Las Flores Tapas Bar, Fort

 

Barcino’s founders, after selling their business shares, have given birth to a new baby, Las Flores Tapas Bar.  Partners Uri Singla, Dani Aliaga and Sergi Rostoll ventured into another tapas bar that offers modern Spanish cuisine heavily tinted with Catalan influences.

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Last March 5, the team trooped to Las Flores for dinner.  It was a birthday treat for me and Karen from dee boss.  We walked into Las Flores’ contemporary interiors with industrial-looking lamps and chandeliers and settled on our table.  I felt easy on the chair and ready for a relaxing dinner that awaits us. 

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On the Table

Ensalada Las Flores con queso de cabra, tomatoes, patatas paja y manzanas caramelizada Php 325

Freshly locally grown greens topped with goat cheese, tomatoes, and shoestring potatoes and caramelized apples

Las Flores, Las Floras, Las Flora, Las Flores menu, Las Flores Tapas Bar, wines, Metro Manila, Philippines, food review, food blog, blogger, lifestyle, contact, phone number, photo, menu prices, tapas, tapa, best tapas, best Spanish tapas, Spanish tapas place, Manila, Filipino, Pinoy, Las Flores Fort, Las Flores owners, Barcino, between bites, betweenbites, affordable, reasonable, list of restaurants, 2013, 2012, new, paella, best paella 

I loved their salad a lot that when no one was getting anymore, I finished what was left off the bowl.  Dee boss wanted more and ordered another Ensalada Las Flores.  The greens were crispy, fresh tasting, the goat cheese giving that tangy slightly sharp yet mild taste.  Tomatoes and potatoes and caramelized apples provide a crunchy texture other than semi sweet elements to the starter.  One of the better salads in the Metro.

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Paella Ella Eh Eh: Between Bites TOP 10 Best Paella

 

 

The most usual scenario is, Bubba and I jockey for the burnt crispy rice at the bottom of the paellera, which is the best part of any paella.  We appreciate generous toppings, particularly of favorites like shrimps (not overcooked hopefully) and chorizo.  And good quality saffron is such a plus!

 

 

 

Between Bites TOP 10 BEST PAELLA

 

 

10. Las Paellas

 

Paella Valenciana PHP 450

This was the winner among those that were ordered.  Generous helping of seafood and vegetable but rice is on the soft liquid side than toasty.  It doesn’t take away the fact that it was still yummy.

 

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Las Paellas

 

Las Paellas

2/F Greenhills Mall

 

 

9. Bistro Filipino

 

Paella Stuffed Squid PHP 450

Traditional wood fire cooked seafood paella stuffed in grilled squid topped with clam and mussel fritters in roasted capsicum sauce

 

READ MORE:

Twist it at Bistro Filipino

 

 

Bistro Filipino

Net One Building, Bonifacio Global City,

Fort, Taguig City

(632) 856 0634

 

 

8. The Wine Museum

 

Paella PHP 200 – 580

Their version is on the wet side but the serving is huge enough to make your trip to that part of Manila worth your while.  They can also teach you what wine is best paired with your paella.

 

 

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The Wine Museum

 

The Wine Museum

2253 Aurora Boulevard (formerly Tramo Road)

Pasay City, Manila

(632) 853 5894

 

 

7. Chateau Verde

 

Paella ala Ima PHP 495

Chateau Verde’s very own Spanish rice dish, with seafood, chicken, pork, chorizo, peppers and olive oil.  Top is garnished with alternating quartered hard-boiled egg and sliced lime.

 

 

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Chateau Verde

 

Chateau Verde

63 Apacible Place,

UP Diliman Campus, Quezon City. 

(632) 928 8180.

 

 

6. Grab and Go by Mario’s Kitchen

 

Paella Family Style PHP 120

Paella rice topped with shrimps, mussels, squid and vegetables.  GREAT value for its price.  If you only have a little over a hundred bucks and you want to fill your Paella craving, Grab and Go by Mario’s Kitchen is where you should be headed.  Try their Wagyu beef and upgrade your rice to paella and have a fantastic meal.  Their version has barely the toasted part though.

 

 

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Grab and Go by Mario’s Kitchen

 

Grab and Go by Mario’s Kitchen 

P. Guevarra St., San Juan 

 

 

5. Luna Resto Bar

 

Paella de Carne PHP 200

My favorite part of the paella is the toasted crunchy crust at the bottom of the pan and Luna’s version had a lot of it, which makes me a happy bee.  I love scraping it off and munching on the toasty flavorful rice!  Toppings were generous too at such a good price of 200 bucks that can probably feed a hungry 3.

 

 

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Luna Resto Bar

 

Luna Resto Bar

Wilson St., Greenhills, San Juan

 

 

4. Mom and Tina’s

 

Paella Valenciana PHP 175

If you love cheese and savory dishes, one can never go wrong with their Spinach Lasagna and Paella Valenciana.  The former is smothered generously with melted cheese while the pasta is evenly layered with spinach and ground beef.  You may find it weird but for me, it’s perfect with my order of their paella.  The Paella on the other hand is good for a hungry one or a sharing two.  I only have to quip that they don’t serve the Paella with lemon, which almost made a dent in the whole Paella experience, but with reasonable price, things like this is allowed to be overlooked.  

 

 

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A Bundle of Joyce

Mom and Tina’s

 

Mom and Tina’s

(near House of Mini’s, Good Burgers and Panciteria Lido)

106 E. Rodriguez Ave. Pasig City

(632) 914 0833

 

 

3. Tapella Restaurant

 

Manchego Cheese, Chicken, Asparagus, Shrimp Paella PHP 500

Paella with chicken chunks, baby asparagus and shrimps served on a small paellera with Manchego cheese on top.  The Manchego cheese gives a hint of beefy and creamy taste on the rice.  The baby Asparagus was cooked just right and even if their Paella was on the wet side, it’s delicious and you’d appreciate the creaminess of it.

 

 

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Tapella Restaurant

 

Tapella 

Ground Floor, Greenbelt 5, 

Ayala Center, Makati City 

(632) 757 2710 

 

2. La Tienda

 

Paella Mixta de la Tienda PHP 575

Chicken, pork, Spanish sausage, seafood

 

 

La Tienda’s Paella Mixta de la Tienda was a bit runny for me but it was delicious nonetheless.  I like dry toasty scrumptious paella but even if La Tienda’s version was a little wet for my taste, I really like the generous topping of chicken, pork, sausage, shrimps, clams, squid, beans, egg, artichokes, fresh pepper and saffron.  And it’s a pretty huge serving –good for 3-4 persons.  Taste authenticity at La Tienda.

 

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La Tienda

 

La Tienda 

43 Polaris St. Bel-Air 

Makati City, Philippines 

(632) 890 4123 

 

The best out there I’ve tasted recently has got to be Frazzled Cook’s.  In terms of taste, value for money and overall experience, I rate it Between Bites TOP 1 BEST Paella in Manila!

 

1.  Frazzled Cook

 

Seafood Paella PHP 550

For those diners who love their seafood paella with the full generous portions of mussels, squid rings, shrimps, chorizo and egg, this is their best bet for paella and BEST EVER value for money.  I love the fact that they serve it on the paellera since I enjoy most my paella with the burnt crispy part at the bottom. 

 

 

The traditional saffron seasoning is evident in this colorful Spanish dish providing the delightful piquant taste.  What I like best is the several lemon wedges that garnish the top.  Bubba knows how I love a liberal squeeze of lemon that adds the zesty kick.  This paella, similar to the one I remember enjoying at Fat Michael’s in 2007, was the very equal highlight of the entire meal for me.

 

 

READ MORE:

Frazzled Cook and His Dazzling Dishes

 

The Frazzled Cook

#916 Luna Mencias Street, Baranggay Additional Hills,

Mandaluyong City

(632) 782 5980

 

 

 

I think there are other Paella places yet to try since there are still some Spanish restaurants on my “To Visit” list.  Do you have any recommendation?  😉

 

I am yet to post about Casa Armas and Alba.  Bubba invited me to eat at Alba a couple of years back but I think we changed our plans.  Too bad I turned that down.  Friends are reminiscing about now defunct Minggoy’s -which I missed to try too.