UPGRADING people’s palate and getting them to love wine are two of the things that One Way Restaurant aims for when it opened its doors in March last year.
Located on a corner of two one way streets—Benevidez corner Salcedo Streets, Salcedo Village, Makati City—One Way is hard to miss with its black-and-white motif inspired by the street sign where it got its name from.
Its interiors are adorned with black and white stripes; and found fastened on its walls are hundreds of frames, big and small, with pictures of smiling customers that tell you of the gastronomic treat that you’re in for.
Perfect pairings
In a recent food tasting, I was able to sample the restaurant’s best sellers especially prepared by its Ukrainian chef, Vitaliy Lavrenchuk.
It was indeed an afternoon of food indulgence, as house specialties were provided plate by plate, complete with drinks that led to the discovery of “perfect pairings.”
First served were sets of complimentary Canape Shrimp Cocktail and Multigrain Bread with Balsamic and Garlic Butter, all made up of its signature freshly baked sourdough bread, which was paired with the refreshingly good taste of the Mint, Lemon and Herb Shake.
The day was also meant for wine education as One Way co-owner Ronald Lim Joseph himself served us different wines with every set of meal. Also the president of the Philippine Wine Merchants—organizer of the Grand Wine Experience that features a selection of more than 500 wines, beers and spirits from over 23 countries—Joseph showed us how wine is appreciated and paired with the right food.
“The old way of matching colors with colors, it still works. But the best way to match food with wine now is matching bodies with bodies—light-bodied food, light-bodied wine; medium-bodied food, medium-bodied wine; and full-bodied wine with rich food, regardless of color,” he said.
He shared that in order to inspect the true color of the wine, one needs natural light; the richer in color, the higher the alcohol content.
Light food for light wine, the Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup in a bread bowl was served with the dry sparkling wine from Australia, Angas Brut.
Sampling two of it sourdough pizzas—Mediterranean topped with goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes, capsicum and salami; and Pamplona topped with Jamon Serrano, spicy chorizo, arugula and cherry tomatoes—were served with a glass of the nutty Valpolicella from Verona, Italy.
It was then followed by a generous pouring of full-bodied Pirramimma from McLaren Vale, South Australia, which was partnered with two delish pastas, Cream of Aligue Spaghetti and Red Pesto Linguine with Sardines, together with Coq Au Vin (Braised Chicken in White Wine) with pilaf rice and green pea puree and the Three- Hour Merlot Braised Lamb Shanks served with pimiento risotto.
And last, to cap off this tasting, is a glass of sweet sparkling Asti Gancia paired with the equally sweet Mango Crepe that was prepared right beside our table.
With over four dozens of wine selections, one need not be intimidated because One Way Restaurant is a casual-dining place with a fine-dining ambiance.
You can experiment your wine pairings with its food offerings that range from burgers and pizzas to a more sophisticated lambs and steaks.
And maybe, if you decide to come dressed in a black and white stripe, you can get an extra treat of free baguette given by its smiling staff.
Image credits: Marianne Grace Sarmiento