The concept of making your own pizza isn’t really new in the Philippine food scene. Last year, the restaurant Project Pie made a huge splash because of their “customizable” pizza — for a fixed price, customers can choose the toppings they want on their pizza, giving them pride and satisfaction as they say “I made that!”
The thing is, though, they didn’t really “make” it. Sure, they picked the toppings themselves, but it was the Project Pie staff that actually made it for them. When I got to try it, I found the idea to be unique and interesting, but I thought that it would have been more fun if we got to at least throw in the toppings ourselves instead of having someone do it for us.
A few weeks ago, I attended a blogger event that showed us what “create-your-own-pizza” should really be like. I, along with 5 other bloggers headed to Fratini’sRestaurant, an Italian restaurant that has 6 branches in Brunei and 2 branches in Malaysia.
The manager of Fratini’s invited us over so we can experience their food. Now, when they said they wanted us to “experience their food,” I had no idea that they wanted us to have the full experience!
When F&B Manager Jojo Hernandez joined us at our table, one of the first questions he asked us was, “Okay lang ba sa inyo na mag dumi?” I was taken aback! One of the meanings of “mag dumi” means to, uh, “drop some friends in the ‘pool'” or “do a number two,” if you know what I mean. So I replied, “But we haven’t even started eating yet!” And then he clarified that what he meant was if it was okay with us to get a little dirty. Oh. Right. I completely forgot about THAT other definition of “mag dumi.” He explained that he had a surprise for us later, which would require us to “make a mess.”
But first… appetizers!
Pane All’Aglio
(Basket of garlic bread)
We started our meal right with this soft and buttery garlic bread dipped in a plate of mixed balsamic vinegar and olive oil. For more flavor, we topped it with parmesan cheese. This set is complimentary, so you can always ask for a refill. I made sure I ate no more than two because I didn’t want to get too full right away, but to be honest, I could have eaten more!
Antipasto
(Php 475)
6 Kinds of Appetizer: Crispy Prawns, Tomato Bruschetta, Stuffed Mushrooms, Mussels Gratin, Cheese and Zucchini Salad, and Caesar Salad
Can’t decide which appetizer to order? Well, here’s sneak peek of some of the appetizers that you can choose from at Fratini’s. The crispy prawns were indeed crispy, and when drizzled with lemon juice, they taste even better. The tomato bruschetta has a nice, tangy, and garlicky taste. The stuffed mushrooms were a delight to eat and the spinach tasted fresh. Their Caesar Salad was crunchy and cheesy. It’s low in fat, too, because they replaced the bacon with chicken. (Note: They have a “strictly no pork” menu because they have a lot of guests from Brunei and Malaysia who don’t eat pork.) The Cheese and Zucchini Salad looks simple at first (I mean, it’s just slices of tomato topped with veggies and cheese!) but it’s actually pretty good and refreshing, and it makes for a yummy and healthy snack. I didn’t bother trying the Mussels Gratin, as I am simply not a fan of mussels.
Pasta Trio
(Php 755)
Spaghetti Alla Pugliese, Fettucine Carbonara, and Linguine al Frutti di Mare
Look at the photo of the pasta one more time and tell me what you see. Do you notice anything? No? Don’t feel bad, because none of us got it right away, either! Okay, I’ll give you the answer now: the pasta looks like the Italian flag! Well… it looks like a reversed Italian flag because I took a photo of it from the opposite side, but you get the picture!
If you can’t decide whether you want a tomato-based, cream-based, or oil-based pasta, then you should try them all and order the Pasta Trio. The Spaghetti Alla Pugliese is tossed in extra virgin olive oil, garlic, chili, julienne, and broccoli tips. The Fettucine Carbonara is cooked in creamy sauce, parmesan cheese, egg yolk, and beef rashes or chicken breast. Both were okay, but require more flavor. They could still be improved, in my opinion. Everyone’s favorite was the Linguini Al Frutti di Mare, which is a special flat pasta served with assorted mixed seafood, garlic, chili, fresh herbs, and tomato sauce or fish bouillon. Out of all the three pastas, it was the one that had the most “oomph.” It had a touch of spice, rich tomato sauce, and a generous serving of delicious shrimp, clams, mussels, and squid. Yum! PHP 755 may be too much for a pasta, but then again, you”re paying for three kinds of pasta, and it can be shared by two people!
Great pizza starts with something as simple as this! Each of us was given a ball of pizza dough and a rolling pin, and we had to flatten the dough with all our might. Push!
Fellow bloggers Alyssa and Eyah being pizza chefs for a day.
Here’s a little video of us making our own pizza. (Don’t mind the waiters’ side comments. Haha!)
Here is my finished product! Yahoo!
Even with just a few ingredients — mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and fresh basil leaves — my pizza tasted yummy!
Presenting… my very own pizza! I’m like a proud mother carrying her baby. Well, it kind of is my baby. I made it! I gave birth to this pizza! (I meant that figuratively, of course.)
While adults are very much welcome to try their hand at pizza-making, the “Make Your Own Pizza” activity is actually meant for children. In fact, kids will even get to wear chef’s hats while they create their pizza! (We didn’t get to wear them because the hats were too small for our big heads). For only PHP 225, kids can whip up their own pizza with a choice of any 3 toppings. If this activity got all of us adults excited, imagine how fun it would be for the little bambinos and bambinas? Not only is it something they will enjoy, but it is also educational, and it will encourage them to be creative. It might even spark in them an interest to become junior master chefs! Don’t worry, it’s very safe because the staff of Fratini’s will be there to guide them.
Pizza Suprema
(Regular or 12″ – PHP 495)
(Large or 18″ – PHP 815)
Here’s another kind of pizza that was served to us. Half of the pizza is made with cream sauce, mozzarella cheese, tuna, prawn tails, onion, chili, and capsicum, while the other half has tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, chicken breast, onion, capsicum, and pineapple. The only thing missing here, I think, would be the mushrooms! Mushrooms are essential! Other than that, the pizza was nice. The fact that it was made and served by the friendly waiters of Fratini’s made it even more special.
Bloggers turned pizza chefs! Now we can say that we don’t only eat food and write about food — we also make the food that we eat and write about!
They have lots of pizza flavors, including these ones for Php 555. One of these days, I’m going to try these.
After pigging out on pizza, meat was served. All that dough-kneading made us hungry!
Mixed Grilled Meat (Php 1,455)
A combination of lamb, tenderloin, and chicken breast in black pepper sauce served with mashed potato and sautéed market vegetables.
Meat lovers, this one is for you! You’ve got lamb, tenderloin, and chicken breast all in one plate! I honestly wouldn’t pay PHP 1,455 for three slabs of meat, though (maybe unless it’s wagyu or it’s made of edible Swarovski crystals). This dish seems a little pricey for me. I feel like if I was a paying customer, I would have more value for money if I ordered their pizza instead. The Mixed Grilled Meat is all right, though.
Classico Del Pudding Di Choco
(Php 175)
Fratini’s classic dessert of fresh home-made chocolate pudding
Time for some dolci! The first dessert served to us was the Classico Del Pudding Di Choco (or, in more non-nosebleed terms, “Chocolate Pudding“). It didn’t really catch my eye at first. It just looked like a fluffy chocolate cupcake to me. But then I (literally) got to the core of it…
…and I was reminded that looks can be deceiving! Inside the bread was a sweet and enticing chocolate sauce, which was still warm when scooped out. Delicious!
Tiramisu Tradizionale
(PHP 205)
Traditional Italian cheesecake layered with ladyfingers soaked in espresso coffee topped with creamy mascarpone cheese and cocoa powder
Have a little slice of Italy by having a slice of Fratini’s fluffy frozen Tiramisu Traditionale! This coffee-flavored dessert was the perfect way to end our carbo-loaded meal. Its sweetness is not the overpowering kind, and it’s light as air so you don’t feel too guilty eating it.
Fratini’s a variety of dishes such as seafood and meats, on top of their usual Italian fare. Here are some more of what they offer:
They also have different kinds of wine. You can buy one glass of wine for PHP 170 and get another glass for free!
Not a wine lover? Try their signature cocktails. They also have a ‘Buy 1, Take 1’ promo for these fun drinks! For only PHP 180, you get one glass of any of their cocktail drinks and give another one to your friend, date, or… yourself!
And speaking of promos, Fratini’s is pretty generous with that! They have a lot of great deals, whether it’s for lunch or dinner, pizza or pasta, and more! It’s almost like you have no excuse to NOT eat there now because their discounts are hard to resist!
Fratini’s also does catering and parties. They can open the area on their second floor, which can accommodate 50 persons. On peak seasons, make sure to reserve early because they usually get a lot of bookings during these times. In fact, during the month of December, they have parties almost every day!
The interiors of Fratini’s
Grazie mille, Fratini’s, for the eats and the experience! We all had a wonderful time and we felt so special that day, thanks to the courteous and accommodating staff, especially Mr. Jojo and Ms. Rima!
Fratini’s Restaurant Address: Unit 101A-102B SM Jazz Residences, Jupiter St., cor. N. Garcia, Makati City Phone Number: 891-5555 or 893-5555 E-mail: fratinis.restaurant@gmail.com Website: http://www.fratinis-restaurant.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fratinis.restaurant Instagram: @fratinis
Wow it is really good idea to make your own Pizza at your favorite restaurant. You can choose your own favorite toppings as well as fresh ingredients! Its nice for Pizza lovers who love to cook their own fresh Pizzas! If you ever visit Frankfort, IL then don’t forget to visit Palermo’s of 63rd Pizza Restaurant, we serve some finest pizzas!
prawns, squid, fish and steak = surf and turf
stacy liong
bliss_stacy888@yahoo.com
Sounds awesome! 🙂
Wow it is really good idea to make your own Pizza at your favorite restaurant. You can choose your own favorite toppings as well as fresh ingredients! Its nice for Pizza lovers who love to cook their own fresh Pizzas! If you ever visit Frankfort, IL then don’t forget to visit Palermo’s of 63rd Pizza Restaurant, we serve some finest pizzas!