The Intrigue of Cerveseria

Intrigued by the article that my wife read at the Inquirer, we tried Cerveseria at Greenbelt 3 last night. Ignorant of its meaning, I tried to search it in Google just to find the relevance of why it was named as such. My initial search just pointed to links related to the restaurant, but good thing Google provides a recommendation if you misspelled the word. I found out that it is actually spelled Cerveceria and it means brewery or bar. Now I wondered further, why Spanish restaurants here in the Metro always combine Tapas and Wine. As I bask further about Spanish culture, let me take you to my experience with Cerveseria.

We went there around 9:00 PM and the place was crowded. What my wife always tell about this restaurant is that she is very interested about the way it was setup. The place is lit by chandeliers, designed with candle drippings to give an authentic look while chairs and tables are wooden provide that medieval ambiance. The center of the restaurant had shelves filled with books and now you will probably wonder why a bar would include books in their place. It doesn’t mix at all. Well, I think it was a good idea of fusion. You can enjoy the ambiance it brings during the late morning and afternoon and you can get a blend of the party flavor at night.

We tried one of their Tapas which is Huevos Rotos con Tocino which literally means “Broken Eggs with Bacon”. This Tapa includes fried string potatoes, topped with Huevos Rotos and Tocino. I’ve learned that a Spanish cook can not do without potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and beans, which are evident in the food that we’ve ordered. I like the texture that the fried string potatoes and egg brings and the egg compensates the taste of the potatoes.

We ate two of their main courses, the Cochinillo and the Paella Cerveseria. Their Cochinillo (roasted suckling pig) is very good. It has a crispy skin and tender meat. It was served with tomato barbeque sauce and steamed potatoes on the side. Dipping it in its sauce gave it a distinct taste. It is different from the traditional way we eat lechon with Mang Tomas or sarsa.

It was my first time to eat Paella and never did I think that it was very tasty. Their Paella was a mixture of bacon, chorizo, chicken, shrimp, squid and soft shell crab. I found the soft shell crab interesting at first and was amazed when I ate it. I suggest that if you want to try it, order it early. It is usually served at least in the 25-30 minute range. Paella was said to be a farmer’s food and usually has ingredients of rice, tomotatoes, onions, and snails. Back then, Paella was served without any seafood in it because it was rare in Valencia, where it originated.

My first visit was a great experience and surely I will be back to try their other Tapas or their wine buffet every Wednesday night or better yet get a hold of their Churros in the afternoon. Thank you Cerveseria for the cultural experience and excellent food - 4 out of 5 stars!

The Bread Bag: I ♥ Pandesal

I ♥ pandesal. It is like the bread of all breads for a Filipino. I miss the old days when I wake up every morning just to go to the nearest bakery (bekeri in tagalog slang =D) and buy pandesal for our family. I love eating it every morning. I eat pandesal with Liby's peanut butter, with Milo (now with coffee), with ham or with fried rice. I also love eating it during merienda (afternoon snack). I eat it with pancit, with lugaw or with ice cream.

Now who would have thought a brilliant idea to serve pandesal as their main entrée. They are the guys at The Bread Bag. Unlike the traditional sandwich bars that we have here in the metro. This resto uses pandesal as their sandwich.

I first encountered Bread Bag when I gave my car a spa treatment at Big Bert's, Home Depot, Ortigas. What caught my interest is their store sign that said "pandesal bar". It made me look at their menu and upon seeing that they are serving Batangas coffee, it made me decide to give it a try.

My try was not a disappointment and each time I do my usual visit at Big Bert's, I also do my usual visit at Bread Bag. It became a tradition, like the way a used to buy bread in the morning. =D

What I usually buy at bread bag is the Adobo Flakes with Kesong Puti. The adobo flakes and kesong puti is topped at the brick oven baked pandesal and it is serve with camote (sweet potato) chips and adobo sauce. Their pandesal tastes very good. Its brick oven cooking adds the strong taste and smell on the bread and even made it better when ate with Filipino dishes like the adobo.

I've also tried their Sardine Sandwich, which is also a traditional way of eating pandesal with a meal. This sandwich served with a sweet and spicy sauce and I usually eat it with either a soda or with a juice.

If you are looking for a place that serves excellent pandesal meals and good Batangas coffee. Try The Bread Bag and I bet you will enjoy it - 4 out of 5 stars!