Thursday Date Night: Restaurante Pia y Damaso Subversive Filipino Cuisine

What is subversive Filipino cuisine? We wanted to find out last Thursday when we had our scheduled  date night at Greenbelt 5's Pia y Damaso Restaurant. First we have to go back to a little Filipino History and Literature to better understand the concept of this place. In Jose Rizal's famous novel Noli Me Tangere, there was  a woman named Pia Alba who was married to Kapitan Tiyago. After some time, Pia became pregnant but died after giving birth to Maria Clara. It was rumored that Maria Clara's father was actually the Spanish Friar/Priest Padre Damaso. Hence the name, Pia y Damaso. Twisted, isn't it?

Snails and Chorizos Php 250

Sauteed native snails with chorizos, garlic, onions, olive oil and red wine - It lacked flavor for me, too bland and too oily. Maybe a little more sauce would have made it better.

Closer look at our appetizer

Bangus Belly Salad Php 325

Bangus Belly Steak with Egg, Potato, String Beans, Tomato, Lettuce with Dalandan Vinaigrette - Based on the ingredients it was a Pinoy version of Salad Nicoise! I enjoyed the bangus steak smothered with citrus dalandan dressing combined with the rest of the veggies. 

Smoked Tapang Usa Php 450

Salted deer meat from Nueva Ecija, pickled green mangoes, roasted pepper omelette over garlic rice - nothing out of this world. 

I didn't quite get the whole subversive (supposedly revolutionary) concept of the food. It didn't really come out of the three dishes we ordered. I give it a 6 out of 10 and this is mostly because I liked how we were given special seats at their "booth" table  which can be closed to give you more privacy.

Restaurante Pia y Damaso

Greenbelt 5, Greenbelt

Paseo de Roxas cor. Legaspi St.

Makati City