Cyma Greek Taverna

         

          Ah, this restaurant is probably familiar to many of my Facebook friends since I post most of their delectable dishes on my timeline. Each visit in Cyma is a new experience. If you're seeking for authentic Mediterranean food here in Manila, then Cyma's the best place to go to. There's a reason why I chose for it to be my first restaurant to review in this food blog.

        I'll try dwelling on the atmosphere first. 

        I only go to one of their many branches throughout the major malls of Metro Manila, and that is in Alabang Town Center. Their location is mint. It's situated in a secluded area of the mall where most of the mall hordes don't usually pass by. That sense of privacy is very much a huge factor for me. I usually seek out places conducive to a good conversation with a friend or family member. Their restaurant is beautifully designed with teal, beige, and white tones which looked very relaxing and Greek to me. 

       The service was top notch. The waiters and waitresses are all very attentive, they never fail to deliver. This is probably the only restaurant wherein I don't hesitate to tip a fairly big amount. For you to understand why I'm giving all these praises to their staff, i'll share an experience here. 
   
       Since Cyma's servings are huge and their solo salad plate is actually good for 3 people, there was a time when our stomachs couldn't take anymore and we were dying for a walk to have our food digested. But there was so much food left untouched and we felt it to be a shame to put it to waste. My food buddy had this idea of suggesting to the staff that they pack the food away while we take our walk, and then go back to eat the rest of it. Now for me, I knew that there might be chances wherein they might say no because it's an extra hassle for them. But surprisingly, they said yes. We went on with our walk around the mall and then came back. The food was packed in sanitized packages and they once again provided us with the dining utensils for us to happily eat our food. And again, they were still very attentive and happy to give us what we needed to finish our meal. 

     So as you can see, service in Cyma never comes short. 
      
      Now this is very important to note. This restaurant may be located in high end malls such as the Ayala Malls, and Shangri-La Plaza Mall. But I have to say that the prices of their dishes are very reasonable and dare I say very affordable. There was not a time when I was disappointed with the amount of their servings. As I mentioned earlier, we actually needed a walk around the mall to have some more space for our meal. 


        Now enough of the miscellaneous, and on with what makes this place to be a restaurant. The food. Oh the food, how should I even start? How about with my favorite dish?

Cyma Watermelon and Lamb Salad

Solo   395        To Share  630      Family  790

                                               

  (Note that this photo was taken by instagram. So i'm sorry if it's a little over saturated. Nevertheless, it tastes as good as it looks in this photo)

       The contrast of the savory lamb and the succulent watermelon, accented with the feta cheese defines an eye-rolling tongue-gasm experience. I just love lamb meat. There's always this distinct lamb taste and this dish just magnifies that. Biting the lamb meat and the crunchy, but juicy watermelon together makes up a mix of flavors which I fail to get out of my mind. There were also hints of zesty cider if i'm not mistaken. And I guess that's a give away for the herb vinaigrette dressing. One of the many things that I like about this dish is that they never hold back on the feta cheese.This dish tasted like a breezy summer. I love this for its freshness and unthinkable contrast that surprisingly went together very well. This is absolutely a must-try. 

Tonnos Salata 

Solo  360        To Share   580      Family  790

      I have also tried the Tonnos Salata salad and it's a great option if you're looking for seafood instead of Lamb. 

Baby Clams Angel Hair Pasta

Solo  300      To Share   450   Family  630

       This dish is just divine. More so when I found out what the lemon at the side is for. This dish also tasted fresh and i love how the texture of thin angel hair pasta complimented with the baby clams. It gave the dish a citrus-y flavor which was a popular contrast for more seafood dishes. 

       If you love dipping Pita bread in the most flavorful of hot dips from the Mediterranean, then the fondue dishes are a must try for you. We had their Spinach and Artichoke fondue(350) and my food buddy and I share the same praises for it. 

      Their Gyros(180-300 php) are very hearty and filling. Who could resist such a flavorful roll of marinated meat(they serve it in different types of meat), wrapped together with tomatoes, onions, and Tzatziki in warm pita bread? Tzatziki is a classical Greek sauce which contains cucumber, garlic, and Yogurt dip. They also provide hot sauce on the side. Of course this isn't any typical hot sauce. It's Cyma made. You could actually feel the texture of the tomatoes and the herbs in there. Side potatoes are an option but I think the Gyro itself is filling enough. Though I did have a taste of their side potatoes in their Bifteka(390 php), or their Greek Wagyu Burger and must I say that it was perfectly cooked. Not too soft, not to crunchy that may hint some on either overcooking or undercooking. It was cooked just right with enough firmness and tenderness for it to melt in your mouth. 

     I'd recommend dining in Cyma to anyone. Whether it be for those special ocassions wherein you're determined to have memories built between your friends and family. Or may it be those critical crave moments wherein you'll be needing a daily dose for yourself on those casual days. Cyma's always a perfect place to go to when you're after a hearty Mediterranean meal. 

     Here's a link to their website for more information. 
     http://www.cymarestaurants.com/