Mad about FOOD

At the start of this new year, quite uncharacteristically, I hankered for some good old pasta dish. So I resolved to finally give Cibo a try. I’ve been ignoring the Glorietta branch for years because, to be honest, I’ve always been intimidated by the restaurant’s ambience, the menu and its loyal patrons.

Last January 3, I thought of having lunch at Cibo in Glorietta but first decided to explore the newest addition to that oasis in the heart of the Makati jungle: Greenbelt 5. It is another upscale development that is drawing many business people and fine dining afficionados to the area. To my surprise, and as fate would have it, there is a new Cibo branch in GB5. So that’s where we ended up having our first restaurant adventure for the year. The place is well-lit (with natural light coming in from outside), quite spacious, has bright, cheery orange chairs and pristine white walls–a stark contrast to the Glorietta branch, which is dark and cramped.

Now on its 11th year, Cibo (Italian for "food") is the oldest of chef/restaurateur Gaita Fores’ babies–the other two being Pepato and Cafe Bola. Ms. Fores is known to be very particular when it comes to her ingredients and food preparation so Cibo still remains a favorite among the elite and serious pasta lovers. Since it was my first time to eat there, I had to stare long and hard at the extensive menu. And because it was just me and Bea, we had to forego the soup and antipasto. I ordered a single serving of spaghettini alla Russa (P318+)–pasta tossed in white sauce, bits of smoked salmon, a hint of lemon and chives and garnished with lumpfish caviar. It was delizioso (can’t go wrong with salmon) and very, very filling. The focaccia had a nice slightly burnt flavor to it and evens out the creaminess of the pasta sauce. 

To quench our thirst, we had fragola (fresh strawberry shake - P110+), which made my Bea so happy. She truly loves strawberries, and the shake was a lovely shade of red and adorned with a sprig of mint. Very refreshing!

For dessert, I was initially interested in the mango panna cotta but opted for the crema bruciata di arancia (creme brulee orange - P135+) instead. It had an intense citrus taste that was bordering on ‘too tart’ but it was a great way to cleanse the palate after a heavy meal.      
         

Cibo - Greenbelt 5 (2nd Level)
Overall rating:☻☻☻☻- good food, wonderful service, nice ambience, good value for money

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