It was a week day and my friend Tisay from Hong Kong want to treat us for her birthday. Since we had a couple of working girls in the group we had to eat near their work area. After numerous suggestions of restaurants in SM Mall of Asia we ended up at a place I’ve never been to. I was surprised by the nice architecture of TwoE-Com Center just beside the mall.
I guess these restaurants are for the benefit of the employees in the buildings. These restaurants were very popular during the fireworks competition because of the perfect view of Manila Bay from this area.
You can tell who the working girls are from their lanyards.
Alba restaurant has a long history in the Philippines. It’s one of the few restaurants older than me!!! The last time I ate at Alba was several years ago in their Tomas Morato branch.
We decided on Alba for lunch because of their super affordable buffet. Where can you find a buffet with cochinillo and paella for only P695+?
Usually a restaurant sells a cochinillo as a whole or half pig and it costs thousands. At Alba you can eat good, crunchy cochinillo or young roasted pig to your tummy’s content. They displayed a few pieces at a time but it’s always replenished quickly.
They only had one kind of paella and it was in a really small dish but like the cochinillo it was also often replenished with a new and hot one. Their paella was quite good. The rice was soft but not mushy which I detest. The flavor of seafood was well infused in each grain of rice.
Among the appetizers my favorites were these dips and the sardine pizza which packed lots of flavor in the thin, crisp crust. The fresh tuna adobo tasted good too but it was too tough.
I didn’t try all the entrees but the veggie croquetas was yucky.
My favorite was the super garlicky chicken that was too spicy for me. Even then I tried to eat more because it was just so darn delicious.
There wasn’t much dessert options but my friends liked the canonigo. I for one don’t like any canonigo unless it’s transformed into brazo de mercedes with a creamy egg yolk filling. Plain egg whites just don’t do it for me.
If you want to return to work happier order their sangria which didn’t scrimp on wine.
I may not like all the dishes but there’s enough to like for the price of P695+. Even if I just eat the paella and cochinillo I would be already happy and satisfied.
Alba Restuarante Espanõla
Prism Plaza, 4th Level, TwoEcom Center, MOA Complex
telephone: (+632) 808-8210, 808-2326
website
Facebook
This information is from their website which isn’t updated. The prices are correct but I’m not sure about the schedule so I suggest you call the nearest branch before you go.
Spanish Lunch Buffet
P695+ per head
Kids 4 feet and below: P347.50+
3 years old and below: free
Schedule:
11:30 am to 2:30 pm
Available Monday to Sunday in all outlets
Spanish Dinner Buffet
P750+ per head
Kids 4 feet and below: P375+
3 years old and below: free
Schedule:
6:00 to 10:30 pm
Available Monday to Sunday in Tomas Morato, QC branch
Saturdays and Sundays in Westgate, Alabang branch
Sundays in Polaris, Bel Air Makati Branch
Shoot First Eat Later 