LUNCH at HEY HANDSOME in BGC

Now it can be said. HEY HANDSOME has surprised and masterfully enticed guests from all over the metro to try out their dinner fare. Opening late last year, one could taste bold Southeast Asian characters. Finally, they now open their doors for lunch as well. Just a few weeks in and we now see a new menu for their patrons. Everything is completely different from their night time offerings.

CHEF NICCO SANTOS of Your Local fame has created heavy and appealing lunch choices mainly for the office crowd. Huge servings of "exotic" items with popped up flavors come straight from their kitchen. Having been able to try out the night time menu (see: HEY HANDSOME: MUST TRY FOR DINNER),  expectations were made.

To start, an off the menu SIGARILYAS or WINGED BEAN salad was served. The dressing was in the form of the SAMBAL ICE CREAM. It was light and it played well with the grilled vegetables.

A dish that looked familiar was the BUNNY CHOW. This one reminds me of soup within a bread bowl but with an Asian impression. A Squid ink baguette is used to house in a flurry of ingredients. The bread was unlike others that it seemed reheated. It was chewy and crunchy at the right places. Long beans, mushrooms and eggs with lots of coconut gravy. This one is best shared with other guests as it could be a bit too much on its own.

The LAAP NEUA is similar to a couple of courses from their dinner option. Here, minced beef is used with grilled corn and egg. It might be a bit spicy for some but having the peanut muffin gives your taste buds some relief.

Surprisingly, HEY HANDSOME has something "mild" in their menu. The CHICKEN RICE is cooked to perfection that it reminds me of my visits to Singapore. The chicken meat is soft and tender. Smooth as a baby's bottom, it also has grilled bok choy with some house soy and chili just to give it levels.

In contrast, the FRIED CHICKEN is a complete turn around. Having nasi ulam, house soy, sambal assam, this simple dish has striking seasoning. It seems casual and comparable to other Asian dishes but I can't seem to identify the distinct taste. Another must order dish would be the GRILLED PORK BELLY. Accompanied with nasi ulam, sambal matah, and grilled cabbage, the belly was cooked in a way to make it pop up. Even if it's under a mountain of garnishes, you'll get a tasty belly nonetheless.

If into seafood, HEY HANDSOME developed something effortless and appetizing. The FRIED CATFISH was turned into a delectable artwork. By adding nasi ulam, green papaya, tomatoes, sambal assam, a mixture of different components, gave it some spicy notes and crunchy texture.

Dessert was playful and delicious. Both doughnuts but with very different toppings. One has rose ice cream with meringue. The other has Sang Kaya with soy sauce ice cream. This is well partnered with Durian Matcha Cream filling. There was sense of contrasting flavors that complimented each one. Although the matcha might have been there just for a little bit of bitter taste, the durian worked well with the kaya.

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This time around, HEY HANDSOME offers lunch time specials that would definitely cater to the office crowd. The meals were huge and the flavors are straight forward. Hey Handsome for lunch allows no reservations though and it's quite important to come in early.

RELATED LINK:
HEY HANDSOME:The Must Go To Restaurant in 2016




HEY HANDSOME : LUNCH MENU

G/F NET PARK BUILDING
5th Avenue, BGC, Taguig City,
Metro Manila
Instagram: @HandsomeCome

Now open for Lunch at 11am to 2:30pm
Still closed for Sundays.
First come first serve. No reservations.