Restaurant Review: Casa Armas Tapas Bar Y Restaurante

I was extremely worried before Boyet and I tied the knot that both our schedules would not even permit us to go out on dates when we're married. I've heard so many horror stories how married couples get so busy and preoccupied with building their families making it tremendously difficult for them to spend some time together. Juggling our respective careers and our conscious attempts to save, there are times when going out had to be parked. But I realized that successful marriages involve spouses who spend some quality time together.

But then again, I found two reasons why we could go on dates more often! *wink wink* Now that we're married, he no longer needs to pick me up and drop me off at my house whenever we go out on dates. Boyet also recently learned how to drive so we are able save some precious time that we used to spend commuting.

I have been working at the Fort for almost four months now yet I still don't have the slightest interest to explore it. The streets all look the same to me and the street names still confuse me. 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd… Ang descriptive no?! :p When Boyet and I went out on a Friday night for dinner, we didn’t even try to look for restaurants at The Fort. Instead, we opted to scout for restaurants along Jupiter St. in Makati.

My online research led me to Casa Armas. We always pass by this restaurant and its posh exterior may strike as intimidating especially to diners who are working on a budget. We were hesitant at first because of the lack of parking space. But when I asked the guard, he escorted us to the paid parking lot just across the street. I believe they allot free parking spaces for Casa Armas customers.

While deciding what to get for dinner, a basket of complimentary bread was served on our table. The bread is perfectly toasted leaving it soft and moist at its core yet crunchy outside. It goes very well with the creamy butter which has a hint of sweetness.


Because I’m a monster trapped in a girl’s body, I decided to try as much as I could from their menu. I first tried the Huevo con Atun which is simply hard boiled egg with tuna stuffing. It is a good combination but it gets overpowering after a few more bites.

I also had a serving of Pinchito de Sardina which is bread topped with pickled chili and Spanish sardines. I thought it wasn’t a good decision to get it since we were already served with free bread. But I love Spanish sardines and anything with chili is heaven for me.
We got two orders of Spanish rice and we were so surprised to find out on our bill that each plate costs PHP160. But then again, it’s worth the price. The taste and presentation are both perfect. It’s not only pleasing to the eyes but to the taste buds as well. The burst of different flavors made this special rice shine on its own. If we just knew how special this rice is, we would have simply eaten it without ordering for a viand. :p

The different meat dishes were so tempting but I restrained myself. We stay away from eating pork and beef at night so we don’t feel bloated before going to sleep. My husband also has the tendency to get sleepy after a heavy meal so I convinced him to have something lighter. We ended up getting their Gambas al Ajilo.
The server put a small pot on our table with shrimps sautéed in olive oil and lots of garlic. We initially thought that the serving wouldn’t be enough to fill our tummies but we were surprised that the pot seems bottomless. We ended up munching the shrimps even after we finished the Spanish rice.

Aside from the big group behind us, Boyet and I were the only customers inside. The cozy yet elegant interior is perfect for those who seek for quick relaxation and gastronomic feast. The servers are also very attentive. Food is great but the price is quite steep. So malamang sa food court ang next date namin! Sana sa Potdog kami next! Teeehee! :p



Casa Armas Tapas Bar Y Restaurante
132 Jupiter St.,
Bel-Air Village, Makati