Half an hour before opening time, it’s a flurry of activity inside Rambla: young men buffing already-shiny wooden floors and wiping already-spotless white walls, pretty waitresses in black and white uniform discussing the fine points of the new weekend brunch menu, and in the open kitchen on one corner, the chef showing a tub full of sous-vide poached eggs while making strawberry pancakes from scratch in front of a camera.
By 11am, the energy in the kitchen goes up, up, up and the first batch of diners, a group of middle-aged well-to-do ladies, head directly to the second floor for privacy. It will be a continuous stream of guests from thereon.
Rambla, named after the busy and commercial La Rambla strip in Barcelona, is a cozy restaurant on a quiet street in Rockwell. An open kitchen bar dominates the ground floor while pendant lamps add a continental touch to the sleek, understated elegance of the restaurant’s interiors.
Stepping inside feels so familiar and yet we rarely see restaurants in Manila that’s in perfect order all the time.
The only hint that this is a Spanish restaurant: Mediterranean-themed tiles on the top and bottom of the open bar—that and the owners, who flit around tables greeting their guests, making sure everything is up to snuff. If you prefer to sit outdoors, as we did, a steady breeze flowing gently from the nearby high-rise residential buildings of Rockwell is almost guaranteed.
The young owners are the same people who opened Las Flores and, many light years ago, Barcino wine bar, both in BGC. They are from Spain and have cleverly transposed their country’s siesta-loving vibe to this part of town. Rambla opened in November and has been getting good reviews; it’s updated the menu three times. When there is a daily special, they don’t write it on a chalk board, they stamp it on the paper placemat that also serves as the menu.
The best dishes in Rambla’s new brunch offerings are the ones that add a Spanish touch to common Western breakfast fare. Eggs Benedictine (PHP425), sous-vide eggs served on a layer of pancakes, and topped with smoked salmon and arugula leaves, uses crispy jamon serrano instead of bacon. The huevos estrellados (PHP195-PHP525) are two eggs laid on top of French fries and served with a choice of chorizo or butifarra sausages, gambas, foie or shiitake mushrooms.
To cleanse the palate (and the arteries) afterwards, a very simple salad of burrata cheese, served with arugula leaves, cherry tomatoes and a light dash of olive oil. For those hankering for a quick energy fix, the pancakes (PHP395) served with fresh strawberries, honey and cream is sweet, not savory.
Nothing says weekend brunch better than alcoholic drinks in the morning, and a bar cart parked in the restaurant’s outdoor area, facing Joya Drive, offers amazing surprises.
Bottles of the most hard-to-find small-batch gins, handcarried from abroad, are all there for the picking: Brooklyn Gin and Death’s Door from the US, as well as London’s No 1 and Ford’s Gin from the UK, among others.
Potted herb plants and small bottles containing spices like anise, peppercorn and cinammon are there to give the adventurous drinker the satisfaction of concocting his own cocktail, for PHP400 per glass, which will taste magical with a pour of premium tonic water—because, seriously, why dilute the taste of expensive liquor with Schweppes when you can heighten it with Fever Tree.
Weekend brunches are not about having over 250 all-you-can-eat dishes, it’s about sitting under the sun, relaxing with friends, and recharging for the week ahead. The owners of this hidden spot in Rockwell understand that, and have captured its essence in Rambla.
Special Brunch at Rambla (G/F Joya Building, Joya Drive, Rockwell, Makati; +63 2 8236468, www.facebook.com/rampblaph). Sat & Sun 11am-4pm. Main courses: PHP195-PHP695. Free-flow of Vallformosa Mvsa Cava Brut from Spain for PHP595.
