No words can describe how good it feels to be back to an old favorite. Mario’s restaurant has been the mover of the Philippine fine dining scene since it started 38 years ago. My goodness, the restaurant is as old as I am! I remember my childhood days when no visit to Baguio was ever complete without a meal at Mario’s Session Road. My folks used to spend their special occasions at Mario’s and their Callos (ox tripe) was one of the family’s favorites.

The interior is homey and not as intimidating when compared to fine dining restaurants in the Serendra or downtown Makati area. Still there is something for everyone looking to be appeased visually. The artworks that hang in the walls are some of the finest museum-worthy pieces that add that wink to an already charming interior. With your eyes happy, you begin to prep your appetite for the epicurean pleasures that follow.

Looking at the menu, I started to plan my Christmas get-togethers. For fine dining, these were almost fast food prices. The Baby Back ribs, for instance, they usually the same for a half rack! P425+ (US8.90) for a full rack with homemade Boston baked beans is a steal!

This dish is good enough for two people. It took Dante a long time before he could finish it. According to him, he was surprised because the knife was practically useless. The meat almost fell off the bone and only a fork was all that he needed to clean his plate.

Juned had a medium rare Steak Ala Pobre, pretty large chunk of it. According to a fellow blogger, this is called “ala pobre” because it means “steak for the poor”. No gravy is added to it, just pan-fried with vegetables, sometimes with bananas, and topped with a lot of toasted garlic. Each order of Steak ala pobre is P510+ (US$10.63).

I wanted to dine heartily and still follow my conscience so I went with the Chilean Seabass. Each wonderfully plated order of this deep-sea fish costs P995+ (US$20.73). It is cooked in Miso-Mirin sauce served with mango-pineapple salsa.

I haven’t dined on anything that gave me goosebumps, simply because it was THAT good, but this one did. Yes, it was THAT good.

There are two things that I never eat because I don’t like the taste; oysters and salad greens. I find oysters repulsive because it tastes like it’s rotten and I hate salads because I don’t like eating vegetables. Mario’s Oysters Rockefeller and Caesar Salad, made me an instant convert.

Their Oysters Rockefeller were baked in spinach and hollandaise sauce. I downed four. I couldn’t believe it either. An order is only P245+ (US$5.10).

And the salad? Fil Benitez, the owner of Mario’s says it’s all about the way the salad was tossed. I told myself, ‘nah, marketing BS’. But my first taste blew me away. I loved the Mario’s Caesar Salad and I shameless ate a plateful of veggies. If only my yaya had fed me this salad, I would have grown up loving veggies. A plate for two is P375+ (US$7.81).

Other mention-worthy offerings included the bread (they make their own bread and oh so good!), their Gambas or shrimp with Chorizo (sausages) Bilbao and the Setas or sauteed button mushrooms in garlic and herbs.

Hot, fresh and just the way I like it.

Loved the shrimp!

Mushroom-happy!

For starters I had the New England Clam Chowder, which was served in bread bowl. For its size and heavenly taste, it was a steal at P160+ (US$3.30).

A closer look.

The aftermath.

We all had the house specialty of Paella Valenciana. Each order was good for 2 or 3 and only costs P595+ (US$12.40).

Fabulous! Even the burnt part was delicious! According to their staff they only use high-quality Japanese rice for their paellas.

Noreen, following my fish example, ordered for the Broiled Salmon which was a chunk of salmon fillet cooked with pesto hollandaise sauce for only P495+ (US$10.31).

For dessert, there was no dearth of great-tasting desserts at Mario’s. There was no need for us to get out and find dessert elsewhere.

Their Apple pie ala mode is only P175+ (US$3.65) and is large enough for two people.

I chose the Mango Jubilee which was served tableside and is good for two. The mango balls were “bathed in fine liqueurs and flamed over ice cream”. All that for P310+ (US$6.46).

Mario’s also serves buffets on Sundays! For only P535+ (US$11.15) per person, you can enjoy all this and more! Their branch in Quezon City is located along Tomas Morato, beside Bruno’s barbers.