From former De La Salle Green Archer Marko Batricevic and his chef-brother Martin, Balkan is the more posh sibling of the San Juan neighborhood favorite Balkan Express, and the similar Balkan in Perea St., Makati.
In Balkan, you get the best of both worlds with a beautiful restaurant, a great relaxed yet luxurious ambiance, the well-known and loved dishes of Balkan Express in larger servings, and new exciting dishes, as well.
As a starter, you can’t go wrong with the Arugula Salad with Feta. The cheese was coated and fried, giving a nice salty and crunchy-smooth texture element to the salad, together with the peppery arugula, the tomatoes, apples and cucumber and a refreshing honey-lemon dressing.
If you’re cold and in the mood for something hearty, order the Goulash -- tender beef and fusilli pasta swimming in a rich, peppery, gravy stew. With servings about twice the size of what I remember in Balkan Express, and served with a wonderful crusty bread ideal for dipping, it can be shared or enjoyed as a full meal.
The talk around the table was that Chef Martin was a “master of meat.” And we weren’t disappointed, as dish after dish of protein was served and consumed with gusto.
Like the Karadjordjeva, chicken breast stuffed with feta cheese and mozarella, rolled and deep fried. You get tender chicken, a crust that’s crispy and thin, and a feta stuffing that was just the right amount of salty and creamy. Perfect with fries or a plate of rice.
Or one might enjoy a similar pork alternative, the Stuffed Pork Loin, pork loin stuffed with cheese and salami, wrapped with bacon.
Beef lovers will enjoy the Stuffed Pljeskavica, a large serving of gourmet beef steak, with a river of mozzarella oozing out.
The more adventurous can try the Chicken Liver dish --think Rumaki with liver and bacon, without the water chestnut and with fries. This can be paired with the wines available in the restaurant or a beer.
The last two dishes were hands down favorites of the group that I ate with.
The first one is the Cevapcici. Minced meat made from ground beef, shaped like little kebabs, flavorful and juicy, served in a burger or in a platter with fries. This is one of the bestsellers and signature dishes of this restaurant for a reason. A must try!
Chicken Batak, grilled boneless chicken thigh, topped with melted mozzarella and served with rice or fries, was my favorite dish for the night. The chicken meat had this really great smokey taste to it, the grill marks made some bits crispy, and the cheese had just the right amount of gooey, creamy and salty taste to it. It was simple, done right, and very good. If you have a friend who's a bit wary of eating something Serbian, have him/her try this.
Yugoslavian home cooking, while not being one of the most popular food cuisines locally, is slowly gaining a following here in Manila. This is hardly surprising as we Filipinos love meat and hearty filling meals, both of which can definitely be found in Balkan.
Balkan Yugoslavian Home Cooking
2/F Crossroad Bldg
32nd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
