The 2010 JSEC Round-Up
by Pia B. Guballa, Iya P. Joson, Jam A. Muñasque on June 16, 2010
El Toro
The owners of El Toro wanted a challenge. The idea of setting up a Spanish food stall hit two birds with one stone— breaking the uniformity of the JSEC stalls and doing away with the notion that Spanish food is expensive.
The solution? El Toro, which comes from time-honored family recipes of owners Ivan Chan and Alexandria King. The customer favorite is arguably the Fillet Valencia, which is a welcome surprise in the company of other meat-laden meals. You don’t even have to be health-conscious to enjoy this meal. The mangoes mix well with the dory, and the coriander gives off a tasteful kick after every bite.
El Toro also offers the formidable Patatas Fritas that can rival the Mojos of Shakey’s. The ultimate classic would be the Beef Barcelona, which is basically your serving of a typical Spanish meal at a student-friendly price. Their lemonade (P20) is a great accompaniment to every meal, tempering the rich taste of their rice meals, all offered at P65.
El Toro definitely lived up to what they wanted to accomplish: Spanish cuisine at an affordable price.
g says: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Sabroso!
According to the owners of the only stall serving Mexican-Spanish cuisine in JSEC, the Spanish term ‘sabroso’ translates to ‘tasty’ in English. True enough, the dishes of Sabroso stick to the description that inspired their cooking, although their trademark tastiness may prove to be overwhelming for some.
The Chicken Fingers is the stall’s bestseller. Cheap and affordable at P60, it is served with a generous heaping of fried chicken strips, the Sabroso yellow rice and a side dish of tomatoes. Owner Bea Caronongan says their yellow rice is risotto-inspired, and is infused with herbs and spices. The preparation time needed to prepare the Sabroso yellow rice takes a lot more time than cooking the average white rice. “We have a worker who’s already in the stall by 6 A.M., cooking our rice,” Bea shares.
The Chicken Fingers are heavily laden with three kinds of sauces: hot sauce, cheese sauce and garlic sauce. You can ask the servers to keep from serving anything you don’t like, as a combination of all three can prove to be a bit overpowering. Sabroso’s Nachos (P60) is recommended, but only to be shared with friends. The heavy serving of crisp tortillas, warm cheese sauce and chili con carne is sure to satisfy more than one stomach.
Sabroso is also currently the only store in JSEC serving softdrinks (P25), so head on to the stall adorned with playful banderitas and Mexican hats if you need a caffeine fix.
g says: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Roma Manila
There is a friendly grinning chef that waves to you from a signage as you enter JSEC— he holds a flag in each hand, one Filipino, the other Italian.
A fusion of Filipino-Italian cuisine is what Roma Manila is. The stall has the most creative items on their menu, recipes unheard of in other any eatery in the Ateneo. Owner Kat Sanchez says that the dishes were an attempt of the Roma Manila stall partners to share their love for good pasta and Italian food with a twist.
“We wanted to make sure that it was something still familiar, so we had to consider the Filipino taste. And the Filipino taste is always malasa,” she says.
A must-try is their Tocino Pasta (P65)— rich and creamy, the sweet and tangy tocino bits generously embrace the al dente pasta. You can taste the herbs they use in the sauce, and despite the similarity in its appearance, a single bite will show you that this is nothing like your ordinary Carbonara. Their Iced Tsokolate Italiano (P30 with a scoop of ice cream) stands out among the other sweet Milo-esque chocolate drinks you can buy on campus— it is milkier, not too sweet, and is just what you want before braving a hot walk to your next class.
Drop by Roma Manila for something creative, distinct and explosively malasa. There will always be something for the adventurous and ever-so-hungry food lover.
g says: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Hansie’s Pizzeria
After experimenting in the kitchen for two years, Hansie’s pizza-making owners have finally decided to bring their creations to this year’s JSEC stalls.
Hansie’s prides itself on New York-style pizzas, which are baked fresh everyday. The freshness factor is commendable, and the pizzas give enough flavor to satisfy a hungry stomach. The standout, though, would have to be the cheese sticks: large, soft mozzarella goodness that is light on the bread and more on the cheese.
The chicken and fries do not disappoint, either— just like what their owners said, all pizza chains must have their share of equally good-tasting side dishes. Apart from the usual sit-down meal, Hansie’s is also ideal for that rush in between classes. Eating in Hansie’s accompanied by friends and good conversation made for a great experience.
g says: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Editor’s Note: The JSEC stall Kusina did not participate in this year’s Round-Up.
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