Classic comfort food made from scratch, using the freshest ingredients. It's a philosophy that's taken to heart by Chef Fham Sarmiento, and it shows in each and every dish at Flavours Cafe & Bar.
Old favorites and familiar classics weave in with inventive dishes with playful twists for a wide range of flavors by Chef Fham. Here's a rundown on what you can expect at Flavours Cafe & Bar...
Chef Fham Sarmiento weaves her own personal style and twist to classic comfort food at Flavours Cafe & Bar, located at Tomas Morato. Great food with reasonable prices make this another welcome addition to the local food scene in Quezon City. Start with a refreshing Cucumber Lemonade (P 140), and leave everything to Chef Fham. 
Begin your flavorful journey with Chef Fham's hearty and comforting bowl of Tomato Soup (P 150), made with fresh tomatoes, creme fraiche, chickpeas, croutons and bacon, served with toast. The thick soup, with just the right level of tartness from the fresh tomatoes, is the perfect starter before the next round of dishes.
Chef Fham then served her own cool take on the traditional Eggs Benedict, with her inventive and wittingly named Ben's Egg and Longanisa (P 210), a delicately poached egg with spinach and mushrooms, on Flavours' very own homemade longanisa, draped in a rich and creamy chili citrus hollandaise sauce on freshly baked brioche bread. Flavours Cafe & Bar bakes their own bread, and makes their own longanisa, now how cool is that? The richness of the poached eggs are perfectly balanced by the garlicky notes of the longanisa, and the spinach and mushrooms complete the dish. It's a combination that works, and one cool tweak on the classic Eggs Benedict.
That playful style is experienced once again with the Top It Fries (P 160), Chef Fham's version of poutine, with crisp fries topped with tender pork strips covered in pepper gravy, cheese sauce, and chili. The pork is prepared like a salpicao, with hints of garlic complementing the rich yet delicate flavor of the pork. The fries absorb the rich notes, punctuated by the subtle heat from the chili for balanced flavors. This one's great with a cold beer.
Chef Fham then draws inspiration from home with Mom's Mechado (P 250), a classic and rustic dish made from a cherished family recipe, with fork-tender braised beef in red wine and tomato sauce with potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers, served with a side of steamed white rice. The flavors are rich, and the thick sauce is made even more flavorful with the infusion of more flavors from the beef and vegetables, a result of simmering under low heat for long hours.
For even more homestyle flavors, go for Flavours Cafe & Bar's Baked Bangus Belly (P 230), boneless bangus belly baked at 350 degrees, topped with Parmesan, served with steamed white rice and a side of pickled mushrooms. The richness of the baked boneless bangus belly is balanced the sharpness of the Parmesan topping, and don't forget to try those pickled mushrooms. It's little touches like these that add so much unique flavors to their signature dishes.
Familiar flavors are reinvented by Chef Fham for something new and refreshing. The Kebab Burger (P 180), with richly seasoned beef kebabs topped with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber with creamy black pepper aioli. And just like the Ben's Egg and Longanisa and the Top It Fries, it's another great idea, and it works. The kebabs, with its unique flavor, makes this burger different. The familiar textures of cucumber and the smooth and refreshing aioli adds the finishing touches to the burger. And the use of a brown paper bag for the fries adds another cool touch. This one's another personal favorite.
Chef Fham then served her comforting pasta dish, Sausage Ragu Pasta (P 195), linguine pasta with fresh tomato, black and green olives, capers, and sun-dried tomatoes with Hungarian sausage. The fresh and bold flavors blend in a rustic and homey pasta dish with the sharp notes of the fresh tomato and mild spice from Hungarian sausages delivering a flavorful punch.
For dessert, cap your meal with the Mint Nutella Honey Toast (P 150), with Flavours Cafe & Bar's fresh baked brioche toast topped with honey, Nutella, Chantilly ice cream, peppermint sprinkles, and chocolate mint ice cream. The freshly baked brioche is soft and fluffy with a light and crisp outer layer for contrasting textures, the perfect base for the honey, Nutella, and ice cream.
Rich, home-style flavors creatively woven into each comforting dish, something you can expect with a visit to Flavours Cafe & Bar by Chef Fham.
Flavours Cafe by Chef Fham is located at the 4rd Floor of the POS Building on Scout Marinan corner Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City or call 587-6486 for inquiries.
Dude for Food is now on Facebook, check out the FB Page for regular updates on good eats. Better yet, click "Like" and enjoy the ride...just look for the FB "Like" widget on the right sidebar.