Monday, March 7, 2016

Agape Pastries and Tartines

A restaurant that was born out of the highest form of love - Agape.



Agape
In one of my theology classes in Ateneo, I learned that agape is selfless, unconditional love. It is love in its highest form - Jesus lived this out by dying on the cross for our sins. So how exactly does this Greek word relate to a French restaurant? According to the owner Jean Uvero, she opened up the restaurant as a reminder of her family's journey in New York when her daughter got sick. It's a personal yet touching story (she ended up giving her one of her kidneys), but I guess what people would relate to more is the English definition of the word which roughly translates to "having the mouth open because of wonder or amazement."
Agape
To tell you the truth, the food here would have left my mouth agape had I not been too busy eating. Haha! Seriously though, the food is amazing! And best of all, it's affordable! I've actually been to Chimes Square along Congressional Avenue Extension before, but I've always avoided Agape because I saw it as one of the pricier restaurants in the area. Turns out, I was wrong.
Agape
Agape
Complimentary appetizer: Pita with Spinach and Malunggay Dip
Agape
The pita is too thin to be bread, but not crunchy enough to be called chips, so let's just leave it at pita. The dip is watery so I found it difficult to scoop out, but I really like how it tasted. It's cold and sweet, and healthy at the same time.

Green Salad with Pears (P150)
tossed greens, spinach, black olives, walnuts, and pears, in citrus vinaigrette dressing
Agape
Spicy Prawn with Papaya Salad (P150)
tossed greens, black olives, shrimps, peanuts, and papaya in spicy honey lemon dressing
Agape
The two salads had a great mix of texture and flavor, but if I were to choose, I'd pick the latter simply because it contains shrimps. The different colors in it makes it more appetizing to eat, too.
Agape
Their newest offering, their panizza, comes in four variants:

Margherita Panizza (P290)
Agape
Three Cheese and Herbs Panizza (P320)
Agape
Agape
Gamberi Panizza (P340)
Agape
Agape
Dan McCune Panizza (P375)
Agape
Everything was delicious! Only thing about the panizza is that if you're eating with a group, you'll probably only end up eating one slice, so better order them all! Trust me, it's worth it.

Another specialty of Agape would be their Tartines - open faced Rye bread topped with tasty yet healthy spreadable ingredients (served with side salad or fries). They have 10 different types to choose from, or you can go with a sampler instead. I personally recommend the Smoked Salmon BLT and Beer-Battered Fish, they're the best!

Smoked Salmon BLT Tartines (P395)
Agape
Beer-Battered Fish Tartines (P250)
Agape
For the pasta, we tried two best-sellers - Marie Gambasetti and Sardines in Oil.

Marie Gambasetti (P250)
Agape
This one is an olive oil-based spaghetti with a mild spicy combination of shrimps, chorizo and capsicum infused with fresh herbs and spices. It's not that spicy, so don't worry.
Agape
Sardines in Oil (P200)
Agape
This one's my favorite! The Sardines in Oil is an aromatic blend of authentic spicy Spanish sardines, tomatoes, olives, fresh herbs, and spices. The serving is big enough to share; a steal for two hundred pesos!

Seared Salmon with Pineapple Salsa
Agape
Now, I'm not really sure if this one's still available since they released it as part of their four-course Valentines' special (P1250/person), but you can always inquire. I don't often eat fish, but this one is something I wouldn't mind ordering again.

Agape has a selection of Remedies which are basically your detox drinks (vegetable and fruit combo) for P120 each. I ordered the Spinach and Mango, which had more mango than spinach, but I'm not complaining! It's definitely healthier than drinking soda or iced tea, so that's that.
Agape
If you find yourself craving for something sweet, I would recommend the following:

Choco Chips, Bavarian, Mango, and Dulce de Leche Muffins (P90 each)
Agape
Their muffins have surprise centers (except for the choco chip). Must try: Bavarian and Dulce de Leche ;)

Creme Brulee Tart (P40) | Chocolava Tart (P50) | Bon-bon (P25/pc)
Agape
The Creme Brulee Tart left me speechless. It was that good. It had an ooey gooey creamy center and reminded me a lot of Lord Stow's Egg Tarts, only better. Sobrang sarap! This ruined all the other desserts for me, I honestly didn't want to eat anything else after trying this. Will visit Agape again, for sure! Thank you for having us, Ms. Jean Uvero!

Agape is located at
Chimes Square, Congressional Avenue Extension cor. Mira Nila Subdivision , Quezon City.
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Agape Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato