MANILA, Philippines ? Fusion can lead to confusion, it has been said. And so many a fusion restaurant has tried and failed. Like pairing traditional jewelry with trendy accessories or matching vintage with of-the-moment designs, few can pull it off and make the new package their own. Take Cendrillon's pirurutong paella or Bisro Filipino's or 9501's lechon roulade. At these restaurants, the chefs have mastered cuisines, mixed them and matched them to create dishes that are entirely their own. The brilliant creations shine for chow hounds to explore.

Add Katre to this exclusive list. An unassuming restaurant off Tomas Morato (enter the street of Di Marks Pizza and BPI), this restaurant has in fact been around for a good seven years now, a testimony to which is the fact that on the restaurant's ground floor rest the many, many, many reviews that the restaurant has collected through the years - on display for curious or waiting customers.

The second floor houses a bar and three sections that can be divided should you wish to reserve for a private party (note to self: hold next dinner for friends at Katre). On my first and second visits, in fact, there were private parties being held in the section by the staircase.

The come on of the restaurant is three-fold: a clean, no-frills ambiance, a reasonably priced menu, and immensely flavorful food. One of my visits was with Gods of Gab a.k.a. my college debater friends. Of course these friends of mine had something to say about everything. "The plating is really impressive," Lex Ledesma, a resort owner himself, observed as our orders arrived. We had four dishes before us and yes it was very picturesque. The common theme of carbs beneath proteins with veggies on the side somehow managing to make a statement.

Oohs and aahs followed, along with "try this, its so good" and "let me try that", fine dining ethics completely forgotten. Even San Fransisco-based Wilson Fang, the hardest among us to please with his more exposed tongue and more cultured taste, and himself a food writer in the '90s, was impressed, giving his share of "Mmmms".

The favorite of the table was the Pasta a la Katre. Although I'm sure Wilson may have had other thoughts with a name like that, I still believe he gave this pasta dish the nod of approval because of its merits in taste and texture. There is no other pasta in the Metro quite like it. Basically a pesto pasta, it achieves its own character with the various recados that come with it: sun dried tomatoes, artichoke, brocolli. And then taken to another level of flavor with the addition of walnuts and blue cheese.

My personal favorite was the Braised Pork Belly Chunk. If a man cooked this for me, I would probably marry him without thinking. This dish is cooked so well that when you put the pork belly in your mouth, complete with the buttery soft fat, it feels like fat and soup (the sauce of the dish) pop in your mouth. But it doesn't feel too fatty at all because the fact of its being cholesterol-laden is camouflaged by the mixture of bay leaf, star anise and garlic in the mixture.

For those who would want a more tempered experience, try the Barbecued Spare Ribs. Katre cooks this with cinnamon and is quite extraordinary as well. What received mix reviews from the Gods of Gab was the Fusion Paella. "I'm not too sure if I'm comfortable with idea of couscous," Wilson explained. But I am a couscous fan myself and I enjoyed having a less sticky paella this time around.

Desserts are a must have. Although the creme brulee may come off a little too milky for some - Wilson: "It's like leche flan" - it could be perfect for those who don't want too heavy a dessert. For dessert lovers though, don't pass up on the chocolate cake. It is very, very good: a layer of rich chocolate coating and inside, a very moist cake.

For those familiar with Becky's Kitchen's chocolate cake, it is similar to that but even more dense and compact, an excellent chocolate cake. I am surprised that none of my friends have heard of Katre before, even those who work or live in the Quezon City area. Maybe it's one of those places that are so good people who know it just want to keep the info to themselves!