The LJC Restaurant Group celebrates 35 years in the restaurant business this year. The Group, which bears the initials of its founder, the late Larry J. Cruz (LJC), began in 1979, when LJC, a journalist and information man, made a career change and opened Cafe Adriatico at the Remedios Circle in Malate, Manila.
And to toast 35 years in the business, Cafe Adriatico offers the Garlic Pork Leg Espanole, a celebratory dish. It is a Spanish style pork leg with fried garlic cloves and potatoes, paired with a special tangy herb sauce.
This is a classy version of the crispy pata. The fried garlic lends it magic specially to the health conscious. Its a mixture of crispy and buttery soft garlic and I like the soft one best. As for the sauce, I only had half a spoonful on top of the meat because I went back to eating garlic and bread.
Blue Marlic Provencale. Blue marlin is a fish easy to love. I love the tomato and caper sauce. This one you really have to eat with rice. ;)
U.S. Tenderloin Steak Solana. The steak is very, very tender and it was served to us medium well (thumbs up!). The zucchini slices (which I thought at first was cabbage) was a welcome treat and breaks the happy monotony of the steak. I apologize for not tasting the shitake because the meat wanted my undivided attention.
Buttered Vegetables. Because we are good kids, we eat veggies too! ;)
Chocolate Eh and Mango Crepe. Remember Padre Damaso in Noli Me Tangere? If he likes his guest, he will tell his kitchen staff to prepare Chocolate Eh, and Chocolate Ah if the guest falls short from expectations.
About Cafe Adriatico ---
Larry wanted a place where he and his friends could meet, enjoy good coffee, tasty food and drink while chatting about the day's news. Upon the recommendation of his father, Emilio "Abe" Aguilar Cruz, Larry named his first restaurant Cafe Adriatico, after the street it was on. The Cafe emulated the Parisian sidewalk cafes. It offered good food, warm service and a charming ambiance, all at a reasonable price. And since it opened, the cafe became the watering hole for Manila's who's who. Today, it remains to be a hub for artists, celebrities, government officials and foodies enjoying Cafe Adriatico dishes such as Spareribs Adobo Rice, Salpicao, Callos, Lola Ising's Adobo, Knockout Knuckles in garlic and chilies, or a fresh cup of Chocolate Eh!, hot rich Spanish chocolate drink.
After the success of Cafe Adriatico, LJC pressed on creating one brand after another, which offered his vision of the good life. He shaped the casual dining experience of the country with his many theme restaurants and was regarded "pioneer" in theme or concept restaurants, and the man who had "shaped Philippine cafe society."
Cafe Adriatico
1790 M. Adriatico Street
Remedios Circle,
Malate, Manila
Tel- 738.8220
Cafe Adriatico
G/F Gateway Mall
Araneta Center, QC.
Tel- 913.8736
Cafe Adriatico
SM Mall of Asia
2/F North Veranda,
Bay Boulevard, Pasay City
Tel- 556.0608