New and unique flavors at Capréal Café and Restaurant

MANILA, Philippines - At first glance Capréal Café and Restaurant is your typical food establishment, one of many that can be found along Maria Clara St. near the corner of Banawe in Quezon City. But, as is the case with many restaurants, typical doesn’t Healthy meal: The salmon in spinach cream sauce served with rice and a side of vegetablesnecessarily mean ordinary. Capréal is no exception — and many people can attest to the extraordinary menu that waits inside, ready to be served.

More than just tacos: The Mexican taco is served party style, like nachos and dip.

A simple café that opened a few years ago in Retiro, Capréal made the big jump from serving only drinks to dishing out a full menu of Asian, Mexican, Spanish, and Chinese cuisines. The world-spanning menu was inspired by the Gochecos, a couple who wanted to try out the restaurant biz after being done with the original café business. A year ago, Capréal was born and the neighborhood hasn’t been the same since.

Joanna Gocheco is not one to go by the recipe book. Chances are, each and every item on the menu has had some original element changed and

tweaked, offering something new to food lovers and, at the same time, satisfying Joanna’s need to try new things out. “Our recipes are based on experimentation,” she said. “I’m not the kind who goes by the book. If I see a recipe, I really will alter it in the best way I know how.”

The multi-regional flavor of their menu also reflected that desire to keep doing something new. Joanna’s husband and business partner, Orland Gocheco, says that the menu is based on what they feel their customers would most appreciate. He continues that families would come to

Healthy meal: The salmon in spinach cream sauce served with rice and a side of vegetables

the restaurant precisely because there’s something for everyone’s preference. Grandparents would order mostly from their Chinese or Asian items, while the kids pick from the Mexican choices.

Friday nights are definitely exciting here, with office groups and barkadas gathering around a plate of Capréal’s famous chicken quesadillas, smothered with a special sauce born out of Joanna’s experiments. “It’s an old favorite,” said Joanna.

Viva Mexican: Capréal’s famous chicken quesadillas is smothered with a special sauce.

“Our old customers remember it from the old café.”

One will soon learn that Capréal isn’t without its fair share of unique and interesting food. That’s primarily the reason why many return — they all want to try everything on the menu. One can have a full-course meal here, from starter to dessert — it will be hard not to see something you like. Aside from the chicken quesadillas, there’s the salmon in spinach-cream sauce served with rice and a side of vegetables. For a meatier fill, the beef Marsala should satisfy. For that curious recipe I keep talking about, try the grilled chicken with mango sauce.

From regular foods to something a little more exciting, Capréal has something for groups of friends who like getting together. A unique spin on the taco is to have it served party-style, like nachos and dip. All the elements are still in there, but this Mexican taco from Capréal can serve from two to three people at once. Even bigger is their special rice jambalaya covered in shrimp, oysters, and squid topped with a vibrant little lemon, which serves a party of four or more.

Be sure to ask about a more recent experiment of Joanna’s: the grilled chicken marinated in coffee sauce. Just the concept alone makes it worth a taste. And I’m happy to say that the unique mix of flavors actually works. One can swear that if it’s Joanna in the kitchen, what comes out is almost magic. “We even have one customer that says whenever I’m not here, the food doesn’t taste the same,” she said.

So if you want to try out something that is legitimately new, give Capréal a try. Capréal has an ongoing promo that gives customers a cup of free coffee or glass of iced tea (non-refillable) for every order of pasta or sandwich from 2 to 6 p.m. Deliveries are also possible if it’s within the vicinity. But Joanna and Orland admit that they sometimes deliver as far as Makati City if the order is within reason. A breakfast menu is also available.

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Capréal Café and Restaurant is located at #87 Maria Clara St. near Banawe St., Quezon City. You may call them at 501-2818/701-4563. They are open from Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.