Despite my busy exam week, I decided to spend my lunch at
Restaurante Pia Y Damaso after hearing that it served delectable desserts.
Restaurante Pia Y Damaso offers subversive
Filipino Cuisine. I was intrigued by the usage of "
subversive" in defining their dishes. I rarely encounter this word and I certainly didn't expect it to describe food.
I came in with my friends with absolutely no expectations. But, upon seeing the cake chiller, I unconsciously begun to smile with glee as excitement crept over me.
Although the space was quite limited, save the al fresco area, the place was filled with grandeur with its chandeliers and sophisticated interiors.
Food
Starters
 |
| ♥ Filo Tarts with Pork Asado Apple Relish (220 php) |
The Filo Tarts with Pork Asado Apple Relish is a great meal starter. I just love filo tarts especially when its perfectly soft and flaky. It was filled with mildly sweet and salty pork asado and topped with caramelized sour apple relish and vinegar.
 |
| Crispy Adobo Chicken Skin and Tails (160 php) |
Here's another favorite of ours, the
Crispy Adobo Chicken Skin and Tails is sinfully irresistible. It is full of flavors with a sensational crisp.
 |
| Fried Chorizo, Potatoes, Egg and Pandesal (475 php) |
The Fried Chorizo, Potatoes, Egg and Pandesal reminds me of the Spanish dish Huevos Cabreados except that it's more chunky and paired with pandesal.
Salad
 |
| Elias (450 php) |
I can't help buy guess that this was inspired over a scene in Noli Me Tangere where Elias jumps into the lake and successfully kills the crocodile. Like Elias, this salad is as bold and daring. The highlight of this salad is the tender and slightly gummy slices of crocodile meat. It is also topped with crispy shallots, tomatoes, red onions and caramelized pineapples drizzled in mango-cilantro vinaigrette.
 |
♥ Mixed Greens with Duck Confit, Red Onions, Apples and Oranges
in Champoy and Prune Vinaigrette (350 php) |
The Mixed Greens with Duck Confit, Red Onions, Apples and Oranges in Champoy and Prune Vinaigrette is a salad that suits my liking. The salty shredded duck confit, sweet apples, tangy oranges, pungent red onions and mildly sweet and sour champoy and prune vinaigrette were a great medley of flavors in addition to the mixed greens.
Pasta
 |
| Creamy Tinapa Asparagus and Fish Fillet (300 php) |
The Creamy Tinapa Asparagus and Fish Fillet is a creamy pasta with smoke tinapa bits and baby asparagus. Although I'm not usually a fan of cream sauce, this is certainly unlike any other.
Main Courses
 |
| ♥ Lengua Sevillana (330 php) |
The
Lengua Sevillana is stewed ox tongue cooked tender with olives, capers, tomatoes and mushrooms. It is served with rice topped with roasted garlic bits. I love lengua and as expected, I savored this dish.
 |
| Ode to Heidelberg (1,500 php) |
The Ode to Heidelberg is a German dish in tribute of the place where Rizal finished the Noli Me Tangere. It is a boiled smoked pork hock served with an assortment of sausages and cubes of potatoes. The pork meat within is succulent, soft and pinkish.
 |
| Placido Penitente (400 php) |
I wonder why this dish was called Placido Penitente. He was not one of the characters in El Filibusterismo that I admired simply because he wasted his intelligence by being easily discouraged after being discriminated against Kastila students. On the other hand, I love the Placido Penitente paella. We, Tsinoy Foodies, encountered this purple rice during our visit to Baguio City Market. We were curious to try it back then but we were told that it was only meant to be cooked for rice delicacies. To my surprise, it had this odd taste similar to the one possessed by the purple corn. The sticky rice is topped with squid and fish fillet. I enjoyed this with a few squirts of lemon juice.
Sandwiches
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| ♥ Kua Pao Pan De Sal (250 php) |
Coming from a Chinese descent, the Kua Pao is a usual snack for me. But, I've never thought that it could be paired with soft and velvety pan de sal like the
Kua Pao Pan De Sal. I loved it.
Desserts
 |
| ♥ Tsokolate Eh and Toasted Ensaimada (150 php)
|
The
Tsokolate Eh and Toasted Ensaimada is a warm toasted quezo de bola ensaimada matched with a warm thick Davao cocoa mixed with Malagos goat milk. I find it pleasurable to dip the ensaimada with the tsokolate eh.
 |
| ♥ Sisa's Dementia (160 php)
|
The Sisa's Dementia is Restaurante Pia Y Damaso's best-seller fully worthy of its name. It's a triple layered chocolate cake that is so delicious that it will drive you crazy. It is a dark chocolate mouse and ganache with a white chocolate almond pastille. This a a praise-worthy masterpiece by Chef Bambi Sy-Gobio.
 |
| ♥ Bibingka Waffle |
The
Bibingka Waffle is topped with quezo de bola bits and served with coco jam. The coco jam does wonders for the
Bibingka Waffle. This is a great snack for anytime of the day.
 |
| Ube Macapuno Cake (100 php) |
The
Ube Macapuno Cake is an ube sponge cake with alternate layers of macapuno mousseline cream. It's topped with a ball of Macapuno jam and macapuno. As a fan of ube, I liked this but its richness could get too overwhelming if you finish this cake by yourself.
 |
| ♥ Ube Langka Sansrival |
The
Ube Langka Sansrival is my choice among all our dessert choices. It had a superb mix of nutty, crunchy and chewy textures. Moreover, the combination of ube and langka is refreshingly sweet and tasty that I couldn't stop and eat more and more of it.
Beverages
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| ♥ Tubig ni Maria Clara (230 php) |
The
Tubig ni Maria Clara is cucumber juice with citrus water and ginger syrup. It is a refreshing and cool drink that's a great pair to any dish or dessert.
 |
| Tea |
Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Restaurante Pia Y Damaso is a great place for a meal or a snack. And, whatever you're visit is for, never ever miss their desserts. The pricing is a bit expensive given their serving size but they've gathered the best ingredients all over the country. The place and ambiance is also a factor.
| Restaurante Pia Y Damaso |
| Business Address |
2/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center
Makati City, Metro Manila |
| Business Hours |
11am-10pm |
| Payment Options |
 Cash |
| Service Charge |
10% |
| Budget/Person |
150-400 |
| Free WiFi |
No |
| Unlocked Foursquare Perks |
None |
| Contact |
(02) 729-5511 |
| Other |
Facebook Fan Page |
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