Let me tell you some facts which I read about our
food, our Philippine cuisine or our Filipino cuisine
Philippine cuisine consists of the food, preparation
methods and eating customs found in the Philippines. The style of cooking and
the food associated with it have evolved over many centuries.
Our dish ranges from very simple to elaborate mixes
of ingredients. Filipino cuisine is distinguished by its bold combination of
sweet (tamis), sour (asim), and salty (alat) flavors.
I am sharing this information to you to let get a better
understanding why Via Mare has been in the business for 40 years.
It was on September 1975 when Via Mare Seafood
Specialty Restaurant opened its doors to the public and from the moment it
serve its first dish; it had made a mark when it comes to Filipino food
I consider myself as a soup person and when it comes
to viands, my favorite would be sinigang. Imagine my happiness upon smelling
the asim that Via Mare Sinigang na Hipon has. It was love at first smell, I
want my sinigang to be sobrang maasim and for the sinigang to be perfect, it
has to have the complete ingredients from the pa asim to the vegetable.
I had a wonderful lunch the other day at Café Via
Mare in Eastwood. My lunch was consisting of Ensaladang Pako, Pancit Molo,
Pinais na Alimasag, Crispy Binagoonga, Beef Caldereta and Palitaw plus Ginataang
Halo- Halo for dessert. It was served
together with the other best seller dishes of Via Mare.
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| Ensaladang Pako |
 |
| Sinigang na Hipon 320 |
 |
| Sinigang na Karne 365.00 |
 |
| Pinanis na Alimasag 380.00 |
 |
| Beef Caldereta 470.00 |
 |
| Tortang Alimasag 195.00 |
 |
| Arroz Ala Cubana 285.00 |
 |
| I could not imagine how they were able to get all the crab meat. There are no meat extension of what so ever. It was truly pure crab meat |
 |
| It was truly a Masaganang Pananghalian for us |
The restaurant did not only change the Filipino’s
perception of its own cuisine, it also brought global recognition to the
sophistication and complex flavors of the Philippines. Via Mare’s chef Glenda
Barretto, who has been at the helm of the restaurant since its inception, and
her strong belief in the Filipino cuisine’s potential to be world class is what
pushed the restaurant to keep outdoing its achievements.
While Barretto’s contemporaries would focus on
intercontinental cuisine as their piece de résistance, she opted to highlight
and present well-loved Filipino dishes with modern touches that made it more
palatable to foreign guests. If lumpia was known as a roll, the Via Mare
version had the filling wrapped in pouches held together by spring onions. The
tinola was also given a fresh take by serving the soup in a carved papaya or as
a flan, inspired by the Chawanmushi of Japan.
“The past 40 years is not only the story of a
restaurant, it is a story of the Filipino people,” Barretto said. “Via Mare is
our pride as we helped a lot of Filipinos enjoy and be proud of the cuisine
that we have here, of recipes that we have enjoyed throughout our childhood,
and of what Filipino fine cuisine truly tastes like.”
Enduring legacy of taste
Since 1975, no other Filipino restaurant has been
the top-of-mind when it comes to hosting dinners for dignitaries, heads of
state, international celebrities, and international events. From beauty queens
during the 1995 Miss Universe pageant in Manila, the papal visit of then Pope
John Paul II, the 1996 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, the gala of
the Philippine-run of West End’s Miss Saigon, the 2007 ASEAN Summit in Cebu,
the weddings of illustrious families, and other milestones in Philippine
history, Via Mare was always the top choice.
Via Mare, with Barretto herself leading the kitchen,
was also the choice of First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos whenever she hosted
gala dinners for visiting dignitaries at the Malacañan Palace. The former first
lady’s penchant for elegance was apparent even in the food that she served her
guests. In one instance, she requested for a more upscale version of the adobo
– a request that Barretto easily managed by marinating the chicken in simmering
adobo sauce with red wine. Another anecdote from the halls of presidential
residence was how Barretto recreated a Mexican dish of squash, baked and topped
with cream and caramel sauce based only on the narrative of Mrs. Marcos. The
first lady nearly squealed in delight after the first bite.
The restaurant itself has changed over the past 40
years. While it maintained to be the premier Filipino restaurant, it branded
itself according to the demands of its wide clientele. Café Via Mare was
introduced to the market, dubbed to be a pioneer in introducing the first
authentic Filipino café. The Via Mare Oyster Bar was also launched to cater to
the more discriminating taste and specialized in serving the most succulent of
oysters.
Filipino favorites loved for generations
True to its Filipino heritage, Via Mare serves
Filipino cuisine that matches the eating pattern of Filipinos: breakfast,
lunch, dinner, and merienda – a meal that is served in between the main meals
of the day. Pan de sal is a breakfast staple among Filipinos and Via Mare
serves it fresh every day, grilled with sides of corned beef, Vigan longganisa,
Laguna cheese, and queso de bola. Other breakfast favorites, but can be enjoyed
any time of the day, like tapa, smoked bangus, tuyo flakes, and tocino are
served under the Altanghap section of the menu, an abbreviation for almusal,
tanghalian, and hapunan – Filipino terms for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The lunch and dinner menu of Via Mare is not
complete without crispy binagoongan, kare-kare, and pinais na alimasag among
its wide selection. An extensive array of salads with native greens is also on
offer, as well as comfort food like arroz caldo and tokwa’t baboy.
Merienda, or light snacks, are as important as main
meals for Filipinos. At Via Mare, diners can choose from well-loved Filipino
fare such as puto bumbong, palitaw, and guinataang halo-halo.
Ending scrumptious feasts on a sweet note are iced
deserts such as halo-halo and guinomis.
“At 40 years, we have shown the world and most
especially our fellow Filipinos, what Filipino cuisine is all about – it is
about the freshest of ingredients cooked in influences of our ancestors and the
rich heritage of the Filipino nation, sprinkled with the love and affection of
a Filipino chef,” Barretto said.
Delight in the well-loved Filipino flavors and savor
your classic family favorites at Via Mare. For more information, visit
www.viamare.com.ph or like its official Facebook page (@ViamarePH).
About Via Mare
Via Mare Corporation is a duly registered company
backed by 40 solid years of experience. It opened its very first Via Mare
Seafood Specialty Restaurant on September 5, 1975 and has since grew and
continue to be a frontrunner in the restaurant and catering industry. The brand
has become synonymous to the phrase “of splendid cuisine and fond memories” as
it has been part of the most historic moments in the country – from state visit
of presidents to the Miss Universe pageant. It could very well be said that Via
Mare is a part of this country's history and culture—a distinction solely
enjoyed by the Philippine's premier restaurant and catering company.
Via Mare’s corporate strength lies in its core
product: the food. With its dynamic food offerings, Via Mare ensures that every
dish served conforms to the highest standards of Current Good Manufacturing
Practices (CGMP) to meet the discriminating taste and preference of its
clientele.
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