Monday, October 10, 2016

Blackbird: An Intimate Sunday Brunch at the Beautiful Nielson Tower


The Nielson Tower, unknown to many Filipinos who pass by this beautiful white-walled masterpiece, was once a busy air traffic control tower helping planes land safely in the country's very first airport. Today, the heritage building houses one of Metro Manila's best restaurants - Blackbird by renowned Scottish chef and restaurateur Colin Mackay.

When Blackbird first opened its doors in 2014, it was extremely difficult to get a table. You would have to book a table weeks in advance just to get a taste of what all the hype was about. Indeed Blackbird quickly became a huge success with many of its first customers leaving well fed and satisfied, eager to come back and try many everything else Blackbird has to offer.

It's definitely easier to get a table now (reservations are still highly recommended) and the food, I hear, is just as good as when it first opened. Is it worth it? Well, here's what you can expect when dining at Blackbird.




The Nielson Tower has such an alluring glow whenever you pass. The elegant design of the old Nielson field tower was preserved giving the building a vintage look. It remains a pretty sight when walking around Ayala Triangle Gardens - especially at night.


A bit of history, the Nielson Tower is a heritage building that used to be the country's first air traffic control tower. After that, it housed the Filipinas Heritage Library for years before it was finally converted into fine-dining restaurant. 



The restaurant's interiors are also elegantly designed with tall windows and stylish furniture. It has a very romantic setting so it's a great spot to bring a date you really want to impress. Doesn't matter whether it's for dinner or brunch, they'll love it either way.


The Prawn Scotch Eggs, Betel Leaves and Coconut Chili Sambal (Php 280) is my favorite appetizer thus far. The perfectly cooked eggs is balanced beautifully with a generous serving of delicious Coconut Chili Sambal at the bottom that gives a medley of sweet and savory in each bite. It may be a bit tiny but it's packed full of wonderful flavors! 


The Mushroom and Goats Cheese Pizza (Php 480) is a nicely baked pizza that's topped with delicious mushrooms, arugula, and loads of goats cheese with a nice truffle finish. As soon as the pizza hit the table we began salivating as were greeted with the lovely scent of truffle. The flavors blended really well and I couldn't get enough of this pizza. Definitely highly recommend this if you're looking for quality pizza and you're in a bit of a budget. 


The Blackbird Burger (Php 680) consists of a beautifully cooked burger with a delicate truffle flavor. It was definitely tasty but I don't think it stands out when compared with the other dishes we had. If you're looking for a good truffle burger then grab a bite of the Blackbird Burger - it's one of their bestsellers.


The Granola Lemon Curd (Php 290) was very zesty that's sweet and sour on the palate. It was a bit too sour in my opinion, but it makes for a nice sweet finish to brunch. I really loved the crunch that came with the generous serving nuts. 


Blackbird's Cappuccino (Php 120) was nicely made, but I wouldn't call it specialty coffee. The caffeine was a bit watered down for a specialty coffee drinker such as myself. If they start brewing coffee the same way Yardstick or Toby's Estates does coffee, then I would be very impressed. 


The Green Garden (Php 260) was very refreshing. It's a juice that's made of freshly juiced apple, celery, kale, cucumber, pear and mint. The Green Garden is a beautiful balance of refreshing flavors and a nice way to detox after a heavy meal. Definitely highly recommended!  


Food Quality: 5.0

Service Quality: 5.0

Ambiance: 5.0

Overall Rating: 5.0

Blackbird secured its place as one of my most pleasant brunch dates. The rays of sunshine flowing through Blackbird's tall, glass windows creates a picture-perfect, vintage scene that's very beautiful. Pair the alluring interiors with Blackbird's exquisite dishes, carefully crafted by world-class chefs, and you'd certainly enjoy one perfect morning. 


One visit and I'm proudly a Blackbird fan - itching to be back to enjoy what I'm hoping to be an amazing candlelit dinner. I'll let you know as soon as I do. The bar set is pretty high!

1 comment:

  1. I always pass this place but never actually came in. Must try it next time. Mukhang masarap!

    ReplyDelete