COCONUTS HOT SPOT—Pastor’s Gastro Pub is the latest restaurant to ride on the gastropub bandwagon.
Literally hidden behind a row of Korean and Chinese seafood joints, this modern and chic Spanish gastropub is gaining quite a following despite its location in Pasay City (who goes to Pasay for food?). Word of mouth has been strong.
THE LOOK
The restaurant’s clean and contemporary façade is a welcome break from the blinking neon lights of the Asian restaurants next door. The tasteful design extends indoors, where massive glass windows, matte-finished walls and wooden accents strike a modern yet elegant feel.
A bar stashed with an impressive collection of imported alcoholic beverages (including cult favorite Estrella Galicia) greets you upon entering and tempts you to start your adventure with a drink.
In the main dining area, you are treated to a full view of the main kitchen where you can watch the New York-trained executive chef and his army of assistants work tirelessly on your orders.
From top: Rabo De Toro, Piel de Polo and Chistorra.
THE GRUB
Featuring mostly Spanish style cuisines and a few family secret recipes, Pastor’s gastro pub menu is quite expansive.
I found it a little tedious to decide on which specials to taste, but after endless discussions and finally just letting my wife do the talking (which she always does anyway), we settled for the Piel De Polo (PHP150), crispy fried chicken skin served with a shallot vinegar dip.
The serving portion was big enough to share, but that didn’t stop us from placing three more orders so we could talk about how the skin stays crispy even after being soaked in that sweet and tangy sauce.
The Chistorra (PHP250), sliced pork and beef sausage from Spain served with fresh olives, was a bit salty for my taste, but the wife loved it.
For the main course we got USDA Angus Ribeye steak (PHP1190) with truffle fries, caramelized onions, anchovy butter and cherry tomatoes. The quality and flavor of the meat really stood out and considering that it was big enough for two people, this meal was quite a value.
We also had Rabo De Toro (PHP525), braised ox tail stew served with marble potatoes, carrots and beans. It had a fall-off-the bone tenderness and deep Spanish flavors going for it, but the serving size was tiny.
Upon the suggestion of the chef, we also got the Cantimpalo (PHP325) a thin-crust, oven-baked pizza garnished with generous portions of cantimpalo chorizo and quesong puti.
Our Spanish meal wouldn’t have been complete if we didn’t try Paella Negra (PHP1750, good for 10 people). It uses imported arborio and bomba rice from Spain and is topped with fresh crabs, squid, and prawns that give a texture and flavor you can only get from an authentic Spanish paella.
We so loved this one so much we decided to try the other two variants: Marinara and Valenciana, which were both okay but not as spectacular as the black squid.
We were deeply satisfied with our meal, but can’t help feel slightly let down that we missed their beststeller: God’s Butter, a roasted bone marrow served with baguette and the Jamon Jabungo. We’ll be back for that.
NOTES
Cost: Approximately PHP400 to PHP750 per person for food and drinks.
Cleanliness: The entire place seems to be spot clean—but it’s only a month old.
Service: The staff was courteous, attentive and especially patient while it took us a lifetime to decide on our order. Props should be given to them for knowing the menu very well.
Sound level: As expected from dining in a pub, it can get noisy, with a mix of guest chatter, television and house music. Striking a conversation requires effort. They also have a stage setup for plans to provide live band music in the future. Good luck with that.
Lighting: The dark matte finish on the walls elevates the laidback cozy feel of the lighting, perfect for a bar-like feel even at noon.
Pastor’s Gastro Pub, 8 Macapagal Blvd (Unit D1 Hobbies of Asia Complex), Pasay City; +63 2 831 0073. Daily 11am-3am.
Coconuts Manila dined anonymously and paid for this meal.
