Mario’s: Good food, good fun

As always, I was pretty snap happy that evening so I also took photos of everyone else’s food. Cla had an Oriental steak dish which had a teriyaki-style steak, tempura and rice. Asian-style surf and turf?

Toni had the Steak ala Pobre, a thick slice of tenderloin, seared then topped with loads of crisp, fried garlic. Vampires keep away!

Aside from the steaks, Mario’s also has other dishes from their Casa Specials line. These are traditional, old-fashioned favorites that were first served in their Baguio branch. Despite their endless efforts to innovate and introduce new dishes, these Old Casa Specials will always be on their menu, a treat for those who grew up with them. This is khursten’s Callos.

Aside from that, she also had some paella to share. This is the Paella Valencia, authentic Spanish paella that resonated with saffron and came complete with that much sought-after paella crust.

To go with our meal, we were given a choice between their White and Red wines. Served from their newly renovated Zen-style bar, their wine offerings are regularly rotated to give diners a choice of popular wines they really like, instead of simply taking the usual wines offered by suppliers.

Capping the meal off, we were offered Mango Jubilee, a luscious dessert made of flambéed mango balls served atop a generous helping of vanilla ice cream. Flambéed by the tableside, it was a spectacle to watch.

Best of all, it’s not just for show. The Mango Jubilee was a terrific mix of cold, creamy ice cream and rich, hot mangoes that oozed with a heady, sweet flavor, tinged with a hint of liqueur.

Ah, it was an evening of good wine, great food and lots of laughter. Evenings like this are meant to be remembered and enjoyed, again and again.

Special thanks to Mr. Fil Benitez for having us over.

Mario’s has branches along Upper Session Road in Baguio (074.442.4241) and Tomas Morato in Quezon City (372.0360 / 415.3887).

The Mario’s Sunday Lunch Buffet (P535.00+ adults / P405.00+ kids) include roast beef, cochinillo, and turkey, plus sushi, pasta, paella, desserts and a chocolate fountain. Caesar’s salad included.