Scrumptious: Pollo, paella and croquettas at Alqueria

The Salmon Al Neri is one of the newly introduced paella variants at Alqueria. Photos: Nikka Sarthou-Lainez

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Spanish food is paella: white, short-grain rice, cooked al dente until there's a caramelized crust on the bottom, and then topped with a myriad of meats, seafood, and vegetables.

It’s heaven on a plate—and Alqueria doesn’t disappoint, especially since it offers seven varieties of the dish.

A fusion of Spanish and Asian flavors

The restaurant has been around for a while (it used to be called Boqueria) but it expanded its menu when Chef Sonny Mariano of the Sumo Sam Restaurant Concepts Group took charge of the kitchen.

“We felt that we needed to add more options but the bestsellers are still there," he says, adding that the menu now offers traditional Spanish, Hispanic, and Asian and Spanish fusion dishes.

The sopa de ajo is served tableside.

This casual but chic dining place is located inside the trendy area of one of the biggest malls in the metro. My husband and I braved the traffic and parking challenge to get there, but the trip was worth it because of the good food.

I liked the traditional Spanish offerings like the Sopa de Ajo (garlic soup), a rustic soup with garlic-flavored broth that is served tableside at Alqueria. They first serve you a bowl filled with organic egg, sautéed mushrooms, garlic gelee, and Manchego crisp, then pour in hot stock.

You’ll see the gelee melt and the other ingredients blend with each other. It’s very flavorful but light. (I ate it with my husband, and I’m glad this was not during our first date because the garlic flavor was pretty intense.)

Another interesting appetizer is the Crispy Mechada. Two wedges of lettuce are topped with crispy shredded beef, slivers of radish and cherry tomatoes, then drizzled with Caesar dressing. The fresh lettuce went well with the crunchy meat and the tasty dressing completed the whole dish. Make sure to squeeze the lemon to brighten up the flavors.

The chef mentioned that they get their organic salad greens from a family-run farm in Cavite, and that the restaurant group tries to support local farmers and suppliers as much as possible.

The Black and Claw (foreground), made with squid ink and crab fat, is one of Alqueria's best-selling croquettas.

Crabs sourced from Negros are also highlighted in the Black and Claw croquettas, a combination of squid ink, mashed potatoes, crab claw, crab fat, and ebiko (fish roe). This was my favorite among the croquettas we tried. The chorizo (made with homemade sausage) and truffled mushroom were also good, but the Black and Claw was something unique and different and really mouthwatering. The squid ink and crab fat added depth of flavor and made the dish memorable. Even my hubby said it was one of his favorites of the night.

For the entrées, we sampled the Chicken Galantina and the Pollo. The former is stuffed chicken with chorizo, salted egg, vegetables and raisins that is cooked in white wine cream sauce. It’s rich and delicious, but the Pollo stood out more for me because it’s the most tender chicken dish I have ever tasted in my life.

 Pollo is a winner with its oh-so tasty and tender slow-cooked chicken.

The chicken is slow-cooked for a couple of hours, resulting in a fantastic piece of moist meat. It is served on a bed of sautéed spinach, root vegetables, slices of chorizo, and crunchy shoestring potatoes. Both my hubby and I gave this dish two thumbs up!

Of course we couldn’t leave without trying a paella or two: the classic Paella Valenciana, a scrumptious meal of shrimps, clams, mussels, chicken and chorizo in itself; and a new variant, the Salmon Al Neri—truly a must-try dish that showcases the chef's creativity. Thin slices of raw salmon are placed on top of the squid ink rice, then torched until it’s cooked but still moist. The chef then tops it off with garlic-flavored breadcrumbs, roasted pepper, nori, and calamansi aioli. It has become one of the restaurant's most popular dishes, and I understood why after my first bite.

The canonigo is served with salted egg sauce instead of the traditional creme anglaise.

My hubby and I were already full from the savory stuff, but we just had to taste Alqueria’s desserts.

These include the Canonigo, a meringue (think of the white part of a brazo de Mercedes) drizzled with a salted egg sauce instead of the traditional vanilla sauce.

The meal was just too much for two persons, and now my hubby and I know better: next time around, we'll just order a medium-sized paella and the Iberican-style slow-cooked chicken. — BM, GMA News

Alqueria (631-9102) is on the third floor of SM Megamall's Mega Fashion Hall in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City.