Kitchen 1B is owned by Chef Marivic Diaz-Lim, the same chef who weaves her magic over at popular Apartment 1B. Kitchen 1B is known as the younger, more wholesome sibling of Apartment 1B; concentrating on using healthier cooking techniques and organically grown ingredients to make their dishes.
I’ve never been to Apartment 1B so I can’t really make any comparison, but it’s interesting to note how many restaurants belong to this group. I guess that means they’re doing something right.
Arriving on a Sunday evening, I was a little surprised that the restaurant was nearly empty. Kitchen 1B is on the ground floor of a serviced residence, so security is pretty tight on your way to the parking. With that in mind, you’d think the restaurant would kind of have this snobbish vibe to it, but I feel they made a good job of making it cozy. The concept is a bright open kitchen with an adjacent colourful dining area.
First thing you have to understand about this restaurant is that it isn’t cheap. Places that concentrate on serving wholesome and organic foods rarely are. I do notice a difference in the quality of food when I eat in places like this in that the dishes seem fresher and more vibrant-looking in a way, especially when it comes to the veggies.
That said, although I honestly wouldn’t tell you to make this your regular spot, it’s a great place to bring someone during a special occasion. It’s classy without being too formal, and cozy while still managing to be stylish.
Goat Cheese and Marinated Beet Salad (Php 410)
A salad composed of arugula, mixed greens, mint leaves, segmented orange, beets, and onion. Highlihted by slices of goat cheese and a drizzling of sherry vinaigrette.
My family likes veggies so we almost always order a salad when we eat out, and for me it’s a good measure of how fresh the ingredients of a restaurant really are if they can produce a good salad. This was actually pretty good. Maybe a bit steep for a plate of veggies, but the sweet beets and savory goat cheese complement the tangy-sweet vinaigrette well. Also, I love the pop of bright citrus flavour from every bite of the orange. Wish there was more of that.
Wild Mushroom & Eggplant Lasagna (Php 620) 🌟
Fresh whole wheat spinach lasagna layered with eggplants, feta, gruyere, and fontina cheeses. Served with mixed salad greens and multigrain bread on the side.
Oh my goodness. This was good. If you asked me what the one dish you should try from Apartment 1B is, I would tell you to go for this with full confidence. It’s lasagna minus the guilt (well, most of it anyway) because it’s made with veggies.
I treasured every mouthful of this haha!
Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Php 580) 🌟
Arugula, fennel, heirloom cherry tomatoes, capers, and shrimp make up this spaghetti dish flavored with white wine, garlic, and olive oil
This was another winner for me. I like the flavor of garlic in pastas but not when they’re overwhelming. I’m happy to report it was perfectly balanced here. In fact, this dish will have you craving for more, especially since the serving is small!
Grilled Mango BBQ Chicken (Php 530) 🌟
Boneless free range pro-biotic hormone free grilled chicken, coated in thick mango bbbq sauce. Served with a side of steamed cruciferous vegetables.
Apparently this is one of their best-selling dishes and I understand why. Yes, the chicken is tender and juicy, cooked just perfectly, but it’s the sweet, slightly smoky barbecue sauce that makes this dish special. I can’t remember the last time I had chicken this expensive so I’m just glad it met my expectations.
Grilled Coco-Ginger Pork Ribs (Php 780)
Pro biotic hormone free pork flavored with a yellow ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass sauce. Served with a side of cruciferous vegetables.
Considering how expensive this was, I was really disappointed by this dish. While the exotic flavours of ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass were indeed present, this was way saltier than I would’ve liked. It was unfortunate because the meat was cooked to a melt-in-the-mouth tenderness, but maybe it was the seasoning they put on the meat rather than the sauce that made it that salty. Bye bye, 780 pesos.
Pineapple Crumble (Php 230) 🌟
Poached pineapple in coconut tapioca cream with quinoa oat crumble.
What an interesting dessert! It’s not too sweet and the flavors are a good tropical combo of creamy coconut and sweet pineapple. I actually eat quinoa everyday but have never tried using them in a dessert. This is a great way to make a crumble healthier indeed.
I don’t really know if this would be for everyone since I know some people don’t go for grains in their desserts, but I rather enjoyed this.
Final thoughts
In a city with so many restaurants cropping up left and right, it’s easy to say that Kitchen 1B is too expensive; that you’ll just go on ahead and try another more affordable option in the area. Well I think this place is worth a try at least once, mostly when you’re in the mood to treat someone, or yourself! It’s true that the servings aren’t that big for the price you have to shell out, but I think when you step into a restaurant serving “wholesome” and “organic” food, this is a reality you have to face.
While the food here looks simple, most of the dishes I tried were happily packed with flavor. I believe that with some clever ordering, you can have a good experience here. Add to that the bright and cozy ambiance, plus the good service, and it could very well be a nice date place with Mom on Sunday. In any case, don’t forget to greet your moms a Happy Mother’s Day! 🙂
Overall Rating: 3.65 out of 5
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Kitchen 1B
Ground Floor, KL Tower,
117 Gamboa Street,
Legaspi Village, Makati City
Hours: 6:30AM to 11PM
Contact Nos: (02) 403 5405 / (02) 843 2392
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