Was invited to dine at this newly opened restaurant along Scout Dr. Lazcano in Timog. Currently on its soft opening (it opened only last October 5, 2009), it easily beguiles the senses with its clean lines and whimsical touches here and there. I just came from touring two German visitors all over Manila (a ferry ride down Pasig River, a walking tour of the Walled City, late lunch at Ilustrado and souvenir shopping at Silahis) and you can say that we were exhausted to the core from all the walking. A wonderful dinner would be a nice way to end the day.
You know me too well when I say that I love dining out. Be it high-end or a hole in the wall (more of the latter, of course), I take eating out as a celebration of life, love and living. Suffice to say that I totally love my Philippine history, too, so imagine my surprise when the car dropped us off here. Wow, what a brilliant idea by the grandchildren to honor the memory of such a great Filipino! To this end, I would love to try out The General's Chicken (P470) on my next visit if only to imagine how he liked his chicken.
I loved the fact that ROMULO employed yards of this lovely fabric to cover their walls instead of the usual paint. I loved the painted bricks, too, over which they placed white-framed black & white photos. I was told the private rooms upstairs were all covered in fabric (same design, different colors) so I think that's overdoing it a bit (how can these words be in the same sentence?!).
Of course you'd want to brush up on your WWII history (and the ensuing peace time) when dining here to spare yourself the embarrassment of inquiring who Romulo is (if you are below 30 years old, you can be forgiven). Oh, I love that area where the tables are on the grass but it's not nice when it rains.
You can opt to stay inside where it's comfortable or enjoy the balmy outdoors (and the sound of passing vehicles) - take your pick.
And pick we did. For this evening, we started with yummy Molo Soup (P51) and chose Chicken with Tamarind (P220) and Baby Pusit (P200) for our main dishes. I totally enjoyed the latter ("pleasant" comes to mind) but the former was nothing to get crazy over. The chicken was good, but the tamarind dip didn't make it any better.
Sigarillas in Coconut Milk with Tuyo (P150) is a delightful alternative to the usual laing, but I didn't taste the tuyo. It would have been very interesing. The Liempo in Kangkong (P100) is okay. Tasted something better somewhere else. There's so much more to try, you know, but one can only eat so much in a day! *chortle* The most expensive item on the menu is Boneless Crispy Pata (P625) while the cheapest is chicharon (P45). Did the General enjoy chicharon, too? One can only wonder.
We didn't attempt to have dessert for fear of bursting on the spot (think Orlistat moment), but would love to try their coffee next time (if they serve it). Aside from the chatty waitress who brazenly offered to sell me alkaline water when she found out I had gout (I refused to order the Monggo Soup she offered earlier), the experience was rather great. I would love to come back and explore more of this wonderful new place. Thumbs up to the owners for this brilliant idea. :-)
ROMULO
32 Scout Tuason corner Dr. Lazcano
Tomas Morato, Quezon City
Telephone: +632 332-7275
Reservations Necessary
