Experience Great Food and History at Casa Roces!

Last Tuesday, November 8, 2016, after conducting a hearing at the Women's Correctional in Mandaluyong City, as suggested by my officemate, we had our lunch at Casa Roces. 

I was really excited as it is really not everyday that I got the chance to enter the vicinity of the Malacañan Palace, much more, to dine in one of the most famous restaurant in the area - Casa Roces. It was actually my first time to visit the place! 

Casa Roces

Casa Roces is a full-service restaurant and café located in the genteel district of San Miguel, Manila, right across the most prestigious address in the country: Malacañan Palace. The place is actually an ancestral home which was transformed into a stylish restaurant best described as classic-meets-contemporary.

Entrance to the Restaurant

Classic furnitures add to the elegance of the resto!

So lucky to have the place all to ourselves! Well, almost! :)

The ground floor of Casa Roces features a coffeehouse with an outdoor wooden deck, a dessert bar, and a memorabilia and accessories shop. A bar also serves cocktails, wine, beer and liquor for evening patrons. 

These cakes are really inviting, but I'm just not much of a sweets person.

Cafe and Bar

Although we are not really able to explore the second floor, it actually has a bistro, an art and family heritage gallery as well as private rooms decorated with a mix of Commonwealth elegance and modern flair. And as what my boss told us, the second floor also serve as a function room for intimate events. They actually had their Christmas Party there once. 

So much on the place. Let us now go to my favorite part - the FOOD! :)

Kape Chino

Kape Chino was named after the late great Joaquin “Chino” Roces. It offers a complete menu line-up ranging from appetizers, soups and salads to entrées, pasta and even breakfast and merienda fare. Hot and cold beverages, specialty coffees, espresso-based drinks, desserts, cakes and pastries, and light deli sandwiches are also available. 

Here are what we had for lunch:

Sopa Molo Castiliana

Sopa Molo Castiliana is a rich garlic soup with deep-fried pork dumplings, poached egg and parsley. This soup really tastes good. The dumplings are really yummy. I really wanted to have another serving, but of course, I have to save some space still in my tummy as there are still more foods to try! :) 

A solo serving of the soup costs P 115.00 while the large serving (good for 3) costs P210.00. 

Pollo Iberico

Pollo Iberico is a slow roasted chicken with potatoes, garlic, herbs and olive oil. For the chicken lovers (who's not anyway?), this is a must try! The chicken was well cooked. The vegetables are fresh and crispy. And the potatoes- I just love the baby potatoes! Buttered and roasted just right, I almost ate all the potatoes on the plate! :D What I just don't like much are the herbs as I find them somehow overpowering for my taste. I did not hear a single complain from my companions, though. So, I guess its just me who had  herb issue. hehehe....

Half order of this menu costs P520.00 while a whole roasted chicken costs P800.00.

Oven-Baked Salmon Wellington

For our seafood dish, I opted for Oven-Baked Salmon Wellington. It is actually a salmon fillet stuffed with Boursin cheese in flaky crusty crust with spinach lemon cream sauce. This is another dish that I really enjoyed. You can really taste the freshness of the fish, and the mashed potato, it is definitely one of the great tasting mashed potato that I've tasted! It is really delicious! How I wish I was able to take home some. 

An order of this menu costs P460.00.

Ox Tail Kare- Kare

Last but definitely not the least because this is one of my all-time favorite, is the Ox Tail Kare-Kare! For those who are not familiar with this menu, it is actually braised ox tail in peanut with vegetables with sautéed shrimps paste. Some prefer using beef meat, and some pork pata, but for me, it doesn't really matter. I love all of them! :)

And as expected, this menu did not fail my taste buds! The meat (ox tail) was tender, the vegetables are just cooked right, the sauce was deliciously creamy and the paste was perfect! I really wish I doubled this order! hahaha!

An order of Kare-kare costs P380.00.

We really enjoyed our lunch at Kape Chino. Aside from great food, we really love the whole look and vibe of Casa Roces! I do hope to come back again soon!

Casa Roces is open daily from 10AM to 10PM to serve its loyal patrons and those who are hoping to experience the history and the luxury of the place for the first time. And did I mention that the service is great too?!

So go ahead and experience Casa Roces for yourselves. It also offers some promos and treats especially during special occasions, so do visit their page from time to time. You can also contact them at these numbers: (02)735.5896, (02)488.1929 and (0917)550.9743 for more inquiries.

Sunrio Diner: A Hello Kitty- Themed Resto in Taguig

 

As a Hello Kitty fan, ever since the Hello Kitty Cafe started popping up in malls and other locations, I have been wanting to try it ASAP, but I just can't get the chance to do so because they are not strategically near my place. But fortunately,  I've learned that they will be opening a store in Uptown Mall, or is it open already? This I'll have to find out, soon! :)

So, when I've learned about the opening of a Hello Kitty- themed diner in our place, I immediately convinced my husband to try the place. 

And so, last October 16, 2016, after hearing the mass, and in celebration of an important milestone in my first born, we proceeded to Sunrio Diner just in time for dinner! The diner opens at 3:00 in the afternoon and closes at 10:00 in the evening. 

The diner is located at the 2nd floor of a three-storey house located at Blk. 18, Lot 35, Pinagsama Village, Phase 2, Western Bicutan, Taguig City. 

Entrance going to the diner

Stairs going to the 2nd Floor...

At the second floor, this is what will welcome you.

This area serves to be the main attraction of the diner. This is where most of the customers take their selfie shots. I find this spot cute and I really want to take home the sofa! :)

Hello Kitty is somehow synonymous to the color PINK (Although, in the early years of the Hello Kitty craze, majority was red. I even remember owning one when I was still very young.), so it is really expected that diner will be dominantly pink! From the wall, the furnitures, fixtures, and even the utensils - they are all pink! Oh, this place is really heaven for a Hello Kitty and Pink fan like me! Well, almost.

Kitchen and counter area

I really like their idea of having the customers see how their orders were prepared. This way, you can be assured that your food is clean and safe to eat. :)

pink table and chairs

The diner, I think, has around 5 to 6 tables, which can accommodate more or less 24 customers at a time. So, if you really want to be seated and served immediately, better come early in the afternoon or very late in the evening.

the bathroom...

Menu

For our meal, we ordered the following:

Strawberry Frappe for P 55.00

Bolognese Pasta at P99.00

Strawberry Pancake for P75.00

Charmmy Kitty for P99.00

Chibby Maru for P99.00

My Melody for P79.00

Yna with her Strawberry Pancake

Yna with her Strawberry Frappe

So, the verdict?! We all find the food a little too sweet for our taste. Yes, all the food that we ordered. My daughter was not able to finish her pancakes and strawberry frappe. And although we are all able to consume the rest of our orders, there is really nothing exceptional with the taste of the burgers. The only thing that we really enjoyed was the pasta, maybe because it was still hot when it was served :) 

In terms of the prices, I really find it a little bit pricey considering the location. We paid the total amount of P506.00 for snack/early dinner. How I wish they would lower the price even for just a little. Well, this is just me, just my opinion. Because honestly, after trying it the first time, we no longer have plans of coming back. But for the first timers, especially for the Hello Kitty fanatics out there (and especially if you are just near the vicinity), go ahead and try this place. Cute naman yung place, eh. Although, again, I really hope that from time to time, they do update their diner so as to have something new to offer to their customers from time to time. :)

Oh, by the way, they have their Facebook page, so if you have some queries, do visit their social media page: https://www.facebook.com/Sunrio-diner-1124753174266204/.

Till next time! Ciao!

Team Bahala! :D