friday night highs (and lows)

i was simmering like a dormant volcano that's about to explode when i stepped inside the restaurant, a minimalist romance at the still to be filled building located along fort bonifacio's not yet populated strip on the thirty ninth street corner eleventh avenue.
(in fact, i was  a bit rude when i arrived. i did not greet anyone, even our host. i just went straight to an empty chair at the end of the table. sorry for that dahlins!)
blame it on the horrendous traffic along edsa, which looked like a mammoth parking lot than the metropolis's main thoroughfare; and the lousy cab driver who couldn't hide his displeasure and kept on complaining that the longer his taxi was staying still, the bigger was his forgone revenue. this, despite my countless assurances to him that i would add a hundred to the fare to make it up to him.

&&&&&

the worse was yet to come.
as soon as we entered the bonifacio global city via mckinley road, he already told me in an irritated voice that he has been driving along the area -- the latest high-end commercial and residential centre in the metro manille right next to the main financial district of makati -- and he hasn't yet encountered a thirty ninth avenue (i corrected him several times that it's thirty ninth street, not avenue. there is no thirty  ninth avenue here. it only goes up to eleventh avenue i think) within its jurisdiction. i said we should just ask around. he told me to double check with my friends if i got the right address.
mustering all the patience that i could gather, i told him calmly to just drive along, ask traffic policemen where we could find it.
when we reached the thirty fourth street along fifth avenue, he blurted out: "sabi sa inyo walang thirty ninth street dito eh. ayaw nyo kasing maniwala. sinasayang nyo lang ang oras ko."
i was still trying to be calm. i didn't want to ruin my evening.
at one point, he asked me to get off unless i agreed to pay more. what could i do? i didn't want to get off at the dark, deserted streets at the edge of fort bonifacio. scared!
finally, after driving around for almost half an hour, we found the place.

**********

but my bad mood's shelf life was shorter than that of an ant.
soon enough, as i settled down and started talking to my friends, former colleagues at the central bank and finance department beat (we are all reporters, by the way, from different newspapers and publications in the country), i relaxed. my rotten nerves were revived and refreshed. especially after a glass or two of the restaurant's (a tapas bar, to be specific) fabulous pinot.

&&&&&&&

then like magic, the food started coming in. one by way. with explanations and introductions from our enthusiastic head waiter, whose voice was drowned out by our conversation.

the food was unpretentious but tasteful. served without the trimmings and the buntings that you just push aside toward the edge of your plate or throw away anyway.
for starters, we had, among others, croquetas de pollo (chicken croquettes), foie gras on mango toast (my favourite), mejillones en salsa (mussels, onions, white wine, paprika, parsley). for the main course, we feasted on the angus u.s. prime ribeye and scallops and blank ink risotto. for dessert, we tried the arroz con leche (rice, cinnamon, milk, caramel ice cream) and torrija (brioche, milk, anise ice cream).

^^^^^^^^^^^^

i love the restaurant too. just like the food, it's also unpretentious. no avant garde or contemporary arts crowding the walls and the corners. no fancy lights. it was like being inside a friend's spacious flat minus the sofa, the kitchen sink and the huge flat screen teevee.
they have a smoking area that offered a post card perfect view of fort bonifacio at night. under the full moon. it could inspire poetry. or even music.

&&&&&&&



more than the food and the place, what made the evening splendid was being with friends again. there is nothing like the feeling of just being yourself, sharing jokes, your problems, current state of mind to people whom you know won't judge you (if they do, at least they have the decency to keep it to themselves haha), will accept you no matter what and will continue to miss you even if you are just one text away.
oh, and did i mention that the wine was good? i am not a sommelier, but i know when something is to my liking or not even if the whole world disagrees.
at near midnight, i went home happy. my bad mood gone like a bad romance. forgotten. forgiven.
that's all. have a lovely weekend angels!

(all the beautiful photos were grabbed from the facebook account of the philippines' fabulous star business and tourism reporter -- donna of the star. thank you sis!)