Unit G, Maginhawa Bldg., 154 Maginhawa St.
Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, Philippines
Tel: 435-2549
This week's verdicts from:
banggigay, indayguapa, zara, and candie
banggigay:"Fish eggs and nori on Blacksoup Pasta made for a unique dining experience"
The café’s attempt towards an unpretentious setting was achieved through clean lines, warm colors, and basic patterns on the walls. But it wasn't what you'd call subdued either, being an art space too highlighted by photos displayed on tables, carefully chosen fabrics on chairs and benches, and mounted art pieces. Even corners get a treatment with a baby grand piano on one side and a musical and book collection on the other. Interiors/ambiance: 4/5 stars.
The newly converted pescotarian me took notice of the seafoods and vegetables on the Menu List. Blacksoup Pasta (bearing the café’s name) caught my eye not only because of its affordable price at P175.00 but also because of its listed ingredients: squid, fish egg with nori and Japanese mayo. Its spaghetti pasta was cooked al dente, mixed with Japanese mayo, giving the desired contrast to succulent squid slices. I actually thought the addition of fish eggs and nori was rather original and underscored the real Blacksoup Pasta experience. Verdict: 5/5 stars.
Blacksoup Pasta
Salmon Steak
indayguapa: "the juicy chicken in basil with stuffed cheese will make me come back"
i liked the repertoire of dishes on the menu. you get something as homey at kangkong in oyster sauce or have something sosyal like lamb chops with asparagus. they have interesting dishes - laing pasta, mango turon, "you won't be single for long"...yes they have a dish by this name which i avoided because i love being single! (But i digress).
the pasta named after the cafe, blacksoup pasta, is worth trying out. though it had me gagging after my first (and last) forkful because it had fish eggs and i am no fan of fish eggs, it actually tasted good and a very unique take on seafood pasta. they also had corn and malunggay soup which was literally, corn kernels and malunggay leaves - very different for me because malunggay i usually get in chicken tinola soup, while corn in bulalo soup and i would have never thought to combine the two.
what will make me come back - chicken in basil stuffed with cheese, which for me was especially tasty, juicy and overall yummy! drinks/shakes you only find here - kaimito shake and guyabano shake.
Chicken in basil stuffed with cheesethe place was interesting too: knick-knacks here and there, books on the shelf, cool picture tables...however (and unfortunately) i cannot avoid comparing blacksoup cafe to its next-door neighbor, van gogh is bipolar. for an 'artspace' it begs for more passion, a story and a personal touch - both in the space and the interaction.
2 stars - good and fairly priced food. 1 - menu surprises. 1 - over all feel of the place. in total, i give blacksoup cafe + artspace 4/5 stars.
Lamb Chops with Asparagus
zara: "Patience is required for dishes that are prepared individually like artwork"
As a semi-regular diner of Van Gogh is Bipolar, it was only a matter of time before i ended up in Blacksoup Cafe + Artspace. i’ve always been curious about their menu; the way i usually am about beer, which Jetro of VGIB always happily pointed out to diners who wanted one. (Yes, i am a fan of beer, so this is important.)
On my way to BC+A, i already thought about drinking at least one SMB Light as a perfect way to start a Friday night, and then maybe a second one to end it right. When i got there, people lying on banigs and mattresses on the pebble-covered parking lot with candles for lighting were watching “The Devil Wears Prada” screening. My taste buddies chose to eat inside which i figured was best for the people outside; we were too loud anyway for the people watching the movie.
Inside, the cafe was spacious and bright with fancy lighting fixtures to remind you that you are in an “artspace.” Apart from the indie movies on the shelf, the two goldfishes on the bar and the guitar with a missing string catching my eye, i also noticed another peculiar thing: none other than the sight of Kuya Bodjie of Batibot, tucked under the staircase playing on the computer. We probably made several nonsensical references to Batibot which i am sure he is already used to.
The cafe is, as it calls itself, also an artspace, so expect laid back service and be patient while waiting for your food as they are individually prepared like artwork.
The smell of corn and malunggay soup came first then after looking at the bowl, i noticed the generous portion of corn kernels. It was simple yet hearty, a homemade soup away from home. The soup was followed by the blacksoup seafood pasta, and my oh my, it gets my vote on the most ingenious pasta award. Who ever thought that fish eggs, wasabi flavoured nori, topped by squid bits and a little bit of mayo mixed in your pasta would work? Probably inspired by the Japanese gods! Need i say more? We tried several items from the menu but those two readily stood out for me.
Oh, and by the way, i didn’t get my beer, but the lovely melon fruit shake and Dave’s frozen yogurt (particularly the strawberry mango) half-way made up for it.
Candie: "Caviar in pasta? Genius!"
YAY!
The dish worth remembering: The BSK's BSK Pasta was amazing! I've always been a pasta lover, and I have never tried anything like it. It is original, it is flavorful, and most importantly, delicious. There was only a hint of Japanese mayo so the consistency of the pasta wasn't too oily (as you would fear a mayo-ed pasta would be), and who would've thought of putting caviar (and i think its Galunggong fish eggs) into pasta - it's GENIUS! It is heavenly; you just can't stop taking the next slurp until the plate is all cleaned out. 10/5 stars for pasta.
NAY!
Make sure you bring lots of patience with you when you dine as a big group in BSK. It's ambiance exactly reflects its cooking - homey. They cook each dish individually per plate which takes a long time to serve. Everything seemed like an appetizer because we have to eat each dish in small amounts. Perhaps you should call in your orders earlier if you're coming as a big group because this is definitely the kind of food you'll come back for and the kind of place you'd wanna show your friends.
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