Classic Filipino Spanish Cuisine at Casa Roces
Traditional family recipes with subtle modern twists, lovingly preserved and enjoyed in a beautifully restored ancestral home. Casa Roces Malacanan offers a unique combination of history, culture and cuisine, all in one place, for a memorable dining experience.
Located just across the Malacanan compound, Casa Roces brings back the elegance of a bygone era with traditional family recipes. The former ancestral home of the Roces clan, one of the country's prestigious names behind The Manila Times media empire, Casa Roces allows diners to go on a nostalgic taste of the past. Now with a cool, modern and casual vibe, Casa Roces exemplifies a classic-meets-contemporary feel with clean, updated lines while preserving the rich heritage of the family's ancestral home. For more on casa Roces, see my previous post here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-casa-roces-experience.html.
The cuisine at Casa Roces follows the classic-meets-contemporary feel, combining traditional family recipes with a touch of modern inventiveness. Start your meal with a glass of Casa Roces' signature Sangria to set the mood. Then, sit back and let the friendly staff at Casa Roces take care of the rest. Here's a sampling of some of the signature dishes at Casa Roces...
Crispy Lengua Caesar Salad, fresh romaine lettuce with a tangy anchovy dressing, topped with crispy ox-tongue croutons. Not your usual Caesar Salad, with flavorful ox-tongue croutons providing an additional layer of flavor and texture. Different, but still comfortingly familiar.
Sopa Molo Castillana, a richly flavored garlic broth with deep-fried pork dumplings, poached egg and parsley. The flavorful broth is enriched with the poached egg and parsley, and the crisp pork dumplings add a delicious contrast in texture.
Pate de Pescado Duo, a pair mild-flavored fish pate served with crusty bread, an elegant starter to any meal at Casa Roces.
Rabo de Toro, a rich and flavorful ox-tail stew, cooked for hours to bring out the flavors. Soft, tender and almost melt-in-your-mouth, the rich sauce complements the subtle flavors of the ox-tail. Rich, hearty and comforting, and definitely a must-try at Casa Roces.
No meal at Casa Roces is complete without these classic Spanish dishes, Fabada ala Casa Roces, a Spanish bean and pork stew in a thick and rich sauce...
...and Callos ala Abuelita, a thick slow cooked tripe stew with chorizo and garbanzos. Rustic and homey, classic comfort food.
Then, Casa Roces updates some of the most iconic Filipino dishes with an inventive and modern twist, like the Pork Stew Binagoongan, crunchy pork belly with string beans and tomatoes sauteed in richly flavored bagoong on steamed rice...
...the Roasted Chicken Inasal, a classic chicken dish reinvented, grilled lemongrass flavored chicken with annatto oil topped with fresh salsa...
...and the Chicken Adobo Confit, another classic and traditional dish with a cool modern twist, an oven-baked chicken with salsa verde and adobo sauce. The flavors of each dish remain comfortingly familiar, maintaining the signature notes of each dish. All modern classics, all winners.
For those looking for a lighter option, Casa Roces offers Pescado en Salsa Verde, baked fish fillet with salsa verde and a side of mashed potatoes. Deliciously tender and flavorful, a dish without the guilt.
Pinakbet, stewed vegetables in bagoong balayan, a Filipino staple that goes well with the mains of Casa Roces. The fresh vegetables still have a crispness, adding a delicious snap in every bite.
Grilled Pork Ribs, barbecued marinated pork belly with a side of fries. A slab of pork belly covered in sweet and smoky barbecue sauce. Can't go wrong with pork belly...
For dessert, Casa Roces offers a full line of cakes all made in-house. You can also go for their popular items, like Turon ala Mode, fried banana spring rolls filled with ube jam and and caramel langka sauce with vanilla ice cream...
...or the Malacanan Frozen Souffle, a lemon custard souffle sprinkled with pistachios and dark chocolate drizzled with lemon lavender sauce. Rich and indulgent, great with a cup of coffee.
Or, you can go for the classic Ensaymada con Jamon y Chocolate, a traditional baked brioche topped with ham, cheese and muscovado butter and served with thick hot Spanish chocolate. Grab a piece of the ensaymada, and dunk in hot chocolate or simply pour the chocolate on the ensaymada. Seriously good.
Classic Filipino and Spanish cuisine, comfortingly familiar and some with surprisingly new and refreshing twists. All in a beautifully restored ancestral home in old Manila. Just can't get better than that. Special thanks to Chef Issam Al Suhairy, Head Chef; Mitzi Navarro, Marketing Head, Cravings Group; and Marlen Carlos, Casa Roces Malacanan Manager, for a memorable dinner at Casa Roces.