azul

for b's birthday, we treated our family to dinner at moa a few weeks ago. after scouting the long row of restos by the bay, b and i made our reservations at azul, a resto we have yet to try.

the inside of the resto is elegantly designed. i loved the mixture of the black interior and little blue details most specially the blue lighting of the bar at night. the straight lines in their chairs and other furnishings somehow gave a minimalist feel to it. the dim lighting also added a touch of class and charm to the dining experience. ambiance-wise, it really took my breath away.

sadly, i can't say the same for the food. everything we ordered didn't live up to my expectations considering that the prices are bordering on steep. the gambas is too garlicky and shrimps are a bit undercooked giving it a fishy smell. the crispy lapu-lapu isn't crispy at all and there's not even a special sauce to come with it. the roast chicken tastes so bland that it doesn't even come close to max's chicken or even andok's. the oyster rockefeller almost made the mark with the cheese and herb mixture (cheese lover here!) but the oyster meat is as tiny as a pebble you almost can't see, taste and feel it. the kebabs aren't good either. the sisig paella should be called onion paella due to the abundance of onions on the rice. my brother's sisig rice is way better than this. even the drinks are so-so. the chocolate and strawberry shakes seem like hershey's syrup mixed with ice. it was such a dining disaster i tell you.

i'd never go back to azul again. it's better to dine at gumbo or burgoo's, have plenty of deliciously satisfying food that will fill your tummy up to the brim and actually save more than a thousand bucks compared to dining at azul. no wonder the place is almost always empty whenever we'd pass by it. i actually wouldn't be surprised if one time i'd find it's glass windows covered in green which means that the business has already shut down.

* photo courtesy of Yummy magazine