Detalle Bar + Kitchen in Ortigas

Detalle Bar + Kitchen: The New Dine and Drink Oasis in Ortigas

by M.C. Jose

The concept of Detalle (meaning ‘detail’ in Spanish) was born nearly a year ago as a brainchild to sisters Bernice and Denise Lim. “My sister and I have always wanted to put up our own establishment,” shares Bernice. “Discussions were really informal. They would take place over dinner with family and even through WhatsApp. In fact, this very place, which used to house Taverna, was where we had our first proper discussion. When we found out that it closed down, we became really intent on getting this spot because it has a very casual tambayan vibe.”

The sisters’ vision for Detalle fits the laidback Ortigas vibe perfectly. Though the restaurant also doubles as a bar, there is no dress code and the interiors are nothing fancy. The wood and metal furnishings give the establishment a sleek industrial vibe. The second level is an open-air lounge that the sisters have affectionately dubbed “the poor man’s Skye”.

 

 

Their menu is very simple and leans more towards comfort than high-end sophistication. “We go with a no-frills what-you-see-is-what-you-get concept with regards to our menu,” Bernice adds. “Everything is reasonably priced, but we keep it at a premium.”

We began the meal with several of their bar bites. The Las Sardinas (P230) is one of their best-selling appetizers. Here, you have fried quail eggs, sardines, peperonaia jam and wild rocket salad mix atop a small bit of toast. The Basque Fried Chicken (P280) is a truly addictive little dish. It has this light, semi-sweet flavour thanks to a clever mix of peperade sauce and mint yogurt. For pizza, we had their classic Margherita (P250), a surprising standout. The ingredients are all very simple, but the tomato and mozzarella were so rich, and the basil was fresh.

Las Sardinas

 

Basque Fried Chicken

 

Margherita

Our main attraction for the night was D Burger (P380). The scrumptious, succulent 300g patty is always newly cooked to a perfect degree of medium rare by the staff. Supplementary ingredients are a healthy dose of blue cheese, arugula, bacon jam and aioli. The blue cheese gave the burger some bite, which gave the dish an overall zing. This was definitely love at first bite for me!

D Burger

 

For dessert, we had some Chocolate Truffles. These come in a variety of flavours and textures: plain, nutty, and coconut flavour. This indulgent and highly satisfying dessert is truly the perfect companion to all of Detalle’s classic comfort food. The chocolate is very rich and smooth—finishing off an entire serving will send you spiraling away on a pleasant sugar high.

Assorted Chocolate Truffles

Being a restobar, Detalle also has an extensive bar menu. During our visit, we were able to enjoy several of their top-notch cocktails such as the Holiday Mojito (P280), the tangy City Lights Lemonade (P310), the Julia Vargas JayWalker (P280), and The Great Godfather (P360), a Gold Label-based drink. All of these are made with nothing less than premium liquor.

Holiday Mojito

 

City Lights Lemonade

 

Julia Vargas JayWalker

 

The Great Godfather

A unique concoction that I found fun were the Pepper Drops (P600), something highly reminiscent of a Jagerbomb only with four kinds of Dr. Pepper bombs. The so-called bombs are dropped into glasses of Dr. Pepper with a well-practised tap, creating a big splash that left us entertained.

Pepper Drops

 

The Lim sisters are very proud of this little hangout spot that they have. Not only can their customers avail of simple and delicious food, but they also have access to a wide array of premium specialty drinks at affordable prices. Thanks to Detalle, the weary Ortigas traveler may now have a destination in mind when looking to relax and unwind in the area.