Attuned with chicken inasal and Lapaz batchoy, Ilonggos would give any restaurant serving a cuisine this foreign. a curious second look. Much more, if items on the menu read tzatziki, falafel, baklava, kofta and moussaka, an order would be likely as hard as these items would be pronounced.
But this didn’t stop renowned chef Mervyn Whitfield from bringing this cuisine into the mainstream Ilonggo culinary scene. Stavros’ Kebab and Mediterranean House gives Ilonggos a journey across cultures through the palate as it brings whole world of cuisine just in a single setting. With a casual dining ambiance, Ilonggos are lucky to have this cuisine readily available at an affordable price.
Assorted kebabs
A Greek word for cross, Stavros’ presents itself at the crossroads of different food traditions and gastronomic cultures of the Mediterranean. It brings in specialties from this part of the world that is relatively new to the Iloilo dining scene.
“Most of our ingredients are imported to give the diners an authentic experience” says Chef Mervyn. “Yet our casual dining set up reflects our main thrust - having restaurant that is like an extension of your dining room.” True enough; orders come in big portions with a touch of homey elegance.
That’s Chef Mervyn culinary mantra and Stavros’ range of menu won’t burn a whole on the pocket. It’s even big enough for sharing with a friend or two.
Greek salad
Alongside are Eastern Mediterranean specialty dips and sides like hummus, a dip made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Tzatziki is made of strained yoghurt (usually from sheep or goat milk) mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, usually olive oil, pepper, dill, sometimes lemon juice and parsley, and sometimes mint added). And Baba Ghanoush, an Arab dish of eggplant mashed and mixed with various seasonings, completes sides and dips selection.
Kebabs form a great part of the cuisine and there is a lot to choose from at Stavros. Meat and vegetables on skewers, take your pick from grilled chicken, beef, lamb and fish. Each order is served with dips, rice or pita bread.
Lamb gyros
Gyros may sound foreign yet it’s what the Greeks call their version of shawarma. Served with lettuce, tomatoes in pita bread with dips and sides; choose from chicken, beef, lamb, kofta, and falafel. Kofta consists of balls of minced or ground meat — usually beef or lamb — mixed with spices and onions while falafel are balls or patties made from ground chickpeas and often considered the national dish of Israel.
Hamburgers may seem out of the menu but with authentic Mediterranean specialty items, they blend in. Like the Athena Burger, it’s made with pure ground beef topped with feta cheese. Roma has mozzarella while Parisian has bacon as additions. They also have Lebanese mini hamburgers with spicy sauce
The Spicy Beef Marsala with Onion casserole is a must try. It uses Marsala, a white wine from Italy to give it a flavourful twist with the softest beef you’d ever taste. The Lebanese style chicken curry is not your typical curry. It is has a bit of Middle Eastern influence pronounced by the spices that make it a red curry sauce though not so spicy but enough to tickle your palate.
There’s also Rogan Josh (lamb curry) and Sang Bahji (spinach curry) and Moussaka. The latter is Greek specialty and an oven-baked layer dish: ground meat and eggplant casserole, topped with custard which is then browned in the oven.
Familiar specialties include Grilled Mixed Seafood, Roast Chicken, Fish Fillet in garlic Sauce and Spicy Pork Tenderloin in Tomato Sauce. All these are served with unlimited rice.
Infusing Italian specialties at Stavros is another one of Chef Mervyn’s restaurants – Piccolo Mondo. It was named as such for his passion for cooking and entry to the Philippine restaurant scene made him reconnect with old acquaintances for him to realize it’s a “small world” after all.
Among the best sellers is Spaghetti Bolognaise with a tasty meat sauce made with finely grounded beef with a drizzle of tomato sauce.
Four cheese pizza
The specialty of the house carrying the namesake Piccolo Mondo consists of artichokes, bacon, mushroom and parma ham. Simple as it may seem, the Quattro Formaggi (four cheese) consists of mozzarella, parmesan, cheddar and blue cheese flavoured with Italian spices is pure bliss in a slice.
One can actually order off of menu as Chef Mervyn explains. “As long it’s available, we can thrown-in any ingredient our customer requests for any special order pasta or pizza. All they need is ask”
Sweets one can find have the authentic Mediterranean taste. Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry common in Greece and Turkey. It is made of layers of phyllo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. Italian specialties - tiramisu and panna cotta, add color and flavour
With Mediterranean cuisine heralded as one of the culinary trends to watch, Stavros aims not only to please but also educate the Ilonggo palate. “Life has to be savored and foods are made to live better” That’s the philosophy Mediterranean cuisine and Stavros will pave the way in making this cuisine closer to the hearts Ilonggos enough to embrace as their own.
But this didn’t stop renowned chef Mervyn Whitfield from bringing this cuisine into the mainstream Ilonggo culinary scene. Stavros’ Kebab and Mediterranean House gives Ilonggos a journey across cultures through the palate as it brings whole world of cuisine just in a single setting. With a casual dining ambiance, Ilonggos are lucky to have this cuisine readily available at an affordable price.
Assorted kebabsA Greek word for cross, Stavros’ presents itself at the crossroads of different food traditions and gastronomic cultures of the Mediterranean. It brings in specialties from this part of the world that is relatively new to the Iloilo dining scene.
“Most of our ingredients are imported to give the diners an authentic experience” says Chef Mervyn. “Yet our casual dining set up reflects our main thrust - having restaurant that is like an extension of your dining room.” True enough; orders come in big portions with a touch of homey elegance.
Good food need not be expensive
That’s Chef Mervyn culinary mantra and Stavros’ range of menu won’t burn a whole on the pocket. It’s even big enough for sharing with a friend or two.
Begin your gastronomic journey with a salad to whet your appetite. A Greek salad made of lettuce, cucumbers, olives, tomatoes and feta cheese with the vegetables source from an organic farm gives the diner a taste of what’s to come.
Greek saladAlongside are Eastern Mediterranean specialty dips and sides like hummus, a dip made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Tzatziki is made of strained yoghurt (usually from sheep or goat milk) mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, usually olive oil, pepper, dill, sometimes lemon juice and parsley, and sometimes mint added). And Baba Ghanoush, an Arab dish of eggplant mashed and mixed with various seasonings, completes sides and dips selection.
Kebabs form a great part of the cuisine and there is a lot to choose from at Stavros. Meat and vegetables on skewers, take your pick from grilled chicken, beef, lamb and fish. Each order is served with dips, rice or pita bread.
Lamb gyrosHamburgers may seem out of the menu but with authentic Mediterranean specialty items, they blend in. Like the Athena Burger, it’s made with pure ground beef topped with feta cheese. Roma has mozzarella while Parisian has bacon as additions. They also have Lebanese mini hamburgers with spicy sauce
The Spicy Beef Marsala with Onion casserole is a must try. It uses Marsala, a white wine from Italy to give it a flavourful twist with the softest beef you’d ever taste. The Lebanese style chicken curry is not your typical curry. It is has a bit of Middle Eastern influence pronounced by the spices that make it a red curry sauce though not so spicy but enough to tickle your palate.
There’s also Rogan Josh (lamb curry) and Sang Bahji (spinach curry) and Moussaka. The latter is Greek specialty and an oven-baked layer dish: ground meat and eggplant casserole, topped with custard which is then browned in the oven.
Familiar specialties include Grilled Mixed Seafood, Roast Chicken, Fish Fillet in garlic Sauce and Spicy Pork Tenderloin in Tomato Sauce. All these are served with unlimited rice.
Small world
Infusing Italian specialties at Stavros is another one of Chef Mervyn’s restaurants – Piccolo Mondo. It was named as such for his passion for cooking and entry to the Philippine restaurant scene made him reconnect with old acquaintances for him to realize it’s a “small world” after all.
Italian cuisine is synonymous with pasta and pizza and there is no shortage at Piccolo Mondo. Pasta line up includes the familiar Carbonara and Lasagna to specialties like Puttanesca (with tomatoes, olives, capers and anchovies) and Pomodoro. Sounding foreign yet somewhat familiar are Pasta Boscaiola (spaghetti with bacon, mushroom, Italian sausage and cream, cheese sauce), Pasta Pescatore (linguine with mixed seafood olive oil or tomato sauce) and Linguine matriciana (with tomato, chili and bacon.)
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Spaghetti BolognaiseAmong the best sellers is Spaghetti Bolognaise with a tasty meat sauce made with finely grounded beef with a drizzle of tomato sauce.
Cheesiest
With around ten flavours to choose from, one might don’t know where to begin in the pizza selection. Will it be Mariquita (more popularly known as margherita), Funghi (mushroom) or romana (with anchovies and capers)? Perhaps Stagioni (artichokes, bacon, mushroom) or Arrabiata (mozzarella, salami, olives and Italian sausage.).
Four cheese pizzaThe specialty of the house carrying the namesake Piccolo Mondo consists of artichokes, bacon, mushroom and parma ham. Simple as it may seem, the Quattro Formaggi (four cheese) consists of mozzarella, parmesan, cheddar and blue cheese flavoured with Italian spices is pure bliss in a slice.
One can actually order off of menu as Chef Mervyn explains. “As long it’s available, we can thrown-in any ingredient our customer requests for any special order pasta or pizza. All they need is ask”
Desserts
Sweets one can find have the authentic Mediterranean taste. Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry common in Greece and Turkey. It is made of layers of phyllo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. Italian specialties - tiramisu and panna cotta, add color and flavour
With Mediterranean cuisine heralded as one of the culinary trends to watch, Stavros aims not only to please but also educate the Ilonggo palate. “Life has to be savored and foods are made to live better” That’s the philosophy Mediterranean cuisine and Stavros will pave the way in making this cuisine closer to the hearts Ilonggos enough to embrace as their own.
Stavros Kebabs and Mediteraanean Cuisine
Piccolo Mondo
Amigo Plaza Mall
Iznart Street, Iloilo City
Piccolo Mondo
Amigo Plaza Mall
Iznart Street, Iloilo City