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COCONUTS HOT SPOT — Fireside is asking for it. By adding Kettle to its name, it’s opening itself up for comparison. And so I oblige.
Fireside is the younger brother of Kettle (5/F East Wing, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong), that restaurant in Shangri-La mall best known for its super delicious fried chicken. One obvious difference between the two is the space. Fireside is less tight and stuffy, with enough room to move around in and not have to rub tummies with strangers.
There’s hardly any pompous design, just a cheery bravado that comes off as welcoming rather than off-putting. The open kitchen, though busy, isn’t distracting. Its noise succumbs to the loud chatter of customers, whose careless babble will suggest they’ve already cozied up to the place. I found myself in the same situation, slouched with legs stretched to the seat next to me. The vibe of the restaurant allows you to be this way. The place may be new but it’s oddly familiar and comfortable.
Buttermilk fried chicken fingers (PHP489)
The same can be said of its food. Though not a single dish is exactly the same as those in Kettle, there are some that will trigger your memory and remind you of a meal you may have had in its brother restaurant. The most obvious one would be the buttermilk fried chicken. It’s the one that has been constantly luring people in to Kettle, and as a smart and perhaps compulsory move, Fireside serves it as well, but in a different shape and form.
Thigh fillets come as fingers and the breading has a noticeably darker hue compared to the chicken steaks that Kettle serves. In Fireside, they are served with vials of honey and gravy, and lay on a bed of hushpuppies, instead of the square-shaped cornbread. Personally, I like this combo more as the chicken has a mild smokiness lent by the addition of chipotle powder in the brine, and the cornbread donuts have that irresistible appeal of all things fried and golden.
Salmon gravlax tartar (PHP349)
The menu is punctuated with numerous meat dishes, like apricot-chipotle glazed ribs, double cut pork chop, slow-roasted brisket and boneless US ribeye. This protein-heavy distinction is the reason behind the name — it hints on an open fire pit where people gather around and eat.
Grilled halibut (PHP399)
People without the viking-like appetite will find solace in its seafood fare. The gravlax tartar, for instance, won’t make you feel deprived or missing out. The salmon emerges delicate from 3 nights of aging in a mix of salt, sugar, lemon juice and white pepper. It is chopped then formed into a mound for easy scooping. A trio of pureed sauces — green onion, red pepper and cilantro — adds pops of distinct flavor to the cured fish.
Perhaps the hardest working dish in the menu is the grilled halibut, which has to work with an ensemble composed of quinoa, cut up vegetables, bacon vinaigrette and reduced balsamic. But it does pay off. The density it lacks (when compared to the heavy-hitting fare) is more than made up for by the satisfying complexity in texture and flavor the dish consequently brings.
Sweet, spicy and salty wings (PHP249 / 3 pieces)
I bravely assume Fireside’s sweet, spicy and salty wings to be that one standoutdish that will have people coming back. Inspired by the Pok Pok Wings made popular in the US by chef Andy Ricker, the chicken pieces are brined, deep fried then bathed in a syrupy glaze made of Thai fish sauce, tamarind and sweet soy. There’s a stack of sweet potato hay on the side but it’s easy to ignore given how delicious the wings are. And since I’ve quickly gotten comfortable with the place, I forego the fork and knife, dive in with my bare hands, lick off the sauce smears after, and let out a contented sigh. Isn’t that what we do by the fireside?
Fireside by Kettle, 3/F Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, EDSA cor J. Vargas Avenue, Mandaluyong; +63 2 5321807; Daily 10am-10pm.
