El Cocinero By Chef Arnaldo

Must Try: Pulpo Alla Gallega, Paella de MariscoWe loved everything we tried, it's too bad there was only 2 of us dining, otherwise, we would have ordered more! The service was amazing as well, the server was attentive, and quick on their feet. It's too bad that because of the Taal Volcano eruption, it's affected their supply as the commissary is at their Tagaytay branch. All in all we loved the food, and would come back again with more friends to share the paella with! Would love to try the the Ibiza dishes next time too.What We Tried: Pulpo Alla Gallega The octopus was seasoned well and tender! Plus the potato underneath was a treat to pair it with. Champinones con Chorizo y Gambas Mushrooms with Shrimp and Chorizo, cooked and seasoned well, plus the chorizo was really really good. would love to try the pintxos next time too! Salpicao (Chef's Version) Tender pieces of beef with button and oyster mushrooms, loved the combo. Paella de Marisco Seafood Paella, the star of our dinner, we loved how there was so much seafood in the paella, they did not skimp on the ingredients Service and Ambiance: A

Had dinner here with one rainy Saturday night. We ordered the el cocinero paella, the tomato soup and callos. The callos was so so...had better ones...the tomato soup was excellent, very tasty though the serving was a bit small. But the star really was the el cocinero paella. One of the best ive tasted, d ingredients were fresh, the rice was excellent...

I've been here once and will definitely come back. We had veggie pizza, paella, chorizo, etc. and every food was just soooo good. What's more surprising was the price...very reasonable, not costly at all. The staff was all nice as well. One of my faves now.

I seldom drink outside. Edit... actually, I don't really drink that regularly. However, when I drink, I try to find places with a relaxed vibe, no super loud music, (just music I can probably hum or sing along to). Yes, the days of rock band stalking are over. The tita days are here. Ok,.. Edit.... the cultured days are here! Yeah! Discovered El Cocinero through fellow food bloggers and I was lucky enough to try them for their much awaited Tapas X Pintxos X Cocktails night! Their tagline Your taste of Ibiza in the heart of Manila! It's simple and is quite foolproof. I wonder why bars did't think of doing this even before. All you have to do is pick your poison, that's it! Kidding aside, you just choose your tapas x pintxos from the huge spread of food they have presented at their ground floor, then pair it with your chosen cocktail. Their cocktails feature the rustic aromas of Hierbas Ibicencas. When mixed with cosmopolitan flavors we are all familiar with, this makes awesome cocktails that are uniquely Ibizan. Chef Arnaldo himself has designed his own cocktails for El Cocinero for his guests' enjoyment. I have tried all of the cocktails featuring Hierbas Ibicencas, the artisan crafted spirit infused and macerated with herbs from the Balearics. I personally enjoyed the cherry laced Cozmo Ibiza (cranberry, lime, sugar), and the lemon infused Oro Oscuro (ginger ale and lemon). The Cozmo Ibiza gave off that syrupy aftertaste, which is not bad at all since I think it does cater more to those who prefer sweeter cocktails, while the Oro Oscuro was light and refreshing. They also have the Mojito Payes (lime sugar and mint), Toni Manzana (sugar, apple and lemon), and Hierbalicious (green tea sugar lime and lemon). Out of the different tapas in their line up, I find myself gravitating more towards those with shrimps, cheese and their Ibizan tapioca or cassava. My favorite still would be the Kebab and the Bolitas de Yuka Y Auevo or cassava balls with quail eggs. From now on, I'd say Friday Night means tapas and cocktails night at El Cocinero, Molito! Your taste of Ibiza in the heart of Manila featuring El Cocinero's Signature Cocktails paired with Ibizan tapas and pintxos. From mouthwatering pulpo to gambas and all the other kinds of tapas and pintxos, they have them here! Make sure to try their cocktails too and get your taste of Ibiza every Friday night.

Best seafood paella ever!! You would know that all ingredients used are fresh as no one from my family had allergies after our dinner. Their pudding is the best i've tasted so far. Everybody loved it!! We also got good service. Will definitely come back.