At last, a flour pot of gold

Flour Pot Bistro & Bakery of Chef Rhea Sycip is finally a reality. And I say “finally” because both Issa and I have been steadfast fans of Rhea’s cakes and her baking since 2019, when we first visited Rhea and JayJay at their Fatted Calf Farmhouse Kitchen in Tagaytay. Back then, it was Rhea commuting from Tagaytay to the Holiday Inn in Makati on a regular basis, while JayJay would “hold the fort” in Tagaytay. The dream was to have Flour Pot establish its own stand-alone. My immediate favorite was Rhea’s Hummingbird cake. It is best described as a carrot cake but with banana bread, and with bits of pineapple. For Issa, it was Rhea’s three-layer version of Strawberry Shortcake.

Located on the ground floor of the Verve BGC, on 27th Street and 7th Avenue, this Flour Pot is a cozy bistro and bakery that seats 80 people, and will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with extended hours on the weekend. Yes, they have an alcohol license.

So beyond the bread, cakes, and pastries, there will be breakfast fare, casual dining choices, and new, novel dishes. Their coffee has also been a popular choice of discriminating coffee lovers, and so this new flagship branch should be an immediate go-to for those familiar with Chef Rhea’s baking wizardry and their java.

The advocacy of the culinary couple has always been to support local farmers and highlight their produce and harvests. Hence, their wonderful seasonal cakes. My tip here is to ask for the Ube Kinampay or the Emelie. Kinampay is our local version of raspberry, and Rhea makes a jam out of it for the Ube Kinampay. Utilizing that same jam, but with mango buttercream and fresh flowers, we have the picture-perfect Emelie.

For the bistro side of Flour Pot, keep your eyes peeled for the following, and trust me on how they all hit the spot.

The Liver Parfait Organic is chicken liver, with strawberry jam, nuts, and seeds. The other starter I would give my two thumbs up to is their Smoked Duck Salad. It is home-smoked EDL duck, festooned with fruits in season, greens, and a bignay vinaigrette. Super yummy.

The Lambsagne is a new version of lasagna, but with roast lamb shoulder and the traditional béchamel. Familiar, and yet distinctly different in a good way. If with children, this is one of the safe choices. The River Prawns and Ikura Pasta is river prawns, miso butter, edamame, and ikura, and this was my early favorite. It is reminiscent of the Uni Cream Bucatini of Fatted Calf, but operating on its own terms.

The Baked Seabass is served with heirloom kiniling, fennel, plus whatever vegetables are in season. The Roast Chicken Curry is Biohogs roast chicken, the signature Flour Pot curry sauce, and lychee. I loved the whimsical addition of the lychee, and how the curry makes this such a comfort food option.

Patxi Elizalde is a partner in the venture, with their daughter Bea handling the marketing. So it was endearing to watch the two, as the dad is so proud of his daughter, while she is so happy to be handed this responsibility. One could observe her interacting with both Rhea and JayJay, and there was obvious rapport and warmth as they embark on this food-related adventure.

Flour Pot has been simmering as a brick-and-mortar concept for some years now, with a number of false starts along the way. But as Chef Rhea was happy to say, things often happen at the pace they do for a good reason, and there is much to celebrate now, as Flour Pot officially opened its doors on Friday, Dec. 12. If you are not familiar with Chef Rhea’s divine pastry creations, rush to this bistro-bakery, be ready to break into a satisfied grin, and indulge.