Same space, same name, same cuisine — but elevated to a new level. A new group of owners and a new chef in the kitchen are set to make you fall in love once more with Il Ponticello (or Ponti, for old times' sake).
You will notice there is a distinct difference in the look and feel of this new Ponti, after climbing the iconic stairs of the building. It does not have any remnants of its years past, and now, is more lush, elegant, and loungey for long hours of wining and dining. Request for their menu and you will see that they still serve Italian food, yes, but the similarity ends there. They've changed it up, with Chef Franco 'Panky' Lopez now at the helm of Il Ponticello, focusing on cucina Italiana, and creatively so. "I'd like to think that the food we're having now is something that hails from the south [of Italy]," the chef shares about the methods and techniques used for the food served, as his mentors and culinary influences are mostly from the south. What Il Ponticello is now offering to diners is flavors of different Italian regions in a modernized presentation, but nothing too fancy nor intimidating.
Excited to experience the delicious rebirth of Il Ponticello but don't know where to start? You can start your culinary adventure by ordering from among these 12 exceptional dishes.
1. Portobello Alla Griglia (P490)
You can start your feast with this light mushroom antipasti drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Earthy and rustic, the grilled portobello mushrooms are joined by creamy blobs of mozzarella di bufala and smoked ricotta. Adding juicy bursts of fresh tartness are poached cherry tomatoes.
2. Mozzarella in Carozza (P220)
A personal favorite, these bite sized pieces drizzled with balsamic reduction di gragnano taste like little bites of breakfast. Five signature handmade-mozzarella bites are pan-fried in butter, and their flavors and texture will remind you of French toast–there's an initial crunch that gives way to a chewy, buttery inside. They are quite addicting to eat that you might be tempted to have an order (or two) for yourself and just have it as a main.
3. Lasagna Carbonara (P420)
Of course, when eating an Italian feast, pastas are unavoidable, and also recommended. Perhaps the name of this dish managed to pique your interest, raise an eyebrow or two, while the photos above make your mouth water. It should, because this is a masterpiece of a mashup, intertwining two Italian favorites in one. This photogenic, luscious dish gleams bright in the noontime, the topping of egg yolk flecked with grana padano beckoning you to slice it with your knife to reveal its runny insides that will eventually slither around the homemade lasagna. Rather than being tomatoey, the layers of pasta are caressed with mozzarella cream. To add some saltiness, strips of pancetta tesa presents its meaty flavors. A must-try, if you only have space for one savory dish at the new Ponti.
4. Crema di Tartufo (P450)
If wicked and creative hybrid dishes do not float your boat, then stick to a classic pasta dish like this one. The duo of truffle and mushrooms never fails to please palates, and Il Ponticello marries these two ingredients in this pappardelle creation. The flat, wide, and soft pasta is smothered in a creamy mix of truffle paste and truffle oil, and porcini mushrooms.
5. Rotolo {Originale} (P480)
Here's a new take on the rolled pizza: instead of serving it as a whole pizza sliced into strips for your DIY rolling and stuffing pleasure, Il Ponticello's signature pizza is baked already as rolls. Stuffed with mortadella, ricotta cheese, tomato cream sauce, and topped with pesto, this Ponti specialty reminds me of another Italian savory dish–the calzone.
6. Pizza Tartufo (P520)
The old Ponti had a massive pizza following, and the rebirth of Ponticello as Makati's new Italian kitchen revamps their menu with a new line of pizzas. None of the old recipes and pizza flavors were retained, but a classic mix of tartufo and mushrooms should please, just as it does when served in pasta form. Their tartufo pizza comes with fresh mushrooms, mushroom cream sauce, mozzarella cheese, and truffle oil.
7. Seabass in Bottiglia (P1,400)
The refreshing flavors of the sea are served in a jar with this seafood dish. Inside a Mason jar is pan roasted Chilean seabass, mussels, clams, and Napoletana piccante sausage swimming in prawn broth. It was a delight to fish out the food with my fork, popping it in my mouth then finishing with a bite of the bread. The cherry tomatoes drizzled with balsamic adds even more texture in every mouthful.
8. Signature Porcheta Alla Romana (P390 solo, P1,200 whole roast)
An Italian feast will always leave a lasting impression with porchetta as the centerpiece. Il Ponticello makes fresh, limited roasts every day, so when it is available, do give it a try. Their slow-roasted pork belly is seasoned with fennel and garlic. A whole roast craving is 1 kilogram, served with pommery mustard sauce. Porchetta, just like our lechon, is best consumed when shared. However, should the lone porchetta lover find himself hankering for this dish amidst a group of vegetarians, take comfort that Ponti serves this porky dish in a solo portion: you get 2 thick slices of porchetta carving, a bed of pilaf rice, and pommery mustard sauce.
9. Tiramisu (P290)
Il Ponticello claims to stick to classic Italian when it comes to their Tiramisu. Theirs is a beautifully plated fluffy slice comprised of of savoiardi (ladyfingers), zabalgione filling, amaretto, ristretto (shorter shot of espresso), and a dusting of cocoa powder. We enjoyed our slice of tiramisu paired with a homemade Nutella shooter that the folks of Ponti let us try.
10. Caramello di Semolina (P290)
"Now this is the kind of dessert I like," exclaims my friend, as he gets another big forkful of the bread pudding. In the restaurant, the humble white bread is elevated into a fancy dessert, with semolina, cream, butter, and eggs. The drizzle of caramel and ice cream topping makes this a very rich, dual-temperature dessert, perfect for the sweet-tooth craving for the meeting of warm and cold sweetness in their palate.
11. Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta with Salted Caramel (new dish, off the menu)
A little salt brings out flavors in everything, even desserts, as proven by the trendy (but now here to stay) flavor: salted caramel. Ponti puts a spin into a traditional panna cotta by adding caramel cream and sea salt into their 72% dark chocolate panna cotta, with a body so delicate that the pudding shimmies long after the plate was set on our table. It's melt in your mouth, bitter meets sweet meets salty, and a playful texture is achieved with scattered chocolate soil.
12. Budino Al Cioccolato (P390)
Oh, I have very strong feelings about this dessert, and they are nothing but good ones. Well, perhaps a little sadness in there, since I doubt I can have this incredible chocolate lava pudding every day — that would not be quite healthy for my sugar intake, and I'd have to be in Ponti every single day (such effort for a dessert). But missing this pot of warm chocolate lava will do one well, for the reunion will have more meaning. Breaking open the surface of the choco lava cake reveals its gooey glory, extra luscious with amarena cherries and caramel sauce. Pour in the vanilla cream, and stir everything with your spoon before getting a big goop of it to devour. One spoonful was enough to make me moan and lean back into my chair, eyes closed, to savor each and every morsel in my mouth before letting it slide down my throat.
If you want to finish your meal strong and sweet, get this sexy chocolate number. It is quite destructive, but a sweet destruction awaits–it will absolutely ruin your diet, so prepare for this explosive treat.
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Il Ponticello is located at the second level of Antel Building, Valero Access road (turn right at the access from Valero Street where 7-11 is located), Makati. Like the new Ponti on Facebook (/ilponticellomakati), follow on Instagram and Twitter (@pontimnl).
