Every Day's a Sunday at Zuni
Something has to be said about Sundays and dinners with the family. A tradition that is passed down from generation to generation, Sunday dinners remain and continue to be a constant in many families. Perhaps it's the knowledge that it's the one day of the week when work and school can temporarily be forgotten that makes Sundays something to look forward to. In the Philippines and around the world, Sundays often stand for all things warm, cozy, and delectable.
My own childhood memories of Sunday dinners revolve around my mother's homemade specialties, trips to the old Cubao, and of course, restaurant treats. It did not come as a surprise then to know that Kevin Prasad, Managing Director of Zuni Restaurant and Wine Bar, has similar recollections of the Sunday dinners of his childhood. He shares that he grew up eating Mediterranean and continental cuisine, both at home and when dining out with the family.
“This was the very spot we used to eat at when I was nine years old,” he remarked, pertaining to where Zuni now stands amidst the lush Greenbelt 5 landscape. “We were here every Sunday at the least. So when the old Greenbelt park was gone, my Dad said, how do we bring back fine dining to Makati?” The Prasad family did not need to look far for the answer though, for in the end, they decided to do it themselves. Just a year after the success of family-owned Duo in Serendra at the Fort, Zuni opened its doors and the Prasads re-introduced Makati to fine dining as it should be.
Named after a Native American tribe best known for its hospitality, Zuni continuously strives to create an elegant dining venue with a relaxed and casual ambiance. Inside, dark wood accents, warm lights, and a sprinkling of carefully selected art pieces add up to paint a laidback atmosphere where one can easily sit back, sip a glass of wine, and whet his appetite.
And indeed, a healthy appetite is a must with every trip to Zuni. With a menu brimming with palatable possibilities, there are more than one hundred ways to taste and experience Zuni's creative continental and Mediterranean flair. From French favorites like Sautéed Escargot and Shitake Mushroom Ala Jillo and Organic Mescluns with Seasonal Fruits and Shitake Mushrooms, to Italian specialties such as the classic Beef Carpaccio and Ravioli Stuffed with Mushroom and Foie Gras, Zuni boasts of its selection of Europe's best under the expertise of Chef Ding Lazona.
On our visit, we try some of the restaurant's new summer offerings that are refreshing additions to its basic menu, which the Zuni team updates on a regular basis. We start off on an interesting note with the Watercress and Ostrich Salpicao Salad. It contains an assortment of lettuce with watercress, caramelized pears, and deep-fried sweet potatoes in lieu of the usual croutons, tossed with generous slices of ostrich salpicao and drizzles of mint-blueberry vinaigrette. It has everything I love in a salad—cool crunchy greens, a subtle taste of fruity sweetness, and the robust flavor of the meat. The ostrich salpicao was a revelation with every tender and flavorful bite. The fried sweet potatoes are likewise a genius touch—sweet and crunchy, it adds a solid note to the melody of sensations the dish evokes.
With Zuni's reputation for meats and seafood cooked to perfection, we opt for specialties from the land and the sea for our entrees: Herb-crusted Rack of Lamb and Pan-fried Medallion of Sole with Scallop and Prawns. At the end of the meal however, we find it difficult to come to a consensus on which dish is better than the other.
Served on rosemary jus with gratin potato and tabouleh salad with a tower of crispy papadom, the herb-crusted lamb is a winner in my book. Cooked medium rare with the tell-tale redness, the knife just about glides through and the meat glistens with its own juices. I confess that I've never been a big fan of steaks or serious meat dishes, finding the whole eating process more tedious than enjoyable. However, this dish proves my prejudice wrong. Not only does the lamb have zero aftertaste, the herb crust adds a crispy and tasty texture that goes well with the spiciness of the papadom and the mint-y taste of the traditionally Middle Eastern tabouleh salad, primarily made with parsley and tomatoes.
The contender from the sea likewise has its own merits. Cooked in champagne-saffron sauce and napping on angel hair aglio olio and asparagus, the medallion of sole is, in a word, fleeting. Not because the taste is forgettable, mind you. On the contrary, every forkful melts like a delicate snowflake on the tongue and leaves behind a mouthwatering memory. As a fan of all things pesto, I love the aglio olio as well and find that the lingering garlic taste provides a sharp contrast to the fragile flavors of the sole.
Practically bursting at this point, but not one to say no to anything chocolate, I gaze almost lovingly to where the Zuni Obsession sits on our table. The restaurant's signature dessert consists of a moist chocolate cake covered with chocolate ganache and paired with marinated fresh fruits plus a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cake is moist and fudgy, reminiscent of my kind of brownie. The fruits add a burst of color on the plate, but I attack them without hesitation as I am, after all, a fan of the fruit and chocolate combination. With the richness and seeming complexity of this dessert, I almost find it hard to believe that the inspiration for this obsession was a simple yet popular dessert in Mexico.
Apart from the variety of meal options, Zuni sports an extensive wine list, which like all other aspects of the restaurant, is regularly reviewed and updated. To live up to the “Wine bar” part of its name, select wines from Australia, Chile, France, and other corners of the world find their way into Zuni, ready for the picking like the ripest of grapes. The wines are carefully chosen for their quality and taste. General Manager Andy Atienza likewise informs us that the Zuni staff would be more than happy to help its diners in their wine pairing quest.
Filled to the brim and still undecided which dish I liked best, I find it easy to imagine Zuni likewise brimming with people—families, business folks, and friends all having a good time. Whether it's a Sunday or any other day of the week, that warm, cozy, and delectable vibe is definitely there. And that, I guess, is what makes Zuni more than just a great dining spot for Sunday dinners with the family.
Originally published in asianTraveler Magazine