Mae's Kitchen: Wafting with flavors

THERE's a chockfull of flavors wafting through Mae's Kitchen. This inimitable and petite-sized restaurant is more than just the home of the original Scoops and their cakes and pastries that we have come to love at first bite. It's the place to jaunt off to when you're in the mood for some Mediterranean, Italian, or Portuguese fare.

Mae's Kitchen's resident pastries, such as Scoops -- that cookie-shaped shortbread that comes in pecan, amaretto with almonds, pistachio, and mocha walnut flavors -- are what the restaurant was first known for. But come for a meal any time of the day, and you'll be surprised with the carefully selected menu of international cuisine that makes this modest-looking restaurant a fully loaded casual dining joint.

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The main course is top billed by their Lengua con Cetas, tender lengua slices with olives and mushroom, cooked in their very own brown sauce the old-fashioned way. This is a delight to eat, as you get none of the aftertaste of other lengua dishes cooked less perfectly.

Of their comfort foods, my favorite is the flavorful Callos -- carefully simmered tripe cooked with roasted peppers, chorizo, spices, fresh herbs, and their very own herb red sauce. It's exactly what I want when looking for a really good eat.

To warm your tummy, try the Mariscada, a hearty chowder of stewed seafood served with crusty garlic bread and a dipping of garlic mayo. Pair this off with any of their tasty Paninis: Tuscan Sausage with roasted eggplant and garlic, Spanish Chorizo with cheese and fire-roasted peppers, or the Vegetarian Special with cheese.

The Arroz Con Mariscos, a Portugese version of Paella, was the first dish I tried that made me realize there was more than just pastries at Mae's Kitchen. When you've tasted the House Omelette with peppers and smoked ham with a Mornay sauce, or the Spanish Tortilla, a Madrid dish of chorizos and peppers with Spanish sofrito sauce, you'll know exactly what I mean.

Those looking for a hardy meal can choose from their home-cooked dishes, such as Chicken Pandan, marinated chicken wrapped with pandan leaves, fried and served with sweet chili sauce, and Aroma Beef Stir-fry, beef marinated with herbs and stir fried with a special sauce.

You can also try the Fish Fillet, marinated white fish coated with breadcrumbs, fried tenderly and served with a choice of garlic or creamy mustard.

Pasta lovers will delight over Spaghetti Napoletana with its combination of seafood, smoked ham, herbs and tomatoes, and Spaghetti alla Carbonara with a creamy sauce of cheese and egg yolks topped with smoked ham and parmesan.

If you want real Italian taste, go for Spaghetti alla Putanesca, with anchovies, olives, herbs, and topped with parmesan cheese.

That's not all. There's also classic Spaghetti Bolognese with tenderly simmered meat sauce, and my daughter Kyra's new favorite pasta dish, the Seafood Pasta, scrumptiously light and delicate with olive oil, herbs and assorted seafood.

I didn't expect the calm, candy-colored ambiance of Mae's Kitchen to have more than just cakes and pastries and offer food bursting with interesting flavors. But when I met its owner, I saw where the inspiration came from.

Mae's Kitchen is owned and run by Aida Mae Bernales Puyat, a young, fresh-faced, experienced culinarian with training at reputable institutions such as the Center for Asian Culinary Studies and the Heny Sison Culinary School, to name a few.

Mae started her love affair with food at her family's kitchen, concocting delectable dishes loved by both her family and friends who eventually prodded her to put up Mae's Kitchen at corner Araullo and Mabini streets (ilovemaeskitchen@yahoo.com, 271-4187, 0916-382-2510, 0922-733-9559).

With a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the Ateneo de Davao
University, Mae used to work in foreign-funded development projects and humanitarian programs. But her passion for good food eventually prevailed and she took up more culinary courses and workshops to beef up her knowledge and skills.

Mae has an infectious smile and vivacious character, and her enthusiasm for her craft clearly rubs off on her creations. She does not cut corners when it comes to her dishes; even her Iced Tea is thoughtfully sweetened with honey, not sugar.

Mae's Kitchen's inspired menu is complete from main course to dessert, and it won't cost you an arm and a leg to have a full and satisfying meal there.

That's because the food look and taste like fine dining fare, but do not have the fine dining cost. Now, what could be more delicious than that?