First dining experience in Poblacion
Two Fridays ago, I had dinner in Poblacion, Makati for the first time. Lawyer Dimples Rara, a friend since high school, invited me and a few other kabarkadas to her birthday dinner at Hola Bombon, a contemporary Spanish restaurant that serves favorites like tapas and pintxos. Because I have heard many stories about how Poblacion has come to be the newest and hippest place for hole-in-the-wall restaurants and bars — mostly from my 21-year-old daughter — I was keen on having a new dining experience.
On my way to the dinner, I couldn’t help but notice how many restaurants were in the area. The streets were quite narrow and dark, and there were men who were stopping cars to ask their occupants if they needed to park. It all reminded me of Malate in the ‘80s, when people congregated in quaint shops in the evenings to unwind and catch up with friends and loved ones.
Hola Bombon is in a two-story glass building on the corner of Fermina and Enriquez streets in Poblacion. Because I didn’t see the restaurant’s sign, my driver and I went around the block twice in search of the place. Finally, I saw a parking attendant who confirmed that we were indeed at Hola Bombon. The restaurant is located on the second floor, the ground floor serving as the parking area. This is convenient since parking is difficult to come by here.
After going up the flight of stairs and going through the red-framed glass doors, guests are greeted by a warm and young vibe. With red arches that house an extensive selection of wines and spirits, the bar instantly catches my attention. Most of the diners who were there that Friday evening were a mix of expats and Pinoys in their late 20s or early 30s. I hate to admit it, but our party of five matrons was probably the oldest in the room.
We sat down at our table, got comfortable, and ordered. A pitcher of red sangria arrived, prompting Dimples to toast the occasion. After a few minutes, the other dishes began to arrive. For starters, we had the chipirones a la Andaluza (fried baby squid) served with bagoong aioli. Though the batter was flavorful and crunchy on the outside, the squid was tender and easy to chew. This was my favorite dish that evening. Then came the huevos y gambas al ajillo, which are shrimps cooked in olive oil and garlic, and served with fried eggs. Paired with toasted bread on a hot serving dish, it was absolutely divine! I couldn’t help but have several pieces, dipping the shrimps into the flavored olive oil and enjoying every bite.
Then came the croquetas de Bacalao, which were deep-fried mashed potato balls with bechamel sauce and salted cod. For me, croquetas are a can’t-go-wrong comfort food. The pulpo (grilled octopus) with chickpea puree and atueste aioli was the last starter to be served. The pulpo was surprisingly tender and not chewy, and the chickpea puree so flavorful and delicious that I had to remind myself to leave room for what was still to come.
For the main course, we had two kinds of paella — paella Negra or black paella with squid ink, salmon gravlax and peppers; and paella de costilla y chorizo, or paella with Spanish sausages and mustard aioli. To complement these rice dishes, we had cabecero iberico, which is iberico pork collar served with chimichurri potatoes and mushrooms; burnt eggplant with escabeche sauce; and the wagyu y foie, which was fork-tender wagyu beef with foie gras, potato and green beans. Everything was spot on and delicious!
As much as I wanted to have more of everything, I made sure to leave room for dessert. To end our Spanish repast on a sweet note, we had the classic churros con choco and crema catalana.
So went my first dining experience in Hola Bombon. Even though my friends and I felt our age when we first saw the younger diners all around us, we still had a wonderful time. I’m already eager to see and taste what else Poblacion has in store.
- Latest
- Trending
Exclusive
