I love Sundays because it's family day! Just yesterday, we went crazy over Greek food at Cyma in Robinsons Magnolia.
Cyma: Savor the Delicious Cuisine of Greece
It was our very first time to try Greek cuisine. As clueless as we were, we were thankful of how knowledgeable our server was with the items in the menu. He answered all our questions, and gave us recommendations on which dishes to try.
Roka Salata (Solo - P330.00)
Fresh arugula (ROKA), chopped romaine lettuce, sun-dried tomatoes, candied walnuts, with shaved parmigiano reggiano served with Traditional Greek Vinaigrette
For our appetizer, we had Roka Salata, which is apparently a best-selling item in their menu for a good reason: It's just the tastiest, freshest salad I've ever had! Even my parents and my sisters agreed on that. This salad is like an explosion of different flavors and textures, like zesty tomatoes, sweet candied walnuts, and salty Parmesan cheese. The fresh argula and crisp lettuce balances out the flavor. This is a must try, and something we'd definitely order again on our next visit.
Iced Tea (Single - P80.00)
Spinach and Artichoke Fondue (P350.00)
With our blend of melting cheese, sun dried tomatoes and feta, served with warm pita triangles and grilled garlic bread
This is a rather filling dish because of all the pita triangles and soft and fresh garlic bread, but the main star of this all would of course be the fondue! Good news for vegetable-haters: This is a sneaky way of adding veggies into your diet without realizing it, since it's just so good and tasty. The melted cheese on top completes the dish.
Seafood Souvlaki (P400.00)
Skewered with fresh vegetables served with parsley salad and yogurt garlic sauce
All souvlakis are also served with grilled warm pita bread. Given the choice among chicken, pork tenderloin, seafood, vegetarian, lamb, or steak, I'd happily choose seafood, as I feel that this is a healthier alternative compared to red meat. This dish reminds me of grilled kebabs. The seafood souvlaki was all fish and then some vegetables. I liked how tender and fresh the fish was (definitely no fishy stench here), and this would also go well with rice.
Yemistes (P285.00)
Rice Stuffed Peppers and Tomatoes - with pine nuts, sultanas and braised potatoes
Here you'll see the cutest rice presentation ever, as they're stuffed inside bell peppers and tomatoes.
However, I didn't try this one out, since I don't like eating "wet" rice or rice with any form of sauce in it.
Bifteka (P390.00)
Greek Wagyu Burger - A Cyma Favorite! Freshly ground handmade wagyu brahman beef patties, peppered feta cheese, tzatziki, lettuce, arugula and tomato on a toasted bun served with Greek roasted potatoes
Oh my! This is such a big and juicy burger. The patty is so thick and it's impossible for you to stack it and eat it the normal way you enjoy burgers, but I am definitely not complaining! I had to use a fork and knife to eat this. The patty is the best part as you can actually see the "juice" (not oil) ooze out of the meat upon slicing it. The feta cheese is a bit too salty for my liking, so you may opt to slice it smaller/thinner. The vegetables were there to balance out the saltiness of the cheese, but my sister tossed out the round onion piece. This burger comes with potatoes on the side, just like the Yemistes.
Pagoto (ice cream) (P145.00)
Mint Chocolate Chip Served with walnuts and honey
I spotted mint ice cream on the menu, and right then and there I knew I won't be leaving the restaurant without trying it out. (Oh yes, I love everything minty.) This was a very refreshing treat to cleanse the palate after trying out all the tasty, flavorful dishes. This one reminds me of my favorite chocolate, Andes Mint Parfait Thins, but less sweet. The chocolate chips and walnuts add that just right amount of crunch to the ice cream, while the honey is there to add a dash of natural sweetness.
Flaming Mangoes! (P260.00)
Our Specialty! - served with vanilla ice cream on the side. OPA!
When you order a flaming dish such as this, the crew would shout "Opa!" upon serving it. I asked our server what "Opa!" meant, and found out that it was a Greek expression like "Cheer!", mainly used during celebrations. I was to engrossed watching the spectacle that I forgot to take pictures! I chose to savor the moment, hence my photos simply don't do justice to how nice this dish was actually presented.
The mango would be torched in front of you, but only for a few seconds. The vanilla ice cream came in a separate glass, but you'd have to mix it with the mango (of course) to fully enjoy this dessert. One thing I didn't like was that the mango was served including the seed, but our server was nice enough to slice and separate the mango meat from the seed, hence the messed up appearance of the dessert above. Taste-wise, it's really simple since it's just vanilla ice cream and mango combined, but with an added twist since the mango is hot and the ice cream is cold, which makes for a unique taste sensation when it blends in your mouth. I also spotted hints of cinnamon here in this dessert.
My first foray into Greek cuisine was made memorable by Cyma! Good service and great food, this place is perfect for when you're celebrating any special occasion. I'll definitely come back to try their other dishes. For more information, visit Cyma Restaurants' website. You may also like Cyma Restaurants on Facebook, and sign up at the Cyma Mailing List so you don't miss out on their updates! :)
Love,
Helen
