With no less than Chef Pauline Gorriceta-Banusing herself welcoming us, bloggers and Skyscrapercity "forumers" to Steps of Rome at Plazuela de Iloilo a few days ago, it was indeed a very wonderful dinner right from the start. "It's a long overdue treat" she says and it was indeed a treat ... make that TREAT!
And the appetizers started pouring as we all enjoyed the Mozarella Cheese Sticks, oozing with deletable creaminess. So good that we asked for a second order that eventually vanished right then and there as everybody loved it.
With a resounding crunch in every bite, I personally loved this Herbed Crusted Calamari. It really came in fresh from the frier and even after some period of clicks and flashes from us bloggers, it still remained deliciously hot - literally and figuratively.
As Steps of Rome is by Gruppo Al Dente, pasta and pizza are integral part of its extensive menu. First to come out the kitchen was Spaghetti Bolognese and even though my photo doesn't give justice to it, it appetizing and with its vibrant flavour we had to order another serving...
... aside from it was finished off in a flash, we didn't have any idea idea what Chef Pauline had in store for us. That's when a serving of Bacon Alfredo Pasta reached our table. And a minute after we had Pasta ala Puttanesca beside us. The contrast between the rich and creamy white pasta against the bold flavour of the "whore-style pasta" was just what our palates needed to fully appreciate this pasta line up we had then.
And when it's pizza from Gruppo Al Dente, my favorite is the Chicken Barbecue Pizza. With its signature thin crust that "breaks" in every bite - that's how crisp and crunchy it was! The topping had moz-cheese with chicken barbecue sauce and slices. Every bite burst with the goodness of both the delectable toppings and delightful crust.
I also loved the Chicken Taco Salad - a mix of things fresh and creamy in every bite that starts with a big crunch.