The Italian flavor has never been new to the Filipino palate, and restaurants serving Italian cuisine are everywhere. But as the old saying goes, “some things never go out of style” and out of sync with the best of the best in pleasing the tummies.

I bet there are classics that are an all-time favorite, i.e., the first restaurant where you tried this, which had this, and offered this. Let’s go Flashback Friday then and take a glimpse at Don Henrico’s humble beginnings.

Founded way back in 1993 in Baguio City, the establishment became a hit not just to the students, who were originally the targeted clientele, but also to the rest of the locals and tourists alike. Soon, branches spread down south, invading the country’s capital, which is Metro Manila. They now have 10 branches in the following places in Luzon: Session Road, SM Baguio, Malate, Tomas Morato, and the Brick Road in Sta. Lucia Mall in Cainta, Greenhills, West Avenue, Festival Mall in Alabang, SM Mall of Asia, and at Glorietta, Ayala Center, Makati City.

Personally, it was the year 2002 that my family and I first dined at Don Henrico’s along Session Road during my brother’s Incorporation Day at the Philippine Military Academy. That was exactly 12 years ago, and my next Don Henrico’s experience was 3 days ago at Glorietta 1 in Makati City.

Going back to the year 2002, it was the Buffalo Wings that I instantly fell in love with. Every time I hear the phrase “buffalo wings,” no other name pops in my head but that of Don Henrico’s. I was more than thrilled when I found out it is still included in their must-try dishes until now. Some things never do grow old, indeed.

If I were you, I’d definitely place their “buffalo wings” on top of your list of must-try dishes at Don Henrico’s. So you’d probably wonder why I fell in love with it and why I put it as your chart topper. Let’s just say that the perfect fusion of their special BBQ sauce for the chicken wings and the dip creates that extremely smooth, flavorful, and mouth-watering taste in every bite. The spices used are not overpowering, which complements well with the tender, moist, and juicy meat of the chicken. Upon serving, the aroma of spices combined with the BBQ sauce and the smell of deliciously cooked chicken will already entice your appetite.

They sometimes call this dish “Chicken a la Buffalo” whenever they use a different chicken part other than wings. And I must say, may it be the leg, the breast, or any part of the chicken, satisfaction is guaranteed taste-wise.

Another must-try dish at Don Henrico’s would be the Summer Salad. Of course, any meal, whether vegetarian or not, always has to have greens. Speaking of being health-conscious, you do have an option here. If you want to cut down on carbs, this salad is definitely perfect for you. And another reason to love it? It just reminds you of summer. Who does not love summer? Everybody loves summer! 😉

And that is exactly what this salad brings you – a feel-good summer feeling with all its tropical fruit ingredients from slices of mangoes, to kiwi, grapes, mandarin oranges, and walnuts, topped over fresh, crisp lettuce. Drizzle it with strawberry vinaigrette dressing and voila! You wish you were off to the beach, munching on this.

From something light, let’s go to something a bit heavier – pastas. They offer 2 must-try pasta dishes, and being a seafood lover, I was overjoyed. No, that is an understatement. I was ecstatic!

I’ll start with their Tutto De Mare pasta. This linguine pasta is generously served with shrimps and squid cooked in marinara sauce made special by combining ingredients such as garlic, chili, tomatoes, and selected herbs. The shrimps and squid are perfectly cooked. In cooking seafood, there is always this tendency for it to become rubbery when overcooked. But with this dish, I can taste the sweet taste of the shrimp meat, and the squid is tender enough that you won’t have to cut it at all with your table knife.

Their second must-try pasta is the X.O. Seafood pasta. This has a very light taste, and I love the perfect blend of the seafood and the bell peppers. I bet some would disagree with me when it comes to loving a seafood pasta that’s based on just olive oil, as the common dilemma would be the “fishy” aftertaste that sometimes takes you off the hook in experiencing that perfect seafood experience. But this one will get you totally hooked on being a seafood pasta lover with seafood ingredients as the bait. Trust me. 😉

But there is something more. Don Henrico’s is also known for its pizzas. And their top 2 must-try pizzas are here to rock your Italian cuisine experience – Don Henrico’s Supreme pizza and Seafood Romano pizza.

Don Henrico’s Supreme pizza is a thick-crust pizza topped with pepperoni, mushrooms, ham, onions, beef, pineapple tidbits, black olives, bell pepper, homemade ricotta cheese, and tasty cheese served with red sauce. What I particularly love about this pizza is that the toppings are not overwhelming, and they pair just right with the not-so-thick crust.

The Seafood Romano pizza amazes me in a way that the seafood toppings are not “toppings” at all, as they seem to be embedded in the crust. I guess one common dilemma that pizza eaters have would be their topping rolling/falling off the pizza while they are about to take a bite. And once again, their seafood was cooked just right. The cheese complements well with the overall seafood taste, you would not need any sauce to add flavor to your Seafood Romano pizza.

Of course, something sweet will always be present in any “courtship.”  Thus, when you are at Don Henrico’s, allow yourself to be serenaded by their sweets corner, and among their must-try desserts are their Chocolate Nirvana Cake, Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake, Red Velvet Cake, and Toblerone Cheesecake.

I’ll start with the Chocolate Nirvana Cake. It is a moist chocolate cake with chocolate ganache layers topped with dark ganache frosting. I can say that describing the overall texture of the cake would be this and only this – EXTREMELY SMOOTH.

Next is their Red Velvet Cake, topped with cream cheese frosting, which is indeed velvety enough that it is not just delectably good but perfect as a light dessert after a flavorful meal.

And for Toblerone lovers like me, Toblerone Cheesecake is a perfect must-try, especially if you are a cheesecake lover too. Imagine having two of your favorites in just one dessert – SUGAR RUSH, it is.

And of course, I saved the best dessert (for me) as my last entry in the must-try desserts  – Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake. Why is it my best bet? It has the perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness that is not ordinary among desserts. It is a moist chocolate cake with chocolate ganache filling and covered with salted caramel butter cream. I can eat a whole cake of this. No kidding. 🙂

All their desserts are not too sweet, which gives you that sort of craving for more sweets but not heavy enough for the tummy. You can actually finish a whole slice of their desserts, and I am sure you’d request to try all of them.

Don Henrico’s is not just about delivering good food, but the place matters as well. It is not just the treats that your suitor gives you during courtship that are important, but how you were serenaded as well, right?

I loved the ambiance of Don Henrico’s at Glorietta 1 in Makati City. They have one side of the restaurant which is quite classical and another side which is a bit modern. What sets them apart would be the choice of lighting for each of these sides. The place has a combination of yellow and white lights, which creates a semblance of a home. Art galleries are known for their yellow mellow lights, while a common office ambiance would be the white lights, and any home has both the white and the yellow lights.

 

You’ll also see inside the restaurant a striking balance of modern chairs and lounge chairs that indeed attract a diverse clientele. In other words, you have the option to choose from the type of chair that you would love to sit on to that perfect nook that suits your mood.

But the overall feel of the restaurant is totally relaxing. It is spacious enough for you and your family, and every nook has its own character. Exactly why I think Don Henrico’s will never go out of style. Infusing the classical with the modern is its way of serenading the clientele with their particular interests, from food to ambiance of the place, making one happy customer utter this big Italian word  – BELLISSIMO!

Check out a Don Henrico’s branch near you and be serenaded as well with their best pizzas, pastas, and more. I should say that you say YES to that. 😉

The following are their website and Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/DonHenricos

https://www.donhenricos.net

P.S.

And before I forget, they have something ENORMOUS coming up this October! It is something REALLY HUGE. Stay tuned for updates! 😉

(Photo courtesy of Sir Ton. Thank you, Sir Noel, Sir Tony, Ma’am Tess, as well as to the entire staff of Don Henrico’s for the warm welcome!)