The CAFE MEDITERRANEAN: Flavors of the Sun

One family Sunday bonding, we decided to deviate from the usual mall we visit. Hence, even though Power Plant Mall is far from where we stay, we planned to head there after hearing a mass.

We arrived in the mall at almost 1:00 pm, and we still had not taken our lunch yet. However, it took us a while to find a place to eat because everyone was so picky. All of us wanted something new and exciting. Fortunately, after about 5 to 10 minutes of "deliberation" we all agreed to dine in the Cafe Mediterranean.

Note: Again, I want to brag about the photos I was able to take! Among all the shots I captured to date, this photo set seemed to be the best! For some photos, I may have overexposed them, but I'm still in the process of experimenting. Maybe you can drop a comment sharing what you think of them.

The Place 

The quaint design of the place, accented by the colorful flooring, was totally an eye-catcher . The theme's great, and Cafe Mediterranean was able to integrate it well as evidenced by the paintings, light fixture, wooden ceiling and other designs that helped in making the experience more delightful. However, the only downside was that the chairs and tables weren't that complementary with the overall layout - they weren't exactly comfy.

The Cafe Mediterranean in Power Plant Mall

Let's look more closely into the details of the design by checking out the photo below:

The Amazing Interior of Cafe Mediterranean

Amazing photo right? Well, for me it is! This is why I'm very proud of this shot!

The Food 

Let's begin with the feast by starting with the soup my mom shared with me, Soupe Au Pistou (P215):

A hearty vegetable soup with beans, zucchini, tomatoes, herbs and pasta topped with basil pesto and Parmesan cheese

Soupe Au Pistou at P215

I did not intend to have any soup at first, but after seeing the Soupe Au Pistou, I got curious and tried it. I liked how refreshing and healthy the taste was attributable to the veggies. There was a diversity in flavors and textures because of the fresh ingredients which made the entire soup dish potently flavorful. In short, it was not just an ordinary soup

The next one that was served up was the salad: Cafe Mediterranean's Greek Salad (P255)

Country salad of juicy tomatoes, crispy cucumbers, sliced onions, green bell peppers, crumbled feta cheese, and plump Kalamata olives

Cafe Mediterranean's Greek Salad at P255

I will not dwell much on this because, for me, this salad is the only underperformer for the entire set of dishes! It tasted rather bland, and the flavors seem to be at war, and  not too mention that it was overly sour. My palate wasn't compatible with the taste, but since each of us has varying taste buds, I won't discourage you to try it out.

Proceeding with the next dish, we have the Parmesan-Crusted Fish Fillet (P310) which was my brother's order:

Creamy dory fillet crusted with Parmesan cheese lightly fried in olive oil 

Parmesan-Crusted Fish Fillet at P310

I can't exactly remember the taste because I only had a spoonful of this. What I can note was the commendable frying evidenced by the nice texture of the fish. To give you a better idea of the dish, I asked my brother what he can say about it, and according to him, it was just perfect because it was delicately fried yet still crispy plus the saltiness wasn't too overpowering. On top of that, he suggested to use the sauce (condiment) because it further enhances the flavor.

My sister's order was the Grilled Chicken Kebab with Pita (P255):

Grilled Chicken with Pita at P255

The same as the one above, I wasn't able to recall much how this tasted. However, I'm exactly sure that my sister really enjoyed this one, not only the taste but also the process of preparation (i.e. putting the chicken inside the pita and adding the special sauces and veggies).

Let's now go to something a little less complicated, Grilled Chicken Mediterranean-Style (P310):

Chicken marinated with a mix of Mediterranean spices with a hint chili

Grilled Chicken Mediterranean-Style at P310

I mentioned it was less complicated because there wasn't much special about this dish, but I admit that you will still be able to distinguish this from the grilled chicken of other restaurants because of the so-called "Mediterranean Spices". However, if you are looking for something more exciting, I suggest that you skip this one.

For the next dish, we have the Grilled Lamb (P490):

Tender and Flavorful Grilled Lamb at P490

Although considerably expensive, this dish offers a memorable experience because of the delicate grilling of the lamb that resulted to a flavorful and tender texture. Each bite was filled with happiness making me savor the moment. Afterwards, I felt like a king for such a bountiful taste.

Now, for the main event, Moussaka (P275):

The classic Greek dish of layered eggplant ground beef and bechamel sauce served with regular pita

Fascinating Moussaka at P275

I saved the best for last, and luckily I was the one who ordered this best dish of the day! In one word, I will describe this Moussaka as "heavenly"! Both the texture and taste was very unique. I definitely loved and enjoyed the moment when the flavors playfully danced inside my mouth. The first bite was epic, the next four were fantastic, the succeeding ones were great. Well, you get the point; hence, sharing is advised to avoid heavy satiation. Regardless, everyone in the family agreed that this Moussaka was really something special.

There you have it - the flavors of the sun! I definitely enjoyed this lunch experience with my family! That being said, I totally recommend that you try it out!

Related post: Cyma - An Awesome Greek Restaurant

RATING OVERVIEW

Place: ★★★★
Taste: ★★★★
Service: ★★★★
Price:  ★★★★

Note about the rating: These scores are based on this experience alone, as well as the food that I had during this time. 

The Cafe Mediterranean
Concourse Level, Power Plant Mall
Rockwell Center Lopez Drive,
Poblacion, Makati
Service Charge: 10% before VAT or 8.93% of the price

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