Something new and flavorful in Lanang

From Golden Brown to Patok sa Manok to Rekado, the Benedicto family has been at the forefront in developing quality restaurants that many Dabawenyos have grown to love.

This month, they have opened a new restaurant that Dabawenyos, especially those living in the North of Davao, will truly enjoy.

Chef Pauline Benedicto-Malilin said Mr. & Mrs. B (MMB) food takes inspiration from the different culinary trips across the globe of her parents or the family. She said when they return to the Philippines, her mother would try to recreate the dishes they had on their trip and add their tweaks to it.

From the numerous trips and food eaten, a menu has been developed by the Benedicto family and Chef Pauline, in collaboration with Chef Mav Javier, that will make your taste buds and tummies happy.

*Grilled Tuna Belly with sesame aioli and eggplant-parmesan puree*

Recently, we had the opportunity to try some of the dishes that will be served by the restaurant. This includes MMB’s Tuna Carpaccio, Bone Marrow Butter with slices of ciabatta crostini, Cream of Mushroom, Cheese and Onion Soup, and MMB Salad for the starters. Then we were served the Shrimp Puttanesca, MMB Grilled Pork Chop, Grilled Tuna Belly, Roasted Half Herb-Chicken, and Sous Vide Duck for the mains. For the side dishes, we were served Grilled Corn and MMB Special Rice.

Tuna Carpaccio – thinly sliced fresh tuna with the dressing of olive oil, lemon, garlic, basil-capers dressing, sweet pickles, and arugula. This was the star of the night for many. I was not able to try it because it was already gone before I could try it. LOL

With expectations high coming off from Valentine’s preview we had at Rekado, the meal we had at Mr. & Mrs. B did not disappoint. Overall, it was a pleasant meal. But I would like to share top favorites — Cheese and Onion Soup, MMB Salad, Shrimp Puttanesca, MMB Grilled Pork Chop, and Roasted Half Herb-Chicken.

The Cheese and Onion Soup was rich, salty, and sweet. The bread with melted cheese on top also went well with the soup. I just love dipping that bread into the soup.

MMB Salad was a surprise. We would usually associate salad to a refreshing cold dish to start the mal. However, this was different. The greens and tomatoes have been grilled to give the salad a smokey flavor. It was generously topped with parmesan. The surprise in the dish was from the smoked fish aioli.

What I like about the Shrimp Puttanesca is that it used that good ‘ole traditional tomato-based Italian sauce.

The MMB Grilled Pork Chop was one meaty dish. It is a 400 grams slab of pork that has been braised in black garlic oil and served with onion gravy. I just love how thick the pork chop was. It went perfectly well with the MMB Special Rice.

Each bite of the Roasted Half Herb-Chicken was bursting with flavors. Adding another set of layers of flavor is its garlic-wine cream sauce.

I also loved the Grilled Corn and MMB Special Rice. I just could not get enough of their special rice. I normally avoid the rice during food tastings like this but after a spoonful of it, I could not help myself for having more. The rice is prepared with turmeric, dried safflower, kaffir lime, lemongrass, garlic, and shallots.aving

Chef Pauline said their Grilled Corn takes inspiration from Bali’s grilled corn cobs. The soulful bowl of grilled corn is drizzled with a savory sauce and sprinkled with coriander and kesong puti. I could eat a bowl of this regularly.

*Sous Vide Duck – juicy slices of duck breast served with thin slices of orange and pear wedges.*

Mr. & Mrs. is a great addition to the growing number of restaurants in the Lanang area. Their food does not focus on one kind of cuisine. Their food is a combination of different cuisines and techniques with their added twist to it. Diners here will surely enjoy the food that takes them to a gastronomic adventure.