THE true test of a good Spanish restaurant is in its paella, callos and lengua. Using this gauge, Alba Restaurante Español passes with flying colors. These three Spanish dishes are, after all, some of the best-selling specialty dishes of Alba and are three of the biggest reasons why its loyal patrons keep going back to the restaurant.
Last week, specifically on December 5, 2012, I got to reaffirm the fact that the best paella in town can be found in Alba. Founded by its patriarch Senor Anastacio de Alba, who is considered as the dean of Spanish cuisine in the Philippines, and now managed by the Senor’s chef-son Miguel de Alba and wife Cachelle, Alba celebrated three milestones – the opening of the restaurant’s fourth branch at Prism Plaza on the fourth floor of Two Ecom Center at the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City, the 60th year of patriarch Senor Alba in the Philippines, and the launch of the much-awaited The Alba Cookbook. The triple celebration took place at Alba’s new branch at Prism Plaza, which is a huge 180-seater and opens up to an elevated garden on the fourth floor of the beautiful modern building.
After the ceremonial ribbon-cutting marking the opening of the new branch, the formal launching of the cookbook and honoring the now 86-year-old Alba patriarch, the buffet table was opened, and the guests partook of the sumptuous meals laid out on the table. Alba’s specialty dishes were on the buffet table, including four kinds of paellas. These included Paella Negra (black paella with stuffed squid and shrimps), Paella con Setas (paella rice with mushrooms and pesto sauce), Paella de Cordero (lamb paella with pesto), and Paella de Bacalao (paella with bacalao or dried salted cod fish and potatoes).
Paella Negra was my unquestionable favorite. I noticed that it was a lot of the other guests’ favorite, as well, because the giant paellera emptied up way ahead of the other paellas. When it came my turn at the buffet table, I had intended to scoop up the last portion of the Paella Negra, but the service staff came and took it away and replaced it with a whole new giant Paella Negra. Unlike other restaurants, the Paella Negra at Alba was served really wet. The squid ink sauce was still sizzling a bit when the giant paellera was placed on the buffet table, and so I happily scooped up a big shrimp and a stuffed squid along with my paella. It was to be the first paella on my plate which I would ‘devour’ once I got to my table. The only setback when eating Paella Negra is that the black squid ink would cling to your teeth and gums. Just make sure it’s not the last thing you eat before leaving the restaurant. Haha. Frankly, though, the Paella Negra of Alba is so good you wouldn’t mind the black ‘tint.’ It’s the best!
Next to it, my favorite was the Paella con Setas. For such a simple paella, with only mushrooms and pesto as main ingredients, it was incredibly flavorful in its simplicity and clean taste.
I also like the Paella de Bacalao because I’m a big fish eater. There was such a generous portion of cod fish chunks in the paella that I knew the paella would still be flavorful even if Alba lessened the cod fish in it. But then again, it’s not like Alba to cut corners on its food, much less on its paella, which diners keep going back for.
As for the Paella de Cordero, based on the overall quality of the different paellas available at Alba, I’m sure it’s good, too. It’s not for me, though, since I don’t eat too much red meat anymore, and though lamb is definitely a lot healthier than pork or beef, I somehow could not acquire the taste for it. So I’ll leave it to the lamb experts.
Inarguably the best place to go to for paella, Alba also serves mean appetizers or tapas. There are about 50 different kinds of bite-zed appetizers that are served cold or warm, including Mejillones al Tigre (crusted spicy mussels with veggies), Salmon Carpaccio (fresh salmon slices with olive oil and crushed peppercorns), Brandada de Bacalao (codfish, potatoes, garlic and olive oil in crisp golden balls) and Gambas con Tocino (shrimps wrapped in homemade bacon with béarnaise sauce).
The delicious dining experience at Alba extends all the way to dessert. Its most popular is the Tarta de Sta. Teresa, a sponge cake with cream filling, almonds and yema balls on top. Don’t miss it when you dine at Alba.
From the best paella in town to must-try desserts that are one of a kind, Alba Restaurante Español has strengthened its claim on being the home of traditional Spanish cuisine in the country. It preserves a tradition of good taste, celebrated with every bite of the finest Spanish dishes in town.
(Alba Restaurante Español has branches at 38 Polaris St., Bel-Air, Makati City; Tomas Morato cor. Sct. Lozano, Quezon City; Westgate Center, Filinvest, Alabang; and now, 4th Level, Prism Plaza, Two ECom Center, Harbor Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.)
