CALDERON Makati is the third Spanish tapas bar and restaurant by Chef Monchet Carballo of Salcedo Market’s famed Sabor de Espana.
We enjoyed our Calderon dinner at the original location so much that we decided to try out the new dishes in the Makati branch with Chris Urbano of the YouTube Channel Maputing Cooking. Chris brought along some Pizzini Australian wines and shared with us a few tips on how to pair these with the tapas.
Here’s what to order and not to order at Calderon…
CALDERON cocina tapas y bebidas
G/F Unit 3-B Classica Condominium
112 H.V. Dela Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati City
(entrance facing Bautista Street)
Telephone: +632 894-1606
Mobile: +63 905 520-4250 (Globe), +63 998 800-8294 (Smart)
Related Blog Post: CALDERON: Raphael’s Spanish Birthday Dinner
Calderon Menu: Tapas | Paellas, Sopas, Ensaladas | Especialidades | Arroz, Pan, Pasta, Postres | Bebidas, Beers
Calderon Makati has a casual, laid back ambiance but lacks the charm of the original resto.
Pan Con Tomate (P200). A simple but oh-so-delightful tapa of bread topped with a slice of manchego, ripe tomatoes, & olive oil.
Order this simple bread topped with cheese and tomato ahead of the other flavorful tapas.
✮ Bandeja de Jamon, Chorizo Y Quezo (P620). A sumptuous spread of Spanish Deli items to go with your favorite drink.
I recommend starting with this platter of cheese and chorizo, best enjoyed with a glass of cava or sangria to stimulate your appetite.
✮ Sopa de Ajo (P190). Hearty garlic soup that’s sure to warm your senses.
This hot garlic soup enriched with egg is another good way to get your appetite going.
✮ Chori-Gambas Al Ajillo (P460). A flavorful combination of gambas and Chorizo de Pamplona sure to please both shrimp and chorizo lovers.
The perfect combination of shrimp loaded with garlic flavors in olive oil, and a salty, garlicky chorizo to complete the umami experience. You can even top your Pan con Tomate bread with this.
Esparragos En Aceite de Olive (P240). Lightly balanced fresh baby asparagus topped with our own delicious salsa rojo and tarragon dressing.
It’s always good to order some vegetables to balance out a meal. These asparagus spears are great for sharing pica-pica style.
✮ Pizzini Arneis 2013 King Valley. Bright green-tinged yellow in the glass, this shows plenty of mountain fresh fragrance with fresh-cut yellow pear fruits, some quince, sweet white floral perfume and the merest hints of citrus and fresh almond. The palate’s crisp, dry and fresh, really bracing yet gentle, with pear and apple flavour sitting bright and crunchy from start to mouth-watering finish. (source: Pizzini Wines)
This was a bit dry with a refreshing acidity. A good pair for vegetable and light dishes.
Lengua Con Setas (Good for 2 – P580). Tender slices of ox tongue cooked with a creamy mushroom butter sauce.
The white lengua was surprisingly good–tender with no aftertaste, and creamy mushroom flavor that isn’t too rich.
The Pizzini Arneis surprisingly paired well with the lengua and enhanced its flavor, which seldom happens with cream-based dishes.
✮ Caldereta Española (good for 2 – P480). Rich and filling tomato-based beef stew with potatoes, carrots, olives, chorizo, and spices.
We liked the caldereta because of the sauce–rich and flavorful but not too heavy.
✮ Lamb Adobado (P610). Lamb version of an all-time favorite, cooked twice over for that flavorful experience.
The lamb meat was tender and absorbed all that adobo flavor. It was great to pair this with the Sangiovese, which made the dish a bit sweeter.
Pizzini Sangiovese 2012 King Valley. This is all about showing the robust yet approachable side of Sangiovese, it’s made for drinking day or night. The nose has a smoky streak with red and dark cherries, bracken and woody spices, some fresh, earthy complexity too. The palate is classic Sangiovese in that it bursts to life with vibrant, crunchy cherry flavour and delivers just enough savoury tannin to get the appetite firing. (source: Pizzini Wines)
This is quite enjoyable to drink and an easy pair to enhance the meat dishes.
Chuleton (8 Oz – P1,180, 14 Oz – P1,680). Rib-eye steak served with its own butter gravy and a savory vegetable siding of sauteed zucchini, eggplant, and pimientos.
The steak meat looked “tired”.
Paella con Setas, Manchego Y Esencia de Trufa (Pequena good for 4-6 persons – P1,120). This paella comes with a heavenly combination of mushrooms, mangecho cheese, and truffle essence.
This paella was heavy with a thick layer of rice sticking together in a mash of mushroom, cheese, and a bonus of truffle flavor.
Enjoyed our tapas session with Jutes Templo of Ginos, Rache Diaz of MrsAwesomePlanet, Chris Urbano or Maputing Cooking, and our foodie friend Marmi Perez of Calderon.
Watch our Maputing Cooking x Our Awesome Planet pilot collab where we learn more about food & wine pairing.
Crema Catalana (P230). Delicious and creamy caramel custard dessert topped with slices of fruit-in-season.
The dessert was just OK.
They better get a new supplier for cakes as well.
Calderon Makati, overall, is a great place for tapas to kick-off a resto hopping trip in Salcedo.
I recommend their Sopa de Ajo, Chori-Gambas Al Ajillo, and Bandeja de Jamon, Chorizo Y Quezo to pair it with cava, sangria, or your own favorite wines. Don’t forget to order their specialties– Lengua Con Setas, Caldereta Española, and Lamb Adobado, which are all good to share.
If you’re going for dinner, I suggest sticking with their bestsellers, featured in this original Calderon post. Skip the desserts. Budget about P800/head with drinks.
Special thanks to Jutes for the wonderful conversation, Chris for featuring us in his YouTube channel, and Marmi for the treat! 🙂
CALDERON cocina tapas y bebidas
G/F Unit 3-B Classica Condominium
112 H.V. Dela Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati City
(entrance facing Bautista Street)
Telephone: +632 894-1606
Mobile: +63 905 520-4250 (Globe), +63 998 800-8294 (Smart)
Website: www.calderon.com.ph
Email: contact@calderon.com.ph, calderontapas@yahoo.com
Facebook: Calderon
Instagram: @CaldedonTapas
Related Blog Post: CALDERON: Raphael’s Spanish Birthday Dinner
Other Branches:
Calderon
403 F. Calderon Street, Little Baguio, San Juan City
Telephone: +632 238-2264
Mobile: +63 926 727-9465 (Globe), +63 919-806-0358 (Smart)
Calderon dos
12C East Capitol Drive, Bo. Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Telephone: +632 533-4107
Mobile: +63 905 266-6982 (Globe), +63 999-703-3249 (Smart)
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Disclosure: Our meal was courtesy of our friend Marmi Perez. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights. Read Our Awesome Planet Complete Disclosure Policy here.
P.S. Calderon Makati is just beside Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza.
