Saturday, March 15, 2008 Bistro delights By Jigs Arquiza
Even before stepping through its doors and you already see it’s not just another pizza restaurant. “Elegant” is the word that comes into mind, and you see families, friends, couples having a great meal, taking their time savoring each delicious slice of pizza, taking sips from brightly colored drinks, sharing a bottle of wine amongst themselves.
As you near the entrance, you get the shock of your life when you hear the greeter say “Welcome to Pizza Hut Bistro!”
You ask yourself: “This is Pizza Hut?” not quite believing what you see and hear. Yes, it’s the same old Pizza Hut that we know and love. Well, not exactly the same, but everything is there, the familiar smells and tastes that we’ve gotten used to.
They call it the Pizza Hut Bistro, and for now, it’s the only one of its kind in the Visayas and Mindanao areas.
The menu still has the usual stuff, but with some items not available at the regular Pizza Hut outlets. Ambience is a bit different, leaning more towards the bar or fine dining scene than fast food, with customers taking their time partaking of their food.
Don’t get the wrong idea though. They still cater to the regular Pizza Hut clientele, not high-society people, and even with the updated interiors, there’s not that much difference in price.
Pizza Hut Bistro offers a good selection of appetizers, but your best bet would be the Supreme Combo Platter, composed of barbecued ribs, onion rings, French fries and tropical shrimps. The barbecued ribs are pretty good, covered in a sauce with a sweet-smoky flavor. The onion rings are huge, while the fries are thick and satisfying.
The tropical shrimps resemble the Japanese tempura though with a coconut-based crust instead of the more common tempura batter. Another good starter would be the Bistro’s Crab Salad Roll, made from red and green lettuce, cucumber slices and crabsticks. It comes with a creamy white sauce that surprisingly tastes like soy sauce. Both dishes are big enough for three, or even four, to share with each other.
The standard Pizza Hut pizzas are available, but most recommended is their Seafood Super Supreme, which is a Bistro exclusive. Think of it as a seafood lover’s pizza; it’s topped with shrimps, crabsticks, tuna and scallops, but still with that Pizza Hut flavor a lot of people enjoy.
Those who prefer something other pizza for their main course can try Pizza Hut Bistro’s Fish and Chips platter. Made from sole covered in batter and deep-fried to crispiness, it is served with French fries, or, if the customer prefers, rice. Pasta is also available, among them the usual Bolognese, Alfredo and Marinara, but the penne with grilled chicken in tomato-cream sauce is definitely worth a try.
To complement your meal, a variety of drinks are available. Aside from the usual soft drinks, beers, iced teas, cold coffees and smoothies, wine is also available. Their Cassata Siciliana would be a good choice for dessert. It’s kind of like a cake composed of layers of homemade vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice cream with cherry syrup.
Of course, there are always the regular Pizza Hut outlets if you’re in a hurry, especially if you can’t wait to get your pizza. But for those with enough time on their hands, Pizza Hut Bistro would be a good alternative for those looking for something new yet still familiar.
