Dining Discovery : Bistro Ninety Eight

My SIL, who's based abroad for work was in town for a short visit. As always, we gathered on the night before her departure to have dinner. We tried out this new place tucked somewhere in the Scout area in Quezon City. The restaurant opened very recently so we were all excited to try it out.

It's a really small and cozy establishment. According to Jonty Sanvictores, one of the owners and chefs, the maximum capacity is around 18-20 (covers the outdoor area as well). It would be perfect for a small, intimate gathering with family or friends.

The food that was served to us was made "by request". You won't see these dishes on their menu but you can always ask for them if you wish.

We were first given a plate of crostinis with Chicken Liver Pate and Roasted Garlic Dip

Next up was their House Salad with Mango Vinaigrette Dressing. Loved the mandarin oranges!

For my main course, I was served the Beef Medallion with Buttered Vegetables and Garlic Pasta.
See the right most photo? That's just how I want my beef/steak cooked.

The others were given the Poached Cream Dory with Buttered Vegetables and Herbed Pasta. I'm really particular about the way fish is cooked. I had to take a bite of this (N's order) just to see how they cooked it. PERFECT. Soft and really juicy. Not dry at all.

The kiddos had Chicken Fingers (huuuuuuge ones) and Bacon Marinara which they really loved

And for dessert, there was Creme Brulee

And this, Brownie ala Mode

We all felt special because we were well attended to the whole evening.

Our meals included Iced Tea (I'm really an avid Iced Tea drinker and I liked theirs a lot).

Just for reference, the per head charge was P500 (for the Beef Medallion set) and P350 each for the Dory and the kids' meal. That's really not bad considering we had the works.

But here's their menu so you can see how reasonably-priced their selection is

I also like the fact that although this is so close to Tomas Morato, you don't experience all the noise and see the traffic while you're there. It's well-hidden and, therefore, comfortable.

If you want to go on a date with somebody special and would rather ditch the usual noisy and cramped dining places around, I would suggest that you go to Bistro Ninety Eight for a nice change. There's nothing like having a delicious meal over a conversation that you can actually hear and understand.

One thing to note though is the absence of their own parking space. Since the restaurant is small, patrons will have to park their cars on the street. No worries though, this is not a busy section. Except for a spa across the street, there are no other commercial establishments within walking distance.

At the forefront of this new place is this talented culinary team
(photo was taken from their Facebook page)

Left to right : Darwin Cardenas, Phoebe See and Joseph (Jonty) Sanvictores

It's always so nice and inspiring to see young people hard at work and beginning to carve niches for themselves.

Visit Bistro Ninety Eight at #98 Scout Lozano St., Baranggay Laging Handa, QC

They're open daily from 11am to 10pm

Call 0917 518 1187 for queries or reservations

To see more photos of the delicious dishes they have to offer

click on this to jump to their Facebook page.