Gayuma Ni Maria: Love Potion Store and Bewitching Cafe

When In Manila, we are all living in a modern lifestyle. Do you still believe in enchantments, magic, spells and potions? Maybe not anymore. But doesn’t it pique your interest whenever you hear or see those words?

That’s how Gayuma Ni Maria caught our attention!

Step inside and get ready to be under the spell of Gayuma ni Maria!

Gayuma is the Filipino version of a love potion, and these love potions are crafted to attract a mate. Gayuma ni Maria is a product of the Aguila family and the restaurant itself is the gayuma to capture your tastes with their very unique menu (you’ll see what I mean later) and its very whimsy-romantic set-up.

Gayuma ni Maria is perfect a date place or in my experience, a place to hang out with your friends!

You will be welcomed to a very feminine and a sort of shabby-charming interior of Gayuma ni Maria.

This are is ideal for the couples! You can learn a thing or two on aphrodisiacs from those articles prettily mounted on the wall!

Or you might find something you’ll like from this corner! Various souvenirs are available and my eyes were set on those amulets or anting-anting they have for sale, I’m coming back to Gayuma ni Maria for those!

Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, you can always get something from the naughty nook. Furry handcuffs, maybe?

Gayuma ni Maria is full of these love-related sayings on its walls.

The gayuma is working on us already, now let’s fully give in and have a taste of they have to offer.

Rose petals on my table? Very romantic.

We tried one of their new offerings called the Ravioli Tinapa, it doesn’t have its quirky name yet but taste-wise, we all loved it. The mellow combination of tomato and tinapa went well and it satisfied our taste buds!

Next up is Me on Top! No, not literally me. Silly you. But yes, that’s the name of the dish! Me on Top is made of seared ox tongue topped with greens.

We’re just beginning with the names! Aren’t they quirky, fun and a little naughty? We had a laugh reading through Gayuma Ni Maria’s menu (especially the boy buds I’m with prolly because they understood the connotations more than me) and we enjoyed the food too!

Seared with a Kiss coming up!

This is also one of their new dishes, the Seared with a Kiss – seared fish on top of rice. I really loved this one! I’m a seafood lover and this one worked on me like a charm! If kisses were as good as this, then I’d welcome one! Haha!

Friendzoned? This one is for you then, the Unrequited Love (Php185). This is Gayuma ni Maria’s version of tom yum meets sinigang. Sour, spicy healthy soup of mushroom, fish and littuco, sampalok and strawberries and served with rice. Generous serving of seafood was a plus. As their menu says, “there’s nothing quite like the taste left by a love gone sour.” Do we all agree on that?

Next was the Lumpiang Excited (Php110) – Blushing pink lumpiang ubod with Gayuma’s special lumpia sauce.

This hefty and tasty dish is called Nilasing ni Eba si Adan (Php215). Get that tipsy high in this pork loin dish in a marinade of beer and apple. No wonder Adam succumbed! Quirky name with an even quirkier description!

This wonderful dish of fish coated with chocolate is the bomb! It’s called Once You Go Black, You Never Go Back (Php225) — yes guys, that’s the name! Cocoa-crusted cream dory is a revelation. Who knows chocolate would go well with fish, right? This is something new to try for those who are curious when it comes to food.

And to cap off our meal (except dessert of course!), we got Tuliro. Not Tuliro from all the eating but its a bed of nachos and lettuce topped with slivers of meat and fresh fruits with succulently sinful sour cream and cheese sauce.

Gayuma-tized with the boy buds! I’m really one of the boys, can’t deny it.

According to Aerosmith, “Falling in Love is so painful on the knees“. What you say?

And for a sweet ending, we had the Twisted Pavlova — with a sprinkle of magic dust and a swish of the wand, seduce with this foamy Australian delight. Gayuma ni Maria’s Twisted Pavlova is a very delightful treat, I loved the sweet and fluffy cake and the fruity twist.

We were bedazzled by our Gayuma ni Maria experience! 🙂