Muchas tapas at Alba

Tapas are the Spanish version of what we Filipinos call pulutan. The Spanish practice of preparing bar food was believed to have begun when King Alfonso X fell ill and had to take small bites of food with some wine between meals. Thus, he decreed that no wine could be served without food. However, a more likely origin of tapas is that tavern owners cooked and served these to encourage their patrons to drink more wine. Whatever their beginnings, tapas bars or tascas have become regular places for socialization in Spain.

With almost 400 years under Spanish colonial rule, it is no wonder that the flavors of Spanish cuisine are attuned to the Filipino’s taste buds. In Manila, however, there is no better place to sample authentic tapas than at Alba Restaurante Español.

Don Anastacio de Alba is one of the most respected experts in Spanish cuisine, and his cuisine has been enjoyed by prominent figures in Philippine society since 1952. His food was deemed so outstanding that when Spanish Prince Juan Carlos and his wife Sofia visited Manila in the late 1950s, they dined at his restaurant. Although Don Alba is now in his 80s, he still visits his restaurants and supervises the kitchen. However, day-to-day operations are carried out by his son, chef Miguel de Alba, who declares, “We are maintaining what my father has started.” He wants to re-introduce the tapas bars to the young, working generation as an alternative way to socialize. By meeting up with friends after work, they can enjoy delicious tapas dishes, discover the rich, diverse flavors of Spanish cooking and beat the rush hour traffic at the same time.

To allow us to rediscover the varieties of Spanish bar food, Alba Restaurante Español recently held a Tapas Night to celebrate the “Spanish Month.” Fifty-five kinds of assorted tapas calientes (hot tapas) and tapas frias (cold tapas) were on the buffet, presenting a confounding display of choices and flavors.

However, the homemade products from Alba’s delicatessen were not to be missed, so we tried cold slices of jamon serrano (traditional ham) served with chopped fresh tomatoes and olive oil, morcillas (blood sausages) served fried, and thin slices of spicy chorizo Pamplona. The flavors were just as we remembered them from childhood, and it was no wonder that some of the guests considered these as comfort food. There was also a Tabla de Embutidos that allowed the unfamiliar a sampling of what was available in the restaurant’s delicatessen.

Among the cold tapas selections, we enjoyed the alcachofas a la Alba or cold artichokes Alba style that were light and pleasantly tart. The sardinas picantes or spicy Spanish sardines were excellent as well. The fish was firm and had a more robust flavor than its canned or bottled counterparts. The boquerones, fillet of fresh anchovies in vinaigrette, were excellent. I imagined that the tanguigui ahumado, smoked tanguigui with capers, onions, lemon and olive oil would have been lovely to eat as viand at home, where no one can call me a heathen because I ate the tapas with rice.

The hot tapas were just as tasty. Albondigas de chorizo or chorizos in meatball form and albondigas de vaca (meatballs in red wine sauce) were so filling so that one should not eat more than one and expect to successfully graze through the rest of the buffet. There were various tortillas or omelets that we regretfully passed up in favor of more unfamiliar dishes like a delicious pa amb tomaquet or warm, tomato-rubbed bread that originated from Cataluña. Variations of the bread included a pa amb con feta with feta cheese, pa amb con jamon y parmesan with Serrano ham, and con tanguigui ahumado y aceitunas verde with smoked fish and green olives. The most interesting dish for me among the hot tapas selection was the agachonas fritas, marinated and deep-fried snipes.

One evening to try out all 55 tapas at Alba Restaurante is not enough, and their pastas, paellas, carnes (meats) and pescado y mariscos (fish and seafood) selections are also worth trying. All will be definitely delicious with accompanying goblets of sangria because the flavors in Alba are authentic. There’s nothing like the real thing!

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Alba Restaurante Español has branches on Polaris St., Bel-Air Village, Makati City, with tel. nos. 896-6950 to 51 and 890-4399; Tomas Morato corner Sct. Lozano St., Quezon City, with tel. nos. 925-1912, 9287129 and 411-7052; and at One Luna Lifestyle Center, Eastwood City, Libis, with tel. no. 631-2216 to 17. Also, check out its lunch buffet at P495+ per person, available Monday to Sunday, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at all branches; and dinner buffet at P595+ per person, Monday to Sunday, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Tomas Morato and Eastwood branches.