When I called their office two weeks before our planned dinner date, I got so dissatisfied with their system. It seemed like their receptionist kept on forgetting to write down my reservation (they actually asked me about the details of my reservation three separate times). Also, when I asked for the directions to the place, the same receptionist said she'd email me the sketch. I also had to remind her several times to email me the sketch but that never materialized. They did, however, text me how to go there from a certain area after I texted them for directions (I gave up on asking for the sketch). Lucky I didn't let that stop me from confirming our reservation because from what I've heard, SOCO is one of the best private dining restaurants in the area.
When we arrived at SOCO, all my dissatisfaction vanished. The place is an old residential home converted into a tasting room. Upon entering the gate, you'll be greeted by a candle-lit cocktail area. For me it was already a pretty sight but I wasn't aware that I needed to prepare myself for something more captivating. Behind the sliding door, a table for six was in the middle of the room patiently waiting for our arrival. It just instantly felt so special, so enchanting. Now I understand why romantic movies usually feature empty restaurants reserved for the guy who's about to propose to the girl he loves.
As we got comfortable in our seats, our server introduced herself and offered us some drinks. Then our journey of the 6-course meal began. The Tasting Menu Number 1 started with some Baked Brie Phyllo with Raspberries as appetizer. Followed by the Tuscan Mushroom Salad.
The third and fourth course were Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Goat Cheese Whipped Cream and Tiger Prawns on a pool of Squid ink sauce topped with Chorizo Fritto and Paella-flavored Risotto, respectively.
My sisters and I love pumpkin soup. Whenever we go to Italian restaurants or fine dining restaurants, we order pumpkin soup as if we're on the search for the best pumpkin soup in town. Frankly, I was excited to try SOCO's pumpkin soup but it didn't meet my expectations. This is my least favorite dish among the 6. I even whispered to my sister that I want to ask for freshly ground pepper for the soup (because it was too bland for my taste) but of course, I didn't. The Tiger prawns course is an entirely different story. By this time, I already felt full but because the entire dish was so cohesive, I couldn't stop from stuffing myself. I tried my best to finish the 2 pieces of prawns (and I did!) but didn't finish the risotto anymore. I wanted to finish it because it was really good but as is the case with me and risotto dishes, I easily get full after a few bites.
The Wagyu flat-iron steak is my second least favorite from the six courses. Although the beef wasn't tough, I just didn't understand what flavors the chef wanted us to taste. I'm a fan of meat but I ended up eating the pureed potatoes more than the meat itself. Fortunately, the meal ended with a great note through the last course, dessert! The dessert was a Chocolate souffle with White Chocolate shavings served with Vanilla Bean sauce. The chocolate souffle was heavenly. It felt like it was melting in my mouth. I honestly didn't see the white chocolate shavings but I don't mind because I enjoyed it to the last morsel. To think that we were already full from the five other courses, all of us were still able to finish off the dessert. Yup, it's that GOOD!
I asked Joan, our server, about the minimum and maximum number of people they accept. She said they accept reservations for 2 as long as the food you'd order would reach the amount they require (Php 8,000) before they accept your reservation. The most number of people they've accepted is 25. So if you have a big group of friends or if you want your family to have a different kind of dinner, The Tasting Room is an excellent intimate set-up.
They also offer other Tasting Menus aside from the one we availed and those are:
Tasting Menu 3 (Php 1,000.00 per person)
As we got comfortable in our seats, our server introduced herself and offered us some drinks. Then our journey of the 6-course meal began. The Tasting Menu Number 1 started with some Baked Brie Phyllo with Raspberries as appetizer. Followed by the Tuscan Mushroom Salad.
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| Despite disliking fruits, I enjoyed the appetizer with raspberries. The salad was interesting but a bit too bitter. |
If there's one word to describe the Baked Brie Phyllo it would be YUMMYYYYY. Even though we gobbled it within seconds (yes, it was THAT good!), it helped to set the mood for the entire experience. The Tuscan salad had interesting textures and there are a lot of things I liked about this salad. I loved the Raclette cheese, Tuscan mushrooms, the pan-seared foie gras in carpaccio and the creamy sauce. But, sadly, the bitter vegetables ruined it for me. It was a different story for my sister and mom, though. Their portions of salad didn't have any (my sister's had a few pieces of) bitter veggies. Maybe the chef forgot to toss it before plating?
The third and fourth course were Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Goat Cheese Whipped Cream and Tiger Prawns on a pool of Squid ink sauce topped with Chorizo Fritto and Paella-flavored Risotto, respectively.
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| Soup Dish and Seafood Dish |
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| Meat course and the dish that would make me go back to SOCO (The picture doesn't do it justice, sorry) |
I asked Joan, our server, about the minimum and maximum number of people they accept. She said they accept reservations for 2 as long as the food you'd order would reach the amount they require (Php 8,000) before they accept your reservation. The most number of people they've accepted is 25. So if you have a big group of friends or if you want your family to have a different kind of dinner, The Tasting Room is an excellent intimate set-up.
They also offer other Tasting Menus aside from the one we availed and those are:
Tasting Menu 2 (Php 800.00 per person)
Cocktails: Sundried Tomatoes & Pesto Dip with tossini
Dinner Proper: Assorted Bread with eggplant hummus and Olive tapenade butter; Mixed Green salad with creamy house dressing topped with julienne of carrots, turnips, broad beans, shaved eggs, parmesan cheese and cucumbers; Tiger Prawns cooked in tomato-cream vermouth sauce on angel hair; Baked Cream Dory with green beans and bacon; Chicken fillet stuffed with Parma Ham and cheese with red wine sauce served with Vegetable risotto; Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Sauce
Tasting Menu 3 (Php 1,000.00 per person)
Cocktails: Cucumber and Smoked Salmon roll with caper cream sauce
Dinner Proper: Assorted Bread with eggplant hummus and Olive tapenade butter; Edamame Beans Cream Soup Topped with grilled Tiger Prawns and bonito flakes; Arugula salad with glazed pili nuts, laguna cheese and shaved queso de bola with pan-seared chicken liver and raspberry vinaigrette; Zucchini Dory Papillote: Cream Dory wrapped in thinly sliced zucchini with fresh Italian herbs and pancetta served in a pool of white wine sauce sprinkled with lemon zest; Persian Beef Stew (using US Angus Blade Steaks) with Garbanzos served with couscous and grilled vegetables; Goat’s Milk Mango Panna Cotta
If you're interested, feel free to contact: 0922.869.78.37 or 910.07.24
The Tasting Room SOCO Private Dining is located at #6 General Segundo St., San Antonio Village, Pasig City
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