Upon entry, you will be greeted by a "mini deli" with some Filipino favorite delicacies like cashew nuts, ensaymada, and some frozen food items.
Waiters are courteous as they would ask you where you prefer to sit. The main dining area can sit up to 25-30 guests at a time. Even so, it still feels homey and comfy rather than crowded.
Time to order! There are only 2 waiters most of the time, 1 cashier and a few cooks inside the kitchen. Even so, the waiters are attentive enough to the customers' needs. Menu-knowledge is good but not imposing. If it's your first time, you can always ask for their suggestions on their specialties.
Once you've placed your order, they'll serve you some "nagaraya-like nuts" as an appetizer- free of charge.
The nuts somehow gives them the time they need to prepare the dishes as they don't do pre-cooking and extends your patience with waiting. As they say,"Food that is always served fresh and good is worth the wait."
The interior feels a bit nostalgic as it feels like your nana'a ancestral house from the 70s.
Over the years, they have changed this area of the main window pane from capiz-wooden material to glass. I think the purpose is to have a view outside and maintain the cold temperature inside the restaurant since it has an airconditioning system.
I also love the fact that they have fresh flowers on the table each time. It changes by the day. Details are shabby-chic- inspired.
Finally, the food.
First dish is the Signature Adobo Flakes with ensalada (green mango and tomato salad) and bagoong (fermented shrimp paste). Due to the low season of mangoes, they only served us tomatoes for the ensalada. Most of the main course entres are served with rice. Serving is good for one but we always share and we never feel "bitin" or short-handed by doing so. I like the fact that it's crispy and shreded because the flavor does not overpower the meat. It's not oily too.
Next dish is the Vegetable Kare-kare with bagoong. This is a thick-sauced dish you can consume with rice alone. It ha a rich peanut taste unique to the foreign palate but will most likely please anyone.
Third is the beef salpicao. It consists of pounded chunks of beef with garlic and soy sauce. It is so tender and flavorful. Again, not overhelming in taste. If you like beef tips, you'll most likely love this too.
Last but not the least, is the spicy squid. This dish lives up to its name being spicy or hot. I have a low tolerance on hot food so I can say this is moderately hot. The squid is NOT at all gooey or rubbery. It remains tender and juicy even after 30 minutes upon serving.
During this visit, I got so full that I skipped desserts which rarely happens. I will post about the latter next time. Overall, the experience is pleasant, relaxing and gastronimic in Filipino food sense. Price is affordable. For the four dishes, we only paid for P800+ in total ( Philippine peso). It's like eating 1.5 orders of meals at a fastfood chain with fresh ingredients.
i will definitely go back and order their other specialties like lengue with cream ( ox tongue), cordon bleu, sisig (pig's cheeks with onion and liver), etc.
Cheers,
M.
