Chi's Brick Oven's wood-fired goodness

Larry and I continued our food trip to CHI's BRICK OVEN KITCHEN for lunch today. Literally a hop, skip and jump away from my house, it has become our family's default for a good meal out.

Born out of his love for pizza, Chi Tirona conceptualized a compact menu of reliable comfort food as well as unique variations of classics not confined to Italian-type fare. Amongst the pasta al forno, large calzones and crispy 10 inch thin-crust pizzas are various other home-cooked dishes that maximize use of the 300-pc brick oven as the focal point of this restaurant. On most every visit, we order the Brick Oven Tilapia Fillet with capers in a lemon-butter sauce (so good that Larry couldn't resist rice) and the Puchon, pugon-baked lechon kawali that is a house specialty. Our plan of grabbing some ice cream at the corner Korean store went flying out the window after a polite tussle for slices of Nutella and chocolate chip-dotted Nuttylicious, my favorite version of Chi’s dessert pizzas.

The most charming feature of Chi’s Brick Oven, however, is Chi himself. Larry and I understand and appreciate a hands-on entrepreneur. Bravo!

(I suggest calling ahead for reservations. 632-8207210, 0917-8971117, 0917-9260555. 209 Aguirre Ave., B.F. Homes, Paranaque. Open Tuesdays thru Fridays: 11:30 am to 2:00 pm 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Saturdays and Sundays: 11:30 am to 10:30 pm. Closed on Mondays. brickovenkitchen.multiply.com)