Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Quezon City

For this year I have already eaten at 2 restaurants. The other one was during the time that my brother's mother-in-law wanted to have lunch at a restaurant in the province. I do not know if I was able to upload photos of the food that we have ordered there but I know I mentioned that my brother wanted to celebrate there. Or was it my noisy post I said that? This is one of the reasons why I decided to make a Youtube channel years ago. My brother and sister-in-law love to eat at different restaurants. I guess I would have to think of a way to take videos without showing our faces.

Because of some changes in my brother's schedule, we celebrated his birthday in one of the restaurants here at Quezon City, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar. I only know of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan. I have not been there but my sister-in-law was suppose to tour our aunt who had a vacation here in the Philippines years ago. That time there were only limited activities so my aunt just wanted to have a tour around here in the metro. I hope soon I can get to visit that place as there are now a lot of things to do and places to see in Bataan.

According to Orange Magazine site, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar means the Philippine houses of Acuzar. It is a heritage park in Bataan that was a project of the New San Jose Builders, owned by art collector Architect Jose Rizalino "Jerry" Acuzar, which is aimed to showcase cultural heritage.

By the way, we went home yesterday morning so that we will be able to celebrate my brother's birthday celebration. Since our dad was not fond of eating out, it was just our mom who was fetched by my brother's driver. My brother was still in the office when we arrive at their place but the afternoon celebration was a bridal shower for the helper of my sister-in-law's mother. The helper was with them for 17 years and is now going to enter a new chapter. It was just a simple Korean barbeque party at my brother's place that was attended by my mom, me, my sister-in-law, her mother, my godson and his nanny. My sister-in-law's mom was able to compile some video greetings for the bride to be. It was very touching that the message of my sister-in-law's mom almost made me cry but it made the others cry most especially the bride to be. I ate a lot during that time because I have long wanted to eat samgyupsal. I even made some hot pot and it was so delicious that I also want to make it at home. Pretty sure that my dad would love it.

After a few hours, it's time to leave the house for the dinner reservation. Upon entering the place, it was like we were back in ancient history. I was not able to take a photo of the place but we first saw a fountain upon entering. The place was so big and the house that we first went in was built around I think 1970-1980s (if I heard it correctly). Construction of the replica of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is still on going. We were escorted to our table in an open dining area. From our seat, we can see all the old houses surrounding us and there was also a small chapel inside. When we interviewed one of the staffs, he said that the houses were still under construction but it will be made into a museum. I was thinking like the museums in Intramuros Manila.

My godson was fascinated with the music as there was a guy playing a violin at the stage while the guests were eating. When this guy would take a break, he would be playing classic folk songs and the first one that we heard was Pipit. I know I mentioned it already on one my articles before that my godson memorized that song as part of their homework in school. So when we heard it, we asked him to sing it. LOL.

I think the concept of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Quezon City is more of an events place because of the chapel and the Instagrammable cultural heritage feels of the venue. Even the uniform of the staffs were synced with the restaurant's theme.

Menu was all Filipino food but they also do serve brick oven pizzas, calzones, panini breads and cakes. We ordered fried chicken, pancit canton (since a pancit is a must during birthdays), lumpiang shanghai, quattro formaggi, prosciuto and arugula, puto bumbong and bibingka.

I do not know if we were informed about the service time but it probably took 30 minutes or so before the dishes were served. We did not mind waiting because of the beautiful view of the place. We took some pictures and roam around while waiting for the food. There was even a proposal that night though not the kind of proposal that the other people would be witnessing. I remember that the song that was playing was A Thousand Years and then moments later we just heard someone clapping. The table of the couple were in front of the church. Then after the guy had proposed, friends (or family) who were seated far from them swarm into the newly engaged couple. And that is when we realized that there was a proposal that had happened. I instantly remembered one of the questions that I had for my would you rather Valentine edition, would you rather be proposed in front of a huge crowd of people or alone in a room full of candles? LOL.

Going back to the food. Some of the food were a little pricey though we did not like the food that much. Pancit and lumpiang shanghai were a little salty. Chicken was flavorful. Puto bumbong was ok however the bibingka looks like it was made from flour and not from glutinous rice. I even told my mom that it was like the puto that she made months ago. LOL. Also, what I hated about how they served their bibingka was that they put grated coconut, grated cheese and muscovado sugar on top. They did not scatter it and they group them by toppings. So if you are to share your bibingka or even eat it alone, you have to mix all three toppings before slicing it. But what if the guest is only used to eating bibingka with grated coconut? They should have served those 3 on the side and not on top. For the pizza, we all loved quattro formaggi over prosciuto and arugula. It's thinness was just right and it has that crunchy crusts.

When we were waiting for the food, my mom and I were talking about treating her sisters at the restaurant if they will come home for a short vacation here but after tasting the food, we felt like it was not worth it. But we will see if that will happen as they have other food that we did not order. What's so funny was that one of my mom's sisters who was living in the South was insisting that maybe my brother would want to treat them there soon. LOL. She wanted to go to that place and try their food because when she saw the photos that I uploaded on Facebook, she thinks that the food were delicious. I did not know what to reply and I just made a laughing reaction on her messages. LOL. I do not know if the food in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar at Bataan is better than in Quezon City. I think it would be much better if we all would have a tour there. I hope when that time comes, I am already fit and healthy. I am so huge that even short walks would make me tired.

March 18, 2022

P.S. lead image is ome of the photos from Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar Quezon City.