With the twins out on their field trip and almost all of my close friends off on their long vacation, it didn’t look like an eventful birthday for me. Good that Z, who contributes for the Inquirer, decided to tag me along to a food tasting trip to breezy Tagaytay. If there’s something that gonna entice me to leave everything behind, that’s the smell of food and especially if it’s something I haven’t tried… like Greek food!
After what seemed like an effortless trip, we arrived at Mano’s Greek Taverna by lunchtime. The place at once looked familiar, until I remembered that this was Sanctuario Cafe’s old location, prior to relocating by the rotonda. Welcoming us was the patriarch of the place himself, Manos Sapountzakis, who opened the resto a few months ago with his Filipina wife, Es. I noticed that the place was bathed in white with transparent white curtains, posters of Greek sceneries hanging by the walls and Christmas novelty items reminding one of the impending (expensive) holidays. The place does not really exude ‘sophistication’ all over but I thought, this must be how an airy, breezy Greek taverna looks like. The sight of Mano’s and Es’ two kids scampering around further adds to the resto’s family-oriented appeal.
Mano started by giving us ladies a long stem of red rose in true chivalrous Greek fashion. He came back with glasses of red wine which we were only too willing to sample. Hmm, I liked it because it was sweet and not overpowering to the taste.
Amid all the pleasantries, we must have tasted a total of 14 dishes that long afternoon. Must-tries at Mano’s are their homemade bread dipped in tzatsiki, the eggplant moussaka and the baklava. I also liked their Hellenici Salata (Greek summer salad), the cabbage rolls (filled with rice and minced meat), stuffed vegetables and lamb fricassee – a creamy stew of tender-cooked lamb seasoned with various spices. The grilled lamb ribs turned out to be beyond par and the owner apologetically explained that this was because the ribs were the last ones on the stock. Hopefully, it will be better next time. Capping our hefty meal was a cup of Greek coffee which you can order either black, semi-sweet or sweet. I ordered sweet and found it – well – too sweet 🙁 Unfortunately, the gift of eloquence eludes me now to describe all the food I tasted but the pictures should speak for themselves. Aside from the fact that it adheres to the healthy principles of Mediterranean cooking with the liberal use of olive oil, one good thing about Mano’s is the price. The most expensive dish here is priced at P270 and that’s already a main course with rice or potatoes and all the vegetable sidings. Some of the items like the salads and the gyros are priced below 100.
Oh well, I failed to follow the advice of my Chinese friends to eat misua first thing on my birthday but at least Mediterranean-style fare is the next best thing since it’s always been hailed as healthy. Just don’t do it like me and try all 14 dishes at the same time!
Mano’s Greek Taverna
along Tagaytay-Calamba Road (before reaching the rotonda), Bgy. San Jose, Tagaytay City
Cellphone # 0916-4298358
i didn’t know that there’s a greek resto in tagaytay. I guess i’ll visit the place one day, i like greek foods!:lol:
it’s always a pleasure to see another mother of twins. I’ve got twins too!:smile:
Belated Happy Birthday. Sorry, I wasn’t able to greet you right away. I am so busy these days…. hardly have time for quiet time. I love tagaytay! I hope I would have the time to go there when I go home for vacation.
…. Take care and I promise I would not forget your laks!
Belated Happy Birthday 🙂
whoa greek tavern kala am in athens now
last night we went out at 9pm and the greeks still come in at 11pm to eat
am not so used to this late eve meals now but heck am back here in athens better adjust soon
taverna is not meant to be sophisticated u can pick the food with yr hand…..
cabbage rolls laxanodolmades yan inday sarap
sarap din ng utot hahha
love from athens….
blog will be up soon
Hi Darlene. Mano’s is newly opened in Tagaytay so there really was no Greek resto here before. Nice to meet another mom of twins in cyberspace:)
Anna Lyn… am excited to see you in your forthcoming vacation and I hope we can bond together with our high school buddies!
Thanks for the greeting, Jacs:cool:
Glad to know you’re back, Sha!! Thanks for dropping by. Sana magkita tayo sa Greece:wink:
pahabol
chronia polla na tha ekatotistiseis
wishes and may you live to the hundredth
greek greetings yan
I am excited too! I cannot wait to see you and the others again. Basta ha! Samahan niyo ko sa Divisoria Hahah.
:shock:ka bersdey mo my only dotir, tita ajay:lol:?
happy birthday! i’m so surprised that there’s a greek taverna in tagaytay…why is that? i think i’ve been away too long…:oops:
ganda ganda ng web design mo ah…very sophisticated and elegant…very you!
Hahaha! Ang hirap pala ng Greek Sha. Thanks for adding to my measly Greek vocabulary:wink:
Hey Anna Lyn, baka naman bilhin mo lahat ng paninda sa Divisoria ha. Ang mura kasi dun, Made in China overload:grin:
Hi Stel! Thanks for dropping by and for complimenting this humble space made by our common designer, hehe. About the Greek resto, every imaginable cuisine is here in the Philippines na; the benefits of migration and assimilation nga naman. True-blue Scorpion pala ang iyong dotir.. regards!
Hellooooooooooo! Nagbirthday ka and the bberks didn’t know about it? How did this happen? Gosh!!! 😳
BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY AJAY! 🙄
Belated Happy Birthday.
Sorry for the late greeting.
And thank you for visiting my site. I’m fine.
Happy Sunday!
belated Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Birthday, Ajay!! I’m looking forward to visit Tagaytay again next month! Nice pics!
belated happy birthday ajay! hope you had a good one. God bless you!
belated happy birthday! hugs!:smile:
Thanks for your birthday greetings folks. They’re appreciated kahit belated. Nakaka-depress lang tumanda, ahehehe…
Tin, magpakita ka naman sa amin coz it seems I can’t visit you yet in Singapore *wink*
I didn’t get to greet you agad, sorry 😳 So…. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AJAY!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve passed by that resto twice but never thought of trying it out. Thanks for the lead! I will think about stopping by that resto next time. 🙂
kalimera, Good morning…
I also saw this Greek Tavern nung magpunta kami sa Tagaytay HIghlands last month, Kaso di ako nakabisita.. sayang 🙂
Hi Sha, nasa Greece ka pala, I visited Crete, Athens, Thesalonikki last 2005… San ka sa Greece?
hello ”? How are you? my name is kosta, ‘s from Australia,
please can you tell me if the have lots greek in philippines? please can you tell me if they have greek community in philippines,,
please can you tell me if the have greek church, o greek school…i am happy to answer my question,,,thank you very much