September Day-Off Part 1: Casa Roces

     It has been ages since my co-mommies from Yellow's school have seen each other. These beautiful women and I have been friends since kinder (er since our daughters were in kinder) which makes it nine years. Wow, long time already!

     It was Hellen's birthday a few days back and we planned to meet up. I heard about a relatively new place, Casa Roces in the Malacanang complex in San Miguel, Manila. Yep, right across where our country's president holds office.

     It is the ancestral home of the Roces clan which has been renovated and restored to this time house a restaurant. Restored? Renovated? Those are magic words to me. We have lost so much of our history and culture demolishing old homes and structures. People should really re-think first before tearing something down. How can you let go of something, especially one as beautiful as this?

      Architect Tina Bonoan did beautiful work here.

     This is the art deco door from the street side for pedestrian entry...I love the weathered blue and machuka tile detail.

     This is the other door from the valet entrance. I kinda like this better though but that's just me. =-)

     We actually entered through here and it opens to a lovely parlour.

    
     It was breakfast time and the side of the house facing the east was open to diners. Perfect! I loved the way the soft morning sun filtered through the trees and trellised sliding doors. This is Cape Chino.

I so love the mismatched chairs!

     Outside was equally pretty. How I wish I could live in a house like this!

By Impy Pilapil

Also by Impy Pilapil

      At first you would think modern sculpture for an old art deco home? But it makes prefect sense if you think this home has been renovated, updated and converted from a house to a restaurant. It punctuates the fact that it is alive and here again but different.

      And we were here to EAT....

There were three pieces of longganisa. I tasted one already before this shot. (!)

I loved the arroz caoldo! So good and comforting!

     Basically, everything was really good. Though my their tapa is not the best and would be great if the servings were a bit bigger.

      But then, that's just them talking....Haha!

     Of course we had dessert. This is their best seller. We totally understand why....

     This is a light lemony souffle with pistachios. Is it obvious I have forgotten what it is called? Sorry but it was yummmmy!

      Lots of other desserts and take-home treats to try. Of course you can't go wrong the Cravings group which runs the place. =-) We missed the Vigan longganisa empanada thought. They were out at that time.

    This is feels so much like home. Spending the morning here made me miss my childhood, waking up to my mom and dad. I just might take them here for a merienda, mid-afternoon snack. I saw dinuguan on the menu.

     My dad and I share that favorite! =-)

Photo op with the girls...Thanks for the treat, Hellen!

Oh and one more thing.....

     This staircase leads to the second floor. It looks like one that would serve an inn. Very cute! Upstairs where the bedrooms used to be are small function rooms.

Casa Roces

1153 JP Laurel cor Aguinaldo St.

San Miguel, Manila

735-5896