I think it was last year when I had my first taste of Greek cuisine. It was in Cyma at Greenbelt 2. And it's about time I try another restaurant. That's the reason why my good friends and I drove to Tagaytay to enjoy Mano's Greek Taverna's grub.
I have been hearing a lot of good things about this restaurant and I was so excited that I finally had the time to visit! The facade isn't as fancy as Cyma but once you enter Mano's Greek Taverna, you'll instantly feel at home. While scanning the menu, I noticed that I want to order almost everything! Good thing I was with my friends so we can order lots and I'll be able to get a taste of the dishes.
After placing our orders, our food arrived in less than 20 minutes.
Greek Bread- Php50.00 and Tzatziki- Php100.00
The Greek Salad was very good. I haven't eaten so many tomatoes in one sitting! The simple dressing combined with my favorite feta cheese and the intoxicating olives were enough to put a huge smile on my face. The Saganaki, on the other hand, was light but flavorful. The shrimp, tomatoes, feta and oregano ensemble went well with the bread.
When I saw the patties, I couldn't almost recognize them. Because they stayed too long under the fire, they were badly charred and it made the patties not as juicy as I expected it to be. Good thing the pork chops weren't as charred so there was still a bit of juice in the meat. Even though the meat wasn't that tender, it definitely compensated for its flavor. It has this tangy, smoky flavor of a good home-cooked dish. The yogurt sauce of the beef sharwarma was very good. The place creates their own yogurt, by the way. If you want your shawarma hot, pour some of their spicy garlic sauce for some serious explosion. The zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, minced meat, onions, eggs, cheese and all the other ingredients in the Mousaka gave the dish a unique flavor. It was like eating a very good omelette or lasagna but with a smoother taste in the palate.
Overall, Mano's Greek Taverna is a good place to have a relaxing and lovely dinner with friends and family. It's not fine dining but it sure feels like home.
Mano's Greek Taverna
Calamba Road, Brgy. San Jose
Tagaytay City, Philippines
+63916.429.8358