COCONUTS HOT SPOT—My brother and I just finished a day’s work and were looking for a spot to kick back and unwind. Wanting to avoid heavy traffic, we navigated through some of the Scout area’s side streets and found Historia Boutique Bar and Restaurant in nearby Bgy South Triangle. We felt that the beer gods wanted to reward us for our day’s efforts because as we approached the place, we saw a poster that flashed “Li-beer-ty Sale: Dos Equis served at P12/bottle today”. Yahoo!
THE LOOK
Entering Historia reminded me of the old Filipino-Spanish houses in Intramuros with its rock base walls, capiz windows and wooden accents. From the lobby area, you will see the enclosed and air-conditioned dining area to your left. Walking a few steps further leads you to the open-air bar and live music stage. The place is decorated with old wine, vodka, gin, beer and whiskey bottles. The dining area has some stained-glass window accents and old paintings and is an ideal place for those who want to enjoy the food more than the music. One can still see the stage from inside. The bar, on the other hand, features three big flat screens that provide visual background entertainment. It’s like a dark garden, bar and music area rolled into one.
THE GRUB
After we found our spots on the bar, we ordered some beer, sisig and garlic peanuts. The Dos Equis bottles were ice-cold and tasted like a lighter version of Hoegaarden.
The garlic peanuts were made-in house and was served hot and with lots of deep-fried garlic. This was a pleasant surprise because, usually one would expect the bartender to just dig in to some cold and dry peanut stash by the bar.
Historia’s “Sisig sa Riles” was ok for me. It had a garlicky, peppery taste and a slightly wet consistency (as opposed to other sisig with crunchy and dry chicharon). There was also a mild hint of pork liver.
Soon enough, the band started to play and they dished out some classic rock from the 1980s and love songs. They gave a tight and solid performance and the crowd was into it. We requested for some Gin Blossoms or Toad the Wet Sprocket but it wasn’t in their repertoire.
It was getting late and we got hungry again. We ordered sambal chicken and adobo flakes. The sambal chicken consisted of six wing drummets with sambal dip. (On hindsight, we should’ve ordered the grilled tuna.) The adobo flakes, together with the fried egg and hot fried rice, was comforting.
The Dos Equis Promo was a one-day sale, but incidentally they are offering a 4+1 promo on San Miguel’s brews (Cerveza Negra, Super Dry, Premium All-Malt and Flavored Beer).
I’ve heard of boutique hotels, but not of boutique bars. If Historia is one, then I think we need more of these places. In any case, if you love live music and some drinks with a casual and easy vibe, this could be the place for you.
NOTES
Cost: About 350-400/ head for beer and food. Too tipsy to remember. Beer is cheap. Food is a bit pricey for the quantity.
Cleanliness: Good. Considering that it is a crowded place. Clean restrooms.
Service: You’ll need to raise your voice to be heard by the waiter, especially when the live band starts.
Lighting: Dim with intermittent flashes of light from the stage.
5 Sgt Esguerra Ave, Bgy South Triangle, Quezon City; www.facebook.com, +63 2 3766520. Mon-Sat 5pm-4am.
Photo from Historia’s Facebook Page. Coconuts Manila dined anonymously and paid for this meal.
