We were quite tired that Sunday afternoon coming from the National Museum so we left the kid at home to get a respite from his constant tugging and nagging, something prevalent that day. What was supposed to be a short drive to scour for merienda or a light snack became an early dinner treat inside Guernica’s in Santana Grove, Sucat. My husband had mentioned this Spanish-Filipino restaurant to me before and was wanting to bring me here for sometime now. He raved about their Lengua. And so I ordered it. With a glass red wine at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, a nice way to de-stress, I told myself and hey, I’m on a date here.
We were the only patrons that time. But I appreciated the privacy, soaking in the the Filipino-themed décor, feeling nostalgic because the window pane divider and the rustic chairs reminded me of my grandmother’s house in the province. I liked it. It had character but still homey, something to differentiate itself from other Spanish-themed restaurants.
My husband ordered a seafood soup and I sampled a bit of it. And it was tasty with bits of mussels in its seafood-infused broth. Then they brought out their garlic bread and it was a delight. Soft and lightly buttered, it was different from other garlic breads I usually get with my soups or pastas.
It was made of freshly-baked pandesal, lathered gently with butter and thoughtfully presented on a bread basket laden with an embroidered panyolito. I smiled when I saw the pink embroidery on the thin handkerchief, oh, how thoughtful. Truly, small details such as these make me appreciate restaurants like Guernica’s.
I was taking pictures when the Lengua arrived and honestly, I wasn’t expecting much. My husband and I have different tastes, he is easily pleased and I tend to be more discriminate. So it was wait and see. But he was right. This Lengua was not the usual kind, a compliment coming from him who is not a Lengua lover.
It was not thick-slabbed or smothered in thick brown gravy but instead it was orange-hued and had thinner slices. The sauce didn’t feel heavy at all and the meat had none of the rough ridges you sometimes get from other Lenguas. It was understated but still sumptuous.
I’m not a wine connoisseur so I can’t really make a qualified assessment on the wine, only that I had a fine time drinking it in such an intimate setting. And lastly, I also enjoyed the three-flavored ice cream dessert they had. I’m not sure though if it was homemade, my husband had dug in before I was able to take some pictures. It was a nice way to end the meal, lightly creamy and comforting. Guernica’s may look intimidating at the onset with its bottles of wine on top of its white-topped tables but after you have sat down and enjoyed their food, it feels like you have just been welcomed by a neighbor with a good taste for Filipino-inspired décor and a great sense of good Spanish food.
