Restaurant Love: ArroZeria Manila

I have been planning to visit Le Petit Soufflé for months now but every time I plan to, it gets cancelled. *sigh* I had my heart and tummy ready for a French dinner after my sister’s graduation but since we failed to reserve a table, we had to move elsewhere and our second option was not bad at all… not at all.

Hello again, ArroZeria Manila!

It has been a few months since I last visited this place and I recall that service was a bit slow given that they only prepare the paella after you order (though you could actually call in advance for them to prepare it before you arrive). But the food was awesome so I didn’t mind the wait. I went crazy over the Valenciana and risotto. We ordered Paella Valenciana (PHP295, minimum of two orders) again that night as well as Carpaccio de Atun (PHP195), Pepito de Ternera (PHP250), Fideua Negra (PHP295, minimum of two orders) and Cochinillo (PHP650).

First served that night was the paella and it was surprising given that was one of the last dishes served the last time I went.

The texture seemed to be tougher this time but the lovely flavor was still there. I felt a bit short of the chicken as there were 6 of us sharing paella good for two. (Okay, fine. It was actually good for four persons.) The manager scraped off the burnt paella and distributed it amongst us and it was pretty good too! The crunchy texture with the sauce of Valenciana made my tummy happy.

Next served was the Fiduea Negra. I loved the chewy texture of the octopus and thin noodles. It wasn’t that salty too. But there was one problem. The black squid ink sticks to your teeth. Avoid this when you’re on a date.

Carpaccio de Atun soon followed and I loved the fresh thin slice of tuna. The calamansi espuma added flavor while the tomato hearts and crispy jamon gave more texture to the dish. It’s a great appetizer.

My sister’s Philly cheese steak baguette was pretty good too. It was light on the palate though it was quite filling too.

Last served was the conchinillo and it was the best dish that night! The sous vide suckling pig with parsley and garlic mashed potato and orange clove sauce was a winner! The crisp skin and tender meat was divine. I also liked the garlic-y mashed potato (though my sister still prefers the traditional buttery one). Serving size is pretty small for the price but hey, it’s conchinillo.

Overall, it was a wonderful dinner. I’ll definitely visit again.

ArroZeria Manila is located at 4^th floor, Century City Mall, Kalayaan Avenue corner Salamanca St., Barangay Poblacion, Makati City.