Resto blazes trail to promote sustainable dining

MANILA, Philippines - If you are a friend to the environment, read on. Finally, there is a restaurant at the heart of the bustling Makati city that caters to the appetites of the green warriors. Le Bistro Vert  (French for “The Green Bistro”) is blazing a trail in the casual dining scene that makes eating sustainably a joy and an art form.

While the word organic has been thrown around as a marketing tool, the famous owners of Le Bistro are known for their advocacy in the industry. “Drinking and eating sustainably means that we care about the planet. Why? Because sourcing local ingredients equals low food miles since they don’t have to travel far,” says Chit Juan.

Chit Juan’s name is known in the green crusades. A CEO of a successful chain of local cafés and its foundation for 15 years, she stepped down to pursue her three passions – reviving the country’s ailing coffee industry, social entrepreneurship, and of course, the environment.

“For some time, people who sought to eat locally grown foods had to go out of the city, which doesn’t really make sense. The carbon footprint for your one dish might be higher than just eating at the nearby café who has their ingredients delivered in bulk – thereby reducing the footprint,” she says. Eating green is not as simple as one thinks it is.

Locavore is a term for a group of people who commit to eating locally grown food whenever possible. In Le Bistro Vert (Fraser Place, Salcedo Village, Makati), the ingredients are 80-90 percent locally sourced. “There are a lot of local ingredients that you can actually use when it comes to the restaurant business. You just have to be a little creative,” says Juan.

For appetizers, try the Sagada Orange, Carabao Cheese, and Tomato plate with malunggay and basil pesto that keep the regulars coming back for more. The Le Bistro Vert Signature Salad makes use of poached organic eggs, local greens, homemade bacon, goat cheese, and bistro vinaigrette is a best seller in the salads.

To reach eco-friendly Nirvana, the main courses are an epicurean delight. The Chicken Mango Asparagus Roulade, Marinated Gindara with Blue Cheese Butter, and the Palawan Cashew and Herb Custed Sole Fillet are some of the favorites that will not only keep you transfixed, but will send you to gustatory dreams. Eating green doesn’t mean eating bland.

Healthier, wholesome, and a delectable treat for the green palate, Le Bistro Vert introduced the locavore dining concept to the busy bees of the urban jungle. Almost all the ingredients used are locally sourced from organic farms, making these dishes very sustainable and au naturel. Plus, you are 100 percent sure that what you eat has no trace of harmful chemicals and pesticides that aren’t good for you or the environment.

Le Bistro Cafes, at NAIA Terminals 2 and 3, the café version of the chain  offer a quick-service locavore menu.  “We try as much as we can to source our vegetables and other ingredients from local sources. Our banner product and source of pride of course, are the coffees. Sandwiches, pasta and pizzawich are made with locally-sourced ingredients that not only keep prices affordable, but contribute to local farm economies.,” says Juan.

 “Going green in the dining table can be the biggest way to reduce your impact on the planet,” according to Juan. But that’s not the only thing that Le Bistro Vert restaurant and Le Bistro Cafes have to be proud of. Aside from the yummy toxic-free-from-pesticide food and the eco-friendly service they do for the planet, they also add social entrepreneurship to the list.

“We respect and support our local farming communities,” says Juan. “We provide sustainable livelihood programs through demo farms, technical assistance through experts like the Philippine Coffee Board’s members, and opportunities for growth especially in the coffee industry. That’s also the reason why we can price our dishes relatively lower than other establishments,” she says.

The real fuel for the soul is the joy of eating to your heart’s delight, knowing that you can enjoy good food at an affordable price, while helping preserve and protect the planet for future generations.