Olive Tree Kitchen & Bar

When you see a sign outside a restaurant that they were ranked by spot.ph to have the best Margherita pizza, you don't think twice about whether or not you're going to eat there or not. You forget about your other restaurants options, and simply enter in the hopes of having what could be one of the best pizza experiences you'll ever have. Well, at least, that's what Martin and I did when we passed by Olive Tree Kitchen & Bar.

It wouldn't be a Den and Martin meal without some salad, so we started things off with their Chopped Salad which has mixed greens, herbs, red cabbage, provolone, walnuts, spicy salumi, and house dressing. It was very refreshing especially with its light, tangy dressing. I also absolutely loved the salumi in it because it's not often that you get some spiciness in a salad. All the vegetables were crisp and fresh, and the walnuts added a sweet crunch.

I was so excited to try their Margherita Pizza, and trust me when I say that it did not disappoint. I'd have to agree with spot.ph that this is also the best Margherita pizza I've had. The crust was toasted on the outside and chewy on the inside. Unlike other pizzas that use sliced tomatoes, theirs are not so that when you bite into them, the heirloom tomatoes burst, releasing the warm, sweet tomato juice in your mouth as if they were grapes. The bufala mozzarella is so creamy you'd that you'd think you're eating custard, and it has a very subtle flavor to not overpower the dish. The basil leaves are kept fresh, and adds a bright flavor to the pizza. It's such a simple pizza but it is a lot better than anything I've tried before because they use high quality ingredients that are allowed to shine. 

For pasta, we had the Prawns and Chorizo which has tagliatelle all'uovo, bell pepper soffritto, and confit of garlic. Now, this is unlike any other ordinary shrimp pasta you've had. First, let's start off with the prawns. They are huge, which really makes you feel like you're getting your money's worth. The pasta sauce is more flavorful than your usual tomato-based pasta because of the bell peppers and garlic. The chorizo bits have a nice bite to them, and adds just the right amount of spiciness to the dish. It's such a delicious combination of a meat and seafood pasta.

Olive Tree Kitchen and Bar was named one of the Best Restaurants of 2014 by Philippine Tatler, and I couldn't agree more. Its  classy and sophisticated while still having a smart casual vibe, but even more beautiful than the interiors are the delicious plates of food that come out of the kitchen.

Olive Tree Kitchen and Bar

G/F B3, Bonifacio High Street,

Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Bite Size: Project Pie's Banana Nutella Pizza

Like with everything else, creativity is what keeps things interesting when it comes to food. As much as we love traditional and classic recipes, we also always crave for something new; something that we never thought would work but will blow our minds.

Take pizza for example. Everyone knows how to make a classic pizza – take some dough, lather it with tomato sauce, sprinkle some cheese, top with meat and vegetables of your choice, and pop it in the oven until it’s nice and toasty. But somehow, someone had this crazy idea of making pizza into a dessert, and let me tell you, it was a brilliant idea.

The pizza I’m talking about is Project Pie’s Banana Nutella Pizza. Project Pie makes really great pizza (you can read my blog post about it here) but their dessert pizza is something you won’t find in other pizza joints. As the name suggests, this dessert pizza is their regular crust topped with bananas, nutella, and is dusted with cinnamon powder. First of all, you can never go wrong with that combination alone. Banana and nutella is an awesome combination, and then you add cinnamon, and it just makes it even more amazing. But then, you take that trio, and you bake it so that the nutella melts and oozes on top of soft and warm bananas. The heat also activates the cinnamon making it even more flavourful and aromatic. All of that on top of a chewy, crusty, toasty crust. It’s just so amazing you’d think pizza was actually originally created as a dessert!

Project Pie

I don't know anyone who doesn't love pizza. It's the kind of food that in-a-relationship-with-food memes are created after. While your typical cheese pizza with mozzarella stringing as you pull a slice away from the whole is already pretty much standard food porn, sometimes you just have to take things up a notch.

Martin and I, together with his cousins, recently went to Project Pie along Shaw Boulevard which is a build your own artisan pizza franchise originally from the U.S. 

When we got there, there was a ton of people which is always a good sign. 

And as if they already foresaw that people would be waiting in line for quite a while, their interiors include walls full of scribbles of inspirational quotes which will definitely keep you entertained. Pizza and life lessons all in one night.

Speaking of scribbles, I love how there are random writings all over the place which are just so fun and witty. It definitely goes with the whole modern and hip vibe of the place. Plus, I am in love with the industrial light fixtures hanging all over the ceiling. It's so cool, and the warm yellowish light makes the casual place a little bit more cozy. 

Now, on to the food. When we got there, we honestly had no idea how the whole ordering process goes so we had to ask one of their very friendly servers. Lucky for you, I'm gonna be giving you the low down on how you can get your hands on some awesome artisan pizza.

First, get a menu. You then have two choices: order by number or build your own. If you order by number, you have the option of choosing from their pre-set pizza creations. Their best-sellers are numbers 2, 5, and 6. Plus, the great thing about this is that even though each number already has pre-set toppings, you can still add toppings that you want for no extra charge. But if you're feeling creative (or just picky when it comes to your pizza toppings), then you can go ahead and build your own pizza.

Once you've decided what you want to order, just fall in line, tell these friendly pizza artisans what you want and watch them make your pizza right in front of your eyes. What I like about this is that you can really see the ingredients they put in your pizza ensuring their freshness and quality. 

I wanted to try their pre-set pizzas and I, of course, had to go for the one with the most cheese on it. Martin and I ordered number 5 which has mozzarella, ricotta, gorgonzola, parmesan, cracked black pepper, olive oil, and fresh chopped basil. To put our own touch to it, we added some mushroom and bacon. 

I took a bite, and all of a sudden, there was a cheese party going on in my mouth. It's a good thing the crust was toasty on the outside and chewy on the inside (just how I like it) since it became a good texture contrast to the creaminess of the toppings. 

I forgot what Martin's cousins, Kim and Don, ordered but we exchanged slices and I loved both of their pizzas as well. I especially loved the jalapeño peppers on Don's pizza. It didn't just add spice but a great layer of flavor as well that you don't get from simply adding chili flakes or hot sauce. 

The next time you're eating at a pizza place and you just end up taking out most of the toppings on your pizza, try Project Pie instead and have some pizza custom built by you.