You can find some true brunch gems in Manila right now but this latest one that silently cocoons itself on a quiet side of Rockwell is slowly blossoming into a hideaway for anyone keen on tasty fare with just the right twist.
If you’re one of those who have found this rosier take on a brunch place that could also pass for a co-working space, then you know exactly what we’re talking about.
Brunch Bureau in Proscenium is a bright spot in Manila’s brunch scene with bangers that rightfully straddle the spectrum of breakfast and lunch. Though the tweaks are minimal at best, the flavors are exuberant, potent, and seductive.
The brainchild of husband and wife Dave and Loraine Consunji, a self-admitted brunch-loving couple who was also behind a popular international coffee franchise, Brunch Bureau is an attempt at taking their fascination with and love for brunch to a more personal level.
Brunch Bureau in Proscenium is a bright spot in Manila’s brunch scene with bangers that rightfully straddle the spectrum of breakfast and lunch. Though the tweaks are minimal at best, the flavors are exuberant, potent, and seductive.
After all, the restaurant was named after the 2011 American science fiction film “The Adjustment Bureau” during the couple’s first date. You can’t get any more personal than that.
Or could you?
“Brunch for them was more than just a meal with drinks,” says restaurant consultant Cyrus Cruz who worked with the Brunch Bureau team. “It was a way for them to connect with colleagues, friends, and family.” Judging by that ethos and embracing the fact that we live in an era of individuality, it’s not hard to see why their personal approach has naturally lent itself to success.
The Consunjis however had a couple of absolute requirements in the making of the Brunch Bureau. First off, the food needed to have flavors that are familial and familiar, creative and interesting enough that won’t elicit a “Gosh, I can make this at home” response.
Secondly, the beverage menu should be equally billed as a crowd-pleaser. The foremost example is its progression from coffee to cocktails. “That’s why Brunch Bureau is partnered with Seven Seeds of Melbourne where a strong brunch culture is also evident,” says Cruz.
And lastly, you can’t argue with investing in a bright, airy, and accessible space that’s conducive for power meetings and leisurely brunch sessions to get the corporate circles chattering.
It’s all-day best at Brunch Bureau
There are plenty of appealing draws on the menu.
Where starters are concerned, the chunky beef tenderloin salpicao on sourdough toast and a serving of bite-sized nori rice crisps with edamame hummus and sausage can easily gain the approval of various palates. Both deliciously propel the taste story Brunch Bureau has written for customers.
Many will be thrilled to know that quintessential all-day brunch items make themselves known as you navigate the fairly extensive menu. But they feel brand new with some delicious additions.
The grilled cheese (made with mozzarella, cheddar, Emmental, cream, and Parmesan) is distinct in its decadence and so is the tomato “cappuccino” dipping sauce since where you dunk the bread in, while the Brunch Bureau Benedict is surprising and sizzling, thanks to major key changes the team did.
“Based on its modest appearance, you’d think you already know what to expect, but when you take a bite, the savory, sweet, and other disguising flavors harmoniously blend together,” says Cruz.
Those “other disguising flavors” are actually fried tocino, dalandan hollandaise, and toasted homemade banana bread—framing this energetic brunch innovation into an edible conversation piece.
There’s also a sultry aligue pasta on the menu submerging buckwheat and prawns into a heady chili garlic and coconut cream sauce that delivers a punch without feeling like an alcoholic beatdown.
Elsewhere on the menu are modern affairs—classic soups and salads, acai and falafel bowls, mains that range from beef tapa to salmon with miso emulsion, and a nutty French toast made with butter-filled Japanese milk bread. All fun dishes that punctuate the personal principles the Consunjis adhere to.
The beverage menu is by no means an afterthought, charged with lattes from around the world, single origin and local pour overs, and familiar espresso concoctions, on which you can upgrade to either of the two Seven Seeds Coffee Roasters blends.
But don’t overlook the cocktails either. “Aside from the traditional mimosas, the team crafted a lineup of ‘brunchy’ cocktails that can be enjoyed any time of the day. Or, what we’d like to call the juicy mimosas for chismosas,” explains Cruz.
Talk about putting a fizz in your day.
A bigger role for the bureau
In contrast to its lively menu, the open dining space flows quietly—from the escalator landing to the far end of the floor—and is flecked with modular pieces that allow for a “moveable feast” vibe. Comfortable seating is arranged to encourage every type of customer—groups of corporate workers, friends passing by for a quick bite, and even digital nomads hunting down a corner for solo reflections.
“That’s the beauty about the brunch community, we don’t consider other brunch places as competition,” admits Cyrus Cruz. “They are all part of ‘the brunch food movement.’”
“You can really dine and work in peace. It’s a great escape if you really want some peace and quiet,” says Cruz.
Using “peace” to describe Brunch Bureau vibes is also symbolic when you think about it. Considering the number of brunch-dedicated places and restaurants that offer a brunch menu, there’s no sense of greedy ownership between them. Just a celebration of a burgeoning food culture in Manila.
“That’s the beauty about the brunch community, we don’t consider other brunch places as competition,” admits Cruz. “They are all part of ‘the brunch food movement.’”
If the plot of “The Adjustment Bureau” deals with “the conflict between free will and predestination,” according to one review, Brunch Bureau makes it easier for you to make that choice—at least when it comes to dining.
