Saying adios to the same old menu
Three years since opening in Quezon City, a popular Spanish restaurant has come up with an updated menu that could be labeled as fusion. The word used to carry a negative connotation for some, but as executive chef Alex del Hoyo Gomez pointed out during a recent tasting lunch at Deo Gracias, “Spanish food isn’t just callos and gambas.”
Some of the dishes served that afternoon had yet to be included on the printed menu, but should already be there now. Del Hoyo Gomez formulated them with the help of certified culinarian and restaurateur Heny Sison, who joined guests at the table, sampling the same food and giving her own comments.
“He and the staff were already getting bored preparing the same food daily so he really was excited for the new menu,” Sison said. In fact, the chef even illustrated how he imagined the dishes would look like once plated—borrowing his child’s markers and sketching and labeling each dish.
The tasting, dubbed “Primera Vez” or first time, was designed to showcase the restaurant’s enduring vision of offering its guests an immersive experience into the gastronomic world of Spain, the Deo Gracias way.
Fave dish
We started with individual plates of Tiradito de Salmon, a refreshing seafood salad made with salmon and topped with coriander foam, the chef’s take on molecular gastronomy. This was followed by Del Hoyo Gomez’s updated Patatas Bravas, dice-like cubes that were actually multiple layers of sliced potatoes tossed in a spicy-savory sauce made with black garlic aioli and sriracha. We sampled several other dishes that afternoon, but this one was the hands-down winner.
The chef and his team sent out Croquetas de Cecina, creamy croquettes topped with thin slices of air-dried and -cured beef; Arroz de Butifarra y Trompetas, paella served in a shallow pan with slices of spicy sausage and black trumpet mushrooms; and Taco de Lengua, a soft corn tortilla topped with tender beef tongue and spicy mango—best eaten with one’s hands. In between each dish, Del Hoyo Gomez came out to give a brief description of the different flavors and cooking processes used.
The only hiccup that day was the Bacalao y Coco, steamed and grilled cod with a coconut-pilpil sauce that some found too similar to guinataan.
“At the center of our vision when we opened Deo Gracias is the enjoyment and gratitude for the good things in life—including the food and the experiences we share,” Sison said in a statement. “On our third year, we want to continue this journey. I think Deo Gracias is ready to reintroduce itself, starting with a new lineup of dishes that has been a year in the making.”
The restaurant, located in an old, two-story house, is divided into different sections with seating on both floors. There is also La Tienda, a deli at the front that sells wines, breads, and gourmet delicacies imported from Spain.
Sison also recently opened Virginia—a third restaurant after Victorino’s and Deo Gracias—on nearby Rallos Street, serving Italian fare.
Deo Gracias is at 12 11th Jamboree St., Quezon City, and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 11 p.m. Call tel. 70056741.
