Backyard Kitchen + Brew in UP Town Center, Quezon City

Backyard Kitchen + Brew in UP Town Center

If you have been reading my blog for some time now, you will notice that I have not much posted about restaurants found in the north (Quezon City area). Now, thankfully I was invited to try a newly opened restaurant in the UP Town Center, and it goes by the name Backyard.

Before we head onto that, I just want to share with you my amazement about UP Town Center. With such a beautifully designed landscape and building structure, I couldn't help myself but be utterly amazed. Plus, I noticed that you can find several food spots all in one place. iHop, Mad Mark's (soon), Ramen Nagi (soon), Casa Verde (from Cebu), Torch and several others. It surely is a food haven!

A great place to chill and dine - UP Town Center, Quezon

Now, shall we head on to the Backyard? C'mon let's check it out!

Backyard - Witty Design and Interior
Upon entering the restaurant, I immediately caught the air of cozy and warm ambiance (no, I'm not referring to the temperature. In fact it happened to be otherwise.). Then, I took a closer glance of the interior, and I was intrigued by the wittiness of the designs such as the bucket ceiling lamps and more.

Interior of the Backyard and the Bucket Ceiling Lamps

Interesting designs in Backyard Restaurant - plate number for the lights

A Little Something about the Food
Before we dive into some of the dishes we can find here in Backyard, let me just share with you what the executive chef mentioned about the food served here. First off, the restaurant envisions to source all its ingredients locally and organically. As of this writing, a significant but not yet huge chunk of the ingredients (mostly the veggies and the coffees) are bought from the local farmers. Second, the restaurant wants its customers to experience uniqueness with a touch of nostalgic element through the dishes served here. Now, since we are at it already, let's talk about the dishes!

Salted Egg Chicken Skin || P205

Crispy chicken skin, salted egg yolk and chili pineapple vinegar

Salted egg chicken skin appetizer in the Backyard Restaurant

Although this may not be advisable for those who have high cholesterol, this appetizer was surely a killer, no pun intended! It really tickled our taste buds with its exciting tasty flavor!

Salted Egg Chicken Skin Pizza || P255 

Salted egg yolk, crispy chicken skin, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, ricotta

Best-selling unique pizza dish of the Backyard Restaurant

This pizza dish (actually it's called Garlic Flat Bread according to the menu) surely is a brilliant creation! It has this subtle saltiness coming from the salted eggs and chicken skin that added magic to the pizza dish. It was indeed a delicious innovation, and a definite must-try!


Sinigang na Batchoy || P195

Egg noodles, pork offal, egg, kamias broth, fish paste

Sinigang na Batchoy for a comforting wave of Filipino specialty

If you are a fan of potently and sharply sour with a mix of sweetness, this dish is definitely for you!

Waffle Breaded Fried Chicken || P305

Waffle breaded fried chicken thighs, maple butter, sauteed kale, sriracha ketchup, whipped bone marrow ciabatta toasts

An interesting innovation of Backyard Kitchen + Brew

This dish will definitely stir your curiosity! It features two interesting offerings. The first one is the bread toasted in whipped bone marrow, which has a strong taste (but definitely malasa). The second one is the fried chicken with maple butter that tasted a bit greasy but definitely overflowing with flavor!

Lobster and Prawn Roll || P325

Buttered brioche bun, lobster and prawn bits, lobster and prawn mayo-butter dressing, cherry tomatoes, fried celery leaves and papaya slaw

Lobster and Prawn Sandwich of the Backyard Restaurant

This dish offered an intriguing seafood goodness with some creaminess coming from the mayo. Unfortunately, this is not exactly my cup of tea (perhaps because I wasn't in the mood for some sandwiches during that time).

Nose to Tail Fettucini (All the Good Stuff) || P275 

Pork cheek, beef brisket, ox tripe, chicken liver, tomato sauce, fettucini

The affordable Nose to Tail Pasta in the Backyard, UP Town Center

This pasta was really great as it featured a mild to balanced flavor of tomatoes and meat! Also, this is considerably inexpensive compare to that of the other restaurants offering the similar dish.

Longganisa & Peppers || P255

Homemade longganisa, tomato sauce, roasted bell pepper, mozzarella, ricotta

Backyard Restaurant's Longganisa & Peppers Garlic Flat Breads

This garlic flat bread had a soft and potentially bland flavor which is good for those who want something smooth sailing.

Ciabatta w/ Whipped Bone Marrow & Pulled Pork || P295 - 2 pieces || P495 - 4 pieces

Ciabatta toast, melted whipped bone marrow, bbq pulled pork and sour cream

The interesting creation of Backyard Kitchen + Brew - Ciabatta with Whipped Bone Marrow and Pulled Pork

With my preferences in food, I found the dish weirdly tasting. It was perhaps due to its heavily complex flavors and strong herby taste that made it a little peculiar on my taste buds. However, for those who are very much into taste exploration and adventure, you may want to check this out!

Ciabatta w/ Local Duck Pate & Duck Flakes || P295 - 2 pieces || P495 - 4 pieces

Ciabatta toast, local duck liver pate, shredded duck adobo, jalapeno

Another creative innovation here in Backyard Kitchen + Brew: Foie Gras on Ciabatta

With a savory and sweet taste, this has a friendlier taste than that of the pulled pork.

Slow Roasted Beef Belly || P325

Roasted beef belly, mushroom gravy, steamed barley with herbs

Slow Roasted Beef Belly on Steamed Barley

This is another dish that is not cup of tea especially with its overly distinct herby flavor.

Backyard Burger || P285

Buttered brioche bun, 100% brisket and chuck patty, cheddar, parmesan crisp, arugula, onions, tomatoes, sriracha ketchup

The Backyard Burger - from the makers of the Burger Project

What I love about this burger is the distinctly good taste of the patty from the chargrilling, and not to mention, juicy. However, the overall burger (with the bun and all) seemed to have undermined the potential of the patty, but this is just my opinion of course.

Sierra Madre Wheat Ale (P180), Backyard Brew Dark and Light (Special Draft Beer), Joe's Brew Fish Rider Pale Ale (P180)

Pizzookie || P385

Baked to order chewy chocolate chip cookie, matecado ice cream, rock salt

The Pizzookie (Cookie Pizza) of Backyard Restaurant

This cookie in a pan was really interestingly and comfortingly sweet despite the overbaking on the sides of the cookie. There was also a hint of saltiness (from the rock salt) which can be seen as something nice or not depending on your preference.

A Not-So-Popular Kid with fellow food bloggers and the chef behind Backyard

Overall,  I enjoyed all the fresh ideas presented and integrated on the dishes. However, I found the experience a little bit overwhelming. Perhaps, I wasn't exactly open when it comes to potently flavored dishes, but I guess this could be overturned by strategically lining up the dishes. The beauty of this is, when you have already mastered this art, you'll definitely enjoy the dishes here in Backyard Kitchen + Brew!

How about you - do you recommend this place?

Backyard Kitchen + Brew
Location: 2/F UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Metro Manila