CHECK IT OUT: Las Flores at Bonifacio Global City

Spanish cuisine, scrumptiously reinvented.

by Joanna Manalastas
Sep 25, 2012

Las Flores
Ground Floor, One McKinley Place
25th Street, Bonifacio Global City
Taguig
Tel. No. 552-2815
http://www.lasflores.ph
Open daily, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

More than your usual tapas. Click for more.

(SPOT.ph) Think Spanish food, and no one can blame you if images of paella and dark, musty restaurants with booths that look like they've been covered in tapestries pop into your head. That's probably why Las Flores at One McKinley Place in Bonifacio Global City feels like a bright ray of Barcelona sunshine the minute you step inside, with its mismatched chairs, industrial lights, and exposed piping.

But stylishly relaxed interiors are not the only thing that sets Las Flores apart from most other Manila restaurants that specialize in Spanish food. It was, after all, opened specifically as a venue for a more modern take on the cuisine, with strong Catalan influences. "We were looking for something new; something Spanish because we're Spanish, but also we're Catalan," shares Uri Singla, who co-owns Las Flores with Dani Aliaga and Sergi Rostoll, all formerly of Barcino. "So we wanted to do something modern, far from the traditional. The food we have is Mediterranean, not only Spanish, and many of the dishes are Catalan. [We put a twist on] traditional dishes to make them more modern."

The partners flew in Chefs Gerar Villarobia from Barcelona and Dani Vazquez from Galicia for that modern take on the traditional. Among the restaurant's must-try dishes, Singla singles out the Angus and Foie Minis (P825) as a favorite, and it's apparent why-the dish features tender Australian Angus beef complemented perfectly by caramelized apples and rich foie gras. It makes a good follow-up to the Atun En Escabeche De Vino Y Aceite De Oliva Virgen (P395), chunks of marinated tuna with a surprisingly tart flavor that might just wake up your taste buds. The Bacalla a la Llauna (P895), on the other hand, is creamy codfish with a strong kick from the salt tempered by slivers of potatoes served on the side. For dessert, try something other than the usual: the Mel i Mato (P225) is a concoction made of ricotta, walnuts, and honey-a light, not-too-sweet treat that would make a perfect ending to any meal.