Last week, Ken and I were invited to an intimate dinner with fellow bloggers at The Stock Market Cafe in Bonifacio High Street to introduce us to their new menu.

We were told to come in our 1930s clothes. Ken dressed up all in black, with a buttoned up polo and hat. Hannah of FlairCandy was also there and she wore a Chicago-inspired dress. She looked more like Cleopatra and was really pretty. Here’s the 3 of us right before dinner:

I know, I only wore that printed blouse. I don’t have any skirts or dresses in my wardrobe.

Anyway, as soon as Ken and I saw the interiors of The Stock Market, we felt at home. The dining area has a really cozy feel.

There’s a small kitchen at the dining area.
We saw them prepare our crepes for dessert right there.

We love the simple elegance of the restaurant, especially with the large windows. I can only imagine how it feels to dine in there during lunch. The colors around us were also very relaxing to the eye. Perfect for a first date or some bonding time with loved ones, if you ask me.

A brief background about The Stock Market: It’s owned by Del Monte. But, early this year, they re-opened under the management of The Bistro Group of Restaurants that operates the restaurant chains TGI Friday’s, Italianni’s, Fish & Co., Flapjacks, Krazy Garlik, Pig Out and BillyRock.

Now, along with the new management, there are two other new things about The Stock Market you should be excited about – a new chef and a delightfully fresh menu.

Meet Chef Jonathan “Boom” Jota. He is now the corporate chef of the Bistro kitchens.

With his extensive background in culinary, Chef Boom brought in new concepts to the Bistro kitchens, including The Stock Market. He explains, “I love to create and render these creations in a way that will make the food a feast for both the eyes and the palate.”

But, even though 85% of the menu of The Stock Market are completely new dishes, they still made sure to keep the essence of freshness that has been the restaurant’s trademark ever since. You can only expect them to use fresh ingredients and that all the dishes are made from scratch. Their preference to use organic ingredients ensures that their dishes are good for the health, too.

And, oh, before I go ahead and show you what we had for dinner that night, let me tell you that Chef Boom and the whole Bistro team came out with the new menu of The Stock Market just last month! So, if you’ve been to their restaurant before, I strongly recommend you come by again to taste their new dishes, most especially the ones I’ll be featuring here.

Let me share with you all the dishes that were served to us. But, first, let’s start with our beverages. Ken and I decided to try something new. I chose the Malunggay Citrus (Php 165), which was served in a very tall glass. Hannah commented that it tasted like wheatgrass so she enjoyed it, too. Very refreshing and it did help me cleanse my palate after every dish I tasted that night.

Ken decided to go for the Ampalaya Cooler (Php 165). We were a bit anxious to taste it to find out if we’ll hate it or enjoy. Well, what a surprise. We both loved that the bitterness of the ampalaya was just an aftertaste. Another refreshing drink.

For appetizers, first served was Pier 21 Clam Chowder (Php 250). It’s served on a bread bowl, topped with chives.

I scooped it up to see how hefty the amount of chopped up clams and veggies are in there. You see the generous amounts of ingredients I got in one serving?

We both enjoyed the thickness and the flavors of their clam chowder. I remember having seconds even with the knowledge that there’ll be a ton more food coming.