Mix-and-match your menu, tailor your cocktails at Privatus Dining

If you’re not keeping an eye out, you might drive past it. Amid a slew of warehouses along F. Legaspi Street, right by the boundary of Pasig City, lies a new dining concept called Privatus Dining.  This venture comes from the creative chef AJ Reyes (who’s trained under Mecha Uma’s Bruce Ricketts and Vask’s Chele Gonzalez) and business partner/mixologist Mark Marquez (who’s worked in some of the top hotels abroad, including the Sheraton Hong Kong’s legendary Oyster and Wine Bar).

The premise isn’t very complicated: premium dining made more accessible and casual, not by the dumbing down of the cuisine, but by the radical experimentation of those executing the dining concept. One will see this immediately upon entering, with a dining space, excluding its function rooms, that comfortably seats 60 people. The surfaces are concrete and brick, with steel and dark wood accents, capped off with warm lighting. It feels just put-together enough, with an inviting air that allows for long, luxurious meals and conversation, accompanied by a cocktail or five.

We were able to sample some of Privatus’ best offerings. To start were a couple of pass-around appetizers, beginning with Sisig Croquetas. These were in the more exceptional arena as far as croquettes go — creamy, with just enough bite — although was rather underwhelming in the sisig department. Stealing the limelight were the Squash Blossoms with seafood mousse and uni mayo, which were absolute heaven and quickly gobbled up by other guests who seemed to echo our idea to ask for seconds.

Next came the Shrimp & Singkamas, featuring perfectly cooked, succulent shrimp huddled together and wrapped in cabbage, served with thinly sliced radish and ubod, with a side of aligue sauce. It was a welcome, slightly refreshing interval before the main courses, which were both the kind of delicious that one dreams about when envisioning a final meal, or at least the kind that invades the sweetest of dreams.

First was the Local Wagyu, which was a beautiful fillet of Kitayama wagyu served with glazed onion and pickled cauliflower. The thick slab of beef was grilled to utter medium-rare flawlessness and finished with an exquisite dash of salt that would make Salt Bae proud. In its footsteps followed a wonderful Inasal Stew, made of chicken first smoked in apple cider wood, then marinated as one would a classic inasal, but slow-cooked to tender perfection. The annatto came shining through, but blanketed in a broth that was complex, deep, and meaty.

Now, what is a beautiful meal without equally lovely libations in its company? Marquez delivered, first with a delicious welcome drink of Espuma & Berries, featuring dried berries, elderflower liqueur, and a superb but atypical cava made with Chardonnay grapes (rather than the usual Spanish Xarello, Macabeu, or Parellada) provided by AWG Wines. During the meal, the palate cleanser came in the form of a shot called Lemon Cake, which required diners to suck on a sugared lemon and then down a shot of hazelnut liqueur mixed with a touch of vodka.

But what followed was a peek into their bespoke beverage service, which was a delight for someone like myself, who likes to sit at bars and challenge the creative juices of skilled mixologists. We were asked our preferred spirit — gin, in this case — and what sort of profile we preferred — fruity, refreshing, or boozy — and the results were gorgeous. A favorite of the evening had to be one made with Hendricks gin, Aperol, and a touch of agave nectar, garnished with an orange peel. Similarly, Privatus offers a private dining service which, in its bespoke nature, allows patrons to mix and match menu items as well as to collaborate with Reyes and Marquez in creating special dishes and cocktails personal to whatever occasion one might be celebrating.

Going by the sampling, what Privatus creates is not the sort of “fancy” food that can be alienating but a cuisine that mixes local and classic flavors, balancing them so delicately that it makes for a refreshingly different dining experience. What makes Privatus’ food so accessible is not just the soul of each dish but the fact that it is good food cooked well, and presented by exceptionally trained and attentive staff. As the people behind Privatus like to emphasize invention, creativity, and experimentation, whatever is on offer now may not be permanent. So we suggest you run, not walk, and taste their food for yourself.

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Privatus Dining is located at #8 F. Legaspi Street, Barangay Maybunga, Pasig City. The restaurant is open Tuesday to Sundays to customers with reservations from 12 noon to 4 p.m., and to walk-ins from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, contact 0998-590-0996, 532-7511, or inquiries@radicalculinaryinc.com.