Lunch Sets at The Black Pig in Commerce Center Alabang

I’ve heard lots of nice things about The Black Pig but it was located way out in Alabang at the Commerce Center to be exact. The Black Pig specializes in many cuts of cured meat featuring the Spanish black Iberico pig.  Their menu is European centric but uses our fresh produce, they actually go to the market before each meal service to see what’s fresh.

They started off offering dinner and bar service only but recently added lunch. One Saturday, I got an invite to head over there to try their new lunch menu.

The decor has a very casual feel with smooth concrete floors and lots of subtle reminders of their porcine specialty. Play a “Where’s Waldo?” and look for it throughout the restaurant.

The man that runs the kitchen is Chef Carlos Garcia, who used to work at London’s Michelin starred Gauthier Soho. He was convinced to move to Manila by part owner, Tricia MacDonald.

The Black Pig has a great looking bar featuring Holgate craft beer on tap. I’ve tried the Road Trip before at Burger and Brewskies and really enjoyed it. There’s also a big al fresco area that get filled up at night when the air is cooler.

Their new lunch menu is surprisingly affordable at only P450 for 2 courses and P600 for 3 courses, add P200 for a glass of wine or 1/2 pint of craft beer. You can pick from 4 appetizers, 3 main courses and 4 desserts. You can order these lunch options ala carte but getting the sets yields a much better value since you get the same exact serving size.

We started with a platter of their scrumptious bread, which is baked in house daily plus a delightful beetroot gazpacho with parmesan foam amuse bouche courtesy of Chef Carlos Garcia.

I was having lunch together with Jane and Kap so we each got an appetizer so we could try them all. The first to arrive was the Baked Pumpkin, Lemongrass and Ginger Soup (P220).  The soup mixture is poured on top of the raw scallops which cooks a bit with the heat of the soup. The lemongrass and ginger flavors were pronounced and served to complement the sweet pumpkin and umami flavors of the scallops.

Roast Chicken Breast and Lemon Salad (P320).  This beautiful salad had lots of beautiful color and plated very well. The serving size also surprised me as this can easily serve as a healthy meal in itself.

Green Pea Risotto (P280). I’m not really a fan of peas but they cook it so well that I actually did not notice. Be sure to taste that parmesan crisp or you’ll regret it.

Pan Fried Prawns and Polenta (P280). The three pieces of small prawns on a bed of creamy polenta plus another parmesan crisp on top. This was the smallest serving among the 4 appetizer choices.

In between the appetizers and main course, Chef Carlo sent out The Black Pig Charcuterie Board (P850). The board has the following cuts; Jamon Iberico de Cebo, Morcilla Iberico, Chorizo Iberico, Salchichon Iberico and Lomo Iberico.

A perfect pair for the charcuterie was a glass of  Holgate Road Trip.

For the main course, you had a choice of Mahi-Mahi Fillet (P560), pan fried and placed on top of shiitake mushrooms and drizzled with teriyaki sauce for flavor.

Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli (P350). This was the only dish that was not memorable for me save for those parmesan crisps.

Braised Veal Cheeks (P680) served with pickled onions and mashed potatoes. Tender pieces of meat that had lots of flavor due to the slow cooking.  There’s also a faux bone marrow made from potatoes in the background, a playful touch.

For dessert, we had the Chocolate Praline Mousse (P290). Think of it as a large kitkat with hazelnut flavor.

The Meringue and Marinated Mango (P280) is art on a plate, eye candy. It uses several types of mangoes (fresh, green, dried) and pairs it with a black pepper studded meringue. There’s different elements spread throughout which you can add together to create surprising flavor combinations.

The other choices for dessert are a Cheese platter (P350) and a Trio of Homemade Sorbets and Ice Creams (P220).

I enjoyed my first introduction to The Black Pig via their affordable and filling lunch menu. Next on my list are their well curated main dishes next plus more of the charcuterie, of course.

Think the Black Pig is too high end because of the location and feel, give their lunch sets a try and you might be soundly surprised.

The Black Pig

2/F Commerce Center

Commerce Ave. Corner East Asia Dr. Corner Commerce Ave.,

Filinvest Alabang, Muntinlupa City

Contact No.: (632) 808-1406 and (63917) 846-2674

 

Facebook Page: The Black Pig

Instagram: @TheBlackPigManila

Twitter: @TheBlackPigMNL

Webpage: The Black Pig

 

 

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