In case you were following my Instagram feed you would know by now that I was just in Manila. That explains the lack of posts the past few days. I made a quick trip home to buy some of the things we need – such as national wear/clothes (I seriously despise having to call them ‘costumes’. They’re our heritage!) We have our national day celebration coming up this June and most of Alvin’s formal and office barongs as well as my Filipiniana pieces that we brought with us last year have already been used a couple of times for different events. When people said that KL is a busy post with so many events, I didn’t expect it to be THAT many. So yes, one of us had to go home for reinforcements.
While I was in Manila running around like a headless chicken and making sure I get everything done in 11 days, I made sure to allot some time to meet up with friends – both old and new. I really missed them for the past 9 months (OMG we’ve been in Malaysia for 9 months?! Feels like only yesterday when were packing our bags for posting!) that we’ve been in KL! 🙁 So despite my crazy schedule and constant battle with crazy Manila traffic (due to roads being built for APEC), I made time to meet with them. I wasn’t able to see all of them but I did what I can do with so little time!
My friends and I love to bond over food and during my visit, I ended up restaurant hopping with them and even doing a bit of karaoke (but that’s another story). For this post, I want to share with you some photos from one of my favourite meals during my visit. Also, my husband complains that I don’t have much entries about the Philippines in my blog when I’m actually a Filipino diplomat’s wife. My usual defence is that we’re at post so during my short trip, I also made sure to take photos of nice places I can recommend to you guys if a.) you’re in the Philippines right now looking for a great place to eat in or b.) you’re not in the Philippines but planning to visit soon.
My good friend Armi and I met at Tapella in Greenbelt 5 for late dinner on a Monday night. Spanish food sounded so good after a long day of errands. I was really looking forward to a filling meal with some good old paella and tapas. Yum. Conversations with my friend – from things that really matter down to the mundane – made the food taste even better of course. 😉
Here’s what we had that night:
Bread served with Olive Oil and a swirl of Balsamic Vinegar. Cost: Free. You’re given these as you wait for your food and I’m not one to complain. I love anything with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and I could easily go through all of these by myself. 😛
Chistorra Vasca. Cost: Php 235 (MYR19.52, EUR4.88, USD5.38). Was not really a fan of chorizzo till we ordered this dish. It was Armi’s choice but I’m so glad she ordered it. Served in an earthen pan, still sizzling a bit from the fire. It was glorious.
Croquetas Variadas. Cost: Php175 (MYR14.54, EUR3.6, USD3.9). Ham, salami, and mushroom croquettes. They are soft to the bite, flavours melting and blending so well in your mouth.
Chicken, asparagus, shrimp, and Manchego cheese paella. Cost: Php675 (MYR56.10, EUR14.02, USD15.24). When someone says ‘paella’, I usually have ‘seafood’ in my mind. And while Tapella does have it on the menu, we opted for something newer and is considered to be a best seller. It’s not your usual paella but I loved it. I’m a sucker for chicken, cheese, and shrimp. ‘Asparagus’ is not an attractive ingredient to me but I found myself happily munching away on those greens that night as the cheese and spices make it taste really good. (Note: Order your paella early as it takes 30 minutes to prepare!)
Calamares el Bulli. Cost: Php385 (MYR31.99, EUR7.99, USD38.5). It doesn’t look appetising does it? I agree. It certainly looks weird but what it lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for taste and a food-porn worthy post on Instagram. 😉 These calamari rings are black due to the squid’s ink being mixed into the batter. Don’t forget to squeeze the lemon slices and drizzle the rings with juice. Personally, I think it tastes blah without it, even with the tangy aioli sauce it comes with. But with the lemon juice on it, that’s when it reaches its potential and enhances the seafood umami flavour. 😉
Pitcher of Sangria. Cost: Unknown (Yep, bad blogger forgot to write it down). I love their Sangria. Period. I wasn’t drinking much that night as I didn’t have my husband with me to drive me home (hihi!) so I was just going to take a cab after. The taste of the alcohol is not too overpowering and the drink itself isn’t too sweet. It rivals the one I had in Boqueria (Mega Fashion Hall) which I’ve been raving about before leaving Manila.
Cheesecake. Cost: Forgot, sorry! Not a light dessert. 😉 It’s good and definitely a classic but nothing mind blowing. But if you’re a fan of a good old creamy cheesecake with a bit of whipped cream on top, you’ll love this as much as we did. 😉
One for the road – a latte. Armi ordered brewed coffee. 😉
And here’s us looking tired from the very long day we both had. 😀 We were so full by the time this photo was taken, we were obviously hiding our tummies. Thanks for coming to see me and having dinner with me, Armi! We shall do this next time here in KL – with Marga! 😉
There you have it. In case you find yourself in Manila and you’re craving for some Spanish food, Tapella should be one of your options. 😉 Sometimes I wonder why Metro Manila is not considered a foodie destination when we have a huge number of great restaurants that offer a wide range of food from varying cuisines all over the world.
Tapella is located at: G/F Greenbelt 5, Legaspi St., Legaspi Village, Makati City, Philippines.
You can contact them through: +63917-468-8028 or (632) 757-2710
That’s all for now! It’s 1 a.m. here in KL and I just wanted to make a quick post for you guys! If there are any errors, keep in mind that I’m writing this with my eyes half closed. Lol! More later!
Love,
Carol
