Juice Blog

Dining

The Classics

Posted on November 01, 2011 by Therese Reyes

The last time I ate in Mario’s, I was twelve years old, had just come from the dentist and was in my school uniform. I remember wondering why we were eating out that night and thinking about whether I could finish all my homework due the next day. Now, eight years later, without the burden of essays due and math problems to solve, I was again able to visit the classic restaurant in its Tomas Morato Branch and enjoyed a meal so delicious, no one would dare ask how Mario’s reached forty.

(Check out other restaurants along Tomas Morato here)

Gambas con Chorizo

We first had the Gambas con Chorizo which our table had two servings of! The sautéed shrimps tasted very fresh and were just the right size for us to appreciate all the flavours the dish has to offer. Unlike similar dishes in other restaurants, the Gambas at Mario’s does not rely on the spiciness alone. The chorizo lends a unique taste and texture, providing the otherwise very mild dish with a stronger taste. Every ingredient down to the oil and garlic can be savoured together with the shrimp and chorizo.

Mario’s Caesar

When they say that the Caesar salad is prepared table side, I only imagined mixing the dressing, leaves, and croutons in a bowl, so I still can’t believe that it actually means, making the entire salad down to the mayonnaise base. A process that will most definitely leave you in awe every time.The series of photos above is my attempt at capturing the different steps for those of you who have not witnessed the making of what could be considered the restaurant's pièce de résistance.

The salad which was not even seasoned with salt was more than pleasing to the taste buds thanks to the unique anchovy flavour that was mixed with the smooth dressing. I was already very much satisfied after eating this, which got me wondering, how much more scrumptious food is ahead of me?

Oysters Rockefeller

I’m personally not such a big fan of oysters. I like them when they’re served but don’t necessarily crave, look, or even order them myself. However, I have to say that the Oysters Rockefeller may just change my mind. The tart calamansi provides a nice contrast for the almost cream like oysters that are sprinkled with salt. Very much like most that are offered in the Mario’s menu, complex flavours abound in this simple dish.

Paella Valenciana

The epitome of what paella should be, the Paella Valenciana is chock-full of all the ingredients you look for in this rice dish. The rice, with a perfect consistency goes very well with the crabs, shrimps, and everything else. It has a distinct flavour, present in the entire pan, not forgetting the smallest of grains and tiniest of vegetables.

Bacalao a la Vizcaina

Many people prefer food with intense spices that shock their tongues, opting for out of this world delicacies. To those people I say, why look beyond this world when you have dishes like the Bacalao a la Vizcaina? This casa special consisting of salted cod fish, tomatoes, olives, is proof that less really is more. Because of the numerous elements in it, the various ingredients are downplayed with soft flavours that won’t overwhelm eaters.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

This has got to be one of my favourites of the night. The corned beef is seasoned well enough so that it is not bland but also retains the delicious meaty flavour I look for. The mustard and radish the Corned Beef and Cabbage is partnered with adds another dimension to it, giving it a little more spice and pleasing zing to the tongue.

Salpicon de Mar Y Tierra

Just like the Gambas con Chorizo, the Salpicon de Mar Y Tierra is a wonderful combination of meat and seafood. For me, what’s best about it though are not the tender beef cubes, or fresh shrimps, but the garlic rice it comes with. It may not be the main highlight of the dish, but it sure stands out because of how well it complements the beef and shrimps which is a great feature especially for big rice eaters.

Glazed Pork

And finally we get to my favourite dish, the Glazed Pork. I’m not quite sure how to start describing it. First of all, I rarely eat pork. It’s the last thing I would pick out in any restaurant menu and most of the time; I really can’t stand its taste so just imagine how surprised I was when I took my first bite. It was cooked to perfection, not raw but not burnt. What I love most about it though is the guava glaze on top. The sweet and fruity sauce quite marvellously balances out the rough and rustic flavour the meat has.

Mango Jubilee

Complete with disappearing fire and clouds of smoke, the Mango Jubilee is no less than a magic trick. Made with ingredients that are all just probably lying around our kitchens like mangoes, cinnamon, and ice cream, it’s quite surprising to taste something so delectable from such common elements. The mixture of all these ingredients make for a very tasty dessert which very well hides each ingredient’s individual flavours, but at the same time uses them to create a multi-level flavour your palate will surely appreciate. I’m not sure if it’s just the weather or because it’s finally November again, but eating the Mango Jubilee also sort of reminded me of Christmas.

As if we were not satisfied enough, in comes the dessert cart. I tried out the Toffee Sansrival which I thought at first was just like any other Sansrival and that’s because I was just picking off the bottom layers. The best way to eat this is to eat it from top to bottom, not missing out on any of the delicious toffee! Their Sansrival with the sweet and gooey toffee really is one of the best I’ve ever tasted.

Mario’s can pride itself in many things. It’s four decades in the business, the two very successful branches it has, it’s now iconic status, but most of all, its undeniably delectable food.

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