Goxo: A Hidden Bar and Asador in the Heart of Makati
Situated in the upbeat dining corridor of Salcedo Village, Goxo is located in a concealed space revealed only to its patrons upon arrival at their meeting point inside the adjacent Bar Pintxos restaurant. Intrigued diners are then led into an intimate room that is anchored by its lengthy 12-person counter. Done up simply and tastefully, with wood accents and dim lighting, the highlight of the space is its small open kitchen.
At the helm is Albert Mendoza, a young and promising chef who is ready for his close up. Chef Mendoza first started with the Txoko and Bar Pintxos group in research and development in 2019 after a brief stint in a Manhattan restaurant. Since then, he has risen through the ranks and is now the group’s corporate chef and general manager.
Before the meal formally begins, diners are treated to what is fast becoming the bite of the moment: two fillets of Cantabrian anchovies laid across thin toasts and drizzled with some extra-virgin olive oil. A glass of Txakolina with its high acidity pairs perfectly with this and is theatrically long-poured Basque style to welcome you to the pintxos experience that awaits.
Offering two prix fixe menus, each one a multi-course meal with a great deal of variety, diners begin with a series of starters, choose their own entree, and end with the same dessert. All of the “Entrada” dishes are the most interesting plates offered during the meal, and here is where we witness Chef Mendoza play to the Goxo proposition of paying tribute to timeless Basque dishes that are influenced with Filipino ingredients and flavors. His dishes are creative but not overly fussy, plated with precision.
A rillette of duck grilled inasal-style on a potato pavé morsel is served side-by-side with the crowd-pleaser foie sandwich with quince jelly and truffle honey.
Next is Goxo’s version of Spanish jamon: paper-thin slices of aged and cured talakitok from Philippine seas are served with compressed melon and stracciatella cheese and finished with toasted almonds that lend additional flavor and texture.
If you don’t usually eat sweetbreads, the mollejas will make you reconsider as it did this writer. The veal sweetbreads are lightly grilled and sit atop Philippine adlai grains and a perilla leaf. They are then garnished with pickled onions and guindilla peppers for just the right amount of heat and acidity. A final squeeze of burnt calamansi awakens all the flavors and all reluctance is suspended.
Goxo’s Iberico is a thoughtful sweet and savory rendition of the faceted Philippine barbecue skewer. Slices of Iberico pluma pork form a tight kebab that shines beneath a glaze of piquillo peppers, honey, paprika, pineapple juice, and Pedro Ximénez sherry. A small serving of grilled pineapple salad accompanies the meat.
Our favorite dish is a rewarding expression of umami; a crab, uni, and anchovy udon is nothing short of perfection. The use of a wheat noodle allows for the full flavor of the silky and rich sauce to be absorbed into the chewy and supple udon, while the Cantabrian anchovy enhances the brininess of the Roxas City-sourced uni and Pampanga crab fat without being overwhelming.
Principal plates like the gambones (grilled prawns), scallops tossed in red wine vinaigrette and a split sauce of pumpkin and paprika oil, as well as the carilleras (in this case, braised beef cheeks instead of traditional pork) served with a burnt coconut milk rice pilaf with a sous vide egg and X.O.chili sauce are generous and filling.
The single dessert offered, the Txokolate et Oliva, is a delightful bite. It’s a simple, dark chocolate ganache and almond crumble cookie, finished with some olive oil.
Goxo’s wine list is lean and comes from special and limited vintages from family-run and storied wineries such as Barone Ricasoli, the oldest winery in Italy, the Bodegas Franco-Españolas from the Logroño in Spain, and the Pescarmona-owned Bodega Lagarde in Argentina. Diners may opt for the additional wine flight or choose a bottle or two of their choice. Cocktails are available, and a cocktail pairing is in the works.
Reservations: +63 927 002 4200.
Photography by Miguel Nacianceno.