A piece of France in Makati

Tucked away in a side street, in an area known for Manila's version of a flea market in Bangkal is Le Bistro D' Agathe. It's a quaint French bistro and art gallery by chef and owner, Patrice.

Wall art outside the bistro.

We accidentally found this bistro on a flea market excursion in Bangkal. We were going to have lunch at Fat Michael's, but found out that it has closed and Le Bistro D' Agathe has taken over it's location. The paintings on the wall caught my attention and as the sign says, it's also an art gallery. Interesting. We told ourselves we'll come back some other time since it was closed that late afternoon.

On the early evening we returned, the bistro is open and we're the first customers for the night. Inside, the place is dimly lit and cozy. The interiors are simple, probably for patrons to give more attention to the artworks on the wall. The place is small. With only a few tables and chairs, it's a perfect venue for a romantic date.


We ordered their set menu, which includes an appetizer and a dessert from a selection with your main course. The price ranges from Php580 to Php890, depending on the main course you order. My date and I picked different ones so we can have a taste of more items.

To start our meal, we were given complimentary bread and butter by our server. For our appetizer, we picked the Cream Soup of the Day and Terrine. It's the first time I've tried Terrine (French meatloaf), it was cold and at first, tasted kind of raw. The taste grew more pleasant on our taste buds eventually. It's good with the bread, tasted somewhat like liver spread.

Chicken Mustard Cream with Potatoes

Dinner by candle light,
perfect for a romantic date.

We had the chicken mustard cream and pork tenderloin in tarragon sauce for our main course, both of which are Php580 for the set (with appetizer and dessert). You can choose either rice or potatoes for your side dish. The meat was tender and well-cooked in both dishes. The mustard and tarragon were not overpowering, although I thought the dishes needed a little more salt. A few minutes after our main course was served, Chef Patrice came over to ask how we find everything so far. He said he usually holds back on the salt, so the diners can add their own to suit their taste.

Pork Tenderloin with Tarragon Sauce and side dish of Rice

In between meals, you can look at the artworks on the wall and take pictures. Chef Patrice also came over our table to chat. We learned he has been living in the Philippines for years and has lived in Puerto Galera before moving to Manila. He asked if we're familiar with Puerto Galera bay and we said yes, we're familiar with Puerto Galera. With his French accent, he said, "No, no, this is not the part of Puerto Galera most people in Manila go to. Puerto Galera bay. Look it up online. It's one of the most beautiful bays in the world." Sure enough, when you look up Puerto Galera bay, it's one of the top 10 most beautiful bays in the world. Amazing what we can learn from foreigners who live in our country.

Creme Caramel and Chocolate Mouse

As my date and I talk about looking up Puerto Galera bay and maybe going there sometime, our dessert arrived. We tried the Creme Caramel and Chocolate Mouse, as recommended by our servers that day. Creme Caramel is like the traditional leche flan in the Philippines. Chef Patrice's flan is creamy, while the thin layer of caramelized sugar provides a good contrast. The mouse would be the perfect choice for chocolate lovers. These two desserts are the perfect ending to our meal.


Le Bistro D' Agathe
Address: 1154-A Rodriguez Avenue, Bangkal, Makati City
Mobile: 0949-5192148
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Le-Bistro-DAgathe/177733005610467