Don Andres Peruvian Restaurant: North’s Juicy Secret is a Secret No More

 

 

WHEN IN MANILA, you can be anywhere in the world. Cultures and countries converge when they bring their cuisine in the two hundred fifty square miles that we call home.  Lo and behold, in our space, Peruvian Cuisine has found its place!

In the quiet street of Scout Tobias, parallel to the busy street of Tomas Morato in Quezon City, Don Andres Peruvian Restaurant opened in the eve of Typhoon Yolanda. I have since visited this Peruvian restaurant thrice, even thigh I live in the far South. Every visit felt new, even if I’ve been ordering the same dishes and eating with the same set of friends.

Peruvian Cuisine has a special lively character – a mix of mild spices, aroma from fresh herbs and tangy taste. A consistent hit to the taste buds! All the secret ingredients that makes the cuisine new and inspiring is literally brought to the Philippines all the way from Peru, where Don Andres first opened its doors.

Don Andres has a wide menu from chicken to pork to fish to octopus. All of us who are regulars of this humble Peruvian restaurant have our common favourites, though. Let me share them with you.

And get ready for a little Spanish language lesson while we’re at it!

 

Our 3 Don Andres Peruvian Restaurant Favorites

 

Regulars’ Favorite #1  – Pollos a la Brasa (In English, Peruvian Roasted Chicken.)

Served with fries or rice. Fills one (1) hungry stomach at Php 145.

 

I dub thee North’s Juicy Secret (but it’s a secret no more)! Chicken, chosen carefully in size and weight, is cooked to golden perfection while preserving its juiciness (not greasiness) and tenderness inside. Roasted chicken in Peruvian fashion involves secret seasoning and ingredients being marinated, and a unique and exotic garlic and parsley sauce to go with every bite. Argh. What a struggle to write with a photo of mouthwatering roasted chicken in front of you! 

 

Regulars’ Favorite #2 – Pulpo al Olivo (In English, Octopus With Olive Sauce.)

Fills at most three (3) hungry stomachs at Php 240. 

 

If you love Mediterranean, then you’ll love this! Once you’ve put the meat in your mouth, chase it with a salted biscuit dipped in olive sauce. Pulpo is served bite-size, with the chewy tenderness of boiled octopus. The very tangy flavor from the octopus is then relieved by the creamy base and bitter taste of the olive sauce. At the end of the night, I even got to take home what’s left of the olive sauce (I had it for breakfast the next day, topped on a baguette).

 

Regulars’ Favorite #3 – Ceviche de Pescado (In English, Fish Ceviche.)

Fills at most three (3) hungry stomachs at Php 240

 

This is why I keep coming back to the North of Metro Manila. As a lover of raw fish, lime flavor and sweet taste, I have found my heart’s desire for all good things in one plate. The vivid colors from simple ingredients are enticing and almost too delicate for it to be consumed. Raw Trevally (Talakitok) swims in citrus flavor, but is balanced well by the sweetness coupled by sweet potato that follows. The sharp flavor and the crunch from the onions balance the light texture of the fish. This dish has the appearance, the flavor and the texture of what is truly Peruvian!

 

 

One of the most influential food writers of all time, Jean Anthelme Brillat- Savarin, once wrote “The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of the human race than the discovery of a star.”

I don’t know with the human race, but my discovery of Peruvian Cuisine through Don Andres has sent me floating to the stars! 

 

 

Don Andres Peruvian Restaurant

57 Scout Tobias (corner Timog), Brgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City
Open Monday to Saturday
11 AM to 11 PM

Mobile : 0905 229 9605

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonAndresRestaurant

 

For French cuisine, check out: Brasserie Girolle : Best French Gastropub in the North 

 

 

Don Andres Peruvian Restaurant: North’s Juicy Secret is a Secret No More