incessant rambling

understandably, there's a bit of skepticism when cyma describes the moussaka as the greek national dish. arguably, it is the most recognized of all greek dishes according to most food websites. on the other hand, the common filipino would typically associate greek food with hummus, tahini, pita and gyros. blame it on the invasion of the shawarma and mediterranean restaurants, but the list is also common in mideastern, south indian, persian regions. i'm guilty of the same perception as my standard order in cyma would always be the chicken or lamb gyro and some seafood dish. i've had other greek dishes but i've never really ordered the moussaka. i guess there was that conscious urge to choose something different in the menu - the desire to add to my picture gallery was another motivation. that and the fact that the price range is a bit... hmmm, pricey. moussaka reminded me of lasagna that used layers of a binding base, tomato based meat sauce and cheese. moussaka ...

in short, tama na ang kababuyan na eto . drats! dinner with the gang last night in Cyma. food was uh, bad. service, bad ass. company, fantastic. got in a bit late and they had a platter of slightly anemic porkchops, kebabs, osso buco pasta and a pepper stuffed with rice concoction that looked slightly alive. i mean, it was ready to crawl out of the serving dish. leah wanted me to get some of the porkchop but it wasn't that particularly appetizing. besides, someone from the gang took all the good parts (read: the FATTY PORKY PART!) and left the chewing gum meat. so i ordered my lamb gyro that made it's maiden debut in the bill but not on the table. forgot to ask them to replace the pita bread with lettuce. anyways, i have been avoiding baboy for a while now. and no, i am not referring to you-know-who-you-are. apparently, not good for my blood type. there is no justice. this is the osso buco. don't order it.

A distinctive 'S' shaped double curve, commonly found on chair arms - that's the web definition of Cyma. for most, it's just the name of a restaurant that serves Mediterranean and one opened in cebu (the terraces, ayala) recently. i've always liked cyma in manila and decided to grab dinner in the place when i got the chance to travel for work sometime early august. if you're new to the place, you must order the gyro (somehow the waiter pronounced it as "hero") as that's a typical order. it's presented like shawarma with pita stuffed with onions, tomatoes, grilled meats and a special sauce that gives it a peanuty garlicky flavor. the most popular would be chicken and beef but i personally prefer lamb. you have the option to repcae the pita with lettuce to make your wrap a bit "healthier". if you're inclined, you can spread the gyro and cut it up into pieces very much like a side salad. ask for a slice of lemon and bit of olive oil ...