamy, and is great when spread to the meat. The Osso Buco or Beef Ribs is fork tender and flavorful in wine and tomato sauce. It is served on a bed of risotto, which for me, is authentic - it is difficult to find an establishment that makes good risotto these days. For just an addition of Php100, they will throw in a rich and overloaded bone marrow, making your experience more satisfying.
The Catalan Baked Fish is one of my favorites. The soft, white fish is herb-crusted, and greatly reminded me of my food trips in Spain. Another favorite is the Cacio e Pepe e Mushroom Truffle, or basically translates as Pasta with Cheese, Pepper, and Mushrooms. The serving is generous and the dish is simple, but very flavorful. The light cheese contributes to its creaminess, while the pepper, gives flavor. I love that they use truffle shavings instead of truffle oil, as not to overpower the dish.
A visit to Vanderlust is a must whenever a visit to Tomas Morato is in order. This restaurant has so much to offer with its food, service, and ambiance. Plus, I still need to go back for the Schneeball. This restaurant is definitely worth a try! read more