Bombvinos Bodega’s new lunch menu

With a new commercial kitchen in Bombvinos Bodega’s expanded space, chef Don Baldosano and his team are able to come up with more creative dishes including fun and nostalgic options for lunch

Natural wine is truly gaining traction in Metro Manila, and we have distributors such as Bombvinos to thank. Their Bombvinos Bodega in Malugay Street, Makati has become a hub for natural wine enthusiasts to gather, imbibe, and perhaps bring home a bottle or two. The wines are cleverly paired with celebrated young chef and Tatler Dining’s 2024 Rising Star awardee Don Baldosano’s (Linamnam) Filipino bistronomy. Thankfully, Bombvinos proprietors decided to maximise their team-up with Baldosano by building a full kitchen in their new, larger space.

“The expanded space, or what we like to call ‘the bodega kitchen,’ truly lives up to its name,” owner Paolo Monasterio explains. “After opening the bodega, we recognised our current limitations and realised that to deliver the quality of food we envisioned, we needed to invest in a commercial kitchen.” It fits right in with the vibe of the rest of the bodega which feels like stepping into someone’s living room, wherein the open kitchen allows guests to watch the chefs prepare their food while keeping the atmosphere lively and casual.

Above Bombvinos Bodega menu by chef Don Baldosano

Bombvinos Bodega menu by chef Don Baldosano

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Chef Baldosano, in turn, appreciates the vote of confidence with this encouraging move to shift greater focus on the food. “We’ve been fortunate enough to have supportive partners who see a vision for the brand and what we strive for,” Baldosano says. “That’s why they entrusted us to expand our food program. Now, we have started working on our lunch menu to further serve people. Our goal is for guests to think of Bombvinos not just as a place to get incredible natties but as a place with nostalgic and creative food,” he adds.

The Bodega has always been open from lunch onwards, but the small plates offered were admittedly more inviting to an after-work crowd. Hence, there is a need and desire to bolster their food menu with stronger and more substantial dishes that spotlight Pinoy bistronomy. “We have such a beautiful space in the daytime, designed to feature plenty of natural light. This makes the restaurant enjoyable not just for drinks at night but also during the day. What better way to invite folks in than by offering a unique lunch menu,” suggests Monasterio. “With many offices in the area and hungry people looking for lunch options, we thought we’d like to add the Bodega as one of their top considerations for their weekly lunch plans. We have such a fun menu that we wanted to make it available throughout the day, but in formats much more suitable for lunch.”

Above Bombvinos Bodega menu by chef Don Baldosano

Bombvinos Bodega menu by chef Don Baldosano

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After some considerable research and development, chef Don Baldosano and his team have put together a selection of dishes that are more approachable but, as he says, “still maintain the essence and philosophy of our dinner-time signature.” They offer a pastil—a leaf-wrapped rice dish originally from Maguindanao— but theirs is completely edible and stuffed with adobo sa gata. They have playful spins on Filipino street food such as their fried chicken pares, as well as regional specialities like pyanggang manok featuring the flavours of Mindanao. Chef Baldosano’s personal favourite is their palabok, which showcases charcoal-roasted shrimp. Thankfully, my top choice made the cut: their smoked longsilog, which is their creative interpretation of longganisa and eggs.

I asked Monasterio how this partnership with chef Baldosano began and why he believed his food was a good fit for natural wines. “We’ve been working with Don since the pandemic through Bombvinos, supplying Linamnam with natural wines. We are grateful for his openness and willingness to give us a platform to showcase our wines. When the Bodega was in its early stages in July of last year, Don came over, brought some food, and through a couple of glasses of wine and good conversation, the collaboration happened.” He continues: “We felt strongly about showcasing natural wines and Filipino food, and who better to collaborate with than Don? His approach to Filipino food is well thought out, combining familiar nostalgic flavours with a fun, playful, and refined twist. We thought it would be a unique dining experience to pair our wines with these dishes, showcasing Filipino cuisine while pushing its boundaries.”

Above Bombvinos Bodega menu by chef Don Baldosano

Bombvinos Bodega menu by chef Don Baldosano

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This trust extends to the rest of the team, as Baldosano encourages his chefs to take part in the creative process. “Another key difference (between Bombvinos Bodega and Linamnam) is that here, our cooks are more empowered as I work with them to make their dish ideas happen,” he explains. “For me, this is a place to hone creative chefs through the medium of Filipino food.” And they promise to keep creating, as he shares they will be launching their coffee program soon to accompany their Filipino snacks and ice cream. This definitely gives us more reason to keep coming back to the Bodega and to keep drinking natural wine while we are at it.

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Topics

bombvinos bodega bombvinos lunch menu don baldosano natural wine

Jaclyn Clemente Koppe

Contributor, Tatler Philippines

Jaclyn Clemente Koppe is a food and lifestyle writer, as well as a consultant to some of the country’s beloved food and beverage brands. Her passion for food and drink is only surpassed by her devotion to her family, most especially to her soulmate, Pepa the poodle.