By Marane A. Plaza
Sisters Ynna Asistio and now-chef Alyana Asistio-Mendoza are not new being under the spotlight, as the two have been actresses on both the boob tube and silver screen for years. And today, the sisters are also contributing to the Filipino dining-lifestyle landscape in the Philippines with their various dining concepts, and one of them is their family restaurant Meats & Deli Cafe at The Grove.
Having finished her culinary arts degree from International School for Culinary Arts and Hotel Management , Chef Alyana apart from formal education has mastered her expertise in meats, deli items, steak preparation, and practical home-style cooking techniques. She’s also the F&B consultant for affiliated dining spots like Steak Corner.
Her business partner and sister, Ynna, also a culinary arts grad from Center of Culinary Arts Manila, shared with STYLISH Magazine in an exclusive interview how a lot of their cafe dishes have been based on the family’s usual home comfort food.
The Spanish Sardines Pasta, for example, is originally a recipe of their famous mom Nadia Montenegro, who’s a veteran actress. Rich in flavors, the Spanish Sardines Pasta from Meats & Deli Cafe is a right amount of spicy, salty, and garlicy, with mesmerizing seafood flavors. The recipe has been with the family for 36 years.
“My sister, of course, has elevated the Spanish Sardines Pasta recipe for Meats & Deli based on my mom’s recipe and made it into a more mouth-watering gourmet offering, but this dish is my comfort food that I always request from my mom to cook at home,” Ynna told STYLISH Magazine. “This dish is very nostalgic for me because it is what mom cooks for us siblings, but this one is the more refined version, although still very homey.”
The Roast Beef Sinigang should not be missed. It is this writer’s personal favorite, because how often do you see roast beef meshed in the famous Filipino staple dish Sinigang? The meat is soft, and very flavorful. You wouldn’t expect it to go well with the sour flavor of Sinigang, but somehow it perfectly works. This is a delight for health buff carnivores out there.
The Lamb Yeovetsi is another noteworthy culinary treat, bringing the rich flavors of Greek lamb and herbed rice to the table, a delicious Mediterranean journey in every bite.
The Baked Salmon, on another hand, is tender and flaky, prepped with a light crust, as well as topped with fresh lemon wheels, served over a classic comforting side of mixed vegetables like carrots, corn and peas.
The Pumpkin Soup curated by Chef Yana herself is another super yummy homey comfort food, especially apt for this rainy season. Combined with the cafe’s popular USDA Prime Roasted Rib with Foie & Mashed Potato, and you’re sure to have a full gastronomic experience.
If you’re in the mood for some fried delights, the platter of chicken finger, calamares, chicken nuggets, prawn and shrimp is for you. You can choose to wrap them with cheese, sweet and sour sauce, marinara, or truffle mayo.
The upcoming Steak Corner is another dining venture of the sisters, particularly by Chef Alyana. It is poised to cater quality premium steak, from wagyu, sirloin, picanha, rib-eye, graded japanese steaks, and more.
“We came from a family of cooks and foodies, and what I love about cooking is the preparation itelf. When you slow it down, you get to pour your love into every dish. And we are ecstatic we get to share it to foodies out there through Meats & Deli Cafe,” Ynna concluded.
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