The Best of TAPENADE Restaurant @DiscoveryPrimea

Tapenade is one of our favorite restaurants in the metro for all-day dining and meetings with friends or business associates because of the salad bar and the Mediterranean take on the food. You can eat healthily and not be bloated after the meal. What’s more, each dish is something different from what’s usual in Manila.

Here’s what we like in the latest menu of Tapenade at Discovery Primea.

TAPENADE
Ground Floor, Discovery Primea Hotel
6749 Ayala Avenue, Urdaneta, Makati City
Operating Hours: All Day Dining 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Dress Code: Smart Casual

Telephone: +63 2 955 8888
Mobile: +63 917 679 4567
Email: dp.rsvn@discovery.com.ph
Facebook: Discovery Primea
Twitter: @DiscoveryPrimea
Instagram: @discoveryprimea
Website: https://www.discoveryprimea.com/tapenade/

Discovery Primea Series

• DISCOVERY PRIMEA Experience: Guide to Lovin’ Every Minute of it!
• FLAME Restaurant: The Best of Modern Asian Dining
• TAPENADE: The Best of TAPENADE Restaurant
• GILARMI: One of the Best Hotel Lounges in Manila

First Things First

We loved the maaliwalas-feel of the high ceiling and the minimalist Mediterranean accents.

Drinks Menu: Juice & Sodas, Grappa, Liqueurs | Tea, Coffee | Sparkling & White | Red & Rose

The Salad Room
Enjoy Makati’s finest selection of local and imported lettuces, charcuterie, cheeses, composed salads and chilled seafood. The Tapenade Salad Room celebrates the healthy, flavorful and satisfying world of greens (₱888).

The eat-all-you-can salad, charcuteries, cheeses and chilled seafood is still the best for a light indulgence.

You can feast on seafood all you want which is all you need to put your body in excellent condition.

We usually eat as much salmon nutrients as we can, and this helps cut the binging on bread or carbs.

We couldn’t resist this chorizo, specially the boys, and we added it to all our dishes.

Wheat Bread, White Bread, Rye Bread, Butter and Jam

A good selection of bread, butter and jam to start your meal.

Soft Rolls, Garlic Confit, Fresh Mozzarella with Thyme & Pink Peppercorn, Prosciutto Ham

I liked the different options of pica pica that could satisfy your tummy’s calling for variety without overstuffing you.

Marinated Olives, Cinnamon & Lemon in Oil, Marinated Kalamata & Tomatoes, Pappadums

You can savor all the Mediterranean goodness of olives, tomatoes, cinnamon flavors.

Our favorite cheese from Malagos and…

…other European cheeses which are healthy to binge on as appetizers or as pre-desserts.

You can mix your own or just enjoy their carefully crafted salads while your little mango monsters can satisfy their mango craving all they want.

Share the Mediterranean

Cebu Bay Scallops Al Ajillo & Toast (₱390). Pan-roasted with brown butter, garlic and parsley, served over grilled homemade ciabatta

This was the best. My mouth watered just looking at these Cebu Bay oysters with garlic.

Stone-Baked Feta Cheese (₱480). Sun-dried tomatoes, capers, Greek Metaxa brandy, honey

This was our old favorite appetizer with lightly charred feta cheese topped with their signature sweet spiked topping.

Arrogant Frog, Sauvignon Blanc (Glass – ₱375, Bottle – ₱1,550). Vivino rating: 3.4

A nice dry sauv blanc to pair with the cheeses and seafood.

Quattro Formaggi (₱590). Mozzarella, Blue Cheese, parmigiano-reggiano and Davao ricotta

Tapenade has one of the best pizzas in town, and we loved their 4 cheese, except for the kids who would sometimes remove the blue cheese spots.

Homemade Tagliatelle al Funghi (₱490). Creamy Portobello, shiitake, and oyster mushroom sauce

Their pasta is all homemade so you get that soft firm texture, and this flat pasta can absorb much of the mushroom sauce.

Mediterranean Mains

Arroz Con Pato (₱720). Portuguese duck rice with chorizo, olives, and crispy duck “chicharron”

For something different from the paella, check out the arroz caldo type but topped with duck flakes and chicharron.

Callos a la Madrilena (₱720). Gently stewed with Spanish chorizo, bell peppers, and garbanzos

If you like your callos thick and full, you may add more chorizo from the salad bar just as we did. 🙂

Porcini Rib Eye (₱4,200). Arugula, balsamic, parmigiano-reggiano (Good to Share)

This is how we love our steak—rubbed on the outside, pinkish medium on the inside—and eat it wrapped in arugula.

Beringer, Cabernet Sauvignon (Glass – ₱375, Bottle – ₱1,500) vivino rating: 3.3

A nice all-around cab sauv but I would prefer a Malbec for our steak.

Baby Back Ribs Diavola (₱890). Sweet and spicy Calabrian glaze, grilled corn and scallions

You’ll literally have to enjoy it with your hands, eating the meat and licking the sauce off the bones.

Sweet Mediterranean

We usually order drinks for the kids after the main meal; otherwise, they won’t enjoy the dishes if they drink mango juice first.

Mascarpone Custard Pie (₱290). Caramelized oranges and vanilla ice cream

An orange custard pie a la mode for something different.

Sesame Crema Catalana (₱360). Tahini custard, sugar crust and sesame cookies

A Spanish favorite but with tahini custard.

Turkish Baklava (₱290). Chopped pistachios, walnuts and almonds, aromatic spices and phyllo pastry

Not as flaky as we expected. Better to ask for the red sauce to be served on the side.

Final Thoughts

Tapenade never fails to impress Gen X families with Gen Z kids. We love the emphasis on Mediterranean flavors from the Greeks, the Italians and the Spanish. The food is thoughtfully crafted and not just a fusion of flavors. You also don’t feel bloated after. Their house wine selection is not intimidating, and each bottle is good to drink on its own. Budget about ₱1,000/head.

TAPENADE
Ground Floor, Discovery Primea Hotel
6749 Ayala Avenue, Urdaneta, Makati City
Operating Hours: All Day Dining 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Dress Code: Smart Casual