36 and up

 FOOD

We had a cause for celebration last week so we had a mid-week semi-feast at Je Suis Gourmand at the Fort. I think it could rival Aubergine with its fine French cuisine at more affordable prices.

Complimentary bread basket

D: Your standard fare.

P: Nothing fancy here, just decent bread and butter. 

Dalandan juice

Iced tea

Perhaps they should look into innnovating their non-alcoholic drink options since these were kind of blah.

  

Gratinated French onion soup

 

 D: Yum, this was excellent (although it looks a bit like brains)! I especially loved the gloppy cheese bits. It was super rich and filling but the taste can get overwhelming. This serving is definitely for sharing.

P: The onions are caramelized so well that they're super sweet and soft. The flavors were so intense and complex for such a simple dish, a testament to the care taken in preparing it.

 Ravioli with feta cheese and lamb shank in putanesca sauce

D: This was... not what I expected it to be. I'm big on lamb (as you might've noticed) and this dish didn't quite cut it. It might be the feta or the capers that overpowered the lamb's flavor. Sorry to say, but this tasted more like fish, what with the sauce and all. Needless to say, I'm not getting this again.

 

Braised ox tongue and veal cheeks in bourguignon sauce (I think)

P: The ox tongue was awesome, just so soft and almost melt-in-your-mouth. The veal cheeks were a little less tender but not dry. The vegetables were a surprising treat as well. The rich and savory sauce tied it all together. 

 

Lava cake with blueberry preserve and vanilla ice cream on a filo pastry

D: I am such a dessert freak and this was right up my alley. The core of the lava was wonderful with the ice cream! Worth every peso.

P: I loved the combination of the warm cake and cold ice cream. Again, as with all the other dishes, attention to detail elevated this dessert.

FASHION

 

 Oxford shit from my tailor, 21Men knit tie, brown leather belt from Firenze, Zara trousers and brogues

 

 P: Once again, I'd like to commend my tailor. I love the fit of this shirt. It can get frustrating when the ratio of the shirt's components don't match your shape i.e. fit torso but narrow shoulders and tight collar. A tailor will remedy all these shirt issues. Oxfords and knits are made for each other.

 

 Topshop dress, Looking for Lola earrings, vintage belt and turquoise cuff, and these shoes

 

 D: Purple isn't really my color but I loved the fabric and cut of this dress. Wore it with a super old pair of platforms that needed to see the light of day (or night) again after an age hidden in the closet. I like to justify purchases using the cost-per-wear theory so these needed to come out of hiding.

Sorry about the fuzzy photos!

Chalk it up to harsh indoor lighting + lack of photography skills.