Tucked in Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City (beside Forbeswood Heights Condominium), Casa Marcos spans generations and is no way a newcomer in the food arena. It finds its roots in the 1940s, when a Spanish expatriate named Marcos de Guisasola opened a restaurant in his name.
Eventually, when SeΓ±or Marcos had to go back to Spain, he passed the ownership of his successful business on to Ben del Rosario. Ben was his close friend and one of the customers who frequented the restaurant. A new branch of Casa Marcos was opened by Ben and his family in 1983, and it was in this place where the popular “Casa Marcos pan de sal” was established.
My friends and I had lunch at Casa Marcos last Saturday and spent more than two hours talking about our life’s recent updates while enjoying the food, especially the unlimited refills of pan de sal. π
Review of Casa Marcos Restobar (Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City)
Ambiance: β β β β β
At first glance, I could never have guessed that inside Casa Marcos Restobar lies gaudy dΓ©cor. The first floor features a bar counter, two small dining sets, menu written on a chalkboards, and a fridge for chill drinks. Walking up the stairs to the second floor, I realized that this place is styled like a typical Spanish-style bar with antique-looking tables and chairs. The atmosphere was cozy and the setup, with brick walls, lights resembling tin cans on the ceiling,Β and colorful posters on the walls,Β was just simple yet beautiful.
Service: β β βββ
The place was quiet with reserved staff to match. I was the first customer to arrive for lunch. This meant theΒ staff wasn’t supposed to be busy; in fact, they were just listening to music on the radio and chatting with one another. Good times, huh. They looked at me as I pushed the glass door, however there was particularly no hi, welcome, how many or anything like that verbally exchanged. In short, the staffs (about four of five of them) were not friendly or inviting.
They also did not bother to hand me the menu or ask if I need anything but let me observe around and do things in my own pace. It was as if I did not exist! One waiter came when I raised my hand to order, when I asked for the bread refill and when it was time for us to pay for the bill.Β Attentiveness passed the test and that’s the only good point noted.
Food: β β β ββ
The garlicky scent of Gambas (PHp 320) wafted from our table, and we immediately dug into the plump Spanish garlic shrimps cooked Casa Marcos style sautΓ©ed in butter and garlic. The portion was small (almost like a side dish) and might be good for only one person, but we managed to share it, hardly needing all the jazz to appreciate the flavors.
The strong flavor in gambas simply begged for rice. But instead of ordering rice, we opted for Casa Marcos Restobar’s pan de salβand what a good move that was. These babies (so tiny, so cute) were served as a complimentary starter with butter to spread, and the bowl was refilled with more fresh pan de sal by request. The bread was soft and chewy. Allowing any of the gambas’ sauce go to waste is a sin, so we had the pan de sal soak up its glorious juices and ate it. Mmmmm…yummy!
Our single entree, Pollo de Casa Marcos (PHp 320), was ever-so-gently pan-fried in oil and garlic. The chicken breast flesh was perfectly cooked, moist and toothsome.
Price for Value: β β βββ
Average price of a course at Casa Marcos is PHp 400.Β I consider this to be really high as we got very small portions of food albeitΒ in nice plating. Also, while the food tasted fine, the ingredients used, the creativity and the uniqueness of the recipes were not really too exceptional or wow-intensive to be worth such cost. But just maybe, the vivid cooking and utter lack of trendiness have their own charms. Will it bring you to Spain? If only you close your eyes and daydream for a moment, that could be possible.
In any case, if you’re planning to dine in with a group of friends or your family, Casa Marcos’ selection of paellas can be worth the splurge. They offer four different types of paella (good for 5 to 6 people):
- Paella Valenciana (PHp 795) – Hearty rice meal with chorizo, seafood, and chicken seasoned with paprika cooked over a slow fire
- Paella Marinera (PHp 745) – Classic all seafood paella
- Paella con Saffron (PHp 895) – Classic Valenciana cooked in saffron, giving it a lighter and more distinctive taste
- Paella Negra (PHp 795) – A variety of seafood, chicken and vegetables cooked in black squid ink
For those who hanker for long and lingering suppers, feel free to punctuate jovial conversation with glassfuls of bar drinks: beer, gin, vodka, cognac, whiskey, rum, tequila, mixers and fruit juices are all available with prices ranging from PHp 80 to PHp 325.
Operating Hours: 11AM-2:30PM, 6PM-11PM
Other branch:
Unit 20a/20b, Ortigas Home Depot J. Vargas St. Pasig City | (02) 4703637
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
I don’t know about the taste, but it looks delicious π and the place looks cute π
Yup I like vintage stuff and the more of these decors setting that theme, the more I become in love with the ambiance. π
Pan De Sal is a flexible bread usually partnered with cheese, margarine, and gambas or grilled chicken. You enjoyed your stay for the unlimited pandesal.
Haha yeah it has been a long time since I last have eaten good pan de sal.
This is very well written! The place looks and sounds great!
Thanks, Teresa. It’s almost like a hidden gem because it’s located at the far end of Burgos Circle.
This is close to where I work! Definitely going to try the Gambas π
Oh lucky you to be working near a place where almost all the best and trending restaurants now are placed! π
Yet another nice place to visit! Buti nalang malapit lang siya sa office.. I can drop by after π I want to try that Gambas. hihihi π
Gambas are good but do note the hefty price. π
Im a foodie at heart and I think so are you. Thanks for sharing your experience at Casa Marco. Tho the food looks good, I do agree that its a bit pricey considering that they serve it in small portions. But when in Manila, ill try and check this place out for myself. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome. It feels great to share experiences so that others can contribute their thoughts as well and we’ll all learn. π
Wah, i absolutely love the decor and ambience! Too bad about the service though, that would totally put me off from coming to a place! Btw about your comment on my blog, i was just kidding! I mean, traditionally CNY lasts for 1 month (you know, in ancient China) but of course we do not celebrate it for a whole month now hahaha
Oh hehe okay understood! π 1 month is just so long everyone can go party.
I should try this! I’ll ask my friends to dine here. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome. It’s good to explore new places where you haven’t been to before. π
The first thing that pop in my mind when I saw the name casa Marcos was Spanish dishes. But it’s a bit pricey for a small portion eater person like me but want to try this because I also love Spanish food
Haha if you’re a small portion eater, then Casa Marcos’ dishes could actually be quite filling. π
i was looking at the lightings – unique and i love the wooden tables and chairs, though the food is a bit pricey, maybe i’ll visit them only for a snack and not for a full meal dining hehe
Sounds like a good plan π
The place looks great and the food looks yummy although it’s a bit pricey. But for me if the service is poor even if the food is delicious, I’d still won’t go back. Hahahaha! I experienced that here in Cebu where I have waited for almost half an hour before the staff entertained me. Anyway, love that they serve unlimited pan de sal :p
Whoa. Haha they must have been really busy! π I just love the unli bread here. As for the other dishes, the tastes are legit but don’t expect anything special.
another coffee shop to hang out with. for sure, this will definitely be a good one inside metro!
Yup. Let me just say, their food are catered to Filipino deliciousness that totally hits the spot if you’re feeling REAL hungry.
Ohh refillable basket of pan de sal sounds superb!
It’s a dealmaker for me. π
I love the interior! And the food looks so yummy! π
The food is okay if you just want to have a bit of the comforting taste of Spanish dishes but pretty average.
You’ve got me at unlimited pandesal. I like the Burgos Circle area because the ambiance is so good.
Haha yeah it’s another place you might want to consider going to after finishing a run. π
Roch, is Casa Marcos located in Uncle Cheffy’s area? The interior looks like that of Uncle Cheffy’s before.
Yes, it’s very near Uncle Cheffy’s area.
Great that’s too food establishment I’d love to eat from.
I almost drooled over those lovely food pictures. Looks so yummy. I wish I had a chance to visit there. Nicely Reviewed Dear. π
Thanks, Nancy! When you’re in BGC, feel free to visit. π
I live nearby and I agree with you about their service rating. You’re kind enough to give 2. If it was me I’ll give one star for the bad service. I just noticed that majority of the restaurants around The Fort/Global City have a bad staffs/service. -_- Burgos Circle is really nice. Peaceful and cozy. A good place if you want to catch up and dine with your family or friends.
Ohh now I know. Anyway yeah, the only plus is that the atmosphere of the place is very suburban cafe, not a place you’d expect with all the trendy looks in the city but still had a pretty homey feel.
I like to eat shrimps. I just them moderately for I am afraid I might get allergy.
The shrimps are so gosh darn pretty to look at, right? If you want them badly then maybe you can take medications first. π
[…] lunch with friends last Saturday at Casa Marcos Restobar, we walked into Da.U.De Tea Lounge (near Wildflour Cafe + Bakery) to continue our girl talk and get […]
the food looks so yummy…wish i had this on my table right nw….
nice food…:)
I wish we have a pandesal store near our house so we can have them every day for breakfast and merienda. π
those foods are looking great as well as the place too.
Casa Marcos is definitely a unique addition to the neighborhood. It looks charming enough from the outside, a bar with a bakery kind of concept and a dining area in one.
This kind of place is surely a good place to hangout with friends. But oh! the price is so gold. :/
Haha right. It’s good to be warned though. π
I’ve been around BGC lately but I’ve never been to Burgos Circle. I must say that Casa Marcos has a quaint ambiance, and it’s a new thing for me to see a dining place which is known for pandesal. I hope I could find the time to try Casa Marcos. π
Don’t worry, you’re not missing a lot. π But yeah, it’s good to try.
I like the cozy ambience at Casa Marcos.
There’s also outdoor seating – perfect place to chill on a beautiful weekend.
wow, their menu made me hungry! I can also tell by the pictures that they’re influenced by Spanish style indeed. Glad you shared your experience with them π Thank you!
This is one example of a place where certain things are really good but the prices of items are just overrated. Anyway, it’s okay to have a try at least once! π
Cool! I like the first floor interior especially the bar and the two seats in front of it. A nice way to interact with the dining crew when you’re alone.
Yayks, the foods are too pricey.
I guess we’re paying for the exclusivity here. The quality, not the quantity, must make the food prices more reasonable.
Not so inviting staff. They should improve on that one. Filipinos pa naman are known for being hospitable. Would love to try the paella dishes you listed! π
Tell me if they are good ah. π
The photos made the food looking really tempting and the place is really nice for relaxing in a moment but with the price maybe I can look for other place that won’t hurt my pocket.
The food here comes standard so that’s a wise decision.