Food-Stars: A Spanish Afternoon at Alba, Polaris Street, Makati

Saturday, February 2, 2013

A Spanish Afternoon at Alba, Polaris Street, Makati

Thursday's lunch brought us to Alba at Polaris Street.

Alba, Polaris Street Makati

Don't let the facade fool you; it's way roomier and spacious inside.

Told you ;)

With the red tablecloths, wine glasses and red napkins; the place echoed of fine dining and elegance.

Huge paintings adorned the walls as well as lantern-type light fixtures. At one spot, they made use of a wine rack as decor. How quaint. They also had a small area for their deli, cakes and other sugary treats.

We were there for their lunch buffet (Php 650/head).

This was what their setup looked like. On the left was the appetizers & main dishes. Right next to the bar was their desserts selections.

They served us soup. Didn't look that appetizing so I didn't try it out.

This was Alba's appetizers selection. There were rolls & bread with your choice of spreads and dip. Took pictures of the ones that caught my eye. The one that looked like pizza squares was Coca de Pisto y Sardinas Picantes (Majorcan Pie) while the bottom one was their version of Spanish Cold Cuts (Tabla de Embutidos).

They also had Canalones (left) and Verduras con Ajo (right).

Now to the wares we were able to try out. :p

Pan Fried Fish Fillet

The Pan Fried Fish Fillet was a ho-hum for me. No flavor was present and it was pretty cold. Definitely a huge let down.

(L-R) Albondigas de Chorizo , Champignon ala Plancha and Pescado al Pil pil

The Chorizo balls and Fish with Pil Pil Sauce were just okay while the Grilled Button Mushrooms were a bit salty. FS verdict? Sadly, these trio of dishes were quite forgettable.

And now to the highlights! :)

Paella Valenciana

This was definitely an authentic paella dish. The veggies & seafood (shrimps, shellfish) plus the chicken and pork gave a flavorful medley on the tongue. Add the eggs, chorizo and green peas and its not just a tasty treat for the tummy but for the eyes as well. FS Recommendation? Drizzle with a bit of lime to give those flavors a citrus kick. :P

Conchinillo de Asado

The Conchinillo de Asado was the bomb! No exaggeration there. This soft, juicy and tender oven roasted suckling pig was our favorite. This was definitely worth going back for. :P

Crispy Pata

This on the other hand was a sad sight. When we arrived, this was a left of the dish. No refill was done the whole 1 1/2 hour we were there. Tsk tsk. Sayang, didn't get to try this one out.