For those swift enough or “Swiftie” enough, I guess if you have your “Eyes Open” and have that certain “Style”, you’d see that the backronym of “style” is in the title. But that would be “STYLE O”… Exactly! “Eats O” style of expressing… It’s me, “O”, singing my way into a tailored review for this bistro located at Cornelia Street, not the one in New York but here in Baguio City along Navy Base extension. “A” is doing a different review over at ‘It’s OA’. The working “Girl At Home” in ‘A’ is the “Mastermind” behind this food trip at Cornelia Street Bistro House even though her outward “Fearless” nature seems to be afraid to admit that she’s a “Swiftie”. I guess it “Hits Different” if one avid ‘The Kardasians’ viewer is likewise into Taylor Swifts’ songs.
Well anyway, in our “Getaway Car”, we headed to Cornelia Street. Much like an avenue to express how one is a solid Swiftie, “Cornelia Street” is a Taylor Swift song from the “Lover” album as much as the bistro’s concept basically sings “Taylor Swift” all over intended for “lovers” of themed restaurants/cafés. Cornelia Street is located at (what do you know) Cornelia Street. The owner seemed to have conceptualized it through a “Prophecy” to build a Swifties’ “Holy Ground” for them to have “A Place in this World” locally. That was clever.
Alright “Dear Reader” or readers, “Long Story Short”, we’ll go on with the food. Of course, staying on course along this whole serving of “Wonderland”, it’s not just about the thematic wonderment but the main course, the food. I “Mean” this is kind of different though as the main reason was to check out the place, together with family for some “State of Grace” bonding moment, and not necessarily the food as we weren’t hungry, craving or anything like that. As such, taste or preference is dependent on mood. Thus, the “Question” is ‘How was it?” Ok so let’s “Begin Again”. I’ll “Speak Now.”
You know how the fatty morsel in barbecue is at the end of a skewer as if to validate how we’re saving the best for last, this is different as we fork over first the ‘Pork Belly in Apple Sauce’ in our bellies. Yup, “So It Goes…” in there. It isn’t barbecue and it’s almost all fatty in its groveling glory. Its juicy tenderness melts in your mouth. Little would your health-consciousness complain about or acknowledge the calories and its braised pork (pata tim-like) flavor, you’d be tempted to order extra rice. Oh you “Guilty as Sin” ‘Pork Belly’ you, “I Knew You Were Trouble” but irresistibly good.
No strings attached. Or what are those string-like “ball-of-thread” toppings? The Beef Stroganoff is all that and string chips, kropek chip toppings that is. Or it tasted just like fish crackers, not really sure. The stroganoff itself though, I thought, was their version leaning slightly on the acerbic element of the mixed ingredients; seemingly overpowering the beef flavor component. It was good but “Hold On”, you tend to get lost as to what dish it tastes like as it’s a “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” been sort of this or that stroganoff-wise.
Speaking of strings and chips, a serving of nachos is a “Timeless” starter as it’s like a pile of plectrums, a guitar pick that you each pick for an intro of flavorful music to strum your appetite. Their Nachos King was indeed “sizable, your majesty”. Or highness as we high five on that considering the five of us were able to partake harmoniously. But then, you know how it is with nachos, the top part is like an “Umbrella”, the bottom “picks” don’t get drenched with the toppings. It somehow gets picked up with “Teardrops on My Guitar” instead. “I Wish You Would” provide a dip of cheese sauce perhaps for the dry picks “Fresh Out of the Slammer”.
After the “king” comes their Prince Fries. Cornelia Street Bistro House as it suggests is a bistro, the French in French fries could be some signature fries… Not the “King of My Heart”, probably as not to overload on carbs but it’s still fries, “Forever and Always” a comfort food as it is. I guess “Today Was a Fairytale” for the heir to the throne; in due time, your highness.
Another “pizza’f” (piece of) comforting grub for this next treat. Given pizza’s “Reputation” to be a “finger food”, their Topload Pizza was topped with some heavy stuff including the tomato sauce I suppose. It somehow softened the dough so much that it didn’t hold the heaviness altogether. It was “Delicate” to handle, we had to fork it up but it was good nevertheless.
‘A’ ordered the Teriyaki Wings. It can hold its own teriyaki flavor but lacks tenderness and moisture. “Don’t Blame Me” but cooking chicken could be tricky. If it’s undercooked, a sight of that “Bad Blood” will ruin it. But then, you’re not “Out of the Woods” just yet if it’s overcooked. Cornelia Street’s version though is a little safer. It was aimed at a crisp texture we supposed. However, the teriyaki coating seemed to have counterpoised that, yielding a bit of succulence.
Then I saw, they have a local offering for a fusion of a Cordilleran-Italian treat, their Kinuday Aglio Olio. “The Moment I Knew”, “I’d Lie” if I say it didn’t stir my interest. It’s what I ordered. “Mine”. Instead of the usual pasta though, they serve gnocchi (potato pasta). Suffused with a generous amount of ingredients, it was likewise overwhelmingly infused in ‘olio’. Surprisingly, you can “Tolerate It” with its subtle garlic flavor. And of course, be a “Cowboy Like Me”, with the smoked meat savor and aroma, you simply “kinu’ die” without trying it.
Cornelia Street Bistro House is “Nothing New” actually. Like Taylor Swift’s longevity with several record breaking hits while still young, Cornelia Street has been harmoniously “Taylor’d” with its bistro presence for a while now. “I Know Places” of the same nature that are “Down Bad” early on. However, Cornelia Street has that staying power like that of Taylor Swift’s versatility and her range of music genres which we hope could keep up in creating a “Love Story” not just for Swifties but as a bistro in general. Probably as they innovate, they could rename their menu with “The Manuscript” or “The MENUscript” to play a role in creating “The Story of Us” or “The Best Day” among patrons. As a matter of fact, we were telling our teenage son, “How You Get the Girl” when he’s dating a Swiftie (or not), bring her to Cornelia Street and show her you’re not a “Hoax”. Maybe “So High School” but look at her in the eye and “Mean” what you say, she’ll be “Enchanted”. Let her order what she wants, order “Happiness”. That’s the “Style”.
We don’t know things “All Too Well” but “Long Live” Swifties! Long live “This Love” at Cornelia Street in Baguio! Long live Cornelia Street Bistro House! For “Evermore”!
