Arrozeria Manila : Paella Just The Way You Want It

I’m sorry to say, but I was not that fond of Paella .  That’s because the ones I have tried in the past did not impress me because I never liked how it looks. You know everything is mixed together and the rice is sticky and sometimes wet, it kinda remind me of sorry *whispers* “kanin baboy”.   Paella may taste good but my eyes eat first , and  when my eyes is not pleased so goes my appetite.

Fortunately, I was invited to sample the Paella dishes and more at Arrozeria Manila and they serve great Paella dishesh just the way I like it (and I’m 100% you will too).  Their Paella’s are al dente and stlightly dry, with more rice than meat, in contrast to the way Filipinos learned to eat paella that was wet and soft and chewy and chunky with meats and vegetables.

Arrozeria Manila Paella Just the way You like it
According to Chefs Chele Gonzalez , Ivan Saiz and Keith Fresnido, the team behind the
highly regarded  Vask  and  Gallery  Vask,  and the same  team  behind  Arrozeria. The Paellas they serve at Arrozeria Maanila taste as authentic as if a family-run place at the seaside city of Valencia in Spain. Each separate grain of rice glistens, and is the pale yellow-orange of a sun just beginning to set over the  horizon.  You  dig  in, the rice  a thin  layer that  crusts  around the  bottom  and  edges  of thepaellera.  There  is  a  bite to the rice,  al  dente,  each spoonful so flavorful that meat  or seafood  are superfluous. 

I can tell you more but these photos I took of the Paella variants I’ve tried at Arrozeria doesn’t give justice to how delicious they were, I can still taste the flavor and the bite that I have not had before with Paellas I tried until this.

Sea Food Paella

Arrozeria Manila Sea Food Paella Just the way you like itArrozeria Manila Paella Just the way you like it
The serving is good for 4-5 persons but they also have 12″ pan good for 2-3 person and the 18″ pan for 6-8 persons.

Here’s the Menu for your reference

Arrozeria Manila Menu
The menu  divides  its  rice  dishes  into  Caldoso  or  Soupy,  similar  to  our  arroz  caldo;  Meloso  or  Saucy,
somewhere between soupy and a risotto; and Risotto or creamy rice dishes similar to the Italian‐style.While the menu  at Arrozeria respects the  Filipino style  of  eating  paella, and diners may order their either “al dente and thin” in the Spanish manner, or “soft and wet” inthe Filipino fashion, so you can get your Paella still just they way you like it

Chef Chele Gonzalez talked about about the characteristics that make a truly great paella: the
integrity of the rice and the way you can feel each grain in your mouth the thin layer that results in quick cooking and the prized soccarat or tutong, (my favorite part of their paella) an intensely flavored stock that matches the main ingredient, the tastiness of the sofrito (the all important base to many Spanish dishes that consist of garlic, onions, peppers, tomatoes, paprika slow‐cooked in olive oil), and the  correct seasonings (not all paellas are flavored with saffron).

Did you know that the rice they used at Arrozeria Manila comes from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Banos Laguna that supplies their Ifugao heirloom rice variety tinawan that had all the characteristics of bomba the Spanish variety of rice typically used in paella and other rice dishes.

But Arrozeria Manila is more than just the sum of its paellas; like the traditional arrocerias in Spain, it features how rice is cooked in the different regions of Spain.  In Souther Spain, they prefer their rice dishes drier, Northern Spain prefers wetter, soupier dishes, similar to risotto.

I also tried their Fideua, thin noodles no longer than your pinky fingernail, cooked in the style of paela.

Fidua at Arrozeria Manila Paella Just the way you like it

Arroz Gratinado Longaniza, a tip of the hat to our Filipino longaniza, combining house-made longaniza, broccoli, and garli-rich aioli is served in a rise dish that is run under a broiler

Arrozeria Manila Arroz Gradinado Longaniza with Brocolo and aioli gratin

Salpicon  de  Pulpo  (octopus)  bathed  in  capsicum  and  onion  vinaigrette;

Arrozeria Manila Salpicon De Pulpo

Pimiento Rellenos, piquillo peppers stuffed with braised oxtail so intensely‐flavored that its meatiness
permeates throughout the peppers

Albondigas con ChampiNones

Lengua Frita, melt‐in‐your‐mouth Angus  beef  tongue  coated  in  béchamel  sauce  and  breadcrumbs,  before  being  deep‐fried  like croquetas.

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PicsArt_10-20-05.16.15

Arrozeria anila

Then the parade of desserts!

Arrozeria Manila

Arrozeria Manila

Arrozeria Manila

Arrozeria Manila

I also love their restauant interiors

Arrozeria Manila

Arrpzeria Manila

Arrozeria Manila Interiors

I love the glass door handles btw!

Arrozeria Manila

If you want to check the place out Arrozeria Manila is located at the 4th level of Century City Mall in Makati just next to the escalator before you enter the Hole in the Wall.

I’m going back for more that’s for sure.  See you there!

Stay gorgeous everyone!

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