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After months of speculation and a barrage of teasers, Bondi&Bourke has unveiled its second branch at Forbes Town Center in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
The 106-seat restaurant offers guests a fun and casual vibe with a bigger dining area (two floors), high ceiling, brightly lit interiors perfect for brunch or dinner, and a brand new bar for late-night affairs. Al fresco dining is also an option for smokers or diners who wish to feel Manila’s recent light, cloudy-day breeze.
The secret of Bondi&Bourke’s success lies with its owner, multi-awarded Australian chef Wade Watson, who curates straightforward, comfort-food favorites and prepares them with the best ingredients. He has cooked around the world: he was posted in Canada and Australia, and had served as executive chef of the famed Lan Kwai Fong group in Hong Kong. Previously, he was the executive chef of the Abaca Boutique Resort in Cebu.
Watson credits the atmosphere, service, and hard work of its employees for the restaurant’s success.
“We are focused on good food. It’s basically dishes you want to come home to after a day’s work,” he said. “There is no magic to it, really. It’s just simple food in a relaxed atmosphere, and having a team of dedicated, hardworking staff.”
Apart from a view of the chef and his staff working in the open kitchen, the dishes come with an added bonus: all servings are in good-size portions enough for big groups to share.
Bondi&Bourke boasts of a collection of imported meats and seafood, offering choices of US, Australian, and Creekstone Prime rib-eye steaks, Australian lamb chops, and snapper fillets accompanied by delicious side dishes.
For those who cannot decide on the meat, the best-selling Mussel and Oyster selections are recommended: Spicy Red Thai Curry, Moules Mariniere, Kilpatrick, Mornay, and Fresh-Shucked with mignonette.
When dining at Bondi&Bourke, why not eat a burger the Australian way—“With The Lot”, as it is coined, stacked with a layer of US prime ground beef, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, tomato, and slices of beetroot topped with fried egg.
For dessert, the Sticky Toffee Pudding is a crowd favorite, as well as the Land Down Under’s signature creation, the Lamington (available flavors are chocolate, strawberry and pandan).
Sample the Australian offerings at Bondi&Bourke. For dinner reservations, make sure to book weeks ahead, as its branches in Legaspi Village, Makati City, and Bonifacio Global City are usually packed.
Bondi&Burke in Forbes Town Center is open from Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. For reservations, call (632) 866-5518 or 0998-5820435.