dailygaelley

It was a sunny and windy afternoon when I set out to find a new restaurant in Davao, Mr. & Mrs. B. I, along with a couple of media friends, was invited by Sir Jinggoy Salvador to try their menu prior to their opening day.

After receiving the invitation, I proceeded to do my research on the place— something I always do before covering an event. I, however, did not find anything about Mr. & Mrs. B Davao except that it was located behind Patok sa Manok in Lanang. It seemed like a mystery and it definitely peaked my interest.

So there I was: driving around Lanang, looking for a sign for Mr. & Mrs. B, when I found this beauty literally behind Patok sa Manok:

The windows definitely caught my eye. I’ve always liked structures that let light in and Mr. & Mrs. B’s façade looked great. I was treated to a visual feast upon entering. The interior is just superb. I think Davaoeños are picky in the places they choose to eat in a sense that they also factor in the location of a specific restaurant and what it looks like. Mr. & Mrs. B is so instagrammable. Each nook and cranny composed of well-thought of pieces of art & furniture that mere walking around the restaurant was an experience in itself.

Chef Pauline talked about being inspired by a bar she visited in New York. The floor-to-ceiling window spread just made the space more open and welcoming. She also talked about how the furniture in the restaurant were sourced from different places; making sure that each piece added a little something special from their travels.

The food, of course, was nothing short of exquisite. Coming from the family behind Davao staples such as Golden Brown, Patok sa Manok and Rekado, Mr. & Mrs. B promises extraordinary dishes and unique dining experiences. While their counterparts specialize in paying homage to traditional Filipino and Davaoeño dishes, Mr. & Mrs. B serves dishes inspired from the many travels of their namesakes, Mr. Rommel and Mrs. Lena Benedicto. 

We were served with the following dishes:

For appetizers, we had the Bone Marrow Butter & the Tuna Carpaccio. I have to be honest and state that I usually am not a fan of raw meat. It’s just my preference but after tasting their Tuna Carpaccio, I second-guessed myself. It was delicious. The basil and arugula melded well with the tuna’s meaty taste. The Bone Marrow Butter really intrigued me. Eating the dish is a process; you’ll need to spread the bone marrow butter on the ciabatta crostini, sprinkle a bit of himalayan salt on top, and then squeeze a bit of lemon to add a bit of a tangy taste. 

For soup, we had the Cheese & Onion Soup and the Cream of Mushroom Soup. The Cheese & Onion Soup came with a bread with melted cheese and it was just perfect for both soups. I particularly liked the Cream of Mushroom Soup because it’s super creamy.

We were also served the MMB Grilled Salad, which consisted of grilled romaine, tomato, eggplant puree, smoked fish aioli, parmesan and cured egg yolk. The romaine was crunchy and the eggplant puree and smoked fish aioli brought about different flavors I wouldn’t usually expect in a salad. I enjoyed each bite of it, though! 

As for pasta, we tried the Shrimp Puttanesca. The sauce to pasta ratio was great in this dish. It wasn’t too much and it wasn’t too dry, as well. I liked this pasta dish and am excited to try their other pasta dishes, as well.

For main dishes, we were served with the Roasted Half Herb-Chicken, the Grilled Tuna Belly, The Pear and Lemon Duck, and the MMB Grilled Pork Chop. The Roasted Half-Herb Chicken was superb. You could tell that it was seasoned and marinated well. The hearty taste of rosemary comes out in each bite and the garlic-wine cream sauce complemented the dish and the side dishes well. I liked the Grilled Corn paired with the Roasted Half-Herb Chicken. The Grilled Corn is made with butter, sweet soy, chili, paprika & cheese crumbs. It reminds me of the Mexican Elotes, only in shredded form.

Another dish I particularly liked was the MMB Grilled Pork Chop. I usually veer away from ordering Pork Chops in restaurants because it’s something we regularly have at home but their pork chop was the right amount of juicy, smoky and tender. The 400-gram bone-in chop does not disappoint. It also paired well with the MMB Special Rice, which is made with turmeric, dried safflower, garlic, kaffir lime & lemon grass. The rice is so aromatic but it doesn’t overpower the taste of any of the main dishes. If anything, the rice enhances their respective taste.

We were also served sides in the form of the Grilled Corn & the MMB Special Rice.