Paprika Comfort Food + Cocktail Bar: Comfort Food and Fun Cocktails

           A few years back, whenever my friends would invite to treat me to a bar, I would always decline because they tend to focus more on alcoholic beverage than their pricey dishes. But now, more and more establishments are set to offer a wholesome experience for reasonable prices. One of my latest discoveries is Paprika Comfort Food + Cocktail Bar humbly settled at the second floor of RCBC Savings Bank along the corner 5th and 26th.

        It’s a cozy artsy yet place with a pinch of sophistication.

     It has soft cushioned lofts and pillows for seating and shelves with card games and frames portraying artistic works.

Food

Appetizers

Trio Dip (165 php)

       For starters, we got the Trio Dip.   It is a silver platter filled with toasted bread drizzled with balsamic vinegrette and served with three choices of dip: Spinach with Creamy Cheese, Truffle Mushroom (Yes! Mushroom bits on a pool of rich truffle oil) and Eggplant Caponata with an appetizing spicy zizzle.

Pasta

Bagoong Pasta (220php)

           The Bagoong Pasta topped with crispy pork fatty liempo and zesty tomato slices is unlike any other pasta I’ve tried before.  Just a forkful of it’s tasty bagoong spiced oil based al dente cooked spaghetti got me hooked.

Over Rice

Adobo Overload (305 php)

             When the Adobo Overload was served. I have to admit, I didn’t find the blackened pork chunk over adobo rice enticing. But, when I got to bite into the huge crunchy pork adobo with tender meat and succulent fats, it was like I was hypnotized by the wholesome adobo goodness as I indulged over the pork adobo meat, equally addictive , pork adobo rice and adobo mayo and a bit of adobo sauce. Damn! This is the most captivating adobo I have ever tried. I finished the whole thing and didn’t even bother to share.


             The Over Rice Roast Beef Pares are roast beef slices glazed in rich, thick, sweet and savory home made pares sauce with scrambled egg laid on a bed of garlic rice.  It is also served with a red thick and sticky chili-garlic oil with evident chili seeds. I was warned that it delivers a powerful spicy kick but when I tried it, it was just right for me.  It's cool that restaurant's now offer fun twists with the beef pares.  I was reminded of the one I tried at 12 Monkeys Music Hall & Pub.

            I didn’t get a shot of someone’s Chicken and Waffles. But, I did get to try it. It has 2 pieces of buttermilk fried chickenwhich had a crumby batter coating similar to a Katsu and really juicy and tender meat. I like it better when eaten with their house gravy. For staple, it comes with 3 pieces of waffles topped with maple syrup. 

Desserts

WTF! (What the Fudge) (180 php)

          The  WTF! (What the Fudge) lives true to its name. That is exactly the expression you’re going to make when you take a deep teaspoon full into their small jar filled with chocolate crumble, layers of dark and white chocolate ganache and finally small cubes of coffee jelly.

Drinks

Iced Tea

Specialty Cocktails
            For alcoholic drinkers, the real fun begins after the meal as Paprikaoffers a whole new experience with their Specialty Cocktails.

B-52’s (285 php)

         The B-52’s is a mix of Grand Marnier, amaretto, milk, cream and cinnamon.

Smores (255 php)

            The Smores is a cute but secretly fiesty colorful dessert cocktail. Crack a piece of the graham cracker, dip it into the whippwd cream tipped with mini marshmallows and sip into its marshmallow and Bailey's blend.

Gold Mine (375 php)

        The Gold Mine with its ravishing golden color dominantly of the Johnny Walker Gold Reserve topped with apple cubes and mixed with honey, apple juice and sparkling wine promises to deliver a treasurable sensation.. It even has an added flare with sugar frost on the bottom of its glass.

Smoked Bacon Rye Sour (355 php) *you can opt it to be served on your table this way

Smoked Bacon Rye Sour (355 php)

          Find out for yourself what Smoked Bacon Rye Sour, a concoction lit with a tobbaco before being served. It has Jameson Irish Whiskey, lemon, egg white, bacom and the most important ingredient: vanilla smoke will taste like.
 

La Playa Barcelona (305 php)

        The La Playa Barcelona has some initial tartiness from the line and dalandan juice with a smooth, sweet and refreshing follow through of white wine, brandy, cherry, lychee syrup and mint leaves.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
        Paprika Comfort Food + Cocktail Bar offers a different kind of experience with its cozy, exclusive but not cramped interiors and fantastic, fun and playful comfort food and cocktails.  And, the price is quite affordable that workers in the area can enjoy its offerings as often as they want.