ZARZUELA: A Taste of Heirloom

Nothing beats having a taste of home at the end of the day. There's just really something about Filipino cuisine that surely arouses the palate. And fortunately, I get all that at ZARZUELA. To my surprise, I realized I haven't tasted a lot of the "authentic" Filipino food until I tried it at Zarzuela. Being a local, Filipino cuisine is a common food, but the Filipino flavors served up at Zarzuela is just as rich as the country's culture.

Dining at Zarzuela is like home away from home. The place is  really very comfortable and very cozy, perfect for housing a variety of rich-tasting Filipino flavors. But the best thing about Zarzuela is that the owners' are serving up heirloom recipes from each of their families.
 

To compliment the ambiance, we were delighted by a very refreshing all time Pinoy favorite drink - Sago't Gulaman. Then we were off to a fun start with a taste of Zarzuela's humor in a dish composed of breaded fried liempo with green mangoes, bagoong (shrimp paste) and tomato vinaigrette as dips in the appetizer fondly called the Fountain of Youth (Php 199). Can you guess why? Lol. Now we can say, "Appetizer. It's more fun in the Philippines."



Another dish that tickles and sizzles both the appetite and our funny bones is the smokey Cowboy Sisig (Php 199), a wed of words from its main ingredients "cow" and "baboy (pig)." We also tried the Spanish Style Bangus Belly (Php 319). It was braised in olive oil and seasoned with whole pickles, chilies and brandy that is surely delicioso. Then, my personal favorite, the Callos Madrilena (Php 489). A rich, hearty stew of tomatoes, ox feet, chorizo and garbanzos make up this luscious treat. Next we had the Krispy Binagoongan (Php 359). Seasoned in their own signature bagoong, this dish came as a surprise because it was not cooked in the same manner as the ordinary binagoongan served in stores, now that's extraordinary. Also in the menu was the Ilonggo delicacy, the Krispy Pitaw (Php 419). This fried quail flakes is seasoned like an Adobo, but definitely serves up a unique taste. I think this suits very well with an ice cold beer. Completing our entree was a Bicolandia dish, the Pinangat (Php 229). Better known here in the Manila as Laing, this creamy dish will heat up your appetite, leaving you wanting for more.



Then it's time for the sweet conclusion. Among the desserts I've tried, Tocino del Cielo is my top choice. This heavenly custard base is really the sweet for my sweet, tooth that is. But no to be outclassed, the Maruya ala Mode got reinvented courtesy of Zarzuela's fancy of the typical delicacy topped with Vanilla ice cream, lavished with chocolate syrup and a cherry on top. Also another Pinoy favorite, the Cassava Cake brings in the zest to a very delicious meal.

Undoubtedly, Zarzuela caters a great play of Filipino flavors with every dish having a unique and distinct taste of its heritage. I'm glad I was able to try out the different authentic Filipino dishes served at Zarzuela. Hats off to the brilliant minds behind Zarzuela and its fabulous take on Filipino cuisine. At this point, I kind of felt like proudly singing the national anthem. :)