The rock-star Duck!

MANILA, Philippines - If you find yourself at Duck & Buvette, a French bistro on the second level of the main wing of Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City, you are in trouble.

No snooty, hard-to-pronounce entrées here. Only casual cooking. And the trouble with casual French cooking, if it’s done the right way, is it gives you a generous amount of gustatory satisfaction that your pouch cannot handle all in one sitting.

The almost tattered temporary menu of Duck & Buvette, considering the restaurant only soft-opened last June, is perhaps a witness to many satisfied foodies. You don’t need to ask the restaurant’s cordial servers about their bestsellers; all you have to do is observe what’s on the table of other guests and what constantly comes out of the kitchen. And voila, you can draw your own conclusions.

My own observation hints at the D&B Crispy Half Duck Confit, which is present on every table inhabited by guests who are already salivating with just the mere sight of this dish flying out of the kitchen. This duck dish gets some sort of rock-star treatment that it is almost a sin not to order this house specialty of golden brown half-duck served piping-hot on a slate slab with wholegrain mustard, reduced balsamic sauce, ratatouille duck rice and cranberry carrot dishes. It’s cured and cooked in its own fat for two days before it is slowly roasted, says Bryan Chua, an owner of the restaurant. Bryan discloses that Duck & Buvette serves around 50 orders of the duck confit every single day. This crispy creation melts in the mouth. It’s salted just right. If you don’t know what heaven tastes like, the D&B Crispy Half Duck Confit will give you gustatory exultation. Non-duck eaters should start with this dish at D&B — they will become instant converts.

My excitement gets the better of me — blame it on the duck confit. I should have begun with the salad and starters. Duck & Buvette chef Jacq Tan, also a part owner, recommends the Grilled Romaine Salad, the Maple-Candied Bacon and Lemon, Crispy Potato Pave and Salty Duck Egg and Bandade de Bacalao Dip. Refreshing is the romaine salad that is charred a bit, giving the sweet tang of the greens that marries well with the saltiness of the Parmesan and anchovy garlic dressing.  Divine is a slate of the candied bacon, which is made more appetizing with a gentle squeeze of lemon. The potato pave is a sumptuous work of art where thinly sliced potatoes are formed into cubes and topped with salted egg and crème fraiche. Creamy and salty — and to die for — is the Bandade de Bacalao dip, which is actually a puree of salt cod and potatoes served with grilled “wild” bread.

“Breads at Duck & Buvette are called ‘wild’ because we cultivate our own yeast,” adds Bryan, who was also part owner of the former Café Provencal, which used to occupy the spot where Duck & Buvette is now. The bakery section of the restaurant prepares from scratch the breads, pizzas and sandwiches it serves. Try the Bikini Sandwich and your palate will joyfully discover the mouthwatering Catalan-style grilled cheese sandwich with slivers of Parma ham and black truffle spread.

Because French cooking is slow cooking, expect other sumptuous dishes at the restaurant that are prepared days before. The 8-Hour Angus Brisket defies the tedious preparation it underwent with its simple presentation. Its flavors burst in the mouth and tickle the palate to savor some more. This tasty dish of slow-roasted Black Angus beef is served with roast garlic mashed potato and roasted mushrooms. Its being saucy also lends to its being soulful food.

Saucy and comforting, too, is the Slow-Braised Beef Burgundy cooked in a Dutch oven for six hours. The meat, a combination of beef ribs and pork belly, is tender and flavored with the best red wine — the perfect explanation for the dish’s aromatic burgundy sauce. To have this dish is to have a delectable feast. In this dish can also be found tender tendons that literally melt in the mouth. Oops, it’s very hard to resist!

Also lip-smacking are the restaurant’s grilled Salsa Verde Lamb Neck (drizzled with pesto and fried chili) and slow-roasted Veal Shank (served on a yummy bed of creamy smacked corn and bacon glaze sauce). Also tops is the pasta dish called Duck Ragu Pappardelle. It’s a stew of Spanish onions, fresh mushrooms, duck confit, tomato and red wine on thick, freshly made pasta.

And, yes, there’s French bagnet, too  — Confit of Pork Belly. Its seasoned crispy skin has that gelatinous texture that is both sinful and savory. The belly is actually prepared and cured for two days. It is so delicate the juicy meat just yields to the command of your fork and knife. If you are a meat lover, here is another dish at Duck & Buvette that will probably drive you crazy! 

Now for the sweet ending, there’s Chocolate Sourdough Pudding or Dark Chocolate Clouds or Creme Bru-tart (a combination of creme brulée and lemon tart). Caffeine lovers will delight to find out that Duck & Buvette serves Intelligentsia Coffee.

Now bring back that rock-star duck confit again.

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For inquiries, call Duck & Buvette at 631-0675 or 0917-932-4843. Check the restaurant also on Facebook: Duck & Buvette, and Instagram @duckbuvette.