Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez — Restaurant in Mandaluyong

I was looking forward to dining here for the 1st time cause I saw the place being featured on spot.ph top 50 restaurants of 2024. We dined last Feb 20 in the evening as a family of 4 and availed of the Flavours of Martell tasting menu. The menu is being offered for a limited time this February and being that it was the tail end of the month, I expected that they more or less already perfected their service. I was very wrong. We began dining at 7:10PM and finished at 10:45PM. That is how long it took them to serve a 6-course menu. Service was all over the place. They forgot the duck course and served the prawn course early instead. Also, they forgot to serve the bisque with the prawn course which I never received even after I followed up 3x during the course of the night. When I called the male manager’s attention about the missing duck course, he looked visibly surprised and immediately apologized and said that it would just be served as the next dish. What annoyed me though was that when I followed up the missing duck course and the bisque, the female manager this time even made a flimsy excuse that the chef, with his creative mind, intentionally sometimes does not serve the course in the order written and so that’s why the service was that way and that the bisque would be served with the later course. Who are you kidding? I saw in the other tables that their prawn risotto was served with the bisque and only our table wasn’t. She never acknowledged any mistake or made any attempt to apologize. After those mishaps, the service got better and we didn’t have to wait more than an hour in between courses. At the end of the course, the male manager was very apologetic about the service and acknowledged that there were problems on their end which I appreciated. He gave us complimentary coffee and tea to make up for it. I appreciated that he was sincere in his apology and cited that a social media influencer’s post ignited a huge surge in reservations and they were unable to cope with the demand but also reiterated that it was still no excuse for the poor service. Now this is a manager you can respect. Overall, the food was actually good, especially the tenderloin which was probably one of the best steaks I’ve eaten but it was ruined by the poor service that was way below any dining standards more so a fine dining...

The Spanish restaurant located on the rooftop of The Westin Manila offers a refined dining experience with a touch of elegance. From the moment you step in, the ambience feels upscale yet inviting. The interior décor strikes a balance between sophistication and coziness, making it suitable for both special occasions and intimate dinners.

I opted for the set dinner, which turned out to be excellent value for the quality and variety provided. The meal began with a beautifully presented Wagyu and ikura tartlet. The flavors were luxurious—the rich wagyu paired wonderfully with the burst of freshness from the ikura. However, the portion was on the smaller side, leaving me wishing for just a bit more of this delightful bite.

The highlight of the evening was the Black Ink Creamy Rice with seafood, a risotto-style dish that was both hearty and deeply flavorful. The umami notes from the squid ink blended seamlessly with the freshness of the seafood, creating a dish that felt indulgent without being overwhelming. What stood out, too, was the attentive service—the staff took the time to explain each dish as it was served, which added to the overall dining experience and made the meal feel more personal.

If there was one area that felt slightly underwhelming, it was the dessert. The cake served was pleasant enough but lacked the uniqueness and finesse of the earlier courses. It resembled something you might easily find at a supermarket rather than a fine-dining setting.

Overall, this rooftop Spanish restaurant delivers an elegant dining experience with thoughtfully crafted dishes, attentive service, and an atmosphere that elevates the evening. While the dessert could use a touch more creativity to match the high standards set by the rest of the meal, the restaurant is still a worthy destination for anyone seeking a memorable night...

Was excited to have my first experience ever of Chef Chele's concepts. I'll start with the good: the layout and space was great - high ceilings, good acoustics, tasteful decor that refer to the chef's hometown. Our server Miss Juvee was fantastic - she was patient and efficient and handled things with so much grace.

The food was all right. Some dishes were a little too salty like the anchovies on toast and the paella nero. Especially for the paella, I don't think it needed to be that salty to have natural flavours and textures stand out. The cheese and meat board offered a nice selection and they aren't kidding about their manchego! Good selection of wines.

The bad: the beef ravioli they served us was spoilt and gave me IBS. The manager tried to pass it off as the wine used to cook the beef - but I'm suspicious because cooking with wine shouldn't result in a sour taste and smell. It felt like he was implying we just didn’t know how to taste the food. I love my acidic flavours (suka’t bawang or modena balsamic any day) but this was not it. They were decent enough to let us replace the dish with something else and did not charge us for the ravioli. But most establishments at the very least offer a discount or complimentary concession. We didn't want to make a fuss tho as Juvee was great and at least they didn't charge us for the ravioli.

All that to say, our experience was fine - food gets spoiled especially in Manila heat - modern medicine exists. But the manager's gaslighting was what truly left...