Boudica is now my preferred place for bacon and eggs—it’s to die for!
I have known British chef Matthew John Hornsby-Bates for years, and have been a fan of his cooking for as long.
His Sunday roasts and fish and chips are quintessentially British, authentic as can be, yet so much more. His renditions are cooked on point, the beef always the right doneness; the fish and chips have the right crispness. Both are always paired with the classics—Yorkshire pudding with the beef and mushy peas with the fish.
I always knew that he would one day be a force to reckon with. And the time has come.
Hornsby-Bates, with his partner chef Matthew Kenneth Lim, opened Boudica Café Bar in December 2022.
Hornsby-Bates intimidated that the name Boudica was taken from a region in England called East Anglia. “Boudica is also a warrior queen, strong and respected. We wanted a bold name that links to the roots of our company.”
Boudica Café Bar is not short on character. Though rather plain-looking, and space is tight from the outside, the inside is spacious. Its interiors take an interesting turn as you step in. Murals adorn the walls, with deck ceilings. There is even a faux fireplace for a chill-out vibe.
There’s a lounge at the center of the restaurant that can cater to your private functions. A well-stocked bar occupies the center, while a large alfresco area is available for patrons who wish to enjoy their food and drinks outdoors.
Indeed, Boudica fills the gap in the Pasig area—a speakeasy that’s comfortable, with an ambiance that’s conducive to unwinding and having a great meal or enjoying a drink.
According to Hornsby-Bates, he and Lim specialize in simple comfort food paired with sophisticated drinks.
Both take pride in their reasonably priced menu.
What sets Boudica apart is that it’s a café by day that transforms into a bar at night.
Their menu is a combination of classics, old-time favorites with a sprinkling of playful selections. The general flavors and tastes run from simple and tasty to hearty and complex.
The food of Hornsby-Bates is, as it’s always been, comforting yet leveled up. I noticed that his cooking has matured. He now prepares dishes stamped with his own personal style, the flavors familiar, yet in some ways, so uniquely his. Experience and hours in the kitchen have made him an even better cook.
Faves
I am still craving for what I believe is one of the best chicken liver patés in town—silky-smooth, buttery, rich, decadent. Served with onion confit and their house-made breads, it is enough for me to want to visit Boudica over and over again.
This café is now also my preferred place for bacon and eggs! Yes! The smoked bacon and eggs at Boudica are on a different level—thick slabs that are so tender and so juicy! To die for!
Where else can one find a true Full English Breakfast of English bangers, bacon, proper chips, grilled tomato, fresh button mushroom, baked beans, frled bread, two eggs your way, plus black pudding?
Do not miss the Classic Beer Battered Fish and Chips. Choose from cod, dory, salmon, even chicken if you wish. It comes with proper chips or sweet potato chips, tartar sauce, mushy peas and curry sauce.
They have a long list of Neopolitan pizzas and pastas, salads, snacks and cold cuts, too.
Their cocktails are aplenty. They specialize in a wide range of drinks from nonalcoholic to alcoholic drinks, from their signature craft and classic cocktails, wines, liquors and beers, to a gin and tonic bar cart. From a classic Negroni to the more creative Hug Me, served in woodsmoke, Boudica will have something to suit your fancy.
“We aim to keep our clients happy with our ever-changing menu, updated monthly,” said Hornsby-Bates.
Boudica has made me happy. It’s a place for everyone—be it families and workers in the morning, or the titas and titos of Manila in the afternoon and partygoers up to the wee hours of the morning.
Hornsby-Bates shared his black pudding recipe, a British regional blood sausage made from pork fat, oats and groats.
Black Pudding1.5 kg pork blood
1 kg pork fat
1 kg sausage
800 g steel-cut oatmeal
400 g Japanese breadcrumbs
500 ml fresh milk
250 g white onion, chopped
290 g garlic, minced
15 g ground pepper
20 g all spice
35 g salt
Mustard to taste
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until smooth. Once well combined, add to a loaf tin and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
Allow to cool. Once cool, roll in cling wrap to form a roll and chill.
Cut into desired size. Lightly flour the pieces. Fry in a nonstick pan with a little oil for 3 to 4 minutes each side until crispy and piping hot throughout.
Black pudding is best served with a full English breakfast. “In Boudica, we serve our black pudding with our full English breakfast, or as a smaller serving with bacon, eggs your way and grilled tomatoes,” said the chef. INQBoudica is at CityGolf Plaza Pasig at Unit C106-107, Doña Julia Vargas Ave., Barangay Ugong, Pasig City; call tel. 0916-2375668; follow @boudicaph on Instagram.
Follow the author at @iamreggieaspiras on Instagram and Facebook; reggieaspiras.com.
Reggie Aspiras has been writing her food column Kitchen Rescue for Inquirer Lifestyle since 2003. Her columns have been collected in three books released in 2005, 2007 and 2011.
