Nest Modern Table & Bar: Bar Bites, Cocktails and More at BGC

Bonifacio Global City has been home to many bars and clubs for the past few years. But for good friends looking for a more chill and laid-back one that also serves equally good food and offers a nice view of the city skyline, there's a new roof deck bar at the W Building, that goes by Nest Modern Table and Bar, you ought to check out.

Located at the roof deck of W 5th Building, the aptly named Nest Modern Table and Bar is an escape nestled on top of the city. It's unlike most of the bars in BGC that spells nothing short of nightlife. Nest on the other hand, takes the other side of the spectrum and makes good use of its location to offer a more laid-back experience. Interiors are donned in neutrals and earth tones, and follows a more serene garden resto setup.

While I normally wouldn't consider a bar a place to go to for a date, I can actually see myself having a nice dinner with the boyf at Nest Modern Table and Bar. So in case you're a crazy fellow too, then go for it! As long as you go in during dinner time when lights are still not as dim (as per restaurant standards), then it's safe to say that Nest can also cater to couples looking for a romantic-but-not-too-cheesy dinner.

The Food

Unlike bars which only have booze as bait, Nest offers a good selection of dishes for people who actually want to eat and not just drink. And as expected from the same people behind URBN Bar & Kitchen, Nest proves to not be just another resto-bar.

Beetroot Carpaccio (P300)

To start off our diner, we had this interesting appetizer of thinly sliced beetroot with feta cheese, candied walnuts, garlic confit and orange segments, served with a side of salad. Since my friends were not really fans of beetroot, they had a hard time liking this dish. However, as for me who's a big fan, I found this a creative and refreshing way to start a meal. Slightly sweet, salty, fruity, and just something entirely new to the palate.

✓ Foie Gras and Mushrooms (P550)

If the previous appetizer had an aftertaste not all of us dig, this next meal starter on the other hand, had a taste that everyone loved. You have two pieces of seared foie gras with mushrooms, croutons, a beautifully poached egg, and parmesan and balsamic -- a plate sure to please even a picky eater. Every mouthful was just oozing with savory and smoky flavors with just the right amount of sharpness that cuts through the richness. Sure enough, this dish successfully teased our taste buds for the next items to come.

Ham and Eggs (P250)

As simple as its name is, this next appetizer proves that simple doesn't necessarily mean boring. Although this meal starter doesn't have a whole lot going on, I really appreciated every ingredient as each stands on its own. Jamon Serrano, poached egg, peas, and asparagus with parmesan and truffle oil -- everything here is a favorite of mine!

✓ 5-Spiced Roast Pork Belly (P250)

For main course, we first had this bowl that really caught my eye. Kurobuta pork belly on a bed of soy-garlic noodles and sesame-cucumber relish -- now this is something I didn't know yet but have always wanted. The roasted pork belly although not as tender as I would've liked it was flavorful, earthy and succulent. But what really had me digging in was the equally tasty firm and chewy noodles. Actually, even the cucumber slices got me so hooked. Everything save for the texture of the pork, was perfect. I think I just found the dish I can order again and again at Nest! Its price makes it really sulit too!

Roast Chicken Supreme (P280)

We also had this roasted quarter chicken with duxelle, marble potatoes, veloute, snap peas and a side of slaw. Although not really outstanding of a dish, the chicken was cooked nicely with a crisp skin and a moist inside. But more than the protein, I found the sidings pretty impressive. Both the bacon-pea-potato salad and the slaw were really flavorful that we found it hard to stop eating them.

✓ Rack of Lamb (P950)

It's a no brainer that we'll fall for this. Beautiful rack of lamb cooked to medium-medium rare doneness, herb and mustard glaze, smoked eggplant, glazed zucchini, mint jelly and a tasty lamb jus -- this plate is sure to please the carnivore in everyone. And it definitely pleased us! The lamb was just tender, flavorful and succulent without being too gamey. The vegetables it came with were all very enjoyable as well.

Bar Bites and Signature Cocktails

We also sampled some of the bar chows along with a few of their signature concoctions. 'Cause why not? We're already in a bar, and it's a Saturday night! ᕙ༼*◕◡◕*༽ᕤ

Beef, Cheese and Miso Spring Rolls (P250)

If you're planning to drink the night away, this can be a good pulutan for sharing. The combination of ground beef, cheese and miso makes every piece of this spring roll pretty tasty. And with a crispy outer layer and a creamy sriracha mayo on the side, this can make eating, drinking and chatting with friends more enjoyable.

Yakitori Assorted (P300 for 4pcs.)

This next bar bite had me going, "Aw, dang!"

Four sticks of yakitori -- chicken, pork, salmon and shrimp, all cooked nicely with just the right doneness. However, it's the overbearing sweet-savory sauce that breaks them. Whether we try the salmon or the pork, all we can really taste was the sauce. And we only ate apiece of each variant per person! I can't just imagine what it would feel like to eat 2 to 3 sticks. I wish Nest would've tamed the blend of the sauce. Or better yet, just serve the sauce on the side so diners can have the liberty to put a lot or none at all.

Sexy and I Know It (P331), ✓ Blue Moon (P331), ✓ Smokin' (P414)
and ✓ Green Mojito (P414) not on the photo

For drinks, we decided to go for the more photogenic cocktails. Yay food blogger logic! I had the strong yet smooth and easy-to-drink Blue Moon, a blend of Maker's Mark Bourbon, Angostura, black currant and lemon garnished with blue flowers. The boyf on the other hand, had the strong, earthy and eye-catching Smokin' made of Laphroaig Single-Malt Scotch with honey, coconut syrup and lime topped with flaming anise.

A true lady's drink, there's also the Sexy and I Know It which is a sweet blend of Absolut Vanilla Vodka, rose syrup, lemon and Maraschino Cherry Liqueur. And for something light, refreshing and more fruity, there's the Green Mojito, an enjoyable concoction of Bacardi Silver, green apple puree, Green Chartreuse, mint and ginger beer. Yum!

The Sweet Ending

As for desserts, we had quite plenty...

Donuts and Dips (P200)

We were brought this platter of soft bite-sized donuts that's great for sharing, served with three kinds of dips -- strawberry jam, salted caramel, and peanut butter cream. Since the donuts were already coated in sugar, I found the salted caramel dip a little too rich for my liking. However, the peanut butter cream was good, although guilt-inducing. My favorite though was the simple strawberry jam as it nicely cuts through the richness and guilt.

Reese's Sansrival (P200)

We also got to try this crowd-pleaser of a dessert. Chewy meringue and chopped pistachios, but with peanut butter cream (same as one of the donut dips) instead of just buttercream, as a twist. Now I love traditional sansrival, and I also like this version that's even sitting atop a bed of yummy chocolate ganache. However, this dessert was served a little warmer than room temperature, so we found the peanut butter cream pretty rich. If only this was served cooler, I bet we would've loved it more.

Chocolate Textures (P200)

Last among our desserts was this chocolate marquise with raspberry coulis and fudge brownies. This is chocolate heaven in a bite and will sure please fans of chocolate mousse desserts. The addition of the coulis was smart too as it adds a nice tangy component into the already sweet ensemble. However, from the name of the dessert, I was hoping there would be a crunchy or even chewy layer. That would've been amazing!

THE VERDICT

This visit to Nest Modern Table and Bar definitely proves that this is not just another resto-bar in busy BGC. Apart from the beautiful skyline of the city and refreshing al fresco setup, Nest also offers good food and even better cocktails with reasonable price tags. Though there were some hiccups with the food elements, I'm sure things will become even better in the months to come. And I can't wait to revisit Nest when that time comes!

Taste 3.5/5
Ambiance - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 4/5
Overall Value - 4/5

Nest Modern Table & Bar, Bonifacio Global City
Roofdeck, W Fifth Ave. Bldg., 5th Ave. cor. 32nd St.,
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
(02) 246 9069; (0917) 874 9999
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