Patio Vera: The Most Romatic Dining Experience

If a picture paints a thousand words, Patio Vera paints a million. The visit to this unique restaurant located in the Shoe Capital was a delightful experience. They do not only offer a fusion of gustatory cuisine; but the entire place is a feast to the rest of the senses!

The owner, Pascual-Caballes family chose to name the restaurant after their grandmother who came from the clan of shoemakers. They are the genius behind the brands Stork Shoes, renowned in the 1960s and Itti Shoes that we currently see in SM Stores. Similarly, they are also related to the makers of Otto and Cardam's Shoes that were popular in the 80s and 90s. It was at The Marikina Shoe Expo in Cubao where the latter first established their branches.

Once you set foot on their property, the garden greets you with a warm welcome. You can opt to dine here to witness the cool breeze on a seemingly tranquil day. It was adorned (including the entire place) with an eclectic pieces of items purchased by Dr. Rommel Pascual-Caballes. He got these from his many trips around the country and in Asia. The conceptualization, beautification and design was done by Dennis Pascual-Caballes.


Each piece of ornament has a story to tell. The long wooden boat fastened near the window came from Batangas, for instance. It serves as a showcase for the other antiquated objects like the sewing machines they used in their shoe factory before.

The restaurant is also the realization of Mommy Meya's (the mother of Dr. Rommel and Dennis) dream many years ago. To date, she continues to help in their business by going to the market herself and choosing the freshest and finest ingredients available.

 

Before I rave further about this place, we came purposely here to taste their dishes. We chose to be seated in their A/C dining area with gorgeous interiors, ala shabby chic. The ambience had a very relaxing and sophisticated atmosphere too.

Paella Valenciana

Pork Spareribs

Seafood Kare-Kare

I fortuitously found a voucher from CashCashPinoy which I considered a good buy. For an affordable P425.00 the deal consisted of Paella Valenciana (original price is P525) and Pork Spareribs (original price is P325). And because we don't cook kare-kare (P395) frequently at home, we decided to try the seafood version since I disliked ox tail which they also offered.

Now don't give me that look. I know, there seems to be an unbalanced order of dishes here. But we still enjoyed every grain of paella  that tasted better after squeezing the lemon juice on the flavored rice with seafood and veggies. The kare-kare's peanut sauce was just right; not too much nor too little peanut taste in it. Similarly, the grilled pork (despite its small serving) was very tender and was perfectly cooked!

The bathroom though small was also pleasurable to the eyes - it was well thought of and the intricate designs filled its every nook and cranny.

The bar is another interesting area where you'll see more of the family's acquired collection that is artistically displayed. It's focal point is the floral canopy. Another noteworthy decoration is the textured wall made of wood.

Dennis, together with my parents

We were lucky to meet Dennis, one of the owners who filled me with the pertinent information I shared in this post. While we were chatting away, he was very kind to give complimentary brewed coffee to my parents. Similarly, their restaurant had been featured in Kris TV, Sarap Diva and Midnight Express ng Saksi to name a few. They also rent it for various occasions and events. I was mesmerized and very pleased; I would certainly love to go back here in the future. Visit them soon so you too could experience Patio Vera!

Patio Vera Restaurant
70 Gen. F. Santos St., Calumpang Marikina
239-0615
Patio Vera Restobar FB Page

Note: You can request the staff to assist you park your vehicle. They can direct you to the side streets if the parking spaces in front of their restaurant are occupied.