Mar
2013
Casa Manila Review
879 York Mills Road
(416) 443-9654
Pricing: Cheap – Average
Cuisine: Filipino
Type: Semi-Casual Restaurant
Rating
Atmosphere: 8/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 9/10
I first got a taste of Casa Manila when I attended the TO Food Fest in 2012. I was blown away by their hospitality and food so I had to stop by their restaurant in Toronto. The interior is beautiful and is filled with memorabilia from the Philippines. From the moment you step into the restaurant, you’re greeted with smiles and the staff there make sure you have everything that you need without being overbearing; a perfect balance!
You can’t have the dishes by themselves, you need some kind of staple, like their Garlic Rice. There are many different options but I find that the garlic gives it a fresh aroma and makes it less bland. I could actually eat this by itself!
I LOVE Crispy Pata (Crispy Pork Hocks)! It’s funny because I’m Chinese and eat roasted pork occasionally but although it may have influenced this dish, it’s not as good. I think it’s mostly because this has less fatty chunks and the skin is crispy like a chip. This is a must order!
The Tokwa’t Baboy is one of their seasonal dishes and is basically pork belly with fried tofu and seasoned with a sweet vinegar. The pork belly melts in your mouth and although there are pieces of fat, it’s not at all greasy. Real pork belly will be more held together and chewy than oozing grease.
Just look at the delicious piece of meat! I’ll definitely be back here because I had such a great experience. Look forward for an update!
