My family had been wanting to eat at La Tienda after noticing it as we passed by the area. They texted me to go there and I arrived really late. They have already ordered and eaten their food when I arrived.
The place had a cozy spanish ambiance. Glancing at the other tables, I noticed that there were all foreigners. A group of Japanese on one table and the other table was a group of Spanish men. There were musicians roaming around the table to play their instruments and sing. Just beside the dining area, they also have a deli store.
I was first serve some bread and butter. Then I ordered their Sopa de Cebolla (onion soup) (worth 210 php). I ate it with the bread. It was very delicious. It was bits of cheese, onions, pepper and other ingredients in stock soup.
Then I was passed the Ensalda la Tienda (worth 330 php). It had lettuce, asparagus, tomatoes and shrimp in garlic vinegrette dressing. It was good but not that special.
For our main dish we had two types of paellas (spanish rice). According to their menu:
"La Paella was first prepared in the 19th century in the region of La Abufera outsde Valencia, Spain. The secret of the Paella lies in the unique texture of the grain after cooking. The grain is loose, dry and soft at the same time. The next priority is the flavor from the huge range of ingredients which puts a stop to any conversation. With no specific recipe, good paella includes chicken, pork, shellfish, squid, beans, artichokes and fresh pepper and above all – saffron!"
The first paella I tried was the Paella de Mariscos (worth 645 php). It was color yellow and was topped with seafood: Shrimp, squid, mussels, crab and clams. I liked it it was really good. It was very flavorful and had the familiar taste of typical paellas.
The second paella we had was the Paella Negra con Mayonesa Al Ali-Oli (worth 708 php). This one was color black because it had squid ink. It is also topped with seafood. This one tasted unique but also very good. (Tip: Don't forget to drink water with it because the black ink really stains the teeth and the lips)
Overall, the food was a but pricey but understandable for Spanish Cuisine. The meal was delightful and very satisfactory. They are only a few good Spanish dining places around and this is one place worth coming back for. They also have a valet servince. Their valet Mang Lito was very nice and accomodating.
The place is a bit formal so they are strict with their dress code. No slippers and shorts allowed.
La Tienda
43 Polaris St. Bel Air
Makati City, Philippines
(02) 890-4123
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