ECQ Eats: In a Pinch? Leave It To Pinch.MNL to Deliver a Festive Family Feast to Your Doorstep

As dining out remains restricted with limited capacity, intimate feasts at home are now the norm rather than exception in a challenging new normal. But that doesn't mean skipping special celebrations. Gather round the table, your lavish feast from Pinch.MNL has arrived...

From their elegant packaging to their sumptuous and flavorful offerings, Pinch.MNL threads a seamless weave of memorable moments to elevate your home dining experience. The surge of home-based food businesses along with emerging consumer habits such as dining at home, the rise of the food delivery culture and increased online usage continue to define the new normal due to the pandemic. For the husband and wife team, Chef Mike and Vanessa Santos, the quarantine experience presented unique opportunities to fill the gap for premium offerings geared for delivery and home dining. I first sampled the elegant offerings of Pinch.MNL with their indulgent Creamy Mac and Cheese (more on my earlier post, ECQ Eats: Indulgence at Home with the Creamy Mac and Cheese by Chef Mike Santos of Pinch.MNL), and it clearly impressed. Transforming a familiar comfort food staple like mac and cheese and elevating it is the hallmark of Chef Mike's culinary style. 

Known for his inventive dishes at Nanka Japanese Steakhouse (see more on my previous posts at Dining in the Next Normal: Even in the New Normal, The Steaks Still Sizzle at Nanka Japanese Steakhouse on his premium steak specialties and Dining in the Next Normal: Chef Mike Santos Unveils His New Burger Creations at Nanka Japanese Steakhouse on his new dishes), Chef Mike brings his play on unrestrained flavors using the finest ingredients to your table with Pinch.MNL. 

A proper cheese and charcuterie board paired with wine always sets the tone for an elegant feast, even at home. Pinch.MNL impresses with their Pinch Charcuterie Box (P 2,000)...

...filled with gourmet cheeses, premium charcuterie, dried fruits and nuts. Elegantly packaged in a stylish black box with a clear acetate window tied with a ribbon, the Pinch Charcuterie Box is probably one of the best and undoubtedly prettiest grazing boxes available in the metro. Chef Mike's wife, Vanessa, personally curates and arranges each charcuterie box down to the minutest detail. 

Opening the Pinch Charcuterie Box reveals a lavish selection of premium bites from Italian dry-cured Prosciutto Crudo, Florentiner salami, Gottinger semi-course cold cuts to gourmet cheeses like Australian Cheddar, Dutch Mild Edam and French Gruyere. Dried Apricots, Figs, Cranberries and Roasted Almonds along with Amotts and Wasa Crackers and whole Spanish Olives complete the Pinch Charcuterie Box. 

The premium selection and the intricate arrangement of the Pinch Charcuterie Box feeds and teases both the eye and palate...

...for tasty bites before the main course at home. Tightly and neatly arranged in the box, the Pinch Charcuterie Box also makes for an ideal gift allowing us to reconnect with loved ones in a difficult new normal when social gatherings remain prohibited under quarantine guidelines and restrictions.

Pick a plate and start grazing, with appetizing bites of charcuterie...

...followed by an assortment of cheeses, dried fruits, nuts and crackers. The assortment of premium charcuterie and fine cheeses adds an indulgent twist to home dining, and a very welcome change in the long days of quarantine.  

These tasty nibbles from the Pinch Charcuterie Box are best paired with wine to set the mood for your home dining experience, the perfect starter before the main courses from Pinch.MNL. 

The attention to detail is what sets Pinch.MNL apart from the usual food delivery options, starting with the special packaging. Delivered fresh and hot...

...the tasty offerings masterfully prepared by Chef Mike Santos can be served straight from the containers and placed on the table. The Moules Mariniere (P 1,450 good for 2-3) with plump Chilean Black Mussels in White Wine and Cream Sauce brings fresh flavors to open up the palate. Delicate, subtle and even nuanced, the dish weaves a rich tapestry of distinct notes in a seamless and balanced blend.

A traditional and hearty dish reflecting the classic culinary style of Chef Mike, the seafood dish is made even more special with the use of the finest and freshest ingredients. The briny sweetness from the succulent Chilean Black Mussels drapes the palate with its buttery richness, followed by indulgent hints from the white wine, cream, shallots, garlic and parsley. And don't forget the creamy broth, best enjoyed with crusty warm bread fresh from the oven. 

A Succulent Start 

Chef Mike then weaves his culinary magic with the next dish, a pasta dish loaded with the day's freshest catch...

...with the Butter Garlic Tiger Prawns Pasta (P 1,450). Draped in unctuous and silky smooth butter punctuated with the deep nutty hints of garlic, each noodle delivers an decadent savory richness and mouthfeel made even more indulgent with large tiger prawns. 

It's a deceptively simple pasta dish, but each bite delivers a flavorful burst from the fresh snap and briny notes of the large and succulent tiger prawns to the buttery and garlicky finish of the noodles. The sheer elegance in its simplicity with bold and unrestrained flavors makes this dish another must-try from Pinch.MNL. 

Each serving of the Butter Garlic Tiger Prawns Pasta comes with a full kilo of large tiger prawns with each order coming in two containers to satisfy your family's cravings. Premium ingredients, fresh flavors and value come together in this impressive dish composed of two large trays.  

The large tiger prawns are a treat in itself, covered in butter and garlic for that indulgent finish. The large servings, with a kilo of tiger prawns paired with pasta, make it ideal for family feasts at home...

...and if you do have left-overs, simply pull it out from the ref and reheat to repeat a sumptuous meal at home. I wouldn't mind having reruns with a dish like this, not at all.  

Chef Mike Santos pulls all the stops with his savory main course, the Pan-Seared & Roasted Australian Lamb Rack (P 750g) with Chimichurri (P 3,000 good for 2-3). Another impressive dish from the home kitchen of Chef Mike and Vanessa Santos, the tender and juicy lamb rack adds a festive vibe to the home dining table. 

The premium Australian Lamb Rack from Pinch.MNL comes with fresh sides of roasted carrots and potatoes with a serving of chimichurri sauce to complete the dish. Delicately pan-seared on the outside to seal in the juices and roasted for that perfect finish, the Australian Lamb Rack is tender and juicy with rich flavors. Great on its own, a generous slather of chimichurri adds even more vibrant layers of flavors to the dish. 

Pinch.MNL reflects the culinary passion and classical approach to cuisine by Chef Mike and Vanessa Santos bringing a high-end restaurant vibe to your dining table at home. Masterfully executed, each of the dishes by Pinch.MNL simply elevates the available offerings from home-based businesses. 

No family celebration should be placed on hold, even in this new normal. And when you're in a pinch, just leave it to Pinch.MNL prepare a memorable feast conveniently delivered straight to the comfort and safety of your home. 

In a pinch? From Rice, Noodles and Pasta, fresh Seafood, savory Poultry, Lamb, Beef and their specialty Pinch Characuterie Box, customize a lavish feast for your next family celebration at home with just a few clicks and taps on your mobile device with Pinch.MNL. 

We've seen a surge of home-based food businesses during the quarantine along with new consumer habits shaping the metro's culinary landscape. The new normal is here to stay, and dining at home will continue to be an option with the lingering pandemic. But that doesn't mean postponing all your family celebrations at home. Pinch.MNL makes it easy, and just leave everything to Chef Mike and Vanessa Santos for a lavish and memorable feast at home.