Hands down the best meal we had this trip was at Tavolata.
And I am not at all surprised to discover that this handsome Italian restaurant is owned by the Abaca Group.
I've always loved Abaca. Read about my "Stay Away from Me, World!" vacation at Abaca Boutique Resort and the wonderful dinners I had at its Abaca Restaurant.
When you enter the restaurant the first thing you see is this semi-open kitchen that screams
sleek yet functional
And whoa!!! For the first time in 33 years, I fell in love at first sight. I tell you it exists!
I am head over heels with Tavolata's main dining room.
The high ceiling and suspended bulbs
The mood
The stairs
The tables and chairs
Also the menu on pieces of brown paper clipped to a board
We had high expectations, and they were all met. The food, from start to finish, was excellent.
Roasted Tomato Soup - olive tapenade, sweet basil and cream
Antipasto Platter - culatello, coppa, salami, mortadella, gorgonzola, bel paese,
asiago, marinated vegetables, grilled asparagus, and assorted olives
The antipasto platter was served with slices of crusty grilled country bread
Prosciutto Pizza - fresh arugula, tomato, grana padano and mozzarella
Tavolata's pizza promise: "Not always round and slightly charred. Our pizzas take a bit of extra time
and will be served only when ready. We only use San Marzano tomatoes, whole milk mozzarella
and other fine meats and cheeses imported from Italy."
Spaghetti Neri - a classic squid ink pasta with tomatoes, chili and assorted seafood.
Bursting with flavor and complemented with just the right amount of heat. My two thumbs up!
Oxtail Papperdalle - a wide flat pasta with tomatoes, parsley, parmesan and mushroom
Whole Roasted Seabass with grilled asparagus and truffled tomato
I am not a fan of whole fishes, but this was such a revelation. The bass was cooked so perfectly,
the meat moist, tender and flavorful.
Certified Angus Beef Rib Eye with roasted onions, roasted potatoes and pancetta braised beans
Medium rare to a T. Our usually talkative group was silenced by the scrumptiousness of this.
I swear to you there were no sounds except uninhibited moans of pleasure.
Lamb Chops "Scottadito" - grilled prime American lamb with rosemary potatoes,
grilled asparagus and wild arugula. This was so, so good that after the first bite,
I ditched my manners and attacked the chops with my bare, excited hands.
Tavolata uses fresh mint, too!
Our bottle
The dessert menu was very limited with only four items.
To make life simple, we ordered everything on it.
Apple Crostada - slow roasted apples, handcrafted pastry crust and cinnamon
I would like 6 scoops of vanilla ice cream with this, thank you!
Double Panna Cotta - chocolate, vanilla, berry compote, and semolina cookie
Vanilla Bean Creme Brûlée - burnt sugar crust
Warm Chocolate Torte - crème anglaise and candied orange
My favorite of all. Not because it's chocolate, but because it's good chocolate!
Tavolata: Design Center of Cebu, A.S. Fortuna at P. Remedio Street, Mandaue City, Cebu. Tel: +63 32 505 6211
