Mezze

Greenbelt 2 is alive despite the competition from newly developing food and nightlife hubs in the metro. On a weekend the place still teems with beautiful glitzy people mingling with the more pedestrian (and more down to earth) office types looking for a way to forget the weekday stresses. In the midst of it all, in between Nuvo and Pepato is my consistent favorite place - Mezze Restaurant and Bar.

In the Mediterranean rim region, the word mezze conjures up the concept of "small plate" dining. When they invite you to "mezze" - it is an invitation to feast over various food preparations in small portions meant to be shared and tasted among friends - as the regions wines are used to both enhance and complete the dining experience. It is not a far cry from the Filipino concept of "patikim" or "eto... tikman mo" - sabay tagay ng wine. Food is used as a social lubricant to spice up a culinary table event. Good food, good wine, good service, good conversation ... ahhhhhhh, this is the life ..

Try their crochetas, gambas al pesto and other gambas variants, salpicado, signature paella, their own flat bread version of pizzas, to die for shrimp cocktail, oysters and a dynamic list of entrees. The food is what I have come to refer to as deliciously "eatable" - simple, well presented, a tendency to play with fusion concepts but retaining the original taste expectation ... just unpretentiously eatable ... and occasionally unforgetable. The wine selection is small but adequate. Price points are fair for the area, particularly if you eat in groups.

Mezze is a chameleon of a place. It is elegantly set for lunch and dinner. Then it slowly and seamlessly morphs into a bar and dj music hotspot as its full wall projections and its huge LED bar backlights start to animate the place with the rhythm of its themed music selections. From here on in... its kick off your shoes and drink till you think you are handsome or sexy.

Call 7288896 - ask for Joel, Ayen or Erwin.
Go ... have fun ... you deserve it