Earth Kitchen

My boyfriend, Martin, and I love to eat out, and we've shared a lot of great meals together, but our dinner at Earth Kitchen has to be one of those experiences where we can say we ate well. We had absolutely amazing food that's not only healthy, but helps provide sustainable livelihood for farmers and indigenous communities as well (and y'all know how much I love these kinds of restaurants).

The first thing I noticed when I entered Earth Kitchen was how good it smelled inside. You know how some restaurants have an overwhelming food smell because all the aromas of the different dishes mix together? With Earth Kitchen, the whole place had this appetizing aroma that smelled so fresh and clean (kind of like when you pass through the fruits and vegetable section of the grocery). You just know whatever you're going to eat is going to be good for you! 

The interiors is a mix of natural materials such as wood and indoor hanging plants, and raw-looking concrete giving the feeling of bringing the outdoors in. I love anything light wood so I was just all over the tables and chairs which were fully-occupied by so many people.

What's great about Earth Kitchen is that by using local and natural produce, they help support local farmers and indigenous communities. By increasing demand for such products, they are providing a stable livelihood for marginalized communities. They also encourage the production and consumption of good, clean, healthy food, because let's face it, not only is it being more socially responsible, but it tastes better too! Earth Kitchen is in partnership with Got Heart Foundation and Hizon's Catering. Almost everything is made from scratch, and are mostly available at the Got Heart Shop next to the restaurant. I love how by dining there, you're not only eating good food, but also helping others and the environment!

Anyway, let's get on to the food. For starters, we had the Watermelon and Rocket Salad (P270) which has Organic/Naturally Produced Arugula, Edible Flowers, Pili Nuts, Homemade Kesong Puti, and Balsamic Vinaigrette. This is seriously the best salad I've ever had! If you think you don't like salads, then you haven't tried this. It has so many elements that you'd think wouldn't work well together, but they do! Crisp veggies, ripe and juicy watermelons, salty cheese, sweet and crunchy pili nuts, and tangy balsamic vinaigrette -- so many flavors and textures complementing and contrasting in your mouth! Whoever said salad was boring should get a mouthful of this!

For pasta, we had their Mushroom Ravioli (P370) which has Kesong Puti, Shitake, Button, and Milky Mushrooms, and Pili Nuts in a light cream sauce. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this because it's very common to find mushroom and cream sauce pasta combinations anywhere (but we still had it because I like these kinds of dishes). Oh my gosh, this dish just blew us away! The cheese and mushroom stuffing inside the ravioli was in a light, creamy moose consistency that was so heavenly. It's amazing how light this dish is considering it's cream-based.The pili nuts gave a beautiful crunchy, buttery consistency in every bite, while the chewy shitake mushrooms added a nice "meaty-ness" to the dish. Trust me, it was so good, Martin even joked that he wanted to order another plate of this dish. I wouldn't have stopped him if he did. 

For protein, we had their Beef Kebab (P360) which is boneless beef ribs, tzatziki, and grilled vegetables, served with your choice of Organic Ifugao Rice Pilaf or 3pcs Flour Tortilla and Organic Mixed Greens. The beef was so tender and juicy, although I found it to be a bit underseasoned. It also had a spicy sauce which added some flavor. In case you find it too spicy, the tzatsiki will definitely cool you down since it's made with a refreshing blend of yogurt and cucumbers. I love the the fact that they use Organic Ifugao rice, which was so light and fluffy, because not only is it a healthier choice, but it also promotes the use of local produce. 

For dessert, we had the Vanilla Peanut Butter Crunch (P165) which is Homemade Carabao's Milk Vanilla Ice Cream, Peanut Butter, and Turon. How good does that sound? I'm normally not fond of ice cream but I absolutely loved this one because it was so light! I feel like I could eat a whole tub of this, and not feel guilty. I'm not sure how "healthy" it is compared to other ice creams, but it feels like it because its consistency in your mouth feels just like frozen milk than cream. The peanut butter is so rich and creamy, and tastes very natural. I love how it also has peanut chunks in it. The turon (banana fritters) were crisp, and has even more peanut butter inside. It's a wonderful sweet-salty end to your meal.

To be honest, our dining experience at Earth Kitchen was a constant love-hate relationship. Throughout the meal, we kept on thinking how a bit overpriced the dishes are, but every time we took a bite, we get into an I-don't-care-how-expensive-this-is-because-it's-so-good mood. I'm such a sucker for restaurants that use local, organic produce not only to make delicious meals, but also to help our farmers. Earth Kitchen definitely reminded me why I love these kinds of restaurants.