Come Hungry When You Visit the Spanish Taberna Manduca

There are a few options in the city when the craving for Spanish cuisine hits, but there’s one low-key outlet that promises the most bang for your buck. Manduca, which is an informal name in Spanish for food, is located at the ground floor of a building in the corner of 31st street and 4th avenue in Bonifacio Global City. Although it’s been open for over a year now, the restaurant deserves a second look for its authentic Spanish offerings. 

The main dining area is one big room tastefully decorated in warm yellow lights and earth tones with punches of blue in the couches and the wall décor. The bar / counter is on one end and the floor is inlaid with what looks like machuca tiles, which is a staple in many old homes during the colonial era here in the Philippines.

The interiors of Manudca Taberna in BGC

Photo by PJ Cana.

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In the menu, there are, of course, the traditional tapas, or small plates of starters. Try the Gildas Donostiarras (P150 per piece), which is anchovies, green peppers, olives, and quail eggs on a stick. Choose to nibble on each element on its own or eat everything at once for a mishmash of flavors. The Baked Eggplant is also a must-try: roasted eggplant with caramelized onions, goat cheese, and red pesto offers contrasting yet complementary flavors.

You can go over the tapas to get your fill, but Manduca’s mains should not be missed. The Salmon (P970) is cooked to perfection, with extra crispy skin and a moist center served on top of a bed of Jamon Serrano, mushrooms, onion, potatoes and cider. For carnivores, there’s a whole slow-braised Lamb Shank (P1,650) with piquillo peppers, mushrooms, and mashed potato. The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and the and the sauce, well, let’s just say you might find yourself ordering rice so you’ll have something to coat with that sauce.

Tapas are, of course, on o the menu at Taberna

Photo by PJ Cana.

Salmon

Photo by PJ Cana.

One specialty of Manduca is the Cachopo Asturiano, which, in the menu says is beef striploin, although the one served during our visit was veal. Either way, the meat is breaded and stuffed with ham and cheese then deep fried. Comparisons to the German schnitzel is inevitable, but the addition of the ham and cheese elevates Manduca’s Cachop Asturiano. Be sure you have some company (or you have a big appetite) when ordering this dish as the serving is huge and it comes with potato fries on the side.

There are many other items on the menu, plus a selection of top-tier cocktails, wines, and other spirits. The chefs and owners promise that whatever you end up getting, you won’t be disappointed.

Slow Braised Lamb Shank

Photo by PJ Cana.

Cachopo Asturiano

Photo by PJ Cana.

“Here we serve traditional recipes and traditional food,” said Chef Amado Garcia Fernandez, who is the main man in the kitchen and co-owner of Manduca. “There is no fusion with Japanese or Filipino. We want you to come here whether it’s your anniversary, or it’s just a normal, regular day. All our food is good for sharing.”

The chefs and owners at Manduca say the restaurant isn't just for special occasions, but for every day

Photo by PJ Cana.

In addition, Chef Amado says the cuisine at Manduca covers everything from different areas of the country, from Basque country, Asturias, Barcelona, Madrid and others. “It’s not focused just on Catalan style,” he says. “For example, las bravas is from Madrid, calamares is from Andalucia, and there are soups and cochas from La Rioja. It’s a mix of different concepts, different areas of Spain. But no pretensions, and it’s super casual.”