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It was the Sunday before the birthday of Doc M. We were scheduled to meet our (real estate) agent at the Mall of Asia but when we got there, we realized that they were having a Sale Event, which meant that the place was extremely crowded.
Given that I wanted to see S Maison for quite a while now since it opened, I suggested that we just park there instead. I was however lazy to cross with the swarm of people in my mind, we have opted to stay there to instead meet our agent at the Starbucks.
For lunch, we decided to try out Carnivale. There wasn't much restaurants and shops open yet so choices were really limited.
For Carnivale, we were given their soft-opening menu, which was really limited. The waiter said that there are more options to come in the next few days, so it must be something to look out for.
So here's what we ordered:
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| Wangus Burger with Salted Egg French Fries on the side (P350.00 + P160.00) |
The Wangus Burger is what Doc M had ordered. Being a burger fan, he said that this offer from Carnivale is good. He like everything in it. I can't remember having a bit of this burger, but I trust Doc M when he said that it's good and that he liked it.
As for the Salted Egg French Fries, it was our first time. For the first few bites, we loved it. Something new, perhaps. However, the fries weren't fully coated so some of the pieces tasted like typical fries. I wouldn't go for it next time given the price for a side dish. Having it once is okay, nothing to die for. Besides, salted egg is becoming popular these days.
As for the Salted Egg French Fries, it was our first time. For the first few bites, we loved it. Something new, perhaps. However, the fries weren't fully coated so some of the pieces tasted like typical fries. I wouldn't go for it next time given the price for a side dish. Having it once is okay, nothing to die for. Besides, salted egg is becoming popular these days.
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| Gravlax Burger (P370.00) |
Gravlax is what I ordered. What I liked about it is the fact that it's composed of salmon, instead of the usual beef patty. As far as I can remember from the menu, the bun has squid ink, which gave it's dark brownish color. It also has fried sweet potato, lettuce and generous spread of cream cheese.
The bun that they used are soft and slightly chewy, which made it unique from the usual burgers. I am fully satisfied with what I ordered because they placed a generous amount of salmon and cream cheese, and the sweetness of the fried sweet potato balanced the overall taste and the crunch added value to the experience.
Burgers in reality are complicated. Given that the main character is the patty, everything else matters like the bun, the veggies, etc. So many restaurants boast of their patties, however they pair it with a bun that's dry, which actually affects the entire meal experience.
For Carnivale's burgers, both the Wangus and Gravlax, everything they placed compliments each other. It's a total package. Their burgers should be in your must-try list!
For dessert, we tried their Monkey Split. It is an updated rendition of the banana split. This time, they used "turon" (vietnamese spring roll wrap), with just one flavor of ice cream, which is black sesame-flavored. They added grapes and clustered cornflakes and drizzled with (fish) sauce (tasted like caramel).
It is something that can be tried, but for the price of it, you can actually just skip dessert and head somewhere else.
Overall, we enjoyed our dining experience at Carnivale and the burgers we ordered were perfect for our palates. So yes, we will still be dining here soon; but as mentioned, will probably skip dessert by then. But who knows? The waiter said that they will still be adding more items in their menu in the next few days.
*** NO SERVICE CHARGE
Dining Date: September 18, 2016 (Sunday)
Carnivale - Level 2, S Maison, Conrad Manila
Seaside Boulevard cor. Coral Way, Pasay City
