LAST week, I had a Monday that was "Mondaying" and a Tuesday that was extremely busy. It was not the end of the week yet, and I was already tired.
On a regular day, I would usually treat myself somewhere nice for lunch just to relieve the stress. But on this day, I was scheduled to have lunch at Capri's Restaurant and Deli following their grand opening a few days prior.
Capri's is a newly opened restaurant along J.P. Laurel.
I love how spacious the restaurant is and how well-lit it is during daytime, thanks to its large windows. They also have multiple seating options that cater to customers dining alone or to groups. I personally love the booths along the windows. They also have booths at the far end of the restaurant for those who want a more private dining experience.
The restaurant also has a function hall to cater to a large group and a wine room for a group of 15 to 20 people.
You will also find a deli near the entrance where they sell a variety of pantry staples, cheeses, and deli meats.
For the menu, it is Western and European-inspired with pastas, pizzas, steak, salads, and tapas, among others. They also serve wine, cocktails, and coffee.
Now, for the dining experience. The waiter filled my cup with water after I settled in. After they took my orders, they soon served me with a bread basket of focaccia and soft rolls. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar were already on the table, but the waiter proactively prepared the dip after serving the bread basket.
My main orders were the French Onion Soup (P295) for my starter, Beef Lotus Penne (P595) for my main, and the Pistachio Tiramisu (P380) for my dessert.
The French Onion Soup with gruyere cheese was delicious and a memorable part of lunch. I think it was flavorful. I love the sweetness from the onions, which was balanced by the rich broth and the gruyere cheese.
The Beef Lotus Penne is penne with demi glaze cream sauce and truffle, topped with grilled rib-eye steak slices. The demi glaze cream sauce was quite good. I like that the truffle did not overpower the sauce. The rib-eye steak slices were tender and seasoned well.
During the middle of my lunch, I was informed by the lovely people of Capri's that they would also like me to try other items on the menu. They brought me their Insalata di Marie (P695, sharing), Beef Ragu in Spinach Lasagna (P475), Seafood Pasta Aglio Olio (450), and the Beef Kilcoy Salpicao (P650).
The Insalata di Marie consists of mixed greens, mango, olives, grilled seafood, and vinaigrette. This was a filling salad. I love how everything came together. The vinaigrette and the mango give a "brightness" to the dish.
I liked the richness of the sauce of the Beef Ragu in Spinach Lasagna. Though it could use a bit more salt and pepper, but still a filling and good dish.
The Seafood Pasta Aglio Olio is spaghetti with mixed seafood tossed in olive oil with fresh garlic, basil, and chili paste.
I also liked the Beef Kilcoy Salpicao. This thinly sliced U.S. beef sautéed with mushrooms, housed in bruschetta, and drizzled with ranch dressing. I love how well seasoned the beef was, though I think some will find it to be too salty. I like that the bruschetta and ranch dressing balance the savoriness of the beef. This was also one of the dishes that I would remember.
Lastly, I think the dessert was my favorite among the food I tried here. The Pistachio Tiramisu was the perfect dessert to cap the meal. I love that it was not overly sweet like other pistachio-flavored desserts I tried. I love that it was light after a heavy lunch.
Overall, I had a great mid-week lunch at Capri's. The food was tasty enough for me to forget the stress. I also think you get your money's worth for the quality and serving size of their food. Despite just opening recently, I observed that the service was quite good. I observed that the staff were gracious towards customers and proactive to their needs. I love that they greeted and bid farewell to diners with a smile.
Next time you are looking for a quick escape during a busy week, you might want to consider a filling meal at Capri's. RJL