MANILA, Philippines - It was their worst fight in 30 years of marriage and this was the last straw. He’d never change, she realized now, finally summoning the courage to leave. He was out at some bar downing whisky and here she was—craving chicken. After finishing eight drumsticks straight from some fastfood joint, she mumbled, “What would I do... without CHICKEN?”

Comfort food. For some it’s chicken. For others it’s steak. Or pizza, or casseroles, or a burger and fries. For me it’s sinigang sa bayabas—or Haagen Daaz Belgian Chocolate ice cream. Truth is, it could be anything, as long as it’s your go-to when you’re down and need to eat something to feel good. Wiki says “comfort food” is what you turn to “for familiarity, emotional security, or special reward.” (I call that “chocolate.”) It’s food that you associate with pleasant memories of childhood.

At the Fort, six-month-old Basilio’s calls its spread “Contemporary Comfort Food.” Food, its menu says, that is “guaranteed to make you feel good.” It was a very well-written opening page and I wondered if the chef would rise to the challenge.

On my first visit, Basilio’s did, especially with the first dish I ordered, the House Salad. Basilio’s House Salad is a delightful montage of fruit, vegetable and meat. Frozen grapes and skirt steak make for a pretty plate that was gone before I could say, “Next!”

Another special dish they have, where satisfaction is indeed guaranteed, is an upscale Spanish adobo. Adobo (marinated meat) is probably the Filipino’s number one comfort food, best enjoyed over heapings of steaming white rice. But unlike your usual homemade adobo, Basilio’s adds a hint of spice using paprika. This is an adobo like you’ve never tasted before, and would be my first recommendation to anyone curious to eat at this new place.

For the rest of the menu, though, satisfaction varied on my succeeding visits. Take the meats. The Steak and Mushroom Pie, Basilio’s most recommended, is wonderful. You may have that Ratatouille experience where memories of mom come running in your head. The memories this brought back for me included trips home from Tagaytay, where we would stop at Bag of Beans to get some pie for the ride home and for pasalubong. It is a huge dome of meaty comfort. And because it’s huge, it’s lovely to share. You won’t experience this, however, with the Garlic Steak, which is hard to chew and not quite enjoyable. It would be a wiser move to go for its chicken counterpart.

The pastas, on the other hand, are more conservative in swinging the pleasure pendulum, i.e. these are more consistent in achieving the restaurant’s theme of providing comfort. While not necessarily impressive, the pastas are altogether pleasant. The crab ravioli is a beautiful play on soft textures, the crab melting in your mouth while you experience the tender crunch of the onion garnish. The Seafood Pasta is already bathed in cheese, so there’s no need to order that extra dose of Parmesan. It is also not overwhelmingly overloaded with seafood, which means the chef works in calculated moderation, making very good pasta.

The fish dishes are more creative. Crusted Tuna is tuna sashimi slightly cooked then enveloped in sesame seeds. It is beautifully presented with lemon slivers between each slice of crusted tuna. The dish is quite beautiful to behold. However, in terms of taste, the crunch upstages the tuna. Their Mango Ceviche, on the other hand, is recommendable: sour kilawin (they use dory) against diced sweet mangoes plus a crunch of onions and the curious addition of chili flakes. It is a beautiful mesh of flavors.

Desserts, the ultimate comfort food, I believe would have been enjoyable if the kitchen did not make the dreadful sin of resorting to the microwave. An otherwise beautiful walnut pie arrived with a dry-soggy effect only a microwave is capable of. It was rather depressing. I needed comfort food to help me get over that “comfort food” experience. Actually, on my second visit, it seemed the kitchen was tripping on the micro the whole night. The bread served earlier, as we chose what to order, was also hard and dry on top, soggy at the bottom. I couldn’t believe it myself, especially because this wasn’t the case on my first visit, until I asked the waiter after dessert how they heated the pie. Going against executive privilege, he gave the honest truth: It was microwaved.

So is satisfaction guaranteed? Your get your hopes up as you are seated. The interiors are an elegant brown, with leather plastered on the walls and on the banister; conducive for a power lunch or a night out with friends. Mirrors allow you to resist turning your head when a beautiful model (Phoemela Barranda was there on one visit) walks in the room. The waiters are attentive and know their menu. But the food is sadly not consistently what the menu builds it up to be. While some dishes achieve the menu’s pitch for “sentimental appeal” (steak and mushroom pie), it is not necessarily true that they only offer “food prepared with no shortcuts” (microwave?) that will give you “unadulterated pleasure” (achieved with the adobo, not so with the steak).

For the girls, you might find more comfort in the smile flashed by the tall, dark and handsome chef, PV Valdez, a.k.a. Basilio, who occasionally makes the effort to shake your hand as you leave the restaurant and say thank you for visiting Basilio’s. It’s a nice touch that may guarantee you satisfaction better than their dessert.

Basilio’s. Unit 151 Forbeswood Heights, Rizal Drive cor. 29th St., Fort Bonifacio Global City. Tel. 856-1742. Major credit cards accepted. No wheelchair access to the second floor. Casual.