Food Trip! - Casino Espanol

the past week i've celebrated fiestas in honor of the catholic pantheon of saints aside from the multiple variations of the Blessed Mother, the Holy Trinity, the Multiracial Jesus incarnation etc. and when there's a feast, there's always food. i shouldn't be complaining, but this is really bad for the diet.

no matter how i repeat the mantra "no more lechon, no more lechon...." my feet scuttle towards the table where the crispy roasted pig calls out my name. eat me. eaaaat me.

a couple of nights back the tempting call of lechon whispered my name and the temptation would have been complete if not for the aromatic smell, no, make that, intoxicating aroma that grabbed my nose ring and led me towards the buffet table.

lengua and callos.

Casino Espanol de Cebu lay claim to being the last bastion of the colonial hispanic conquistadores of Philippines - despite the fact that most of its current members have family names with three letters or less: Du, Yu, Tan, Lim, Kho, etc. ("etc" is not a family name okay?!)

But true to its "heritage", Casino Espanol serve castillan dishes rich with flavor and aroma.

Lengua Estofada - Picture courtesy of
www.marketmanila.com
Callos - Picture courtesy of southbound.ph

Casino is popular for its lengua estofada more commonly referred to as lengua (ox tongue softened and simmered in thick creamed mushroom sauce) and callos (ox tripe, ham, sausages, chickpeas, assorted vegetables cooked slowly in thick tomato sauce). on the down side, the Jamón Serrano and Chorizo de Bilbao used in the callos were sliced veeeerrry thinly. perhaps it is because i joined a catered event, my previous experience in casa usually have generous cuts and servings of these meats in my callos.

in any other place, lechon would have won the battle for my bulge... err appetite. in casino, lechon takes a backseat. had to go back for seconds. that's another hour in the treadmill the following day.

getting to sample this food is a major treat considering that it is a members only venue and the only way to get in is to get invited or work for Casino. am just glad that they haven't decided to replace Jamón Serrano with Ma'Ling and Chorizo de Bilbao with Chinese Sausage. I just hope that kimchi never finds its way in Casino - that would be the day the korean invasion would have succeeded.

Casino Español de Cebu, Inc.
107-109 V. Ranudo Street
Cebu City 6000, Philippines
Phone +6332 253.1260 to 64
Fax +6332 253.3131, 253.1265

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