A lunch break oasis at Mario's Kitchen

For a lot of busy professionals, lunch break is the most sacred hour of the workday, a 60-minute escape from the hustle and bustle of the office.

 

Most of the time though, this precious hour is often spent at a stuffy food court or cafeteria, only because the sad truth is, great food usually come with great price tags.

 

Perhaps the answer to this travesty lies at Mario’s Kitchen. The restaurant is the more casual, budget-friendly brother to the high-end Filipino favorite, Mario’s.

 

Owner Raul de Castro says they’re taking the lunch break experience further, not just giving diners a good ambiance, but making them feel like they’ve gone home.  

“We want our customers to feel right at home when they come to Mario’s Kitchen. It’s like taking a break from work and going home for lunch,” de Castro said.

 

True to its more accessible nature, Mario’s Kitchen is now offering executive lunch combos that offer the same hearty, Spanish-Filipino dishes that the restaurant has become known for.

 

For P150-P200, diners can choose two from a lineup of classic Mario’s Kitchen dishes and enjoy them with unlimited rice, an assortment of breads, soup, and dessert.

 

The dishes on the combo menu include Callos, Lengua, Paella, Beef Salpicao, Gambas al Ajillo, Pescado ala Vizcaina, Chicken Kiev, Calamares, and Chorizo Riojano among others. Diners can mix and match the dishes as they please.

 

If the promise of unlimited rice isn’t enough for the discerning diner, then maybe the Callos will seal the deal. The well-loved Spanish-Filipino recipe was honored at Mario’s Kitchen as it served up the dish that was all at once smoky, spicy, and rich, but not overpowering.

 

Pairing the Callos with the juicy and tender Chicken Kiev makes for a stellar combo. The Kiev, which yields a beautiful burst of moisture when you cut into it, was generously stuffed with herbs and butter. The play of textures made a great experience out of the simple act of biting into it.  

 

The two dishes may be very different, but that’s exactly the point. The variety of flavors and textures that they offer make the match worth every penny.  

Another standout was the Salpicao. The chef treaded lightly along the garlic lines so that the classic garlicky savor was not overdone, the way it usually is in other Salpicao dishes. Even better, the flavor was given justice by the soft and moist slices of beef.

 

The Chorizo Riojano was a savory pleasure and with the rice soaking up some of the oil, you can almost overlook its inherent greasiness.

 

The Calamares, Lengua, and Pescado ala Vizcaina were all fairly delicious in their own right. Though not really dishes you’d crave for and remember long after you’ve finished the meal, each of them was cooked and seasoned earnestly, which makes them good enough, and certainly still a great deal considering the price.

 

The one underwhelming dish among the lot was the Paella, which is unfortunate, as it is a popular dish. What did the dish in was the texture of the rice which was a touch too soft, and failed to hold the flavors of the meat and vegetables.

 

That being said, the other items on the menu well make up for what the paella lacks. And with the variety of dishes on the menu as well as the unlimited rice, the lunch combos at Mario’s Kitchen are certainly worth a try. –KG, GMA News

 

Mario’s Kitchen is located at C. Palanca St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Lunch combos are served Monday to Friday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Photos courtesy of Mario's Kitchen