Cantina in Cebu

When I was in highschool, My friends and I used to hang out in a popular Mexican restaurant in Makati. We hung out there not to eat, but to meet girls and have more than a few drinks, or have a few drinks then meet girls. I'm much older now, but Mexican restaurants still hold that attraction for me, if only to reminisce about my high school days. Which is why I was more than happy to write about Jose Maria's Bistro, at The Gallery along Juan Luna Avenue.

Not only does it serve almost the same kind of food, it even has a name very similar to my old high school haunt. And whenever my old school chums get together, we usually end up hanging out at Jose Maria's. Maybe it's the food, maybe it's the booze, maybe it's the memories, maybe it's all three that bring us there.

Foodies and business partners Jomai Azanza and Rachel Israel have put together a pretty good cantina, serving good food and drinks at perfectly reasonable prices. The place has two levels, with the second floor able to hold around 40 people at a time. Several tables can be found right in front of the restaurant, perfect for the smoking customers. The friendly staff is always alert, so whether you're on the second floor, outside, or in the cozy first level, ordering is not a problem.

Diners will be very pleased to see that Jose Maria's menu is not composed of purely Mexican dishes. Of course, there are the usual tacos, quesadillas and fajitas, but mixed in are items such as baby back ribs, pizza and herbed pork chops. Diners should definitely try the Chili Relleno. Green chilies stuffed with ground beef, it's a great complement to a bottle of cerveza. Be careful though as the spiciness kind of creeps up on you; the first taste is okay, but then you feel the heat building up then suddenly kicks in. And then you order another bottle of beer. It's pretty addictive, but then so is Jose Maria's fish fillet topped with mango salsa. The fish is very tender, and its subtle flavor is enhanced by the mango bits. Among the items in the menu, I'd say these two are the highlights.

Truth be told, Jose Maria's isn't really for the party nor the chill-out crowd. It's actually more suited to groups who just want to have a nice time hanging out with each other. Trendiness isn't even a requisite trait at this restaurant; call me old, but all you need to hang out at Jose Maria's is an appreciation of satisfying food, cold refreshing beer, and good company.