As much as I call myself a foodie, I have to admit that I'm not always updated on the newest restaurants in town. You can even say that I'm usually left behind by the first bandwagon! But trying restaurants after they've been open for a while has its perks. For one, service is usually smoother compared to places still on soft opening. But my favorite? It's finding out if that certain restaurant can sustain its hype, or more importantly, the quality its patrons praise it for.

Gino's Brick Oven Pizza is no stranger to me though. Back when it first opened in Makati in 2014, I was already intrigued. But as much as I wanted to try it out back then, a lot of things happened. And before I knew it, my list of "want-to-try" restaurants got longer than ever, and Gino's was put in the back burner.

I didn't forget about Gino's though, but I just couldn't be bothered to go to Makati. Fortunately, the boyf and I found out there's already a branch at Serendra. So during my birthday last month, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to try it out. Yes, with just the boyf. It was a birthdate lunch. v(*’-^*)ｂ


To start off our meal, I thought I'd go the healthier route before our carb-loading session. Colorful and refreshing, this summer salad is made up of lettuce, prosciutto, pine nuts and Parmigiano Reggiano in a slightly sweet and citrusy dalandan dressing. It also comes with burrata, a fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream. And yup, there's a lot of burrata to go around the whole meal, not just with the salad.


Dining out with the boyf, it would be impossible not to order a pasta dish if it's available on the menu. And I'm thankful that we did get this item! The combination may not be too complex -- salted egg, cream, bacon and Parmigiano Reggiano on fettuccine pasta, but it's genius! I'm not even a big salted egg foodstuff fan, but this really got me digging in! We might order two servings of this next time, so we can each have our own plate. #galitgalitmuna


I love it when a menu item has a nice name. I love it more when the name is unique and memorable. But, I love it the best when it tastes even better! This pizza creation is probably my most favorite pizza ever! Homemade sausages, mushroom, eggs, gouda and cream atop a buttery, partly chewy, partly crispy pizza crust. Seriously, my eyes opened really big when I had my first bite! You can ask the boyf, it was love at first taste!

Since we didn't want to stuff ourselves full (There's still a birthday dinner with the family), we decided to take home half of the pizza (It was challenging not to finish everything then and there). I reheated the pizza the next day, and though the crust already became soggy, the toppings were still oh-so-yummy! ★>d(,,･ε´-,,)⌒☆


Gino's also has their own Spicy Honey readily available on every table. It's nice to douse the pizza with some of this sweet and slightly spicy condiment. But it's even better to smother the crust with a lot of it!


THE VERDICT

Although I've read a lot of positive reviews and raves for Gino's Brick Oven Pizza, I wasn't sold at first, since a lot of places people claim to be great end up being good at best, not great. However, after this lunch date at Gino's, the place immediately became a favorite. And I don't say this lightly. I appreciate good food, but it's not too often that I taste dishes that make my eyes go big, especially when it's pasta and pizza. So even though I've been almost 3 years late, I'm glad I finally got a taste of Gino's Brick Oven Pizza. As of now, it has my favorite pizza, and I can't wait to try their other offerings. Though I'm a bit skeptical they have another variant that would rival my love for SMEGG.



Gino's Brick Oven Pizza, Serendra
Ground Floor, Serendra, Bonifacio Global City,
Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
(+63) 915 345 9509
Facebook