Every time we pass by the Fort Bonifacio area, we couldn't help but notice the crowd Las Flores is drawing. That made us want to try it for quite some time so one evening, we just spontaneously gave it a go.

It's at One Mckinley Place same as Smoper Chicken and Toro Restaurant.  It has a very bright and inviting facade.  It is very attuned to its name "Las Flores" which means "the flowers".  Upon reaching their door, we were quickly assisted and ushered to our table.

The interiors were very homey and cozy. 

I love everything about the place: the plate, glass and wine displays, frames on the wall, mix match of cushioned furniture, lighted candles on every table and more.

As I've researched, this is owned by the pioneers of Barcino.  Since we've had a pleasant experience with Barcino ever since, we had even higher hopes for this one.

Food

Complimentary Bread Basket

The Complimentary Bread Basket was served as soon as we ordered.  Everything on it was warm and moist so we couldn't resist nibbling on them.


Soup/Sopa

Sopa Del Dia (Soup of the Day) (145 php)

We had our Sopa Del Dia split into two.  It was a bit watery cream of asparagus.  It was an okay starter just to have something warm for the tummy.

Cold Dishes

♥ Ceviche de Vieiras con Jamon Iberico (350 php)

Ceviche has always been my kind of thing.  But, it's my first time to try a Ceviche de Vieiras con Jamon Iberico which is a scallop ceviche with ham.  This is by far the best one I've tried yet!

♥ Carpaccio de Calabacin con Calabaza Asada y Salsa de Pimientos del Piquillo (295 php)

Okay, so I guess I'm into raw dishes in general cause I enjoy having carpaccio too.  The usual carpaccio is for meat or fish so I was intrigue by the Carpaccio de Calabacin con Calabaza Asada y Salsa de Pimientos del Piquillo which is zucchini carpaccio stuffed with pumpkin cream and roasted red bell pepper sauce.  It delivers a nice one of kind experience I'd recommend anybody to have. It's a bit pricey though.  Maybe you're paying for the beautiful plating.

Buñuelos de Bacalao con Salsa Romesco y Piñones (395 php)

The Buñuelos de Bacalao con Salsa Romesco y Piñones are codfish fritters with romesco sauce and pine nuts.  This is good but nothing extraordinary.

Setas Bio en Tempura de Cerveza y Mayonesa de Soja (195 php)

Fellow mushroom lovers should not deprive themselves of the Setas Bio en Tempura de Cerveza y Mayonesa de Soja and order it at once.  On a more objective note, I enjoyed this simply because it is mushroom cooked in beer batter.  Not much ingenuity was applied here.


Carnes y Pescados

♥ Pollo Asado A La Catalana (495 php)

The Pollo Asado A La Catalana which is roasted chicken with prunes, shrimp and apricots received a lot of praise that night.  I personally enjoyed the fruity apricots sweet notes that matched the tender chicken well.

Rice/Arroces

♥ Paella de Marisco (Seafood paella) (495 php)

This is one of the best Paella de Marisco or seafood paella I've ever had.  Even Barcino's rendition is pale in comparison.  The price is a steal too!

♥ Paella Negra con Sepia (495 php)

 The Paella Negra con Sepia is also delicious but we  preferred the Paella de Marisco over it.


I don't usually post the bill but this box is too cute not to be shared.


Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Las Flores is a good modern Spanish Catalan restaurant to try.  We enjoyed our dining experience.  For the food quality, ambiance and service, it's definitely worth the price paid for.

As long years of Spanish colonization, I guess its no surprise that we have a special place for Spanish influence in our hearts.  From time to time, my family craves for Spanish cuisine and this time that brought us to Barcino Wine Resto Bar at Rizal Drive Fort Bonifacio Global City. 

Barcino Wine Resto Bar has already established its name and has six branches all in the country.

Yet, it's our first time to try it out.   It has a chiller for cheese and deli items.  There is also a gourmet corner for wines, dips and more. 

They also have a bar area on the first floor. 

 But, the dining area is located on the second floor.  


This wine display functions as a divider as well.


I love the wood furnished fixtures and the Catalan inspired interior. 

Food

Complimentary Bread with tomato dip, olive oil and salt

Upon being seated, we were served some Complimentary Bread with tomato dip, olive oil and salt.  the bread was warm and the zesty tomato dip is very welcome to our growling stomachs. 

Tapas

♥ Croquetas Setas (295 php)

Croquetas are our Spanish favorite.  How could I ever resist the Croquetas Setas which are creamy croquetas mushrooms when its got two of my favorites: croquetas + mushroom!

Tradiciones

Callos A La Madrilena (605 php)

The Callos A La Madrilena is a tripe stew with chickpeas, chorizo, tripe and beef served with bread.  This was bursting with zesty tomato and meaty tripe and beef flavors!  I love how tender the tripe and beef are. 

♥ Sopa de Ajo (275 php)

The Sopa de Ajo is my mom's favorite Spanish soup.  It is a garlic bread soup with jamon serrano, egg white and paprika.  This one has a strong roasted garlic taste which we all enjoyed.


Arroces Y Pescano

♥ Paella De Marisco (620 php)

I'll be honest!  Every time we dine for Spanish cuisine, we're really eager for the paella.   The Paella De Marisco is a scrumptious seafood paella.  Check out the generous portions of mussels and clams, the size of the prawns and the toothsome and soft squid rings.

♥ Paella Negra (480 php)

The Paella Negra  is a simply squid ink paella with squid rings and mayonnaise.  Although not extravagant in terms of ingredients, in terms of looks and taste, it was impressive.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Barcino Wine Resto Bar offers quality Spanish cuisine for a reasonable price.  With its many branches, its cool that you can now enjoy their dishes as often as you wish.  I heard they have excellent wine and beer too.

Spanish Cuisine has always been a family favorite.  The family is a purist when it comes to things.  we always opted for authentic and traditional rather than modern and fusion.  And when searching for authentic and traditional Spanish cooking, you can start your list with "A" for Alba Restaurante Español.  


Although Alba is one of the first Spanish restaurants we've tried and frequented as a kid, we haven't tried it since the branch near us closed down.  So when we had dinner at House of Wagyu Stone Grill, we planned to dine there at the Prism Plaza branch for a lunch buffet which was fortunately materialized a few months ago.

I noticed that it has maintained its classy baroque-styled ambiance.   Red is the predominant color that of the place.  Staffs are also matching that color motif.  At night, it offers a romantic setting with its dim lighting and candle lighting.

It has a chiller where they display chilled wine, cold cuts and sausage similar to that of a typical deli.

They also sell whole cakes too.

The buffet table is found at the end of the room which makes it visible from the entrance still.  The dishes are organized from appetizer to main course and there is separate section for desserts. 

Food

Tabla de Embutidos

They offered an assortment of their home-made cold cuts: Pamplona, Mortadela, Salchichon. 

Quesadilla

I'm really impressed with their organized system and monitoring of the dishes.  Plates are rarely empty and the dishes are freshly cooked.  The Quesadilla was crunchy in every bite.

Spread

They offered a variety of spread to match their pastries.  I enjoyed the prawn spead the most.

Escalivada

The Escalivada is roasted vegetables with anchovies.  Perhaps this is the one of the rare circstumances where I'd say skip the veggies for the more sinful ones.

Croquetas de Pollo, Almejas al Horno and Albondigas de Vaca

I enjoyed these three especially the Croquetas de Pollo.  Too bad, I had to save some space for the rest.  Otherwise, I would've loaded up with these.
 

Lenguado Meuniere and Pollo Frito

The Lenguado Meuniere is dowry fish.  Though the blend is right, I'm just not really a fan.  I found nothing special with the Pollo Frito which is their version of fried chicken. 

Steamed Vegetables and Lenguini Carbonara

I got some veggies and tried the Lenguini Carbonara.  But, I think the right move should be skip the pasta for the paella. 

Lengua Sevillana and Callos a la Madrileña

These two are my all-time favorite Spanish viands!  You can imagine my excitement upon seeing these. 

Cochinillo Asado

According to my family, the ones they got had crunchy skin and tender meat.  But, mine wasn't. =( 

Paellas

Paella Valenciana

I'm a huge fan of the flavorful paellas.  The Paella Valenciana is a carb dish, I would never regret having.  Every spoonful of it is a blissful moment for me.


Postres

Flan al Caramelo

What I Had

Upon being seated, we were served prawn bisque which was delicious!

My Appetizer Plate

My Main Course

My Dessert Plate

I usually stay away from meringue cakes because I find them too sweet.  But, Alba's Canonigo is now my favorite!  Ooh... it's soft and mellow fluffiness is simply delightful.  The Tarta de Chocolate Al Cointreau is dark and rich with a pleasant hint of orange liquor.  The Maja Blanca and Lemon Square, does not disappoint too.

My Fruit Plate

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
We really enjoyed our lunch buffet at Alba Restaurante Español.  The offerings may not boast of quality, but quality is assured.  Considering that Spanish cuisine is usually at a higher range than others, the ambiance and service, I'd say the price is worth every peso.  Their service is top-notch.  Upon being seated, we were quickly served our soup, our glasses were filled with water, and we were assisted with our napkins.  The empty plates were cleared as soon as we leave the table for another helping too.