Contentment (on a bed of salt)

After a long afternoon spent shopping at a mall, my dad and I were keen on eating something nice: oysters. On a previous visit a few months back, one restaurant's banner claimed they serve oysters and Stella Artois beer. When he told me about it, my first instinct was, "he must be kidding!" One has to go to Beers Paradise, at least, to have Stella Artois. Then, I saw it for myself and was amused. Too bad we did not have time then so during our recent visit, we were on a mission: to have oysters and beer.

Unfortunately, despite walking through the two-level al fresco restaurant row, no restaurant served Stella Artois and oysters (at least based on the menus we read). Perhaps it was just a promo. With that, we decided to call it quits and moved on to do more errands while talking about the dining places we knew served good oysters.

Then surprise, surprise! Cafe Via Mare just opened a branch in the mall in an obscure place - inside the department store. I was explicitly hoping they had oysters. As you may know, Via Mare has two types: Cafe Via Mare and the Oyster Bar. The last time I had oysters from Via Mare, it was on top of the Tektite Towers in Ortigas: oysters with a view. Their branch at Greenbelt 3 also serves oysters but I was not sure about Cafe Via Mare, inside Landmark no less! But, there on the table was a cardboard menu of "Via Mare's Oyster Bar."

We opted for the combination platter (PhP 370) and waited 20 minutes for it. When it arrived, it was laid out on a steel plate with a bed of rock salt the only thing in between the oyster shells and the plate. My dad and I just guessed which type it was depending on how it looks. Each looked yummy enough you want to try it right away. The sauces were thick and cheesy. And it smelled good!For a PhP 37 oyster, it tasted like it was worth PhP 60 each. Nothing wrong with that. I think it is still good value for money. So, that is contentment for you. Via Mare's convenient locations and price actually make oysters prepared in this way more accessible to most. :)

I just wish Una Mas was still a block away from where I stay. I miss their paella and oysters. When Una Mas was still around, I forgot about any other restaurant that served oysters. Mr. Rockefeller (in Greenbelt 3) serves oysters but despite my frequent visits, I never managed to try it. I was only always able to have either Hoegaarden or Stella Artois beers.